tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-367569532024-03-14T15:38:01.743-04:00SV Footprint (Begonia)Kyle and Maryanne loaf around on Begonia our Fountaine Pajot, Athena 38 (and previously Footprint, our Gemini 105 MC) Catamaran sailboat. Apart from seeing lots of fun stuff, there is also plenty of boat maintenance in exotic and local places while cruising wherever the fancy takes us.SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.comBlogger1404125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-69251373297460303632024-02-23T17:00:00.039-05:002024-03-07T09:09:16.210-05:00England - Part 2[Kyle]From Mid-January we stayed at Maryanne's Dad's place; part time as a base, hanging out with him, and used the rest making excursions out to see others in the family. On the drives, we would fit in a few quick tourist sites along the way.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-T1vbKAXRajWKaLi1LfWslcLcETcGxgt_mKwQG6jKAFoj-GI9WwJ60oydYo-EtM8pkQTlM509-CyZuJocVA1C-WIFzrd9QI5JxVeyV1kLVWQgNAO1tTM9WJA-1LKv9nMzsDFdR6JJtOHO4UTkkhmJNq4BDjp_9k78lQ9Z9QLRI1XciZKhrZmV/s200/IMG_9968.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aaXoPrkPyQ0aAJKOhv22UIzeqBnjidW4EnDSi266CNbinQi68zpcukb569bea33g9pul6BsJr2aQxNg-g0RPeosPxFGSzLj7tP9qsijvF6sqj1ir_MUTP-NGMrxtyJge_Z3iMg0WyrNq5UUECFIBhQXLdEQmUwyegVaFbI1mTSstJnqhASmD/s4032/IMG_9877.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5aaXoPrkPyQ0aAJKOhv22UIzeqBnjidW4EnDSi266CNbinQi68zpcukb569bea33g9pul6BsJr2aQxNg-g0RPeosPxFGSzLj7tP9qsijvF6sqj1ir_MUTP-NGMrxtyJge_Z3iMg0WyrNq5UUECFIBhQXLdEQmUwyegVaFbI1mTSstJnqhASmD/s200/IMG_9877.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXm5v6qFLAngLSLa_UuvYQ4TMj9RjEUCWq-jmrN1S3JwxE8SVGW2RN4vkPOgWp7TsZ1WAe3hwQL2v3zF-kpE3t7lNDwZfULiU14o8rW7boRXXdNVRJrrfyOOe52WcypBz5XDSdJCUrtm-ThWvIVHuVBo0RktkUfTYXN1ZyeD1q80vqksKnh3JT/s4032/IMG_9878.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXm5v6qFLAngLSLa_UuvYQ4TMj9RjEUCWq-jmrN1S3JwxE8SVGW2RN4vkPOgWp7TsZ1WAe3hwQL2v3zF-kpE3t7lNDwZfULiU14o8rW7boRXXdNVRJrrfyOOe52WcypBz5XDSdJCUrtm-ThWvIVHuVBo0RktkUfTYXN1ZyeD1q80vqksKnh3JT/s200/IMG_9878.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0InrhtFmYiJ4DaXV385Wh6gtTfC4RXihevMUUihBKytEuc-4OHtpWGGVdEPWns7UyXiJq3HS7NJnKvTuAPjq04JJ98f7le9ZyCwEw6yzESHlbIp_RlVLzEKtk0lfwuLTZRB9q-fcbgWOLmtUnQNg8H7QPsiED8Jx5-c9zkXUHEZEjeZYNyYOR/s4032/IMG_9880.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0InrhtFmYiJ4DaXV385Wh6gtTfC4RXihevMUUihBKytEuc-4OHtpWGGVdEPWns7UyXiJq3HS7NJnKvTuAPjq04JJ98f7le9ZyCwEw6yzESHlbIp_RlVLzEKtk0lfwuLTZRB9q-fcbgWOLmtUnQNg8H7QPsiED8Jx5-c9zkXUHEZEjeZYNyYOR/s200/IMG_9880.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eRy4UZOBimwgHrTcqPgoVUxracS_hQTuowm69spf9xrH3-c4-3fNOJzA7fv6GERzPd19i_MWOL2G2en4KOfX8l5EbIfUWIwx2U15jcdJByFcQ-sMmx-CoXBQ1QDUtyHwOeSCJ47YtQe_MPvHf9TN7ukdwbTdkR_Vc94QQoa-rHiUCTN4gM1g/s4032/IMG_9882.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5eRy4UZOBimwgHrTcqPgoVUxracS_hQTuowm69spf9xrH3-c4-3fNOJzA7fv6GERzPd19i_MWOL2G2en4KOfX8l5EbIfUWIwx2U15jcdJByFcQ-sMmx-CoXBQ1QDUtyHwOeSCJ47YtQe_MPvHf9TN7ukdwbTdkR_Vc94QQoa-rHiUCTN4gM1g/s200/IMG_9882.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Skl1EBZIYT0QupHoSiV2c0oOBuICahNaMNui9MGzrDnY_qW5MUYd-7y5K0g-ZGux6F4kAsHF5VN0EaZV2iTpTSBgu0WnC1xabV0S1DZwxCItXoHBvPCoqfU2tFjSO3NdKAIogBdSbW-dDbcWOLepq_3v92Z9KzdCLWiE4N6xjxktiDwSkbeV/s4032/IMG_9886.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0Skl1EBZIYT0QupHoSiV2c0oOBuICahNaMNui9MGzrDnY_qW5MUYd-7y5K0g-ZGux6F4kAsHF5VN0EaZV2iTpTSBgu0WnC1xabV0S1DZwxCItXoHBvPCoqfU2tFjSO3NdKAIogBdSbW-dDbcWOLepq_3v92Z9KzdCLWiE4N6xjxktiDwSkbeV/s200/IMG_9886.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8cxOFirSEkOcDkijg23KkuQJIhhIGSNorhWBn0aTENpbjThZaUf8wJgWzL6UHkbpKBk84ckVXXT6bFYfMaewczdYUR-unu0h__Kt-RedB8hPUcQCz_tYFr6_AN2GnaHjbq56GM0RAaRnuaHhSK-uqILTxJrZ-kKB6ZHUtEXCtzIXK34MEzQB/s4032/IMG_9889.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB8cxOFirSEkOcDkijg23KkuQJIhhIGSNorhWBn0aTENpbjThZaUf8wJgWzL6UHkbpKBk84ckVXXT6bFYfMaewczdYUR-unu0h__Kt-RedB8hPUcQCz_tYFr6_AN2GnaHjbq56GM0RAaRnuaHhSK-uqILTxJrZ-kKB6ZHUtEXCtzIXK34MEzQB/s200/IMG_9889.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU3WUUGwJ5PazeG9o9-wI8mfOgPiaRBL9qlymX-3yYc2VcUAAbozfTLAdZBLUT5imjYy6YfegppnW2IEu4wPBhxCUBVYK3vQU6XO5fuOiU9lGe387fEURjRPqtSF1cKt_vqBr2z8bUpieCb5yrN8z6Xq_kksrU99ISR7QGOUiGNv20R_hA8kN/s4032/IMG_9893.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBU3WUUGwJ5PazeG9o9-wI8mfOgPiaRBL9qlymX-3yYc2VcUAAbozfTLAdZBLUT5imjYy6YfegppnW2IEu4wPBhxCUBVYK3vQU6XO5fuOiU9lGe387fEURjRPqtSF1cKt_vqBr2z8bUpieCb5yrN8z6Xq_kksrU99ISR7QGOUiGNv20R_hA8kN/s200/IMG_9893.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6nXr6dgf0MPHBxBl3jbOOIC1iZyjmfsoMsVWishPESQ3mxjUC0qxs8019PNczHjsDsJXP22XwenLENCl4pIy9_vaHWnGZPvBR8lEr2MrQx8Xi5caNElL1fXjClu2N8_PIQBbPouIp1C4hJQfPe7xMkIuGLyEhrAXL6X0apea1BD5v-rWnxR5/s4032/IMG_9900.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK6nXr6dgf0MPHBxBl3jbOOIC1iZyjmfsoMsVWishPESQ3mxjUC0qxs8019PNczHjsDsJXP22XwenLENCl4pIy9_vaHWnGZPvBR8lEr2MrQx8Xi5caNElL1fXjClu2N8_PIQBbPouIp1C4hJQfPe7xMkIuGLyEhrAXL6X0apea1BD5v-rWnxR5/s200/IMG_9900.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDyAlHODGVYwgTMHCwjqZdnbIYwcykx8nOJMBOUQBEaUOcaTFLci0GtmoUXeJUPTMt50H1ShZpBu04X2UXoocZU-jWFGrGzTXtKOZeWbAeJrOPyP0T61JsNmHYitKie-NnDHla-MP4nu6QI9Y0KtQMIpAIUCkfShLEWMnt7SfTnf1c8vph8s6/s4032/IMG_9917.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrDyAlHODGVYwgTMHCwjqZdnbIYwcykx8nOJMBOUQBEaUOcaTFLci0GtmoUXeJUPTMt50H1ShZpBu04X2UXoocZU-jWFGrGzTXtKOZeWbAeJrOPyP0T61JsNmHYitKie-NnDHla-MP4nu6QI9Y0KtQMIpAIUCkfShLEWMnt7SfTnf1c8vph8s6/s200/IMG_9917.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDIdAn3JiDS4RdHmcP3r1l5wJG6R8KWAiensXj-fh0NRohW0qqTqNcn86plOAbsXFsdaX5kFtqDyft8oNzc__zhDSFXYVLdpDau4dYOZ75IfU0VbQwTt7v-ZGnfKw9bknNy8WdpfzAq5SydcC2N1nL-nIR4bSmYoP6O7DxzSPa12Sob9sZZGY/s4032/IMG_3346.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuDIdAn3JiDS4RdHmcP3r1l5wJG6R8KWAiensXj-fh0NRohW0qqTqNcn86plOAbsXFsdaX5kFtqDyft8oNzc__zhDSFXYVLdpDau4dYOZ75IfU0VbQwTt7v-ZGnfKw9bknNy8WdpfzAq5SydcC2N1nL-nIR4bSmYoP6O7DxzSPa12Sob9sZZGY/s200/IMG_3346.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hFFUDWTqakLPXFsmc4t_jejYuW6eSTVP1phDrfn-ILYpdDqo14el3TPjr_4SqAuOP2xtunCpkaZRT5zi2R6b3MlGrBsOEEkmsAMDGymKxUT4YFgbX8zcZF4xVATjJPNk__XARJrH09h2GSujjAD8bBM-c9K6LhdYsl3JgegxbgPbuAawRCVt/s3977/IMG_3348.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3977" data-original-width="2983" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7hFFUDWTqakLPXFsmc4t_jejYuW6eSTVP1phDrfn-ILYpdDqo14el3TPjr_4SqAuOP2xtunCpkaZRT5zi2R6b3MlGrBsOEEkmsAMDGymKxUT4YFgbX8zcZF4xVATjJPNk__XARJrH09h2GSujjAD8bBM-c9K6LhdYsl3JgegxbgPbuAawRCVt/s200/IMG_3348.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BMIS9CzplHWp4c812RFMN2Xm4e1KGZQ_UB8fRioNUY4WhlA4r43LJi_1bfvGzzcyC_Oi50ubxCxSUcw5H08sro0p2KOI09f1vmzZMtXkY78wawWn80QlLTE8oFj8rjJhzEXIBn9ZZry5t9TVS3tljRbES84xbLBmdmapk_fLPQF8C8qSRVJY/s4032/IMG_3380.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8BMIS9CzplHWp4c812RFMN2Xm4e1KGZQ_UB8fRioNUY4WhlA4r43LJi_1bfvGzzcyC_Oi50ubxCxSUcw5H08sro0p2KOI09f1vmzZMtXkY78wawWn80QlLTE8oFj8rjJhzEXIBn9ZZry5t9TVS3tljRbES84xbLBmdmapk_fLPQF8C8qSRVJY/s200/IMG_3380.jpg"/></a>
<br>We took a trip to the nearby Stamford, an ancient market town where Maryanne spent her early school years, and returned daily via a bus for her A-level Years (equivalent to Senior High in the USA). Although Maryanne's family lived on the more modern outer areas of the town</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JNyOwWnmz6Jbkt069eSMAvx7vS0jhjBOg97PfaEAzhEE06_kThSRaiZRP3VxyMI7jlu-UbhyLEnUnLdUp835tvVR7ba3FzzY30qHKuHSk1uE-3Rd8Mn_z61qMI-XL10sCWGgjrG_C5hzgglooknUjE8GREmNSf-PAwYN5YcYaOBgnzsr-mSx/s4032/IMG_3410.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6JNyOwWnmz6Jbkt069eSMAvx7vS0jhjBOg97PfaEAzhEE06_kThSRaiZRP3VxyMI7jlu-UbhyLEnUnLdUp835tvVR7ba3FzzY30qHKuHSk1uE-3Rd8Mn_z61qMI-XL10sCWGgjrG_C5hzgglooknUjE8GREmNSf-PAwYN5YcYaOBgnzsr-mSx/s200/IMG_3410.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTkrEPt8mkxZta06G65b6UKLllwZh-VsWhPbs80Rqo8pvfYjGRLO7lZ-Adbd6Qxss62_Js1VmHRTVmf3PugGG-BUCCUvUez9575Ep8RAXyT7ScU30rqz1xKe8PM4im1Y-8toqGRJa85ltRGkdWh2ZSYRH_npTNZHqSOI0muCaCu3thC85rMU-/s4032/IMG_9920.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoTkrEPt8mkxZta06G65b6UKLllwZh-VsWhPbs80Rqo8pvfYjGRLO7lZ-Adbd6Qxss62_Js1VmHRTVmf3PugGG-BUCCUvUez9575Ep8RAXyT7ScU30rqz1xKe8PM4im1Y-8toqGRJa85ltRGkdWh2ZSYRH_npTNZHqSOI0muCaCu3thC85rMU-/s200/IMG_9920.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n5_zmc3aXG0wX3NDdPMdiiKi-_IFfFmkXThPqkYlZ6zvzHGJGYsXldiXLuEWYpP7daA_TumsHv800sFbdHW5MyBuBlHI0TfDtBA2BoJFGNaP8VP_Ii1RNgxHkf3xFmzLiedaHDqTsPRqFuf9Mu7HFYY4oI0tTpCQ3fCBptl5rRcZOO_oopGG/s4032/IMG_3409.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2n5_zmc3aXG0wX3NDdPMdiiKi-_IFfFmkXThPqkYlZ6zvzHGJGYsXldiXLuEWYpP7daA_TumsHv800sFbdHW5MyBuBlHI0TfDtBA2BoJFGNaP8VP_Ii1RNgxHkf3xFmzLiedaHDqTsPRqFuf9Mu7HFYY4oI0tTpCQ3fCBptl5rRcZOO_oopGG/s200/IMG_3409.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWE_1e8-GHT9LZJGVy__RdoN9AdQf2hzETHJdv-3ZlkIx7ly4M0fmrEWKyoBRLOfSIAC80Dh2-kb6WwKbNHZQ67EwOs9o7lCKfShaLjqgwusBXZhdQnoorvG6NNNYYgFa_5SndHLGDBvcGRLSeCmYD774q8b5mS7xlf4ytgwwFmGZ3JgkCL71/s4032/IMG_3568.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirWE_1e8-GHT9LZJGVy__RdoN9AdQf2hzETHJdv-3ZlkIx7ly4M0fmrEWKyoBRLOfSIAC80Dh2-kb6WwKbNHZQ67EwOs9o7lCKfShaLjqgwusBXZhdQnoorvG6NNNYYgFa_5SndHLGDBvcGRLSeCmYD774q8b5mS7xlf4ytgwwFmGZ3JgkCL71/s200/IMG_3568.jpg"/></a>
<br>We joined the local Morris dancers for the traditional Wassailing of the apple trees (it was a tad cold but worth it)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlnEfGYYsw1AclGdT57X9grmAQxe0wJIAzMasaYicnA8EANUkgFxqv2FfVcrlKGb4gbYzRAjRPFRIh5e78WoLe9NP5dJjHj8MD1svmuW-WPrGWkrqiUqZzUEzXt0ohV6V19AIYIyxm3ZbDWXaEJYS9gjhz-D04tAqrP7G4iaMaVVQ2CIbaj4W/s3088/IMG_3740.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlnEfGYYsw1AclGdT57X9grmAQxe0wJIAzMasaYicnA8EANUkgFxqv2FfVcrlKGb4gbYzRAjRPFRIh5e78WoLe9NP5dJjHj8MD1svmuW-WPrGWkrqiUqZzUEzXt0ohV6V19AIYIyxm3ZbDWXaEJYS9gjhz-D04tAqrP7G4iaMaVVQ2CIbaj4W/s200/IMG_3740.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUvv4UGi4-_REbe_u8wHW4UXmM4dR7UE52voeREB5femwd3Xzsn5kQHjEJG0G32uwOYGpQDvnuHUsfhB5U8v8KWH9b0hMReN7ZUTi7cBDGRxu1MCzX0Ht6OvAsrOCmjbBpDMHg6MN1Hb7Cw7bxyfcDyrJkQ_sEyEfOhP1iRzRZkYrwG6gENev/s4032/IMG_4005.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUvv4UGi4-_REbe_u8wHW4UXmM4dR7UE52voeREB5femwd3Xzsn5kQHjEJG0G32uwOYGpQDvnuHUsfhB5U8v8KWH9b0hMReN7ZUTi7cBDGRxu1MCzX0Ht6OvAsrOCmjbBpDMHg6MN1Hb7Cw7bxyfcDyrJkQ_sEyEfOhP1iRzRZkYrwG6gENev/s200/IMG_4005.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-zWPMRGJgfkz-qwbWYggG5lc52qA6jvDVcV4Xel2LYOHrVZczUg4XgEEidzlEyPaTQFp9KekzVnyoKUBZjjkf22LCDB28_K_n_WkIfzbvUSM0gbR6jTlK1YQeZYKHj2sf7HnKQEJoZj0X4JvkAdrttJKmNjgAjpHY4oqn4G4ZNTwIKSnDsry/s4032/IMG_4024.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjs-zWPMRGJgfkz-qwbWYggG5lc52qA6jvDVcV4Xel2LYOHrVZczUg4XgEEidzlEyPaTQFp9KekzVnyoKUBZjjkf22LCDB28_K_n_WkIfzbvUSM0gbR6jTlK1YQeZYKHj2sf7HnKQEJoZj0X4JvkAdrttJKmNjgAjpHY4oqn4G4ZNTwIKSnDsry/s200/IMG_4024.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-T1vbKAXRajWKaLi1LfWslcLcETcGxgt_mKwQG6jKAFoj-GI9WwJ60oydYo-EtM8pkQTlM509-CyZuJocVA1C-WIFzrd9QI5JxVeyV1kLVWQgNAO1tTM9WJA-1LKv9nMzsDFdR6JJtOHO4UTkkhmJNq4BDjp_9k78lQ9Z9QLRI1XciZKhrZmV/s4032/IMG_9968.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-T1vbKAXRajWKaLi1LfWslcLcETcGxgt_mKwQG6jKAFoj-GI9WwJ60oydYo-EtM8pkQTlM509-CyZuJocVA1C-WIFzrd9QI5JxVeyV1kLVWQgNAO1tTM9WJA-1LKv9nMzsDFdR6JJtOHO4UTkkhmJNq4BDjp_9k78lQ9Z9QLRI1XciZKhrZmV/s200/IMG_9968.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzT5m4Ssk3HguR6PQIt8h8zp99ILznfq2EPaMYox_bzVGA5Yb3F-bSg8qVED3RsNR7gG2fYhtZUZW9BdGS7sFd4DL3IcI-QPw_rgcvB9yxt-H2jsKrJSeeZT0t-0pQWWE9vJFbQlqAfjudMYstJ-SxfOKR6wGPiT7pOHGMd8HpAkh9okF1TQR/s4032/IMG_3925.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCzT5m4Ssk3HguR6PQIt8h8zp99ILznfq2EPaMYox_bzVGA5Yb3F-bSg8qVED3RsNR7gG2fYhtZUZW9BdGS7sFd4DL3IcI-QPw_rgcvB9yxt-H2jsKrJSeeZT0t-0pQWWE9vJFbQlqAfjudMYstJ-SxfOKR6wGPiT7pOHGMd8HpAkh9okF1TQR/s200/IMG_3925.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA2h8rJk7pbn-zW-EOfkHrJJduLu91HNwPVP5y_B5dxv4_v4SWztcLi_khLWrZAuFxNxOFBXFkiTTQFDLa2gacciNR7xIxCn-Unf629YzfCAyxRlvCb4vQ1JRfMjsbO60jNSQc2UJWbgIVaG8IkPS2oJ6QL4KUHlaBkVCdjaxAzCgU1e_acf2/s4032/IMG_4023.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzA2h8rJk7pbn-zW-EOfkHrJJduLu91HNwPVP5y_B5dxv4_v4SWztcLi_khLWrZAuFxNxOFBXFkiTTQFDLa2gacciNR7xIxCn-Unf629YzfCAyxRlvCb4vQ1JRfMjsbO60jNSQc2UJWbgIVaG8IkPS2oJ6QL4KUHlaBkVCdjaxAzCgU1e_acf2/s200/IMG_4023.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPn74zPupEznX1YEPYhMldBB57YSuKPeS12ERfAZZ6kvRldhqtC-4YFQfkQyFY7zKzH0vefV_wF9yhDamxj-Mik2OtXIdu68NvVyrt4ir-gJTXcrkbhZoeXc-iqX7wUy7bIKJgsGtcAjwCITkGaYMd2GL2rTv0-_mIyx01r6SafEIa8fpNgWo/s4032/IMG_9963.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEPn74zPupEznX1YEPYhMldBB57YSuKPeS12ERfAZZ6kvRldhqtC-4YFQfkQyFY7zKzH0vefV_wF9yhDamxj-Mik2OtXIdu68NvVyrt4ir-gJTXcrkbhZoeXc-iqX7wUy7bIKJgsGtcAjwCITkGaYMd2GL2rTv0-_mIyx01r6SafEIa8fpNgWo/s200/IMG_9963.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQ_caQyjk3n5nuFCNlC09Nbebu4vrjibKUq9t6nCqgDzVVWRf3Mg6B9QIY2RRgbUtJBRnQtBNEIWvDAVV9nOky8AZRyn1dHoPFlshT3FoH8cfqS6-2gpYk2NZCV3uvZSVmnEAIUGsW6sn74ntkszbjsVG0drvW5hdTeL5lqeymXkI2_G8r4zX/s4032/IMG_4082.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJQ_caQyjk3n5nuFCNlC09Nbebu4vrjibKUq9t6nCqgDzVVWRf3Mg6B9QIY2RRgbUtJBRnQtBNEIWvDAVV9nOky8AZRyn1dHoPFlshT3FoH8cfqS6-2gpYk2NZCV3uvZSVmnEAIUGsW6sn74ntkszbjsVG0drvW5hdTeL5lqeymXkI2_G8r4zX/s200/IMG_4082.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidCpAdySt-lwnoOj4pFGg7WFfPrXw8NFff_QjOCWZl9e1-ioLmRkDwV9HBFtOv20VtxYBw5Vz0gv308q1XwjLonysTpFjLmnCzTjkCs7X1IZi-6AXFUc7KpUptbMQ0oyIL00OyqjPPePNuGzPqYRmV5Laktsm3Z154EXQjOAGLRlphyphenhyphenMuO-0U/s4032/IMG_4084.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiidCpAdySt-lwnoOj4pFGg7WFfPrXw8NFff_QjOCWZl9e1-ioLmRkDwV9HBFtOv20VtxYBw5Vz0gv308q1XwjLonysTpFjLmnCzTjkCs7X1IZi-6AXFUc7KpUptbMQ0oyIL00OyqjPPePNuGzPqYRmV5Laktsm3Z154EXQjOAGLRlphyphenhyphenMuO-0U/s200/IMG_4084.jpg"/></a>
<br>Of course the main purpose of the visit was to spend some quality time with family - so we did that too. Visiting with a couple of Maryanne's brothers:in this case Richard and his family, Paul (and his family), and also celebrating Dad's 77th birthday (and spoiling his dog Toby)</center>
<p>Our first big trip took us to Liverpool for a few days and then to Derby to visit cousins. Liverpool is a beautiful city, but the weird thing was that no one else seemed to notice that the weather was just AWFUL pretty much all of the time. Oh, how I miss the tropics. England definitely seems to be an indoor country.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkpmnOU4hbhu-4vgGvOu22k9zZKwnorKjYmXQ4p6J5Uvprd1ply81nD-4vnq3Sc_uHMNicbqCEL_V2gcM9ArxCOV21GHokjZVbwL_j39S3vbX2DhXAAihI0lGRhZCqDfkHpO-_qnKuWiwEi8rU7C87hen7uhwi15P0Fg7NzKkrRC3qLU0_pm2/s4032/IMG_4111.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnkpmnOU4hbhu-4vgGvOu22k9zZKwnorKjYmXQ4p6J5Uvprd1ply81nD-4vnq3Sc_uHMNicbqCEL_V2gcM9ArxCOV21GHokjZVbwL_j39S3vbX2DhXAAihI0lGRhZCqDfkHpO-_qnKuWiwEi8rU7C87hen7uhwi15P0Fg7NzKkrRC3qLU0_pm2/s200/IMG_4111.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBokedbpaRv1vDS1RXy18hPvENNtl2jBZtMvVNHdRzWToVFRRH9RGypfDsiJub8qWxFt-VDVXmc3aoLppcy8jI_XL2U_ve7qzoD6zk3WY66kUb-Ep1sI3G3EzUKAsABRzNCzqjScd0q1PwMfwpsH-CEEBKdtzOqJ5PuR8om8zFqQ8c1S4NC9N/s4032/IMG_4118.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjBokedbpaRv1vDS1RXy18hPvENNtl2jBZtMvVNHdRzWToVFRRH9RGypfDsiJub8qWxFt-VDVXmc3aoLppcy8jI_XL2U_ve7qzoD6zk3WY66kUb-Ep1sI3G3EzUKAsABRzNCzqjScd0q1PwMfwpsH-CEEBKdtzOqJ5PuR8om8zFqQ8c1S4NC9N/s200/IMG_4118.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQ14SF-DM_IdEQXs0MoFPjrAMMRYZsOivHNq9zgyUSlPuXHh32gd7atMryyQ8mS6ZbII1Ddityt8Ptkp-HjIdjwIAuK4ywybGEHBPmlfgMi7KAGLS_j_oRXVoFRuEcYofg7PkWHJteh3OMFRnTG8hBcFCVdOFTZnEfhyphenhyphenOcm57Wb9u-p2DqqBU/s2592/DSC01474.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLQ14SF-DM_IdEQXs0MoFPjrAMMRYZsOivHNq9zgyUSlPuXHh32gd7atMryyQ8mS6ZbII1Ddityt8Ptkp-HjIdjwIAuK4ywybGEHBPmlfgMi7KAGLS_j_oRXVoFRuEcYofg7PkWHJteh3OMFRnTG8hBcFCVdOFTZnEfhyphenhyphenOcm57Wb9u-p2DqqBU/s200/DSC01474.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hDOVK4psuIoBbOlaI2MBCoQTKMtjefjwgNXkE7dyhNm0xWkYvKmCli1geWUNcWtjIyBm_SuepfRTfA_FLhlwtm_EQ-7D9YNa_KAUS_XcUNgRe8RvNYMbJtVPYMG6W3EuLtir_m_P-TRiJsDlhYzkUnkTuM6UQ2Bql2WKut5mWvKKoQMpE2DL/s4032/IMG_0013.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4hDOVK4psuIoBbOlaI2MBCoQTKMtjefjwgNXkE7dyhNm0xWkYvKmCli1geWUNcWtjIyBm_SuepfRTfA_FLhlwtm_EQ-7D9YNa_KAUS_XcUNgRe8RvNYMbJtVPYMG6W3EuLtir_m_P-TRiJsDlhYzkUnkTuM6UQ2Bql2WKut5mWvKKoQMpE2DL/s200/IMG_0013.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FNLqYgI7DaTPIbIYH5y3CldDVIzqhLS13NqXaxaIRJNeyU1SupcvIlxAm0YA8_YyOrHA-rzawf6jAiZTHaRHioZH9rdCMh3InfX7Aa9zPJwnLNw72Bydos14-xquyOH1lWvDCPw3PuXbucu7v88m17KTM3wTjjvlOIyCAx65LtyIYATcFzoG/s4032/IMG_4160.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_FNLqYgI7DaTPIbIYH5y3CldDVIzqhLS13NqXaxaIRJNeyU1SupcvIlxAm0YA8_YyOrHA-rzawf6jAiZTHaRHioZH9rdCMh3InfX7Aa9zPJwnLNw72Bydos14-xquyOH1lWvDCPw3PuXbucu7v88m17KTM3wTjjvlOIyCAx65LtyIYATcFzoG/s200/IMG_4160.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYCrOVcxvUYjDQo0ZN-90a1Oba3Cdgd0wnb9fd1VfnZGFS3uP265wTj6UGcPTqnmc4k98s3ZCRxuF1cVOspuz1Ye92m7hH5AvxKLp2Dc15S-5NnJp4ETlyLEvScKVKcqA2kAAWQlheueaD0TU4-amMh68Y8fvkhbd0Rv6P2DwamZc23AngYZh/s4032/IMG_9997.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQYCrOVcxvUYjDQo0ZN-90a1Oba3Cdgd0wnb9fd1VfnZGFS3uP265wTj6UGcPTqnmc4k98s3ZCRxuF1cVOspuz1Ye92m7hH5AvxKLp2Dc15S-5NnJp4ETlyLEvScKVKcqA2kAAWQlheueaD0TU4-amMh68Y8fvkhbd0Rv6P2DwamZc23AngYZh/s200/IMG_9997.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB4sZERMtOS2msj28kQcUpRfwLIGZgOY16CS73WnAzJWKI3m8ip8lCGlqgHsJHO1JtKoYztSvdYMD0cY_5O49aqTCqQoZBni6y07XEBslJcuagrktxuS9EDxOE8OqyvIZuA0MsEHxMmRCyvq6eD_NUPZwDX61ltXdX7Drp_bYNRa8dOg7DBmA/s4032/IMG_4151.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTB4sZERMtOS2msj28kQcUpRfwLIGZgOY16CS73WnAzJWKI3m8ip8lCGlqgHsJHO1JtKoYztSvdYMD0cY_5O49aqTCqQoZBni6y07XEBslJcuagrktxuS9EDxOE8OqyvIZuA0MsEHxMmRCyvq6eD_NUPZwDX61ltXdX7Drp_bYNRa8dOg7DBmA/s200/IMG_4151.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIyv1CJH7Xbufoo69ODLngonTmT64Z71sN3EnnO259u_kIZDSOorh7Y3MEWJorVXPNwBaf7CinfW5mtXw3RVhWBK8kjXZAq-AzcgbF9Nm6jMOzo3JKST79gpI24KEC7Ixv9oZTFIXl-mwFKykJ8WRHvhIO70_rqoZXQWKpfymlU0wZXCcacxY/s4032/IMG_4185.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWIyv1CJH7Xbufoo69ODLngonTmT64Z71sN3EnnO259u_kIZDSOorh7Y3MEWJorVXPNwBaf7CinfW5mtXw3RVhWBK8kjXZAq-AzcgbF9Nm6jMOzo3JKST79gpI24KEC7Ixv9oZTFIXl-mwFKykJ8WRHvhIO70_rqoZXQWKpfymlU0wZXCcacxY/s200/IMG_4185.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggep7E2eUp9j3jkKh_ix71v5YAUZlqYPoqPPNchVtEyJhXd5O0QPZMT3JNWh3nZMIpPT8caRhWVu2gntqH3Xzraio9c5zVhmlBNA5HSPPF3dYWZKl9cSUrjRNWV_VmwI4MkrF2Lr7wmQPMOGyYidO1AGLCnmckF6YRc0OmeEQ5Gs2Yg59trQQ7/s4032/IMG_4189.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggep7E2eUp9j3jkKh_ix71v5YAUZlqYPoqPPNchVtEyJhXd5O0QPZMT3JNWh3nZMIpPT8caRhWVu2gntqH3Xzraio9c5zVhmlBNA5HSPPF3dYWZKl9cSUrjRNWV_VmwI4MkrF2Lr7wmQPMOGyYidO1AGLCnmckF6YRc0OmeEQ5Gs2Yg59trQQ7/s200/IMG_4189.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzbRvDVKd2kMtVs6hxPD5D2jplAuxZ9ziue9Pf6Y-ZhbuglU4EpUB1qXL9uu3D-j1JalAgA8HVpI9iYVmlXsU0G22z_UxFD88m7RCf7dcW8eRMQGtZViYzBVX30DUA0llPURyxv9Kpd-a8owPRYAheWcR9E6wu6pZQufUD5-ZwB7LPlt6x2hO/s4032/IMG_4191.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGzbRvDVKd2kMtVs6hxPD5D2jplAuxZ9ziue9Pf6Y-ZhbuglU4EpUB1qXL9uu3D-j1JalAgA8HVpI9iYVmlXsU0G22z_UxFD88m7RCf7dcW8eRMQGtZViYzBVX30DUA0llPURyxv9Kpd-a8owPRYAheWcR9E6wu6pZQufUD5-ZwB7LPlt6x2hO/s200/IMG_4191.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Aa83ShW_t7nin4vc-ORBSL8Cn2e9RRqV151NjxUYzqdJIyk6H2z-XTHc0BkWYpgM8NwiZMI_spQIKqgF6h8fJE0vcBMJPtzYwPZQXsAwBJARUjjz3k06pYh6Vh9hZyI1zjrrjw-KzrPk9a7YuTr1v7H9m8OwAFAosyrJoMMaE1umepMbdQZi/s4374/IMG_9988.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4374" data-original-width="3960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Aa83ShW_t7nin4vc-ORBSL8Cn2e9RRqV151NjxUYzqdJIyk6H2z-XTHc0BkWYpgM8NwiZMI_spQIKqgF6h8fJE0vcBMJPtzYwPZQXsAwBJARUjjz3k06pYh6Vh9hZyI1zjrrjw-KzrPk9a7YuTr1v7H9m8OwAFAosyrJoMMaE1umepMbdQZi/s200/IMG_9988.jpg"/></a>
<br>Liverpool to see cousin Rachel - where we are kicking ourselves that we failed to get a group picture during our vist! Liverpool is also the place that Maryanne first went to University in the UK, and of course, home of the Beatles</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5bHumklBe8m5F6PJoL-sLSDSJc2dC1hZ40ZbZ2ntq6Ah5zvcRWTuKcqa096F9t9WLqXFdZOgiKqHPAJsXQowaY30iVGl1uwJKcxfj-t_mNcE8QIaPXrf2V949gJGM-dQWPE17oj3sR7Qxccv1cWJqHBBjOpodrYi8KnuoZc9GEotXLXBDT3N/s3024/IMG_4135.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2269" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ5bHumklBe8m5F6PJoL-sLSDSJc2dC1hZ40ZbZ2ntq6Ah5zvcRWTuKcqa096F9t9WLqXFdZOgiKqHPAJsXQowaY30iVGl1uwJKcxfj-t_mNcE8QIaPXrf2V949gJGM-dQWPE17oj3sR7Qxccv1cWJqHBBjOpodrYi8KnuoZc9GEotXLXBDT3N/s200/IMG_4135.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCKAFwRZwfQ06l2SmAtlSJQd36TBytzDn7U8J7czLbeQ5saG1OSVsTklJ4L2B2ynmCVsgsNgYn_O0TXoR-Lyb5_aXXTP6Np9MZojPsCaiv8GUQrXNzrKbnvxv9Wt34wltBJkA891QPtV17GWjRG5sNT41oiyBj4nj5oHaJEP3xVgMk7hyphenhyphen2xiF/s3010/IMG_4136.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="2278" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZCKAFwRZwfQ06l2SmAtlSJQd36TBytzDn7U8J7czLbeQ5saG1OSVsTklJ4L2B2ynmCVsgsNgYn_O0TXoR-Lyb5_aXXTP6Np9MZojPsCaiv8GUQrXNzrKbnvxv9Wt34wltBJkA891QPtV17GWjRG5sNT41oiyBj4nj5oHaJEP3xVgMk7hyphenhyphen2xiF/s200/IMG_4136.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT5Pp4f4inCJ0eBCvkIIIzKFY9-zuI2AjcCxTxS48GfStzxsb2Ts6PMVXB_cg_SamYGUdLk-HW1iqqIRhIMQay8FMLlKcNFt5n-khjoa6e7g1oO0BVK1-ul_9cbXO7doDRrmnsxwoKCb2BeHHtLYQIal8gN-xYLsqWoXG5RMJ1rSSu4E-eqJj/s3235/IMG_E4140.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3235" data-original-width="2439" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikT5Pp4f4inCJ0eBCvkIIIzKFY9-zuI2AjcCxTxS48GfStzxsb2Ts6PMVXB_cg_SamYGUdLk-HW1iqqIRhIMQay8FMLlKcNFt5n-khjoa6e7g1oO0BVK1-ul_9cbXO7doDRrmnsxwoKCb2BeHHtLYQIal8gN-xYLsqWoXG5RMJ1rSSu4E-eqJj/s200/IMG_E4140.jpg"/></a>
<br>With a sidetrip to the nearby Crosby beach with its artwork by Anthony Gormley</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBa_MIfbGZ1A66qwzhTVuNAC8xH0FaItrQhyphenhyphen817H-X8g1WbsMOwZvNcIUqwdqCeQNQiCsfBGxo1mr7XWXxuHtTF5N8Pn9cHE_twXT0HDVfWEdIDBSkHIaXSQgyv3giIIGZbl_xNMManm4onh8zFr5BFOTBr_XsKDPcKfWbYPsM1MzYqvmoF3A2/s2592/DSC01487.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBa_MIfbGZ1A66qwzhTVuNAC8xH0FaItrQhyphenhyphen817H-X8g1WbsMOwZvNcIUqwdqCeQNQiCsfBGxo1mr7XWXxuHtTF5N8Pn9cHE_twXT0HDVfWEdIDBSkHIaXSQgyv3giIIGZbl_xNMManm4onh8zFr5BFOTBr_XsKDPcKfWbYPsM1MzYqvmoF3A2/s200/DSC01487.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7IBY9XAWIef0uExfK8uMSW1pXzyrblmjVImcJ-Y5sdjWkqRgacFs2ulF4gKQs1huQLnkVhYAttinAYsB_V7Fftzphee1gQ4A-VaGSCQkNch-fmVAPdGElDyRhK48Y7IeiL9YfbZAx_hPFDrpHLxaLrI5i1NH_cjUO8x9D1Vcnua9kMCDuk1m/s2592/DSC01517.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp7IBY9XAWIef0uExfK8uMSW1pXzyrblmjVImcJ-Y5sdjWkqRgacFs2ulF4gKQs1huQLnkVhYAttinAYsB_V7Fftzphee1gQ4A-VaGSCQkNch-fmVAPdGElDyRhK48Y7IeiL9YfbZAx_hPFDrpHLxaLrI5i1NH_cjUO8x9D1Vcnua9kMCDuk1m/s200/DSC01517.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-221drxzrQaoss7lFxikg7kjXy8_0wGNRErU1pEu6LHPuhXpVe1Y8KaI5_sGSLn-WSCIE6Wz6dxA4KkTxJRB8j__lN2qIh51zUQcwFfIqxynrHcwKW-xt4tGclUnsihmYWiy4Q3K0Bi8CXdpS9MQ-ERcOAOAJpuzl5g-3meb7n_pDreqTpXl1/s2675/IMG_4200.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2675" data-original-width="1766" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-221drxzrQaoss7lFxikg7kjXy8_0wGNRErU1pEu6LHPuhXpVe1Y8KaI5_sGSLn-WSCIE6Wz6dxA4KkTxJRB8j__lN2qIh51zUQcwFfIqxynrHcwKW-xt4tGclUnsihmYWiy4Q3K0Bi8CXdpS9MQ-ERcOAOAJpuzl5g-3meb7n_pDreqTpXl1/s200/IMG_4200.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpS-yv9uSgyf1B2N5zWYuHHZe6tZUD41WzMi0t8eTbQMavDsQIqZTHh9pvF2PgphmnN3aYEZU-ZxI724HmmQ7BEsWZJbsyg_muvi0EDONNqUJHGAt-8lws3o4tGGp1HC7Jv25pXXWpFq1ZVPqbu4ZiqvMurRtW4eGsqyypx_HOzs2bEIDzAed/s2592/DSC01498.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEpS-yv9uSgyf1B2N5zWYuHHZe6tZUD41WzMi0t8eTbQMavDsQIqZTHh9pvF2PgphmnN3aYEZU-ZxI724HmmQ7BEsWZJbsyg_muvi0EDONNqUJHGAt-8lws3o4tGGp1HC7Jv25pXXWpFq1ZVPqbu4ZiqvMurRtW4eGsqyypx_HOzs2bEIDzAed/s200/DSC01498.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcc_zoQG3r6MZlWllsbMaCjNGbXYPAjJpi8YRDVGaQ56Dlw-xUaTyaSFpqpkXD30WXiTmZVIgNzGep8JXo4A0MQYGwczFeopRCE42Gb-Zrxgm-m243SawHajJomXUAjMYmenfMGsuGrsb8M9PEwC451W0oDbZoearIY60PbF0gmiv3J0aoLh8/s4032/IMG_0037.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXcc_zoQG3r6MZlWllsbMaCjNGbXYPAjJpi8YRDVGaQ56Dlw-xUaTyaSFpqpkXD30WXiTmZVIgNzGep8JXo4A0MQYGwczFeopRCE42Gb-Zrxgm-m243SawHajJomXUAjMYmenfMGsuGrsb8M9PEwC451W0oDbZoearIY60PbF0gmiv3J0aoLh8/s200/IMG_0037.jpg"/></a>
<br>On the road between family we stopped at Tatton Park to enjoy a stroll with the deer (and a cuppa)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtaPlR7KDynE00U27lawsNGQi0x2wG6SQ0VK0C3DHldXZSG39_HK02I__EsHGOpitC0kiAYj8UrDTtpiSDstvBllPQqlMMIAU2jYdq9NZOb3HFzUPy_XsEd64VaY9bYM2Y62IwNBEQSjELOyyhg3RyWzex9uvMTFbt3cDjMuH0MOSb1b0ZH6T/s4032/IMG_4211.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWtaPlR7KDynE00U27lawsNGQi0x2wG6SQ0VK0C3DHldXZSG39_HK02I__EsHGOpitC0kiAYj8UrDTtpiSDstvBllPQqlMMIAU2jYdq9NZOb3HFzUPy_XsEd64VaY9bYM2Y62IwNBEQSjELOyyhg3RyWzex9uvMTFbt3cDjMuH0MOSb1b0ZH6T/s200/IMG_4211.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZ_AOc8T9WY_2wa2XJfIKMPlnZ8civkNvAKac1p_sHbGblIrpQA-8IwuV9iLbgkvi7jA1gGEHeWPO-fdlFSPIcJll_HbHxui22O2AhlqNXPK8SnFRmdUXlfYtXR31XzTYH4_xn4y63YQrz09X5Ek064_I1YgmxJh9SbuetO77i5O0atjAPsE/s4032/IMG_4231.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHZ_AOc8T9WY_2wa2XJfIKMPlnZ8civkNvAKac1p_sHbGblIrpQA-8IwuV9iLbgkvi7jA1gGEHeWPO-fdlFSPIcJll_HbHxui22O2AhlqNXPK8SnFRmdUXlfYtXR31XzTYH4_xn4y63YQrz09X5Ek064_I1YgmxJh9SbuetO77i5O0atjAPsE/s200/IMG_4231.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NaqUuM4l66JAEVpKzqBebMKNav4uW1k2IbEtW_rvXyHkSrRqpicclr_j1l6E1bVKr1iWeSDCAmZqYKGkpYpzLIL07vadTpbXMpgY7K3wU2obtPavy0b7BJloSB9njw8e-94SP4V0G5_onU5FBANMek0Q-FZ7OVQOSrCGc5KIsRDMNaWTaNFa/s4032/IMG_0039.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0NaqUuM4l66JAEVpKzqBebMKNav4uW1k2IbEtW_rvXyHkSrRqpicclr_j1l6E1bVKr1iWeSDCAmZqYKGkpYpzLIL07vadTpbXMpgY7K3wU2obtPavy0b7BJloSB9njw8e-94SP4V0G5_onU5FBANMek0Q-FZ7OVQOSrCGc5KIsRDMNaWTaNFa/s200/IMG_0039.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONS1F9p0NpKOXZFtAbm69_Z5cisSebV4LvGgTlsOVBMqebEh5dNXF7Xe-TZKBWz_5oPsRxow2d1I2mzO7iS781btMwBpEDP5-inAcDk70njEFkv-YrHOJr3bcv2tdSz-YRP2zID8ab8Zu6MYEcZ7ydEWGucBuJxpQuzDzKQsD0s90da7IHB1O/s3933/IMG_4240.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3933" data-original-width="2950" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgONS1F9p0NpKOXZFtAbm69_Z5cisSebV4LvGgTlsOVBMqebEh5dNXF7Xe-TZKBWz_5oPsRxow2d1I2mzO7iS781btMwBpEDP5-inAcDk70njEFkv-YrHOJr3bcv2tdSz-YRP2zID8ab8Zu6MYEcZ7ydEWGucBuJxpQuzDzKQsD0s90da7IHB1O/s200/IMG_4240.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOupIOjnYNblX6mbpg4I5qTCZUgqr2v37tKM5fDQ50JxLqi4TpmcOhvk2lOQ5UPkdTloDdNhN9YQXIQEwIdihTjaYm1_1Jr3eamy09F123Ji9Xu9Jt0r5EgKywIWLoQtU76psS7CpCIrKLSAgIPqmWeAJmjSiftxu-2MxkvnHOmtAH_w7fzEVZ/s4032/IMG_4241.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOupIOjnYNblX6mbpg4I5qTCZUgqr2v37tKM5fDQ50JxLqi4TpmcOhvk2lOQ5UPkdTloDdNhN9YQXIQEwIdihTjaYm1_1Jr3eamy09F123Ji9Xu9Jt0r5EgKywIWLoQtU76psS7CpCIrKLSAgIPqmWeAJmjSiftxu-2MxkvnHOmtAH_w7fzEVZ/s200/IMG_4241.jpg"/></a>
<br>And on to Derby to visit cousin Nicola and her family (that visit was decades overdue, and we were especially delighted that both her children returned home to see us!)</center>
<p>The main non-family highlight for our visit to Derby was definitely the private tour we got of the Rolls Royce aviation engine factory's heritage area. Maryanne's cousin Nicola and her husband Daniel are both engineers who used to work there. Daniel now works for one of their contracting companies.
<p>We got to see so many gems on the tour. The first was Henry Royce's own personal lathe, which he used to make the first engine parts that would eventually lead to the formation of the company which would become a multinational conglomerate.
<p>They have one of the first cars here. It turns out Rolls Royce only produces the hidden machinery underneath. The bodies and all of the plush interior furnishings were later added by coach makers.
<p>We then moved on to the part of the tour in which I was most interested - aircraft engines. They have a beautiful cutaway version of the venerable Merlin engines that powered Spitfires, Hurricanes, and P-51 Mustangs during World War II. Without this engine, the outcome of the war may have been very different.
<p>We then moved on to jet engines. There were a lot of interesting examples to see, but even though they weren't the biggest, my two favorites were the AE3007 and the Olympus 593.
<p>Now I realize that non-pilots may be starting to glaze over at this point, but bear with me. If you really can't take it, skip to where the numbers stop.
<p>The first thing that struck me about these very different engines is that they are almost exactly the same size.
<p> The AE3007 is the engine that I have by far the most time operating, being the one that powers the Embraer 135/145 series. I know this engine's systems inside and out. The ironic thing was that since it's mounted well out of reach on the airplane, I spent my whole career without ever actually being able to touch one, apart from indirectly through the engine controls. Now, I could poke around it to my heart's delight, which was a lot. Later, I was shocked, SHOCKED I tell you, to find that NO ONE took a picture of me next to the engine.
<p>The Olympus 593 is the engine that used to power the Concorde. The Olympus 593 is a pure turbojet engine, meaning that all of the air that enters the intake passes through the combustion section, where it is mixed with fuel and burned, whereas the AE3007 only uses the middle sixth, categorizing it as a turbofan. Plus, of course, Concorde's engines have afterburners, which adds even more fuel literally only a couple of centimeters from the back. This allows the Olympus 593 to produce four times as much thrust as the AE3007, which it achieves by burning sixteen times as much fuel. That is why airliners these days are all powered by big, high-bypass turbofans. The AE3007, however, would literally melt apart at Concorde speeds.
<p>We finished the tour amongst the really big turbofans, and then Rolls Royce's experimental electric airplane, the ACCEL. It is only glider-sized, but has reached 336 knots and holds the world records for speed and time-to-climb for electric vehicles.
<p>We were very pleased that out one-hour tour had graciously been extended to two. Of course, it could only really scratch the surface. Luckily, we had Daniel to fill in the gaps. He could do things like point out that the guide had totally glossed over some particularly interesting feature or another. For example, did you know that on the -453 version, they use a coriander infusion on the stipple-plating on the seals to keep the resonance coefficients from straying too far into the beta zone? It all has to do with viscosity at high temperatures and low pressures. Or was it low temperature at high pressures? I'm glad he's got it straight, because he's the one who works there. When he's not working, he's an internationally ranked hovercraft racer. Of course, he designs and builds the craft himself in the shop he has behind the house. I just wish I hadn't eaten all of those paint chips as a kid…
<p>{Maryanne:While I was loving my time in the UK for spending quality time with family, I can see Kyle's focus may have been a little different - haha!}
<p>After coming "home" for a few days, we did a long trip to see Maryanne's brother Russell and his family in Cornwall. Cornwall has a very well-deserved reputation for beauty and Russell has been there long enough to know the best spots for a flying visit.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEQNg-UASTFYm9AHTFkBhtfsK7qdUxKqKRevwLJOwG9OD853ntQ9rPSyspxXrGtM2fMBEtVpwa0_JyRg2bLwNWm7TzgF7rCIjC8uHCm4PyXceQkEYdvcVmVBYWlclaE9m8Y9Sf5vCl33Pden5q6X1VMJapcNRvHgWbSUl5cVWI0l4ovu5sD9C/s2592/DSC01543.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixEQNg-UASTFYm9AHTFkBhtfsK7qdUxKqKRevwLJOwG9OD853ntQ9rPSyspxXrGtM2fMBEtVpwa0_JyRg2bLwNWm7TzgF7rCIjC8uHCm4PyXceQkEYdvcVmVBYWlclaE9m8Y9Sf5vCl33Pden5q6X1VMJapcNRvHgWbSUl5cVWI0l4ovu5sD9C/s200/DSC01543.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlINk3inG0VKm7F-ewxt0lps-7w4GD5BnnfCeQLbh6fHsApifbBx5s0XiiS95um5kZakBSyvuiLU8OBRRSttWxbhaFO_-9PKIPhsg5vZdlNFF7sZvWbvPU5Dg41_EGfOHNkhTtECDZXmPwHb3xTSiNKLVpBoikiWdqAWw8Yupb1w498oEd579/s4032/IMG_4375.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxlINk3inG0VKm7F-ewxt0lps-7w4GD5BnnfCeQLbh6fHsApifbBx5s0XiiS95um5kZakBSyvuiLU8OBRRSttWxbhaFO_-9PKIPhsg5vZdlNFF7sZvWbvPU5Dg41_EGfOHNkhTtECDZXmPwHb3xTSiNKLVpBoikiWdqAWw8Yupb1w498oEd579/s200/IMG_4375.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVyxofMXs1x1CbgDkvD1gIL2knBtDSPugKX6240ynxE_r1nYoNaRctY0byROmH925FeJQUJlawyKAOVPzFxEhs4HqNrquuL1JPbmCe2eOqhzp57TEUM74mxJwjdm1QdEWVgWh6QyVB16CSp0bH2rkZ0vBTWr5v49G0qLJlKUEeJl80yexxo-t/s2592/DSC01546.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsVyxofMXs1x1CbgDkvD1gIL2knBtDSPugKX6240ynxE_r1nYoNaRctY0byROmH925FeJQUJlawyKAOVPzFxEhs4HqNrquuL1JPbmCe2eOqhzp57TEUM74mxJwjdm1QdEWVgWh6QyVB16CSp0bH2rkZ0vBTWr5v49G0qLJlKUEeJl80yexxo-t/s200/DSC01546.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJXVRxLJ1hG66q238Bxth58g7CxIqSbqFaZ0K-EUS8cV5fyEMCWzI9gUxwdvIxln9rY50x5V3rrivkzyID8N0SyaRalXYeR4GgASP2jGcs8_jFNWHuEyhp2ZYLVIBlKfYxu-blei8M7sTLWHkqxkmQrloSkARBPonHYhqslNP2q-s_WuunvY0/s2563/DSC01565.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1922" data-original-width="2563" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHJXVRxLJ1hG66q238Bxth58g7CxIqSbqFaZ0K-EUS8cV5fyEMCWzI9gUxwdvIxln9rY50x5V3rrivkzyID8N0SyaRalXYeR4GgASP2jGcs8_jFNWHuEyhp2ZYLVIBlKfYxu-blei8M7sTLWHkqxkmQrloSkARBPonHYhqslNP2q-s_WuunvY0/s200/DSC01565.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-qa4mtb0F4AMJce0cUPgdNXceVS4ZaHgNOS0grdRILIEUotA1jhddPqm0pR3oyeAwQkyOWXKuQm9yMe64_c1Zbc_XoXbpkOB3RavlG5TvJ-_wC1TUNOu21gGRjgwMH7q2PMtwU0twOLjhjmkq6w55_uhJ8kM9eqdOHwbpoecYBMA3N3lGn4x/s4032/IMG_0054.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL-qa4mtb0F4AMJce0cUPgdNXceVS4ZaHgNOS0grdRILIEUotA1jhddPqm0pR3oyeAwQkyOWXKuQm9yMe64_c1Zbc_XoXbpkOB3RavlG5TvJ-_wC1TUNOu21gGRjgwMH7q2PMtwU0twOLjhjmkq6w55_uhJ8kM9eqdOHwbpoecYBMA3N3lGn4x/s200/IMG_0054.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7Kb9J_l2WjL9rbUt7r_Dtd9o8LgWK48p9pJKlAYGfEgvQvZloLTPqMz47motBwEVAbRQ6g_5fuf_mpQmaeYXPHrEo-zj5JfdFvIA6LA6vWoTQ6wlgm7LtKWoLERDLshXWLT_Afn3BXzfZ15n-3Si46sOLPG6gWI0pWJAFqkRE9x_MtnjjwKK/s3968/IMG_4386.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2976" data-original-width="3968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz7Kb9J_l2WjL9rbUt7r_Dtd9o8LgWK48p9pJKlAYGfEgvQvZloLTPqMz47motBwEVAbRQ6g_5fuf_mpQmaeYXPHrEo-zj5JfdFvIA6LA6vWoTQ6wlgm7LtKWoLERDLshXWLT_Afn3BXzfZ15n-3Si46sOLPG6gWI0pWJAFqkRE9x_MtnjjwKK/s200/IMG_4386.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg1iLW3YOY4foyB35Ag0KAeXegMoQ_cogHRGXeOisaY4A2ZE8R2Bmwg5omYbPs9zKqvhsW1DlgyyFzzQsfVIhuMo9ncx5mMJ768KEE_t5F3_BhOWBvMc9jROCA4hLKAYlwe9W8V3MahoDbe08dyavMu7-KohthygbTWJLGPG6IHz8MUs4s23q/s4032/IMG_4396.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbg1iLW3YOY4foyB35Ag0KAeXegMoQ_cogHRGXeOisaY4A2ZE8R2Bmwg5omYbPs9zKqvhsW1DlgyyFzzQsfVIhuMo9ncx5mMJ768KEE_t5F3_BhOWBvMc9jROCA4hLKAYlwe9W8V3MahoDbe08dyavMu7-KohthygbTWJLGPG6IHz8MUs4s23q/s200/IMG_4396.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jwawCEbh1jxFIgUXk4xZg5qgMJgFIokB85Ecjzq20CvubAUajc_tn3yJaZia7aRNVr_aX1F3SSHyvtOZ3DEbXkULrkgLXMCQBKa4O1tFVZ0eQ0pHmSyN4FKPluVquHCvTIqGVDkqCvsnmQ99HIF-96S117Aa2CPwGgrk5c4nBuYE2jmQUwPZ/s4032/IMG_4399.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0jwawCEbh1jxFIgUXk4xZg5qgMJgFIokB85Ecjzq20CvubAUajc_tn3yJaZia7aRNVr_aX1F3SSHyvtOZ3DEbXkULrkgLXMCQBKa4O1tFVZ0eQ0pHmSyN4FKPluVquHCvTIqGVDkqCvsnmQ99HIF-96S117Aa2CPwGgrk5c4nBuYE2jmQUwPZ/s200/IMG_4399.jpg"/></a>
<br>On route to Cornwall we stopped at Cheddar Gorge for the scenery and a bit of traditional cheese making (and sampling)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqYHDonZS7W-9SEBofkgCsfXpN85SsqFMS5IIbNiRwPlPNOnUyrH5i_j97oWIIKCzlQ8H-F6FRC3LQIqp2Kd2AR033qCkMPfE0K-iYTGg0kzSfvjsw1TX55jQM3dsEo1ZuqeTwQg3pkPbwaxQw2ptczHgFOb4kifKbwi4eBAHZUJhux55X2Ok/s2592/DSC01593.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdqYHDonZS7W-9SEBofkgCsfXpN85SsqFMS5IIbNiRwPlPNOnUyrH5i_j97oWIIKCzlQ8H-F6FRC3LQIqp2Kd2AR033qCkMPfE0K-iYTGg0kzSfvjsw1TX55jQM3dsEo1ZuqeTwQg3pkPbwaxQw2ptczHgFOb4kifKbwi4eBAHZUJhux55X2Ok/s200/DSC01593.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21fO276-XZHEuFo6kovg_ZSq6IEr1XaRfBVKEhKmoPER1Mh3DxVATpJ3JJcW054ubuZ20Q1WUSh1ThaAyjmvv2KLSwb1cjZLmm73AYYNz1V59aIacfy_l2DIdlBGW4LNZ1oEkttHJRIC9vkZf1gvCGta_p42jvupcacRAs68u2c3uBJnk0G47/s4032/IMG_0106.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg21fO276-XZHEuFo6kovg_ZSq6IEr1XaRfBVKEhKmoPER1Mh3DxVATpJ3JJcW054ubuZ20Q1WUSh1ThaAyjmvv2KLSwb1cjZLmm73AYYNz1V59aIacfy_l2DIdlBGW4LNZ1oEkttHJRIC9vkZf1gvCGta_p42jvupcacRAs68u2c3uBJnk0G47/s200/IMG_0106.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTfUxj4ohglt7fa4OuDEp54DHmcZj0y_fjfyCDu8FDLF6tYi1q7BhpROI2XRx2ygdeXZqT2SCEClRyx1vPxWJ3e2LPZDwfPw1F1PH9AnNn4oZvNpIYGK_japa9ZKu_ToY9FSdL7Xw4bcZqvRvO8aTBsLSa9Mi8DM2Ogu1G5-d3ns4LIH_dRlD/s4032/IMG_4447.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtTfUxj4ohglt7fa4OuDEp54DHmcZj0y_fjfyCDu8FDLF6tYi1q7BhpROI2XRx2ygdeXZqT2SCEClRyx1vPxWJ3e2LPZDwfPw1F1PH9AnNn4oZvNpIYGK_japa9ZKu_ToY9FSdL7Xw4bcZqvRvO8aTBsLSa9Mi8DM2Ogu1G5-d3ns4LIH_dRlD/s200/IMG_4447.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMfLFue5pRrL40sR9XbrDi3YGIcNe-QXtKlFWYRdxeToZ-csSKroDikqmtP63aCiDvkweXJI_bY4VWXy0gi1vlgDL_rSOk4bvf2sH_8bj6nXIVVGZ6lNTngGeui3YxPONqteeXrWcnIP-jASchnP3Vd5ZInyFgDoRZBbm6MjpxRyOA6Xz7ERb/s4032/IMG_0104.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAMfLFue5pRrL40sR9XbrDi3YGIcNe-QXtKlFWYRdxeToZ-csSKroDikqmtP63aCiDvkweXJI_bY4VWXy0gi1vlgDL_rSOk4bvf2sH_8bj6nXIVVGZ6lNTngGeui3YxPONqteeXrWcnIP-jASchnP3Vd5ZInyFgDoRZBbm6MjpxRyOA6Xz7ERb/s200/IMG_0104.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee-WlLebzRJ4SuIdNarY83Itj1OOvcSYD2GUH0oPEWThLV7zzEXOVmx1yc7rgMt9QlQ13Fvh4cptLlZjTSeVQ6fTaPweAuTfOXAYCJ81hVL9KUZfRB7JeykoLgeVe-Gl3jBoDT56ct9rMhK9fFRoSzSLZm72YF87Y9fp1h0I1GpQh6rBsw6zj/s4032/IMG_4427.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhee-WlLebzRJ4SuIdNarY83Itj1OOvcSYD2GUH0oPEWThLV7zzEXOVmx1yc7rgMt9QlQ13Fvh4cptLlZjTSeVQ6fTaPweAuTfOXAYCJ81hVL9KUZfRB7JeykoLgeVe-Gl3jBoDT56ct9rMhK9fFRoSzSLZm72YF87Y9fp1h0I1GpQh6rBsw6zj/s200/IMG_4427.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjYg7bNxxB43Ifo23fIjRHWMqzGJJgrmLUAFkLiZhNRiV2OFcEOIDaC12ixAD2yUKkJUwGUThgybwR0cUrBmzcEPlPYWgXkLtgddx3al5z6xzyrnd8IamWf3z1lc9VkiWAHkWUeQv6wKRn3DssRDdGQpiKbkvSzJwgbKPVo4lAMGKeHxz88UU/s4032/IMG_4433.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXjYg7bNxxB43Ifo23fIjRHWMqzGJJgrmLUAFkLiZhNRiV2OFcEOIDaC12ixAD2yUKkJUwGUThgybwR0cUrBmzcEPlPYWgXkLtgddx3al5z6xzyrnd8IamWf3z1lc9VkiWAHkWUeQv6wKRn3DssRDdGQpiKbkvSzJwgbKPVo4lAMGKeHxz88UU/s200/IMG_4433.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXum-77B2y3BOfnIljbaLmnn0sy_H7ZqErhCPp66E27k8A5CtO2ly9BS9DNhAmZJ6uz6gQqhnHGGcRV2X4Qfk3hKPjDjP3K3QiUuCmaH6JydYS0cZRQNBClV_huaBAOhOH2A4a4-aMIYMOSrFetc0xkTgcKGKnYApahpoCHTCUvJEgf3Z_zCCr/s4032/IMG_4461.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXum-77B2y3BOfnIljbaLmnn0sy_H7ZqErhCPp66E27k8A5CtO2ly9BS9DNhAmZJ6uz6gQqhnHGGcRV2X4Qfk3hKPjDjP3K3QiUuCmaH6JydYS0cZRQNBClV_huaBAOhOH2A4a4-aMIYMOSrFetc0xkTgcKGKnYApahpoCHTCUvJEgf3Z_zCCr/s200/IMG_4461.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn5NiMzjQl_DUTra8K9NQEJ6LT5eDkz0LqO0FSMbpk3UiyY9VSBBDgfyxxzlITUjpEm3hN_EuHBemMBYCqaiarfRnMRcl6KVyoBWfXkhoLvIdh4NB-MHa-Dr_JQpR900oaBS4NTo34GrpWYlvW2mjT14L_IKndjWAYoX2fBYTUv3atEFlTetv/s3882/IMG_4478.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2912" data-original-width="3882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUn5NiMzjQl_DUTra8K9NQEJ6LT5eDkz0LqO0FSMbpk3UiyY9VSBBDgfyxxzlITUjpEm3hN_EuHBemMBYCqaiarfRnMRcl6KVyoBWfXkhoLvIdh4NB-MHa-Dr_JQpR900oaBS4NTo34GrpWYlvW2mjT14L_IKndjWAYoX2fBYTUv3atEFlTetv/s200/IMG_4478.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHLDzSMNg9XNxECwbcSx4FWUyBZQwkYc5xfooPgF-OsSKhekng8QfH-oByaJwQfHdV9e2P0asxMOfuZ17HlXju8pGrFzOR6SrPe0_Olj-oemSsjeNj_w3R0ALM3yV3CxQvBclWeHeeLVpZy8uENSoiyTXhH3QcsZasgAVTveOfVsaaABU0GC_/s4032/IMG_4503.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggHLDzSMNg9XNxECwbcSx4FWUyBZQwkYc5xfooPgF-OsSKhekng8QfH-oByaJwQfHdV9e2P0asxMOfuZ17HlXju8pGrFzOR6SrPe0_Olj-oemSsjeNj_w3R0ALM3yV3CxQvBclWeHeeLVpZy8uENSoiyTXhH3QcsZasgAVTveOfVsaaABU0GC_/s200/IMG_4503.jpg"/></a>
<br>Visiting Maryanne's brother Russell and his family in Cornwall. In between rain showers we throughly enjoyed the great outdoors - but again failed to remember to get a group shot during our visit - Doh!</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe3Pe7UXRqQj4Lvy8rTWB9BXL0sdEuGhE9nAwzVAPlAza6NQ3VN-3oB6EcETwbBseovnrOix69SqGC8VwTeswQGxV-FM46NLge-NfgacewdgO-wpUCQ_mJlJNXwaXXSKRJUO-7wZLikaCUSoI6xdSiI96Qd-BJpD32JPU1Bzqo1E6OIPQ5bWA/s2592/DSC01629.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYe3Pe7UXRqQj4Lvy8rTWB9BXL0sdEuGhE9nAwzVAPlAza6NQ3VN-3oB6EcETwbBseovnrOix69SqGC8VwTeswQGxV-FM46NLge-NfgacewdgO-wpUCQ_mJlJNXwaXXSKRJUO-7wZLikaCUSoI6xdSiI96Qd-BJpD32JPU1Bzqo1E6OIPQ5bWA/s200/DSC01629.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc7_zYPjWjp2DXDvS25Niq0gWNRPr-zJlAQoDhTZosQmZmTKr50UWYrq9rKT03396ZIQpYYKpA4aMl07ltZtEzoy9BKmFosHrUP5Vdip2S7_DCM5Vfa-n0fKhsJcBZiF2VEKT2hGETXYTHnhT2HTPASI1-0bKvazHyf3hTWC374D6wx8S8-Ya/s4032/IMG_4527.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxc7_zYPjWjp2DXDvS25Niq0gWNRPr-zJlAQoDhTZosQmZmTKr50UWYrq9rKT03396ZIQpYYKpA4aMl07ltZtEzoy9BKmFosHrUP5Vdip2S7_DCM5Vfa-n0fKhsJcBZiF2VEKT2hGETXYTHnhT2HTPASI1-0bKvazHyf3hTWC374D6wx8S8-Ya/s200/IMG_4527.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq6gg7vaLQn7FImQ7IB0OpoL1WgduycqTT-Hbz5MTQbwEc1Yj3RHiYv-2cjfCoymr7w0pH7zU-8D8Gm4PPrys0qwftsgbBpRFaep1Bxf46SfYMP6ZhyWCMcuqq9Bm1v2ig5dohG5t4yITHqa8G6tAGxa1gaeDJM4DU6LHCTQbME_dpj4iL3cJ/s4032/IMG_4530.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNq6gg7vaLQn7FImQ7IB0OpoL1WgduycqTT-Hbz5MTQbwEc1Yj3RHiYv-2cjfCoymr7w0pH7zU-8D8Gm4PPrys0qwftsgbBpRFaep1Bxf46SfYMP6ZhyWCMcuqq9Bm1v2ig5dohG5t4yITHqa8G6tAGxa1gaeDJM4DU6LHCTQbME_dpj4iL3cJ/s200/IMG_4530.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMbzcSE8MHlXBCWU5p2Iac_xWN13HmJq9t0TS2R1i_Vquh7eHthv_zwd_jegQYhO4M4qkdCN5sbFJozUBSd3idZMB0aMLP_Ftcsf9w6zieV0hsHhCUkSZhLJRWShWHSMO4DS7Yv4zE7trcutNTP8RKNQxEAgeeVFcJG3smbFglDuO6C_nMGtP/s8374/IMG_0120.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3818" data-original-width="8374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJMbzcSE8MHlXBCWU5p2Iac_xWN13HmJq9t0TS2R1i_Vquh7eHthv_zwd_jegQYhO4M4qkdCN5sbFJozUBSd3idZMB0aMLP_Ftcsf9w6zieV0hsHhCUkSZhLJRWShWHSMO4DS7Yv4zE7trcutNTP8RKNQxEAgeeVFcJG3smbFglDuO6C_nMGtP/s400/IMG_0120.jpg"/></a>
<br>Russell convinced us to swing by Roche Rock before we left</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEugBdj1_tbWZSu5SuRUEyyAX_5Xwj0ugYrGSbBNnILTLL7MAhRZu-6X_yR3YeaeyyIrsn2b-Q-Xae0HI3RiPj_aDzv8evwokagmVrlL9_TaUGdsUIqjVdyIl9OhRyDJuLvTDEnXw8ZIgfysgqARooF_-ZywJQEGoEz7Vm9awOX1BPyLk5qwJM/s2592/DSC01663.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEugBdj1_tbWZSu5SuRUEyyAX_5Xwj0ugYrGSbBNnILTLL7MAhRZu-6X_yR3YeaeyyIrsn2b-Q-Xae0HI3RiPj_aDzv8evwokagmVrlL9_TaUGdsUIqjVdyIl9OhRyDJuLvTDEnXw8ZIgfysgqARooF_-ZywJQEGoEz7Vm9awOX1BPyLk5qwJM/s200/DSC01663.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi629vTWFRx4LhLwlmBKZU5yG-SrrIArmpaW2N6EuXA5uT3odVE1gz1BQuKXiqplFgWdrKiwQ8cgyToob9RtQ0A2ycPL_CsjGaCXgemtAkaTweaAnEFLn_4F1wqt3BBjWNs4rDpStu4CuC-ttTqyf-yNXL6l6zv214OcjtPPcbPIpWLLmz-9w7k/s4032/IMG_0134.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi629vTWFRx4LhLwlmBKZU5yG-SrrIArmpaW2N6EuXA5uT3odVE1gz1BQuKXiqplFgWdrKiwQ8cgyToob9RtQ0A2ycPL_CsjGaCXgemtAkaTweaAnEFLn_4F1wqt3BBjWNs4rDpStu4CuC-ttTqyf-yNXL6l6zv214OcjtPPcbPIpWLLmz-9w7k/s200/IMG_0134.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYq23_BJyM4nUL-mvTQag148OIN9X_GmgKtqlKitgciIbZ0UA9WgH0o1ibx5C2opKX_HVse1HFmi7WLZM7S-zLA2g7EnAKOUKMQfYtcal_VmCClX4GT2bCq1P4WbC_UHs9OjceBLFgoz_1GLqv0YGdbsKn8qhpaOLoAOatSKRT2xDSRzv_gfm/s4032/IMG_4587.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsYq23_BJyM4nUL-mvTQag148OIN9X_GmgKtqlKitgciIbZ0UA9WgH0o1ibx5C2opKX_HVse1HFmi7WLZM7S-zLA2g7EnAKOUKMQfYtcal_VmCClX4GT2bCq1P4WbC_UHs9OjceBLFgoz_1GLqv0YGdbsKn8qhpaOLoAOatSKRT2xDSRzv_gfm/s200/IMG_4587.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLkKttUQThS6HxAQDV7WS8iGKHnVVDoSvnYyeKjr0bKCIkBS-VjQdqMgoVphEQE1xbwP2OoriRQp0R94NGvrVdUjjTfQZUCd-laAc1BvjnzCGASo7Jnw37qJJu_vNAEZucHJnEdtZ6yaRZBxQQ10IT87eMvfFIQm1wj8zp5bjmLy2IMDNI5wR/s2592/DSC01642.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWLkKttUQThS6HxAQDV7WS8iGKHnVVDoSvnYyeKjr0bKCIkBS-VjQdqMgoVphEQE1xbwP2OoriRQp0R94NGvrVdUjjTfQZUCd-laAc1BvjnzCGASo7Jnw37qJJu_vNAEZucHJnEdtZ6yaRZBxQQ10IT87eMvfFIQm1wj8zp5bjmLy2IMDNI5wR/s200/DSC01642.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bMgEDFWd3MGrlTifEY0N6uZYdk7IwoPOWaZGFi8nn0d8FSv0vT1EemxAet9eoyd8AljxRQvhQ-B40Fac9JTD6REuBkyfvwWoL_tv3_VW9ESQbJOStP1pdlySUTH12P7AdaKDGsUPhAoawK-6p6DvoncLSPdqO2gfH8cFnnMzj996YDOVE10Y/s2592/DSC01661.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2bMgEDFWd3MGrlTifEY0N6uZYdk7IwoPOWaZGFi8nn0d8FSv0vT1EemxAet9eoyd8AljxRQvhQ-B40Fac9JTD6REuBkyfvwWoL_tv3_VW9ESQbJOStP1pdlySUTH12P7AdaKDGsUPhAoawK-6p6DvoncLSPdqO2gfH8cFnnMzj996YDOVE10Y/s200/DSC01661.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6-UoWZQAwpuOsax0-Lprq4ztw4gYzN2Qx5wX0dZ7sMcFDJGBrInOzK4KlhFV3Fy8iic2tDaNFSSBOD86-IswCjxVrLb1g3jwWDNEE5fkkJ1SzWdOjbhh2jPUR1m8oJex8MXtjocstgUL9dPe-G6h4TSBalBsOjkWyjaqHbK56r2gidKSx-e4/s3857/IMG_0130.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2893" data-original-width="3857" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL6-UoWZQAwpuOsax0-Lprq4ztw4gYzN2Qx5wX0dZ7sMcFDJGBrInOzK4KlhFV3Fy8iic2tDaNFSSBOD86-IswCjxVrLb1g3jwWDNEE5fkkJ1SzWdOjbhh2jPUR1m8oJex8MXtjocstgUL9dPe-G6h4TSBalBsOjkWyjaqHbK56r2gidKSx-e4/s200/IMG_0130.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgcN2AEIXz7NmiN2HrZFTXzhh4fvKcEK6vAK9OISWYpCdbi0SO4W5UlWaGrtr2Y9AaHZeEm1zUQPBeVF5gPByCzwxq6YnpJO26692Xz63Bv1_eXyI2tK3jxkzttnqzrafK28hKeBetsSqb0FTockVyVk7olHGX6uDxPqmuvmIVjj6SAY3yixd/s4032/IMG_0160.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMgcN2AEIXz7NmiN2HrZFTXzhh4fvKcEK6vAK9OISWYpCdbi0SO4W5UlWaGrtr2Y9AaHZeEm1zUQPBeVF5gPByCzwxq6YnpJO26692Xz63Bv1_eXyI2tK3jxkzttnqzrafK28hKeBetsSqb0FTockVyVk7olHGX6uDxPqmuvmIVjj6SAY3yixd/s200/IMG_0160.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzEmtxm-nPTOSdLlPxP53ecYqwHOMrl75Bqmyo7ODfC7F5GKD_92B5NANSq-VEgCKOAcfpL9wf9Abp7XKCxdtctVfIDxnOExMKlcvCxWfXXv7jD2RD4eh03qTn9jE7Yav7GwdacHAooAM3gVdWxYpBnjjR3AXI6Rr2_ufrk5a5JoLGryVIMq6/s4032/IMG_4566.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEzEmtxm-nPTOSdLlPxP53ecYqwHOMrl75Bqmyo7ODfC7F5GKD_92B5NANSq-VEgCKOAcfpL9wf9Abp7XKCxdtctVfIDxnOExMKlcvCxWfXXv7jD2RD4eh03qTn9jE7Yav7GwdacHAooAM3gVdWxYpBnjjR3AXI6Rr2_ufrk5a5JoLGryVIMq6/s200/IMG_4566.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQSw4uMCwG430Nws4eVg-nn5zwRTZs7YFVymt9oo_LD2PQ_14XrmWq8IhPqkTts1OIxJ3y0yG_ZHDCUeqfiRyfzqOPwhpBgLreek1Ny129xglxG6oFlCmgYJ9qivUigE4XLnU5TxnIVl4b0YOJxx4avfiN-X-MPbJcNtXmSgThgIeHIHD-GIz/s4032/IMG_4572.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQSw4uMCwG430Nws4eVg-nn5zwRTZs7YFVymt9oo_LD2PQ_14XrmWq8IhPqkTts1OIxJ3y0yG_ZHDCUeqfiRyfzqOPwhpBgLreek1Ny129xglxG6oFlCmgYJ9qivUigE4XLnU5TxnIVl4b0YOJxx4avfiN-X-MPbJcNtXmSgThgIeHIHD-GIz/s200/IMG_4572.jpg"/></a>
<br>I was keen for Kyle to visit The Eden project with its two magnificent biomes (Rainforest and Mediterranean)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cgeu-9VzC9PbFJepNckfX8zR29gQqQwLG3QbFw6m-G9k325TN1jLcQXcHZ62scrapiOdWBteyqTP7NhnBj8ozerjBdCIYT8XZlxTZ8RxxES4zJP-E45_H6XwICsJx2BCVFtd6gbacoI0nxW0QQSwV85fja72mXKyGmmjwf_BHFowdF-WI8jL/s4032/IMG_4601.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9cgeu-9VzC9PbFJepNckfX8zR29gQqQwLG3QbFw6m-G9k325TN1jLcQXcHZ62scrapiOdWBteyqTP7NhnBj8ozerjBdCIYT8XZlxTZ8RxxES4zJP-E45_H6XwICsJx2BCVFtd6gbacoI0nxW0QQSwV85fja72mXKyGmmjwf_BHFowdF-WI8jL/s200/IMG_4601.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VeHlfbvgUnlqY_IL9nE9VV5UHc2-QRjncfIiupF3BFBDiQuN130mbMBBU0PhiLlVRFYad9iLOmf9c1JyfcsC2z3K4ekNpHYObNEe85VKrF4_xbbuQK0TOdpmXlLsIcK9OY-RxncSOImLRUZYH38Yz7XmLLra_PEWp_H_gnfcPqDym1Cg7XHC/s4032/IMG_4604.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7VeHlfbvgUnlqY_IL9nE9VV5UHc2-QRjncfIiupF3BFBDiQuN130mbMBBU0PhiLlVRFYad9iLOmf9c1JyfcsC2z3K4ekNpHYObNEe85VKrF4_xbbuQK0TOdpmXlLsIcK9OY-RxncSOImLRUZYH38Yz7XmLLra_PEWp_H_gnfcPqDym1Cg7XHC/s200/IMG_4604.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQgLza1aGi20m0TDG7FqZYJhYCH8fr8WLEZn0jVnysCOif0n0-1J7DHXcReHxgTfwcO4PVsS2N27BYuccf4-7BVRF7cV8fH1LKm0soUMHGuntn2Pq-6fuEtqVY8fWk4CJQHzsrzUJuwxKEM7dQrFKhReBvsYQLKA8A1_ESYF74FcIsg_b9FKa/s3824/IMG_4606.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2868" data-original-width="3824" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRQgLza1aGi20m0TDG7FqZYJhYCH8fr8WLEZn0jVnysCOif0n0-1J7DHXcReHxgTfwcO4PVsS2N27BYuccf4-7BVRF7cV8fH1LKm0soUMHGuntn2Pq-6fuEtqVY8fWk4CJQHzsrzUJuwxKEM7dQrFKhReBvsYQLKA8A1_ESYF74FcIsg_b9FKa/s200/IMG_4606.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGlvYhXXRzBGu3toVsGpP9eFvs6Cn75oQ2cITVszrXPux2K_Mt8CRSM6548mkLR_w-W1dWn8ekk-RJV9dgpXLeE0gD_ok0GwtpKz0NLhJQLE4yBE9py1hec6CBwZOM77dcRmON835ObttdMAkyWLGOzOS4YKUd2yNFuXvo02w9SGaxsExPr_o/s4032/IMG_4607.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaGlvYhXXRzBGu3toVsGpP9eFvs6Cn75oQ2cITVszrXPux2K_Mt8CRSM6548mkLR_w-W1dWn8ekk-RJV9dgpXLeE0gD_ok0GwtpKz0NLhJQLE4yBE9py1hec6CBwZOM77dcRmON835ObttdMAkyWLGOzOS4YKUd2yNFuXvo02w9SGaxsExPr_o/s200/IMG_4607.jpg"/></a>
<br>We fitted in a cream tea at the Jamaica Inn famed for its smuggling past (and the Daphne Du Maurier's book of the same name, and its brief ownership by writer Alistair Maclean)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiIFuOaJsYBbGtSqEQRkmGjstRto8Uqdc6Q79fS9xiORCQlGjXsmnzbObRerVqKvRCXjgmEzNvOXNKEs0-sTnGWJ708OB9OOW8PFcu4NLdAsWqSEOiNjtzfu3n_gTrtGCQT-6a6yiUktZlMAx5Mer1nkO0LeZ12S6h6PxmfvbW_Sy60YtI3CQ/s4032/IMG_4636.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigiIFuOaJsYBbGtSqEQRkmGjstRto8Uqdc6Q79fS9xiORCQlGjXsmnzbObRerVqKvRCXjgmEzNvOXNKEs0-sTnGWJ708OB9OOW8PFcu4NLdAsWqSEOiNjtzfu3n_gTrtGCQT-6a6yiUktZlMAx5Mer1nkO0LeZ12S6h6PxmfvbW_Sy60YtI3CQ/s200/IMG_4636.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVNClzo1vECZcutSaz2ZoojqC7nO1b4hQY-wkOPtoX5hkyGIXWXv3I_9UAw2ob_6Qdw6dXGsqXWZHx-xEPNxNqhGK9Y1Nwo2WrWvKsh6uGY1bPmYD05v3ehxqhkIlupXrp4LqoKCU98vx-OsSmih3xfIX1H0G4RkRmaD5ycOVd32kfFuENXUk/s4032/IMG_0183.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZVNClzo1vECZcutSaz2ZoojqC7nO1b4hQY-wkOPtoX5hkyGIXWXv3I_9UAw2ob_6Qdw6dXGsqXWZHx-xEPNxNqhGK9Y1Nwo2WrWvKsh6uGY1bPmYD05v3ehxqhkIlupXrp4LqoKCU98vx-OsSmih3xfIX1H0G4RkRmaD5ycOVd32kfFuENXUk/s200/IMG_0183.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UUmQ2SPEj8HDltcID2P2yBw-Y2g2x7Nx2II0oKEM80x9kedKdcR_Kbf6HXrFToXPxH9d1x3JtM57dt07Y6b660tynQRh8zA3iB9t4Mwlt-bb-1kgvm4kB4VbPdjLz96psBpjfBmyOKOo1smw2pexHI8iMaarEnUhdfl5fyzBdiWZBS1KSwdc/s4032/IMG_4643.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6UUmQ2SPEj8HDltcID2P2yBw-Y2g2x7Nx2II0oKEM80x9kedKdcR_Kbf6HXrFToXPxH9d1x3JtM57dt07Y6b660tynQRh8zA3iB9t4Mwlt-bb-1kgvm4kB4VbPdjLz96psBpjfBmyOKOo1smw2pexHI8iMaarEnUhdfl5fyzBdiWZBS1KSwdc/s200/IMG_4643.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fgMLcSPmzE4GIzICKdITTcucmOUBghOB1vbqYcp-gIT0edqRV6GbeUmdwVGdpmfxTsoFXg8QJS0kzZlXi14SEUmSLYWkBvsLCCVi2CGjNV55qS7mY9S_FPbJmBBhzkzH9VBXx-gI8jnobJPSdfrZNLx1R00F_H00OJncQgy0Cb6eexFPvRs7/s4032/IMG_4653.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1fgMLcSPmzE4GIzICKdITTcucmOUBghOB1vbqYcp-gIT0edqRV6GbeUmdwVGdpmfxTsoFXg8QJS0kzZlXi14SEUmSLYWkBvsLCCVi2CGjNV55qS7mY9S_FPbJmBBhzkzH9VBXx-gI8jnobJPSdfrZNLx1R00F_H00OJncQgy0Cb6eexFPvRs7/s200/IMG_4653.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoV9f6YLwN1mCUZAf6pLb_J73k873t4hsTNh0dEXiiWl26SMGZFH-i8abI58Ce6jeYNJ5TXP426qfhQudCzDj4dt2Ad823tRUBFUI2NFkm2artZzaKGSatKMGnwOOA_OSXbT1vzNcuTjL3nMaarZn9Irr14-CNlVLjimcMcnr5sQWhX5MkU4U/s4032/IMG_0200.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcoV9f6YLwN1mCUZAf6pLb_J73k873t4hsTNh0dEXiiWl26SMGZFH-i8abI58Ce6jeYNJ5TXP426qfhQudCzDj4dt2Ad823tRUBFUI2NFkm2artZzaKGSatKMGnwOOA_OSXbT1vzNcuTjL3nMaarZn9Irr14-CNlVLjimcMcnr5sQWhX5MkU4U/s200/IMG_0200.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbDif5m51__MS72UDK-EaVSnDvaD1Dzg5SAJwDrA-aPjWFlGatP5TzFLRx9rTW0REpXOLt9dIQ8BtMqDWUAbj4dJn6aahBwlgWNpHArXVrcyllE3yf-RyigA0xYnEObtnVrp9DbIUe8qizMcy1mj6m2umf-y2KGuu0S58Hagsxyve_v523f-e/s4032/IMG_4696.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQbDif5m51__MS72UDK-EaVSnDvaD1Dzg5SAJwDrA-aPjWFlGatP5TzFLRx9rTW0REpXOLt9dIQ8BtMqDWUAbj4dJn6aahBwlgWNpHArXVrcyllE3yf-RyigA0xYnEObtnVrp9DbIUe8qizMcy1mj6m2umf-y2KGuu0S58Hagsxyve_v523f-e/s200/IMG_4696.jpg"/></a>
<br>Visiting Cousin Helen in Colchester, along with Uncle Neil - we got to explore the local sightseeing highlights and some old family haunts. And AGAIN failed to get the group family photo with us all in it when we were treated to a fine meal that first evening!</center>
<p>On the way north, we stopped in Essex for a week or so to visit more family for more trips down memory lane. Then we topped it off with a visit to Richard and Jan, from SV Morpheus of London. We had last seen them in Queensland, just as they were selling Morpheus and heading home to the other side of the planet. It was nice, and weird at the same time, to be reunited in their beautiful house with British rain streaking the windows outside.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn2Hh7N8boA7ywaU5v-YT833navzblWSb272yu5RZVVrsKtg9cTE602ONuepVV11_D5xu51_HqRk7LBmlQ64oV1DCPZRQrErp3M2RWT7byCDIjMI44FIaB6ZfCQH4C6sFJUCtSOOkGD-gzZQOYtuMrtdbTWd62fNPq4fcYDQBBcE7MKYiNmps/s4032/IMG_4761.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxn2Hh7N8boA7ywaU5v-YT833navzblWSb272yu5RZVVrsKtg9cTE602ONuepVV11_D5xu51_HqRk7LBmlQ64oV1DCPZRQrErp3M2RWT7byCDIjMI44FIaB6ZfCQH4C6sFJUCtSOOkGD-gzZQOYtuMrtdbTWd62fNPq4fcYDQBBcE7MKYiNmps/s200/IMG_4761.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhZ-BvhDR42Rqt17OylYhzFZvrawFxJIqsbrEocDySs48xtNhe_cokgxu2W99Lj4JarIdDvS48IMxG6SdRnguhEUF-Ae32kXiZfTtF33VWMQz_lmWXTvKn5Ej2yRN1twkiA56bd5Fbo2ZIjmbUwjQ_DXqGBfh1eEoziWKZiPYftgKY3RhmOwb/s4032/IMG_0243.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYhZ-BvhDR42Rqt17OylYhzFZvrawFxJIqsbrEocDySs48xtNhe_cokgxu2W99Lj4JarIdDvS48IMxG6SdRnguhEUF-Ae32kXiZfTtF33VWMQz_lmWXTvKn5Ej2yRN1twkiA56bd5Fbo2ZIjmbUwjQ_DXqGBfh1eEoziWKZiPYftgKY3RhmOwb/s200/IMG_0243.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjtly_Ghdu-Zwp8ego4KmlSXXoFJAlzSp-ou-NvMo0BIRHEcS-PuXyxjYl03FpF35qncYe3E2GuevYD3jYtOPKLhKUtP4MFTEQIkRPfUyA6o9_v1TS8fEmtVMAPex8TUKiN9qZDCxt_Ktsh1fXTtuvg77FxT4r7Gm6322u1_v9IGy0zdoxOvc/s4032/IMG_0530.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJjtly_Ghdu-Zwp8ego4KmlSXXoFJAlzSp-ou-NvMo0BIRHEcS-PuXyxjYl03FpF35qncYe3E2GuevYD3jYtOPKLhKUtP4MFTEQIkRPfUyA6o9_v1TS8fEmtVMAPex8TUKiN9qZDCxt_Ktsh1fXTtuvg77FxT4r7Gm6322u1_v9IGy0zdoxOvc/s200/IMG_0530.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM1S8QKHqxABLIwPxa8G4o4I-khGCstM8xSDDbK2-I4KepV2_hftu7FNZK1MOviMRFoQsricUKeAEulD78Z9F_EzkhpFc_j1UoGInGhlD3SBI2pjcFKtdIOliWxKVJiNvuzEuSgHCkr_Gj-E7VMM218LTG0ZBjVlb44pCYRPuR9QgU48RHu8t/s4032/IMG_1007.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM1S8QKHqxABLIwPxa8G4o4I-khGCstM8xSDDbK2-I4KepV2_hftu7FNZK1MOviMRFoQsricUKeAEulD78Z9F_EzkhpFc_j1UoGInGhlD3SBI2pjcFKtdIOliWxKVJiNvuzEuSgHCkr_Gj-E7VMM218LTG0ZBjVlb44pCYRPuR9QgU48RHu8t/s200/IMG_1007.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57rg2_lL_EeHSm4kD1X98DF51dLqdG9M0ehoHy-CUqT0shIa157CdxCJiHbgq46A8MYttrCbhUNuDvBxDw5vkbKGeHEaIh9OEyRJi56cR1VuFciU3g_dR0X841UKJx6NpKOLaqauOMiANCZZEvXhbhgHr0C-yOS9bAf6lq6CIW2V-xdHj2uhK/s4032/IMG_4782.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg57rg2_lL_EeHSm4kD1X98DF51dLqdG9M0ehoHy-CUqT0shIa157CdxCJiHbgq46A8MYttrCbhUNuDvBxDw5vkbKGeHEaIh9OEyRJi56cR1VuFciU3g_dR0X841UKJx6NpKOLaqauOMiANCZZEvXhbhgHr0C-yOS9bAf6lq6CIW2V-xdHj2uhK/s200/IMG_4782.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A4CBcSFCH2jZ0N0iKIBMb1KgW4PeVmeSIOdj5hyq2CKhsvdpPXDVYa_R2w56ezkmYsq7egzuVSlNrmi3oipLhKPloC-6vvOqfgMncX2DW5ehwEzLq4cj8CP5Bi7sVeXoqqlXJH6mCTU4pFhcjb637SGIXKkzB7akO9t-W6SnS-HQGEcfRS0j/s4032/IMG_4792.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4A4CBcSFCH2jZ0N0iKIBMb1KgW4PeVmeSIOdj5hyq2CKhsvdpPXDVYa_R2w56ezkmYsq7egzuVSlNrmi3oipLhKPloC-6vvOqfgMncX2DW5ehwEzLq4cj8CP5Bi7sVeXoqqlXJH6mCTU4pFhcjb637SGIXKkzB7akO9t-W6SnS-HQGEcfRS0j/s200/IMG_4792.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OsTybs3Nrik_tfErIW8ENtBZ_WKkusjblVQCXT9fpMCyu6315HUmGbpg7xwXy4S2n6aLfP6v03kKpNGdrZo_vgcgQWk71g8_ySObaNwTg3Ol6CpMS8ujMLuxrccnz1khfF19krmytQhB3pdMSIaq5LRqcgBHPtd_4FUv6V_GCJZUKKBX33rU/s4032/IMG_4803.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4OsTybs3Nrik_tfErIW8ENtBZ_WKkusjblVQCXT9fpMCyu6315HUmGbpg7xwXy4S2n6aLfP6v03kKpNGdrZo_vgcgQWk71g8_ySObaNwTg3Ol6CpMS8ujMLuxrccnz1khfF19krmytQhB3pdMSIaq5LRqcgBHPtd_4FUv6V_GCJZUKKBX33rU/s200/IMG_4803.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOBhlkH-4SKuXs0_P4dCF52IiJ2k0_eXzEsr-yt_UKh6WDOfWicLE5FfkIFW_9dKueaxvuYmNR-EdXLyiT2uPfHrwcZnAyBOfTzW2MVRUwQ6zROCtsvg7q_VIDiaSkBuS7R3dSmAp_DAfYaEmvmt__ZSXsGRQCrV-7NyN9QvdZtckZFyYzMNT/s4032/IMG_4973.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOBhlkH-4SKuXs0_P4dCF52IiJ2k0_eXzEsr-yt_UKh6WDOfWicLE5FfkIFW_9dKueaxvuYmNR-EdXLyiT2uPfHrwcZnAyBOfTzW2MVRUwQ6zROCtsvg7q_VIDiaSkBuS7R3dSmAp_DAfYaEmvmt__ZSXsGRQCrV-7NyN9QvdZtckZFyYzMNT/s200/IMG_4973.jpg"/></a>
<br>Meeting up with Jan and Richard (of <b>SV Morpheus of London</b>); another fun weekend with a side trip to Leeds Castle where the weather obliged and we were also able to enjoy a falconry show (picture is of one of their owls)</center>
<p>On the way back to Maryanne's Dad's house, we finally made a trip to the International War Museum (IWM) at the Duxford airport. Maryanne has been telling me she has been wanting to get me there pretty much from the day we met. Things kept coming up that made it inconvenient to go, but now we had a car and it was practically on the way home. It reminds me of the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum in its scope and variety of examples for the aviation enthusiast to enjoy.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-OMB_yf0zdlE0fVscXsefFGhVvZ-YNyKt65uua44hDarU118N3pc1BtER5oNJ3HmDAzPAwDdLks8QvF8vBh2yHywKRnnk3aGdXsUeW7dZFjnzRhDEAawm9qjYVfCFA5TAzHASSqaw2-Fp5sad3wqzWuh4P9QV-61knD9WTgxJB-1SjG4_Hhh/s4032/IMG_0876.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit-OMB_yf0zdlE0fVscXsefFGhVvZ-YNyKt65uua44hDarU118N3pc1BtER5oNJ3HmDAzPAwDdLks8QvF8vBh2yHywKRnnk3aGdXsUeW7dZFjnzRhDEAawm9qjYVfCFA5TAzHASSqaw2-Fp5sad3wqzWuh4P9QV-61knD9WTgxJB-1SjG4_Hhh/s200/IMG_0876.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5NnNRtr_Jj53NS0KUi7ko7HMIjduq-LtmyXdPTNDhx25pdC03O3RbunsSxcYVglX62ii5lwp4uny4JVHKB7XQI9txz3gEq42Yu8wtvbqUNHvtcev1phEIFm4xZ-F9zZtvCipC8RLZW6Fj_UhF8vJNu5ULw6BkbhqRQALzQCa6qKFBuCUrAIG/s4032/IMG_0886.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH5NnNRtr_Jj53NS0KUi7ko7HMIjduq-LtmyXdPTNDhx25pdC03O3RbunsSxcYVglX62ii5lwp4uny4JVHKB7XQI9txz3gEq42Yu8wtvbqUNHvtcev1phEIFm4xZ-F9zZtvCipC8RLZW6Fj_UhF8vJNu5ULw6BkbhqRQALzQCa6qKFBuCUrAIG/s200/IMG_0886.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSgSS7X72T1wKjfWH7X-gfZ05PPNBdWxuzjlWauKytcS1XttiEsNQJwgXxAeBzq3D1WAdMZ8JP-nuELGSQmeN5fz_uoHkboDCWobMvVvUyCyLYH9vOlGSVyIAbcpnMJEMUIjln-ZzXn2_AqbGesmHcilzFFSMq6f9fg726ocWpgftBnJSIrkT/s4032/IMG_0887.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNSgSS7X72T1wKjfWH7X-gfZ05PPNBdWxuzjlWauKytcS1XttiEsNQJwgXxAeBzq3D1WAdMZ8JP-nuELGSQmeN5fz_uoHkboDCWobMvVvUyCyLYH9vOlGSVyIAbcpnMJEMUIjln-ZzXn2_AqbGesmHcilzFFSMq6f9fg726ocWpgftBnJSIrkT/s200/IMG_0887.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahBgJMoPxjf27kN3n_I5U-RCwvVOQ88lUzd8G6cDrmeuTJfAjKQeetl6J5leve_G1ckMM-j2XDAtRXQ5wDFhSZlDaA3NHVc091OAo3TuIxexRyMpfHlYAIQ5VFVIGEFVaxEK1pabzm8oPd6KcK9s935Pask4J9DhYqZyBM26wW1WZihbXs3OY/s4032/IMG_0901.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjahBgJMoPxjf27kN3n_I5U-RCwvVOQ88lUzd8G6cDrmeuTJfAjKQeetl6J5leve_G1ckMM-j2XDAtRXQ5wDFhSZlDaA3NHVc091OAo3TuIxexRyMpfHlYAIQ5VFVIGEFVaxEK1pabzm8oPd6KcK9s935Pask4J9DhYqZyBM26wW1WZihbXs3OY/s200/IMG_0901.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KcjxNbY3-XKI2jXb5-qFgCWdL1VbcgAzP_jvZkDqhjWU9KQxqDupbw_dkds9Eii3gH0WrdohnZllRW9MMuBZllkh6HKpTjzmX6fK0bkfAm4UWRPBLnOcrrP8TWgQlSosj_KisDlsINpujPFOKDPigII2bhb4TlohrmsUM_67Cz4zNMlYiDxL/s4032/IMG_5174.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2KcjxNbY3-XKI2jXb5-qFgCWdL1VbcgAzP_jvZkDqhjWU9KQxqDupbw_dkds9Eii3gH0WrdohnZllRW9MMuBZllkh6HKpTjzmX6fK0bkfAm4UWRPBLnOcrrP8TWgQlSosj_KisDlsINpujPFOKDPigII2bhb4TlohrmsUM_67Cz4zNMlYiDxL/s200/IMG_5174.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJ05ITzLOfNm2W9C2zQPgHlBFLdix3moeqPsjtzCnmST1SYWhl9ZM0-uEY9s6qwl_xHdde8m6B2MNgji9CbaNxfpIERhyphenhyphenPo4hHc4Q1grTuJHae2iIh_KIj5PRqaLzd39-R37w17v-pq3m8X5eD0NNcJQuY-CCTWH4yaIkyB-Z_C8QzJFYHPf/s4032/IMG_5181.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnJ05ITzLOfNm2W9C2zQPgHlBFLdix3moeqPsjtzCnmST1SYWhl9ZM0-uEY9s6qwl_xHdde8m6B2MNgji9CbaNxfpIERhyphenhyphenPo4hHc4Q1grTuJHae2iIh_KIj5PRqaLzd39-R37w17v-pq3m8X5eD0NNcJQuY-CCTWH4yaIkyB-Z_C8QzJFYHPf/s200/IMG_5181.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmZnXJgebbuTKeZu-UodbtmkOtw0rrLVq0TQ1GREQR-B8iqd2u963D9Y-iWS2ygr0KPrujTwd4BCfoarMICt4s1F8em4_MvRfrFOgVEaKIHvdE89LBlQP3LBUMVjgJSN_YSgBJvVX1gqlZD2Sg9T5wMTvqDi9faY8Sasv1sSq_p11MyF2uvc0/s4032/IMG_5190.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKmZnXJgebbuTKeZu-UodbtmkOtw0rrLVq0TQ1GREQR-B8iqd2u963D9Y-iWS2ygr0KPrujTwd4BCfoarMICt4s1F8em4_MvRfrFOgVEaKIHvdE89LBlQP3LBUMVjgJSN_YSgBJvVX1gqlZD2Sg9T5wMTvqDi9faY8Sasv1sSq_p11MyF2uvc0/s200/IMG_5190.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjje2mPsmsSP-G08h9wooRiaeLZ4bTSbipM5qEyUqtRMPeJONz2CQUhN0NCFzjZ8iBGCxw8bF6oLULRTDuiyNvxcye3lCbClInD2OW2bhXOCx7xLAYe-O6u2cTKNdCoBD6wlt1cp1QNFZZLPCHk6tvLqOB5pw7DDz5IW9mRAXnuhyphenhyphenlYmDSrtM92/s4032/IMG_5209.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjje2mPsmsSP-G08h9wooRiaeLZ4bTSbipM5qEyUqtRMPeJONz2CQUhN0NCFzjZ8iBGCxw8bF6oLULRTDuiyNvxcye3lCbClInD2OW2bhXOCx7xLAYe-O6u2cTKNdCoBD6wlt1cp1QNFZZLPCHk6tvLqOB5pw7DDz5IW9mRAXnuhyphenhyphenlYmDSrtM92/s200/IMG_5209.jpg"/></a>
<br>And the Duxford's Imperial War Museum with its fine collection of old planes kept Kyle enthralled</center>
<p>My favorites were the Concorde, the inside of which looks like two Embraer 145 cabins laid end-to-end. At the pointy end is a cockpit that now looks decidedly stone-age. Also they had an SR-71, which is never going to be anything other than super cool.That one, you can walk right up to and touch. Maryanne humo(u)red me as I dragged her around and gave her far more detailed explanations of various things than she strictly needed.
<p>The last one came as she was wearily trying to make for the exit. I had spotted a rotary engine and dragged her back to see it. I had only read about it, but had never seen one for real. Basically, the engine was a fantastically bad idea that fortunately was only in use for a short time. It looks a lot like the subsequent radial engines you see on 1940s era aircraft like the DC-3, but with one important difference: Unlike the radial engine, which uses the pistons to turn a crankshaft which is attached to the propeller, in the rotary engine, the crankshaft is bolted to the airframe and the WHOLE engine spins with the propeller. The spinning mass caused so much torque and gyroscopic precession that any airplane equipped with a rotary engine was ridiculously difficult to control, not to mention being a maintenance nightmare. I chuckle thinking about that moment when the light bulb went on and somebody realized that could bolt down the big part and let the little part spin instead. Thus, the wildly successful radial engine was born. With that last thing explained, Maryanne was finally released to return to the car for our drive back "home" to her Dad's.
<p>We then went northwest to visit more family in Lancashire. Maryanne has a new big sister, Heather, which is beautifully pronounced "‘evah" in the local dialect. She and her husband Mark welcomed us into their beautiful home pretty much sight unseen. We all got along great, although the visit was a short one.
<p>The swing north gave us the opportunity to do a couple of side-stops along the way. The first was a quick detour to Preston to have a look at the ol' marina where we spent the winter of 2010-2011. it's still pretty grim, even though it was much warmer this year than then. When we went to the marina office, I was sad to see a memorial photo of Chris Miller, who was the Founder and Manager during our winter there. He died in 2016. He really was a great guy who worked hard to take care of us and all of the others.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitMuyB794lMx0h7RRjoMyegoUofPN26K54qGIokv1G9FtRDzv8RI4mu77UllNWzUbqS6PjBsDLvGZDcJ0u4x_pGOThO1HMPK0iLZthn32ShL8nArzxiePQndLr3NY9mZa7PDaQTs2V5GYoRzWUb2dY0EsxqBeFnpHtS9mlWe4PfTXjHOKkOAs/s4032/IMG_5231.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjitMuyB794lMx0h7RRjoMyegoUofPN26K54qGIokv1G9FtRDzv8RI4mu77UllNWzUbqS6PjBsDLvGZDcJ0u4x_pGOThO1HMPK0iLZthn32ShL8nArzxiePQndLr3NY9mZa7PDaQTs2V5GYoRzWUb2dY0EsxqBeFnpHtS9mlWe4PfTXjHOKkOAs/s200/IMG_5231.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvzf9oKdPZsg57UBUpaQpxFrXUJ_QVBh7iYsNRg0KIMzXBb5k7OiuWdJVnynj3FMg9dZ7xTc_pjMCd2ho2ZR_AdvZvxEsQgePe3JzKdgbSkZ26fHAm7Df-qNRy46IEMq1Afc04s6fxSgyQ44WaZyMkpHvQ52O-QW1Y2xvelHzmdRpKaoOLNt8/s4032/IMG_5233.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvzf9oKdPZsg57UBUpaQpxFrXUJ_QVBh7iYsNRg0KIMzXBb5k7OiuWdJVnynj3FMg9dZ7xTc_pjMCd2ho2ZR_AdvZvxEsQgePe3JzKdgbSkZ26fHAm7Df-qNRy46IEMq1Afc04s6fxSgyQ44WaZyMkpHvQ52O-QW1Y2xvelHzmdRpKaoOLNt8/s200/IMG_5233.jpg"/></a>
<br>A side trip to Preston Marina, where we once spent a very cold 8 months or so between June 2010 and March 2011</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hcSSIVo_3PhnfcyovQlyySZY-CjtLjD1Gv4L1RidMs4B1vs3WmKo82hap2qgcx578F7n0RySoNUUH72Py3oBSI9htqdk-LiYNLqTfxv1a0DRqQzIElxntXMIDKJzP-avf6o7_YQ61h5MGR1_EX-ZsiHQ0rFSBxGFbLWbqAR4YA3xOr9O7fWo/s3024/IMG_E0915.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2339" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4hcSSIVo_3PhnfcyovQlyySZY-CjtLjD1Gv4L1RidMs4B1vs3WmKo82hap2qgcx578F7n0RySoNUUH72Py3oBSI9htqdk-LiYNLqTfxv1a0DRqQzIElxntXMIDKJzP-avf6o7_YQ61h5MGR1_EX-ZsiHQ0rFSBxGFbLWbqAR4YA3xOr9O7fWo/s200/IMG_E0915.jpg"/></a>
<br>Maryanne's first time meeting with her (older) half-sister Heather - one of the many highlights of this trip back to the UK</center>
<p>We even managed to fit in a small lunch stop at Annie and Mike's, where we spent Christmas. Annie insisted on feeding us way more than we had needed. Even so, we managed to keep up our laugh per bite ratio until it was time to drag ourselves away and return to Borne again.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Bourne PE10, UK52.768598999999988 -0.37846224.458365163821142 -35.534712 81.078832836178833 34.777788tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-56984438076857605872024-01-18T03:10:00.021-05:002024-03-07T09:13:28.648-05:00England - Part 1[Kyle]When we landed at the Manchester airport, I got a bit of <i>deja vu</i> from my winter of commuting to work from there. Maryanne's friend Annie and her husband Mike picked us up drove us to their house, where we would spend the Christmas holiday with the rest of the family.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOs9k2BycsiDaeFEuIzc8DvlIXa8AHthDvZvB4n8KifKtn9oXN318s6CL2oJJWpMPb9GCr94Ei-s-IzGwAfv177lCqxkls1Nm6OURqQ-OB2upxuWVMVmqcDvxS8evpduFeg8ezGdDKTRhV7DusmWjZWeg8vg_w2BdqYS9_1JcfB6MvdjHISsp/s200/IMG_9746.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>Maryanne has popped over a few times, but I haven't been to Mike and Annie's house for over a decade, it turns out. Most surprising to me was their three adorable kids. They all have Master's Degrees now and were coming for a visit from their own homes, just like us.
<p>They have such a nice family. From our guest room upstairs we could often tell when the family was up in the mornings by the sounds of raucous laughter making its way through the house. Other times, we would think they were gone and arrive to find them all sitting quietly around the table, clutching cups of tea and putting a jigsaw puzzle together.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Vps54_l0Il6Weu6pqcpGqQIc8odYtrovVgFatG73vGUAVyZatSbXcHTgJENs0zm8qLb_rrGjFH4R3c0LczKYyJD3-02-ohyi54Cuzx7a_B3tODLH6k7g8ZWu_Z0AUxaKCR158KvwFeHcgl4CtDh4Pc3YkOCHtNyjZRBvH2VXGCLkBN6BVtU/s4032/IMG_2492.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ1Vps54_l0Il6Weu6pqcpGqQIc8odYtrovVgFatG73vGUAVyZatSbXcHTgJENs0zm8qLb_rrGjFH4R3c0LczKYyJD3-02-ohyi54Cuzx7a_B3tODLH6k7g8ZWu_Z0AUxaKCR158KvwFeHcgl4CtDh4Pc3YkOCHtNyjZRBvH2VXGCLkBN6BVtU/s200/IMG_2492.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI4j_1gozgCSUUN9HJsrkbfEFpKn8V7oOqfvzJ_MO33EbutEqzEkADTjELubkXRDVSd9DqmYfX3YP9gd2zuVk3EHOCFU-9KCKwkSXtxWnqkbKS_H91WA3Czzn49cz05pkugFSqJroTNUsvQqAnm4fE6evBINsyxGVKOLYZ4Q-ju-Rwx7It40k/s4032/IMG_2497.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRI4j_1gozgCSUUN9HJsrkbfEFpKn8V7oOqfvzJ_MO33EbutEqzEkADTjELubkXRDVSd9DqmYfX3YP9gd2zuVk3EHOCFU-9KCKwkSXtxWnqkbKS_H91WA3Czzn49cz05pkugFSqJroTNUsvQqAnm4fE6evBINsyxGVKOLYZ4Q-ju-Rwx7It40k/s200/IMG_2497.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVM-_c7oEUGD_tK_O8ZfU2FKZGUJPKhOZ89BMyBiGB9QiNsSwQchuvfYo_C7amYcR6PrgVModbgOGj-Exmwl4sWRpk6nwwyd-Pm79VESqyutf8WCnuC5BjS4FlBllAJdmhltne4HtuLBRLXEBFz3vs1xi9hiKv5BYsZZYNOw5pETh8UPAMN9U/s4032/IMG_2516.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPVM-_c7oEUGD_tK_O8ZfU2FKZGUJPKhOZ89BMyBiGB9QiNsSwQchuvfYo_C7amYcR6PrgVModbgOGj-Exmwl4sWRpk6nwwyd-Pm79VESqyutf8WCnuC5BjS4FlBllAJdmhltne4HtuLBRLXEBFz3vs1xi9hiKv5BYsZZYNOw5pETh8UPAMN9U/s200/IMG_2516.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLqPxNcRfnPIoaQEnnuPZrOZ2rumM2CZV6HxJucluEZ_GinhZYQCF5Vbnv3RH6uFYRdYRd_jWzTR5d5JY3zu4uqpTNNCuF0aPhkuYunlOpEPqQSvF67MrZDLAqTjihdpLFn4pFN4P4cKfH9jVNn63yPAiGJufqjiec0lFKdS2055rpI3lNvNu/s4032/IMG_2494.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiLqPxNcRfnPIoaQEnnuPZrOZ2rumM2CZV6HxJucluEZ_GinhZYQCF5Vbnv3RH6uFYRdYRd_jWzTR5d5JY3zu4uqpTNNCuF0aPhkuYunlOpEPqQSvF67MrZDLAqTjihdpLFn4pFN4P4cKfH9jVNn63yPAiGJufqjiec0lFKdS2055rpI3lNvNu/s200/IMG_2494.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSdYylMi2Rk4oztpwXM_v4ZNrWwfWBN0w-fJLJJlWrNRr-UVS0ekBKRctf7FAGqAtBXevfELZcMX9uiNiZ3HbkhF7Hl4PsdonORNyTuY57_hVNdgly81yuPxz6p8lET9ErbFWnostmefoyh077114bs1bhKAzqtswMdXJzVZmpF9uPjkowXUf/s3088/IMG_2507.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzSdYylMi2Rk4oztpwXM_v4ZNrWwfWBN0w-fJLJJlWrNRr-UVS0ekBKRctf7FAGqAtBXevfELZcMX9uiNiZ3HbkhF7Hl4PsdonORNyTuY57_hVNdgly81yuPxz6p8lET9ErbFWnostmefoyh077114bs1bhKAzqtswMdXJzVZmpF9uPjkowXUf/s200/IMG_2507.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDDyyyErpD4L0VWokWYpnIbJ4MlAUG0AzCiLDo3CE6d92s6bTA7r6Bm1lYlC6Vv0ZoIaGAUdUhaWUGZhvuwmhNRkyXO-XFXUGsJFWUZd4yGkvoSihkVQYohUMALyqrt5KtWdx5xqKN9jJHW-qQG4GFVIBObiwWjhG4oueb0pBSLIRRtKIDBXm/s4032/IMG_9643.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGDDyyyErpD4L0VWokWYpnIbJ4MlAUG0AzCiLDo3CE6d92s6bTA7r6Bm1lYlC6Vv0ZoIaGAUdUhaWUGZhvuwmhNRkyXO-XFXUGsJFWUZd4yGkvoSihkVQYohUMALyqrt5KtWdx5xqKN9jJHW-qQG4GFVIBObiwWjhG4oueb0pBSLIRRtKIDBXm/s200/IMG_9643.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHp9eM12hTav45l4msUR-6Z0Sl6x-LyTKNfSj6ryoh4REjWt_i8pFeUf927UD_3GuNJv4HhO1vNb0AD-SJadPNPh0lZP3HU7jF8yLnXcs3DjJxxCZ85S_uhym7irttzi_R241pEwn0Yz-yYo26F-DfX5I1uv43mAWazfVjZhOWMvSCiMxQ99W/s4032/IMG_9660.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfHp9eM12hTav45l4msUR-6Z0Sl6x-LyTKNfSj6ryoh4REjWt_i8pFeUf927UD_3GuNJv4HhO1vNb0AD-SJadPNPh0lZP3HU7jF8yLnXcs3DjJxxCZ85S_uhym7irttzi_R241pEwn0Yz-yYo26F-DfX5I1uv43mAWazfVjZhOWMvSCiMxQ99W/s200/IMG_9660.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrY_fjKkxRYbXWkN4_IIaovez878khPyzuzuV-4hMVBI8UwFaOE6iSvAbFocrsKRYvxryCl3rvWmha0yJ2QTcyjE2ddUcr0mbU7BSWMwQdPlOfefPU030iXnCs2s6xi7M9N3ZHu8YmY9VGU7aRKbr86OqDWnK_H7H11NM-AwpWkrJjvCnO4-L/s4032/IMG_9672.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrY_fjKkxRYbXWkN4_IIaovez878khPyzuzuV-4hMVBI8UwFaOE6iSvAbFocrsKRYvxryCl3rvWmha0yJ2QTcyjE2ddUcr0mbU7BSWMwQdPlOfefPU030iXnCs2s6xi7M9N3ZHu8YmY9VGU7aRKbr86OqDWnK_H7H11NM-AwpWkrJjvCnO4-L/s200/IMG_9672.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0hA5dvA2xYTCYBmXjs2WkBClVXB0KA6HamhTERp1MvjBO8ZNzJRKCGA2PzQr30MRjpIBpSGwT1WTrf_LAIclNRslOkUGBZvuMQ4LEcpoxQ_UTh0zQDiuTJaKko-TxhKzEQ1C3KCnuXqMPCLDOSj0HIym4bqzMJv50LYiF6UppcGV2Z5BZ2W0/s4032/IMG_9673.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD0hA5dvA2xYTCYBmXjs2WkBClVXB0KA6HamhTERp1MvjBO8ZNzJRKCGA2PzQr30MRjpIBpSGwT1WTrf_LAIclNRslOkUGBZvuMQ4LEcpoxQ_UTh0zQDiuTJaKko-TxhKzEQ1C3KCnuXqMPCLDOSj0HIym4bqzMJv50LYiF6UppcGV2Z5BZ2W0/s200/IMG_9673.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBSoYqf3SbelYAfl9XJqlA5Ji_lteLwbtlUl306zShhsB63Z7srp5d4an1ruV6c7VLJA9-glrTcn_RkU4yoWfO2ktm86iIKpDvbTqwhi0p-XZPJ3V9nTs5osMC0XHACdRRkuFZR4Z9l4XJzT0V_XvxXZbR5TFf8PmgKgepy8ujCNjQ6cwq0Qe/s4032/IMG_9686.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpBSoYqf3SbelYAfl9XJqlA5Ji_lteLwbtlUl306zShhsB63Z7srp5d4an1ruV6c7VLJA9-glrTcn_RkU4yoWfO2ktm86iIKpDvbTqwhi0p-XZPJ3V9nTs5osMC0XHACdRRkuFZR4Z9l4XJzT0V_XvxXZbR5TFf8PmgKgepy8ujCNjQ6cwq0Qe/s200/IMG_9686.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj-Wbcw2He-Y4zDrMzysxfMKyZX__gQLdxJHnXzXUR33NW6LXLFBfqXl51RiaYIw580Eidw_v4tl-odxaT98D_X-trrd-YX730F4t6bGDoZr5Cy8gsgoPRattD-enaqieXIjNwxTZ6mRz1fij21esnSgLmcAQxOjWNxs5MQAqitkNCVShQGnL/s2034/UMZU1590.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1526" data-original-width="2034" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguj-Wbcw2He-Y4zDrMzysxfMKyZX__gQLdxJHnXzXUR33NW6LXLFBfqXl51RiaYIw580Eidw_v4tl-odxaT98D_X-trrd-YX730F4t6bGDoZr5Cy8gsgoPRattD-enaqieXIjNwxTZ6mRz1fij21esnSgLmcAQxOjWNxs5MQAqitkNCVShQGnL/s200/UMZU1590.jpg"/></a>
<br>Celebrating Christmas in the warm hug of Maryanne's friend of old: Annie, and her wonderful family</center>
<p>We didn't do a lot during our stay in Marple that would make for great travel writing (with Maryanne still suffering from her bad ankle). Mostly, we all just hung out together, catching up on the goings on of the last few years, while playing games together or helping with a seemingly endless supply of puzzles.
<p>The weather was generally dreary, but I did manage to start the routine of suiting up in rain gear and going out for a daily squishy walk through the woods and along the canals nearby. When I got back, somebody would always offer me a hot cup of tea within seconds of my entering the house.
<p>After a week or so, it was time for us to gather our stuff, pack it up, and then see what's going on with the British rail system that everyone has been whinging on about.
<p>We were not disappointed. It seems a good proportion of the staff had decided to call in sick. Trains were cancelled, delayed or shortened, making reserved-seat tickets useful only as confetti. Our second, standing-room-only train, which was supposed to be our last, abruptly terminated six stops from where we were trying to go. As a concession, we were told to wait an hour for a non-cancelled train to resume our journey. In all, we only arrived an hour and a half late to our last stop in Grimsby. How's that for a British place name?
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zz4YLF-Yj100zJj7Kz6WjmOPsfzPMlGVKIjQokn2-t6sjspAiShGDjzJJa8d231A-iKXSOVLEMI5MyAYgRL-jqP9UnI-JCtnjhcJNvedczpx7A1Y7uZp6J0fSqAkl8H9zc4FcrTPx0anGF5OqcuI0izI4Yp0GUc-UMXidqNMso0IqYim1wce/s4032/IMG_2540.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zz4YLF-Yj100zJj7Kz6WjmOPsfzPMlGVKIjQokn2-t6sjspAiShGDjzJJa8d231A-iKXSOVLEMI5MyAYgRL-jqP9UnI-JCtnjhcJNvedczpx7A1Y7uZp6J0fSqAkl8H9zc4FcrTPx0anGF5OqcuI0izI4Yp0GUc-UMXidqNMso0IqYim1wce/s200/IMG_2540.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpQTMQEnSzlA8Xixii2q8-xrAE7ta7AXJ6qCniImc89M5iougENx47nZnw-AS9wG_aRyXIzmsk7qFz3sG9tvnB59zoJC1AZEwdN3tlbvnjM678XYf8daxN0Tyy2c0SrU9O_a8-B6nUakJU-7ONBdU5ApeyULdNAqTv9bJxW865MJoT00J7_Wa/s4032/IMG_2693.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifpQTMQEnSzlA8Xixii2q8-xrAE7ta7AXJ6qCniImc89M5iougENx47nZnw-AS9wG_aRyXIzmsk7qFz3sG9tvnB59zoJC1AZEwdN3tlbvnjM678XYf8daxN0Tyy2c0SrU9O_a8-B6nUakJU-7ONBdU5ApeyULdNAqTv9bJxW865MJoT00J7_Wa/s200/IMG_2693.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM90WeL7GtZDaJPsXApi7KdsGxliLWBv6g6rVji7Bd77vrFlIEbljzsJwp2ciH0JPG_PgFOHrMLsQYegpFOjpQaXpg71FuqPPzXZDpe_RcvlF0HPBRHUJFBR1xORhEOLnLOui_ot2-y325MGGlLoSDh8fbTj04l4I9BW_vjoRfo_6Cb_uSvTrF/s4032/IMG_2704.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM90WeL7GtZDaJPsXApi7KdsGxliLWBv6g6rVji7Bd77vrFlIEbljzsJwp2ciH0JPG_PgFOHrMLsQYegpFOjpQaXpg71FuqPPzXZDpe_RcvlF0HPBRHUJFBR1xORhEOLnLOui_ot2-y325MGGlLoSDh8fbTj04l4I9BW_vjoRfo_6Cb_uSvTrF/s200/IMG_2704.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTtGCW6YH8tRZ7mEKE-4ju4QN4mPm3hVetL3b1SJFn5m5HGb9wpMSMUgHth_Zf1czea1KKwVobQqDiq8kEIrOH_Bm7-r3QARXi4tbb69GSeGh9k_4Gge4EHsBQNroHwH6fBDYFno1TCKnNWSxV3qI6RiPvY61SLuFMiHzgKmYHgvVTkhYxayB/s4032/IMG_2733.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglTtGCW6YH8tRZ7mEKE-4ju4QN4mPm3hVetL3b1SJFn5m5HGb9wpMSMUgHth_Zf1czea1KKwVobQqDiq8kEIrOH_Bm7-r3QARXi4tbb69GSeGh9k_4Gge4EHsBQNroHwH6fBDYFno1TCKnNWSxV3qI6RiPvY61SLuFMiHzgKmYHgvVTkhYxayB/s200/IMG_2733.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOY_xfveQOQpJkbG7W_tiGVIkUibJ6JcbNR4OhMFjFrtcdw9jPGMlX-Mvfj22GaHLIEUniv8_2XJb2Q1JqSyyg6E5JECfDzYYw6HuBrZja_I4OWUKdja67QRYB6K9i8mwhYEQDKHONCk2c5QiUzryxvrIX2bQncloiBy7HmYjKujszqIeX-RZt/s4032/IMG_2743.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOY_xfveQOQpJkbG7W_tiGVIkUibJ6JcbNR4OhMFjFrtcdw9jPGMlX-Mvfj22GaHLIEUniv8_2XJb2Q1JqSyyg6E5JECfDzYYw6HuBrZja_I4OWUKdja67QRYB6K9i8mwhYEQDKHONCk2c5QiUzryxvrIX2bQncloiBy7HmYjKujszqIeX-RZt/s200/IMG_2743.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEime7skulKjOasdVp8js7M9Zn9FemJlvzFvNTplIYLFpdGYcon8WSylRqGQhTl1_qfLRN_e6vEIr3S-M8aIZPrZIfqna4koavhxX7hvdpfIfRimkZJogePGkH_2pgmiUzUkPjNrYKZGAIOsgOOrW2ZIoEzfPUUoJEfskxTjwjUxYZbsxrZbWPpk/s2592/DSC01296.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEime7skulKjOasdVp8js7M9Zn9FemJlvzFvNTplIYLFpdGYcon8WSylRqGQhTl1_qfLRN_e6vEIr3S-M8aIZPrZIfqna4koavhxX7hvdpfIfRimkZJogePGkH_2pgmiUzUkPjNrYKZGAIOsgOOrW2ZIoEzfPUUoJEfskxTjwjUxYZbsxrZbWPpk/s200/DSC01296.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MhoUt-OR1rOe2k7uri4apvHegNSsLXbHR1JdOmSx7LuNLeOmONpZ-Sf1TCfZJiyac2SnEfWe3m-hhvliuLEd8pF9x0RFZd8KRCRAHzZUY85034brAHnvmrR9n1Sf130Hhyq07N0Km5wBVeVwCvCEk3LoAhy9BXMJEq6XGlrW4xDj9Kpp7pfY/s4032/IMG_2712.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9MhoUt-OR1rOe2k7uri4apvHegNSsLXbHR1JdOmSx7LuNLeOmONpZ-Sf1TCfZJiyac2SnEfWe3m-hhvliuLEd8pF9x0RFZd8KRCRAHzZUY85034brAHnvmrR9n1Sf130Hhyq07N0Km5wBVeVwCvCEk3LoAhy9BXMJEq6XGlrW4xDj9Kpp7pfY/s200/IMG_2712.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToeCL4QOstsEBibNLx6es3BlQTiIfH3sr0LCdvYgJrWaQCSxYVZkXtQE7DF5L-3DoA5qICWAMiDKCLL4mKxFMmT-zt9xUQY8xyqAib2K_aRaKwsTgRPgqRIPiJG9cKnkdZzY5toVgAlxTfx3iOViv03Bv6PcjhXTOR2YrWKesVSFAi06aWY_X/s4032/IMG_2729.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjToeCL4QOstsEBibNLx6es3BlQTiIfH3sr0LCdvYgJrWaQCSxYVZkXtQE7DF5L-3DoA5qICWAMiDKCLL4mKxFMmT-zt9xUQY8xyqAib2K_aRaKwsTgRPgqRIPiJG9cKnkdZzY5toVgAlxTfx3iOViv03Bv6PcjhXTOR2YrWKesVSFAi06aWY_X/s200/IMG_2729.jpg"/></a>
<br>We spent our New Year's Eve in Lincolnshire with Maryanne's sister Sarah (and friends and family, horses, dogs, and cats)</center>
<p>Maryanne's sister, Sarah, met us there and drove us to her property in the nethers of northeast Lincolnshire. She and her husband Lee have horses, so the place is a proper country getaway with stables, paddocks for the horses and even a small pond.
<p>After meeting their many animals, we then embarked on a re-enactment of the plot of the 1998 movie "Madhouse", where a young couple's in-laws arrive as houseguests and then promptly begin to destroy their home through a series of bungling misadventures and general incompetence at performing normal daily tasks. It turns out that living on a farm is almost nothing like living on a sailboat. After the first few mishaps, I started to get self-conscious, which just made the pace of the mayhem accelerate. It was fortunate for them that we left before erasing their hard drives, burning down the house, or teaching the horses how to pick a lock.
<p>To keep the damage in the house down, we did manage a couple of side trips to nearby cities. Cities around here are mostly made of stone, so they are harder to break.
<p>Our first trip was to York. York is a beautiful old city. The Shambles, the area surrounding the impressive cathedral, York Minster, is particularly picturesque, with its steep streets and old Tudor buildings where the centuries have assured that nothing is square or plumb anymore. It's like walking around in a surrealist painting of a medieval village. In the end, we were really glad they didn't tear down York when they built the new one.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7vaUsgqMALJa-ggJ63ImhN6UugFBNq06xvAeoonNDgpGpVgsQYICqWxh1VNexC9Sbt9W1w8xWD-fV8Cwc9YPVOmSzMFLKwMfBVzfrOk8i96CHuEJvAd47T2OmQVB7BXU55GTvGVRPoMoeC7_LNymkCq6simseCH85Y8dzSmIRKh4lWwEU_Bm/s4032/IMG_2787.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk7vaUsgqMALJa-ggJ63ImhN6UugFBNq06xvAeoonNDgpGpVgsQYICqWxh1VNexC9Sbt9W1w8xWD-fV8Cwc9YPVOmSzMFLKwMfBVzfrOk8i96CHuEJvAd47T2OmQVB7BXU55GTvGVRPoMoeC7_LNymkCq6simseCH85Y8dzSmIRKh4lWwEU_Bm/s200/IMG_2787.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsH2SD3Uzd4Rje9ofW8R6fMcBiJ0rGibkNkosFoyOM8TNlngQCJbPJnCkvQK07eNx4L9lleB82wyZMPKlLS0R1SSihvsYPh1NJKAImslYEPoNuyIHvHePszmyay_TpLcGek7jsrqnp9lE0fRXI5_YGgoLL0PaivV-rqs7G8A7EGnYDQMaOHve/s4032/IMG_2797.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsH2SD3Uzd4Rje9ofW8R6fMcBiJ0rGibkNkosFoyOM8TNlngQCJbPJnCkvQK07eNx4L9lleB82wyZMPKlLS0R1SSihvsYPh1NJKAImslYEPoNuyIHvHePszmyay_TpLcGek7jsrqnp9lE0fRXI5_YGgoLL0PaivV-rqs7G8A7EGnYDQMaOHve/s200/IMG_2797.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTVVsSqDy9qR7FfWKmBZ0DZtA6FokOixr80e6yVTE-goo1KFrNzDZvPZdu89VlZUVSxqohChWSxVeTfYwB5bUPxcgkkXhdPWB29PSSn5ULFyCyNE4tVBE4lqqbRCG85OU-lGlx7ZFWpD3UXuADbskPAOEo9YnvJCH1sy8UJ3st-gpIJnhUtM1/s4032/IMG_2800.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUTVVsSqDy9qR7FfWKmBZ0DZtA6FokOixr80e6yVTE-goo1KFrNzDZvPZdu89VlZUVSxqohChWSxVeTfYwB5bUPxcgkkXhdPWB29PSSn5ULFyCyNE4tVBE4lqqbRCG85OU-lGlx7ZFWpD3UXuADbskPAOEo9YnvJCH1sy8UJ3st-gpIJnhUtM1/s200/IMG_2800.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncNswGkkTNY6YGudylyhvnhWvPaR-rYjmfgx8AJTYYZh9L4p1ZpZ2FKxzwjP1AEkmS0xbtAekfS_xle56yvoohetly-VAdBTx0mge-fwWP1YA_zOzms2vwsD-7FpJzWA9S6ChOSaa8zlHg_EcnzH8ZVcBQMfxx_R4744av717FMVFTL5wOF57/s4032/IMG_2766.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhncNswGkkTNY6YGudylyhvnhWvPaR-rYjmfgx8AJTYYZh9L4p1ZpZ2FKxzwjP1AEkmS0xbtAekfS_xle56yvoohetly-VAdBTx0mge-fwWP1YA_zOzms2vwsD-7FpJzWA9S6ChOSaa8zlHg_EcnzH8ZVcBQMfxx_R4744av717FMVFTL5wOF57/s200/IMG_2766.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4A-y4Gqp5FJT2S1_74ckOiYS28P-_Tg9MtLmWvgsBmuEk8poCJ4zJ5fmpKOtgwTnfVBQTNhRGW1K_sKCSnMSAU4Yy-HeEKv3mb3WtfE6rfIeUQisQa67P1ly2G82I0VPZB2nTgw8aAMoRUbSLqtsllJX5E97_73vnwUP_1MIuQw8wQjrssvf/s4032/IMG_2768.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU4A-y4Gqp5FJT2S1_74ckOiYS28P-_Tg9MtLmWvgsBmuEk8poCJ4zJ5fmpKOtgwTnfVBQTNhRGW1K_sKCSnMSAU4Yy-HeEKv3mb3WtfE6rfIeUQisQa67P1ly2G82I0VPZB2nTgw8aAMoRUbSLqtsllJX5E97_73vnwUP_1MIuQw8wQjrssvf/s200/IMG_2768.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvnZhKTsOVHgX_jf2oXRCFsn7kZmE-wIDb1Rm7yTFLW7msAoRfJJu_yGfEJ1tYVcTKafqhNXcdxYH9_vqS17ql38-rRpvILg4y5F_50zVLV6t48vq6wqEMtV8pxwVAF7d7W3gl-AzNCK4KgXwSzzuG5d6X3w1xdiH8zegLqxlIKxx9RRiq1UN/s4032/IMG_2782.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtvnZhKTsOVHgX_jf2oXRCFsn7kZmE-wIDb1Rm7yTFLW7msAoRfJJu_yGfEJ1tYVcTKafqhNXcdxYH9_vqS17ql38-rRpvILg4y5F_50zVLV6t48vq6wqEMtV8pxwVAF7d7W3gl-AzNCK4KgXwSzzuG5d6X3w1xdiH8zegLqxlIKxx9RRiq1UN/s200/IMG_2782.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxoq7wNmtm0h7uNNpF4VNGqehiI57w-Bg0jXUTADL6FAKN9yQOUwXwHhieXJ_pfheCY6nW0HMOcAibOvf-ubR6TfYBUlgcHc2I0ePGU-FCXaIO1-YlnyZrKdJClphHTbnz3a74l42IbhnP3wY5XSZ4QUEobeTsAYjeoR1gha3HkRlGa4R2es7/s4032/IMG_2792.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuxoq7wNmtm0h7uNNpF4VNGqehiI57w-Bg0jXUTADL6FAKN9yQOUwXwHhieXJ_pfheCY6nW0HMOcAibOvf-ubR6TfYBUlgcHc2I0ePGU-FCXaIO1-YlnyZrKdJClphHTbnz3a74l42IbhnP3wY5XSZ4QUEobeTsAYjeoR1gha3HkRlGa4R2es7/s200/IMG_2792.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7CiJ3feZmZlr1cPjNNRjyMgoff2d1BWian_QUCy0eW744Xxz_7vmdziUTUKJ4dRFMOoBuvlW0UX9puWSR4nSHsh343gyYQcJ5NQyF4do6UjzwgOELVWK7-fAsa9PZV5bkKCia6I3zYoVQCKJBdl7v63qk9rzXsjeG8KCmR-AGr82Ddr-Qu4p/s4032/IMG_2794.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC7CiJ3feZmZlr1cPjNNRjyMgoff2d1BWian_QUCy0eW744Xxz_7vmdziUTUKJ4dRFMOoBuvlW0UX9puWSR4nSHsh343gyYQcJ5NQyF4do6UjzwgOELVWK7-fAsa9PZV5bkKCia6I3zYoVQCKJBdl7v63qk9rzXsjeG8KCmR-AGr82Ddr-Qu4p/s200/IMG_2794.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Yxgbo7v-Nc7YXLc8L5xSEZ3LYHL9ayXGaw4zcqAoqyE6H3g0JKCvfgGwa4BDUaobz4x-o3eWRE-vBYyeXoymOqweoWNNlpR5nIVlhjF0UkyIY5O6JLotAS0x2bi5QhkWdFKrToj1Xjbuf4jIL_nhyR2qG_tI3oEAAKnkHqsmOtndXXSlBVKo/s4032/IMG_9727.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Yxgbo7v-Nc7YXLc8L5xSEZ3LYHL9ayXGaw4zcqAoqyE6H3g0JKCvfgGwa4BDUaobz4x-o3eWRE-vBYyeXoymOqweoWNNlpR5nIVlhjF0UkyIY5O6JLotAS0x2bi5QhkWdFKrToj1Xjbuf4jIL_nhyR2qG_tI3oEAAKnkHqsmOtndXXSlBVKo/s200/IMG_9727.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXVcuLd21TPp9BPP2Q8u7EQE_r3RxcmZGMWpiGD1eFpCn9M71jifuirXFQ6NfYWepaj4pntxxxAzCstN5KVRf8jHE3dBozqk4KkGgPFU9ETkxmfdIkEV2siR7ppzlFP4RRQePcC9fxK15spfGxCD-V46KISySlkoPWvQBplDEwwM_hgkJyy7e/s4032/IMG_9733.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyXVcuLd21TPp9BPP2Q8u7EQE_r3RxcmZGMWpiGD1eFpCn9M71jifuirXFQ6NfYWepaj4pntxxxAzCstN5KVRf8jHE3dBozqk4KkGgPFU9ETkxmfdIkEV2siR7ppzlFP4RRQePcC9fxK15spfGxCD-V46KISySlkoPWvQBplDEwwM_hgkJyy7e/s200/IMG_9733.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOs9k2BycsiDaeFEuIzc8DvlIXa8AHthDvZvB4n8KifKtn9oXN318s6CL2oJJWpMPb9GCr94Ei-s-IzGwAfv177lCqxkls1Nm6OURqQ-OB2upxuWVMVmqcDvxS8evpduFeg8ezGdDKTRhV7DusmWjZWeg8vg_w2BdqYS9_1JcfB6MvdjHISsp/s4032/IMG_9746.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIOs9k2BycsiDaeFEuIzc8DvlIXa8AHthDvZvB4n8KifKtn9oXN318s6CL2oJJWpMPb9GCr94Ei-s-IzGwAfv177lCqxkls1Nm6OURqQ-OB2upxuWVMVmqcDvxS8evpduFeg8ezGdDKTRhV7DusmWjZWeg8vg_w2BdqYS9_1JcfB6MvdjHISsp/s200/IMG_9746.jpg"/></a>
<br>Sightseeing day trip to the city of York (with Viking history and more) We went to the Jorvik center, the castle, The Shambles Tavern (for lunch), and the Medieval 'Barley Hall', and generally ambled around the streets. We hope to spend more time in York before we leave the UK again.</center>
<p>We also spent a day in Lincoln, which I assume was named after the American President Abraham Lincoln in 1170, a mere 639 years before his birth in a log cabin that he built himself. Lincoln has a lot of the same feel as York, only on a smaller scale and with fewer people milling about. The Cathedral is particularly impressive. So much so, in fact, that we ended up spending the better part of five hours crawling all over the place. The highlight was definitely the two-hour roof tour. We didn't actually spend too much time on the roof itself because it was a cold, miserable day, but the route up took us through two bell towers and the attic above the nave, along with all of the intervening chambers in between. All of these were wonderful hidden gems. We felt so privileged to have access to these "secret" areas.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0JJukxhc5-aA0EVs5dNDWScEpGE6Y20_aC97DIIOnpI1j67Zz1yPYohq4RnZB1RC-Y8r7TNmhE9nRpM2YEG9PVPBT55p8H5FrF5CSc8wRamoHLNfGYQ5Tbne5UN5GXuB_fbCQ5OGLu14-XT4tw190JaidKEQfAwgF7DE0CIZQpo_b8tshs3k/s4032/IMG_2856.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp0JJukxhc5-aA0EVs5dNDWScEpGE6Y20_aC97DIIOnpI1j67Zz1yPYohq4RnZB1RC-Y8r7TNmhE9nRpM2YEG9PVPBT55p8H5FrF5CSc8wRamoHLNfGYQ5Tbne5UN5GXuB_fbCQ5OGLu14-XT4tw190JaidKEQfAwgF7DE0CIZQpo_b8tshs3k/s200/IMG_2856.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimais_UcIHnISGxIL5YgRZO6T1ptAOCsw-50I5I607k_E_I7WQhSFW9-Ew6jphNYvpE-46HwAD9Tcm0Q48vuCie_qyZBGzDQ6iu6Pb9OvszBlre2vdbV0dBD8B4ET1xvvBl2DBz8PWHwTtyPta1E0EkMjAIKaifBE8zJXDpOpKs41Moi3ie_7Q/s4032/IMG_2862.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimais_UcIHnISGxIL5YgRZO6T1ptAOCsw-50I5I607k_E_I7WQhSFW9-Ew6jphNYvpE-46HwAD9Tcm0Q48vuCie_qyZBGzDQ6iu6Pb9OvszBlre2vdbV0dBD8B4ET1xvvBl2DBz8PWHwTtyPta1E0EkMjAIKaifBE8zJXDpOpKs41Moi3ie_7Q/s200/IMG_2862.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGuFj1tz7vyYxWHiVMR1hDj99sjmC5-yhZvRquSm0oMjFLC0Op8nCnrYv1FVej1RszEJm0zA8LOw9cQM1Xw-wjDr_FsWxat0VRlJCQLqabVsLZE1pSbtt4tdnOz-_ErcOA6xxIaBLjiG4_ebTs38pbUoiozjl-Z2Uxmuhug7oy04AMncFuO87/s4032/IMG_2868.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTGuFj1tz7vyYxWHiVMR1hDj99sjmC5-yhZvRquSm0oMjFLC0Op8nCnrYv1FVej1RszEJm0zA8LOw9cQM1Xw-wjDr_FsWxat0VRlJCQLqabVsLZE1pSbtt4tdnOz-_ErcOA6xxIaBLjiG4_ebTs38pbUoiozjl-Z2Uxmuhug7oy04AMncFuO87/s200/IMG_2868.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIF-VceEev5GJTmO3QNeSHFV678gRa0MxRhfsNa6A-bUYBTLJg9Ft0SyponA_EG3L3RvcnCLA-cv7I-KUW8OQEhM4GDKziSTlGWNc49Ro_mkQjDKmncnc2Zb36OjrnVGjQ1i7kWcLxaY0kMO01vot6d2M-UYxbohkVcloIgoOILKCzXPOovo15/s4032/IMG_2874.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIF-VceEev5GJTmO3QNeSHFV678gRa0MxRhfsNa6A-bUYBTLJg9Ft0SyponA_EG3L3RvcnCLA-cv7I-KUW8OQEhM4GDKziSTlGWNc49Ro_mkQjDKmncnc2Zb36OjrnVGjQ1i7kWcLxaY0kMO01vot6d2M-UYxbohkVcloIgoOILKCzXPOovo15/s200/IMG_2874.jpg"/></a>
<br>We returned to the nearby Grimsby, to see the Fishing Heritage Center (In the 1950's Grimsby was largest and busiest fishing port in the WORLD!!)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFWr-sCbn_oyB8MxdL9Yxg_yE2sn9IxhbDeQITHYf_NtJH2lPmMOdrx0MKCCf-4DVJA9cotqNEk5EzpNbuewoGI1DRhPJN1ZpCK9XSjYnarC9y7dkkPuYi2iCLhLOg3J6bf85zrEdsvKQl5JIyKmiMEJ6BiEN5JF5B9yPyKHxHMNcchZreElC/s2592/DSC01312.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFWr-sCbn_oyB8MxdL9Yxg_yE2sn9IxhbDeQITHYf_NtJH2lPmMOdrx0MKCCf-4DVJA9cotqNEk5EzpNbuewoGI1DRhPJN1ZpCK9XSjYnarC9y7dkkPuYi2iCLhLOg3J6bf85zrEdsvKQl5JIyKmiMEJ6BiEN5JF5B9yPyKHxHMNcchZreElC/s200/DSC01312.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdRnT08gNG-0hCXOEEGQUxyZadZo5CP3DuMwDqKJO_V0pXEq3H7lbrOjOfo1FkL8iE6D0Oja9uJN-sOYiVfjttsIyciPqmqomJTcL1eDnogIj12hh1Hn8WCNOaMoVcxmWX1GpEiGQczKyJRQvX-b4ZXyRhZrt7OSw9Uvoop2MjsSawICKX0T0/s2551/DSC01320.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1913" data-original-width="2551" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZdRnT08gNG-0hCXOEEGQUxyZadZo5CP3DuMwDqKJO_V0pXEq3H7lbrOjOfo1FkL8iE6D0Oja9uJN-sOYiVfjttsIyciPqmqomJTcL1eDnogIj12hh1Hn8WCNOaMoVcxmWX1GpEiGQczKyJRQvX-b4ZXyRhZrt7OSw9Uvoop2MjsSawICKX0T0/s200/DSC01320.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlmmbMfiycrFZuxQpe9A7lW8YFWbdxWPL5Uwy0DcK2BybFZr8vjujuiR12Q5EzhFvy91WW4ZoUBpAnRtiK9Ucmu1kxCPTTOpe2nwe5oGviOLkUFAtDMkziAyctfL8g28vuVn-Jcvwl9BZ4TEZChGxTTB9-WeGj86ULKMuTFocxB0de9WrIxxK/s3907/IMG_1670.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2930" data-original-width="3907" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBlmmbMfiycrFZuxQpe9A7lW8YFWbdxWPL5Uwy0DcK2BybFZr8vjujuiR12Q5EzhFvy91WW4ZoUBpAnRtiK9Ucmu1kxCPTTOpe2nwe5oGviOLkUFAtDMkziAyctfL8g28vuVn-Jcvwl9BZ4TEZChGxTTB9-WeGj86ULKMuTFocxB0de9WrIxxK/s200/IMG_1670.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H_V_ISek08_fVnNJWmbNQV5s1bjyhQ14H7uy_HyP1bt7u8pX6-mdpVatm3OaPObzUdok1Ff0Kn79MA8z_IZC3at7uQsDXCNYcCJgS5osPl3iXOwsnBGoabO_jsalbM_Q-PlhUxrwXoPcAv9EHcCU3zpD7wYmstlf_0klJtWiLAALY_rLa2mq/s4032/IMG_2806.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_H_V_ISek08_fVnNJWmbNQV5s1bjyhQ14H7uy_HyP1bt7u8pX6-mdpVatm3OaPObzUdok1Ff0Kn79MA8z_IZC3at7uQsDXCNYcCJgS5osPl3iXOwsnBGoabO_jsalbM_Q-PlhUxrwXoPcAv9EHcCU3zpD7wYmstlf_0klJtWiLAALY_rLa2mq/s200/IMG_2806.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZciZgF27WIcYy6A_3DFGPiip1_lSANBpXJtcp4YmG136wOuo-I8zmT7jXHlvMC4RJ7snBF7avQ0Ei16veylP-AEG5olun6Y6Xcew8QJbGjckeYHctCvcthKM_70upn69BSwaaIfJF8XxumBT8YJAmviibix9YhS8PYlg-YPkTePZ3n6KEbSvz/s4032/IMG_2820.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZciZgF27WIcYy6A_3DFGPiip1_lSANBpXJtcp4YmG136wOuo-I8zmT7jXHlvMC4RJ7snBF7avQ0Ei16veylP-AEG5olun6Y6Xcew8QJbGjckeYHctCvcthKM_70upn69BSwaaIfJF8XxumBT8YJAmviibix9YhS8PYlg-YPkTePZ3n6KEbSvz/s200/IMG_2820.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgPaBFaWGvO9ZwJ2VVO9bw3mp-W9UjYlgvS7OIAMjy4Ot0U1dBh-vlZ3G8yiju4StQgHiax4l6oVU1fCdSRY8DbRSRgsK0Uk8z7BT4UhbE99PHFd3EjJCoaEBbtfE_K-9itNpARYiOxQiKlfTM5vjbfegffdPfZmRpkvGQb170JhWKeX7ylHe/s4032/IMG_2895.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNgPaBFaWGvO9ZwJ2VVO9bw3mp-W9UjYlgvS7OIAMjy4Ot0U1dBh-vlZ3G8yiju4StQgHiax4l6oVU1fCdSRY8DbRSRgsK0Uk8z7BT4UhbE99PHFd3EjJCoaEBbtfE_K-9itNpARYiOxQiKlfTM5vjbfegffdPfZmRpkvGQb170JhWKeX7ylHe/s200/IMG_2895.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZpgLJtKtOCHKdf_NnF48wNIaFdulZ2dfAf0hrcROVm9VOBG2MZW01wKsRFanvEaIS1oYQl-0sQ40DHzqcWsEjK_eANaH73amQcFA3hsm0FOnHmGd9M8HIALwspnDFcCwOcb0Ktd6VS7OHaJxR6waviGX1m7GropO2usEjZjRtudgmC-oZ5j4/s4032/IMG_3020.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ZpgLJtKtOCHKdf_NnF48wNIaFdulZ2dfAf0hrcROVm9VOBG2MZW01wKsRFanvEaIS1oYQl-0sQ40DHzqcWsEjK_eANaH73amQcFA3hsm0FOnHmGd9M8HIALwspnDFcCwOcb0Ktd6VS7OHaJxR6waviGX1m7GropO2usEjZjRtudgmC-oZ5j4/s200/IMG_3020.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGu87mvodP2fmbRqmHubr5qINC3tVaLCz4njH7R50zdrinc6Z_R-BE7Mwl1DpshvqM-_okt8i8v17Sztyw3O23GG-kr_RV5d8vDQxpVctyiPrLTeYvxkjupIAr3-2h7UT3_EoaYnSzqG8lESrHNAGMweHNEn5xddFfrTY3u0sv-0yvTKbtP5P/s4032/IMG_9819.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRGu87mvodP2fmbRqmHubr5qINC3tVaLCz4njH7R50zdrinc6Z_R-BE7Mwl1DpshvqM-_okt8i8v17Sztyw3O23GG-kr_RV5d8vDQxpVctyiPrLTeYvxkjupIAr3-2h7UT3_EoaYnSzqG8lESrHNAGMweHNEn5xddFfrTY3u0sv-0yvTKbtP5P/s200/IMG_9819.jpg"/></a>
<br>And a few other outings too, and Sarah treated Maryanne to a fine pampering at the hairdressers.</center>
<p>After leaving Sarah and Lee's place more or less intact, we drove to the southern end of Lincolnshire, the side ever so slightly closer to the tropics, for a visit to Maryanne's dad, Peter's.
<p>Along the way, we stopped off at the Stump, Boston's Norman church, technically named St. Botolph's, but it has been known as The Stump since construction began in 1309. It is grand and impressive in the manner of a lot of Anglican architecture.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfeoPKd3X4-azvnq84sHgIGEy9snsstizB5ieodIdTQCkIhwUWp_o8hF7uHsTvbTGSv97xOSW_byTqNQzsSJf6Z1eEtY-_bYsnai36ESAxsUqi0dbHF0VbLeZB4t6oG-r3sitpPERDiLP2c-eIMcteVqK0IY5cbb0lpxwnSQzzPZvQrc-ZjpJR/s3882/IMG_3040.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3882" data-original-width="2912" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfeoPKd3X4-azvnq84sHgIGEy9snsstizB5ieodIdTQCkIhwUWp_o8hF7uHsTvbTGSv97xOSW_byTqNQzsSJf6Z1eEtY-_bYsnai36ESAxsUqi0dbHF0VbLeZB4t6oG-r3sitpPERDiLP2c-eIMcteVqK0IY5cbb0lpxwnSQzzPZvQrc-ZjpJR/s200/IMG_3040.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7Qskb4mjxfSfSh2xe3xBUhvFMVgDjADxAYV-q-YAOCjxZWVr5O3jbDkdE_CqxEqahSk_dFu9R6b0Y3wt9JUBPI5u6bhSiod_6LDrRblmAPb2f4wRAcZ2GhCLLc9ks6-x6aytp7NIFm0gVNhqrkisgEtejY6XfwhNQwq8LjrHQTFTrObOJiP4/s4032/IMG_3041.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge7Qskb4mjxfSfSh2xe3xBUhvFMVgDjADxAYV-q-YAOCjxZWVr5O3jbDkdE_CqxEqahSk_dFu9R6b0Y3wt9JUBPI5u6bhSiod_6LDrRblmAPb2f4wRAcZ2GhCLLc9ks6-x6aytp7NIFm0gVNhqrkisgEtejY6XfwhNQwq8LjrHQTFTrObOJiP4/s200/IMG_3041.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6jdGXsqxw4AOA7OpE3yw2Eo3Yx9YFQ0p8wkpnFwTzsrfCArG_OqJa3uZUuqOn4eqn8y9_yu-gXo_clC_yClDmABKNlhTPZG_SdI5dkJ67xSZIK4WCfCz2bvxoAiU3FBZeq4XZ82X68Bn6uSc89OOCHFdi6knz1EyqWDgfj50WCgsIn-WXR6b/s4032/IMG_3045.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe6jdGXsqxw4AOA7OpE3yw2Eo3Yx9YFQ0p8wkpnFwTzsrfCArG_OqJa3uZUuqOn4eqn8y9_yu-gXo_clC_yClDmABKNlhTPZG_SdI5dkJ67xSZIK4WCfCz2bvxoAiU3FBZeq4XZ82X68Bn6uSc89OOCHFdi6knz1EyqWDgfj50WCgsIn-WXR6b/s200/IMG_3045.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDRuFUiISyTj63XohECFVSx6ynyXVi0UCXDSLTlAjy5KOYZ5pnGxZi9hQRgt_QfxTH-fcpTVfSrlvm_CJk5_rR813fMiS5hNJE8u4P-BRPiiuInBvQT3L2rNpSWk9Zrd4fKIv6PENq49vKufSdBRHu6XZoFLDKRczeV7FiLETepkn3F5ehgWi/s4032/IMG_3051.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrDRuFUiISyTj63XohECFVSx6ynyXVi0UCXDSLTlAjy5KOYZ5pnGxZi9hQRgt_QfxTH-fcpTVfSrlvm_CJk5_rR813fMiS5hNJE8u4P-BRPiiuInBvQT3L2rNpSWk9Zrd4fKIv6PENq49vKufSdBRHu6XZoFLDKRczeV7FiLETepkn3F5ehgWi/s200/IMG_3051.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVp66VjaPiDYlItCnOY7JyC25JUjgaKU8LJJd3LjhGhPjcVJ3NcuMIESrgIXoORCqqF2wsjA0D9TTWZ8q8zIoAhCbsxaLnb9sRI5rkeeZOmRBwdjIwmWvWa2Lyq9jdu6gkJ6UdBhzqf7MHGDksGe613OOrw4t2GhfGB7wFOVZF3rFBcaBmuXf/s4032/IMG_3060.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmVp66VjaPiDYlItCnOY7JyC25JUjgaKU8LJJd3LjhGhPjcVJ3NcuMIESrgIXoORCqqF2wsjA0D9TTWZ8q8zIoAhCbsxaLnb9sRI5rkeeZOmRBwdjIwmWvWa2Lyq9jdu6gkJ6UdBhzqf7MHGDksGe613OOrw4t2GhfGB7wFOVZF3rFBcaBmuXf/s200/IMG_3060.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjqiHkdrGCIEqSLKUThnMQI5VOhaHAKZjJ7Vn7zpmFoo3S8kOBRllpVcyZpJlNik0KLpNAbtS2gH9VlefmCJSbFOP3Eh2vSPylAiaOm1mJJdhdYHEzgOL9vTRqtHXHPUlKJg5EJE_cn-soGqasl7AahvBgsqiXM0GWOD_hu9trsmO5OFVRRtt/s4032/IMG_3066.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtjqiHkdrGCIEqSLKUThnMQI5VOhaHAKZjJ7Vn7zpmFoo3S8kOBRllpVcyZpJlNik0KLpNAbtS2gH9VlefmCJSbFOP3Eh2vSPylAiaOm1mJJdhdYHEzgOL9vTRqtHXHPUlKJg5EJE_cn-soGqasl7AahvBgsqiXM0GWOD_hu9trsmO5OFVRRtt/s200/IMG_3066.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoxBAaQ_4yYZnS9w5BEM1bYa9NG_9LvTKq0vUSZHbyEtSXr0Mlg6xrJhd-A9IVBfgn3zq-FEuJ3gMciCI3cXA9SkQJmRFx8_Sgkzsbzg0vKBb6yx2B-fi_3lLeLwalxS9-Y-r4_MP46jLUSVo6fewVEK6MUnhPI_z1UYJzgLOmK2oQI8kwX49/s4032/IMG_3046.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgoxBAaQ_4yYZnS9w5BEM1bYa9NG_9LvTKq0vUSZHbyEtSXr0Mlg6xrJhd-A9IVBfgn3zq-FEuJ3gMciCI3cXA9SkQJmRFx8_Sgkzsbzg0vKBb6yx2B-fi_3lLeLwalxS9-Y-r4_MP46jLUSVo6fewVEK6MUnhPI_z1UYJzgLOmK2oQI8kwX49/s200/IMG_3046.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTrF-vP6Ani6X8TWfpulvLcsmIdUNfmdH3k3WlSDqPlApOV-JEYEyukLEgkBWVt6433Luw7BEfLzGsDQwBV1Cw59bCw-HXScyT0RxUlweQ4P_TzDooX6GQZAvHcUwLKGy5Ecn5PLDeUW_cJYZZuZSALh7V4oCSkuPnz5noPv61rWwvdvAnGnT/s3899/IMG_3047.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2924" data-original-width="3899" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLTrF-vP6Ani6X8TWfpulvLcsmIdUNfmdH3k3WlSDqPlApOV-JEYEyukLEgkBWVt6433Luw7BEfLzGsDQwBV1Cw59bCw-HXScyT0RxUlweQ4P_TzDooX6GQZAvHcUwLKGy5Ecn5PLDeUW_cJYZZuZSALh7V4oCSkuPnz5noPv61rWwvdvAnGnT/s200/IMG_3047.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRroZ6Ugp-gzMmvxIv1h8TI-XUrhwwPWtgH_R1BH5nAfKhUU7IghyphenhyphenqZMNQgVJS8838B0gZAMyclIW5b7pI35gyG6P9_HFRLlVET8dtbgS5Wn8Qid8BEvxpr2lI9yt1bCrGhIH1dguU3gj2UuV68t8VQ7gBPQGJQDijdOqQMtoY5CCvAIPxizU/s4032/IMG_3054.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGRroZ6Ugp-gzMmvxIv1h8TI-XUrhwwPWtgH_R1BH5nAfKhUU7IghyphenhyphenqZMNQgVJS8838B0gZAMyclIW5b7pI35gyG6P9_HFRLlVET8dtbgS5Wn8Qid8BEvxpr2lI9yt1bCrGhIH1dguU3gj2UuV68t8VQ7gBPQGJQDijdOqQMtoY5CCvAIPxizU/s200/IMG_3054.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3GCAJ55-uvocC-75O6ltswAQxZrKh7SnGzhcfjUzi2SDtYAIaLJRH8332-zZuubo0wOrXEdQN3aDQumEp4ngBycV4CigkUFPHyZ34N0NLgYeg-91jaaaAMP3_iBcSDmnJdvc-dodRmQQqQJG9zNMHvYeHMyNS04on9i3JN1BdgkfJCtzH3ba/s4032/IMG_3061.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB3GCAJ55-uvocC-75O6ltswAQxZrKh7SnGzhcfjUzi2SDtYAIaLJRH8332-zZuubo0wOrXEdQN3aDQumEp4ngBycV4CigkUFPHyZ34N0NLgYeg-91jaaaAMP3_iBcSDmnJdvc-dodRmQQqQJG9zNMHvYeHMyNS04on9i3JN1BdgkfJCtzH3ba/s200/IMG_3061.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwfuT07H4W89077zp9pA0CqRT8edlSmK-_-94Ke6sZ1E_lY2cmSI5KFdLsXymg41zOUznEFI2MLU4QOqmkyNBmRTXZw0w3HvBg9qWLLW2ePKR-mtYj_nlchtdYrzx1jH17j52l6RvGMNqNBfK2yqQcKgNRapPsv1iqMMYbb6Jl9CCnWqSvJtI/s4032/IMG_3064.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwfuT07H4W89077zp9pA0CqRT8edlSmK-_-94Ke6sZ1E_lY2cmSI5KFdLsXymg41zOUznEFI2MLU4QOqmkyNBmRTXZw0w3HvBg9qWLLW2ePKR-mtYj_nlchtdYrzx1jH17j52l6RvGMNqNBfK2yqQcKgNRapPsv1iqMMYbb6Jl9CCnWqSvJtI/s200/IMG_3064.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1im3RnMcUlrce_yulEEpn_w_dlZb8bmfqIFxtpKZKncFGwZcqYZITCQg3yULk04bQutlAe3xN0NCbAKBgmbXO-QXTtCRu8rJfiGCQ46Lu4n0P98Xwn39xVDpAjvLWTRFZfyHclw2wBadlKXLvwUja1jMsNh3m8tjuUwn3YVzqOHkSToWZ6yRQ/s4032/IMG_3074.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1im3RnMcUlrce_yulEEpn_w_dlZb8bmfqIFxtpKZKncFGwZcqYZITCQg3yULk04bQutlAe3xN0NCbAKBgmbXO-QXTtCRu8rJfiGCQ46Lu4n0P98Xwn39xVDpAjvLWTRFZfyHclw2wBadlKXLvwUja1jMsNh3m8tjuUwn3YVzqOHkSToWZ6yRQ/s200/IMG_3074.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv6bkqobeb4ttzkGauSzHDBgZb1FQmGwJzkfww95RL2k-BxpAe5a3EQ8xKnROKEzGcp6cMDE8ySaeXQWN6fUiKeUy4YmI1lXU0B3Moyb_S8oOQFx3wBczp2DpnbY9ulDOhY9AeY_bNgzzQ17aHRsGGGVStF-KrSObV4teKsere9GwbrsRj-_i/s4032/IMG_3077.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVv6bkqobeb4ttzkGauSzHDBgZb1FQmGwJzkfww95RL2k-BxpAe5a3EQ8xKnROKEzGcp6cMDE8ySaeXQWN6fUiKeUy4YmI1lXU0B3Moyb_S8oOQFx3wBczp2DpnbY9ulDOhY9AeY_bNgzzQ17aHRsGGGVStF-KrSObV4teKsere9GwbrsRj-_i/s200/IMG_3077.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxGOd5APRop63gwHpfKv5DSHpHR5vnXzuHcko_ctCma_sryDYfP-8Bz7F8zvYNpVBd0_2gA0HorRNNZzwVf0fOtKQGy850XJdYgkQighuzYtZKiMDEN25yX2ttRnDsXrbxqstOIKlepXH2AM9Xur52Wym8-R2YmBlLxIG1yNOwVjwzzp3Hh9f/s4032/IMG_3081.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxGOd5APRop63gwHpfKv5DSHpHR5vnXzuHcko_ctCma_sryDYfP-8Bz7F8zvYNpVBd0_2gA0HorRNNZzwVf0fOtKQGy850XJdYgkQighuzYtZKiMDEN25yX2ttRnDsXrbxqstOIKlepXH2AM9Xur52Wym8-R2YmBlLxIG1yNOwVjwzzp3Hh9f/s200/IMG_3081.jpg"/></a>
<br>Between families, we had to drive through Boston where the main attraction is The Boston 'Stump' is an early Norman church that can bee seen for miles, we even got to climb most of the way up for the views around.</center>
<p>There are a few interesting tidbits about the place. The first is that the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle says that it was built on the site of a monastery founded by St. Botolph in the year 654, hence the name. That last bit is probably not true, but the name of the location of St. Botolph's stone was shortened and simplified to Boston, as the town is known today.
<p>The other famous Boston, the one in Massachusetts in the United States, was named after this one by John Cotton, who was a vicar here (in the UK Boston) in the 17th Century. He became a Puritan, whose militant followers trashed the church in 1612 for being too ostentatious. Later, be became a Pilgrim and left for the Massachusetts Colony in 1633, so that he would be able to practice religious freedom by accusing anybody he didn't like of being a witch.
<p>It wouldn't be too surprising if I had a few ancestors traveling along with him. Maryanne and others in the family have done a lot of genealogy research and it seems that almost my entire family tree goes back in North America until the early 1600s to either the Jamestown or Massachusetts colonies. Then both branches jump to the British Isles. Her family, on the other hand, has been from right around here for centuries. She hasn't found one yet, but it seems likely that we both have a common ancestor who was a farmhand around these parts in the Fourteenth or Fifteenth Centuries. That would make us eighteenth cousins or some such thing. That sounds like an amazing coincidence, but it is said that if most Britons went back twenty generations or so, they would already be related to practically everybody else in Britain.
<p>I had a strange experience a couple days later when Maryanne and I visited the Cathedral in Peterborough with her dad for a tour. Like many tour guides do, ours asked where we were all from (there were only five of us in total).
<p>When Maryanne and her dad answered that we came from Bourne, instead of saying, "How close is that to London?" Our guide said, "Oh, I know Bourne! I drove through it on the way here this morning!"
<p>I think that's the first time I have ever been on a tour with Maryanne where she wasn't the one 'from' halfway around the world. Peterborough, Bourne and nearby Stamford is where she grew up. Most of her school years were in Stamford and it was fun to walk through that beautiful old city with her as she pointed out both it's historic places and her old hangouts. As children went by in their school uniforms, I could picture her as one of them, not too many years ago, wondering if she had any clue what her future had in store. I'll say this from seeing a lot of the photos: She has a much better haircut now. Some of the ones she had back then bordered on child abuse.
<p>Then there were the accents. Maryanne's voice is by far the one I hear the most - so much so that I hardly even notice her accent anymore. I'm much more likely to pick American accents, including my own, out of a crowd as sounding unusual, with our soft Ts and our sharp Rs. I figured, with her history and all, that if any town were to sound like a bunch of Maryannes, minus the American idioms, it would be Stamford. Instead, it sounded to me like most of the people milling around us had a distinct northern twinge to their conversations, as if we were on the side of the county closer to Yorkshire than to Cambridgeshire. Despite now sounding like she was from somewhere else as well, Maryanne knew all of the side streets and which alleys to use as shortcuts, so I think I had the best local guide of all.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixV39RddRbSR9jAy-bzMkCxwJgclULoJjDRan0eYpJPp31ahwrHY9m3b9JwVrTIsFp91oFDgvw5LOqwKIaEgsLNGxhLIc6QK2i5wgCISZVZh4NLbnp9-JQE15TUJFjUbGxpENVppd00TLuryx9X3DOhvdQ3z1OC_MEvPmZD4mGjupP92shKDiC/s4032/IMG_3129.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixV39RddRbSR9jAy-bzMkCxwJgclULoJjDRan0eYpJPp31ahwrHY9m3b9JwVrTIsFp91oFDgvw5LOqwKIaEgsLNGxhLIc6QK2i5wgCISZVZh4NLbnp9-JQE15TUJFjUbGxpENVppd00TLuryx9X3DOhvdQ3z1OC_MEvPmZD4mGjupP92shKDiC/s200/IMG_3129.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaHMseTfiO6QYote5RmoAYfAV7h8NnGik9uB0f1Qarop14EMT-wzLNGRBUUnziU7k3pXhpB2ARuTX6jN-yysGyhUaUMeChfwaDurzYnwuWHUZh2Hu-exiAuyKA-TU4YH0ewkqccDl7ZJ-tpzpVbcGeAG50g4XNmMBl_20OrZAxMZFzr858H4W/s3951/IMG_3139.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="3951" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSaHMseTfiO6QYote5RmoAYfAV7h8NnGik9uB0f1Qarop14EMT-wzLNGRBUUnziU7k3pXhpB2ARuTX6jN-yysGyhUaUMeChfwaDurzYnwuWHUZh2Hu-exiAuyKA-TU4YH0ewkqccDl7ZJ-tpzpVbcGeAG50g4XNmMBl_20OrZAxMZFzr858H4W/s200/IMG_3139.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0U7Ti-Gs3JEUlQqgz3dgyU_KpePvHqitRToHzZmeTRn9Tow0LF9ynXDQELfd5VJbahhhYIicIOF_TNVPU5hSehhlWEr7JJ3p8H_HPdWM6EYe5xSaJB8jWnXMTokHH7142seveCH3RPbrvvMKrEzp0-6OuFT5ftS0uMimog9n3JClYo3W1vVT/s4032/IMG_3185.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV0U7Ti-Gs3JEUlQqgz3dgyU_KpePvHqitRToHzZmeTRn9Tow0LF9ynXDQELfd5VJbahhhYIicIOF_TNVPU5hSehhlWEr7JJ3p8H_HPdWM6EYe5xSaJB8jWnXMTokHH7142seveCH3RPbrvvMKrEzp0-6OuFT5ftS0uMimog9n3JClYo3W1vVT/s200/IMG_3185.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGfOLbTY0QigSC_Qqaxxw1Nco9g6-mDciLQyik-yzzxmWB8qnTyz7Lga-204e81DAzld3CKFWlasSwJaXocYwXMj4ps7tDrlXqsXc-8t77ifarGO9wY8neeyb76GhSme9rsX_qZBxKehbQugIrt3YTScp70ekmNEuqilWxbI5-Aee6r_gTyx3/s4032/IMG_3191.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRGfOLbTY0QigSC_Qqaxxw1Nco9g6-mDciLQyik-yzzxmWB8qnTyz7Lga-204e81DAzld3CKFWlasSwJaXocYwXMj4ps7tDrlXqsXc-8t77ifarGO9wY8neeyb76GhSme9rsX_qZBxKehbQugIrt3YTScp70ekmNEuqilWxbI5-Aee6r_gTyx3/s200/IMG_3191.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97YVn4szHxlBUYaWb0TypigtKzhSnAGs1VP7DNJUGdDjVFVJIJ-bx5fwWc2wYQCA9DY4PuteTMLbCH4SLOjNRzdkcIQGp9z0pfQu9-rlb8dWOYyvpnC1qwT8nwm_m8tdy2wtftaUi_9AeBHMc3nBX_iccDKh1Qhfvobzxsjq3T17YL4S5SLBD/s4032/IMG_3142.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh97YVn4szHxlBUYaWb0TypigtKzhSnAGs1VP7DNJUGdDjVFVJIJ-bx5fwWc2wYQCA9DY4PuteTMLbCH4SLOjNRzdkcIQGp9z0pfQu9-rlb8dWOYyvpnC1qwT8nwm_m8tdy2wtftaUi_9AeBHMc3nBX_iccDKh1Qhfvobzxsjq3T17YL4S5SLBD/s200/IMG_3142.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9JY8S5Ah-Y2n5lXlrwfvWNB6pHhO72GVOeERMv5l0xwdw_Z3y4rafszGckpTFLirj0kVjXCyJOIHuAZmdf_dgU2PPsuFsmozy5hvTCFvEH4SxrOC6ZD_5oOKmLAwIxYA0tXCDqVDPKYWEBG3_AKqN_VUDTMHTSWU_sTyqxS6fUV-LB96et52/s4032/IMG_3144.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm9JY8S5Ah-Y2n5lXlrwfvWNB6pHhO72GVOeERMv5l0xwdw_Z3y4rafszGckpTFLirj0kVjXCyJOIHuAZmdf_dgU2PPsuFsmozy5hvTCFvEH4SxrOC6ZD_5oOKmLAwIxYA0tXCDqVDPKYWEBG3_AKqN_VUDTMHTSWU_sTyqxS6fUV-LB96et52/s200/IMG_3144.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHK5Jrs3XfxW67EUE1sTSpwqYn3xnmLovs4WNI-dijIEkYg59vjQ-33iNXFzmRFeZr4W2PrN2LuVLSws8kKi3KXVjjOlNgfPknJ73cCQaRpYP9XGqirfY2Q0zJANbBYh90q2hrSk_ZIc3EM8C5i5Vfh5r-voUCmLHMqad239Alt4KpUeCmbmY/s4032/IMG_3150.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVHK5Jrs3XfxW67EUE1sTSpwqYn3xnmLovs4WNI-dijIEkYg59vjQ-33iNXFzmRFeZr4W2PrN2LuVLSws8kKi3KXVjjOlNgfPknJ73cCQaRpYP9XGqirfY2Q0zJANbBYh90q2hrSk_ZIc3EM8C5i5Vfh5r-voUCmLHMqad239Alt4KpUeCmbmY/s200/IMG_3150.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNbLBmFyIoltIeawzEBqB5g7sJx04DAb_ZGF8wjt5GRIb6U4zmUaYCEpZPuoNwXaFKlUwOqbgh4EbnN_A8UzkyFKwaDHal0o6afTAETWjA1FrmDbyj2hsERW7itGBeccLKISifnDA1uboDpexYtsG3chHhQKxnv0XbMgsFWe8tWbFkfgOwxYs/s4032/IMG_3165.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXNbLBmFyIoltIeawzEBqB5g7sJx04DAb_ZGF8wjt5GRIb6U4zmUaYCEpZPuoNwXaFKlUwOqbgh4EbnN_A8UzkyFKwaDHal0o6afTAETWjA1FrmDbyj2hsERW7itGBeccLKISifnDA1uboDpexYtsG3chHhQKxnv0XbMgsFWe8tWbFkfgOwxYs/s200/IMG_3165.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLULdR83_q9048lIX9zsGnrjJjZe0F6vAuvBeeZcQrpbtqn4aQqKdbqi7ekO7ZqKdltINRyQL8lM_KdBwaIGq669EfPY6ikcXpTKpQcJTFqUdApJIDNQmLznzjNMOetFXHOT2u-AqKYJvoIU1EKOIGwtu1Fj-_olVpvz38c4Zx07Q7DseSLg3/s4032/IMG_3166.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMLULdR83_q9048lIX9zsGnrjJjZe0F6vAuvBeeZcQrpbtqn4aQqKdbqi7ekO7ZqKdltINRyQL8lM_KdBwaIGq669EfPY6ikcXpTKpQcJTFqUdApJIDNQmLznzjNMOetFXHOT2u-AqKYJvoIU1EKOIGwtu1Fj-_olVpvz38c4Zx07Q7DseSLg3/s200/IMG_3166.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrT-OxOW-antYLQL9VgeyhDE41DDX86Xmb_oigvkutQSPFtBnVDh4EBRS8o7hhBjbA6TDr2c5eM33CGGb7yagx3tdc1yujkd2mjkleC4h9rSsPCHlpbHsTYaImq3Vk78fVQIM-5b_lu8QedZmanh-ISNunheSwnyWD2vq6XWjVUgpWRMsfE5O/s4032/IMG_3174.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrrT-OxOW-antYLQL9VgeyhDE41DDX86Xmb_oigvkutQSPFtBnVDh4EBRS8o7hhBjbA6TDr2c5eM33CGGb7yagx3tdc1yujkd2mjkleC4h9rSsPCHlpbHsTYaImq3Vk78fVQIM-5b_lu8QedZmanh-ISNunheSwnyWD2vq6XWjVUgpWRMsfE5O/s200/IMG_3174.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCmZ79DVcOl1MZ9RAZrSun7ogcD_JKYqX9XiIlOGlW9PQkvVaeZ1VmeZ8mSHSp_xOSWv-BsLmcWr2WNZixnnKtuMrJlE9UI54KPW5I2BLNh4CbOXNqv-py9nM1YI9EhPR9hl5fBolMQpFGMxeLb0oqSevyPiATK0DgUwd2wSdnRiDn6G_VOK0/s3986/IMG_3193.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigCmZ79DVcOl1MZ9RAZrSun7ogcD_JKYqX9XiIlOGlW9PQkvVaeZ1VmeZ8mSHSp_xOSWv-BsLmcWr2WNZixnnKtuMrJlE9UI54KPW5I2BLNh4CbOXNqv-py9nM1YI9EhPR9hl5fBolMQpFGMxeLb0oqSevyPiATK0DgUwd2wSdnRiDn6G_VOK0/s200/IMG_3193.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSALLrJGscbboSf1yrzAUEsi6Cr_yGF9abiOz4aCJmQsfZ2qciLAD5nymzYS1CKWoqJ1ZH_RwZX1kNLZ-8JhF522rL67qswkL2QWuk9_DbHnAioygoY4NaEhtV_HpycB1Uj1fPKA6IJBS5OcB2XNWfrUS_gw-LUoP_QgiI9D3CzESiXkJIbuQ/s3873/IMG_3195.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2905" data-original-width="3873" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitSALLrJGscbboSf1yrzAUEsi6Cr_yGF9abiOz4aCJmQsfZ2qciLAD5nymzYS1CKWoqJ1ZH_RwZX1kNLZ-8JhF522rL67qswkL2QWuk9_DbHnAioygoY4NaEhtV_HpycB1Uj1fPKA6IJBS5OcB2XNWfrUS_gw-LUoP_QgiI9D3CzESiXkJIbuQ/s200/IMG_3195.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BHaWqjwOMMKTsCj_6uFWuJ5Ntigob-1IrXISxDBqImuSgQBdrZCIReH32ioZuUpmq6O3jRVIIc9qJwDwB_vwbNt8ye8i3UuLlpwPPnkYl8dNoYa7RyOL0FJMhplV-FQ-iecdAwNlYIeKe0snh-SNsSpJfa4x8VZUuFaUDdZsIu07PiYOkzN9/s4032/IMG_9857.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9BHaWqjwOMMKTsCj_6uFWuJ5Ntigob-1IrXISxDBqImuSgQBdrZCIReH32ioZuUpmq6O3jRVIIc9qJwDwB_vwbNt8ye8i3UuLlpwPPnkYl8dNoYa7RyOL0FJMhplV-FQ-iecdAwNlYIeKe0snh-SNsSpJfa4x8VZUuFaUDdZsIu07PiYOkzN9/s200/IMG_9857.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXywpUh9smhdi-bL_xuefQWlu5plctuqVv_RUMibkkkaw6iCqZpqgn_RuUwNNpAr1bi3zXXZ7Q8tTQjhGvMOmWRYOV12QzOdmA3UsCFry9ujS5bhC2RpkVI-0e1NvqX8_ZYRXPgV29RDwWxZhtnsq2AS1nnhL1VBIkWCmyoeUxlCsduYJMA-f/s4032/IMG_9866.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRXywpUh9smhdi-bL_xuefQWlu5plctuqVv_RUMibkkkaw6iCqZpqgn_RuUwNNpAr1bi3zXXZ7Q8tTQjhGvMOmWRYOV12QzOdmA3UsCFry9ujS5bhC2RpkVI-0e1NvqX8_ZYRXPgV29RDwWxZhtnsq2AS1nnhL1VBIkWCmyoeUxlCsduYJMA-f/s200/IMG_9866.jpg"/></a>
<br>Peterborough Cathedral - you can see a theme here! The big globe you can see is a temporary art exhibit of the planet Mars (part of the War and Peace works by Luke Jerram) and what a beautiful setting.</center>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Marple, UK53.397349 -2.06168325.087115163821153 -37.217933 81.707582836178844 33.094567tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-69336697141820072112023-12-19T17:00:00.100-05:002024-03-07T03:10:12.046-05:00Iceland (Part 4 of 4)[Kyle]Since our hotel was so near the center of Reykjavik, we only had to walk a block or so before we got into the pedestrianized tourist areas. After Maryanne grabbed a couple of crutches, we worked out a system where she would go at half speed while I darted back and forth taking photos as directed.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3VKeSDapA8T4b1VIDOvWYJ-RxcD7xet4WNJwXThQ2xsIA4DAUNzS9MkLB7JPDR4otOeQMsTw5YVWhZAG2CGzAL56dyM4suo-pJmjqtLhuHbPvU3GVnzIeleT5oMgUh3Hbx01ltK-zra6a2karKj1trxlfwPlg0JAAvUeAMRKnKaRh8LK-fAO/s200/IMG_9365-2.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>Reykjavik is a nice, clean city which would make for some pleasant strolling had the weather not been sleeting and a bit blustery. This is when the city's assortment of warm international cafés and toasty bakeries helped take the edge off. Also in abundance are lots of shops selling high-quality local woolens. We had no baggage space for all of that, although it did look nice, so we ended up basically eating our way across the city.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wgnspV6BeqB8bUKPg7ylAbcioH-ZZkJsl0DOUgiBF1IYMypPDX4CTleOkIXXXTCf4bQUP1CphuzGXKMWO2dedamfk7xMtxrCnbLNC8ySGIjY-ioVJLM365wfN4_Y2r8xn3n9YjZSOHZYVgcBeIvERBv1Og70hSRUn5xUHvoYq-c5NaPlG8su/s3690/IMG_9343-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3690" data-original-width="2767" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4wgnspV6BeqB8bUKPg7ylAbcioH-ZZkJsl0DOUgiBF1IYMypPDX4CTleOkIXXXTCf4bQUP1CphuzGXKMWO2dedamfk7xMtxrCnbLNC8ySGIjY-ioVJLM365wfN4_Y2r8xn3n9YjZSOHZYVgcBeIvERBv1Og70hSRUn5xUHvoYq-c5NaPlG8su/s200/IMG_9343-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ubAHPrBldNBEgqG3i6Ba0SF3jf_8nd1X_o-2iG-BJDqSfTo4L1yfUJQB2xbYz6wowvdJZrq2G2NNwJMBxx1NgRyXoDIdi9IURP10gr0THiHq1K0CY7ByaedzT6z9yc_I1aY95VaCf5D7cyaT2KmxHREAUobzt2Xnkhnuh0fBoGz0WZ4MWRM/s4032/IMG_9349-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz9ubAHPrBldNBEgqG3i6Ba0SF3jf_8nd1X_o-2iG-BJDqSfTo4L1yfUJQB2xbYz6wowvdJZrq2G2NNwJMBxx1NgRyXoDIdi9IURP10gr0THiHq1K0CY7ByaedzT6z9yc_I1aY95VaCf5D7cyaT2KmxHREAUobzt2Xnkhnuh0fBoGz0WZ4MWRM/s200/IMG_9349-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4P_EpbYS5pihkq2czFB6GVi-efJ7BbZ3A-tZRsmfLg-8K-Wv04CLxWQONy1e3x5cxEoge1EL0ULO-kXIOxZboAmuORZUXPW2kzTWJgfKrvUene551Wp2hvAyf9qzEpV0ShVII7kav_-pHhAtCYwgRBdMa5A9oK4gpsnftfjaaQAC3O5QOY-k/s4032/IMG_9356.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig4P_EpbYS5pihkq2czFB6GVi-efJ7BbZ3A-tZRsmfLg-8K-Wv04CLxWQONy1e3x5cxEoge1EL0ULO-kXIOxZboAmuORZUXPW2kzTWJgfKrvUene551Wp2hvAyf9qzEpV0ShVII7kav_-pHhAtCYwgRBdMa5A9oK4gpsnftfjaaQAC3O5QOY-k/s200/IMG_9356.jpg"/></a>
<br>Maryanne made her way about town with her 'new' crutches</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oIG0sdmPxddCNrQbZHYkJtLVHSAeXUXWOBMzBgzkDoLfFome1sedbxDKFvyWUfyiRlxRJ-pZeFw0Z4h5r8R3-xxy_uqJHGnV2zMpO24ffTXd3-FeNfCon5ARCp3g9y6eyzMVtrOpN_3gAJDc4bKyz1dPBaMFA0FALhplFwuXcWZfMVHm0nc9/s3995/IMG_9355-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2996" data-original-width="3995" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9oIG0sdmPxddCNrQbZHYkJtLVHSAeXUXWOBMzBgzkDoLfFome1sedbxDKFvyWUfyiRlxRJ-pZeFw0Z4h5r8R3-xxy_uqJHGnV2zMpO24ffTXd3-FeNfCon5ARCp3g9y6eyzMVtrOpN_3gAJDc4bKyz1dPBaMFA0FALhplFwuXcWZfMVHm0nc9/s200/IMG_9355-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3VKeSDapA8T4b1VIDOvWYJ-RxcD7xet4WNJwXThQ2xsIA4DAUNzS9MkLB7JPDR4otOeQMsTw5YVWhZAG2CGzAL56dyM4suo-pJmjqtLhuHbPvU3GVnzIeleT5oMgUh3Hbx01ltK-zra6a2karKj1trxlfwPlg0JAAvUeAMRKnKaRh8LK-fAO/s4032/IMG_9365-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3VKeSDapA8T4b1VIDOvWYJ-RxcD7xet4WNJwXThQ2xsIA4DAUNzS9MkLB7JPDR4otOeQMsTw5YVWhZAG2CGzAL56dyM4suo-pJmjqtLhuHbPvU3GVnzIeleT5oMgUh3Hbx01ltK-zra6a2karKj1trxlfwPlg0JAAvUeAMRKnKaRh8LK-fAO/s200/IMG_9365-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ82L82hFP5eC221KK9Yy87ikPnLArSkFfZuIIl899lR9jrWJkRSkl2qnAD2JaICh_HyjJRNBauClPqQRmmuHwP3XkSc5FdaTUJYB5qnzBYeOG2qxHHmTi77YWsXreOpE0eVptmLSpylAhT8_RPC9tVEdzGsOn3zHWn7kC9f9CzwjJBFl6U2Fk/s4032/IMG_9369-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ82L82hFP5eC221KK9Yy87ikPnLArSkFfZuIIl899lR9jrWJkRSkl2qnAD2JaICh_HyjJRNBauClPqQRmmuHwP3XkSc5FdaTUJYB5qnzBYeOG2qxHHmTi77YWsXreOpE0eVptmLSpylAhT8_RPC9tVEdzGsOn3zHWn7kC9f9CzwjJBFl6U2Fk/s200/IMG_9369-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4IRzwZGrurqDkDu85WsC5010tsLKYCSwd7jJpqDZ1ucXmdfC_qjIhBZ8vomdO4FDk_jRt0ffsXDiwiztCrkfcboSHLOKbBxflyhca99nQC9yJOMXODriGLGbmb9bk0Bwbh6RAjuR-HrHV9QtBMdaOuS8yo9_wRhgaSdctylFgiWYjzxT_EFo/s4032/IMG_9376-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4IRzwZGrurqDkDu85WsC5010tsLKYCSwd7jJpqDZ1ucXmdfC_qjIhBZ8vomdO4FDk_jRt0ffsXDiwiztCrkfcboSHLOKbBxflyhca99nQC9yJOMXODriGLGbmb9bk0Bwbh6RAjuR-HrHV9QtBMdaOuS8yo9_wRhgaSdctylFgiWYjzxT_EFo/s200/IMG_9376-2.jpg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGNC6_Lz5EZAV5t6JulbnU7zCPyWzV_U94ff47DaxiEVcqDLDixVlSWENEC1LAMcQphqWo4fRNsOLoFdI2iYjPzw9ofmRMcmrSRrORa7FpUY0Ay1ILkiPloMUlKkOrNR6UT3dt6POVski9LdAUnxlDz14GgsmimbfflIsGPHBbjiyu7V1Rjoz/s4032/IMG_9377.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAGNC6_Lz5EZAV5t6JulbnU7zCPyWzV_U94ff47DaxiEVcqDLDixVlSWENEC1LAMcQphqWo4fRNsOLoFdI2iYjPzw9ofmRMcmrSRrORa7FpUY0Ay1ILkiPloMUlKkOrNR6UT3dt6POVski9LdAUnxlDz14GgsmimbfflIsGPHBbjiyu7V1Rjoz/s200/IMG_9377.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireE-YeiFUTCUngvNMSM4xmnRXCjfBiPn9_y0fW9ZXlT4Yp12NtOF2Cn7AtyZ2jjkPfsOcAOUkuQ_VdYUTVCj75A8oVU5bhZSytTf2d0ibV-he9ciAFXZeyhiWSbVbUG9leorIbQLce0MPv3fou8tGBvWwHjKN4Ap6CvxYY0iqLg3Bczt-7ioZ/s4032/IMG_9386-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEireE-YeiFUTCUngvNMSM4xmnRXCjfBiPn9_y0fW9ZXlT4Yp12NtOF2Cn7AtyZ2jjkPfsOcAOUkuQ_VdYUTVCj75A8oVU5bhZSytTf2d0ibV-he9ciAFXZeyhiWSbVbUG9leorIbQLce0MPv3fou8tGBvWwHjKN4Ap6CvxYY0iqLg3Bczt-7ioZ/s200/IMG_9386-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglX0GZ3vb_oLqZaoPPFEHv4Xcx2ox-_g8sL93rw2Oxo9yc6izAek_ldqshJbUXjpSwcpukmCmcumvxPifItBj3jDz2-juGOXZadZLwZO7QOT56EyqA7qKs7j2HSQ2cc0GTzPdTECx2IB0Ty_7xb31Wn9iT9QdCPGADCtjCrNyv0XNn5GyxXu2X/s3932/IMG_9387-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3932" data-original-width="2949" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglX0GZ3vb_oLqZaoPPFEHv4Xcx2ox-_g8sL93rw2Oxo9yc6izAek_ldqshJbUXjpSwcpukmCmcumvxPifItBj3jDz2-juGOXZadZLwZO7QOT56EyqA7qKs7j2HSQ2cc0GTzPdTECx2IB0Ty_7xb31Wn9iT9QdCPGADCtjCrNyv0XNn5GyxXu2X/s200/IMG_9387-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JQfGKdxC8COnKXbGjlr5nFhYQsE3KDYuBwuzQGvV9EIemkXHMg0-tWaqzsKJT05ETO3QlJmxntdSA-LW1szKTUfpQQBAbXp_Qu4SvkUCufscmSeH2pBkxPMd1p-VufH32xVbCmxtazL_Y9PZmVQ0GBgEATPGIpwM2YP9Gx97qLc4AQ4faEeC/s4032/IMG_9389-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3JQfGKdxC8COnKXbGjlr5nFhYQsE3KDYuBwuzQGvV9EIemkXHMg0-tWaqzsKJT05ETO3QlJmxntdSA-LW1szKTUfpQQBAbXp_Qu4SvkUCufscmSeH2pBkxPMd1p-VufH32xVbCmxtazL_Y9PZmVQ0GBgEATPGIpwM2YP9Gx97qLc4AQ4faEeC/s200/IMG_9389-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>We walked along 'rainbow' street to the Cathderal and took the lift to the top for the views</center>
<p>After a brief non-food stop to go to the top of the spire at Hallgrimskirka, Reyjavik's distinctive cathedral, which was built to resemble the basalt columns of cooled lava in the mountains, we popped into Café Loki for a taste of some traditional Icelandic fare.
<p>This is not for the faint-hearted, as Icelandic food is reputed to be an acquired taste. This was apparent as soon as we ducked inside out of the snow. There was something just a bit off about the smell. We perused the menu. Personally, I was hoping for a nice, strudel-like dessert or perhaps a tame cheese plate or something, but nothing like that seemed to be on offer. All of the items were way too pricey to be risking the cost for something we might not want to finish. The last of these was a sampler consisting of two dice-sized cubes of fermented (like for months) shark meat and a shot of the local spirit. This, we knew not to get. To quote one BBC presenter who had ordered that very item in this very restaurant, “That is awful! Both those things are awful!” Thus, it was a bit of a relief when the staff completely ignored us and two other patrons as we all waited for a table in the otherwise empty restaurant, despite Maryanne being front and center with her crutches. We made a hasty, if somewhat ungainly exit.
<p>Instead, we went across the street for some of Iceland's unofficial food - hot dogs. Since restaurants are generally pretty expensive, the unassuming hot dog stand has become the eating-out option of choice for many Icelanders. They are numerous, inexpensive, and loaded with choices for toppings. Many also do soups with free refills.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJ8tFhlqTajVwSOhPoqzli5IR6CeJ_o9crITBDrg1cgCEPEYOuiXSJGU5C-Q-mOrrhm2JZW31BmZdtWxRg0qG6F32CCV9M_AQVTfv7Ua3wrq_E1Dqrqrp-cndxX8hXucZGKGpVAY2N2dCSFDqtLM5GC7N4pgC5qajFYfqBIz7UPe_FJwf0Zcm/s4032/IMG_2241.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJJ8tFhlqTajVwSOhPoqzli5IR6CeJ_o9crITBDrg1cgCEPEYOuiXSJGU5C-Q-mOrrhm2JZW31BmZdtWxRg0qG6F32CCV9M_AQVTfv7Ua3wrq_E1Dqrqrp-cndxX8hXucZGKGpVAY2N2dCSFDqtLM5GC7N4pgC5qajFYfqBIz7UPe_FJwf0Zcm/s200/IMG_2241.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgc44RzQqG2oMjNewilZk-kmyAl_LgYOjZEJFNpC6JEXYiheW6m4IbRtaa8RXlgu1eNWEBnkLk97U4ZSnayKxeRJoUUyAKiCZgKwW1zQCcQVDZCCjYZghSa5jir1qZrhgKJ1-XtQ9GAIUVrR4j7L3fDy4dSbRl0U6j_GS9H0P2y6oPp7t8eAb0/s4032/IMG_2244.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgc44RzQqG2oMjNewilZk-kmyAl_LgYOjZEJFNpC6JEXYiheW6m4IbRtaa8RXlgu1eNWEBnkLk97U4ZSnayKxeRJoUUyAKiCZgKwW1zQCcQVDZCCjYZghSa5jir1qZrhgKJ1-XtQ9GAIUVrR4j7L3fDy4dSbRl0U6j_GS9H0P2y6oPp7t8eAb0/s200/IMG_2244.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFKpUd8pfeDzWna-_imE9cYrzAe2u4n2d2ypXcI9eQaMQ_fB7_YkmnCich-lJJB0osExwL23yTX95emDrDwKDRC7_k8C1oDa48E4cczM8vBZTNULMBGDlPlCrOz8X4oVjbjUfX-iutITXzuIuCmdUqYLvHLXl1ypQiBYtPDFVmaqI_oKp1F_G/s4032/IMG_2246.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOFKpUd8pfeDzWna-_imE9cYrzAe2u4n2d2ypXcI9eQaMQ_fB7_YkmnCich-lJJB0osExwL23yTX95emDrDwKDRC7_k8C1oDa48E4cczM8vBZTNULMBGDlPlCrOz8X4oVjbjUfX-iutITXzuIuCmdUqYLvHLXl1ypQiBYtPDFVmaqI_oKp1F_G/s200/IMG_2246.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfCZKPoW2GNr9q5NyMRcxT5weKRkke_9fEhsbbUXzxmFFBlQxiuDvx-QUSNjJ7ashpZAPwLCphXGCXCOgULys1aDRF1QfS_figjaTKlm4-1Ayfp8PKmwv-TyY-YJ1Y0acJXGMQidpUJpaKQlKSF8ft5aRswtH6YGyre4RgJXBF9t68tceKmia/s4032/IMG_9404-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGfCZKPoW2GNr9q5NyMRcxT5weKRkke_9fEhsbbUXzxmFFBlQxiuDvx-QUSNjJ7ashpZAPwLCphXGCXCOgULys1aDRF1QfS_figjaTKlm4-1Ayfp8PKmwv-TyY-YJ1Y0acJXGMQidpUJpaKQlKSF8ft5aRswtH6YGyre4RgJXBF9t68tceKmia/s200/IMG_9404-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65TSKKMURwIkaHghUo8BYHnofcql_WCEsEvhGetNWkLr3XtioOva_39Bu8TlfTvy6R2xq2Z6bNs_irNK18AAKKSgDYlqL_TIIdDtsHRyizo2kALtmBf8Kbt8glROiTm4fRmRvHOBJMXN6jRjmlG2eW1FoSOP4k_oHOgwSjsw3LownuQ8-HxwO/s4032/IMG_9405-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh65TSKKMURwIkaHghUo8BYHnofcql_WCEsEvhGetNWkLr3XtioOva_39Bu8TlfTvy6R2xq2Z6bNs_irNK18AAKKSgDYlqL_TIIdDtsHRyizo2kALtmBf8Kbt8glROiTm4fRmRvHOBJMXN6jRjmlG2eW1FoSOP4k_oHOgwSjsw3LownuQ8-HxwO/s200/IMG_9405-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1faju6LqK3raMiXV4OTVgxGL5S5rGWf-om1cVNjvsRDNT7W35br2madtR3qK4Zgu9xPMG1ELj8lXZEEDzZ83lBPyaQx5ifnTMu-5jMWz0hGZFKcJ1hJeqlPalj8vqwtRVr3SMgY9AWYQTP49fB8DtwSX_kG7gC7nSJRDFN7nrm9hREYPt5N6L/s4032/IMG_9409-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1faju6LqK3raMiXV4OTVgxGL5S5rGWf-om1cVNjvsRDNT7W35br2madtR3qK4Zgu9xPMG1ELj8lXZEEDzZ83lBPyaQx5ifnTMu-5jMWz0hGZFKcJ1hJeqlPalj8vqwtRVr3SMgY9AWYQTP49fB8DtwSX_kG7gC7nSJRDFN7nrm9hREYPt5N6L/s200/IMG_9409-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>Food and sightseeing</center>
<p>Maryanne said her ankle was still feeling tolerable, so we took the long way home via parks, ponds, and Christmas markets. The last of these was even held in a big, well-heated indoor convention area. Then it was a fuh-reezing walk back to the hotel via the wind blown waterfront.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI46bcNymCoXQhUwhykYCEiv49bp0S12e-ORqC0sfDMhKFvDqlrZr47T70lomfl8DFECNG5XZPH4pftCmqEjeW-AHcQlY6bP0pFk-nf5wPRfoNlItrH9SKIKLkJT3NDHvhtKmzQSI6Da_K87KtRMLYxIamBHIjbHx6DZS1H4FrMmTARGDSI2O/s4032/IMG_2269.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyI46bcNymCoXQhUwhykYCEiv49bp0S12e-ORqC0sfDMhKFvDqlrZr47T70lomfl8DFECNG5XZPH4pftCmqEjeW-AHcQlY6bP0pFk-nf5wPRfoNlItrH9SKIKLkJT3NDHvhtKmzQSI6Da_K87KtRMLYxIamBHIjbHx6DZS1H4FrMmTARGDSI2O/s200/IMG_2269.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM27Gt3l7nVZ1vxlQSl-wZDDhyphenhyphenuHYkatiUC9mZMp318qk1zOE_lSn0g_td-1PcV56BzVqDYa2X9EeJniu36YXlXZgAirQCHl3Dg3wPTmImU7BR2a_0a4W8QfKBwYmKlLFm_dSahLfYScbv7kFsR9L2ymQR28UJ_tZyN1AGu8jI1L9NWMbLyz-/s3977/IMG_9414-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3977" data-original-width="2983" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJM27Gt3l7nVZ1vxlQSl-wZDDhyphenhyphenuHYkatiUC9mZMp318qk1zOE_lSn0g_td-1PcV56BzVqDYa2X9EeJniu36YXlXZgAirQCHl3Dg3wPTmImU7BR2a_0a4W8QfKBwYmKlLFm_dSahLfYScbv7kFsR9L2ymQR28UJ_tZyN1AGu8jI1L9NWMbLyz-/s200/IMG_9414-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuut1NP3JaUdQEpThIujLvKmqI-K-g7f9_Vd5htCIv-WaGw3sFAFwTAUZeVRrpEaemT67Y-BypsQwL2HJCyUzLVT8VdoO9XTz_lJzQEB0QOf4gJTuoJzsy5FtXRNDfxUt6m_YAOSoFdjdvZIyvwSZlspiX5Z52N_VUgtbJ-U3CIEMT9UKNIRab/s3941/IMG_9447-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3941" data-original-width="2956" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuut1NP3JaUdQEpThIujLvKmqI-K-g7f9_Vd5htCIv-WaGw3sFAFwTAUZeVRrpEaemT67Y-BypsQwL2HJCyUzLVT8VdoO9XTz_lJzQEB0QOf4gJTuoJzsy5FtXRNDfxUt6m_YAOSoFdjdvZIyvwSZlspiX5Z52N_VUgtbJ-U3CIEMT9UKNIRab/s200/IMG_9447-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhkmXluPyFmkCHfgBUcxeBKnaqiq6NEk6dZgxC3L1U656DbqEVWmMAIE7bS-A9oZNbZ0aaJiXJkI7mSSlrS8J_IkN7hA1j12-x6tsn4Wf0kc-fgNs27TD0W09JvtLH1UXVphSYUIsYc0qGbutZQKrPRd8U2YIqKskpBDep-mQZzZCw_SR2T5b/s4032/IMG_2277.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOhkmXluPyFmkCHfgBUcxeBKnaqiq6NEk6dZgxC3L1U656DbqEVWmMAIE7bS-A9oZNbZ0aaJiXJkI7mSSlrS8J_IkN7hA1j12-x6tsn4Wf0kc-fgNs27TD0W09JvtLH1UXVphSYUIsYc0qGbutZQKrPRd8U2YIqKskpBDep-mQZzZCw_SR2T5b/s200/IMG_2277.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqdyRqrK9snjFAZpAu-d3HgrEWXTpNPZB_BYRxjTpdmAjePZmzievz9HDZq0_9-QUU9He28D3wQt-HCGtStYvZOeK0cTwOuQCjBhvY5WH0EDZ_rDrnomq3pqelZt1Zwuz82Yzuu3LqCZ1R4e39sg2XuyWA9jaJnWeIcaOxYFihQvsl-LF0Tc6/s3872/IMG_2284.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="3872" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpqdyRqrK9snjFAZpAu-d3HgrEWXTpNPZB_BYRxjTpdmAjePZmzievz9HDZq0_9-QUU9He28D3wQt-HCGtStYvZOeK0cTwOuQCjBhvY5WH0EDZ_rDrnomq3pqelZt1Zwuz82Yzuu3LqCZ1R4e39sg2XuyWA9jaJnWeIcaOxYFihQvsl-LF0Tc6/s200/IMG_2284.jpg"/></a>
<br>A cute cat cafe was one of the many stops, and the christmas season was clearly underway with roasting chestnuts, yule characters in the street, and lots of christmas jumpers in the pub</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLV4wfdztji8CB3jHYbKSB-hgzKpttybzq2lvRJ82YPB4r8zhQh5sJVnOnyb85xIL89krZa3amXAhnT7dXvpanw-s4m29cqlwo2dQikx5I62EIRkjhvouXqoIqMGElwecPCF0yfhES7RXnVkbdlZk8LFeXFWoKZoIfDHXqKKeAz3SNQq8H82y/s2592/DSC01187.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcLV4wfdztji8CB3jHYbKSB-hgzKpttybzq2lvRJ82YPB4r8zhQh5sJVnOnyb85xIL89krZa3amXAhnT7dXvpanw-s4m29cqlwo2dQikx5I62EIRkjhvouXqoIqMGElwecPCF0yfhES7RXnVkbdlZk8LFeXFWoKZoIfDHXqKKeAz3SNQq8H82y/s200/DSC01187.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVO_mpp1aa4T53fDZP61ufpv5zFLAQ13Qtw7dVfvqlSmw-ZfYJ1ewKwjmoPvX_0-GL_r694s6xk9cv28fjXtoLqNz1jOz381JBEVXycjrsbycREot0evyLYH5pyJH5dZO7cNHN0aX5C0cZMU_XIgQQkOJwDekSxiIFyfvk-L1yScy4iTv9mtN/s4032/IMG_9441-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMVO_mpp1aa4T53fDZP61ufpv5zFLAQ13Qtw7dVfvqlSmw-ZfYJ1ewKwjmoPvX_0-GL_r694s6xk9cv28fjXtoLqNz1jOz381JBEVXycjrsbycREot0evyLYH5pyJH5dZO7cNHN0aX5C0cZMU_XIgQQkOJwDekSxiIFyfvk-L1yScy4iTv9mtN/s200/IMG_9441-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQX18MmhwgXe_47xcTfwfP3cP0Y0mKV1X8zqU3xPtYFmTNN5nwKBTFtUdxAvwdvMqZEOdHD4rYkDtUhhRPf_MXx7Zk0NKLJFXF5SsYPqGyGizerV7x0ZxyiGMRUFzLO5Aqm6X7yzZhseHpWy3CY4ezBiEsPnawrpFqMUV4tgVyseC-3oBXnyp/s4032/IMG_9467-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDQX18MmhwgXe_47xcTfwfP3cP0Y0mKV1X8zqU3xPtYFmTNN5nwKBTFtUdxAvwdvMqZEOdHD4rYkDtUhhRPf_MXx7Zk0NKLJFXF5SsYPqGyGizerV7x0ZxyiGMRUFzLO5Aqm6X7yzZhseHpWy3CY4ezBiEsPnawrpFqMUV4tgVyseC-3oBXnyp/s200/IMG_9467-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mUiAPkgaZfpTUO4HNSJtu47ZuhHCjRcrcfr30zAaXmGw03c_c_gfU5vEm54rM8IVOrGHtZ5g8alekMAi272rm_QlsidHO4fqD5eKUp_2bFTl66hej-ba3jfxBwGWC5KrMpU84n73mgUDuB_O0EWLPts7iCnGK-9QB8JjFPAuUs1gBUYlphar/s4032/IMG_9472-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5mUiAPkgaZfpTUO4HNSJtu47ZuhHCjRcrcfr30zAaXmGw03c_c_gfU5vEm54rM8IVOrGHtZ5g8alekMAi272rm_QlsidHO4fqD5eKUp_2bFTl66hej-ba3jfxBwGWC5KrMpU84n73mgUDuB_O0EWLPts7iCnGK-9QB8JjFPAuUs1gBUYlphar/s200/IMG_9472-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hNsGpsNtvwjAlr8T1THLLQbLKKXzIV52Gir1mFFaUs8JZSTV_R_pnWJZCkg6QQ-feZfYCUpCz5h_svgUtDUCdiYjkcjGntNI8adPxpthDkh9qj3Cum8LPXhoq3aX8qR28TH5jKCzviIxBRW8hQPkpO3jHHD7031jo7Nm50YEUuf-0y9tPHLT/s4032/IMG_9481-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9hNsGpsNtvwjAlr8T1THLLQbLKKXzIV52Gir1mFFaUs8JZSTV_R_pnWJZCkg6QQ-feZfYCUpCz5h_svgUtDUCdiYjkcjGntNI8adPxpthDkh9qj3Cum8LPXhoq3aX8qR28TH5jKCzviIxBRW8hQPkpO3jHHD7031jo7Nm50YEUuf-0y9tPHLT/s200/IMG_9481-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr6BWgbSrncT3W8JEUu_6f7Nv3w4vdqWCLbEObp4XMIm8cdGjr2jmeQwTaaZowRkJaAKdffvWi0XcyW4fIwm79iCUPP75tSsLSzwXksA_ZIiMJZSVb_AyA4UWsC8ClC1UyAhs5emdiHsQeSQ7arolezol9RqCIil4anNNpuiAd-Hv88WDQUaX/s4032/IMG_9485-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOr6BWgbSrncT3W8JEUu_6f7Nv3w4vdqWCLbEObp4XMIm8cdGjr2jmeQwTaaZowRkJaAKdffvWi0XcyW4fIwm79iCUPP75tSsLSzwXksA_ZIiMJZSVb_AyA4UWsC8ClC1UyAhs5emdiHsQeSQ7arolezol9RqCIil4anNNpuiAd-Hv88WDQUaX/s200/IMG_9485-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7NVsXeUKfPbySqIix7vKqCl_2WpIOGxmL7ryVnmG661UCbUkxtoXAbPPDs1t2lJfN8SNEmilFMX0g1YpFe4Llwbunx9fNrSmUu8fYCUnGxOCJ9Msrn13j4awhQA_Tr5oyiI_3ogayJToAM2j5dKV3osiSXXCHfS8IzA-1ldVPn9AL_cLP02B/s4032/IMG_2328.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7NVsXeUKfPbySqIix7vKqCl_2WpIOGxmL7ryVnmG661UCbUkxtoXAbPPDs1t2lJfN8SNEmilFMX0g1YpFe4Llwbunx9fNrSmUu8fYCUnGxOCJ9Msrn13j4awhQA_Tr5oyiI_3ogayJToAM2j5dKV3osiSXXCHfS8IzA-1ldVPn9AL_cLP02B/s200/IMG_2328.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKgl0VjHLeeQEOPb85SdQ4hYvxU3lC9Np9o2-bVeVTmkfsiRxxBZyF3oInxM-fY4M1YZi5IJnvRJG9JIrRPJG1ustD4AaHh8957bhWq-zgc5nljAxT9Q9gcSpmLL9ZUhjLe_2LmZJ_lpOwgp6STBbl_OpsAjNeQhFsP-UV1nvUHcg8pJ9nWyu/s4032/IMG_9501-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuKgl0VjHLeeQEOPb85SdQ4hYvxU3lC9Np9o2-bVeVTmkfsiRxxBZyF3oInxM-fY4M1YZi5IJnvRJG9JIrRPJG1ustD4AaHh8957bhWq-zgc5nljAxT9Q9gcSpmLL9ZUhjLe_2LmZJ_lpOwgp6STBbl_OpsAjNeQhFsP-UV1nvUHcg8pJ9nWyu/s200/IMG_9501-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hVgu3jGGNUxOOntCXLnIOtnDdXlOqbkhNiFzi9SmBk6D9Rc9qHQKNboLpFwf3gFTETh984z2PYbDvu0vXplbPAwtDI4P0UEWpaEt8nlEs__UCVmHhCCP6XkZTn1JOwLWelAIinRxx89C4htnc7ANZHQo7HcoQv3XG5XsZNwfY73WYhgFAQpD/s2988/IMG_E9515-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2988" data-original-width="2988" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5hVgu3jGGNUxOOntCXLnIOtnDdXlOqbkhNiFzi9SmBk6D9Rc9qHQKNboLpFwf3gFTETh984z2PYbDvu0vXplbPAwtDI4P0UEWpaEt8nlEs__UCVmHhCCP6XkZTn1JOwLWelAIinRxx89C4htnc7ANZHQo7HcoQv3XG5XsZNwfY73WYhgFAQpD/s200/IMG_E9515-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SXt7BaFGu-K5cymzt0OwHKyQ5JgIafnc5DhpW8FCG3onw0twSaKeXk97W34i3m3ZIUb2DpqIQGkUoh23slfkJdTmmOsKz4wUM_SPEbK6j6EqDdvHWCIA1j86-t3qrHh4070wjcyfyAiWfAi9n7xfOJho1B_qyz7r8VWYi1Db69ktsuD1wt4e/s3889/IMG_9490-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2917" data-original-width="3889" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SXt7BaFGu-K5cymzt0OwHKyQ5JgIafnc5DhpW8FCG3onw0twSaKeXk97W34i3m3ZIUb2DpqIQGkUoh23slfkJdTmmOsKz4wUM_SPEbK6j6EqDdvHWCIA1j86-t3qrHh4070wjcyfyAiWfAi9n7xfOJho1B_qyz7r8VWYi1Db69ktsuD1wt4e/s200/IMG_9490-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6x4lweIjQWX9TPKKZYapm0SokBnd89cgAstrnp9wSxt_tZHuTX6LVEl0Yab2WL2T_kqZXEPaLntz78sDbtkfHKj7fSLQgXi-sIm8PmGEANdmgMb8oe1ArHTJIUu2OuHVQ1DHzHFz61A3lQlI6ZN2tko92VhPsbm-9WnyFh1zqu6xolAfPOBb/s4032/IMG_9511-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw6x4lweIjQWX9TPKKZYapm0SokBnd89cgAstrnp9wSxt_tZHuTX6LVEl0Yab2WL2T_kqZXEPaLntz78sDbtkfHKj7fSLQgXi-sIm8PmGEANdmgMb8oe1ArHTJIUu2OuHVQ1DHzHFz61A3lQlI6ZN2tko92VhPsbm-9WnyFh1zqu6xolAfPOBb/s200/IMG_9511-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt22Rv29Sc0iJXCIAhMw5mXpT_KccEYU6K0Jsn3uBk4WRb1N9h5lEsYD2aFijwMYOgrPyuVnqfsUMOlX7sTyaSQAIB-uJMJ9uc-bJ65-gQffAriqJdw6F7PnctFr4mzWkSwysbANDsehXvgEj6RTLXXI6gnvz0lqb-gVWLN8aCwvHKJdBc7qkF/s4032/IMG_9519-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt22Rv29Sc0iJXCIAhMw5mXpT_KccEYU6K0Jsn3uBk4WRb1N9h5lEsYD2aFijwMYOgrPyuVnqfsUMOlX7sTyaSQAIB-uJMJ9uc-bJ65-gQffAriqJdw6F7PnctFr4mzWkSwysbANDsehXvgEj6RTLXXI6gnvz0lqb-gVWLN8aCwvHKJdBc7qkF/s200/IMG_9519-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiAJGsfSnlkCtN2JM6bGFWJs09up8TzEtgXC6dYY_N2g-0-qCobAiK5WaHWxd-IOGWeKsPXiWVvQ5vc3u_TeRQX-Yjn-ZJPaFois41HFq6Lf5oB9S2Nndu_bCuIc97bCfJpUlbybzOiWuJq3MXC0Xmx9on7rg62Uhmw9cBB25JCFfomAqI5li/s4014/IMG_2335.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4014" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwiAJGsfSnlkCtN2JM6bGFWJs09up8TzEtgXC6dYY_N2g-0-qCobAiK5WaHWxd-IOGWeKsPXiWVvQ5vc3u_TeRQX-Yjn-ZJPaFois41HFq6Lf5oB9S2Nndu_bCuIc97bCfJpUlbybzOiWuJq3MXC0Xmx9on7rg62Uhmw9cBB25JCFfomAqI5li/s200/IMG_2335.jpg"/></a>
<br>We wandered all over town and ended at the waterfront and the Harpa Concert Hall and Conference Centre (with hand bell ringing and local fare to sample)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTptHH_DbmMEUGAklj4TgfGy1rejqMbAltiARte8AP0_KszJzucDt76ZsbSxFu0RInwFURwASxogCpnS5MousVlE0ZevElXFIIAjg0sInnA6SvXXC_NHjlGrarz6A-E2V7HBKYQXYNqKzeJsnpPtu3fVx4Pbst85UAtvm_u4t-O-Ttgmy7R-7y/s2592/DSC01209.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTptHH_DbmMEUGAklj4TgfGy1rejqMbAltiARte8AP0_KszJzucDt76ZsbSxFu0RInwFURwASxogCpnS5MousVlE0ZevElXFIIAjg0sInnA6SvXXC_NHjlGrarz6A-E2V7HBKYQXYNqKzeJsnpPtu3fVx4Pbst85UAtvm_u4t-O-Ttgmy7R-7y/s200/DSC01209.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0gwkLdLRQWMn8IPGzQT43xZd0tNqmNthosiv4_SbLgR6N-EIJ_rTuXn9QQXCl0t7SHDDS-NzgAPU4dd42RURKmV1OhSwRNss7T4b2I2on0O5SJaxWqqLynTl5bbpfEV5s9gkypWPuIUVM18i6MB7BpKrkmibM1qI7vUkV-QDWoNjsqW8HoAS/s2592/DSC01227.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL0gwkLdLRQWMn8IPGzQT43xZd0tNqmNthosiv4_SbLgR6N-EIJ_rTuXn9QQXCl0t7SHDDS-NzgAPU4dd42RURKmV1OhSwRNss7T4b2I2on0O5SJaxWqqLynTl5bbpfEV5s9gkypWPuIUVM18i6MB7BpKrkmibM1qI7vUkV-QDWoNjsqW8HoAS/s200/DSC01227.jpg"/></a>
<br>We ended the night with a trip to the nearby lighthouse for our last aurora</center>
<p>We were pretty sure we had done a pretty good job of seeing most of the touristy things in Reykjavik on the first day. Because of that and also a little bit to avoid daytime parking charges, we drove up into the mountains to see Geysir. This is the geological feature after which all of the others are named, so that's why this one gets to be a proper noun.
There was a full-on blizzard going on there by the time we arrived. The blowing snow, icy path, and poor visibility made our visit there a bit shorter than it would have been on a nicer day.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_iDVu43q8KSUR0Pg3YyT9ehyphenhyphensCsak7ez4XmzRpNyhrE-gaI5E2giu5K9FqBIFVrgNtdA4ckpsR_vTMjeD5o9DwguuBiuW-WZUk9oWI3wwdP4K5kixbizRU695PUOdoUJILd_FwWeHfU8x7fG77Jy8P3OERWP5tHROGwLTqbi8Y5QveAIGDQo/s4032/IMG_2357.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0_iDVu43q8KSUR0Pg3YyT9ehyphenhyphensCsak7ez4XmzRpNyhrE-gaI5E2giu5K9FqBIFVrgNtdA4ckpsR_vTMjeD5o9DwguuBiuW-WZUk9oWI3wwdP4K5kixbizRU695PUOdoUJILd_FwWeHfU8x7fG77Jy8P3OERWP5tHROGwLTqbi8Y5QveAIGDQo/s200/IMG_2357.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxr0KwjfgNWdV4u0gw9emr_aqMWygX_iCgmid9fcV3XYzYcvPNZNwEEpk63bJHg7ap3jIPQv_1JXmdulwAtZtxuU7d_YKu2fA1LuOTSJCZxCLO2A3YszcFZphv-6eRSv26LOOY6jE6uz79LjK1jgAdzr6z_tbNtKmtyay0EpnM9WRevC6YUVJ/s4032/IMG_2361.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxr0KwjfgNWdV4u0gw9emr_aqMWygX_iCgmid9fcV3XYzYcvPNZNwEEpk63bJHg7ap3jIPQv_1JXmdulwAtZtxuU7d_YKu2fA1LuOTSJCZxCLO2A3YszcFZphv-6eRSv26LOOY6jE6uz79LjK1jgAdzr6z_tbNtKmtyay0EpnM9WRevC6YUVJ/s200/IMG_2361.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3CQzWgF4PQ36l0lQ6NAPDF5LuzmCgzuW6C0qxpSMgByxlR3gviRyNuHyuPpawf0gSzqTXkt8-jRklIE4GpyW4rI6jeo0ckXyhkwmHSvWsUR0XHhh0CuC4SqBA8L3AfEYh9uK_JY8zUKwY9fPu9BFvtQhgX4DcncYG7WX9XSsmd62aGaIKbo0/s3556/IMG_E9537-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2665" data-original-width="3556" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU3CQzWgF4PQ36l0lQ6NAPDF5LuzmCgzuW6C0qxpSMgByxlR3gviRyNuHyuPpawf0gSzqTXkt8-jRklIE4GpyW4rI6jeo0ckXyhkwmHSvWsUR0XHhh0CuC4SqBA8L3AfEYh9uK_JY8zUKwY9fPu9BFvtQhgX4DcncYG7WX9XSsmd62aGaIKbo0/s200/IMG_E9537-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3Qfg2AbhEhPORCBjrt0HrCaIBc-uxBJCY_1WbBG-D67UiBKyC_U1zNYXGVGlo-Y-c3nNmz8EvShiKJe55S3kdyOiGclq8HX6brdoV7CD0IKQuUcZgjeyiTHQKh34Z5CORKJ7MuovXXMJ-j7_kB1jmaeuE1asM4_3DX7_PZbQoR6rOUeFninG/s3514/IMG_E9538-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2634" data-original-width="3514" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3Qfg2AbhEhPORCBjrt0HrCaIBc-uxBJCY_1WbBG-D67UiBKyC_U1zNYXGVGlo-Y-c3nNmz8EvShiKJe55S3kdyOiGclq8HX6brdoV7CD0IKQuUcZgjeyiTHQKh34Z5CORKJ7MuovXXMJ-j7_kB1jmaeuE1asM4_3DX7_PZbQoR6rOUeFninG/s200/IMG_E9538-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>We drove part of the 'Golden Circle' with it's Geysirs, and more waterfalls</center>
<p>Even though the blizzard was intensifying, we drove the extra few miles to Gullfoss. Gullfoss isn't Iceland's highest waterfall or the one with the most voluminous flow, but it is the most visited, since it is both impressive and not too far from Reykjavik.
<p>Due to the recent precipitation, the flow was quite impressive today. Maryanne had decided to skip seeing the falls because the walk from the lot was both long and icy, so I did a tour of the overlooks myself. Once I did an about face to head back to Maryanne and the car, I couldn't help but notice a special, up-close parking lot for bus tours and people with mobility problems. I half walked, half skated back to Maryanne to give her the news that she wouldn't have to miss seeing it in person after all.
<p>Worried the weather was going to close in on us, we bid a hasty retreat back to the city for a stint at the Perlan Museum.
<p>The Perlan is built in the pentagonal space inside and between the five giant geothermal hot water tanks that supply and heat the city and surrounding areas. The museum has the usual interesting museum stuff. The three big highlights were a planetarium show with beautiful time-lapse photography of the Aurora Borealis from various locations in Iceland, an artificial ice cave, and a short large-format movie of the Fadragadsfjall eruption in 2021. The photography in that one was absolutely incredible. Also, we got to have a taste of licorice gelato, which I actually liked very much.
<p>At the entrance to the ice cave was a copy of a memorial plaque that was laid atop Ok, one of the volcanoes visible from Reykjavik. It reads:
<center><p><i>A Letter to the Future</i>
<p><i>Ok is the first Icelandic glacier to lose its status as a glacier.
In the next 200 years, all our glaciers are expected to follow the same path.
<br>This monument is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done.
<br>Only you know if we did I it. </i>
<p><i>August 2019
<br>Atmospheric CO<sup>2</sup>: 415ppm </i></center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUQfkjrv6NaKCeCftjHuScHVhVMaqPrNrvtzXp1xRsRlE30JZEK0VVi4UjWzMcqnTwEgnbarIL0EqX8eAQ6hwjtnieup2an6jOWmlvvpcyj1azBk-eNmwoTpy-ekk_9sWMWiYixp-0v2DEnbRBsn00bkQeTCUReDE-KPgIPaQIGq67kFZHT8C/s2592/DSC01261.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSUQfkjrv6NaKCeCftjHuScHVhVMaqPrNrvtzXp1xRsRlE30JZEK0VVi4UjWzMcqnTwEgnbarIL0EqX8eAQ6hwjtnieup2an6jOWmlvvpcyj1azBk-eNmwoTpy-ekk_9sWMWiYixp-0v2DEnbRBsn00bkQeTCUReDE-KPgIPaQIGq67kFZHT8C/s200/DSC01261.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXxD6PShYY2wVd_qTS66Y4zb1aunmyh1qKxC4izve01KHZlNMDbGDtQGgLuh01fEJXhi754_VDWna4OZMOf95hwLfp52bmnuqrO5NpdSR5xti78o89m3R_5ajC06MmUfZjd_M3M4mUpCuPmQDg6APSt_BO8Sz2mo3XIJF1WIYuHJx3MdTZx_y/s4032/IMG_2374.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwXxD6PShYY2wVd_qTS66Y4zb1aunmyh1qKxC4izve01KHZlNMDbGDtQGgLuh01fEJXhi754_VDWna4OZMOf95hwLfp52bmnuqrO5NpdSR5xti78o89m3R_5ajC06MmUfZjd_M3M4mUpCuPmQDg6APSt_BO8Sz2mo3XIJF1WIYuHJx3MdTZx_y/s200/IMG_2374.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNOV1LVV7oMK91mYcICodllFj41nVmA_IkEepzp8andzi8YLMlq4gj2tY976tdp21EMJHdhokg3E4WQpGv3m7tqRf4HkfmQWXvnKLgXnZoCuONj7zrV-_MR9g7TShbJ4MBM4nlkd8aABetHMIJ5WvMLLAUCDHNPkGo9g-cf5Oy5AXbhM0zubA/s4032/IMG_2378.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgNOV1LVV7oMK91mYcICodllFj41nVmA_IkEepzp8andzi8YLMlq4gj2tY976tdp21EMJHdhokg3E4WQpGv3m7tqRf4HkfmQWXvnKLgXnZoCuONj7zrV-_MR9g7TShbJ4MBM4nlkd8aABetHMIJ5WvMLLAUCDHNPkGo9g-cf5Oy5AXbhM0zubA/s200/IMG_2378.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hIv61US-Gnrkzf3N5QTQtA_rsHZAWmY_qSNp7WwXHur7NK-SrAACJBZUeS_I1mnLh2rziLPPomlSuSBHdmkac0TK_2ai50DIEKygPjWS2tU5z8Xd_f-Ri9nmz9qobL8pFtVaUbjG1BKmgjJ8SQk7x3Km0qcxyfW2adnvc4kxL1Sj7-nSu6VN/s3924/IMG_2379.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3924" data-original-width="2943" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8hIv61US-Gnrkzf3N5QTQtA_rsHZAWmY_qSNp7WwXHur7NK-SrAACJBZUeS_I1mnLh2rziLPPomlSuSBHdmkac0TK_2ai50DIEKygPjWS2tU5z8Xd_f-Ri9nmz9qobL8pFtVaUbjG1BKmgjJ8SQk7x3Km0qcxyfW2adnvc4kxL1Sj7-nSu6VN/s200/IMG_2379.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2bBvPf8-KC1X52m8BPSyCxlWw1JVRswKx4zV23uA_2ChZKQB0D9gtRaLkIaomho-mgQhJxSTKIQfnbmc7whQ8bInqo9DPz3wvI9OuMt5OX6CGgCbGHgJB_0gDdE_mfZNH1yJGdThBc2_uVw9EXi0shd2nQ1nnXzY2VzD88VXiTDbd90ly6eC/s4032/IMG_2390.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2bBvPf8-KC1X52m8BPSyCxlWw1JVRswKx4zV23uA_2ChZKQB0D9gtRaLkIaomho-mgQhJxSTKIQfnbmc7whQ8bInqo9DPz3wvI9OuMt5OX6CGgCbGHgJB_0gDdE_mfZNH1yJGdThBc2_uVw9EXi0shd2nQ1nnXzY2VzD88VXiTDbd90ly6eC/s200/IMG_2390.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Perlan Museum enabled us to again get close to the ice (but this time in a giant freezer) - it had plenty of other exhibts also</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB36XUsRUfTlVPi1p2035g-08zaJQyxuGXc1z0jh9kgCyJ1VZgKjOaumkg3mxj09UYWOhbCTeVYnIG4saAbj1Wir6YUjqJJYX4oqrcMAg9MPcTsNIykGmi2l4eNZZKEhXHmAdnS7myKgSWAbx_BShJ4wOnVruTVRDhB8UXRqLDB_FRUpF6QU14/s4032/IMG_2392.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB36XUsRUfTlVPi1p2035g-08zaJQyxuGXc1z0jh9kgCyJ1VZgKjOaumkg3mxj09UYWOhbCTeVYnIG4saAbj1Wir6YUjqJJYX4oqrcMAg9MPcTsNIykGmi2l4eNZZKEhXHmAdnS7myKgSWAbx_BShJ4wOnVruTVRDhB8UXRqLDB_FRUpF6QU14/s320/IMG_2392.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Perlan museum also has its own Aurora display (much better than we were capturing)</center>
<p>With one more day in Iceland, we decided to do a short trip to the Reykjanes peninsula to the geothermal areas west of the closed road to Grindavik. This area is admittedly less picturesque than some others, but it's proximity to Reykjavik/Keflavik was a bonus.
<p>My main reason for wanting to go was a bit of a cheesy one: to walk over the Bridge Between Two Continents. Here, the edges of both the North American and the Eurasian Tectonic plates can clearly be seen on either side of the rift created as they part at a rate of 2cm/yr.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesz3iWjSl4Z0pkK0rdHLW4iHfmmeiBEugAK-tHqgO0rs2btYU0WUX6EAugiOCs5GWSdFPGuULkZNTh3WVdNgOSUEDkXOkO8viseDaxSobB94bRJcWw9I7kkKJmYOjEHxEdgKOrAKUiGc08_d-dKUrEsHd9Kocl2e2a_QhHz_SUSNVi8O0lLZb/s3024/IMG_2406.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2319" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhesz3iWjSl4Z0pkK0rdHLW4iHfmmeiBEugAK-tHqgO0rs2btYU0WUX6EAugiOCs5GWSdFPGuULkZNTh3WVdNgOSUEDkXOkO8viseDaxSobB94bRJcWw9I7kkKJmYOjEHxEdgKOrAKUiGc08_d-dKUrEsHd9Kocl2e2a_QhHz_SUSNVi8O0lLZb/s200/IMG_2406.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbK2dyybcSVu6YFU3LYUIgCuxN15QZMCLZ63guuCO-GVv-RwUv0a7u-AKV9N27ni7QHoAO_If3Pn_WmfnmkFIY2J7t0COiqAQsHEijmps8C9xHAQoTu_hVPmB7XtngQQV92vl7ntJr3If7mPdPbRo3bKF1LigKbFfXaontBeaP9q_BTV_XlWUe/s2592/DSC01281.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbK2dyybcSVu6YFU3LYUIgCuxN15QZMCLZ63guuCO-GVv-RwUv0a7u-AKV9N27ni7QHoAO_If3Pn_WmfnmkFIY2J7t0COiqAQsHEijmps8C9xHAQoTu_hVPmB7XtngQQV92vl7ntJr3If7mPdPbRo3bKF1LigKbFfXaontBeaP9q_BTV_XlWUe/s200/DSC01281.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua9a6xXkYHW_UJ-NzNNQ9d63q5O97ZDybT8ZoR0ibzqG7jwZDorqS-VBZ2UshwWEK3_rHK-OVVjM7ArltsAob0N9N3ng5stpinIgw8tRg0XaUjLLRCwwO6O0c3-2SgwpO8OBeJXApe-snssO1sG88Ik_dBVMZnTjqkoDpHgTmtfR_QI9KIbNC/s3950/IMG_9560-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2963" data-original-width="3950" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgua9a6xXkYHW_UJ-NzNNQ9d63q5O97ZDybT8ZoR0ibzqG7jwZDorqS-VBZ2UshwWEK3_rHK-OVVjM7ArltsAob0N9N3ng5stpinIgw8tRg0XaUjLLRCwwO6O0c3-2SgwpO8OBeJXApe-snssO1sG88Ik_dBVMZnTjqkoDpHgTmtfR_QI9KIbNC/s200/IMG_9560-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsg7yRWiEvraXpLeoFscW8IZa6vWyk9HF3Xgnh2eY5P8BF7EDj2RLRI6gJYZeIY2NeK-B8Zqv36WRnRoPZF_fnc7LR01CdlTbUTcr33jLTu7szbsBsp4M1XCPN7B30Aho-DxFgfDvFgrFkIb6wljvCZnqJyKcaJe6YAfVQkArbyPbLueIFNKj/s4032/IMG_9588-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGsg7yRWiEvraXpLeoFscW8IZa6vWyk9HF3Xgnh2eY5P8BF7EDj2RLRI6gJYZeIY2NeK-B8Zqv36WRnRoPZF_fnc7LR01CdlTbUTcr33jLTu7szbsBsp4M1XCPN7B30Aho-DxFgfDvFgrFkIb6wljvCZnqJyKcaJe6YAfVQkArbyPbLueIFNKj/s200/IMG_9588-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOV4te1kuTUOd10cjQzg8ub_KHHZcUq8Qw6-Vk_Xr5axTj1EEbez-Tonj50KWW4-TifCdA9tqNwORGaaqZA11rbEM5fvw843eSZl-9lMllGaVfl_h7aAxheYqkmuGmXmcVnQw12XXH15SLcmsPY7ac8_AiQfgz7bija7KNtjXRphmndXuGYsP/s4032/IMG_9598-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBOV4te1kuTUOd10cjQzg8ub_KHHZcUq8Qw6-Vk_Xr5axTj1EEbez-Tonj50KWW4-TifCdA9tqNwORGaaqZA11rbEM5fvw843eSZl-9lMllGaVfl_h7aAxheYqkmuGmXmcVnQw12XXH15SLcmsPY7ac8_AiQfgz7bija7KNtjXRphmndXuGYsP/s200/IMG_9598-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintkzFzGQETO6vyZvHQPuzaUo_04xP3EQglV454zPC8DOvLl2-26wYHIU3GsmEuiovqt0WrBFZ8_UeRbIWeiyYGqxgARzMrzCnQt1ShAdIdiNVLFLBkFOozVGwvH_Hk14Ue_6xXELfIvSm4apJgVkjDSHeZDkPisXPuVLblhdI19-r7sUm6GFp/s4032/IMG_2426.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEintkzFzGQETO6vyZvHQPuzaUo_04xP3EQglV454zPC8DOvLl2-26wYHIU3GsmEuiovqt0WrBFZ8_UeRbIWeiyYGqxgARzMrzCnQt1ShAdIdiNVLFLBkFOozVGwvH_Hk14Ue_6xXELfIvSm4apJgVkjDSHeZDkPisXPuVLblhdI19-r7sUm6GFp/s200/IMG_2426.jpg"/></a>
<br>And on our last full day we visited the Viking Museum and the Reykjanes peninsula. There is obviously plenty of geological activity (even well outside of the closed areas), The last picture is one of the few places you can 'see' the American and European continent ripping apart (the Mid-Atlantic Rift)</center>
<p>We also went to the dramatic South Coast, where a touching memorial to the Great Auk that was hunted to extinction in the mid-nineteenth century now stands. The forlorn statue looks out across the sea to the rocky islands where the last one in Iceland perished.
<p>Just a couple miles from the power station, the Gunnuhver Thermal area has a few features we were able to see. Of particular interest to as was that the main hot spring, which we had most frequently seen depicted as a steaming pool. Now it was a bubbling geyser billowing huge clouds of steam downwind.
<p>For our last night in Iceland, we stayed in a significantly downgraded accommodation that at least had the benefit of being right at the Keflavik airport for our early flight. When we awoke at 3am, the big news was that the Sundhnúkagígar eruption, which had most recently been reducing in probability, had happened and that it was stronger than anticipated. A 3.5km fissure had opened up that was spewing lava. The eruption was localized and low enough in ash content that the airline was not anticipating any service disruptions.
<p>On the drive to the airport, the jagged red line of lava was clearly visible. That explains the geyser yesterday. We were just over there ten hours ago!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnVCqnVZVjQMfzw36drl8llT-MFpR3HIrvBn_IjrsZ2Vd3qVmwwO8Drq7i4MeIn2KBJrn9_wbi-vwflw600sy_76DEzPZgMw6CZlCox-t2iUDBBjrQU2O_-v-uFMcrXLK9oucRpUAicJgh3tsU6vNglinMyAeKqBCH2-Y67Eg5km1wH6A3W4u/s2592/DSC01283.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNnVCqnVZVjQMfzw36drl8llT-MFpR3HIrvBn_IjrsZ2Vd3qVmwwO8Drq7i4MeIn2KBJrn9_wbi-vwflw600sy_76DEzPZgMw6CZlCox-t2iUDBBjrQU2O_-v-uFMcrXLK9oucRpUAicJgh3tsU6vNglinMyAeKqBCH2-Y67Eg5km1wH6A3W4u/s200/DSC01283.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpe_SuGLfLBtjHylAutCxhjdvbtoJKu1uPThyphenhyphen3xnMzEmv0iuV-rZtTq7GQaOaEAuDVM7fuUpjwyAEuabG6aZh0_2w4eDyjMP266rKDnT9VJSFd8OpH0EUYMtmk9OJovws1rpx3imW-byb5u4x_oyW034KRSzntEflZUsqVilHGSk1oNdyIY1C/s882/IMG_2441.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="585" data-original-width="882" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnpe_SuGLfLBtjHylAutCxhjdvbtoJKu1uPThyphenhyphen3xnMzEmv0iuV-rZtTq7GQaOaEAuDVM7fuUpjwyAEuabG6aZh0_2w4eDyjMP266rKDnT9VJSFd8OpH0EUYMtmk9OJovws1rpx3imW-byb5u4x_oyW034KRSzntEflZUsqVilHGSk1oNdyIY1C/s200/IMG_2441.jpg"/></a>
<br>Our view from the car, and the helicopter view on the news of the overnight eruption</center>
<p>At the terminal, through the windows at the gate, lava could even be seen bubbling and spitting in the distance. We ended up on the wrong side of the plane to see it very well after takeoff, but the departure path did a long curve around the yellow-hot fissure as it climbed and turned toward the British Isles for a long overdue family visit.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Reykjavík, Iceland64.1469868 -21.940755235.836752963821148 -57.0970052 90 13.215494799999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-69699825648433712002023-12-16T15:00:00.087-05:002024-02-07T14:59:47.404-05:00Iceland (Part 3 of 4)[Kyle]Based on the time it had taken us to drive from Höfn to Egilsstaðir, we left Egilsstaðir with plenty of time to do the return drive to Höfn without having to limit our sightseeing stops as much as on the drive out.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8L6zVVWtJPoBRprkdKW_nr9md1sPX3jTgvxAXf4zWrpd3liBCJ53a4N4PthpadQfRR3SvBvR0-gXLHakCPqcO0Jsau203ipYg498t0sWoP9nJP5Y8qJA42G2WPXdbZm1MqOE1hPu-FstqPlufnDa1do4DflxFZetsr7EPrWe8Zq35R2lJyh/s200/IMG_2182.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>It turned out to be unnecessary. The weather was so bad, with low ceilings and poor visibility, that there wasn't much to see other than gloomy snow and fog. All of the scenic pullouts only offered views of the whiteout beyond. The roads were slippery enough that driving was a white-knuckle job at half speed.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J-M50iIt1WwiilmLCsG_3nhy4a90W2DoLNbAxUCumgm7eewnG06fSjUqdIYdmiIs7jYnbaD0A1xmPyTUmHhpZwFoQXBC7AY05wZqnh6etTgGwigDpYY4GeQ1Yvg5TEPghpZYUr2oeniIQBj0g3v0NXT9iqJXyX9JDweVEle4zralZvq5ZPNP/s3986/IMG_1987.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8J-M50iIt1WwiilmLCsG_3nhy4a90W2DoLNbAxUCumgm7eewnG06fSjUqdIYdmiIs7jYnbaD0A1xmPyTUmHhpZwFoQXBC7AY05wZqnh6etTgGwigDpYY4GeQ1Yvg5TEPghpZYUr2oeniIQBj0g3v0NXT9iqJXyX9JDweVEle4zralZvq5ZPNP/s200/IMG_1987.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ49SqEZuXEZCLrSpt4rwAWs2jxH_6NCKupkNpFJBuiMkaQpE1bGQLwbjP1hvIh_ajT9J2OG49sOMtPsSZC9X-xeipX5fWh1fj3pGyNw_TFsjWOOPXS5RsUT8cxxvH-OhqoxGDNjrNTTD9kmn6teTokNCe9MRm2b0RLNkgYolJuAN8QZPbxH3n/s2592/DSC00996.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ49SqEZuXEZCLrSpt4rwAWs2jxH_6NCKupkNpFJBuiMkaQpE1bGQLwbjP1hvIh_ajT9J2OG49sOMtPsSZC9X-xeipX5fWh1fj3pGyNw_TFsjWOOPXS5RsUT8cxxvH-OhqoxGDNjrNTTD9kmn6teTokNCe9MRm2b0RLNkgYolJuAN8QZPbxH3n/s200/DSC00996.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhPp6JxxERXKCFovsuTy4KbdldkSju0_GBlJYsJAdbHgD-9yc6-a0xwGNYh-tvxz85vA6hJmQt-n8zxGUYTMi7c_2ndfu1UhtOps_rTcIAGwT0_DqEP79Cage6fwC8AiRalE6pZMNKy8TKVqZXEx4M-rLrHiKMviriCRJ4Ii74pUo2PyJ30RW/s828/IMG_1993.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="656" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPhPp6JxxERXKCFovsuTy4KbdldkSju0_GBlJYsJAdbHgD-9yc6-a0xwGNYh-tvxz85vA6hJmQt-n8zxGUYTMi7c_2ndfu1UhtOps_rTcIAGwT0_DqEP79Cage6fwC8AiRalE6pZMNKy8TKVqZXEx4M-rLrHiKMviriCRJ4Ii74pUo2PyJ30RW/s200/IMG_1993.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe38jTNC880e4vaqZADORLMUJEB2TR8PP-fwNsBD0iXgBTZr-2bmguyR9gVHHa1RISrJQGl-uFTg8f3HrjnvW2C5izX2MDwYg2oia3yqmY7y8PQUxuGrqms7RRWhTbXHvF5_HODAO117fG4Kn6l9s5G2UUiCGD-eKMw43DdN6QrFVi9iyia1v/s2592/DSC01002.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJe38jTNC880e4vaqZADORLMUJEB2TR8PP-fwNsBD0iXgBTZr-2bmguyR9gVHHa1RISrJQGl-uFTg8f3HrjnvW2C5izX2MDwYg2oia3yqmY7y8PQUxuGrqms7RRWhTbXHvF5_HODAO117fG4Kn6l9s5G2UUiCGD-eKMw43DdN6QrFVi9iyia1v/s200/DSC01002.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSut3I28Snd-Fdiion8PFgV68wsxHkwjINXyoh-_46KY98wHhf4rnE9Xar3lcFkooJpmPubbWi5HBgCrYJI3ZHfJYD5Lime_S6ylTQrYzzIZsNHTVWRBqaR8aegGL71CeR_PYnvTK0VRFgFXQsmTsoTxLf86tPQd2L5RkgmkTeGFmCZfAwk-xa/s2592/DSC01014.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSut3I28Snd-Fdiion8PFgV68wsxHkwjINXyoh-_46KY98wHhf4rnE9Xar3lcFkooJpmPubbWi5HBgCrYJI3ZHfJYD5Lime_S6ylTQrYzzIZsNHTVWRBqaR8aegGL71CeR_PYnvTK0VRFgFXQsmTsoTxLf86tPQd2L5RkgmkTeGFmCZfAwk-xa/s200/DSC01014.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUD2uFab5N2Q7HIVTte05P1h9qUXQGBMrhfFWiWGcEY_RCZY0dD8h8z2fMU_N3LmjvURwm0DFpaJ6aR-_hLnSJ8kIIj_RWYVskGiCUTMudeBzDA-Nreg3sM6VPPyp95Kw20uLVi0tdM2UNNs0AUVS2ZKohqNO4LwioJPyVjnbiV9OvDhnlulB/s4032/IMG_1999.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuUD2uFab5N2Q7HIVTte05P1h9qUXQGBMrhfFWiWGcEY_RCZY0dD8h8z2fMU_N3LmjvURwm0DFpaJ6aR-_hLnSJ8kIIj_RWYVskGiCUTMudeBzDA-Nreg3sM6VPPyp95Kw20uLVi0tdM2UNNs0AUVS2ZKohqNO4LwioJPyVjnbiV9OvDhnlulB/s200/IMG_1999.jpg"/></a>
<br>The long drive to Höfn was a bit gloomy, but the excellent traffic app gave us good notice of animals ahead (possibly on the road) - so we kept our eyes peeled and were excited to spot several reindeer before we made it to Höfn</center>
<p>We got to Höfn with enough daylight left to have a poke through the town museum before it closed. Then we leaned hard into the blowing snow and pretended we were having a pleasant stroll along the quay. At the far end, we came upon a "diner" called Hafnarbúðin. Since it was the only place in town other than Kaffi Hornið, and since it was about to close, we decided we had better give it a go for variety's sake.
<p>We dripped a half gallon of melting snow onto their clean floor and then took a seat by the door to keep from spreading it too far. The guy who took our order was gracious about it. When he passed it to the kitchen, I was surprised that I actually understood some of it. Then I realized he was doing so in Castilian Spanish.
<p>Our food was delicious. This time we had the sense to share a plate and a salad between us, otherwise, it would have been the Kaffi Hornið all over again.
<p>At our hotel, we drove through an empty lot all the way up to the restaurant at the end. No one was there, but the door was open, so we went on in.
<p>We rang the bell on the counter to no avail. After waiting a while, we started calling numbers and sending messages. With no response, we settled into a lively game of cards while we waited. Eventually, we received a very apologetic response from the owner, who said he was trying to get hold of his staff there.
<p>A couple minutes later, Paulina trotted over from the rooms to check us in. She explained that the hotel were using the low season to do deep cleanings and renovations in all of the rooms and no one had heard their phones over the power tools. She seemed terribly embarrassed at our inconvenience, but we had arrived right at the earliest check-in time, so we weren't worried.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSUezGaTvrDUDcYGHNlz6ZzTo5OcBhJHrVKK8TAYW-LPMODNCu8yX5inqBYz6PM3b0n60nMTRxxvBmTLXLzHEeAqw_39E4Ua96KNDKU2t2e1Z6n9rmfIah6UaGH3RnRAFfblWPpnbfwzPf4VvFVyGLG2Znqu7dv8Ao3kdFTeB1KkOO3KyETe8/s2592/DSC01067.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKSUezGaTvrDUDcYGHNlz6ZzTo5OcBhJHrVKK8TAYW-LPMODNCu8yX5inqBYz6PM3b0n60nMTRxxvBmTLXLzHEeAqw_39E4Ua96KNDKU2t2e1Z6n9rmfIah6UaGH3RnRAFfblWPpnbfwzPf4VvFVyGLG2Znqu7dv8Ao3kdFTeB1KkOO3KyETe8/s200/DSC01067.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMh6hH_rcxDyQ3Zz6_UAbOeWawcnzsu0MBLK4LLvKMbiWTn7TRMc8Kcc5KLiQfpultMCQ4mBZWsFtctcYkpEdVrsPa6koaUnBXRThw5ImjTcM4hLVt3kfCl10X_9LuL_Pgy-9nZYE83bN-hnWKTcQVVQlXTjNG3kKSQMmXIqfYKiGtGJZxiu0U/s2592/DSC01069.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMh6hH_rcxDyQ3Zz6_UAbOeWawcnzsu0MBLK4LLvKMbiWTn7TRMc8Kcc5KLiQfpultMCQ4mBZWsFtctcYkpEdVrsPa6koaUnBXRThw5ImjTcM4hLVt3kfCl10X_9LuL_Pgy-9nZYE83bN-hnWKTcQVVQlXTjNG3kKSQMmXIqfYKiGtGJZxiu0U/s200/DSC01069.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF2QSAe6FNJIKBffzW7oAPzqM4f0MuNdduIEugQI77fAQs1GHkVKqiHSXO2MO2fa80z5gjdaAyfHIvZZZU6JIWbhlEMCT6dB2PwyrCwEO_IJC3F-ZZe8joxtLBOYUxA18hFKbQ5bhI8oxf22vhNIOJwdhhloGLObvV8FnNdWg646MmwfF1Lr2/s2592/DSC01073.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbF2QSAe6FNJIKBffzW7oAPzqM4f0MuNdduIEugQI77fAQs1GHkVKqiHSXO2MO2fa80z5gjdaAyfHIvZZZU6JIWbhlEMCT6dB2PwyrCwEO_IJC3F-ZZe8joxtLBOYUxA18hFKbQ5bhI8oxf22vhNIOJwdhhloGLObvV8FnNdWg646MmwfF1Lr2/s200/DSC01073.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYZN8_nex9uX8szXPIf0EkLnYzXJnZBZHJfPnw-Dd7wbafMyocnBW2JWtiRX7z4mmhqlfmyMk17igqiJZ2TKEe-dHWAbu2ziOL1oc0ymA4r-8tVonDVpJZYOp96-Ce_YVvrxyoelf56Gg5XXjfhNrVuhfCxQP75Yh3rK5rQu_aqqFIHVGkWI-/s2592/DSC01078.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVYZN8_nex9uX8szXPIf0EkLnYzXJnZBZHJfPnw-Dd7wbafMyocnBW2JWtiRX7z4mmhqlfmyMk17igqiJZ2TKEe-dHWAbu2ziOL1oc0ymA4r-8tVonDVpJZYOp96-Ce_YVvrxyoelf56Gg5XXjfhNrVuhfCxQP75Yh3rK5rQu_aqqFIHVGkWI-/s200/DSC01078.jpg"/></a>
<br>Aurora played over our hotel</center>
<p>We had another great night of Aurora. We figured out that we <i>could</i> turn off the floodlight outside our room with the circuit breaker, but taking the step was hardly necessary as the Aurora was bright enough to see through the street lamps and everything.
<p>In the morning, we went for a breakfast that had clearly been laid out for twenty people. Sergio, the chef (from Portugal), assured us that it was no trouble at all. He has a system and it will be good practice for when the season picks up again.
<p>After talking with him for a bit about his recommendations for things to eat in Höfn, we moved on to deeper things. When we hesitated on the, "Where are you from?" question and finally revealed that we have been living on a boat for too long to really know, his eyes lit up.
<p>He told us he was in love (Paulina, it turns out. She's from Poland) and he always dreamt of going on such an adventure. Now he wants to take her and she wants to go. Then he started asking us specific enough questions about how we managed to do it that we knew it wasn't just idle curiosity. He wanted real advice. Talking to him was like reaching back through time to the dreamers we were twenty years ago when we wanted what we have now so badly that it hurt.
<p>It was tough to pry ourselves away, but we had a scheduled tour to get to that we didn't want to be late for. We had booked a glacier and ice cave tour for the day.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRByA0hp9dVcJprhGo0-ow5whv7SqRKepyS1sTiTq_1iVeIG8hH8PUiAG-PK87AFYoLxo21O99VLlKM1Yjxldi34oG2MvPtj9yu7m4yil4_EYHtZ096hjQA5b-UyBFlky6wqAnJT1X-HVkmFzkDoPYKwYUhrZYS9HkPcIwfropCKx1S11Hp6P/s3977/IMG_2022.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2983" data-original-width="3977" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrRByA0hp9dVcJprhGo0-ow5whv7SqRKepyS1sTiTq_1iVeIG8hH8PUiAG-PK87AFYoLxo21O99VLlKM1Yjxldi34oG2MvPtj9yu7m4yil4_EYHtZ096hjQA5b-UyBFlky6wqAnJT1X-HVkmFzkDoPYKwYUhrZYS9HkPcIwfropCKx1S11Hp6P/s200/IMG_2022.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJSD7K8G4-rGBPmzrB61OgRsLSJdu7ozrTUZ589b2SZfHkUA6NiRBrJsfZwGeFujhjayPgp_K_MMhxZdGLOgdYCPrLI41wNv411J5k6F3vacpM7KjGhDr8yopUlapIOUXUmFN1NWJqb6ExuzpEIzXo2-bBWmre3-mVzi99gPRo9YQEGBkNJmh/s3829/IMG_2023.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2872" data-original-width="3829" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZJSD7K8G4-rGBPmzrB61OgRsLSJdu7ozrTUZ589b2SZfHkUA6NiRBrJsfZwGeFujhjayPgp_K_MMhxZdGLOgdYCPrLI41wNv411J5k6F3vacpM7KjGhDr8yopUlapIOUXUmFN1NWJqb6ExuzpEIzXo2-bBWmre3-mVzi99gPRo9YQEGBkNJmh/s200/IMG_2023.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9JMI9RJ1bX7seCsosGgYRRT6gQBktDuOfRe8P8PjyVHOv5ec8n8JnZTsCpZFbNapU8F63iT1iYbP5T16eW6FESmR295yrQTeITI1W0cVn22Cbi3p6aTBl4Nf1Bg4kDzJq3xxtKOrTD0JMBEVwb2p5zg_doL6tb-a4FDZJy-Zn6D7KZf62gHs/s9347/IMG_9129.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3713" data-original-width="9347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU9JMI9RJ1bX7seCsosGgYRRT6gQBktDuOfRe8P8PjyVHOv5ec8n8JnZTsCpZFbNapU8F63iT1iYbP5T16eW6FESmR295yrQTeITI1W0cVn22Cbi3p6aTBl4Nf1Bg4kDzJq3xxtKOrTD0JMBEVwb2p5zg_doL6tb-a4FDZJy-Zn6D7KZf62gHs/s400/IMG_9129.jpg"/></a>
<br>Diamond Beach is the faux tourist name for the ice littered black sand beach of Breiðamerkursandur. The ice travels first through the stunning Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon before reaching the beaches, and we had time before our meet up to inspect them both</center>
<p>We drove to our meetup point near Diamond Beach. This is the place where the ice calving off Breiðamerkurjökull flows into the Atlantic and then gets washed back onto the beach as innumerable chunks varying from ice cube all the way up to minibus-sized.
<p>Maryanne and I thought we might be the only ones on the tour when we were showed to our "super Jeep" (a jacked-up van with big tires for driving on snow and soft ground, not an actual brand-name Jeep) and handed our equipment. When we boarded, we were surprised by a Japanese family of three who were being as quiet as church mice.
<p>The drive to the glacier was shorter than we had expected, since we had booked the extended version of the basic tour. Our Icelandic guide explained that both tours visited the same ice cave, the extra bit on our version added the walk on the glacier itself.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L6D2-ZQXeR9nu4IVzlfd32ZjiKbLvN915e-t7nFE6kD-fwAZfVCdDVc-4ezT2Rjz00baU5yGEQW0vYDPaZAuzMZRrN1DtbG4X_yS6oK9YYVbXETuxy-22XhAzsCN57k_kqLrjiHrLZtqx4-iVujmHZzXcLYOv-a8A-BobxXlw1YGRIlvU7L7/s4032/IMG_2034.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6L6D2-ZQXeR9nu4IVzlfd32ZjiKbLvN915e-t7nFE6kD-fwAZfVCdDVc-4ezT2Rjz00baU5yGEQW0vYDPaZAuzMZRrN1DtbG4X_yS6oK9YYVbXETuxy-22XhAzsCN57k_kqLrjiHrLZtqx4-iVujmHZzXcLYOv-a8A-BobxXlw1YGRIlvU7L7/s200/IMG_2034.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NBAMJdNatsnNchyBdtY9TfW8y9cLJaJ-BHCJfg10_MTExptk5MctzqX0Sr2ixMNG9oWEQw2kU1j3m-QJVye2dOg83D4J8gkcn_NBUZiYtWr4HBkT6OCAzvsbd0zbRKTZI8vnvJijtIj7B19HsTc7Vv0LQ5kaRZjiy_AZxfsSm5A_P6dkUKmK/s4032/IMG_2037.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0NBAMJdNatsnNchyBdtY9TfW8y9cLJaJ-BHCJfg10_MTExptk5MctzqX0Sr2ixMNG9oWEQw2kU1j3m-QJVye2dOg83D4J8gkcn_NBUZiYtWr4HBkT6OCAzvsbd0zbRKTZI8vnvJijtIj7B19HsTc7Vv0LQ5kaRZjiy_AZxfsSm5A_P6dkUKmK/s200/IMG_2037.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBzgcjN6KobemI5ixhxBgQ7LiXtuMhVrxIDlMIWyJFD7NT-YMkluJn3ENL9zK4oFxfJ2PhefZZvImxKccTCWWkGlxRbhAEGTc9eeT4Sorlucbiw1Rgd3XvXdi9RKht15PFi87uETq8g28Cij82KvwotVhSFPNNrISDw6NGepf6N58g-YXvfIh/s2440/IMG_9145.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2440" data-original-width="1895" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGBzgcjN6KobemI5ixhxBgQ7LiXtuMhVrxIDlMIWyJFD7NT-YMkluJn3ENL9zK4oFxfJ2PhefZZvImxKccTCWWkGlxRbhAEGTc9eeT4Sorlucbiw1Rgd3XvXdi9RKht15PFi87uETq8g28Cij82KvwotVhSFPNNrISDw6NGepf6N58g-YXvfIh/s200/IMG_9145.jpg"/></a>
<br>The walk to the glacier from the end of the road for our super jeep (All this was once glacier but it is receeding at about 100m/year)</center>
<p>We started with that. After taking the trail to the foot of the glacier, a volunteer was chosen to have their crampons installed by the guide for demonstration purposes. The rest of us were instructed to follow along and copy the process for ourselves.
<p>Then it was time to start climbing. Maryanne and I have done this before, whereas the rest of the group were clearly first-timers. This made us look brilliant at it, relatively speaking, so we were left to look after each other while the guides helped the rest.
<p>Almost immediately, we came across a big moulin (an area where water flows through a fissure in the ice and disappears out of sight). Down we went. This part was the most technically challenging, as the path was narrow enough to need to squeeze through in a few places. It was so cool, though, to descend with the water into the deep blue ice.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0i6hy_c4n9HrikOAM5_3U0BROePiRDAhQcAFimdWj7LL-_u269Vr8rhXPGAjtGHVxRIAcdHVo0ymhP5sMfWYX72SgmLx88x8xa4jTy90fGSztxBzwExPpNKUV7pUXwV3mfdJ9eUzbev_o91b9EAX0y2GHBSxZMzc6GlW7_QxlPSlGvDCjpwVW/s4032/IMG_2081.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0i6hy_c4n9HrikOAM5_3U0BROePiRDAhQcAFimdWj7LL-_u269Vr8rhXPGAjtGHVxRIAcdHVo0ymhP5sMfWYX72SgmLx88x8xa4jTy90fGSztxBzwExPpNKUV7pUXwV3mfdJ9eUzbev_o91b9EAX0y2GHBSxZMzc6GlW7_QxlPSlGvDCjpwVW/s200/IMG_2081.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSl858GkHAcAj22wI-cwB0CHLlAyyRpouzM8docrwQQ7tbbCmqt-8OnK68ah34kvTxurmBG13KRHg9RGFuVLug7HVjt4klabdh46zdUWX8cmImLQ6j9wAUAeV4I8maWLivmFty25ZQZ2gS4-S6np-acIXzdFz6pi_Yy0FyN4T7nxWLk9N5kOR/s4032/IMG_2116.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWSl858GkHAcAj22wI-cwB0CHLlAyyRpouzM8docrwQQ7tbbCmqt-8OnK68ah34kvTxurmBG13KRHg9RGFuVLug7HVjt4klabdh46zdUWX8cmImLQ6j9wAUAeV4I8maWLivmFty25ZQZ2gS4-S6np-acIXzdFz6pi_Yy0FyN4T7nxWLk9N5kOR/s200/IMG_2116.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2OGpyZXG-MoEMsZHSseiACb_TN7jyfkM6tojn1qH6ksSmaBD6gCNYHhaoHYfqbLBJrktOX02PnAx_g794cL9xD1GjLYA4zI6ds91RMPTSXSEP5e5lzu0_AA1RlOTvHUgdHZqWgCRD4eab8R6ssrm2goDZDJESBy9ZIZaszpfn7hPIx2N54Hd/s4032/IMG_2124.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe2OGpyZXG-MoEMsZHSseiACb_TN7jyfkM6tojn1qH6ksSmaBD6gCNYHhaoHYfqbLBJrktOX02PnAx_g794cL9xD1GjLYA4zI6ds91RMPTSXSEP5e5lzu0_AA1RlOTvHUgdHZqWgCRD4eab8R6ssrm2goDZDJESBy9ZIZaszpfn7hPIx2N54Hd/s200/IMG_2124.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhzH5Gf6AEOsCbO8Q35tmQyk7YJghDK6lBa6i_qTdaHKrjpIRHmH_-epPFbcq9l6rEVkTmUNRUClaYFh-jZHd34M9yOeGUQe55tXBFAiJYQCbPpU43mW60nqGo4FVspx0cZcWRlKnukxTgqdYCfTL3QiKoNy0oddZb8wBSVhzheejuBWVLjBO/s4032/IMG_2131.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyhzH5Gf6AEOsCbO8Q35tmQyk7YJghDK6lBa6i_qTdaHKrjpIRHmH_-epPFbcq9l6rEVkTmUNRUClaYFh-jZHd34M9yOeGUQe55tXBFAiJYQCbPpU43mW60nqGo4FVspx0cZcWRlKnukxTgqdYCfTL3QiKoNy0oddZb8wBSVhzheejuBWVLjBO/s200/IMG_2131.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAYSSSYaAQZfSbSNEtV_inJcRyAxTD47Jxd_I7bZEQDcu367XaFMGtU-59re9MLckX3imVZcZjSS6vOYJM_S8L09MheVD-exCmStv9YaLPRJ_-xuDE_bxxHPvDz2mSV1i-gdSM39ZH_StlF-rpspIoWRpsKZ37DAqnJJ-nNmFuhSoe4heal8b/s4032/IMG_9200.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoAYSSSYaAQZfSbSNEtV_inJcRyAxTD47Jxd_I7bZEQDcu367XaFMGtU-59re9MLckX3imVZcZjSS6vOYJM_S8L09MheVD-exCmStv9YaLPRJ_-xuDE_bxxHPvDz2mSV1i-gdSM39ZH_StlF-rpspIoWRpsKZ37DAqnJJ-nNmFuhSoe4heal8b/s200/IMG_9200.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5IIJqUVx0q_V0-Ypw5BszA5UfNrWylsWKUSUp1GRjlXp_MEcgPTGzJWI6b-74WGoW_XZLFi_9_Y9wi8PBArekEVXvi_PWD7yiq_ZWDbTBxhwVDkJ1nZe9bgXCx0E0A8jpRsq-_y9eTrZ29G6QCWYseF2WAPq1YSOKfXzDG2IkSeKSVY-TW50/s4032/IMG_9209.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA5IIJqUVx0q_V0-Ypw5BszA5UfNrWylsWKUSUp1GRjlXp_MEcgPTGzJWI6b-74WGoW_XZLFi_9_Y9wi8PBArekEVXvi_PWD7yiq_ZWDbTBxhwVDkJ1nZe9bgXCx0E0A8jpRsq-_y9eTrZ29G6QCWYseF2WAPq1YSOKfXzDG2IkSeKSVY-TW50/s200/IMG_9209.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fHOC7HIXBcpocjT1JUiFlyyt68-dBGy12hp2ZAaJ_VDpv7hYdBfk22V7mms9erw9SPc6KDvg1RkcIu7dyiRTdbhniSmnmkv3WS-iyPLAUnHYd895C8TeJ1rUBiCID8-jYURKtW2u5KNtdPjVbwFG3h-3t7_NuguscIzL7KKTqnJWVTgE4IB8/s4032/IMG_9218.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9fHOC7HIXBcpocjT1JUiFlyyt68-dBGy12hp2ZAaJ_VDpv7hYdBfk22V7mms9erw9SPc6KDvg1RkcIu7dyiRTdbhniSmnmkv3WS-iyPLAUnHYd895C8TeJ1rUBiCID8-jYURKtW2u5KNtdPjVbwFG3h-3t7_NuguscIzL7KKTqnJWVTgE4IB8/s200/IMG_9218.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPi0I1Ti4VtehVnEVW0sL3HPG5IG6bScRy1U11z1C42OcO6LpLl_B1exDEzssKo90uarebVkDOn8a6dNmvd3J9zKNCaHkHDvNum0cKZhjVgAdOSjrFBvD-bHlGsF79GmEJduefwgQRdN-mUkQvLHNf-80J9SnGIMdwpl2jjk3QantFv0_7RySN/s4032/IMG_9246.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPi0I1Ti4VtehVnEVW0sL3HPG5IG6bScRy1U11z1C42OcO6LpLl_B1exDEzssKo90uarebVkDOn8a6dNmvd3J9zKNCaHkHDvNum0cKZhjVgAdOSjrFBvD-bHlGsF79GmEJduefwgQRdN-mUkQvLHNf-80J9SnGIMdwpl2jjk3QantFv0_7RySN/s200/IMG_9246.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz0IVhjcVJibvQ3Dn1p-W_cFWGUicYSXODo8_T4UUhFJGVw3MRzi-hmA7UWdx0F6GS6H_ESR7peUOSykLZ5H17OcFEqLJ6-HOt3y3esL8fm75Ef8xc9JixStyYV8_QErPBGpGSQizEiByDaySxm8lBqHsZWsp2DdbNVOBFC2uQcyqUmESoTSl/s4032/IMG_2121.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIz0IVhjcVJibvQ3Dn1p-W_cFWGUicYSXODo8_T4UUhFJGVw3MRzi-hmA7UWdx0F6GS6H_ESR7peUOSykLZ5H17OcFEqLJ6-HOt3y3esL8fm75Ef8xc9JixStyYV8_QErPBGpGSQizEiByDaySxm8lBqHsZWsp2DdbNVOBFC2uQcyqUmESoTSl/s200/IMG_2121.jpg"/></a>
<br>The moulin didn't disappoint</center>
<p>Once everyone had had their fill, we re-emerged and then climbed to the surface. From there, it was a short traverse to the ice cave entrance, where we would all change down from crampons to shoe spikes for the trip in.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEw5JPIrgo3HeUwrjbj-6zcRjyzUD7oGq2reiV4S28jJC7FVE3eCzaQdFyqjs7NaImCkWE06Sk6LyYo_s6n7P8SB1Oe0OMgEgVlECxZhhIP_zt7JEtk2EIuh2lUjALUDQPFwqoJySHShoa9ffFCEIM72C_cDk83nXaaBJ31WePukNpXeknoOc/s4032/IMG_9256.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipEw5JPIrgo3HeUwrjbj-6zcRjyzUD7oGq2reiV4S28jJC7FVE3eCzaQdFyqjs7NaImCkWE06Sk6LyYo_s6n7P8SB1Oe0OMgEgVlECxZhhIP_zt7JEtk2EIuh2lUjALUDQPFwqoJySHShoa9ffFCEIM72C_cDk83nXaaBJ31WePukNpXeknoOc/s200/IMG_9256.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8L6zVVWtJPoBRprkdKW_nr9md1sPX3jTgvxAXf4zWrpd3liBCJ53a4N4PthpadQfRR3SvBvR0-gXLHakCPqcO0Jsau203ipYg498t0sWoP9nJP5Y8qJA42G2WPXdbZm1MqOE1hPu-FstqPlufnDa1do4DflxFZetsr7EPrWe8Zq35R2lJyh/s4032/IMG_2182.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_E8L6zVVWtJPoBRprkdKW_nr9md1sPX3jTgvxAXf4zWrpd3liBCJ53a4N4PthpadQfRR3SvBvR0-gXLHakCPqcO0Jsau203ipYg498t0sWoP9nJP5Y8qJA42G2WPXdbZm1MqOE1hPu-FstqPlufnDa1do4DflxFZetsr7EPrWe8Zq35R2lJyh/s200/IMG_2182.jpg"/></a>
<br>And then there was an ice cave to see</center>
<p>At some point about two-thirds of the way through the traverse, Maryanne fell.
<p>I was behind her. To me, it looked like she had just tripped on the toe spikes on her right crampon. She later said that what had actually happened was that her foot was at an angle and had basically just rolled off the high spikes.
<p>The guide nearest to her and I helped her back onto her feet. She tried to continue walking, but was clearly limping badly. Eventually, she admitted that she wasn't up for going into the last ice cave. I knew then that she must be pretty hurt, because Maryanne hates missing anything for anything. We left her behind, sitting on a cold rock. She was dead weight after all. It's the Code of the Outdoors.
<p>Okay, maybe that did happen, but it wasn't for long. We all got a few meters into the cave when the head guide pulled me aside to say he was going to break off and help Maryanne back to the Jeep.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighVc6h9o9GXPa6fJSv1k7oxC_u-hw6S0H7KKnY7DEr82ab0DciwZF4GO8oTWd7E8qf48cTR5bHNZNlOGL9AQvUASsAasiPfSsZhvgsK1msNwk6h2aDsm7gZ5MKkmfqepVJ5HYoOUThZNkO9ccuFf6SwtRrfqD1TxrZxHh3n93RKpkSRb_tRkc/s4032/IMG_9281.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEighVc6h9o9GXPa6fJSv1k7oxC_u-hw6S0H7KKnY7DEr82ab0DciwZF4GO8oTWd7E8qf48cTR5bHNZNlOGL9AQvUASsAasiPfSsZhvgsK1msNwk6h2aDsm7gZ5MKkmfqepVJ5HYoOUThZNkO9ccuFf6SwtRrfqD1TxrZxHh3n93RKpkSRb_tRkc/s200/IMG_9281.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjAKBRgWAKsDjM25YkptMJOZ-4eQa8iC0EOXvyg6a30bcutAIoiyDFcQ2wep20bHp_Bq_vg5wAWTSpf9vzz5UuzgeVMm4IHEx9oK9h0D3R86-ujCjlJzfHADX_ahr67kK1QVBQhmNJ5QknPc7Rhv_gOlMvVY9FsKXul1djWpnrQmlEuJB5wBa/s4032/IMG_9282.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjAKBRgWAKsDjM25YkptMJOZ-4eQa8iC0EOXvyg6a30bcutAIoiyDFcQ2wep20bHp_Bq_vg5wAWTSpf9vzz5UuzgeVMm4IHEx9oK9h0D3R86-ujCjlJzfHADX_ahr67kK1QVBQhmNJ5QknPc7Rhv_gOlMvVY9FsKXul1djWpnrQmlEuJB5wBa/s200/IMG_9282.jpg"/></a><br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacfCCUsKKn6W5eCtDOPEyxKvSIi8H8l0f57wppH9otVNQ6XN_oJGf1Kg87ddu5OyLojxdu8G1oMR5FqMtlFuUpQhrTEehez0bTVDbs69aM2FAxUWm6rwaWLSXu7bX4B7tuzN4nCtq9IB5AOA0t7ufCN8F0GXCvdkx0ucnlTLVAGP7n0qfyEqO/s4032/IMG_9275.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjacfCCUsKKn6W5eCtDOPEyxKvSIi8H8l0f57wppH9otVNQ6XN_oJGf1Kg87ddu5OyLojxdu8G1oMR5FqMtlFuUpQhrTEehez0bTVDbs69aM2FAxUWm6rwaWLSXu7bX4B7tuzN4nCtq9IB5AOA0t7ufCN8F0GXCvdkx0ucnlTLVAGP7n0qfyEqO/s200/IMG_9275.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZlecfGJML9dGPOZSToa7QjXPlZ208Bh8zY0y_ZAi9R73RZTvlbznZZvrz54Ta0pV_bQuMTn7-O42B15y6MU3pbSyc97fPeB9VhMSPxE_fRYVZpEkkHZaqZ9QxK6MIBq1yIFW13U5wjViRD2GBSepr-W25mKA2UMvx-pL63Sc9aCOIo4cGoFz/s4032/IMG_9295.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjZlecfGJML9dGPOZSToa7QjXPlZ208Bh8zY0y_ZAi9R73RZTvlbznZZvrz54Ta0pV_bQuMTn7-O42B15y6MU3pbSyc97fPeB9VhMSPxE_fRYVZpEkkHZaqZ9QxK6MIBq1yIFW13U5wjViRD2GBSepr-W25mKA2UMvx-pL63Sc9aCOIo4cGoFz/s200/IMG_9295.jpg"/></a>
<br>Kyle visited the more extensive ice cave, while I rested up and then was guided back towards the jeep</center>
<p>The ice cave started by plunging into the thicker part of the glacier by the mountain. It was dark enough in here that I was glad Maryanne had slipped a headlamp into my pocket as we were getting dressed earlier. The ceiling was also so low that we could no longer make progress by crouching. We had to get on our hands and knees and crab our way in, trying to avoid the muddiest rocks. This didn't sit well with the Japanese, who had apparently brought all of their Arctic gear from a store that only sells super-clean, white things, presumably for camouflage. This, at least, made me feel better that Maryanne had made the right decision in skipping this part of the tour.
<p>We went a bit further in. The guide took the obligatory photos of us all sitting there under the deep blue light, and then we all crawled our way back out. I was apparently doing such a great job of using the alternating-leg gait favored by experienced mountaineers everywhere, that I was briefly put in charge of returning the group safely to the Jeep while the guide ran off to find a few seconds of privacy.
<p>Back in Höfn, we took Sergio's recommendation to return to the Kaffi Hornið and this time try the steak sandwich instead of the emergency lean-to. He was not wrong. It was normal-sized and delicious.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO4Xwu4OoUuwGvyu2aKGDvFhgN1TD3WNH4j2hbYWk6uXTaUWgX8omIS5-1hkWU1uyYoefXccRA55iny1dJNMMOlichbeRXaZ902AJgzFzvwCZpExiV6XkqShzfvPwDItF64ZD6UUjcIsTy8NqZIGjOJTi7LZjvTPCCPEsvapK-uIx2cFOdvlp/s2586/DSC01121.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2586" data-original-width="1939" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRO4Xwu4OoUuwGvyu2aKGDvFhgN1TD3WNH4j2hbYWk6uXTaUWgX8omIS5-1hkWU1uyYoefXccRA55iny1dJNMMOlichbeRXaZ902AJgzFzvwCZpExiV6XkqShzfvPwDItF64ZD6UUjcIsTy8NqZIGjOJTi7LZjvTPCCPEsvapK-uIx2cFOdvlp/s200/DSC01121.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfbZVow6UAE8Cko4A_61NiZ5DzS0WcgUVc4PQmUH30JGH9y4HdDgiB3ATuSaWlmypIxKpCDmY3rO4DU7J-edc02Y49BDXhCTc-phKA3yzMfVvWU1vEkKOZnk31ZuRBqG6MVN5YfateTea5aoC8cpUBRzhfQPD586WxbRVy4CRF-F8plbRy0Db/s4032/IMG_9319.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfbZVow6UAE8Cko4A_61NiZ5DzS0WcgUVc4PQmUH30JGH9y4HdDgiB3ATuSaWlmypIxKpCDmY3rO4DU7J-edc02Y49BDXhCTc-phKA3yzMfVvWU1vEkKOZnk31ZuRBqG6MVN5YfateTea5aoC8cpUBRzhfQPD586WxbRVy4CRF-F8plbRy0Db/s200/IMG_9319.jpg"/></a>
<br>We took one more quick look at 'Diamond beach' before returning to town for dinner</center>
<p>Back at the hotel, I carefully peeled Maryanne's boots off and had a look at her foot. Her ankle was <i>really</i> swollen - so much so that I initially thought she may have broken something. After doing a few tests, we decided it was probably just a really bad sprain.
<p>We didn't have much walking planned for the next day, just the long drive back to Reykjavik. She was still sore enough that she asked me to drive her the ten parking spaces between our door and the breakfast room. When we sat at the first table by the door instead of by the kitchen, Sergio seemed to think we wanted our privacy and disappeared behind the doors to do some cleaning or something.
<p>When we waved him over, a broad smile came over his face. We explained about Maryanne's ankle. He offered a whole kitchen full of ice for a pack, which I declined, saying I could always just stick her foot out the window if we wanted to cool it off. After a few more "Are you sures", and "It's no problems", we resumed our conversation where we had left it off the day before.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpD5mf35OGEu1K3aNoAtfvIGCiuhJ2zccsLJHyXXSGDY_XP4oTLGyngnts3LlT-MnvlrCCVG6aQpmSKeN3ueFSeZ1r4M92xfFf5ZDKunn8uuVuGjoi0MHLy3nsjDD0vAC15HCToYqj83RnEC-DYLkGRRPDeXawHcTm_h8QgVhQqanXaWg-nJK/s2592/DSC01141.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgpD5mf35OGEu1K3aNoAtfvIGCiuhJ2zccsLJHyXXSGDY_XP4oTLGyngnts3LlT-MnvlrCCVG6aQpmSKeN3ueFSeZ1r4M92xfFf5ZDKunn8uuVuGjoi0MHLy3nsjDD0vAC15HCToYqj83RnEC-DYLkGRRPDeXawHcTm_h8QgVhQqanXaWg-nJK/s200/DSC01141.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Z2SbdXYF-B9hy_IKyrK8PYNvDGAFnq9Ihe9vbpnaLm7bBj3PGsfDUzyeJhyphenhyphent1mJZDBzKQWlaTAplUXcx3sQR-Eahw2GD9WvNLIwYKl71LrgyYWFHI1_EtROaOPe9T6Z07ec70s3RgksDGwNVEdI5rQagDsLwL49OI2FzLEk9Zexs5bIZ9ip/s4032/IMG_9332-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC7Z2SbdXYF-B9hy_IKyrK8PYNvDGAFnq9Ihe9vbpnaLm7bBj3PGsfDUzyeJhyphenhyphent1mJZDBzKQWlaTAplUXcx3sQR-Eahw2GD9WvNLIwYKl71LrgyYWFHI1_EtROaOPe9T6Z07ec70s3RgksDGwNVEdI5rQagDsLwL49OI2FzLEk9Zexs5bIZ9ip/s200/IMG_9332-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPRkWl2aFed7xRksPneFvzKl8rCGjmVUQn0B9iveHuhQMtzjwmzFxWfwVAPhVhg5Xw78F_VPW9ueJji8bPcrZDlfBbRzpGGrkr_NSVZ22_fI9mezfiVIP5evYTUKJYvR1maMozYk6D5fnBfDErxZNbj3aqNA4KP4CTmmOLd5tSWzjkw9D0e7G/s4032/IMG_9334.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPRkWl2aFed7xRksPneFvzKl8rCGjmVUQn0B9iveHuhQMtzjwmzFxWfwVAPhVhg5Xw78F_VPW9ueJji8bPcrZDlfBbRzpGGrkr_NSVZ22_fI9mezfiVIP5evYTUKJYvR1maMozYk6D5fnBfDErxZNbj3aqNA4KP4CTmmOLd5tSWzjkw9D0e7G/s200/IMG_9334.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnk4serFBq8rRYBH004D41JhmshMUBKKyFrFbh7vSe5AReNDvPc2eAbl5LPSEPAqtlr9oVSMwgEWAPjqhkfppKiEooIV4r5yvXcPbnvCqM28drtp2u4X7GvNid1qzVPKRxYrYFxaVIM9LlIC7nGZyupkyiLvYesMTu7Zp1SU3s5rAuoJlg2T8/s3460/IMG_E9336-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3460" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnk4serFBq8rRYBH004D41JhmshMUBKKyFrFbh7vSe5AReNDvPc2eAbl5LPSEPAqtlr9oVSMwgEWAPjqhkfppKiEooIV4r5yvXcPbnvCqM28drtp2u4X7GvNid1qzVPKRxYrYFxaVIM9LlIC7nGZyupkyiLvYesMTu7Zp1SU3s5rAuoJlg2T8/s200/IMG_E9336-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV_WyzLjr1j47hLue36K7DajPHKlRtkQAq8ReCrsSvmiEe1BBYv-tUzAD1wP1g29ckEIdhGuoO_V20PcrfgEgEsgGN2SmFjZtKhvhMDvjX68v5EEaMpSUqF_sPxcpfCklw8TkT2122HuKDFJRIEPvhyUzewsL5g-vXTR8qwHPLIfI_iW9IuCn/s4032/IMG_2209.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKV_WyzLjr1j47hLue36K7DajPHKlRtkQAq8ReCrsSvmiEe1BBYv-tUzAD1wP1g29ckEIdhGuoO_V20PcrfgEgEsgGN2SmFjZtKhvhMDvjX68v5EEaMpSUqF_sPxcpfCklw8TkT2122HuKDFJRIEPvhyUzewsL5g-vXTR8qwHPLIfI_iW9IuCn/s200/IMG_2209.jpg"/></a>
<br>For the few stops, Kyle took the pictures while I remained in the car for the drive to Reykjavik, and we took a break at Vik for lunch</center>
<p>After a few scenic stops, the most fun of which was the Uxafótofoss waterfall, which fell off the escarpment and then went UP, We made a brief lunchtime stop in Vik. By then, our main goal, other than clocking road miles in daylight, was to find Maryanne some crutches by scouring the giant second-hand shop there. The employees were very nice in helping me tear apart the place, looking for what I wanted. In the end, I had to settle for a walker. Maryanne thought it was a bit of overkill and a little embarrassing, but once she had a go, she decided she liked it way better than putting weight on that ankle.
<p>We tried another, even bigger store when we got to Reykjavik. This time we found a good pair of crutches, so now we look like we are ready to start a hospital ward.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT_bqwDi1j0sRa3xiZbHMHzkxWZME1reh2dZdaQyNcMViyx16ynQQ2ZWG1MUahhy0FoRbAHyBvBAasnxs_dhdHhBp_kQ-RPHanPmY6YoWzVWgmWpnzf_Dt38iJ7G8a9OEyVpFJEzWiHwldWJ2JnlA8-GAQvb-ZqGsRodoVwk2C_uxBZFGbPPd/s4032/IMG_9339-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimT_bqwDi1j0sRa3xiZbHMHzkxWZME1reh2dZdaQyNcMViyx16ynQQ2ZWG1MUahhy0FoRbAHyBvBAasnxs_dhdHhBp_kQ-RPHanPmY6YoWzVWgmWpnzf_Dt38iJ7G8a9OEyVpFJEzWiHwldWJ2JnlA8-GAQvb-ZqGsRodoVwk2C_uxBZFGbPPd/s200/IMG_9339-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>Iceland has some great second hand stores, and we found the crutches for Maryanne for under $5</center>
<p>The directions to get to our hotel in Reykjavik weren't great. We found the building okay and even managed score a good parking space in front, but once we got inside, found that none of the room numbers correlated with anything in our reservation. I called the office, which was in another building a few blocks away. They told me to come over and they would sort it.
<p>Downtown Reykjavik has the usual big city driving problems of one-way streets and difficult-to-find parking. Add to that that Maryanne couldn't walk, there was snow everywhere, and it had already been a long day, and you have a pretty good recipe for frustration. I may have seemed a bit curt to the friendly desk clerk as he explained to me that we had been in the correct building initially, but the room number on our reservation was actually the post code for the downtown region generally, so it was a good thing I trotted over to get the actual room number.
<p>"Actually, uh…never mind."
<p>After walking a few blocks to our new parking space, where Maryanne was waiting for me in the car, we drove through three miles of one-way streets to get the ten blocks back to the building with our room. By some miracle, our old parking spot right at the door was still vacant. Well, at least that's something.
<p>After we had moved into our room, when Maryanne asked if I wanted to go out to celebrate, I responded that what I really wanted was specifically to not go out. We could see Reykjavik tomorrow. I wanted to relax and not do anything else for the rest of the day
<p>"Alright", she said, "It <i>is</i> your birthday."
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Reykjavík, Iceland64.1469868 -21.940755235.836752963821148 -57.0970052 90 13.215494799999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-44178949361754995672023-12-12T18:00:00.010-05:002024-02-07T14:59:37.525-05:00Iceland (Part 2 of 4)[Kyle]In the morning, we emerged into the lobby of our Höfn hotel for breakfast. The attendant/front desk clerk had put out enough food for at least five. He reconfirmed that we were not only the <b><i>only</i></b> guests, but also fully half of the occupants of the hotel, along with himself and his girlfriend, who also works there. When I asked him about the pronunciation of the hotel's name, Jokull, which means Glacier in Icelandic and is supposed to be pronounced something like, "Yo-kutl", he explained that he was Polish and has never really figured it out himself. He said it was more important, especially when talking over the phone, to know the whole range of how tourists speaking English might try to pronounce it.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePo3CXsykkRY_WwIb_lflBurlGS6YALYSt3PNXxjPfyEw_gB3dHw9wx01wXGWB7VfT1A_GXKlqOovmiFxIq7t80-HVLmTV7ssXmiTMHJOd4eu1tkHa9tj_W9r-mMdu5-LMxb4ikc-GF5a4T_8nB1WkcD0rhC-mFvCWKGeric7QZhGwi-7aWY5/s200/DSC00797.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>We were underway in the dark again as we continued our eastward push east along the south coast. We started with a crazy-steep drive up a 4WD road to a high viewpoint over Höfn and the adjacent bay.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqKYFXsuU_Go-YDIdPv9lpvRCCHnhF6JkesjReufOLNnKlZsROyevykl4sZa7oF5KC-rMXgUATIHj8xqh1lWMw_9l1QMNIn9f_a0DTXIFjrgcyPHY60XrzTgULwf0CjLaliR1WQNzdwyatHqUh8acCVZMcEJSChM5-6M6PE_qch6vjKFO1rXS/s7934/IMG_1727.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3928" data-original-width="7934" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtqKYFXsuU_Go-YDIdPv9lpvRCCHnhF6JkesjReufOLNnKlZsROyevykl4sZa7oF5KC-rMXgUATIHj8xqh1lWMw_9l1QMNIn9f_a0DTXIFjrgcyPHY60XrzTgULwf0CjLaliR1WQNzdwyatHqUh8acCVZMcEJSChM5-6M6PE_qch6vjKFO1rXS/s400/IMG_1727.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6G30JuLsePIFcvLtJ_X_EC5_aSXvNVlzwfVMf-Rb2cLfnAT0Lf-nCwIXjTFtPtOhYXnxraGB0RPhkO6mxfMNzFke07OkX3N8jxlM66Jf0F8PKxsHqu4kMDI_DxxPvHquV8xK9vBBLQ-QtX5iBGN4A9D2gwZ75tU-V7X_CMMW4Z7iJcJQBAw4/s3986/IMG_1736.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp6G30JuLsePIFcvLtJ_X_EC5_aSXvNVlzwfVMf-Rb2cLfnAT0Lf-nCwIXjTFtPtOhYXnxraGB0RPhkO6mxfMNzFke07OkX3N8jxlM66Jf0F8PKxsHqu4kMDI_DxxPvHquV8xK9vBBLQ-QtX5iBGN4A9D2gwZ75tU-V7X_CMMW4Z7iJcJQBAw4/s200/IMG_1736.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfmFX7Zl0pB8m9LVzhwcT68oK1EH9xMFD6Wes6whnDMVd1mGUtt8e8MfwResV6rxHntKNRS2dm_rZ3bIoPdj2yb5wbXM3vt5ADWP0rNImgkJ7N80anPmvAZpgV7kPgWllIufchKSX6bVKmAUqRBABmaFV6FWA6ySTlg7f0wggPaFvEfmWrdb1/s4032/IMG_8950.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMfmFX7Zl0pB8m9LVzhwcT68oK1EH9xMFD6Wes6whnDMVd1mGUtt8e8MfwResV6rxHntKNRS2dm_rZ3bIoPdj2yb5wbXM3vt5ADWP0rNImgkJ7N80anPmvAZpgV7kPgWllIufchKSX6bVKmAUqRBABmaFV6FWA6ySTlg7f0wggPaFvEfmWrdb1/s200/IMG_8950.jpg"/></a>
<br>Morning light arriving encourages us to pull over for the viewpoints along the coastal road</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaT1R6bG3Dqr-CpWg3whSd4-98xcDtEVCzR81o204eo5SjBtPl7Y6ipNXxdWeF-gzxdjFJaSJydqbTsqw1RPwXqvWWowqqzEw354YS7Iv4Ze7LgdE-Izn0E_mx_ZG-pyYlfVJMAo3OjgnBxhKR_p-OERsdHFm4RmN_w4nNezcm0qqiGVW2MJ1c/s2592/DSC00777.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaT1R6bG3Dqr-CpWg3whSd4-98xcDtEVCzR81o204eo5SjBtPl7Y6ipNXxdWeF-gzxdjFJaSJydqbTsqw1RPwXqvWWowqqzEw354YS7Iv4Ze7LgdE-Izn0E_mx_ZG-pyYlfVJMAo3OjgnBxhKR_p-OERsdHFm4RmN_w4nNezcm0qqiGVW2MJ1c/s200/DSC00777.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7tVxkbAv8ySXdXwUJrLo_sLxT6kKzrMe11Lqdqd6Qxhfjn53s2sI-w7Ni1L7356Dn6pHvWev3ZqN6sKjCPnQZ1jH_bbj8XW84QWUBia6be5i8zyehCf2N1bZUbUbzAuz2OGmhiMLePy1XKmicBZ2RAENlgz9-y562d5A6LkYCZPGdPC-dVSq/s4772/IMG_8968.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4772" data-original-width="3990" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg7tVxkbAv8ySXdXwUJrLo_sLxT6kKzrMe11Lqdqd6Qxhfjn53s2sI-w7Ni1L7356Dn6pHvWev3ZqN6sKjCPnQZ1jH_bbj8XW84QWUBia6be5i8zyehCf2N1bZUbUbzAuz2OGmhiMLePy1XKmicBZ2RAENlgz9-y562d5A6LkYCZPGdPC-dVSq/s200/IMG_8968.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLVy2cdRgTMFnzjJ7SW1VjY_f-h6HwMH6ZgPSAaFyGLemoqsBspuU_eho0393Fd5ykQujLWvDYAUPX7P5esBVskIzCuOWtzjC1_LFmPVb5Dc9yPSV9rFpBQ39DX6tt4okpF_CJ0NYbZzQFB40KSzO1H_vL6Irnrt9V3IDNswy1wR_x8Szz0OQ/s5596/IMG_8972.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="5596" data-original-width="3964" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdLVy2cdRgTMFnzjJ7SW1VjY_f-h6HwMH6ZgPSAaFyGLemoqsBspuU_eho0393Fd5ykQujLWvDYAUPX7P5esBVskIzCuOWtzjC1_LFmPVb5Dc9yPSV9rFpBQ39DX6tt4okpF_CJ0NYbZzQFB40KSzO1H_vL6Irnrt9V3IDNswy1wR_x8Szz0OQ/s200/IMG_8972.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaAhcS3KA211-hixHu9wDy6Hq9fgW02eP_zQzpiEJDZk8bL8ZnqyO5sHU0SKXJYfxRD1vo2b2m98YOdGoFWMVzvNnUmQdLKwjrujEVlTJMs5pk8lDa1eNMYIke5C2ip7tDtamMsVfqXfHX4I85G0m1q-AQdSgdMAmo1cdNkdclo8yaxDGCKrQ/s6860/IMG_8978.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3918" data-original-width="6860" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaAhcS3KA211-hixHu9wDy6Hq9fgW02eP_zQzpiEJDZk8bL8ZnqyO5sHU0SKXJYfxRD1vo2b2m98YOdGoFWMVzvNnUmQdLKwjrujEVlTJMs5pk8lDa1eNMYIke5C2ip7tDtamMsVfqXfHX4I85G0m1q-AQdSgdMAmo1cdNkdclo8yaxDGCKrQ/s400/IMG_8978.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_suw2bfazhOeZ-SpxIrG6aYP_VznVgy_eiv-3iyB6F93G9B5xqZ2z4hPWJbfjg3XXlZpyV9XFqcoUJwBWeM4ZGQFk2ikf50GzhX5XW2EexWql_0ge_BbWYaRKCLlv85NZ5pYpdomsS26MWzvuadPzAknmTBZUZ2WmShCHAx5cvRwM00WSIYQR/s4032/IMG_1743.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_suw2bfazhOeZ-SpxIrG6aYP_VznVgy_eiv-3iyB6F93G9B5xqZ2z4hPWJbfjg3XXlZpyV9XFqcoUJwBWeM4ZGQFk2ikf50GzhX5XW2EexWql_0ge_BbWYaRKCLlv85NZ5pYpdomsS26MWzvuadPzAknmTBZUZ2WmShCHAx5cvRwM00WSIYQR/s200/IMG_1743.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBFR8j613GBU50E8bCElSfUzQOBjpZOENMbf3-0ZI5ZOeMmk2Tw-bVkU0kiYiuP4c5gkMPhuE4WKVbOQQUHYct0nrmGIyne7BXFsr7fHev9JiP82fLwh39KuGR53mdyf4XIt5OqpRV3fUjC-s46cOVljvAe0yLMuZ0jenaCfmCHoPa4Thzmtn/s4032/IMG_8979.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikBFR8j613GBU50E8bCElSfUzQOBjpZOENMbf3-0ZI5ZOeMmk2Tw-bVkU0kiYiuP4c5gkMPhuE4WKVbOQQUHYct0nrmGIyne7BXFsr7fHev9JiP82fLwh39KuGR53mdyf4XIt5OqpRV3fUjC-s46cOVljvAe0yLMuZ0jenaCfmCHoPa4Thzmtn/s200/IMG_8979.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FCrsnRlOJBQJC11YdFbGvvQqwP9d9bS3xpCYmIdicbHaR-ZBXP9iCMM35pousANtUfiY1wHKLqDWFa2av_5iGR6fhHIAVVssnsHK1AH9ISzZ_xSMzIB4cZkxEhRBSsHS9tDAYyoqdna7mdVr4G3iKR2uua_R2Cc_gpYJBkzLLfcN24ZvQH0C/s3607/IMG_E1763.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2704" data-original-width="3607" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4FCrsnRlOJBQJC11YdFbGvvQqwP9d9bS3xpCYmIdicbHaR-ZBXP9iCMM35pousANtUfiY1wHKLqDWFa2av_5iGR6fhHIAVVssnsHK1AH9ISzZ_xSMzIB4cZkxEhRBSsHS9tDAYyoqdna7mdVr4G3iKR2uua_R2Cc_gpYJBkzLLfcN24ZvQH0C/s200/IMG_E1763.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefico8uU0xuHlZF0MeIHicAIKC6zwHtuOBLP-CPnQC0mqe_pMGTg60Yv-M-H-8JfNJiwZeqjyWqtz5VCiiYlryAIhUITvlaMhgGYovZWYO_qrVhMgsVoEP52IPXbp6LppoNYy_7QmkuR5iW8RBF5__Cz77BhehTFcFcOI8-la1WOJ5xkDh5-g/s4032/IMG_1766.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjefico8uU0xuHlZF0MeIHicAIKC6zwHtuOBLP-CPnQC0mqe_pMGTg60Yv-M-H-8JfNJiwZeqjyWqtz5VCiiYlryAIhUITvlaMhgGYovZWYO_qrVhMgsVoEP52IPXbp6LppoNYy_7QmkuR5iW8RBF5__Cz77BhehTFcFcOI8-la1WOJ5xkDh5-g/s200/IMG_1766.jpg"/></a>
<br>And the various waterfalls along the stream at Skútafoss</center>
<p>Just around the corner, we stopped for a short walk to Skútafoss (the suffix foss in Icelandic translates to waterfall) While viewing the half-frozen falls, we couldn't help but notice another, more interesting-looking set a little further up. From there, we saw another one and so on… After a happy hour or so bounding around the rocks and splashing through the rivulets, we finally made it back to our car.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePo3CXsykkRY_WwIb_lflBurlGS6YALYSt3PNXxjPfyEw_gB3dHw9wx01wXGWB7VfT1A_GXKlqOovmiFxIq7t80-HVLmTV7ssXmiTMHJOd4eu1tkHa9tj_W9r-mMdu5-LMxb4ikc-GF5a4T_8nB1WkcD0rhC-mFvCWKGeric7QZhGwi-7aWY5/s2528/DSC00797.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1896" data-original-width="2528" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgePo3CXsykkRY_WwIb_lflBurlGS6YALYSt3PNXxjPfyEw_gB3dHw9wx01wXGWB7VfT1A_GXKlqOovmiFxIq7t80-HVLmTV7ssXmiTMHJOd4eu1tkHa9tj_W9r-mMdu5-LMxb4ikc-GF5a4T_8nB1WkcD0rhC-mFvCWKGeric7QZhGwi-7aWY5/s200/DSC00797.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EvznYx2tXJowA8wpvOKX1ai3aFSg1fcLY_lVJC4ws5X37FJmSzd6tTU3kBm91Wbn6fL_OVy2ZxASTSFXZTaPVJKC3vLrVjEqcLGtqYtDnfHU6k3Y7fadOL19L6fnn6Umymj4ZjXvcfMUuqd94wjr35uG73OdbC6nRgUDgL2tMbQQ_z5g9MJ5/s3042/DSC00801.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="3042" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9EvznYx2tXJowA8wpvOKX1ai3aFSg1fcLY_lVJC4ws5X37FJmSzd6tTU3kBm91Wbn6fL_OVy2ZxASTSFXZTaPVJKC3vLrVjEqcLGtqYtDnfHU6k3Y7fadOL19L6fnn6Umymj4ZjXvcfMUuqd94wjr35uG73OdbC6nRgUDgL2tMbQQ_z5g9MJ5/s200/DSC00801.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9TyAFdRieA6pRjhF7HF7w_6jwLfNVsplDXFtmLuqiQH2uLQls4Hd72hzuk01rL5Jmbec11M5sVFzpgM_7nGo03hHtOwCADm_rj4tPbtINnwJgRste3L3Jr4_5o1-SQ8VZj-3DjUZ_-BChPRQG5ewn29Lh4pxUJGs2gPeqEdG9HV9pA4_pAqx/s4032/IMG_1780.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO9TyAFdRieA6pRjhF7HF7w_6jwLfNVsplDXFtmLuqiQH2uLQls4Hd72hzuk01rL5Jmbec11M5sVFzpgM_7nGo03hHtOwCADm_rj4tPbtINnwJgRste3L3Jr4_5o1-SQ8VZj-3DjUZ_-BChPRQG5ewn29Lh4pxUJGs2gPeqEdG9HV9pA4_pAqx/s200/IMG_1780.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GYSww2G4qRJe70zd1RJmwyUx_iuzhoLjN57vnvsZEzEB_7aKvvU0tnaqWjf8MJShcubPS8hCameexmjkmUqAt2N8wf107z5R3q1xFILIPzEtNOoFxS-UPV9Btel1vyDhJmP8lPG0Et7r-x_TD5_HA18LhElTJml9kKqISZBkvX1QlDRfL4Ly/s4032/IMG_1803.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5GYSww2G4qRJe70zd1RJmwyUx_iuzhoLjN57vnvsZEzEB_7aKvvU0tnaqWjf8MJShcubPS8hCameexmjkmUqAt2N8wf107z5R3q1xFILIPzEtNOoFxS-UPV9Btel1vyDhJmP8lPG0Et7r-x_TD5_HA18LhElTJml9kKqISZBkvX1QlDRfL4Ly/s200/IMG_1803.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHi4ViuXizNxAD_E570FomSYdum9Cq40Z4L5TTpdZ22I4KuP_lXVUXHI1DJZguVDwKjsTdqrM7DtZGZBfR7XFKpsIMX9Ff3g-h2IpKwcmhFkHekB1nvn3MbwAOhS3AMsfcMjFydb9E4AcLGkFhIHpN_AKHIA5HjEvsE0qkczARU5XGjRWBTrK/s4032/IMG_1805.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHHi4ViuXizNxAD_E570FomSYdum9Cq40Z4L5TTpdZ22I4KuP_lXVUXHI1DJZguVDwKjsTdqrM7DtZGZBfR7XFKpsIMX9Ff3g-h2IpKwcmhFkHekB1nvn3MbwAOhS3AMsfcMjFydb9E4AcLGkFhIHpN_AKHIA5HjEvsE0qkczARU5XGjRWBTrK/s200/IMG_1805.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6CjXHeM7EG0BunK14sCFP1DM-wWKbt1Y76KNyg7BvgZty8BdeqsMPxBtcfdhDedXEgMyyXWJ382nPrLTKgxUFMU2SWhC3b1OfQsBH171vxuqa20_o93LvckDnXhWEH3iBUfK5m6UOGnldcVtjdbuFPfajtmNobbx1NErukMk2LAiU8V3rYB4/s4032/IMG_1826.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM6CjXHeM7EG0BunK14sCFP1DM-wWKbt1Y76KNyg7BvgZty8BdeqsMPxBtcfdhDedXEgMyyXWJ382nPrLTKgxUFMU2SWhC3b1OfQsBH171vxuqa20_o93LvckDnXhWEH3iBUfK5m6UOGnldcVtjdbuFPfajtmNobbx1NErukMk2LAiU8V3rYB4/s200/IMG_1826.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqu1zs6OydDCS7t-wKdy0PmUpqfHX1KUPshAicOPCj9S2wWHmO2dyT_HK8DznAmuiYJdZeGA0cm4RbU0pWXDJyWxD-Peh6PXqppYpIQ9Ca35Lv-joRnz8NPh43FAsz-cN7vRSyTNLo0VS24mTSPyAgoTiMO65ZFyufULttOu6J4p3gibwXsAg/s3872/IMG_8986.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2904" data-original-width="3872" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhqu1zs6OydDCS7t-wKdy0PmUpqfHX1KUPshAicOPCj9S2wWHmO2dyT_HK8DznAmuiYJdZeGA0cm4RbU0pWXDJyWxD-Peh6PXqppYpIQ9Ca35Lv-joRnz8NPh43FAsz-cN7vRSyTNLo0VS24mTSPyAgoTiMO65ZFyufULttOu6J4p3gibwXsAg/s200/IMG_8986.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDkDdbV0zAls0i4IsvXeYLHpWYcO_y6EONcmTwiti0KRQkmLGdVU8WyKnl-R-B7OgAkSWx4SoNaEJY63p4C0Ry7vfGHTRbNSjrR0_y75NSkfb3VDbJ5cesBkW9_4r5UvymqQ_uFaXcG9POO9LJNXxpd-tDn7PA-m1zPic-J7Ku4771uJqX9k8/s4032/IMG_9003.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBDkDdbV0zAls0i4IsvXeYLHpWYcO_y6EONcmTwiti0KRQkmLGdVU8WyKnl-R-B7OgAkSWx4SoNaEJY63p4C0Ry7vfGHTRbNSjrR0_y75NSkfb3VDbJ5cesBkW9_4r5UvymqQ_uFaXcG9POO9LJNXxpd-tDn7PA-m1zPic-J7Ku4771uJqX9k8/s200/IMG_9003.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fkCt-xhv0RciLuJIFPSc7aF6wbccT45ROJbyNL7ECZWQAG_MhKDguT8tQ0tjK2b_qVMtDxviFzk1FnFK_RXqj5EXNfxWshhsZ8G0jfjv9ep6SGM39BvbjjmsrGDktv-ywqqlj4VynsHUoIgDcTfhTkP4iuhHxN49s6gh90nBOFlVleIynBBP/s2592/DSC00877.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7fkCt-xhv0RciLuJIFPSc7aF6wbccT45ROJbyNL7ECZWQAG_MhKDguT8tQ0tjK2b_qVMtDxviFzk1FnFK_RXqj5EXNfxWshhsZ8G0jfjv9ep6SGM39BvbjjmsrGDktv-ywqqlj4VynsHUoIgDcTfhTkP4iuhHxN49s6gh90nBOFlVleIynBBP/s200/DSC00877.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcfIQqkz8OQvIV4wVHOkuk2-E-BQCOOzr1Fcck6W6Ai6NBcQ5Nh8UZNFFkw_037sN7cLTC3KYtuTIVxKRMQ4a4bw94r6shVpIMGXTT8Dwaro05uJmLn5TO-muGl69Rw5q6euZqa5DdyvFcxBnEDNZyQ_cbS2ZVbqiOAtz6Qo3aklEPoEhyphenhyphen55m/s4032/IMG_1834.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNcfIQqkz8OQvIV4wVHOkuk2-E-BQCOOzr1Fcck6W6Ai6NBcQ5Nh8UZNFFkw_037sN7cLTC3KYtuTIVxKRMQ4a4bw94r6shVpIMGXTT8Dwaro05uJmLn5TO-muGl69Rw5q6euZqa5DdyvFcxBnEDNZyQ_cbS2ZVbqiOAtz6Qo3aklEPoEhyphenhyphen55m/s200/IMG_1834.jpg"/></a>
<br>The long drive was a filmstrip of beautiful sights</center>
<p>This was bad. Since we were heading northeast, the sun would be setting earlier and earlier with every mile. Plus, it was starting to snow. At our rental cabin in Egilsstaðir, official sunset would be at 2:45pm. It was already noon and we still had 200km to go, mostly along winding fjords that you just know are peppered with amazing viewpoints. Maryanne and I reluctantly agreed that any subsequent stops would have to be both fewer and further between.
<p>In ideal conditions, we would have had almost an extra hour to play with. In reality, the increasingly heavy snowfall was making the roads more and more treacherous. Instead of driving the 90kph speed limit, we ended up doing most of the journey between 60 and 70kph, which was about 5kph below the speed at which the tires would start to lose their grip on the road. That pretty much ate up the rest of our extra time. We had been hoping for a nice lunch at a cafe in the pretty little seaside village of Djúpivogr, but by the time we got there, we were so far behind that we had to settle for a quick breeze through the town.
<p>It was just starting to get really dark by the time we fetched up at Egilsstaðir. After reviewing our dinner options, we decided to go to a hole-in-the-wall fish and chip shop for takeout. It was a great little place that was all business with no pretense whatsoever. While we watched the woman behind the counter filet and then cook our order, a stream of bundled-up locals came through for their orders.
<p>The last, an old man with a cane, turned out not to be there for the fish and chips, but had been waiting patiently in line to tell me off.
<p>He was the owner of the machine shop next door. When we had parked and shut down the car, the cooling fan came on for a bit. It is admittedly ridiculously loud, and he apparently had come out to investigate the noise. That's when he found us parked one space too far over at the front of his shop.
<p>I effected a very British-style apology, "Oh, terribly sorry! My mistake, I'll move it right away."
<p>"NO MISTAKE!" He yelled at me. He swung his cane so close to my face that I had to step back, and then started jabbing it at a tiny sign high up in the corner of the building with a picture of a tow truck on it. "NO PARKING!!"
<p>How the hell would I have seen that!? "Sorry", I said as I opened the driver's side door, "I'm moving!"
<p>"NOT SORRY!!! MOVE! NOW!" he bellowed, and then hunched over his cane with a scowl and started moving back towards his shop, looking very much like Ebenezer Scrooge himself.
<p>I thought for a brief moment that I still might be close enough to kick that cane out from under him, but decided to focus my energy on moving the car instead. That fan really was annoying.
<p>Icelandic Christmas lore includes the Yule Lads, thirteen brothers who one-at-a-time come down from the hills in the thirteen days before Christmas to play pranks and be mean to misbehaving children. They have descriptive names like The Spoon Licker, The Door Slammer, and the Sausage Swiper. As it was the fourteenth day before Christmas, I wondered if we had encountered Reyr Sveifla, The Cane Swinger, a secret fourteenth brother who punishes bad parkers and makes their next meal taste like fish.
<p>Once I had properly re-parked, the woman behind the counter welcomed me back with a look that seemed meant to convey, "Don't worry about him, Sweetie, he does that fifteen times a day." She then disappeared into the back. A garage door could be heard opening, and then she entered through the main door behind me and tapped me on the shoulder. She took me back outside by the arm, and led me in again through a warren of fishy-smelling processing equipment until we both emerged behind the counter opposite Maryanne. Then, with gesturing and broken English, she handed me a pushpin and told me to put it at our home on a map of the world on the wall. At this point, I froze for a bit trying to figure out where it should go exactly. Maryanne waved at me, "Honey, Canada." That'll do!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMND9j1if759VlN37392dfYpPfV-ErAj_mtnYK9QgIQdIl8aA7J7v2JfeKoJbCTfn1PiyKnYR5Iqtmks5BBaPcIIchq6wBrZoPpRxvHlaDi5XDoo6RrXYiCKy-9Gf0io_6sro9hObGcg3trhLxfkIRggknjDH2S_VXfkTkLhZWOzcfKNSAywyX/s4032/IMG_1839.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMND9j1if759VlN37392dfYpPfV-ErAj_mtnYK9QgIQdIl8aA7J7v2JfeKoJbCTfn1PiyKnYR5Iqtmks5BBaPcIIchq6wBrZoPpRxvHlaDi5XDoo6RrXYiCKy-9Gf0io_6sro9hObGcg3trhLxfkIRggknjDH2S_VXfkTkLhZWOzcfKNSAywyX/s200/IMG_1839.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_4-2LE3V4_AGNuMTxPS7tzRBNStqKwAWJnQFYJliA7PjV2cZpqKn2yPg2NxbJnQS6UnqkTzrb-VMDQOf8SHs6NkCnNyU7lMZ9j2mzBK6kLIOgRgCctbiljJU1i-MHW-UU5kt_BKMK_xm9-4RG-sn-4HA__PFmz2nvc5NXBJdiYe05L8EVtAY/s4032/IMG_1840.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm_4-2LE3V4_AGNuMTxPS7tzRBNStqKwAWJnQFYJliA7PjV2cZpqKn2yPg2NxbJnQS6UnqkTzrb-VMDQOf8SHs6NkCnNyU7lMZ9j2mzBK6kLIOgRgCctbiljJU1i-MHW-UU5kt_BKMK_xm9-4RG-sn-4HA__PFmz2nvc5NXBJdiYe05L8EVtAY/s200/IMG_1840.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauatshYEDQvYYm2Hbjwoh7MYF8mP86vi3nDcdZacaWjlIcUjtdYsz4RNi6RVZOvXOFuO896JRu8StQw0Wy2xqkTcEdNzS6fWohcm7W30RueoXVaZOvKKIoHdNA0D9DY5fam85-QNWKAjFvLJ4DOdgIXWKxiVl2uBHvnLTbeOyy7Xixdr2qzH4/s4032/IMG_1841.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgauatshYEDQvYYm2Hbjwoh7MYF8mP86vi3nDcdZacaWjlIcUjtdYsz4RNi6RVZOvXOFuO896JRu8StQw0Wy2xqkTcEdNzS6fWohcm7W30RueoXVaZOvKKIoHdNA0D9DY5fam85-QNWKAjFvLJ4DOdgIXWKxiVl2uBHvnLTbeOyy7Xixdr2qzH4/s200/IMG_1841.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbVYFkATO-_Rd9U4JvcUSJThWvt1Sqq4a6gx9vp6lGD-cu5euwwT11DRHfFTwj7dmAt-2ThELQ4z5kfn-xFL4Vq6GqUgMUBDJvfi4xmR-M8N9KrYB_bvkGdnOmGcxiTD7TiBdDaG94_0R7siQtqq1GB1bh9dvabiCh7UcKb2tPuKPKzmbuNU_/s2592/DSC00885.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsbVYFkATO-_Rd9U4JvcUSJThWvt1Sqq4a6gx9vp6lGD-cu5euwwT11DRHfFTwj7dmAt-2ThELQ4z5kfn-xFL4Vq6GqUgMUBDJvfi4xmR-M8N9KrYB_bvkGdnOmGcxiTD7TiBdDaG94_0R7siQtqq1GB1bh9dvabiCh7UcKb2tPuKPKzmbuNU_/s200/DSC00885.jpg"/></a>
<br>A fish and chip supper was perfect for our first night in our new accomodation on the lake near Egilsstaðir</center>
<p>Our accommodation was a stand-alone A-frame cabin on the other side of the lake from the Egilsstaðir. It was nice and toasty, like everywhere else indoors in Iceland, but had what I thought was a major drawback for such a quiet, peaceful location. In compliance with what I'm sure is otherwise a sensible government regulation requiring exit signs in public spaces, one was installed in the main room above the entry door.
<p>In most places, this is a glow-in-the-dark sign that has been stuck to the wall, but for some reason, this place had a big one that was hardwired into the electrical system and had an internal set of fluorescent bulbs that made it the single brightest light fixture in the room. It didn't have a switch and even tripping all of the circuit breakers wouldn't extinguish it. In addition to that, there was a bright outdoor floodlight on the deck that was controlled by a light sensor that turns it on at night. Looking out over the lake at night, instead of stars or the lights of the city, all we could see was the glare of the exit sign and the floodlight. The only way we could experience Iceland's long, dark nights was to hide in the bedroom, shut the door and stuff a towel in the crack at the bottom.
<p>This became a problem later when Maryanne started getting alerts on her phone announcing good conditions for seeing the Aurora Borealis. At this, she would tell me to go check to see if anything was visible. After all, one of the main reasons you come to Iceland near the Winter Solstice is to have lots of good darkness to see the lights.
<p>In this context, "Go check…" did not mean to merely pop out and see if anything was visible. Visible or not, I needed to take the camera and tripod with me and get a few long-exposure shots, in case most of the action is too dim to see with the naked eye.
<p>We did have a north-facing window in the bedroom, but it only revealed a small patch of sky. To get a good view, I would have to go outside, get far enough away from the deck floodlights to be in good darkness, and then find a stable surface for the tripod. The top of the car in its parking spot by the road was ideal.
<p>The temperature outside was around -15C, with windchill making it feel ten degrees lower. My choices for "go check" were to, a: Spend ten minutes bundling and unbundling before and after every foray. That was the most sensible option if there was actually good Northern Lights to see, but how would I know until I got out there? Or, I could go for Option 2: Pop out in my indoor wear and hope I'm not out there long enough to actually get too cold. Maryanne rooted for me from her warm bed behind the window.
<p>I had a few attempts without good results. It seemed that just as I was back in a warm bed and falling asleep again, Maryanne would wake me and ask me to try again. In this way, neither of us slept well and I rarely got fully warmed up again.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneSWsG7BUMWU-5bJVakfnnWttgvq_BUjDCPJcpBfzlQutnPJ2fPHEfC4VYncEQJUK_R8I7Smhp_A4mEuszo7TBPavcKlLJnj6LANA_Cdt_laNjvqaJHE8IweiqCHc-BY-DFWjmE6Bi-Z0O0M78DwVwhYXUam6fMGTMd8IcVNkdoY_H0BHIMnI/s2592/DSC00911.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgneSWsG7BUMWU-5bJVakfnnWttgvq_BUjDCPJcpBfzlQutnPJ2fPHEfC4VYncEQJUK_R8I7Smhp_A4mEuszo7TBPavcKlLJnj6LANA_Cdt_laNjvqaJHE8IweiqCHc-BY-DFWjmE6Bi-Z0O0M78DwVwhYXUam6fMGTMd8IcVNkdoY_H0BHIMnI/s200/DSC00911.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZThyphenhyphenzOHHm2GbxSyIaIIWpO6VFyKW3lSgTQJ63_OoChlCSHdi4qPIdCAmZvAKDWxBKAYNmRBpOXZLwhS3HGZLnguVbv-dmiKXlIgFmTqbNcHjOsGQXTZURKIuiwJ5WdEJRvmoPMbEoCCO-mEyuWsVKc4olLFSekdEURaLWttHhCsIvc02lLGR/s2592/DSC00926.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuZThyphenhyphenzOHHm2GbxSyIaIIWpO6VFyKW3lSgTQJ63_OoChlCSHdi4qPIdCAmZvAKDWxBKAYNmRBpOXZLwhS3HGZLnguVbv-dmiKXlIgFmTqbNcHjOsGQXTZURKIuiwJ5WdEJRvmoPMbEoCCO-mEyuWsVKc4olLFSekdEURaLWttHhCsIvc02lLGR/s200/DSC00926.jpg"/></a>
<br>We managed to see the Aurora at last in Iceland! Not the dramatic displays we were really hoping for - but YAY, it happened</center>
<p>It turned out we needn't have gone through all that. When our normal alarm went off at 7am, the Aurora event that had started at three o'clock was still going strong. We both had plenty of time to see it in full darkness after we had bundled up for our day.
<p>We had another night staying at the same place, allowing us to stay in the area for the day.
<p>We started with a drive to the trailhead for Hengifoss. This was a very steep climb to what is usually a series of big waterfalls. Today, the flow was minimal, but the frozen falls made for lots of interesting ice sculptures. We were glad we had brought crampons for the hike.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrLiOLkohrItEWjt9wN-wKud4P7s9qcbispPvFNd-tUygJbGssSlQQdg0t9HJvxBuDD9NTL_6dpD1uX0DLhGOWaGKbANJlle7jdprbukum4fLhE8J0esVPJQ4GmwFfWuC7qFfQaEyE1JQuCX9ldgmXJPJXpmmN4rFrLBsYqA74GEzprXExqN9/s4032/IMG_9013.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicrLiOLkohrItEWjt9wN-wKud4P7s9qcbispPvFNd-tUygJbGssSlQQdg0t9HJvxBuDD9NTL_6dpD1uX0DLhGOWaGKbANJlle7jdprbukum4fLhE8J0esVPJQ4GmwFfWuC7qFfQaEyE1JQuCX9ldgmXJPJXpmmN4rFrLBsYqA74GEzprXExqN9/s200/IMG_9013.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k-n10TeKE2tRiXwmVM6vc9tCWtolU9JmTZbSCPsOA1qAU6Tbs8gseRvtz12mQjAErmLzdHsSrm05ObHwlkKjA_qW_vdmyDVypXKYeUMshWVjxi0XFz9sAhNMbi-7C6GxiHWLyW51ilJiWzGPl4QQIO4JUu4JCSedknDYXO-hk2Z7VmWqvCSU/s4032/IMG_9016.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3k-n10TeKE2tRiXwmVM6vc9tCWtolU9JmTZbSCPsOA1qAU6Tbs8gseRvtz12mQjAErmLzdHsSrm05ObHwlkKjA_qW_vdmyDVypXKYeUMshWVjxi0XFz9sAhNMbi-7C6GxiHWLyW51ilJiWzGPl4QQIO4JUu4JCSedknDYXO-hk2Z7VmWqvCSU/s200/IMG_9016.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZkZqGpSsemuM9Dm7cacABVTf_NywbmrrJSudioWr7X6D3wEz7jMbezIL32Ps6Pqd0Q7LvRazgpEWR38WHMpzaBYtY9FrxO510wVjN4RDJlC5keKxiKgK8rK3WjqcLQTDxNFK5Z9HygSrHe5rFZsvHIz3_7cEfvnqxQsA_6LCfjqCl3_1sbBk/s3865/IMG_9056.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2899" data-original-width="3865" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZkZqGpSsemuM9Dm7cacABVTf_NywbmrrJSudioWr7X6D3wEz7jMbezIL32Ps6Pqd0Q7LvRazgpEWR38WHMpzaBYtY9FrxO510wVjN4RDJlC5keKxiKgK8rK3WjqcLQTDxNFK5Z9HygSrHe5rFZsvHIz3_7cEfvnqxQsA_6LCfjqCl3_1sbBk/s200/IMG_9056.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMicDouv03I2Gu7eJtkfEM2JTPfyQsoTKaWDmK0QcJ3LHVoWa0xrhMppbZkRFVlRyUlIpqVFAWyHRrl3wO_xuv4Nnb4C3wyMSG7PVPvAMasXaKgD5N50PeknOXDzpeCePnRr3YUssLkSRWLWKp3xUU3hCgsAuONFtkgnwE7ozvHavZvUNjpJ8U/s4032/IMG_9062.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMicDouv03I2Gu7eJtkfEM2JTPfyQsoTKaWDmK0QcJ3LHVoWa0xrhMppbZkRFVlRyUlIpqVFAWyHRrl3wO_xuv4Nnb4C3wyMSG7PVPvAMasXaKgD5N50PeknOXDzpeCePnRr3YUssLkSRWLWKp3xUU3hCgsAuONFtkgnwE7ozvHavZvUNjpJ8U/s200/IMG_9062.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mDc6xkUskz4N5Jg76RtHZYPwUWHYG_i_dxZiA8LVdwpih3OnKK_70928c6ltoHMP-3FNzkz0bXYyXryG42GoBaLNbbHeJ2XJ02OmGs5nGKZEbVE9M01g0NexslGk-sSNujLFlqV5P5JH2hgK4Z2FH25YxSzKHP1kVpjQS6vY2-nLqSC7BW8d/s4032/IMG_1874.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7mDc6xkUskz4N5Jg76RtHZYPwUWHYG_i_dxZiA8LVdwpih3OnKK_70928c6ltoHMP-3FNzkz0bXYyXryG42GoBaLNbbHeJ2XJ02OmGs5nGKZEbVE9M01g0NexslGk-sSNujLFlqV5P5JH2hgK4Z2FH25YxSzKHP1kVpjQS6vY2-nLqSC7BW8d/s200/IMG_1874.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL09rnZx2ZAOmYuFwgVd0Vig8du1HJoIR-Sd812VsyilRpFyH9ahlT5rIOIfR6vUS7-8k1jNqzNLmgHfE3Q2v2Fvt2cLGDHYXgEssy0jgYMYgb4Lj73MKz7YmMn0FI_WXTNB_pweXb9JjaN6azOIrOJpHU1S2ikvtjbA-IjvLhc0q-IGkxwgii/s4108/IMG_9042.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4108" data-original-width="3914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL09rnZx2ZAOmYuFwgVd0Vig8du1HJoIR-Sd812VsyilRpFyH9ahlT5rIOIfR6vUS7-8k1jNqzNLmgHfE3Q2v2Fvt2cLGDHYXgEssy0jgYMYgb4Lj73MKz7YmMn0FI_WXTNB_pweXb9JjaN6azOIrOJpHU1S2ikvtjbA-IjvLhc0q-IGkxwgii/s200/IMG_9042.jpg"/></a>
<br>The loop walk at Hengifoss was worth the effort</center>
<p>Afterwards, we took the car over the pass to the pretty little village of Seydisfjordur, nestled at the head of a long, east-west fjord. The brightly painted houses are so far below the mountains above that the closest direct sunlight bathes the summits on the northern side in pink and orange light for an hour or so before disappearing for the day.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr6yTf9rM1PERcCUu-8CCpjNzs6VesS1GPBC38EpRKBOZwgC3l4RE_2uSnfOx2buhgsN8hNtFtxh1T9dsUm2lCyp1mJl_FFrDnyuMo-yVRVpf-B535Mk0WTwWEtiTlj2gUhY-CF5TwDby0IjmHocOC2dvwa4SkL7fSUMGvgiq8nA99SS9iVH3/s9754/IMG_9100-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3844" data-original-width="9754" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilr6yTf9rM1PERcCUu-8CCpjNzs6VesS1GPBC38EpRKBOZwgC3l4RE_2uSnfOx2buhgsN8hNtFtxh1T9dsUm2lCyp1mJl_FFrDnyuMo-yVRVpf-B535Mk0WTwWEtiTlj2gUhY-CF5TwDby0IjmHocOC2dvwa4SkL7fSUMGvgiq8nA99SS9iVH3/s400/IMG_9100-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyV-w4KuccGfifD9xFlpnq7Qsh99o4PTRNVTlAsQOuBGRBPtm-mr2FWZpOLnKmgux8WM3Pny6dHZniTQnWWAR8B6NLSGHXW29C7lCGiOlI1_4pIkq5fMutDfqjS4z_XZQmf9wik3-vXXDscuQYfQsrb7cZRiaoYmgLD1j4vPKsG9NTqOc8cpF/s4032/IMG_1882.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUyV-w4KuccGfifD9xFlpnq7Qsh99o4PTRNVTlAsQOuBGRBPtm-mr2FWZpOLnKmgux8WM3Pny6dHZniTQnWWAR8B6NLSGHXW29C7lCGiOlI1_4pIkq5fMutDfqjS4z_XZQmf9wik3-vXXDscuQYfQsrb7cZRiaoYmgLD1j4vPKsG9NTqOc8cpF/s200/IMG_1882.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5KS0NY1-R503u9QcpAPVhvrtxyWm2eclSvEqBMs_Q9qyxSfX1_NgBDUkOAuuXwma6c0LIpqA2ketSWqsbQ7c-bWYmZjCsfg2-eX3FauEyaDTOUpDSdaEWO-z0vxi46GnYdcg3cW40d3qgRex2wSOermnzWbKKXkTF-SFOHs-PslC8wWjR3FV/s2592/DSC00946.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5KS0NY1-R503u9QcpAPVhvrtxyWm2eclSvEqBMs_Q9qyxSfX1_NgBDUkOAuuXwma6c0LIpqA2ketSWqsbQ7c-bWYmZjCsfg2-eX3FauEyaDTOUpDSdaEWO-z0vxi46GnYdcg3cW40d3qgRex2wSOermnzWbKKXkTF-SFOHs-PslC8wWjR3FV/s200/DSC00946.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoWC0oH2-Ea0Em3k0qBLslC6JudfpAeFohxpCn2gK351UpxQKbmj9B__Ofp1ILgJZBQv83o2geIrSNXRgc4PV0W6Zo0wBHrS_K2oYqVZtbhn1A-ZVoFH7V80Xj1hJxLflDEuHe0ChiRNJgmVK3aq5LVAsUB6WudIcSlD2alE5_98kV7TwpNBp/s3915/IMG_1919.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2936" data-original-width="3915" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoWC0oH2-Ea0Em3k0qBLslC6JudfpAeFohxpCn2gK351UpxQKbmj9B__Ofp1ILgJZBQv83o2geIrSNXRgc4PV0W6Zo0wBHrS_K2oYqVZtbhn1A-ZVoFH7V80Xj1hJxLflDEuHe0ChiRNJgmVK3aq5LVAsUB6WudIcSlD2alE5_98kV7TwpNBp/s200/IMG_1919.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_Mvq_AQQnwEYkmH1pt1YSYrc2H_ePXMUkgCYom8o_FvfMExOTRGZazCJCvsKpYwRyO9-eOY2G8YKhG_6tVCOUhkI-Lb-8J2c9oawtOC3937QCOcFgup-OSOxkC7FOCaRmG5eWRIZoMEZcbi0qKAMdByHsXsLd3aSRG7me-LXC-rO1-iMH9RH/s4032/IMG_1921.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4_Mvq_AQQnwEYkmH1pt1YSYrc2H_ePXMUkgCYom8o_FvfMExOTRGZazCJCvsKpYwRyO9-eOY2G8YKhG_6tVCOUhkI-Lb-8J2c9oawtOC3937QCOcFgup-OSOxkC7FOCaRmG5eWRIZoMEZcbi0qKAMdByHsXsLd3aSRG7me-LXC-rO1-iMH9RH/s200/IMG_1921.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ivzlyk_r2iG7h_pVhye_srgT2TNHaztYAqPFX3XYiO_dQF4e6ZD6IUsbO4SlJV-TW_RShyphenhyphen2F-I20mjIlOtdtWSyl6jMbIv3x6xYcyzM8Az75EZBJDtwIUHDUHMf8SJ7h1xoH1R5pO7_wlhshyEd7xUmflUlDx6P4Wge9_WfugcXPBFYVgbdc/s4032/IMG_1926.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7ivzlyk_r2iG7h_pVhye_srgT2TNHaztYAqPFX3XYiO_dQF4e6ZD6IUsbO4SlJV-TW_RShyphenhyphen2F-I20mjIlOtdtWSyl6jMbIv3x6xYcyzM8Az75EZBJDtwIUHDUHMf8SJ7h1xoH1R5pO7_wlhshyEd7xUmflUlDx6P4Wge9_WfugcXPBFYVgbdc/s200/IMG_1926.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYgp-UFOSEZmql9T2QZiFkDZfZ-1y3K61_X8Rcb2w-yelzaKckN2hgk8c5GJ2sbg-h-UTs96DOS0kMBYNLDDwJWm_Rq5DUXddEW-6jIdsZRxcSmizdqts2H9jWYooFXohkVzReSJyRZolkN80OWGYesLO5KKZm8k0O6_TOt3_iYZQWhtt4dfi/s4032/IMG_9113-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheYgp-UFOSEZmql9T2QZiFkDZfZ-1y3K61_X8Rcb2w-yelzaKckN2hgk8c5GJ2sbg-h-UTs96DOS0kMBYNLDDwJWm_Rq5DUXddEW-6jIdsZRxcSmizdqts2H9jWYooFXohkVzReSJyRZolkN80OWGYesLO5KKZm8k0O6_TOt3_iYZQWhtt4dfi/s200/IMG_9113-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>Snow was blowing about the road as we transitted the high pass, but we were soon back down at sea level in tranquil Seydisfjordur</center>
<p>We had been planning to find a nice restaurant for a bite to eat, fully prepared to ignore any feelings about whatever prices we saw. Nothing was open, though, so we ended up buying ingredients for cooking at our cabin at the local grocery store. We both did a double-take when the cashier thanked us in a distinctly Yorkshire accent. There had to be a good story behind that, but there were other patrons waiting, so we had to let the mystery be.
<p>We actually saved enough time to be able to make it through the snowfields at the top of the pass and then to our accommodation before darkness fell. That was nice because I'm sure part of what we were paying for was the view.
<p>Once we finished our dinner and it was properly dark, we drove to nearby Vök Baths for a soak. A geothermal soak is one of the things you just have to do in Iceland, so I figured we might as well do it here. The Vök Baths is built over a hot spring at the edge of Urriðavatn, a small, local lake. The place is a bit pricey, but the facilities are very nice, with big, private showers in the locker rooms, fluffy towels and dispensers with all manner of cosmetic liquids in a variety of scents.
<p>Since it was so cold out (-15C), we splurged and rented Maryanne a bathrobe. The idea was that she would have something to keep out the cold while darting from the warm, indoor locker rooms to the outdoor baths.
<p>It didn't turn out that way. After trying to take our stuff with us, we quickly realized there were no chairs or pegs by the actual hot baths. Perhaps this was because it was late December and no one would want to lounge anyway, but we ended with no options other than draping our towels and bathrobe over a nearby railing. A few minutes and some passing steam later, our stuff was frozen stiff as a board. It turned out the best place to leave everything was on the pegs inside the building, just outside the locker rooms. This meant that we just spent fifteen bucks to rent Maryanne a bathrobe for the ten steps between her locker and the pegs.
<p>Apart from that, the warm water of the pools was very nice. The way Vök Baths is set up is that the nearest pool to the lockers is at 37C. From there, you can go to the next, 39C pool. It floats on the surface of Urriðavatn, which the information sign at the entrance told us was currently sitting at -1C. The last, 41C pool floats further out in the lake over the heat source.
<p>Since the air was so cold, the hot pools were filling the air with so much steam that it was sometimes hard to see where we were walking when going between pools.
<p>This caused Maryanne a bit of frustration when the Northern Lights really started putting on a show. Firstly, it was hard to hold the phone still enough to take multi-second exposures. Secondly, the steam and condensation on the lenses made photography impossible.
<p>Once she realized the futility of the endeavor and gave up trying to record the event, we were able to relax and have a good time.
<p>It <i>was</i> a pretty amazing experience to be able to sit stewing in hot water with wet heads frozen into ice helmets, and watch the clouds of steam part to reveal an active Aurora Borealis dancing across a dark backdrop of stars.
<p>During a pique of bravery, I decided to give descending the swim ladder into lake a try. I didn't get too far. The ice was thick enough to support my entire weight. I even had to worry about the soles of my wet feet freezing to the surface if I lingered too long.
<p>One of my favorite things was to sit at the edge of the hottest pool with my arms in the thin zone at the edge of the ice of Urriðavatn. If I left them there for a few seconds, I could even feel forming ice crystals radiating from my fingers.
<p>Once we exhausted the diversions of sitting in really hot water, we decided to call it a night and head for home. One last bit of business remaining was to collect our free cups of tea.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2wbqvL5WtbZqNjJlQU5HgbqxFh9yVWbv1VEFcUtdBUiRiI4tBFMoJKMm9imrU9tKPdcugCbeD0YhJgnZ8L4VceHNHGWPvZm3813AI06IFU5S-I8AllMB6bt5UgZXfFWR3IITcuErjW3-GVhtNoXTGqXRwAlJSa5HeA6eHVNwqDyN0jVg94vE/s4032/IMG_1953.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2wbqvL5WtbZqNjJlQU5HgbqxFh9yVWbv1VEFcUtdBUiRiI4tBFMoJKMm9imrU9tKPdcugCbeD0YhJgnZ8L4VceHNHGWPvZm3813AI06IFU5S-I8AllMB6bt5UgZXfFWR3IITcuErjW3-GVhtNoXTGqXRwAlJSa5HeA6eHVNwqDyN0jVg94vE/s200/IMG_1953.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3YJ3fJfBkBiS2RVtU4JJJUAYjNiKsNqUCXCsFMerGVeCqdklavoS9tjv1NVg9IMkDNHI30S55TNqnNbOViBTXOEml0Iwyg-jSQLeY01ojYnUIP34tuNH7ioZoQak-tqfQH02T5Aak5kFmw78wAlLCaiWK9BcfruTjRySbxPaHCTc1qAORxV8/s4032/IMG_1957.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF3YJ3fJfBkBiS2RVtU4JJJUAYjNiKsNqUCXCsFMerGVeCqdklavoS9tjv1NVg9IMkDNHI30S55TNqnNbOViBTXOEml0Iwyg-jSQLeY01ojYnUIP34tuNH7ioZoQak-tqfQH02T5Aak5kFmw78wAlLCaiWK9BcfruTjRySbxPaHCTc1qAORxV8/s200/IMG_1957.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKj-mK4BO-64VYFgK2q1FZ9kQiqrveNG4asW_prNWdTRk_tQaF6q4konPG4WwZN4PKZeRtGdQUFHBjEkKkJzpYXj3eqS04z7468N0f_buKdQHpvIZVpbz2wXzq9AD0Eww7MKqJ-QdezeYJHzTtu5pHqRSt4OPJdYKNlJ0lzyFVyDvfL-KhPVW/s4032/IMG_1960.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidKj-mK4BO-64VYFgK2q1FZ9kQiqrveNG4asW_prNWdTRk_tQaF6q4konPG4WwZN4PKZeRtGdQUFHBjEkKkJzpYXj3eqS04z7468N0f_buKdQHpvIZVpbz2wXzq9AD0Eww7MKqJ-QdezeYJHzTtu5pHqRSt4OPJdYKNlJ0lzyFVyDvfL-KhPVW/s200/IMG_1960.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPIbheR_ArY5thlkcx50a-MBYebDlLtyOj8ZzHMo0zE-AElshbLCSrAzaK8Xdo-yRCMIm8zdEsFB3K3esrWulfAe2UfaXV4Wrh0tl7OtMywGwqAeZQkw_0RIKXWea1O0D5N3kmjknDL5uxjbUEpT-SgS6ZeMSCpeR3MXLMh7xk9yP0aLO3Vou/s4032/IMG_1965.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEPIbheR_ArY5thlkcx50a-MBYebDlLtyOj8ZzHMo0zE-AElshbLCSrAzaK8Xdo-yRCMIm8zdEsFB3K3esrWulfAe2UfaXV4Wrh0tl7OtMywGwqAeZQkw_0RIKXWea1O0D5N3kmjknDL5uxjbUEpT-SgS6ZeMSCpeR3MXLMh7xk9yP0aLO3Vou/s200/IMG_1965.jpg"/></a>
<br>Geothermal baths are a popular pastime in Iceland, Vök Baths is one of the rate places on the east coast. We found it impossible to catpure the overhead auroras, but got to marvel at them from the hot baths in the outside air</center>
<p>One thing they are very proud of at Vök Baths is that their hot spring is the only one in the country that is certified as safe to drink. Because of this, as part of the admission price, they offer a visit to their tea bar. This is basically a selection of different tea bags near a valve at the end of a long pipe from the spring. After filling my cup with what was decidedly tepid water, I noticed the feed pipe running along the ceiling, with no outlet other than my cup. With little traffic during the low season, that meant my hot spring water was effectively room temperature, albeit a warm room. My English wife has taught me that tea that temperature is meant to be thrown out. We took a couple of sips to be polite and then did just that.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com2Höfn, Iceland64.255149 -15.20879635.944915163821157 -50.365046 90 19.947454tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-10254859245991467282023-12-10T17:00:00.047-05:002024-02-07T14:59:26.095-05:00Iceland (Part 1 of 4)[Kyle]Our flight from Canada to Iceland was to be our first time flying as regular passengers since my retirement. My career airline subsequently went bankrupt, taking my retirement flight benefits with them. Flying planes is fun, but riding in the cabin really has become such an ordeal that it is not to be recommended. At least we were spared the non-revenue stress of constantly wondering if we were going to make it on.
<p>I don't know if it was just the off-season, but our flight on Play Airlines was barely half-full. Play is one of those super-low-cost carriers that charges extra for every bloody thing. I will give them credit for what must be the world's most comfortable flight-attendant uniforms: red jeans and a white t-shirt emblazoned with the red Play logo. If they want to class it up a bit, they throw a red blazer over it all. The downside is of course that it's all a bit light for greeting boarding passengers with in a swirly, wintery wind.
<p>After taking off and following the general route of the St. Lawrence Seaway, we had a sleepless flight where we were seated right behind two loud guys who loved the sounds of their own voices so much that neither would shut up for the entire duration.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-UyP90juN8BkBVdjcQocyrSQhgefDuSPzl_riJ41XDciYiOT-IMq9jQjK9kE0yg0GzkNAkFd_rXKciwu64BtL3i0OkbeCiNZtF8bD4dAONVtlAF88XamLA055stxtmGSQViQrGT6-gy4C8cX3QSkLTt1B2z5e-E8MhFheXq4MUdKSLyktzoA/s200/DSC00692.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviWdPuQjrBs6U0WSwX0R04-PLr33pn98up8fIRUI2_iN8X-cmI3_Ry0SNmwsp_qTLCZTycMXAmDUF6Nc2quUCzwDskl1LZerbMV8MfFJnzOJ-KQTf_QRVy_KWVeLaAyvhPal7dbcVmu8_BLI_kbkb8XpYdCJmzvLoyFrQy2VZzt151PQa9jKk/s4032/IMG_1394.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjviWdPuQjrBs6U0WSwX0R04-PLr33pn98up8fIRUI2_iN8X-cmI3_Ry0SNmwsp_qTLCZTycMXAmDUF6Nc2quUCzwDskl1LZerbMV8MfFJnzOJ-KQTf_QRVy_KWVeLaAyvhPal7dbcVmu8_BLI_kbkb8XpYdCJmzvLoyFrQy2VZzt151PQa9jKk/s200/IMG_1394.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8I1EHnSDOdYhI2GE65r2hC8NYL-A8cU6xALOFelrUx20sbcSYWy0CgpyVEgI3SdJfDtqcwvhP5CKi8HrdCbMSJBioMU2RLsFYlKvhNRzLwWMxK_ehmWcx7s0EEjKVQnQtSd8LjINqzGDvxcfE4HJO2P48kTfaAodv5ihAYLSU9oYu_Poqwyd/s4032/IMG_1398.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF8I1EHnSDOdYhI2GE65r2hC8NYL-A8cU6xALOFelrUx20sbcSYWy0CgpyVEgI3SdJfDtqcwvhP5CKi8HrdCbMSJBioMU2RLsFYlKvhNRzLwWMxK_ehmWcx7s0EEjKVQnQtSd8LjINqzGDvxcfE4HJO2P48kTfaAodv5ihAYLSU9oYu_Poqwyd/s200/IMG_1398.jpg"/></a>
<br>The flight included our first introduction to Icelandic candy - they really like salty liquorice (but no aurora sightings)</center>
<p>Our flight landed in Keflavik International Airport in the well-before-dawn darkness of 4:40am. By the time we cleared Customs, collected our rental car and scraped the windows clear of ice (the first time I have had to do THAT in decades!), it was rapidly approaching six o'clock.
<p>Now we had a problem. I had booked our first hotel night in Vik, about a three-and-a-half hour drive from the airport. The problem was that since the southern coast of Iceland is less than 200 miles south of the Arctic Circle, and since it was only thirteen days until the Winter Solstice, we still had another three-and-a-half hours of nighttime left to go before it would even start getting light out. We knew there would be lots of great scenery along the way, so we didn't want to leave early and drive in the dark.
<p>All of the nearby museums were closed as a way of eating up some time. Maryanne came up with the idea of picking up any provisions we would need for the week at a nearby grocery store and then head for Vik by taking a less direct route through the Krysuvik geothermal area.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaFclLqqIBOjX5N_WQwGIopX2JCp-ddJz2O0WBRe24dnG_w4NHch-vUZwaL3McaKOcw_vbxSBie4bVIUYAm6m46bTR0dSOqvDMGbBxl8Tc1m6H5gmIm4L80ugcQaH79BpxDK53MS5e9GZuiFUS6SPgxNO8xGSQZIaiuGpBoHpbNfsNVmAyNXk/s4032/IMG_1403.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSaFclLqqIBOjX5N_WQwGIopX2JCp-ddJz2O0WBRe24dnG_w4NHch-vUZwaL3McaKOcw_vbxSBie4bVIUYAm6m46bTR0dSOqvDMGbBxl8Tc1m6H5gmIm4L80ugcQaH79BpxDK53MS5e9GZuiFUS6SPgxNO8xGSQZIaiuGpBoHpbNfsNVmAyNXk/s200/IMG_1403.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7giftIiKnqffgG5FcMrEjXrLnNev9smhdkrFYt6m1Fh2HZp_3JsBO06F_cAUzTpNAp8Hz2KFTib_u3OBRbGq2cn9J1-X7AO45HnEJB-VQ6sSP6EawvO4Mj-sfttzQv7H-I945oZciqxUIStHHweW9hFz8HV8tUl2cy_Ffnn8QB2jCy5R6Q0Kr/s2592/DSC00385.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7giftIiKnqffgG5FcMrEjXrLnNev9smhdkrFYt6m1Fh2HZp_3JsBO06F_cAUzTpNAp8Hz2KFTib_u3OBRbGq2cn9J1-X7AO45HnEJB-VQ6sSP6EawvO4Mj-sfttzQv7H-I945oZciqxUIStHHweW9hFz8HV8tUl2cy_Ffnn8QB2jCy5R6Q0Kr/s200/DSC00385.jpg"/></a>
<br>Once we cleared the car of ice, our first tourist spot was to the coastal church (Strandarkirkja) originally built by sailors in the 12th century. Over the Christmas period, all the graveyards in Iceland have the stones decorated and lit, so we didn't mind reaching it in the dark</center>
<p>We started along route 42. It cuts across the Reykjanes Peninsula and intercepts the south coast just to the east of Grindavik, the town that had been evacuated out of fear that the Sundhnúkagígar volcanic eruption will intensify.
<p>The Icelandic Government's excellent traffic website said the road was open, if a bit slippery. Google thought it was closed, which made our SatNav apoplectic with commands to "Make a u-turn" and, "Proceed to the route."
<p>Based on the winding of the road as well as a few tantalizing glimpses that flashed by the beams of our headlights, this area seems like it must be very interesting to see in daylight.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrvvuAXbEv7Q4KLGC0G9T_CpmWmouhkhX8-fgOtfnSilUTA0-vVn74AI90X-ar1rVcgMl93IkSUAOhyphenhyphenEjPwfvYx6HN5_2ud4oCLl3L8jdCAFma2ggEvnKgYmKMbrOicuBN55gxU4TdHA5BipteRbwKxbSKzQd5qvT4VS04HKSrTlLICjJQuuq/s4032/IMG_1411.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRrvvuAXbEv7Q4KLGC0G9T_CpmWmouhkhX8-fgOtfnSilUTA0-vVn74AI90X-ar1rVcgMl93IkSUAOhyphenhyphenEjPwfvYx6HN5_2ud4oCLl3L8jdCAFma2ggEvnKgYmKMbrOicuBN55gxU4TdHA5BipteRbwKxbSKzQd5qvT4VS04HKSrTlLICjJQuuq/s200/IMG_1411.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvVaKXbOHG4obgpibg2qfgDT_1Z5yIvdf6E58upezdvhAKOw9BRCbNgjWR0wrITCb0RWKOds6EsGvR2dh0U8Sl-1VNCN3__Ha4Prz9vJUDh1Wq61KBZ-h1RdMI9ykJpg3C6eJYksna_Uzr9QDL7QvAg0eGmSIAzi1aucXWcXzh6Kxl1GPkUlk/s2592/DSC00390.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTvVaKXbOHG4obgpibg2qfgDT_1Z5yIvdf6E58upezdvhAKOw9BRCbNgjWR0wrITCb0RWKOds6EsGvR2dh0U8Sl-1VNCN3__Ha4Prz9vJUDh1Wq61KBZ-h1RdMI9ykJpg3C6eJYksna_Uzr9QDL7QvAg0eGmSIAzi1aucXWcXzh6Kxl1GPkUlk/s200/DSC00390.jpg"/></a>
<br>Other roadside attactions became apparent as the light arrived</center>
<p>We arrived at the coast at the T-junction with Suðurstrandarvegur, southern coast route 427. To our right were lots of flashing warning signs and barriers, explaining that there was an evacuation order and that the road is closed. To our left was a single police vehicle, which was presumably there to keep us from trying to turn right. Behind the police was a dark and empty road.
<p>It wasn't until we approached the small port of Þorláksköfn that the first hint of twilight started showing on the southeast horizon. We briefly exited the car at a couple of viewpoints. Technically, it was not that cold (just below freezing), but the windchill really made it feel so much worse. Man, Iceland is cold! Who knew?
<p>As the day brightened, our jaws dropped at the beautiful scenery and we found ourselves stopping more frequently for viewpoints and short hikes to other viewpoints, taking in the crisp air and snapping away with our cameras as we went.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-ZebJ3hp-Bks-dLOBiWQbs6NCiUnm09zpO3aUWd46vYWlcJg60e1gRQpk-iOYrPxJ8c51NexTo8jnm4HL6jr08EskNkRlRRBah2vKfrCtczR1laK9XY6JYQv1g1hJ0ROV9D5E9DQZ3cnRZdUNvdvaUnxlgU0Uzw0UFnmGOeu0tqHGYltAtZh/s2592/DSC00398.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD-ZebJ3hp-Bks-dLOBiWQbs6NCiUnm09zpO3aUWd46vYWlcJg60e1gRQpk-iOYrPxJ8c51NexTo8jnm4HL6jr08EskNkRlRRBah2vKfrCtczR1laK9XY6JYQv1g1hJ0ROV9D5E9DQZ3cnRZdUNvdvaUnxlgU0Uzw0UFnmGOeu0tqHGYltAtZh/s200/DSC00398.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEmxRVwOOd7ziHwHqUQ2jMl8A6u4kWsdkNmvwUwC15IhTN9m9O_2o-IVaodqzghgntGMXjtxnc6VVaIS4uUr-kZ3TzDSPfRnRQXYUMrfRXWenq5HzrieDh6NKtWJ1l-vDHfsleuiRyb-IcxhML7wy3PnwPhaGUHxyKMhee5RW7uxMHfBQI4PY/s2592/DSC00399.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJEmxRVwOOd7ziHwHqUQ2jMl8A6u4kWsdkNmvwUwC15IhTN9m9O_2o-IVaodqzghgntGMXjtxnc6VVaIS4uUr-kZ3TzDSPfRnRQXYUMrfRXWenq5HzrieDh6NKtWJ1l-vDHfsleuiRyb-IcxhML7wy3PnwPhaGUHxyKMhee5RW7uxMHfBQI4PY/s200/DSC00399.jpg"/></a>
<br>Google attactions directed us to these friendly traffic lights at a pedestrian crossing in Selfoss</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eZ07cTFO2hKDv2WxPgbmcP1SC__c9upuZTCdW2zqFckcI5rhA1B9bmUaeLkEvJCsAP8IT5YzubbpPecZ3yI33tpWH0v8J0yZyZPru396jisz9BAOTUgCW4H8Rf3cjXLKwRP5YvuIgLdS3sD_D-TLRKcHTasMH_rB73qj5qDg8OWLmD1WH9a0/s2592/DSC00406.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2eZ07cTFO2hKDv2WxPgbmcP1SC__c9upuZTCdW2zqFckcI5rhA1B9bmUaeLkEvJCsAP8IT5YzubbpPecZ3yI33tpWH0v8J0yZyZPru396jisz9BAOTUgCW4H8Rf3cjXLKwRP5YvuIgLdS3sD_D-TLRKcHTasMH_rB73qj5qDg8OWLmD1WH9a0/s200/DSC00406.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS_9Skhp-5QMJaWPPXHSfrrdGK9oBLuUTIQTJZZcq-XLbLcvDxMNct-uPEqD0MxwMSMN8UgURaPo9EuuicGmmBlkGiXX7g-Ceqn8ZB41taQi_TLSnPCs4TCsrXz-z22s1ptyhLxzfNFq6PD_yAGmAD4IVwAD1UgoC5aI6gLqdixgAB7h1E9t0/s2592/DSC00421.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjS_9Skhp-5QMJaWPPXHSfrrdGK9oBLuUTIQTJZZcq-XLbLcvDxMNct-uPEqD0MxwMSMN8UgURaPo9EuuicGmmBlkGiXX7g-Ceqn8ZB41taQi_TLSnPCs4TCsrXz-z22s1ptyhLxzfNFq6PD_yAGmAD4IVwAD1UgoC5aI6gLqdixgAB7h1E9t0/s200/DSC00421.jpg"/></a><br>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhrJxmuIY3NZhmt-qYc4FFoEpmTxlnRQuXs3Cw8wsc2OMtw4PO3Q6dsNaArDmk5SfXqu1zpL6eyhEMqidim7bDNGdGX_3zgRA1VzNCDI6BJIh2NT6_MlIhiw5ltzieLo74nO7zFbIVrq_XWNXK6cagwEoPREcwr5qv8iQAiYJdvR4TIJFkHQ4/s2592/DSC00417.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIhrJxmuIY3NZhmt-qYc4FFoEpmTxlnRQuXs3Cw8wsc2OMtw4PO3Q6dsNaArDmk5SfXqu1zpL6eyhEMqidim7bDNGdGX_3zgRA1VzNCDI6BJIh2NT6_MlIhiw5ltzieLo74nO7zFbIVrq_XWNXK6cagwEoPREcwr5qv8iQAiYJdvR4TIJFkHQ4/s200/DSC00417.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3TwEnzii2OH73KuU6nlVq0XkuxhdM0jahB9wli3iRMNZgptCUlcNdq7ywOw7U8EHX-QV0Esdx0D4TnkqTP6itE_RhIPQ5OmmvE9Sete8qjf_yjjWv0mQqfqcOEZ1DmnDaow2UNQDyTpohajxzC8AhxO9f-gppwAehabdLWWe7NAN9rmzP8Rh/s2592/DSC00409.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf3TwEnzii2OH73KuU6nlVq0XkuxhdM0jahB9wli3iRMNZgptCUlcNdq7ywOw7U8EHX-QV0Esdx0D4TnkqTP6itE_RhIPQ5OmmvE9Sete8qjf_yjjWv0mQqfqcOEZ1DmnDaow2UNQDyTpohajxzC8AhxO9f-gppwAehabdLWWe7NAN9rmzP8Rh/s200/DSC00409.jpg"/></a>
<br>Frozen waterfalls on route - at Urriðafoss</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkZoF7glH5NSt8JMm51sbDrj1GuUL86V-nugMbPsqi5uxXks8Yx0GHcI7Uw0138MspU_BDuE8IjKF0waAOj7-MY4bhyKSl8ng4eW_ZMPgpHariu-Ov9BJdmsv__Y6Cavna17DCqH5gEy3U39KQh50DdDvrSLBPAMtbZs60jE4C5IblQF2ibMd/s2592/DSC00461.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjkZoF7glH5NSt8JMm51sbDrj1GuUL86V-nugMbPsqi5uxXks8Yx0GHcI7Uw0138MspU_BDuE8IjKF0waAOj7-MY4bhyKSl8ng4eW_ZMPgpHariu-Ov9BJdmsv__Y6Cavna17DCqH5gEy3U39KQh50DdDvrSLBPAMtbZs60jE4C5IblQF2ibMd/s200/DSC00461.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Fm95MljgYRvMIkVCPro7UIc0cRHgrKtsfStNBCudCCqHthbOeR0ZF6Q8oB-aY53HuXCrXr1Kp_hmayMKjmaoQLxkZO1jnGYEDxiPor7h8ORw9TDGT4aof5MCN0pLBLn49KKBlWD-eqWWKQ9jlzigiXHNQOg5pE5eez5YVfZbytUhzIik52C/s4032/IMG_8715.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ4Fm95MljgYRvMIkVCPro7UIc0cRHgrKtsfStNBCudCCqHthbOeR0ZF6Q8oB-aY53HuXCrXr1Kp_hmayMKjmaoQLxkZO1jnGYEDxiPor7h8ORw9TDGT4aof5MCN0pLBLn49KKBlWD-eqWWKQ9jlzigiXHNQOg5pE5eez5YVfZbytUhzIik52C/s200/IMG_8715.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqNWx8hLz2pWsFdelRdj88MUIkmsbpEg-c2J4aEVl9-DdIa1gDS12XQEZIzoN-nU8x10RHGxqAidOw0psktszFqnGZxcn3YlJbTufJ4N47af8kXQluaO2Vx5ie83bQea98gklAoezwIccptYkCh6rbrqOPD0AcMdC21xpEI7Dkcoi5bHG_LDn/s4032/IMG_8717.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNqNWx8hLz2pWsFdelRdj88MUIkmsbpEg-c2J4aEVl9-DdIa1gDS12XQEZIzoN-nU8x10RHGxqAidOw0psktszFqnGZxcn3YlJbTufJ4N47af8kXQluaO2Vx5ie83bQea98gklAoezwIccptYkCh6rbrqOPD0AcMdC21xpEI7Dkcoi5bHG_LDn/s200/IMG_8717.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1iiCaW35uyRmcyWZDaDvivRQH3duNj3V-H6cVcaauIFvtOgC1E_p9uxQ-AbtaijMcmBlMlb1QfoXJu079XOeCtNTDm3wRoSJ-E6draX70hn_NiBm49UtvFnkPZyT5s0fsty89neJMqIh_yGQQA1G_-U-qbMTzQdv395ebuBzccsK_RVmkzXa/s4032/IMG_8724.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_1iiCaW35uyRmcyWZDaDvivRQH3duNj3V-H6cVcaauIFvtOgC1E_p9uxQ-AbtaijMcmBlMlb1QfoXJu079XOeCtNTDm3wRoSJ-E6draX70hn_NiBm49UtvFnkPZyT5s0fsty89neJMqIh_yGQQA1G_-U-qbMTzQdv395ebuBzccsK_RVmkzXa/s200/IMG_8724.jpg"/></a>
<br>A stop at one of the many traditional turf houses (and its associated church)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHqiDcmCjbFUwXzQ6Y7jVvPoSWslVwNIHR9Vq4ZRZ46S2ihUSbblIHlkHG5nPSRNCphFPdLunD5wbHuceb33o5-SDwDAsyiFDQb6lsofo8aer4CwcHG-dQ-zdO5cJnQzmrh-NWOdp6W76tqr_Yb4F0cZMw0zSS1mfxYzxgrrGz30l9ZoJH0wi/s1299/DSC00426.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="974" data-original-width="1299" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibHqiDcmCjbFUwXzQ6Y7jVvPoSWslVwNIHR9Vq4ZRZ46S2ihUSbblIHlkHG5nPSRNCphFPdLunD5wbHuceb33o5-SDwDAsyiFDQb6lsofo8aer4CwcHG-dQ-zdO5cJnQzmrh-NWOdp6W76tqr_Yb4F0cZMw0zSS1mfxYzxgrrGz30l9ZoJH0wi/s200/DSC00426.jpg"/></a>
<br>Eyjafjallajökull</center>
<p>Of particular interest to me, personally, was a rather mundane stop to look across a snowy foreground to a mountain and glacier in the distance. It didn't look much different from most of the other scenery today, but in 2010, Eyjafjallajökull was front-page news all over the world as it spewed 250 million cubic meters of ash into the upper atmosphere, which then blew to Europe, covering 20 countries and disrupting air travel over the Atlantic for days. I was commuting between the U.S. and Scotland then and the last time I saw it was from the cockpit of a 757 that had to divert north of it to avoid the ash cloud that stretched over the southeast horizon.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsxVr7OnVnvZUSNqoADYIKE1nJuzBTp6wdullkieOViiVD4QHmxNFydnftdclkPg5jkrp4ybvaiMfyixLpT6u4r9akeiBD2iauauOUxtRIBFEJnc27-lYxTjsLgqDLJjhKylS3ugkQEETTi1Inzz8FT3RBdJakkI4muzxoWwa0a75hdfvG7L9/s4032/IMG_1431.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsxVr7OnVnvZUSNqoADYIKE1nJuzBTp6wdullkieOViiVD4QHmxNFydnftdclkPg5jkrp4ybvaiMfyixLpT6u4r9akeiBD2iauauOUxtRIBFEJnc27-lYxTjsLgqDLJjhKylS3ugkQEETTi1Inzz8FT3RBdJakkI4muzxoWwa0a75hdfvG7L9/s200/IMG_1431.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRiGk0N6Dd4lFMxkyzEkWWvY5afL1LKR4NjQKngWFVqT4O-0KyOgj_m1yb3SXC2kLkEslG9n1seACVN1Aca43aJU3ek3p4ah75L2FC3ChUAlqR_4j_ghTK0DtG6ZXF2lnNks2gIUamyz5WVfLXifR1UKEKh9vzBgjJXWWFLQZbSi1sBahlDnx/s2592/DSC00465.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyRiGk0N6Dd4lFMxkyzEkWWvY5afL1LKR4NjQKngWFVqT4O-0KyOgj_m1yb3SXC2kLkEslG9n1seACVN1Aca43aJU3ek3p4ah75L2FC3ChUAlqR_4j_ghTK0DtG6ZXF2lnNks2gIUamyz5WVfLXifR1UKEKh9vzBgjJXWWFLQZbSi1sBahlDnx/s200/DSC00465.jpg"/></a>
<br>Aside from the man-made roadside attractions, we spotted plenty of tiny local icelandic horses</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_8EDevayWfKponvxj6gE-u_GmoJRMcMP4TY7hhOQpcuyAVVn1kV-1EL-DeC67-8uRAYMlVXK1CHbYap1mUa-bM3NgPoUJnfdYhcUnGpvV28FfAfPQnXFwmqDc7JCgr1qLzC8VJ6-aPmmpi-Px1zJTJW2aTeXusZ5u6yQHYWdzYINLWTawb6r/s2592/DSC00504.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4_8EDevayWfKponvxj6gE-u_GmoJRMcMP4TY7hhOQpcuyAVVn1kV-1EL-DeC67-8uRAYMlVXK1CHbYap1mUa-bM3NgPoUJnfdYhcUnGpvV28FfAfPQnXFwmqDc7JCgr1qLzC8VJ6-aPmmpi-Px1zJTJW2aTeXusZ5u6yQHYWdzYINLWTawb6r/s200/DSC00504.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ArRqW4ADQLXmijlwkPBDysoZ3OaAeCZOFT5eu1mjr4tHZTn32S4PMjt4W-wODNbOhwMGPV2xLXX2A7Ps8MiAO05haivtMFUo9PHvwp4I6Trcf8FAfAk2Gfw1PEqah3OYYAL8yqhRVRTrrLY8ZGD26B-YKk-Jp5t3-zOtCiba-rwTOO084NnZ/s4032/IMG_1460.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5ArRqW4ADQLXmijlwkPBDysoZ3OaAeCZOFT5eu1mjr4tHZTn32S4PMjt4W-wODNbOhwMGPV2xLXX2A7Ps8MiAO05haivtMFUo9PHvwp4I6Trcf8FAfAk2Gfw1PEqah3OYYAL8yqhRVRTrrLY8ZGD26B-YKk-Jp5t3-zOtCiba-rwTOO084NnZ/s200/IMG_1460.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqi_HYDOb_a6zYW4PfXEzq5WSIxnwr33l3MhbXT_T7XejBAna77XId_k6FCrfpLQ_PjZQqwjYFzcfoAipXTrq_yMbLt_uqEef6bc4aYPYoNcBaCywAdTCJjTJIkhRkT0kQwrXe55Zsl8NuSV4rWH4RaEf4X-iuSE_bbmTsD2l_PXvFa2PEYvn/s3544/IMG_E1444.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2658" data-original-width="3544" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOqi_HYDOb_a6zYW4PfXEzq5WSIxnwr33l3MhbXT_T7XejBAna77XId_k6FCrfpLQ_PjZQqwjYFzcfoAipXTrq_yMbLt_uqEef6bc4aYPYoNcBaCywAdTCJjTJIkhRkT0kQwrXe55Zsl8NuSV4rWH4RaEf4X-iuSE_bbmTsD2l_PXvFa2PEYvn/s200/IMG_E1444.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtsfoRlAV5QPIVTrnuLWiQdMKOpRAezHyykTLlehY_8sAJrqS_RDOJ1brMM_VZ5T8jxh35jqIwbDqC6l6jY9Y9tGPDT_oCscaAHiUuC-i82ZaROzbcFZEGaFTrNil3-VxjERM6jtk5xpEUx50UJcCZq7nyWxCQDZZ308HZDZ93LYNiEQvkF4S/s3523/IMG_E1453.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2641" data-original-width="3523" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYtsfoRlAV5QPIVTrnuLWiQdMKOpRAezHyykTLlehY_8sAJrqS_RDOJ1brMM_VZ5T8jxh35jqIwbDqC6l6jY9Y9tGPDT_oCscaAHiUuC-i82ZaROzbcFZEGaFTrNil3-VxjERM6jtk5xpEUx50UJcCZq7nyWxCQDZZ308HZDZ93LYNiEQvkF4S/s200/IMG_E1453.jpg"/></a>
<br>The waterfalls at Seljalandsfoss were especially dramatic
</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJzlRfGVhbE2baUlr5WQcZ3zHrrb6DwKDijrlGMI3KgR9WHJoZDdl38AZhi-V73_FqHs9AvYHHz1BgaH_h_8uCMIXa1yJhYw0xEbW2N0Uf74t0bjl5GuXKvYIN-QawYiGI_ZfY0UE0LexAPKw1Kd9SeWXWUXCrO4DwDsm06nLGVyL4nW15d-H/s4032/IMG_1483.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitJzlRfGVhbE2baUlr5WQcZ3zHrrb6DwKDijrlGMI3KgR9WHJoZDdl38AZhi-V73_FqHs9AvYHHz1BgaH_h_8uCMIXa1yJhYw0xEbW2N0Uf74t0bjl5GuXKvYIN-QawYiGI_ZfY0UE0LexAPKw1Kd9SeWXWUXCrO4DwDsm06nLGVyL4nW15d-H/s200/IMG_1483.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Qad2q-KMHOazIpbVhq3qwmwk7FXTirGOQnURA7NpzCtZx5m5yZ787HdUonQ_w4N4vszv4l7l67TwCi7T3XWxWIoYhQPeVgh8xcWOlk1o9RdcAZuGBI533NcXnnLPC31vKJ9E16TMdh04aed9bS6EuzP1NfSruwAWDtebM1puQtiVbyrc7GWv/s4032/IMG_8759.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1Qad2q-KMHOazIpbVhq3qwmwk7FXTirGOQnURA7NpzCtZx5m5yZ787HdUonQ_w4N4vszv4l7l67TwCi7T3XWxWIoYhQPeVgh8xcWOlk1o9RdcAZuGBI533NcXnnLPC31vKJ9E16TMdh04aed9bS6EuzP1NfSruwAWDtebM1puQtiVbyrc7GWv/s200/IMG_8759.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP95PtgT5lytdylOTPThh3F3viIdxWlVBi_kiO7_tu-GEO-tLfi9yjX_BEeHhK6_CTNcI2sYCWaJsSuRuJMgf9HT3RGW3TdVa9AX1QyRUeAOKo9qOhCduTHosGd14_WbHr-t-jh6WlqpcX47EQCymS2W9VdjzXOB5lBOlBAHDr7uFTWl-_EbC/s2592/DSC00525.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSP95PtgT5lytdylOTPThh3F3viIdxWlVBi_kiO7_tu-GEO-tLfi9yjX_BEeHhK6_CTNcI2sYCWaJsSuRuJMgf9HT3RGW3TdVa9AX1QyRUeAOKo9qOhCduTHosGd14_WbHr-t-jh6WlqpcX47EQCymS2W9VdjzXOB5lBOlBAHDr7uFTWl-_EbC/s200/DSC00525.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKAnF2yOQXfxBAm8iYsSesH2TYq8bve3Ua-RRYwIjnqhNgxnanBIxn8rV_IuxIGTN7aLex80WWocQA67UzrPSLAi8NZyXqzZ2m9cQ644Lr19FXSOR23g_MHYvZi_izmJbfhzGFvLrIUaswoEkwNfdcKxal5RuMLOFNsdifoWihEgvfo9C-Teg/s2592/DSC00526.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyKAnF2yOQXfxBAm8iYsSesH2TYq8bve3Ua-RRYwIjnqhNgxnanBIxn8rV_IuxIGTN7aLex80WWocQA67UzrPSLAi8NZyXqzZ2m9cQ644Lr19FXSOR23g_MHYvZi_izmJbfhzGFvLrIUaswoEkwNfdcKxal5RuMLOFNsdifoWihEgvfo9C-Teg/s200/DSC00526.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMEdeIlujFO4lRbzMFv7C5aRa57SfGzbgrGHDYhhuqskizJcMRA5Fk-ZGBO5bFJ891_1Nix73A-yyv7LYO6EUxRGvokJjNscjoEyZx3RBgmkHkxo5WIMjyN4lRM2n_iLhUedWWIjwDZPI3ozTl7o1WsNZZGR-Cczb6Gxa57ZUtYjxgy7pCbva/s3528/IMG_E8777.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3528" data-original-width="2643" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwMEdeIlujFO4lRbzMFv7C5aRa57SfGzbgrGHDYhhuqskizJcMRA5Fk-ZGBO5bFJ891_1Nix73A-yyv7LYO6EUxRGvokJjNscjoEyZx3RBgmkHkxo5WIMjyN4lRM2n_iLhUedWWIjwDZPI3ozTl7o1WsNZZGR-Cczb6Gxa57ZUtYjxgy7pCbva/s200/IMG_E8777.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q2ASYmn8-rWc5GhkOIVWULCVIBV_0Y1QKU4KbLf_mXDjImXBewBXZXY0zN3krj951zHumwKmlhKQ1IRRPxvHDxfPFu7u_T-aJwf74TbNPvGdotkuuspaZXuCGntjScWpKJEvRJ8DKQIch65BbGI0dJ76bZ9Hvpvik0CujqNIxwLUAnEKHm0O/s7154/IMG_8820.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3928" data-original-width="7154" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6q2ASYmn8-rWc5GhkOIVWULCVIBV_0Y1QKU4KbLf_mXDjImXBewBXZXY0zN3krj951zHumwKmlhKQ1IRRPxvHDxfPFu7u_T-aJwf74TbNPvGdotkuuspaZXuCGntjScWpKJEvRJ8DKQIch65BbGI0dJ76bZ9Hvpvik0CujqNIxwLUAnEKHm0O/s400/IMG_8820.jpg"/></a>
<br>But it wasn't all ice covered</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDiIK7CF3kQ-HCVnkSasb1DkgCn4XDfitQ8sGmGyk2-kdgJfsK3tV0fOPMil8CqZTie8YWjTFasxbhWEDf4AUqFq2wEGcbaRMCZ6ytII_zzWX7gGg4Jqz526TDpbMLEChVV8pkXzLa5vGdXy1GbDfeTzgLtfF9J8gjY_2mkio7Fn9vr42hEx5/s2592/DSC00547.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmDiIK7CF3kQ-HCVnkSasb1DkgCn4XDfitQ8sGmGyk2-kdgJfsK3tV0fOPMil8CqZTie8YWjTFasxbhWEDf4AUqFq2wEGcbaRMCZ6ytII_zzWX7gGg4Jqz526TDpbMLEChVV8pkXzLa5vGdXy1GbDfeTzgLtfF9J8gjY_2mkio7Fn9vr42hEx5/s200/DSC00547.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkqVidVp-jT2CuZ_QJhmrIExlGqG5ovphCdXe7ex9IRSiC20t5E32cDPfquJ_l5s1hi69w4V9srNIR9hpysEPiyQ-1pwsZFhY8xzWnLdZW4TJb-Dttjraecsh9LAuUKDNV-kUCI9Y6IC3EkKwIUutSMC4UGGd0XlTo6JH3A08rAiv6bZetDKl/s4620/IMG_8804.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4620" data-original-width="3930" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGkqVidVp-jT2CuZ_QJhmrIExlGqG5ovphCdXe7ex9IRSiC20t5E32cDPfquJ_l5s1hi69w4V9srNIR9hpysEPiyQ-1pwsZFhY8xzWnLdZW4TJb-Dttjraecsh9LAuUKDNV-kUCI9Y6IC3EkKwIUutSMC4UGGd0XlTo6JH3A08rAiv6bZetDKl/s200/IMG_8804.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8ABnTurwKZ1UfiCMgwH6koHkxpaDqSFmveLgEw6bzWfDBMfrpa80AmGFifaB-kygPsPXVCU802-SWIcD7altPiS2mCHpMJeaFRet6-EMiPGWgtVKO8aYdKEH_ivqUNV49J5WwJziUlczNFJtdw7RJH6UU5Cxv0RxCJXE25UJHFNuHVDQknfu/s7946/IMG_8806.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3940" data-original-width="7946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl8ABnTurwKZ1UfiCMgwH6koHkxpaDqSFmveLgEw6bzWfDBMfrpa80AmGFifaB-kygPsPXVCU802-SWIcD7altPiS2mCHpMJeaFRet6-EMiPGWgtVKO8aYdKEH_ivqUNV49J5WwJziUlczNFJtdw7RJH6UU5Cxv0RxCJXE25UJHFNuHVDQknfu/s400/IMG_8806.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwsSivjhwSMTSsUFtyiNgMXwTQ2Ix458NvLm74lDIu24WUSE5vJRLEoAjhQIqdWowPa8jhZ7O0xpaXHNVGF6TpvPspObChfvT3kY9hyphenhyphenKftKCUhAPOMIF1pmhEVZHg-3tC7o5zvMw6L1YdDsXrs8rTqosINHs2uRqMBIL7Xo-fh14lVlbFQtX5/s3628/IMG_E1506.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="2721" data-original-width="3628" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQwsSivjhwSMTSsUFtyiNgMXwTQ2Ix458NvLm74lDIu24WUSE5vJRLEoAjhQIqdWowPa8jhZ7O0xpaXHNVGF6TpvPspObChfvT3kY9hyphenhyphenKftKCUhAPOMIF1pmhEVZHg-3tC7o5zvMw6L1YdDsXrs8rTqosINHs2uRqMBIL7Xo-fh14lVlbFQtX5/s400/IMG_E1506.jpg"/></a>
<br>Many of the lagoons along the road had ice covered beaches, fun and beautiful</center>
<p>We had enjoyed ourselves so much along the way that by the time we actually made it to Vik at 4pm, it was so far past sunset that it was completely dark again. We had a delicious and surprisingly reasonably priced dinner at Black Crust Pizzeria (they put activated charcoal in the dough. It's a thing they do around here to make the bread look the same color as the local volcanic rocks.) Then, even though we were both exhausted from a long day, Maryanne booked us for a Lava Show in town.
<p>I must admit that at the time, my vote was to go straight to the hotel and start sleeping. Maryanne had that look, though, so we compromised and did what she wanted.
<p>The show started with a short video segment. it was warm and cozy in the room and Maryanne had to kick me a few times to keep me from nodding off.
<p>Then the lava came in. A guillotine door opened and a stream of white-hot lava entered the room. Within the first few seconds, the radiated heat brought the temperature in the room up by at least ten degrees Celsius, maybe even twenty. If you have ever been in a room that is on fire, you know the feeling. That woke me up instantly.
<p>Lava, at least in iceland, is chemically very similar to glass, so the show had some similarity to a glass blowing demonstration, except that glass blowing demonstrations don't bring seventy kilos of material out of the furnace and put it into the middle of the room. The presenter explained that they tried to do it with 120 kilos once, but everyone including the presenter fled the room from the intense heat.
<p>Volcanic glass is more brittle and cools less evenly than art glass varieties do, so there is no blowing globes or delicate shaping going on. Instead, our enthusiastic Norwegian presenter used a thick steel rod to explore the properties of the lava, demonstrationg the various beautiful formations it can take.
<p>It was a fascinating education to be able to extrapolate the behavior of the lava into what happens during volcanic eruptions and lava flows.
<p>Even though the lava was still yellow-hot, the part along the bottom of the trough had already cooled enough for the stream to be solid enough to be lifted clear of its little gully. Also, even though the pool at the bottom was liquid, it was still so dense that jabbing a steel pole into it barely caused it to submerge, but instead opened up fissures that turned black as the inner lava was exposed to cool air.
<p>Also interesting was that when a big disc of ice was placed on the surface, it didn't immediately boil off or explode into steam. Instead, the extreme heat sublimated the bottom surface of the ice into a cushion of steam, which insulated the bulk of it from the worst of the heat, and left behind a black skin of cooled lava. As water droplets dripped off the top or sides of the ice, they too would sizzle their way across the surface of the lava, creating their own little veins of cooled rock along the way.
<p>Once the lava pool had cooled enough, our presenter was then able to chip at it with the end of the pole, shattering it into smaller chunks. He explained that, once the show was done, they would then shovel the deep red-hot pieces into a wheelbarrow to be returned to the oven, where they would be turned into liquid for the next show. Well, that was well worth staying up for!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRQXp7r9vanzHgRava_fRLGfTb1JSnm4UYAaEwLG6Jlydthteedw_6SumD61qqiLqKzZNqN6ivfwWgU6v2DaUqv4Wa52WgjRArDxqyvFvqHPteg-qR2lHK1YCoXqarchwljXrk0PCp3VoaYzLAYMAmrfYU_Uis2ybZQi0_ESY31kJOiagnPak/s4032/IMG_1543.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuRQXp7r9vanzHgRava_fRLGfTb1JSnm4UYAaEwLG6Jlydthteedw_6SumD61qqiLqKzZNqN6ivfwWgU6v2DaUqv4Wa52WgjRArDxqyvFvqHPteg-qR2lHK1YCoXqarchwljXrk0PCp3VoaYzLAYMAmrfYU_Uis2ybZQi0_ESY31kJOiagnPak/s200/IMG_1543.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqkfqaf5aOqkD8TTznkyaEqW0hEeF3M5WFnglx1NYRGq8tIp9biNYUeGTyQ5MxaTjG_LKsfzYMEcRngBv3PIbc8dbZ3iDo19jjLcXk4fq3BuXnLdwPEcM5u6HTQ8gSkkwnFSYiV7yEz25fpKZ5oA4cH99GnRZ_5e0nnxoE6VxBJ3xejpa9WqI/s2592/DSC00574.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQqkfqaf5aOqkD8TTznkyaEqW0hEeF3M5WFnglx1NYRGq8tIp9biNYUeGTyQ5MxaTjG_LKsfzYMEcRngBv3PIbc8dbZ3iDo19jjLcXk4fq3BuXnLdwPEcM5u6HTQ8gSkkwnFSYiV7yEz25fpKZ5oA4cH99GnRZ_5e0nnxoE6VxBJ3xejpa9WqI/s200/DSC00574.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxLDkDYb1a0_o0D7R0iaXKKCnY1VZCwvUacNDb4GOnU982cXDS2uflgyDPQasmlQzZHvpCHRi44l3cLawwgKa0sixddn3JlHRN8FZHMtk-x_aefDQnwzioXQFjV7nvxwDJl-VmT9nufjGxnb_rzPug7QM44NZA0MZzW51vsnYkwIZ4J0J5VIk/s4032/IMG_1566.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrxLDkDYb1a0_o0D7R0iaXKKCnY1VZCwvUacNDb4GOnU982cXDS2uflgyDPQasmlQzZHvpCHRi44l3cLawwgKa0sixddn3JlHRN8FZHMtk-x_aefDQnwzioXQFjV7nvxwDJl-VmT9nufjGxnb_rzPug7QM44NZA0MZzW51vsnYkwIZ4J0J5VIk/s200/IMG_1566.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAedZps3TPndJ9CiVmTGl75QUPKpGaQmwFaVvj3CkDVfzn9lHmyYomfARBXsqWJBrx4Szz1eFQ21WEwHmFdSNyFrLwB6vhUFLVJAWOrcUiNeDNTsY_qxIOGO_6gcuwwxSYNTavO_2RRshYrW6oSKTPWOiHCGeKO0F3SAcXU3ZPqApbZRdLdjR/s4032/IMG_1570.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXAedZps3TPndJ9CiVmTGl75QUPKpGaQmwFaVvj3CkDVfzn9lHmyYomfARBXsqWJBrx4Szz1eFQ21WEwHmFdSNyFrLwB6vhUFLVJAWOrcUiNeDNTsY_qxIOGO_6gcuwwxSYNTavO_2RRshYrW6oSKTPWOiHCGeKO0F3SAcXU3ZPqApbZRdLdjR/s200/IMG_1570.jpg"/></a>
<br>Food and an amazing Lava Show finished our first day in Iceland</center>
<p><center><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="https://youtube.com/embed/OA-YDa_iu6g" frameborder="0" width="400" height="220"></iframe>
<br>We recorded a small part of the show so you too can enjoy the presentation by "Mr Lava Lava"</center>
<p>Back at the hotel, we had our first experience of Iceland's abundant geothermal heat. Since there is so much of it, the floor-heated interior was so warm that we quickly had to revert to a tropical mode of dress. We then cracked a window (as the locals seem to all do) to make it cool enough to sleep.
<p>Based on our experience driving to Vik, I insisted that we leave from Vik for the drive to Höfn in the pre-dawn (11:03am) darkness of 9am, in order to allow us enough time for sightseeing stops. Also, the weather was getting more wintery, so we would not be able to drive as fast as the speed limit of 90kph.
<p>The initial darkness helped curtail our sightseeing stops a bit, but we soon realized it wasn't anything long-exposure photography couldn't make up for. It got properly light out just as we reached the vast lava fields to the southwest of Vatnajökull.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLqNp4EB8JcC2Peftqb7gw0hqFsselIZu9Gm2Up1bI5woePBI8x1CYEQXc2ZIF4gvHk2QVcFUPDrSdp2MLnzCp-USj2j6yml8OD7ciFJhvSuPMwLbdl9Nf6Cq6gPbgz4IzhxxytFmnh2Ht6CCkMAcTVgOizdOKaX1bw8pxqiAdZL_ZYsECY1g/s4032/IMG_8827.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLqNp4EB8JcC2Peftqb7gw0hqFsselIZu9Gm2Up1bI5woePBI8x1CYEQXc2ZIF4gvHk2QVcFUPDrSdp2MLnzCp-USj2j6yml8OD7ciFJhvSuPMwLbdl9Nf6Cq6gPbgz4IzhxxytFmnh2Ht6CCkMAcTVgOizdOKaX1bw8pxqiAdZL_ZYsECY1g/s200/IMG_8827.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzeaJfd32jMWZSDHmi5SwaHJaD5Z3QJ8RNGV0_MZ-rVEyHOdeZNoc8LhcOBSrmQwVLDyo7J8oiaCSa1ab-tZwbM_ghPGpNz1okAVhWIrSHAkEiIJ4RRj6DlPoqiutOYrQQzSWG1iLT_I1S2rUlIgotA-TUNyMI1tIpDdZB6EJ_j8q6ti4f3iK/s2592/DSC00590.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbzeaJfd32jMWZSDHmi5SwaHJaD5Z3QJ8RNGV0_MZ-rVEyHOdeZNoc8LhcOBSrmQwVLDyo7J8oiaCSa1ab-tZwbM_ghPGpNz1okAVhWIrSHAkEiIJ4RRj6DlPoqiutOYrQQzSWG1iLT_I1S2rUlIgotA-TUNyMI1tIpDdZB6EJ_j8q6ti4f3iK/s200/DSC00590.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2C4I-3CAcXEYxLgeNhpTVIIa4DjTLlt7bXCqUsGPDjI1CFvouZ8d7cD7e8BMuBNIxmCc36ptC-pBD_YPizT5xU7US8TM2F2OiAzPmsT6g-9qZ5OeiyOmi0W31T_SjFszGB3yDyvgqWLpjYH8CyB_Je4ATL5JgT-UJgA4RfpYtP2zS7RGQ1fc3/s2592/DSC00591.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2C4I-3CAcXEYxLgeNhpTVIIa4DjTLlt7bXCqUsGPDjI1CFvouZ8d7cD7e8BMuBNIxmCc36ptC-pBD_YPizT5xU7US8TM2F2OiAzPmsT6g-9qZ5OeiyOmi0W31T_SjFszGB3yDyvgqWLpjYH8CyB_Je4ATL5JgT-UJgA4RfpYtP2zS7RGQ1fc3/s200/DSC00591.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuh5Z9r6YXeTnPik6K-RCESsBNDKWSU7zQrmlsJJTdNTAKgaFpahA5xouAeF8-o2V1nq6Ex5aw77r9kUH4DR0JAfRdpCrJ7fCIbjI8CwVvaSte2-KhYZ0HDr189F1v3pIp0cuzbzyY6SXa7z427lS79HwWiSupsiIgC8IVALSXhI9i9wOgQ-3/s2592/DSC00593.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIuh5Z9r6YXeTnPik6K-RCESsBNDKWSU7zQrmlsJJTdNTAKgaFpahA5xouAeF8-o2V1nq6Ex5aw77r9kUH4DR0JAfRdpCrJ7fCIbjI8CwVvaSte2-KhYZ0HDr189F1v3pIp0cuzbzyY6SXa7z427lS79HwWiSupsiIgC8IVALSXhI9i9wOgQ-3/s200/DSC00593.jpg"/></a>
<br>Reynisfjara beach is a popular spot, and, er, obviously... but watch out for those waves that come rolling in</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-AmkBdILc4rwXHpGrQhul45FXGuOfu7MDfCKjElVZz0uLKMdQLnzbijaPK-Fs7eNil7Tzyg-a34xL7_tXoopKN8hqC3kFx3i2zheg5xGkbjwClvLSNPneIPfZmvXPHG5Mlt3XDM_yknjrk76_zhQa1xAcQ7MUqhOgBU48u3p5bwPLVX6_ATs/s2592/DSC00631.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG-AmkBdILc4rwXHpGrQhul45FXGuOfu7MDfCKjElVZz0uLKMdQLnzbijaPK-Fs7eNil7Tzyg-a34xL7_tXoopKN8hqC3kFx3i2zheg5xGkbjwClvLSNPneIPfZmvXPHG5Mlt3XDM_yknjrk76_zhQa1xAcQ7MUqhOgBU48u3p5bwPLVX6_ATs/s200/DSC00631.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFlSKyZ8QqmSDLiHL71l_Jbpd6dQ2sWIPAffsIzphsPYrrYVgrLrWaWBtpFGdDyOqELXCcvaQMJLh_KDAvGeNtfjLfQGlDu4UndlsY8TAU1SH-B7PMC4_RXPZlFiPZ3aWQTFmSqsjtUTK79mZ307m4PUmgwJf0FzJmYSqEf9QKwRrEjf_EeG0/s2592/DSC00632.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtFlSKyZ8QqmSDLiHL71l_Jbpd6dQ2sWIPAffsIzphsPYrrYVgrLrWaWBtpFGdDyOqELXCcvaQMJLh_KDAvGeNtfjLfQGlDu4UndlsY8TAU1SH-B7PMC4_RXPZlFiPZ3aWQTFmSqsjtUTK79mZ307m4PUmgwJf0FzJmYSqEf9QKwRrEjf_EeG0/s200/DSC00632.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTw3NYGCVwUkjnNPfxTqfTK9ptg_W00OnV8rUr1HAnhhkSMlHXQApqL8dn_0r_Y_YuNv_2WTlx4Y49FyN1Wpt-Rt3-SWU58JZqzgJzVMsQiJ5PkB8KawjlAJdnT_MssOn7MMZN0xfiEZpgaHfGGgR1xeVAyUXQMOd_3QNPS1iO5CStOyfdDoP/s2592/DSC00648.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTw3NYGCVwUkjnNPfxTqfTK9ptg_W00OnV8rUr1HAnhhkSMlHXQApqL8dn_0r_Y_YuNv_2WTlx4Y49FyN1Wpt-Rt3-SWU58JZqzgJzVMsQiJ5PkB8KawjlAJdnT_MssOn7MMZN0xfiEZpgaHfGGgR1xeVAyUXQMOd_3QNPS1iO5CStOyfdDoP/s200/DSC00648.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHK0sjXBUvA1BymNY74MHl8ZPaf46sFWTHpRGSmD_CJx6pxBdXmPTyaLhBsSn72yBIDcDfkk0VddBOpMtjoB0QZwMFvQbW7AcnPCw2-OqAZC_O5yVNQajnHO2WZ3pBdX6lU54wSy-1Jr0DRoc-q_km_8pT4ie4AfRPfdR1nREiziU-xfQBFFbU/s4032/IMG_8834.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHK0sjXBUvA1BymNY74MHl8ZPaf46sFWTHpRGSmD_CJx6pxBdXmPTyaLhBsSn72yBIDcDfkk0VddBOpMtjoB0QZwMFvQbW7AcnPCw2-OqAZC_O5yVNQajnHO2WZ3pBdX6lU54wSy-1Jr0DRoc-q_km_8pT4ie4AfRPfdR1nREiziU-xfQBFFbU/s200/IMG_8834.jpg"/></a>
<br>And the beach alongside Hjörleifshöfði mountain has a great cave:Gígjagjá (affectionaly called the Yoda Cave for obvious reasons)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatwPqJ5ssAM2rmIHaM-Hhlr-KYzsF9FPboIXtvvgC20csCGMLrT6C6vRgqJzTlaqMnG5m20R-vJjGc5dOVpaabEsqh1WAjKA0Lb4j_OLBSo6h9YAXfBaBN_iKuI5_nUXU3GjASIB9QBpa49T5B_H7Dkax1l8dZ_pfkJ0cehJ8YlIpSx6piGRh/s4032/IMG_8874.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhatwPqJ5ssAM2rmIHaM-Hhlr-KYzsF9FPboIXtvvgC20csCGMLrT6C6vRgqJzTlaqMnG5m20R-vJjGc5dOVpaabEsqh1WAjKA0Lb4j_OLBSo6h9YAXfBaBN_iKuI5_nUXU3GjASIB9QBpa49T5B_H7Dkax1l8dZ_pfkJ0cehJ8YlIpSx6piGRh/s200/IMG_8874.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h4GprO8s4LAq6ogXXV5B8IoanjQoDp-YuyfzwKAku7QjqzlOOT1DcJ1daoxLcOsSfbVwJ_pUi_WATiiuWHARbyTniqBAnYywCTfAZ8D4avdnwimm1zerikKkezllvBfeRDHkg15kvgE7QqnyCUAx243BmlE1a5UwhMZyW7tDPFXhu8nKtvCK/s4032/IMG_8881.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7h4GprO8s4LAq6ogXXV5B8IoanjQoDp-YuyfzwKAku7QjqzlOOT1DcJ1daoxLcOsSfbVwJ_pUi_WATiiuWHARbyTniqBAnYywCTfAZ8D4avdnwimm1zerikKkezllvBfeRDHkg15kvgE7QqnyCUAx243BmlE1a5UwhMZyW7tDPFXhu8nKtvCK/s200/IMG_8881.jpg"/></a>
<br>We took a detour to see a basalt column pavement - not on the scale of on Giant's causeway, but still pretty cool, this one tiny patch is known as Kirkjugólfið (the church floor)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkCGZmTVBqL6QQ287fr4q_gWx1Lfc4ikxQ7DoBhA8vMaLtTybXWRn6h-UAXdtIT5nHTR989xKOYlmAmIuaE80YAHZzYbyrwOrPFMGLf0aIj81uJBLLn-Js6Lv4QBdVEttZPwKzvcDEMawUBFt48l3ofSzKclYRjB2reA7dpiilG7p-RGBGeKY/s2592/DSC00669.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMkCGZmTVBqL6QQ287fr4q_gWx1Lfc4ikxQ7DoBhA8vMaLtTybXWRn6h-UAXdtIT5nHTR989xKOYlmAmIuaE80YAHZzYbyrwOrPFMGLf0aIj81uJBLLn-Js6Lv4QBdVEttZPwKzvcDEMawUBFt48l3ofSzKclYRjB2reA7dpiilG7p-RGBGeKY/s200/DSC00669.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIOPbN3jnuJ0mrn5n1N9lY98WyKWWAbYvhpPFgmg4QO__tnRIHI1s8Gc3u-A8xB9Vtwd1gJ1jpZNwBavsGgmzhm5PBmGv_270Vt1UJmIWpxNnQYLGmmulJUk2_XL7dMyV8XrEfxDTkB2I4CBBgLMOjaxnUNpqNRZ9QDvA0qPlUIkHw1wwe9sj/s2592/DSC00670.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIOPbN3jnuJ0mrn5n1N9lY98WyKWWAbYvhpPFgmg4QO__tnRIHI1s8Gc3u-A8xB9Vtwd1gJ1jpZNwBavsGgmzhm5PBmGv_270Vt1UJmIWpxNnQYLGmmulJUk2_XL7dMyV8XrEfxDTkB2I4CBBgLMOjaxnUNpqNRZ9QDvA0qPlUIkHw1wwe9sj/s200/DSC00670.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5YimpThzAIK0GEgm6tERcJtlcQZFKTK-Ehmdqpfc6xXFvifvBqqOJrnQKV54bm2ZDbznK2rSF4XYmgurk4wyvDJrpFfiR-MOx4YtXXKYSo19lLxqXjBX4weyAn9pACf17xsB4PVqI7sXNyvE5lG75Z7bs4iDqw4mjImPLSDtnBGR0KsFeW-0/s2592/DSC00676.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhx5YimpThzAIK0GEgm6tERcJtlcQZFKTK-Ehmdqpfc6xXFvifvBqqOJrnQKV54bm2ZDbznK2rSF4XYmgurk4wyvDJrpFfiR-MOx4YtXXKYSo19lLxqXjBX4weyAn9pACf17xsB4PVqI7sXNyvE5lG75Z7bs4iDqw4mjImPLSDtnBGR0KsFeW-0/s200/DSC00676.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3gEGaWIXfznQ8-nafhptUj4JbI7m62U69hwNlXFkeL549vMQR5FIyP1qe8Jf0cHSAdIg2GKbL3pojdojUVe6dQqR8MengbtLVbKcDC_fYw3yFmYV7Jq6TB_-YaeFXHXT8fBj7akMV7cbdq9OlZN8oO-e4eEtr_Epj_pHYJMg4kGgayB9T72P/s4032/IMG_8898.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw3gEGaWIXfznQ8-nafhptUj4JbI7m62U69hwNlXFkeL549vMQR5FIyP1qe8Jf0cHSAdIg2GKbL3pojdojUVe6dQqR8MengbtLVbKcDC_fYw3yFmYV7Jq6TB_-YaeFXHXT8fBj7akMV7cbdq9OlZN8oO-e4eEtr_Epj_pHYJMg4kGgayB9T72P/s200/IMG_8898.jpg"/></a>
<br>And to see the larger columns at Dverghamrar where local legends tell us the dwarfs live</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJdvnrXnZROV8IuVr60fcKNT82De5wfxUN9aF-2EXtKVV-GfM9TPg8s25Cxl7avyVQFgtKz0gR5K2D71BLa6To85di6wdT21cQqnWIKkoYq8EK9Ujw8eNRGxWyARYh21mHuO5_bqaYgP3XAH2hDtHn_Yp78btA0gOuR7hJRXmjVqIAO9hUwK4/s2592/DSC00690.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIJdvnrXnZROV8IuVr60fcKNT82De5wfxUN9aF-2EXtKVV-GfM9TPg8s25Cxl7avyVQFgtKz0gR5K2D71BLa6To85di6wdT21cQqnWIKkoYq8EK9Ujw8eNRGxWyARYh21mHuO5_bqaYgP3XAH2hDtHn_Yp78btA0gOuR7hJRXmjVqIAO9hUwK4/s200/DSC00690.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-UyP90juN8BkBVdjcQocyrSQhgefDuSPzl_riJ41XDciYiOT-IMq9jQjK9kE0yg0GzkNAkFd_rXKciwu64BtL3i0OkbeCiNZtF8bD4dAONVtlAF88XamLA055stxtmGSQViQrGT6-gy4C8cX3QSkLTt1B2z5e-E8MhFheXq4MUdKSLyktzoA/s2592/DSC00692.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw-UyP90juN8BkBVdjcQocyrSQhgefDuSPzl_riJ41XDciYiOT-IMq9jQjK9kE0yg0GzkNAkFd_rXKciwu64BtL3i0OkbeCiNZtF8bD4dAONVtlAF88XamLA055stxtmGSQViQrGT6-gy4C8cX3QSkLTt1B2z5e-E8MhFheXq4MUdKSLyktzoA/s200/DSC00692.jpg"/></a>
<br>And more beauty all along...</center>
<p>We've seen comments from others characterizing the drive between Vik and Höfn as relatively dull. We didn't think so at all. While it's true that the steep mountain backdrop receded from the road toward the horizon, the stark lava fields that replaced them made us feel like we had landed on another world. This is Iceland's largest lava field, composed of over fourteen cubic kilometers of basalt from the Grímsvötn eruption of 1783/1784. At the mountains in the distance, the terminal ends of the great Vatnajökull glacier spilled onto the plain, broke into melting chunks of ice, and melted into silty, sinewy rivers that shape theplains below.
<p>A few hours later, right around sunset, Maryanne suggested a short detour down a dirt side road to the viewpoint at Haoldukvisl Glacier.
<p>The road turned out to be a much slower and rougher 4WD track than we had expected, so it took a while before we finally crested the final berm and caught view of the glacier.
<p>Then, of course, it was all far too interesting to look at quickly and then leave. With darkness falling, we exited the vehicle and speed-hiked our way from the top of one hillock to another. The views were incredible and it was humbling to think of how this whole area must have looked when all of this lava was flowing over it and cooling into the plains we were seeing today.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFuaCadAP7_XkHarVyMxBNgwuUPTOb9FrInlVfW70CisuKidaS-Y2LYIgIQ7JVAfGcy7hwCpH93rBS-bYZi_vUsrkANGFK1Umg4Xoyr8NqrShwdtj8AVLKcoJBu6v-vUBOjxfPnqBuR861KWW9ViBJpuvWmge5iCqp6z-A7QwjmT-LpAQwSs8/s2592/DSC00699.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuFuaCadAP7_XkHarVyMxBNgwuUPTOb9FrInlVfW70CisuKidaS-Y2LYIgIQ7JVAfGcy7hwCpH93rBS-bYZi_vUsrkANGFK1Umg4Xoyr8NqrShwdtj8AVLKcoJBu6v-vUBOjxfPnqBuR861KWW9ViBJpuvWmge5iCqp6z-A7QwjmT-LpAQwSs8/s200/DSC00699.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPy4-2Ze2NkqohCTjJKPw7E90hBe9iz91WAJEdJjLSgv6AIXDGMLvKfxM2fPteUMyn-bD41Cus_vFTDgA_mdwaUSq_zWrPTSHJy6UrRsfh-TIJ2I0u1A-9QDcep8gIaV_fVxpIQBs0HtJcWsPvI-8xfVhkbZ2KUkPPVwGPGjlq-HtBY5oWQDF/s2592/DSC00703.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpPy4-2Ze2NkqohCTjJKPw7E90hBe9iz91WAJEdJjLSgv6AIXDGMLvKfxM2fPteUMyn-bD41Cus_vFTDgA_mdwaUSq_zWrPTSHJy6UrRsfh-TIJ2I0u1A-9QDcep8gIaV_fVxpIQBs0HtJcWsPvI-8xfVhkbZ2KUkPPVwGPGjlq-HtBY5oWQDF/s200/DSC00703.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0RY5hAA3mg14hz2l7OfOfPmG2sj1yJyv5ojPIIFtM60OeWFns2G-9dQYdfXFhfONkbXqcHeEWydKXoxyGI7czktjkgHHXhx5aiuE5Y_v0x4BDmQ7bwciL39Nsr-xm77yicUK4YCCI-uAaroL3_vBM61ZqoQB_u6gWs88ktbcq-dJa4P7lJGe/s2592/DSC00728.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgv0RY5hAA3mg14hz2l7OfOfPmG2sj1yJyv5ojPIIFtM60OeWFns2G-9dQYdfXFhfONkbXqcHeEWydKXoxyGI7czktjkgHHXhx5aiuE5Y_v0x4BDmQ7bwciL39Nsr-xm77yicUK4YCCI-uAaroL3_vBM61ZqoQB_u6gWs88ktbcq-dJa4P7lJGe/s200/DSC00728.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZWHmdlSdU-qZGewg_9L9hG9jiIFJ79WLJqoaqmjWvApLIFfxQAi43ARt9xnQpXSowV1DrlbSeZCdxiO0r1Tf5q9Rg9UnSRssMPWzAZZUZTYd7XZmG9drfDECJuLbUAVF7AnDUgzKzY_anIUJNoX-xtC6rcTPiJzqYTRIQcjn0hqVRFztRTYN/s4032/IMG_8933.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgZWHmdlSdU-qZGewg_9L9hG9jiIFJ79WLJqoaqmjWvApLIFfxQAi43ARt9xnQpXSowV1DrlbSeZCdxiO0r1Tf5q9Rg9UnSRssMPWzAZZUZTYd7XZmG9drfDECJuLbUAVF7AnDUgzKzY_anIUJNoX-xtC6rcTPiJzqYTRIQcjn0hqVRFztRTYN/s200/IMG_8933.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMOkrWklFkDcZ4N5y-2woSiC6uYbJcdRb3_BJ3l2U7wzLKo8i_4tSdnXUslYo-eUls_D3k6X4LzZ4QQ7TwNvqCd0YwOtZSBv-U9s9mnuDIDIVd3cBfQoWSEvkS4SXoTGu5UFayH9reTaZzsNZoH3Em_t9B2Jd1pIUc7Lmh7DiFPx5UYcl78iL/s2592/DSC00714.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyMOkrWklFkDcZ4N5y-2woSiC6uYbJcdRb3_BJ3l2U7wzLKo8i_4tSdnXUslYo-eUls_D3k6X4LzZ4QQ7TwNvqCd0YwOtZSBv-U9s9mnuDIDIVd3cBfQoWSEvkS4SXoTGu5UFayH9reTaZzsNZoH3Em_t9B2Jd1pIUc7Lmh7DiFPx5UYcl78iL/s200/DSC00714.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtfgu4lbTXDLFzLCHtY-VXgbAk_ivUAci3iYP1mjD8Z5rN2xUyf_nHjO7K-nA41f8hM-CU0xJcBp-M0HVzuy6l4FIpGWCPg3jBE_eea8mvm0GT8IDSmyhv79Hb3yAntDxQ8fUvqWaqNaTWiBAdASl53P90odrLL34XynF8BmdDgaLMni-U5GU/s2592/DSC00708.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDtfgu4lbTXDLFzLCHtY-VXgbAk_ivUAci3iYP1mjD8Z5rN2xUyf_nHjO7K-nA41f8hM-CU0xJcBp-M0HVzuy6l4FIpGWCPg3jBE_eea8mvm0GT8IDSmyhv79Hb3yAntDxQ8fUvqWaqNaTWiBAdASl53P90odrLL34XynF8BmdDgaLMni-U5GU/s200/DSC00708.jpg"/></a>
<br>And another side trip, this time to the Haoldukvisl Glacier</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3b2YmDanL7JuMfsr5M69EdzL1hTn-8g599mKwBS-wj9XDKyHWdBc4SqjTcbOiJit26kGEqjueC74NWt2V3St3IfF6onEOpb82E18EPIDZaWLyyKcWUmxHavlE1gPdalReQN0hzcvFHZ5JpVOxTj4CBGxl0qLHDE-ZqjNOV8TVyFGPaDmY-PC/s4032/IMG_1695.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj3b2YmDanL7JuMfsr5M69EdzL1hTn-8g599mKwBS-wj9XDKyHWdBc4SqjTcbOiJit26kGEqjueC74NWt2V3St3IfF6onEOpb82E18EPIDZaWLyyKcWUmxHavlE1gPdalReQN0hzcvFHZ5JpVOxTj4CBGxl0qLHDE-ZqjNOV8TVyFGPaDmY-PC/s200/IMG_1695.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVry1vquDCr4OWdoTKNeYP56zdRK3tcoPkypaWMqijWCjjDBDxXASL4g8ifpkIyWRBfOE8N0M6piVdpUfi1ClAA1BYYPL9jtKo_Xvdx29LD0aUmIcmLytZHhwTSD1DiYrvkPFmA6_GObnEgCpLF6nFq__IX_tSe7dGWW5IR3RM_WRjbR2UTa3F/s4032/IMG_1706.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVry1vquDCr4OWdoTKNeYP56zdRK3tcoPkypaWMqijWCjjDBDxXASL4g8ifpkIyWRBfOE8N0M6piVdpUfi1ClAA1BYYPL9jtKo_Xvdx29LD0aUmIcmLytZHhwTSD1DiYrvkPFmA6_GObnEgCpLF6nFq__IX_tSe7dGWW5IR3RM_WRjbR2UTa3F/s200/IMG_1706.jpg"/></a>
<br>And we snatched a quick glimpse of Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon as darkness fell (we hope to spend more time on the way back west), and it was time find food and our hotel for the night</center>
<p>As the light was fading fast, we zipped right past our hotel and into Höfn for dinner. What had initially appeared as a good selection of restaurants quickly dwindled to just Kaffi Hornið, the only place left open during the off-season.
<p>Because Iceland has so much drama to deal with, what with the earthquakes, the volcanoes, and all of the severe weather, Icelanders have lots and lots of emergency procedures for if things start to go wrong. I did not know this at the time, but apparently, "May I have the Club Sandwich, please" is code for "Quick, bring this guy an emergency shelter he can use to hide behind in 100mph winds!"
<p>There is no way anyone would consider the thing they brought to our table to be an actual sandwich. It was as if the chef didn't understand scale and built it to exactly match a photo of one he'd seen on a billboard once. No one could get their mouths open that far. Even after I disassembled it, the pile of food that remained would barely fit on my plate. And here's the other thing, the Club Sandwich was the least expensive thing on the menu. Had we known, Maryanne and I would have shared it and taken the leftovers for dinner the next day.
<p>When we arrived at our hotel, it initially looked like it might have been abandoned. Oh, that's how they get you! You pay online and then when you show up, there's no one there! I should've…oh, wait. It looks like there's a light on at that building over there. Never mind.
<p>We were indeed the only guests. Our key card was waiting with a welcome note on the otherwise unattended Front Desk. Our room was toasty warm and sparking clean.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Iceland64.963051 -19.02083536.652817163821148 -54.177085000000005 90 16.135415tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-30973809617621573342023-12-08T12:00:00.032-05:002024-01-29T13:51:10.025-05:00Last few days in North America (for now)[Kyle]After leaving Kate and Mark's in south Virginia, we had a long, but otherwise uneventful drive for the last leg back to Canada (via West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New York, before reaching Ontario) . As we headed further north, the season seemed to advance by about a week for every hour of driving. We had started with a cloudy, drizzly sky full of falling and blowing leaves. By the time we crossed the border into Canada, the trees were all bare and we were driving through a proper blizzard of big, fluffy snowflakes that squeaked under the tires as we laid our tracks.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88rsEE_KdKRbOsrIgrbt3d-EU2vDmCXtShyphenhyphenRdkoND__7vt8JaGnxqK7eiBnQnX6oZIEwNFhgMznT7oQpaUx8tHpEeQYheuPmBp1g2jsbTdIZ10M2-2Y5z47adblXC5MSh9PhKnXU0dW8upTVjhjdvkNK0sPgSrwvDLrC9P4nrAjTIvGEzhKd-/s200/IMG_8676.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3oeE6cI0gs54YAmUWPxGpFieBuYV0wB4d5OHRUa37bM59P2s6PhhyTpLVYlroX-uP8md6kjMEZoeQwb7LE2LUqnpGp-hBSNqPIr6PxFz2Lim8Io6VFCd3Z98PGBSUo1k-gEwXI74rVVVLVVRvubABAVgIxCx79qjnbCSTV5MZgNEf2vibk3h/s4032/IMG_1292.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ3oeE6cI0gs54YAmUWPxGpFieBuYV0wB4d5OHRUa37bM59P2s6PhhyTpLVYlroX-uP8md6kjMEZoeQwb7LE2LUqnpGp-hBSNqPIr6PxFz2Lim8Io6VFCd3Z98PGBSUo1k-gEwXI74rVVVLVVRvubABAVgIxCx79qjnbCSTV5MZgNEf2vibk3h/s200/IMG_1292.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7MloGwZD8jvYMYvMFx4rtqU0pFUUaY7U3yt4AUaX0Lanm22KOh2is7QFtcRNnjmVQi8dm77gxOyuKiXtsVzCn23QP6FIFoOdreETDGFhU-qHEL8DR1RsuMkKDb0cHgfW3Q4-Y5ga_f28x-6CzwjcZMDJ4yoT3bCSLV2lbZ-BhNWbIc36lyj/s4032/IMG_1296.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnz7MloGwZD8jvYMYvMFx4rtqU0pFUUaY7U3yt4AUaX0Lanm22KOh2is7QFtcRNnjmVQi8dm77gxOyuKiXtsVzCn23QP6FIFoOdreETDGFhU-qHEL8DR1RsuMkKDb0cHgfW3Q4-Y5ga_f28x-6CzwjcZMDJ4yoT3bCSLV2lbZ-BhNWbIc36lyj/s200/IMG_1296.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkt2RJhhXIkX8VddDh5ybSzIWaPWKQaXRL1wXhVJLQGEj4SLIJqapl6wkC0N4ccrFqWtkfRNoS_cityvZ6H_2S2oY380Ky5M8PnqRj9HDPUq1aoR5zZwJ7_hNfnnp2aEK3U2TYY3THd0VfCXFdpXumZ9DewDRl4CTPvk8bj2beeFDDNPlKEUy/s4032/IMG_1302.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkt2RJhhXIkX8VddDh5ybSzIWaPWKQaXRL1wXhVJLQGEj4SLIJqapl6wkC0N4ccrFqWtkfRNoS_cityvZ6H_2S2oY380Ky5M8PnqRj9HDPUq1aoR5zZwJ7_hNfnnp2aEK3U2TYY3THd0VfCXFdpXumZ9DewDRl4CTPvk8bj2beeFDDNPlKEUy/s200/IMG_1302.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDQhmWJ7MWlGbJdFS8cIciiTLwAEO7KUTvRgf0LjAuHekK0170svExmKasgnYDOF2ac-iJbphDmimnDDdYakBfx0uk36Pq53fx5LyLM1lelpBy79H6A1EdtH8WGh_UhYMLKlgfV1c2rCMPrVa02nYtrBQfS3p5XyGFnk_b6X_jll3Z7zw_NcV/s4032/IMG_1318.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipDQhmWJ7MWlGbJdFS8cIciiTLwAEO7KUTvRgf0LjAuHekK0170svExmKasgnYDOF2ac-iJbphDmimnDDdYakBfx0uk36Pq53fx5LyLM1lelpBy79H6A1EdtH8WGh_UhYMLKlgfV1c2rCMPrVa02nYtrBQfS3p5XyGFnk_b6X_jll3Z7zw_NcV/s200/IMG_1318.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCoRt8PyhzUFB-haCxvO7JyYEUwu_Wd-82CpMVgTbQm12SKBSLnrYisSJda_Ls-LHwRi2kYfcokIAZ7DPGpXyJOyFfv2MEgHxe-K-753sLdePs-jNC2-3_t9_e__1_LA2R20OBRQUedJbjv3wIkIW1H8l50ryVkmKNs-T2wein8Iryv9_cSf_/s4032/IMG_1324.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSCoRt8PyhzUFB-haCxvO7JyYEUwu_Wd-82CpMVgTbQm12SKBSLnrYisSJda_Ls-LHwRi2kYfcokIAZ7DPGpXyJOyFfv2MEgHxe-K-753sLdePs-jNC2-3_t9_e__1_LA2R20OBRQUedJbjv3wIkIW1H8l50ryVkmKNs-T2wein8Iryv9_cSf_/s200/IMG_1324.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94aO9exgeEMRJJQLX02PS_vM8y7p80KcIjKh3fdrlAngijafL1hnc98Ij6SgqW_uWeuR2b9jUgE_27_FTiOviLp4BGjYtDM3xoca4AODJXWGZIZ64_tKYQ-32pGFVtXUS0u_LIkNvu13RlEyRuNXzQm4yUOZ0eCOP-I9mkKU-DImPwMOkYt0l/s4032/IMG_1327.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg94aO9exgeEMRJJQLX02PS_vM8y7p80KcIjKh3fdrlAngijafL1hnc98Ij6SgqW_uWeuR2b9jUgE_27_FTiOviLp4BGjYtDM3xoca4AODJXWGZIZ64_tKYQ-32pGFVtXUS0u_LIkNvu13RlEyRuNXzQm4yUOZ0eCOP-I9mkKU-DImPwMOkYt0l/s200/IMG_1327.jpg"/></a>
<br>Driving North back to Canada</center>
<p>Since we were just to the south of them, we made the short detour for a look at Niagara Falls again, this time from the Canadian side.
<p>Compared to our previous visit to <a href="https://sv-footprint.blogspot.com/2023/06/a-side-trip-to-niagara-falls-usa-side.html" target="_blank">the American side of the falls</a>, it was much, much colder, with some of the mist even forming into ice and snow along the paths. We stayed until darkness fell and the multi-colored floodlights came on to illuminate the falls through the night. Then it was time to head for our hotel, just a short drive from the Hamilton, Ontario airport.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ef07lEqU089kEkIm96O7vvarFHumzNuVZ7LbABl8CMliJtnet3NqHwuQ5aOM24RvUzQMSfCdBgfRKVmxkl_xbeWitdJNKG4oaWoRBiYvpWyCSN8GcRAW_4ymejtY-qL5YLLh5hvfsQaYhrsetn60Tk7FCV9tFqz-c4PB5hUZu0Nn55Dx7Psh/s4032/IMG_1336.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ef07lEqU089kEkIm96O7vvarFHumzNuVZ7LbABl8CMliJtnet3NqHwuQ5aOM24RvUzQMSfCdBgfRKVmxkl_xbeWitdJNKG4oaWoRBiYvpWyCSN8GcRAW_4ymejtY-qL5YLLh5hvfsQaYhrsetn60Tk7FCV9tFqz-c4PB5hUZu0Nn55Dx7Psh/s200/IMG_1336.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWyCqRk3-P94fk14GY_F65M5IUqqxr4_jlWSo4qPChIx23VVhgcgtSxhpSyg-BUfB06WTf7TTDiuYKt0feOC6uptmYhhqsIGSBZ4NuS4P6k50fN-ihFe6ZmqoLznbrypjNSobWu1gL0WMCSQhfTrw8dRQB1cR6cJtFtHmZj059_kcxoPBI9k8/s4032/IMG_1371.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXWyCqRk3-P94fk14GY_F65M5IUqqxr4_jlWSo4qPChIx23VVhgcgtSxhpSyg-BUfB06WTf7TTDiuYKt0feOC6uptmYhhqsIGSBZ4NuS4P6k50fN-ihFe6ZmqoLznbrypjNSobWu1gL0WMCSQhfTrw8dRQB1cR6cJtFtHmZj059_kcxoPBI9k8/s200/IMG_1371.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaHkJh0qv37ceX5XwsQLdLnOvp4Q3GKGIjEA6tlf9izfHTryVWzGWr1XvfzV0jAlyj_QxfKSCr8W71HHGgr-DxMcU5t7fZAmTv8GB9nFB_vo9B_ij7iRaht2Wa3vg3BIesvpLJnbFmL6AJIr5Q6tViny-owenja_5nwCNsHSpo1r4h_zBqq76/s4032/IMG_8672.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivaHkJh0qv37ceX5XwsQLdLnOvp4Q3GKGIjEA6tlf9izfHTryVWzGWr1XvfzV0jAlyj_QxfKSCr8W71HHGgr-DxMcU5t7fZAmTv8GB9nFB_vo9B_ij7iRaht2Wa3vg3BIesvpLJnbFmL6AJIr5Q6tViny-owenja_5nwCNsHSpo1r4h_zBqq76/s200/IMG_8672.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88rsEE_KdKRbOsrIgrbt3d-EU2vDmCXtShyphenhyphenRdkoND__7vt8JaGnxqK7eiBnQnX6oZIEwNFhgMznT7oQpaUx8tHpEeQYheuPmBp1g2jsbTdIZ10M2-2Y5z47adblXC5MSh9PhKnXU0dW8upTVjhjdvkNK0sPgSrwvDLrC9P4nrAjTIvGEzhKd-/s4032/IMG_8676.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg88rsEE_KdKRbOsrIgrbt3d-EU2vDmCXtShyphenhyphenRdkoND__7vt8JaGnxqK7eiBnQnX6oZIEwNFhgMznT7oQpaUx8tHpEeQYheuPmBp1g2jsbTdIZ10M2-2Y5z47adblXC5MSh9PhKnXU0dW8upTVjhjdvkNK0sPgSrwvDLrC9P4nrAjTIvGEzhKd-/s200/IMG_8676.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK6-EdY9fdG1RbOABfC-mnB4snbxOgQL11pni8OJXi3Ip6g3fMcB1djpbjJjb-fe_f65tutwZWT9mx8w4Fb6HbJQHBzhYn-EhKIj0iVm1-gbf0dVbF8onPRrAfKixs-SBzcB2eG4FeRXAFHGoozqPbFEgMVs5IkgwCIcDXguDPkXX-VtjXI-M/s9251/IMG_8679.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="320" data-original-height="3882" data-original-width="9251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilK6-EdY9fdG1RbOABfC-mnB4snbxOgQL11pni8OJXi3Ip6g3fMcB1djpbjJjb-fe_f65tutwZWT9mx8w4Fb6HbJQHBzhYn-EhKIj0iVm1-gbf0dVbF8onPRrAfKixs-SBzcB2eG4FeRXAFHGoozqPbFEgMVs5IkgwCIcDXguDPkXX-VtjXI-M/s320/IMG_8679.jpg"/></a>
<br>Niagara Falls - from the Canadian side</center>
<p>Our rental car return did not end up involving any drama as a result of either our high mileage or our repairs from the October bear attack. (Our credit card rental insurance ended up denying our claim on the basis that it only applied to short-term rentals that don’t leave Canada for more than 30 days.) Hamilton is much smaller and less crowded than Toronto Pearson International Airport, so we were checked in for our flight and sitting at the gate with hours left to go before boarding time.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Niagara Falls, ON, Canada43.0895577 -79.084943614.779323863821155 -114.2411936 71.399791536178839 -43.9286936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-78489918777484989432023-12-07T06:00:00.005-05:002024-01-29T13:50:59.299-05:00Norfolk - It's begining to feel like Christmas[Kyle]I mentioned in the previous blog that Interstate 95 is the busiest (most traveled) in the United States. It wasn't actually too bad when we first joined it at five a.m., after leaving Andy and Robin's. By the time we crossed the border into Georgia (GA) a few hours later, we were starting what was to be a whole day of slow-and-go, and even occasionally stop-and-go traffic. At least we had pizza and sandwiches aboard to keep us from starving (haha!).
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjJpxGumLl8-xHwJP-_3LwCwpesMHpwXP1VnZZV3L5saBWKeC11mWZnRQOrWQVplZI69ptI6y0Ci5j95kEPsTDivl-bIpwbwmcPoP_MnvQowPagam1v7_CJVWm6Gb5pjb6LJ7hmx-_bdsZ750cLnjUTjpTeRZeEuvAxvEHOGkqpAotH13ueKm/s200/IMG_8603.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGedlPTELUXFyed9ypVTbh-wAi11uMmsQhPkF5S3igIY4hcLlFadZgfXaE-cBzF51b01YA03j-TZfFazb0JWWcxMWc2UmCqr1_tkrF7yfky0RgnUhj_hXzHHhMEAx_1ysFQjAwgo5g8TRPVyFg7xAWfN7G7AfkMQLs6rAQ8xrjYoBeOjw4fkG/s4032/IMG_0978.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsGedlPTELUXFyed9ypVTbh-wAi11uMmsQhPkF5S3igIY4hcLlFadZgfXaE-cBzF51b01YA03j-TZfFazb0JWWcxMWc2UmCqr1_tkrF7yfky0RgnUhj_hXzHHhMEAx_1ysFQjAwgo5g8TRPVyFg7xAWfN7G7AfkMQLs6rAQ8xrjYoBeOjw4fkG/s200/IMG_0978.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eLuHH9EqlNgOvIh2RcI-Cs_ARZTkWxqpbiVZpiXCs3CK1MJpv5eAYfOFI-KjPZB_fa47BIeSreTUepjpVqqqsTjtbyJWaMf4PThYgLnDM1BrQi1HfK-ljGYHo-LCDKsLHmq03z4KnQxNJhkvpLANA4s8xo2EfQACpODPXgc7IEqwa7Xdm-0u/s4032/IMG_0981.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0eLuHH9EqlNgOvIh2RcI-Cs_ARZTkWxqpbiVZpiXCs3CK1MJpv5eAYfOFI-KjPZB_fa47BIeSreTUepjpVqqqsTjtbyJWaMf4PThYgLnDM1BrQi1HfK-ljGYHo-LCDKsLHmq03z4KnQxNJhkvpLANA4s8xo2EfQACpODPXgc7IEqwa7Xdm-0u/s200/IMG_0981.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWaRUdi2Dixnycu1jQ2Lff4-5iJKxxFjjyAmAk1ru_kyZWuGWc_2BJBZUsi86WLqRs7IXq8nxdj6PvSyTS-ybPdi080PHDzA4RNcKGwDyjWwQtubCwNIE_ZBC0QGEtVOxhpkdvMQb4k4zzuzsQ4HZGUCwjmiNZJ22H8-8okAKKivBQKggqyz-/s4032/IMG_0985.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWaRUdi2Dixnycu1jQ2Lff4-5iJKxxFjjyAmAk1ru_kyZWuGWc_2BJBZUsi86WLqRs7IXq8nxdj6PvSyTS-ybPdi080PHDzA4RNcKGwDyjWwQtubCwNIE_ZBC0QGEtVOxhpkdvMQb4k4zzuzsQ4HZGUCwjmiNZJ22H8-8okAKKivBQKggqyz-/s200/IMG_0985.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiyY7ejzrlwdYzHHUnQRqMCA5LVXbkxGw8-No9S6hTYXkhy4cFwPBKsRLAXV0NWxyfhyphenhyphenmJfU9983Fvg1Gzfr14TXMGpDYkvJjwJqgpOMOlOmCFEG1B4O3SqLpR3TXGHX06V9jaZmPwamkVU8vNyF9NClMYsOzoqWXigr1SzSYDWO5_RGp7k6u/s4032/IMG_1005.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjiyY7ejzrlwdYzHHUnQRqMCA5LVXbkxGw8-No9S6hTYXkhy4cFwPBKsRLAXV0NWxyfhyphenhyphenmJfU9983Fvg1Gzfr14TXMGpDYkvJjwJqgpOMOlOmCFEG1B4O3SqLpR3TXGHX06V9jaZmPwamkVU8vNyF9NClMYsOzoqWXigr1SzSYDWO5_RGp7k6u/s200/IMG_1005.jpg"/></a>
<br>The drive North</center>
<p>When we finally exited the car with our creaky joints in Virginia Beach, it had been five hours and three minutes since our last fuel stop. The outside temperature was twenty degrees Fahrenheit (11°C) colder than when we had climbed in. Yeeesh! That's cold. First priority: find out where we packed our coats.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5LC0Vnwp3412fouZiOmmc2nSj3MuJ2fmMiiryFgA5WajgYyBFkMQ0_-Fx3w-J5NJCVqrQptjDIVz2sng1Cve8irU-33qjKY9hm1lhbyzSHvt_bH2fBj4q5wYV2nAPPnMLmepMX2dhMWWAyS57eyEnIZDAif3g6nQoiVrV9vf8elhBzPsfzRP/s3088/IMG_1027.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2316" data-original-width="3088" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo5LC0Vnwp3412fouZiOmmc2nSj3MuJ2fmMiiryFgA5WajgYyBFkMQ0_-Fx3w-J5NJCVqrQptjDIVz2sng1Cve8irU-33qjKY9hm1lhbyzSHvt_bH2fBj4q5wYV2nAPPnMLmepMX2dhMWWAyS57eyEnIZDAif3g6nQoiVrV9vf8elhBzPsfzRP/s200/IMG_1027.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xilkSPd-LwyXYLGsegyKqN8FW3h4KN2ilRXVFUXgXG-SjRVvpmwUsa15058c4Qp652YjF68DgMfFRjNfBfhVvhg7wkA12411dqVXcHK7TSAjjk8H-svTPe6Fz-S7ArYdcaW650SitDUEJE8ly9IUxl_B_2oELXQTD6ZUkyXXGvZXB0QeCFg5/s4032/IMG_1081.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6xilkSPd-LwyXYLGsegyKqN8FW3h4KN2ilRXVFUXgXG-SjRVvpmwUsa15058c4Qp652YjF68DgMfFRjNfBfhVvhg7wkA12411dqVXcHK7TSAjjk8H-svTPe6Fz-S7ArYdcaW650SitDUEJE8ly9IUxl_B_2oELXQTD6ZUkyXXGvZXB0QeCFg5/s200/IMG_1081.jpg"/></a>
<br>We spent a relaxed time with Liz, including plenty of card-playing and a girls' outing to watch the new Barbie movie</center>
<p>We spent our first few days in the area staying with Liz, one of Maryanne's good friends (they met when studying to be volunteer EMTs/Ambulance Medics). We had a good mix of quiet time with each other and a excursions out and about for variety. We also used Liz's place as a base for a few chores and outings of our own as well as a quiet place to get caught up on our backup of computer jobs (like blog writing). Maryanne got to take a side trip or two to catch up with other friends where possible.
<p>My favorite evening with Liz was when we all went to the Botanical Gardens to see their Christmas lights. It sounds so banal, but it was really incredible. The staff there did an amazing job of lighting up the entire place like a, um, Christmas Tree. Actually, it was more of a whole Christmas forest. Even grumpy old me was bounding around like a kid who can't wait to see what's next. I kept having to remind myself to stay within sight of the group.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPGj5r9heKj92h7J_BD-XUZlpQlBukdy5dn-XmfIrmq1L_J0-kRMMff_UwNVGRZ83Vuu0jrjelh0Ac8L7qNta7jgAMVBkNrZYIBLXzSu7y5P3-GlL6GkHD4PlEIcq_J6jepk9UrXr09ZCKliL4c4A3PVyfsB5n0_AC4zEHj8ZaOdf6S8msgaA/s4032/IMG_1035.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUPGj5r9heKj92h7J_BD-XUZlpQlBukdy5dn-XmfIrmq1L_J0-kRMMff_UwNVGRZ83Vuu0jrjelh0Ac8L7qNta7jgAMVBkNrZYIBLXzSu7y5P3-GlL6GkHD4PlEIcq_J6jepk9UrXr09ZCKliL4c4A3PVyfsB5n0_AC4zEHj8ZaOdf6S8msgaA/s200/IMG_1035.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipz13iVAUNIEcmW59pmk1E0W7XZu2Uxzl9fNGHHyiHH7-KIV-IHM4hNSp0tVanOhmXEpkirU_ps8G_NoRIiK5N1Ac6Buv5JhCius5UlUnSe2ls1pa5BfY3LP7V1FmBBbobfKj1rUfFLozEbfrwjjLoTQjedWVjuQtUXHK3qDAyXQueZD6SwWmX/s3088/IMG_1056.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3088" data-original-width="2316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipz13iVAUNIEcmW59pmk1E0W7XZu2Uxzl9fNGHHyiHH7-KIV-IHM4hNSp0tVanOhmXEpkirU_ps8G_NoRIiK5N1Ac6Buv5JhCius5UlUnSe2ls1pa5BfY3LP7V1FmBBbobfKj1rUfFLozEbfrwjjLoTQjedWVjuQtUXHK3qDAyXQueZD6SwWmX/s200/IMG_1056.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpCKGZsxwpNSjCFR4-Jb1f3UUh4XdgSDXV4R927wKDIgmyqTXX7Q0AKV6rRdvirDwAfxazcTwklueq8MY7UFQANUp22v9j2Czu3lX-edqU4i4rUiJwL9oYE-zXHQDeo9miZq5NT8l60tbhFXhi2hKfqYVarRr9swvNKw-lDQXp6mP_q3ehuoW/s4032/IMG_8545.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhpCKGZsxwpNSjCFR4-Jb1f3UUh4XdgSDXV4R927wKDIgmyqTXX7Q0AKV6rRdvirDwAfxazcTwklueq8MY7UFQANUp22v9j2Czu3lX-edqU4i4rUiJwL9oYE-zXHQDeo9miZq5NT8l60tbhFXhi2hKfqYVarRr9swvNKw-lDQXp6mP_q3ehuoW/s200/IMG_8545.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienYWm_N2j2KT-_NDhEZ6eaJm0ooKreY7yZ1BdPk8g7imAtxBfOmvjruxryS4XtZboJ3rOQ3sLJWfYfhqgKjBWzAmhQi6LGtLm0iyAVH1mupYALjzA7wo7d50g_N8mzHFCO3C_hyphenhyphen2JLfyqsSeOej2_BinghFeCHxWgjskRFvhE2u_wTrHsjqhL/s4032/IMG_1061.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEienYWm_N2j2KT-_NDhEZ6eaJm0ooKreY7yZ1BdPk8g7imAtxBfOmvjruxryS4XtZboJ3rOQ3sLJWfYfhqgKjBWzAmhQi6LGtLm0iyAVH1mupYALjzA7wo7d50g_N8mzHFCO3C_hyphenhyphen2JLfyqsSeOej2_BinghFeCHxWgjskRFvhE2u_wTrHsjqhL/s200/IMG_1061.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0YAms27HYQz8yvVsk4lZLOn2-oFaGrhsJUV8Az5EAnxqAUe_4MvejGxLfHIjlIJ8CxGYEJXHYDprC_dT5RjN2xhHPi0AGCpIGZucDLLEXjTZugpwEi-3Y6eu1vJ-WrTD6CoGYCQrrnh_oJwUJqZlOsPmYd_SVHSpMeJImdGyvMsHYTDcc3yY/s4032/IMG_8504.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ0YAms27HYQz8yvVsk4lZLOn2-oFaGrhsJUV8Az5EAnxqAUe_4MvejGxLfHIjlIJ8CxGYEJXHYDprC_dT5RjN2xhHPi0AGCpIGZucDLLEXjTZugpwEi-3Y6eu1vJ-WrTD6CoGYCQrrnh_oJwUJqZlOsPmYd_SVHSpMeJImdGyvMsHYTDcc3yY/s200/IMG_8504.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbY0eYVuxdlwtxvPxXCTbzhc2l1SUJIGF5wJ0z-UScx8vSCJRxhtBcVMb0oz_RacloVdVwyQUjKn9TaCAVXoeYg0n_bFgk8C2DdnUig7HMC4KOWyIeDzSkInqksJON-g569S3thNjgymfrCK4lIE3U77Jposeh1iR0cklWYpkgjbXyd9p3o-IH/s4032/IMG_8526.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbY0eYVuxdlwtxvPxXCTbzhc2l1SUJIGF5wJ0z-UScx8vSCJRxhtBcVMb0oz_RacloVdVwyQUjKn9TaCAVXoeYg0n_bFgk8C2DdnUig7HMC4KOWyIeDzSkInqksJON-g569S3thNjgymfrCK4lIE3U77Jposeh1iR0cklWYpkgjbXyd9p3o-IH/s200/IMG_8526.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjJpxGumLl8-xHwJP-_3LwCwpesMHpwXP1VnZZV3L5saBWKeC11mWZnRQOrWQVplZI69ptI6y0Ci5j95kEPsTDivl-bIpwbwmcPoP_MnvQowPagam1v7_CJVWm6Gb5pjb6LJ7hmx-_bdsZ750cLnjUTjpTeRZeEuvAxvEHOGkqpAotH13ueKm/s4032/IMG_8603.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicjJpxGumLl8-xHwJP-_3LwCwpesMHpwXP1VnZZV3L5saBWKeC11mWZnRQOrWQVplZI69ptI6y0Ci5j95kEPsTDivl-bIpwbwmcPoP_MnvQowPagam1v7_CJVWm6Gb5pjb6LJ7hmx-_bdsZ750cLnjUTjpTeRZeEuvAxvEHOGkqpAotH13ueKm/s200/IMG_8603.jpg"/></a>
<br>Christmas lights at the Norfolk Botanical Gardens was a treat</center>
<p>For our last week in Norfolk, we went to stay with Kate and Mark again. By this point, we have all known one another for half of our adult lives. They are the closest non-family family that we have and coming to their house to be in their company feels like the closest thing to coming home that two rolling stones like me and Maryanne can have without being out on the boat, bobbing around somewhere. To me, personally, I find their company to be the most rejuvenating of all and I look forward to visiting with great anticipation.
<p>Of course, we had a great time. We crisscrossed the town, ate out a lot, repeatedly stayed up later than we all thought we would, and took in our own Christmas light show (not as good as the Botanic Gardens, but the company helped make up for it).
<p>Mark helped me repair the last of the <a href="https://sv-footprint.blogspot.com/2023/11/on-to-california-special-moments.html" target="_blank">bear damage</a> to our rental car and Kate took a day off to show us the area of Richmond where she grew up. It's very charming.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DwH4PBfyPn6maiAZrz4xetlHgmQrM3tpqr_ULeQb5YU9-bh11ZXfSKMYSp34p_w6XO_Ua7mRQckd0KLlwgaSAkQl-Yrin_WPnYwCGDatSmA7qrBrc35VJeDlaQ7mpwdUGBqjZpvjXbdG2b1UgaYKLg4XCBPEmnWisp-ZzzHf_X1uW4fa_kFY/s4032/IMG_1133.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-DwH4PBfyPn6maiAZrz4xetlHgmQrM3tpqr_ULeQb5YU9-bh11ZXfSKMYSp34p_w6XO_Ua7mRQckd0KLlwgaSAkQl-Yrin_WPnYwCGDatSmA7qrBrc35VJeDlaQ7mpwdUGBqjZpvjXbdG2b1UgaYKLg4XCBPEmnWisp-ZzzHf_X1uW4fa_kFY/s200/IMG_1133.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavFHXo2HWJfmnsI8cLGy3AK81JHBUte4rjPhmTixA7zXdSmCKTAQUh-dp2Z3yVORRky2DBPpKqpO8bJRCcv7ZLonaEUt7prqSi2EuI-ykaipmbBRiCHadFq3Jnn1LZnhyphenhyphenZZHjiF0etE6NrsyJgi0T98Fq2AuFdPladbB6K0LQN27Snoknb21u/s4032/IMG_1166.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiavFHXo2HWJfmnsI8cLGy3AK81JHBUte4rjPhmTixA7zXdSmCKTAQUh-dp2Z3yVORRky2DBPpKqpO8bJRCcv7ZLonaEUt7prqSi2EuI-ykaipmbBRiCHadFq3Jnn1LZnhyphenhyphenZZHjiF0etE6NrsyJgi0T98Fq2AuFdPladbB6K0LQN27Snoknb21u/s200/IMG_1166.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbutjuGLdYnT4nOMralMloGQ5lXrHdp-Ls5tLn1PLTzDRyf1QGDmvH1DPKDn8d_o-x75SGKstpqRHZ8n9qZ6HTpfSzAXpv7waWgGYYkOmTnZPq1jLfkxiEL0cFA8Re93OI1lI4PyXTeXGFEvHh7-Qy0zyXrx7DcUEIjWfxa2v-_CT-zp-ccVdj/s693/IMG_9659.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="693" data-original-width="520" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbutjuGLdYnT4nOMralMloGQ5lXrHdp-Ls5tLn1PLTzDRyf1QGDmvH1DPKDn8d_o-x75SGKstpqRHZ8n9qZ6HTpfSzAXpv7waWgGYYkOmTnZPq1jLfkxiEL0cFA8Re93OI1lI4PyXTeXGFEvHh7-Qy0zyXrx7DcUEIjWfxa2v-_CT-zp-ccVdj/s200/IMG_9659.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AsQcHPg3zIF4dCnwHtXuov95x194VBVHnVckG8Yi74hohOfq3xyyQztjjqyec5TqUPusrAzsB-qequK6ozvCqZlQ07-qw5R41YU4k_ZIEiQESmDS8xst8fr4kBno0iFigcYzTeFK_5Kl7sytKy88d3t2C_LfJZ6XD67S5NTPFTbDOuudrkcG/s4032/IMG_1164.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3AsQcHPg3zIF4dCnwHtXuov95x194VBVHnVckG8Yi74hohOfq3xyyQztjjqyec5TqUPusrAzsB-qequK6ozvCqZlQ07-qw5R41YU4k_ZIEiQESmDS8xst8fr4kBno0iFigcYzTeFK_5Kl7sytKy88d3t2C_LfJZ6XD67S5NTPFTbDOuudrkcG/s200/IMG_1164.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhcPwVwZES65d8LvtsIomkodxXhrDiPwpdYLxJJ4N73hG_9gd8blOIf0-azoXUldQE6hTUGjVPkgUEotQhEQrTx6cTw8vGFaL_MB0PkxkN0tLT0QHEW5jAPJEvrEHRTTqzU5Y6ImD22JzFDOZchkpvjawP1JoCq-9BnybMk_ywpA7LmO80snZ/s960/IMG_1250.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVhcPwVwZES65d8LvtsIomkodxXhrDiPwpdYLxJJ4N73hG_9gd8blOIf0-azoXUldQE6hTUGjVPkgUEotQhEQrTx6cTw8vGFaL_MB0PkxkN0tLT0QHEW5jAPJEvrEHRTTqzU5Y6ImD22JzFDOZchkpvjawP1JoCq-9BnybMk_ywpA7LmO80snZ/s200/IMG_1250.jpg"/></a>
<br>Christmas themed Doggy-Day-Care, and the beautifully decorated Cavalier Hotel</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipIphKOfBeOA81YyAKw0tlTLA_oi25vO_BINFa8s5Nqa2Z3NRGqbwgYwfKb9pjhgQg3cmopi8daMjPW5VtAK0cynks1sEkuiQ9XmiRawBIgb6S2WRQW_D0l1Qd_srrGrT287CTzR95KOIa_Dq8yxAYQy4soMSM2C45GJhZkL1-wzk4HLDuhBs/s4032/IMG_1184.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhipIphKOfBeOA81YyAKw0tlTLA_oi25vO_BINFa8s5Nqa2Z3NRGqbwgYwfKb9pjhgQg3cmopi8daMjPW5VtAK0cynks1sEkuiQ9XmiRawBIgb6S2WRQW_D0l1Qd_srrGrT287CTzR95KOIa_Dq8yxAYQy4soMSM2C45GJhZkL1-wzk4HLDuhBs/s200/IMG_1184.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo8b3PY-qffgYH7FSAY7aesEzpn22rl3AhHRkRppWhfiuXavRBYmx8udYu8Bhyy3T3ro0__-dtJtH32HLsa00hsFDqyggRKck2tY5O3DJwfLDh3aMj1XpJDDdh_UcI0hrMZFIBZMdENTrieBgWXRA7LOQ-V2uB-L6sd97rcmluLWiGlSZmpkF/s2303/IMG_1196.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1727" data-original-width="2303" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeo8b3PY-qffgYH7FSAY7aesEzpn22rl3AhHRkRppWhfiuXavRBYmx8udYu8Bhyy3T3ro0__-dtJtH32HLsa00hsFDqyggRKck2tY5O3DJwfLDh3aMj1XpJDDdh_UcI0hrMZFIBZMdENTrieBgWXRA7LOQ-V2uB-L6sd97rcmluLWiGlSZmpkF/s200/IMG_1196.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Virginia Beach Boardwalk also had a drive through Holiday lights display (fun, but not as good as the Botanical Gardens)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgA4W8KFKjEzRNVX3IfJ8kLmshTVy2tljeyNZvdEzhgqNgUvhLxr7IjVLhY1bsqPhVQ8mqzSr5Lp6R42Z9EnMGWx8p01-m4hh4XU8xcQvkIiCXqkpIHFAuWS_dMmKBbIFlSj9d2MpBTGtNo9dWWbs8FT0wwDsRF7tS3AXCGNWk_Ga7oG4TE3_/s4032/IMG_1203.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwgA4W8KFKjEzRNVX3IfJ8kLmshTVy2tljeyNZvdEzhgqNgUvhLxr7IjVLhY1bsqPhVQ8mqzSr5Lp6R42Z9EnMGWx8p01-m4hh4XU8xcQvkIiCXqkpIHFAuWS_dMmKBbIFlSj9d2MpBTGtNo9dWWbs8FT0wwDsRF7tS3AXCGNWk_Ga7oG4TE3_/s200/IMG_1203.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkZJKW1iNxskhyphenhyphenVDuR5jgb5KXJjg46yA5bZNogcaTycuaOccpHN2z4LHk8E9rkOZFUb3gHLpOuCGRd-blEU4XZWxVOI9vFRW5oSnRXI62jY4RPcDAtb4uzM84_C3yhKXINQPOJIP-HYkEv9MLgVz8CczepuGVp35EOQqxpMyp0eRANnHm2rf5/s4032/IMG_1212.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijkZJKW1iNxskhyphenhyphenVDuR5jgb5KXJjg46yA5bZNogcaTycuaOccpHN2z4LHk8E9rkOZFUb3gHLpOuCGRd-blEU4XZWxVOI9vFRW5oSnRXI62jY4RPcDAtb4uzM84_C3yhKXINQPOJIP-HYkEv9MLgVz8CczepuGVp35EOQqxpMyp0eRANnHm2rf5/s200/IMG_1212.jpg"/></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MQv2s1vruzYNxvFChLe14jUyfAQd8UiZfQec5gEDX_uH8ufy6lJaZdOrwK6Maibj0szZxTY4NCBJjbuNLTNMLm2NtEJWKg579fNtdRTKZWGtkhUqntZsvamMlMb-uMuSs_rcMpTVpmrUfpJu-drDebxEM7UYzJe9WnQY0cU4T6hLI7mTEtVu/s4032/IMG_1236.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MQv2s1vruzYNxvFChLe14jUyfAQd8UiZfQec5gEDX_uH8ufy6lJaZdOrwK6Maibj0szZxTY4NCBJjbuNLTNMLm2NtEJWKg579fNtdRTKZWGtkhUqntZsvamMlMb-uMuSs_rcMpTVpmrUfpJu-drDebxEM7UYzJe9WnQY0cU4T6hLI7mTEtVu/s200/IMG_1236.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvBRuz8hf0olf0xu8cIdHETefNgU-9-ghdZryZpH8prEPSzS42-qNb_p2f_wuXJynX_KRIL1E27A7ukbEwiQBT6UqY1npGI9JMDCmAGlrWM-qTfCeXvNYvTwac6TtnyNhD5CXLZ1MQICLs-4B5BRY7EY7hWBHuKJbp8z4OTWNP1CNpBkV1szJ/s4032/IMG_8659.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinvBRuz8hf0olf0xu8cIdHETefNgU-9-ghdZryZpH8prEPSzS42-qNb_p2f_wuXJynX_KRIL1E27A7ukbEwiQBT6UqY1npGI9JMDCmAGlrWM-qTfCeXvNYvTwac6TtnyNhD5CXLZ1MQICLs-4B5BRY7EY7hWBHuKJbp8z4OTWNP1CNpBkV1szJ/s200/IMG_8659.jpg"/></a>
<br>We were happy to overdose on Christmas lighting displays - here are a few from the famous 43rd Street neighbourhood lights</center>
<p>On less busy days, we were more than happy to enjoy Kate's wonderful cooking (which I like a bit too much, but she is so good at it) and hang around having long talks about whatever comes up.
<p>The pets even got comfortable enough around us that we would sometimes wake to find significant sections of the space at the foot of the bed had been claimed by one furball or another. The dog (Poppy) was the funniest. She would wedge herself into the slowly increasing valley on top of the comforter between me and Maryanne. Then she would wait patiently - sometimes for hours - before one or the other of us woke to see her giving a look that clearly said, "Okay, you can scratch me now."
<p>I know it sounds corny, but as we were hugging them all goodbye, I was missing them already and looking forward to the next time we get back. Norfolk is the closest place we have that feels like a "home".SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Norfolk, VA, USA36.8507689 -76.285872599999998.540535063821153 -111.44212259999999 65.161002736178844 -41.12962259999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-76052323214229675842023-11-25T10:00:00.002-05:002024-01-29T13:50:48.842-05:00Florida[Kyle]The drive between New Orleans and Florida is a long one. It has very few stretches of road with light traffic and is also not particularly scenic. Thus, the miles and the hours dragged on as we plodded eastward to where Interstate 10 finally finishes at Jacksonville. We got there just before the afternoon rush hour started and then turned south onto Interstate 95, the busiest in the U.S.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoF8w9i46rwR_UvSRiXLun3krZzJidCZUec-z-CnD_EgRs2aAdgvdJXvmfJ9T4CQ3bULPswS59wBB3MUGBfqIVzsFxwBaprrkDq_ml6liFQGLYAAmC4e9Ytpol98pFnDDsv5i4bL-u2Grlx3HegAxJr78YeJFD0PNRhyoflIQNVBX7b3mftA7/s200/DSC00254.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmNISKUrazQ-Dh3IDtJO5wfuNaa0l69FGhAg2wG5geSbxi0H-HzWtJn2YWECAEAP3dzXh3OWlqwlzsfGYv_0nrY9FKw6eoCrYkZPiLjvcCLFwFkIr64cjdh0f9NgcCwDqFQbPH75A2P7wn7UDW44zowAzILPTcl4I3TioSyWlD9Ac5D9dsUY5/s2174/IMG_0868.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1630" data-original-width="2174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMmNISKUrazQ-Dh3IDtJO5wfuNaa0l69FGhAg2wG5geSbxi0H-HzWtJn2YWECAEAP3dzXh3OWlqwlzsfGYv_0nrY9FKw6eoCrYkZPiLjvcCLFwFkIr64cjdh0f9NgcCwDqFQbPH75A2P7wn7UDW44zowAzILPTcl4I3TioSyWlD9Ac5D9dsUY5/s200/IMG_0868.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWuIdv5HRN7kt3SjExVv4gl4BVoDNlKRYRPq6f43jttC6CMiQ1f60mLNa_ROy0HSZZEUGmYdyy4-z8fJYa52Yjx-taSbPQxcUNE-V0JvVxpL4ASwbFwWG99YugRj5bJ9oWIoolZB9ENYRFMcvOTvOKgnhyTr4A7eBz1dL_v8t85A2ni-fWDFO/s2103/IMG_0872.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1577" data-original-width="2103" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKWuIdv5HRN7kt3SjExVv4gl4BVoDNlKRYRPq6f43jttC6CMiQ1f60mLNa_ROy0HSZZEUGmYdyy4-z8fJYa52Yjx-taSbPQxcUNE-V0JvVxpL4ASwbFwWG99YugRj5bJ9oWIoolZB9ENYRFMcvOTvOKgnhyTr4A7eBz1dL_v8t85A2ni-fWDFO/s200/IMG_0872.jpg"/></a>
<br>Another long drive (over 1000 miles in one day), another change of time zone - this leg means we've arrived in state number 20 for the road trip to date</center>
<p>The drivers in this part of the country do not appear to be particularly law-abiding nor courteous, which made the last four hours of our drive even more of a trial than the first nine.
<p>When we finally escaped the throngs and parked the car at our friend's place in a nice, dark, quiet lot, I was ready to walk away from the car and not look at it for a few days.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAPTpGj_sGtmUbF7zOYj1KiTE_q88muGCMHJ9Kutv4_7ai5NeWNWejfzvKCOv1KHni2FAIaNuKLGSnMBuOo1US8kHtB5wairtLHaVYO9-gDubkzB8Dx8FPgMqw7-C7lrc1RwMVcKBbTUQ99JSSj8aEkUuul7cODzYDUb6ibo-HVR_kJ_zyo7B/s2592/DSC00166.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAAPTpGj_sGtmUbF7zOYj1KiTE_q88muGCMHJ9Kutv4_7ai5NeWNWejfzvKCOv1KHni2FAIaNuKLGSnMBuOo1US8kHtB5wairtLHaVYO9-gDubkzB8Dx8FPgMqw7-C7lrc1RwMVcKBbTUQ99JSSj8aEkUuul7cODzYDUb6ibo-HVR_kJ_zyo7B/s200/DSC00166.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrxKt7rMJP4Ei3YO1EFeW9xhDaqqoGcQo_jkLGVL1DlEUPuVIurtnkT1r7oVYPFDCZF8DQRZzzMheAwIFbVlikRlNwN3Uxsr7RjeIVUshyphenhyphenlhBFIc5H3zETRcBx72J6BAuNuqV7RdpkUZ-zGj3_MyNujPkQ8J5KVpqNNd6ieR9DHLvUhqHPD4m/s1596/DSC00171.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1197" data-original-width="1596" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrxKt7rMJP4Ei3YO1EFeW9xhDaqqoGcQo_jkLGVL1DlEUPuVIurtnkT1r7oVYPFDCZF8DQRZzzMheAwIFbVlikRlNwN3Uxsr7RjeIVUshyphenhyphenlhBFIc5H3zETRcBx72J6BAuNuqV7RdpkUZ-zGj3_MyNujPkQ8J5KVpqNNd6ieR9DHLvUhqHPD4m/s200/DSC00171.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTkakcE2uxlkNd3TrAGq6DYdm5U4pAKjZLamm5frY7d_2BBWOGsWI3cEQKWib3p3IU8qNCE9udNio0tA5evfiGVM8tyZJZ73kJg45Kg3yc4t0LW80KvqHv4N4XN8boop7Sku1o7mVeT-uzVDkkEQg5wk_uAPSzCHri7QRBdk1icPnEf9G3zf5/s2592/DSC00174.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzTkakcE2uxlkNd3TrAGq6DYdm5U4pAKjZLamm5frY7d_2BBWOGsWI3cEQKWib3p3IU8qNCE9udNio0tA5evfiGVM8tyZJZ73kJg45Kg3yc4t0LW80KvqHv4N4XN8boop7Sku1o7mVeT-uzVDkkEQg5wk_uAPSzCHri7QRBdk1icPnEf9G3zf5/s200/DSC00174.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquhMu_s0H0yB1GhijNx8h2GLQofik_33Obnxvj5c46TwRuF-waw7ykw4QQVtU84eJmnIIGOG3Rbskk3mdzakr7j1b8o5rEErdIAwBBIwJMx9vJuZEuxXfASuTvbCV_9QhU6YkP5UM58FvDgjo-1F12EgaBzIaC515Bdt5MOrs6n92z7ZWf3QB/s4032/IMG_0888.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhquhMu_s0H0yB1GhijNx8h2GLQofik_33Obnxvj5c46TwRuF-waw7ykw4QQVtU84eJmnIIGOG3Rbskk3mdzakr7j1b8o5rEErdIAwBBIwJMx9vJuZEuxXfASuTvbCV_9QhU6YkP5UM58FvDgjo-1F12EgaBzIaC515Bdt5MOrs6n92z7ZWf3QB/s200/IMG_0888.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP1wR3pvd-dXieXrms8M32qKFYUcSAIOIJy2EEshri208ArFcUECLEZbnm_emFAdc5Jlh8JCB3uDWw0NKjBSLGpuyY8ZhcamGztRyzzrNhJpiUnOlpJXVo_tRAnrr4pJkyBzdFJEpELyXGbJzxv7BAwn32FNmAiaio7Ij8zS4EQK4KWpsJJjp/s4032/IMG_0890.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqP1wR3pvd-dXieXrms8M32qKFYUcSAIOIJy2EEshri208ArFcUECLEZbnm_emFAdc5Jlh8JCB3uDWw0NKjBSLGpuyY8ZhcamGztRyzzrNhJpiUnOlpJXVo_tRAnrr4pJkyBzdFJEpELyXGbJzxv7BAwn32FNmAiaio7Ij8zS4EQK4KWpsJJjp/s200/IMG_0890.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTlZkuq9qO2lWQl93bW5tPIlCn9aRxjIDErLCH4nv10OA87rTWsDDolvyhvY4BpUtBXnplkAnOlPg7Crm9muf7gtMnXfGqUUnAaMk1MBMBdpdqN5jRWyysvEM4lOr6QxfgNFVV-K1Y4WXn7iTMHc5gN9875X7fQWsZScPObzgSq0lELrg5aOC/s4032/IMG_0892.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLTlZkuq9qO2lWQl93bW5tPIlCn9aRxjIDErLCH4nv10OA87rTWsDDolvyhvY4BpUtBXnplkAnOlPg7Crm9muf7gtMnXfGqUUnAaMk1MBMBdpdqN5jRWyysvEM4lOr6QxfgNFVV-K1Y4WXn7iTMHc5gN9875X7fQWsZScPObzgSq0lELrg5aOC/s200/IMG_0892.jpg"/></a>
<br>Birds, a Beach and a Bar - combining a few favourites with good friends!</center>
<p>Andy and Robin, with whom we became fast friends when we all lived in the marina in Weehawken, New Jersey during the winter of 2012/2013, were as welcoming as ever. Once we had our stuff stowed in their guest room, Andy handed me a drink and Robin appeared with a plate of nibbles that was big enough to stand in for dinner. I flopped down in Andy's favorite chair. Aaahhh, it felt good to sit down... in a slightly different position and in a different chair than I have been all day.
<p>On subsequent excursions around the general area of their winter condo in Sebastian, Florida, either Andy or Robin were gracious enough to do the driving in their much nicer vehicle as they gave us a tour of the local highlights.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLRpyy-zSuONPfWbxhq7SQm3Xx1dsRJERxCFJXePBZnXrTszueccRubcdZtw8FaLBvXcqbamcjJIUSGwLiCx1HHsBhZHkZvHINKTHYq49lnPEq8owm-g-7-gPENPnmCXXz5E-jiFf7JGCsIe7328YLqhKafrso2zqSeC8nluxNY0GJI1i2z3z/s1593/DSC00190.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1195" data-original-width="1593" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGLRpyy-zSuONPfWbxhq7SQm3Xx1dsRJERxCFJXePBZnXrTszueccRubcdZtw8FaLBvXcqbamcjJIUSGwLiCx1HHsBhZHkZvHINKTHYq49lnPEq8owm-g-7-gPENPnmCXXz5E-jiFf7JGCsIe7328YLqhKafrso2zqSeC8nluxNY0GJI1i2z3z/s200/DSC00190.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QVFdRuIrmMu5LXiV4LCJ9BRN2NWSSxwK4u2Q2vaW9aZpdUIDKIoTaUxPjajAOGUlIZ8-Y7cnBRy-82nnGY8wrSpV_33LKP7Ih1JUnbXeRTZqgFCKtxdY53mC6OdO-ip9QU-9YkdciwFx7J-pNCcpmwLo9lbNhF1eI6B2qSHwNu3Sdd04ydfN/s4032/IMG_0903.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9QVFdRuIrmMu5LXiV4LCJ9BRN2NWSSxwK4u2Q2vaW9aZpdUIDKIoTaUxPjajAOGUlIZ8-Y7cnBRy-82nnGY8wrSpV_33LKP7Ih1JUnbXeRTZqgFCKtxdY53mC6OdO-ip9QU-9YkdciwFx7J-pNCcpmwLo9lbNhF1eI6B2qSHwNu3Sdd04ydfN/s200/IMG_0903.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcddrfvjXBovOCDX6t0jN497WJXYdbBk7kO6gquAyV1pEokTnHYXzYfyX3gFcvWd6vVMFq_G-_gemk2nGPDbVYxf5M2nr142F70K7Eqh_JDzuQ3RgayaPx6MJdDyLW1nc5Zuoi2_irQgTFasBwzGg6ax_Jm4Y0Wh6o-vlBSsj2s5sEJensLYP/s2592/DSC00200.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZcddrfvjXBovOCDX6t0jN497WJXYdbBk7kO6gquAyV1pEokTnHYXzYfyX3gFcvWd6vVMFq_G-_gemk2nGPDbVYxf5M2nr142F70K7Eqh_JDzuQ3RgayaPx6MJdDyLW1nc5Zuoi2_irQgTFasBwzGg6ax_Jm4Y0Wh6o-vlBSsj2s5sEJensLYP/s200/DSC00200.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZC85r5IdRJwbfYQndX8Ivo6Y6EvKe0mjz5lVZ8N5DNBn5wPkcBRyknmwo649O3JO4skrBKMz28sUYJDL3pStTk6ERqmqvotZP39W6B0mnjH_oRC5nBCH1doku55SLw6igC414r3w0VwnnJ8q-bQQG2jtyM_kkVvl17uanGOQJXLTOTQYqxtd/s2184/DSC00222.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1638" data-original-width="2184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggZC85r5IdRJwbfYQndX8Ivo6Y6EvKe0mjz5lVZ8N5DNBn5wPkcBRyknmwo649O3JO4skrBKMz28sUYJDL3pStTk6ERqmqvotZP39W6B0mnjH_oRC5nBCH1doku55SLw6igC414r3w0VwnnJ8q-bQQG2jtyM_kkVvl17uanGOQJXLTOTQYqxtd/s200/DSC00222.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6N4YT-AhnL9cHu_Oz4WdugJpgWy7cRpqLZ3efNs1Db3Mle7kDe6sB3UItQhggFJFq5gSiDhxl4xEoby5gNV6lvzsno1ZBR-tqx7fdeZicwDiPwH0-szwiYoXGXdxSQSdkMhA8dixW_8Jowr4Hkn3IT-CE3DI65-BM5VeDsWxpCtdfK4TLht5/s2592/DSC00236.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgu6N4YT-AhnL9cHu_Oz4WdugJpgWy7cRpqLZ3efNs1Db3Mle7kDe6sB3UItQhggFJFq5gSiDhxl4xEoby5gNV6lvzsno1ZBR-tqx7fdeZicwDiPwH0-szwiYoXGXdxSQSdkMhA8dixW_8Jowr4Hkn3IT-CE3DI65-BM5VeDsWxpCtdfK4TLht5/s200/DSC00236.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoF8w9i46rwR_UvSRiXLun3krZzJidCZUec-z-CnD_EgRs2aAdgvdJXvmfJ9T4CQ3bULPswS59wBB3MUGBfqIVzsFxwBaprrkDq_ml6liFQGLYAAmC4e9Ytpol98pFnDDsv5i4bL-u2Grlx3HegAxJr78YeJFD0PNRhyoflIQNVBX7b3mftA7/s2592/DSC00254.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSoF8w9i46rwR_UvSRiXLun3krZzJidCZUec-z-CnD_EgRs2aAdgvdJXvmfJ9T4CQ3bULPswS59wBB3MUGBfqIVzsFxwBaprrkDq_ml6liFQGLYAAmC4e9Ytpol98pFnDDsv5i4bL-u2Grlx3HegAxJr78YeJFD0PNRhyoflIQNVBX7b3mftA7/s200/DSC00254.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZwlM1x75oFA-zP_jA_i5DABDyLUo1W28xD2TQOsPMnwNNPJ6IltY_ieKpmQNvDw-7H7VmFqsz2z37NFTyV9J6KzDYeBAGCjRG4I04kEmUXsXnI_0atwrmKx2tfHULmaRyfwHxqjBdu3wDGknDaE7tUUADmUWZARkIYjb9PRMTO2neVteHIMa/s4032/IMG_8465.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZwlM1x75oFA-zP_jA_i5DABDyLUo1W28xD2TQOsPMnwNNPJ6IltY_ieKpmQNvDw-7H7VmFqsz2z37NFTyV9J6KzDYeBAGCjRG4I04kEmUXsXnI_0atwrmKx2tfHULmaRyfwHxqjBdu3wDGknDaE7tUUADmUWZARkIYjb9PRMTO2neVteHIMa/s200/IMG_8465.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RTQp04UvO9oHohXGIiJwP6ee0g9nxZwTogGxTb-MHDlZBhttab7M-Hz3KdOY0ZdBA4VGi_HXdgZVZ-Xvz4o549zPu6naSwPjfxRK5dn20lwQpbO4zHLkqdWB1Bcbg_x3WG2ueapGzYSrzgkgayFna8k2Dx5ivalbQHMblrM7sas7_um1FeHr/s4032/IMG_8467.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8RTQp04UvO9oHohXGIiJwP6ee0g9nxZwTogGxTb-MHDlZBhttab7M-Hz3KdOY0ZdBA4VGi_HXdgZVZ-Xvz4o549zPu6naSwPjfxRK5dn20lwQpbO4zHLkqdWB1Bcbg_x3WG2ueapGzYSrzgkgayFna8k2Dx5ivalbQHMblrM7sas7_um1FeHr/s200/IMG_8467.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1KuGa0qE6lh7irvI975lB2ZEwZpTTuphx4bfSNd7jX9Azp-xKa0m1-ndyt8VFXNS0Otfoh7jXRW7JSPMsg_d0Ncdn5ksEhvlsC2Lg0DQQB1KqgXe_6J3WXYDFHj2r9rVXfy4AMs1CjibK_e4vqZqD9kJ4yKrvhoq5ofzvVPZondqCPaXV6uO/s4032/IMG_8469.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD1KuGa0qE6lh7irvI975lB2ZEwZpTTuphx4bfSNd7jX9Azp-xKa0m1-ndyt8VFXNS0Otfoh7jXRW7JSPMsg_d0Ncdn5ksEhvlsC2Lg0DQQB1KqgXe_6J3WXYDFHj2r9rVXfy4AMs1CjibK_e4vqZqD9kJ4yKrvhoq5ofzvVPZondqCPaXV6uO/s200/IMG_8469.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAnmN9AN4sDlYMYOzKJCrCNtLRbmsxn44Up-sLgA1Lw3mleJbKPPZ1TNULrkco0Hb9bBF-EIyi9lmnDrIR7m6MpYm_-TGwj1mhCPw0DHQYLjIe7JEti5P_073mJP-wvNwB_l5LmBzHq8WhYTuW4TkUVLHl6VUk4cCP878YuE7sxiUhL31ILqI/s4032/IMG_8477.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaAnmN9AN4sDlYMYOzKJCrCNtLRbmsxn44Up-sLgA1Lw3mleJbKPPZ1TNULrkco0Hb9bBF-EIyi9lmnDrIR7m6MpYm_-TGwj1mhCPw0DHQYLjIe7JEti5P_073mJP-wvNwB_l5LmBzHq8WhYTuW4TkUVLHl6VUk4cCP878YuE7sxiUhL31ILqI/s200/IMG_8477.jpg"/></a>
<br>A cool airboat tour of the Florida swamp lands</center>
<p>Our non-culinary favorite was when we all went out on an airboat ride in a nearby wetland reserve. We saw lots of birds, four alligators, including a mother and one of her six-inch hatchlings, and got to do a lot of high-speed sliding around.
<p>The four of us were in the front row of seats and I noticed that Maryanne and I were the only two that seemed to flinch as Johnny, the operator, aimed straight at the shallowest, most heavily vegetated spots. It's hard to ignore the instinct not to do that. I kept worrying about the props and rudders, but of course, on airboats, they are all on the top!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj1KwHMzrkaNETPzD7FgJ9M2CWFCw7171uNSuBOLONixCq2zfcDOwpwt9z4MLnT2-9cvmHKGPL1pKjDLP7hrY9_R287_9Hmv0AvGLZKDFMby3dq4SbzfLqjmRtEyV7S6tyV8diD0em4TxVUrrj9pmUAJK5jQx9dEPEXF5pApYv2G40SLBUV7H/s4032/IMG_0919.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqj1KwHMzrkaNETPzD7FgJ9M2CWFCw7171uNSuBOLONixCq2zfcDOwpwt9z4MLnT2-9cvmHKGPL1pKjDLP7hrY9_R287_9Hmv0AvGLZKDFMby3dq4SbzfLqjmRtEyV7S6tyV8diD0em4TxVUrrj9pmUAJK5jQx9dEPEXF5pApYv2G40SLBUV7H/s200/IMG_0919.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2dpk9e4Es_QgqC0XsX47XU8WwazTCzSH47bcT5Sno5u9KTra2HGQtS5YJdxJjRwcUJEYhRxRlv4K-M_-N1ouwI2wXFgiyuPhM4Z4nD0gpd_ZzKNxV0H-uYg73cjqTQ5RXoCVfj_CSJb9CJdbOBAMxjUJw6G2rY4cSiAtTLMwCsawTyqR6if/s4032/IMG_0923.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQs2dpk9e4Es_QgqC0XsX47XU8WwazTCzSH47bcT5Sno5u9KTra2HGQtS5YJdxJjRwcUJEYhRxRlv4K-M_-N1ouwI2wXFgiyuPhM4Z4nD0gpd_ZzKNxV0H-uYg73cjqTQ5RXoCVfj_CSJb9CJdbOBAMxjUJw6G2rY4cSiAtTLMwCsawTyqR6if/s200/IMG_0923.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPWYW47_vsv8yp5Kayw0aE87XolMtyNs-Oc8wgH_Un8t7XyaXXs03ToiD3VkbxqENAlrKMVholYiZllFvYI1w1Xc6aoPIt5Oh8xFNE3L22Og0WnMISk0ji2C6asHBUrdyCGpsqjcbXA6tM1LovYIKMy8DpWiif3ZSucVhrGGU0WR4hD1_Rm6q/s4032/IMG_0924.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlPWYW47_vsv8yp5Kayw0aE87XolMtyNs-Oc8wgH_Un8t7XyaXXs03ToiD3VkbxqENAlrKMVholYiZllFvYI1w1Xc6aoPIt5Oh8xFNE3L22Og0WnMISk0ji2C6asHBUrdyCGpsqjcbXA6tM1LovYIKMy8DpWiif3ZSucVhrGGU0WR4hD1_Rm6q/s200/IMG_0924.jpg"/></a>
<br>Andy and Robin are both so specially embedded in our memories from our time in Weehawken - we've managed to meet up several times since, but this was the first time in their Florida condo. We shared laughter, card games, and more; and of course, great food (they are both fantastic cooks).</center>
<p>We had a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, which was almost entirely prepared by Robin. I know she would insist that we helped, but she is being kind. Mostly we got in the way while occasionally swiping ingredients she was preparing. She's amazing.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5plk2aA9CbmuS0Uj5wqLsTCY6e87g3K2h7wAwuYK0zZdgO1HbilV4vBJDAqXejdhbJ8nF44xI8QuJtETCCvoz8VNQRB5lNTY1Nomy3CWQ_DWi8xzYOedGqBVPtKuyG-WOgdh3U2pQ3fHbZFVQSXoo6J3AeghgBekGXbkzEpEnocsUkQ40q5v/s2592/DSC00327.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT5plk2aA9CbmuS0Uj5wqLsTCY6e87g3K2h7wAwuYK0zZdgO1HbilV4vBJDAqXejdhbJ8nF44xI8QuJtETCCvoz8VNQRB5lNTY1Nomy3CWQ_DWi8xzYOedGqBVPtKuyG-WOgdh3U2pQ3fHbZFVQSXoo6J3AeghgBekGXbkzEpEnocsUkQ40q5v/s200/DSC00327.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uEytZYsfJ3T6CXo1Th8aOmDdgbZvFC0JNEKnuFjj_BDDUJXthU8dT2rdhVUbQJqFmBTsGLqVrlLL-D4drkUH1rkGqFVX4Z_it-nj36nowJuqETUGopkMAr4clMs3d5RtIkmI60eguGJUmLOkTQpjMsAY-3Iro_s3TvbTSn4WxqIeswcTR0dB/s1677/DSC00354.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1258" data-original-width="1677" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4uEytZYsfJ3T6CXo1Th8aOmDdgbZvFC0JNEKnuFjj_BDDUJXthU8dT2rdhVUbQJqFmBTsGLqVrlLL-D4drkUH1rkGqFVX4Z_it-nj36nowJuqETUGopkMAr4clMs3d5RtIkmI60eguGJUmLOkTQpjMsAY-3Iro_s3TvbTSn4WxqIeswcTR0dB/s200/DSC00354.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVE1Ql30ALJ4-yHbxlUyC5rR9xbg2n1m729O7e5ocdBCpAzu5qerykedrkVr1HW8U7AXJBi7y8XEujZzPaeMHOR6hmj6_0duMz-XbCpMEOcax9R4xivnuto3DQX8h74_b4sr7U_Fm1lirJuYKO2rFOxU_wqBN1D27EIPcJ-3uunuNFHPF_689/s2592/DSC00361.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtVE1Ql30ALJ4-yHbxlUyC5rR9xbg2n1m729O7e5ocdBCpAzu5qerykedrkVr1HW8U7AXJBi7y8XEujZzPaeMHOR6hmj6_0duMz-XbCpMEOcax9R4xivnuto3DQX8h74_b4sr7U_Fm1lirJuYKO2rFOxU_wqBN1D27EIPcJ-3uunuNFHPF_689/s200/DSC00361.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-TI-JQHHRBSdhdxXrYUt-hq-TqiRtcZAHjbN11Bwb4Op8ZfaiaNjP8fxk-vGe5wmqGPL339jLF5sbw6MWR-JLDzvAfw_5yCL6KWpnkLE23zr0R06yE-3n4HzzhERVYcLLn7W-FIa3VZjA0jLsjM5yKRSU08i190iN_KU-DLYb766G7Ar2EdJ/s2592/DSC00374.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9-TI-JQHHRBSdhdxXrYUt-hq-TqiRtcZAHjbN11Bwb4Op8ZfaiaNjP8fxk-vGe5wmqGPL339jLF5sbw6MWR-JLDzvAfw_5yCL6KWpnkLE23zr0R06yE-3n4HzzhERVYcLLn7W-FIa3VZjA0jLsjM5yKRSU08i190iN_KU-DLYb766G7Ar2EdJ/s200/DSC00374.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMnHhblb_znf88AM9SoPjI8Up5M8v78ORdv2futxYAxWTh36K1NgfE85gpeJ5w9hxPINSQC-80RaM5uxH3OppgxeDZhV8an6ALAJ9ix3WwpjXdyMGt6V8BR3TpguIFF4uRESeKhXew-m-8MeTmYjQK2Rzc4-wemez9EI8KOq_XTc7EptI-wUj/s2592/DSC00379.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLMnHhblb_znf88AM9SoPjI8Up5M8v78ORdv2futxYAxWTh36K1NgfE85gpeJ5w9hxPINSQC-80RaM5uxH3OppgxeDZhV8an6ALAJ9ix3WwpjXdyMGt6V8BR3TpguIFF4uRESeKhXew-m-8MeTmYjQK2Rzc4-wemez9EI8KOq_XTc7EptI-wUj/s200/DSC00379.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAa-QgLs8XYSnOh4NQL35n1ITeXmw1IzWG_YkUo6L1yFJAKta_0d4xi0B8AofoN0FIDU_OPNaS0qnSVR14SDAJYJ4TZExqO4FXdE8FgmzgWhKXQ-qc0KS60cdilW0KWyRzW0MnoaDOOgBJyDzrWAlxY73aaJj9P88kZM1lYoMdjSoW66h6p8ZU/s4032/IMG_0959.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAa-QgLs8XYSnOh4NQL35n1ITeXmw1IzWG_YkUo6L1yFJAKta_0d4xi0B8AofoN0FIDU_OPNaS0qnSVR14SDAJYJ4TZExqO4FXdE8FgmzgWhKXQ-qc0KS60cdilW0KWyRzW0MnoaDOOgBJyDzrWAlxY73aaJj9P88kZM1lYoMdjSoW66h6p8ZU/s200/IMG_0959.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXLCihRbsxSGnOc6wmYLcgpAsVxi-kDs30_HrXBLdm1bAdMqtqkBx4wN8ar1N3sXPDi1JR_fejEYn7wFRY9I4SHszs-_MEPToR8rfPy1sndOM2AtCNUNAULe24ymtXvOrOU7AP4SvpHh87rAqBNcF7_0z4fV6MankKkFfyixV1DRRRFzw86V-/s2592/DSC00365.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPXLCihRbsxSGnOc6wmYLcgpAsVxi-kDs30_HrXBLdm1bAdMqtqkBx4wN8ar1N3sXPDi1JR_fejEYn7wFRY9I4SHszs-_MEPToR8rfPy1sndOM2AtCNUNAULe24ymtXvOrOU7AP4SvpHh87rAqBNcF7_0z4fV6MankKkFfyixV1DRRRFzw86V-/s200/DSC00365.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYZfCiY-Tzs3Tc67_kQsJgXK_x9gS-qhewlUG8wH0tFkeF1rnPRuKs431Q6H2IHlww8v3pzzfJ1JZrUSW9cmlkMUrOwTA7lB1Plt_AouUDsZMTF7U3jt8s7oWNXbBj_7ro8jTawC2kwruLj7z5FHhUe4kitW6KGLj1HouQUpDSMaSB5Zh6xLu/s4032/IMG_8493.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYZfCiY-Tzs3Tc67_kQsJgXK_x9gS-qhewlUG8wH0tFkeF1rnPRuKs431Q6H2IHlww8v3pzzfJ1JZrUSW9cmlkMUrOwTA7lB1Plt_AouUDsZMTF7U3jt8s7oWNXbBj_7ro8jTawC2kwruLj7z5FHhUe4kitW6KGLj1HouQUpDSMaSB5Zh6xLu/s200/IMG_8493.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IuiYvadcMdgrfZft_PNGNXnqcIK8M1eKQFamPz8fyjbak1GkaWRkDGzTJx2QMUyxFLqZxZ3RScT9si8tvi3UHRxSuTB2t8Pr44kC8Ql3Z8BRmOiHCYepUdLRzY-jmHEI-tTBqSFcYkSbDIspepYM_x3aLIwVATaawWLFzhtI2EIF7EVIfYva/s2028/IMG_8498.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2028" data-original-width="1521" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1IuiYvadcMdgrfZft_PNGNXnqcIK8M1eKQFamPz8fyjbak1GkaWRkDGzTJx2QMUyxFLqZxZ3RScT9si8tvi3UHRxSuTB2t8Pr44kC8Ql3Z8BRmOiHCYepUdLRzY-jmHEI-tTBqSFcYkSbDIspepYM_x3aLIwVATaawWLFzhtI2EIF7EVIfYva/s200/IMG_8498.jpg"/></a>
<br>Botanic Gardens, beaches, bars and MORE great food - all were shared and added to the great time</center>
<p>For reasons that would not become clear to me until we got there, they made reservations for us to eat a mere twenty-four hours later at Armani's Cucina in Vero Beach. After the big Thanksgiving dinner, I was pretty sure I would be giving up solid foods for the rest of the week, but here we were, perusing a menu of delicacies.
<p>We needn't have bothered. Andy already knew what was good and before we could figure out what had happened, a whole table of it was spread out before us. It was all very, very good. Included in this was a very special entree made by Sal, the owner. It was a simple dish: homemade pasta with homemade tomato sauce. The special bit was when he tossed it all together in a big, hollowed out wheel of cheese, then scooped it out and served it to us.
<p>We were all starting to feel a bit full when the meal went 3D and a giant pizza was suspended over the rest like a roof by one of those elevated pizza stands. Okay, there is no way we are finishing all of that...
<p>Well... maybe. After the remainder was boxed up, Robin made sure it ended up in our bag of padkos (Afrikaans for "road food"). That would have been more than enough to sustain us for our upcoming thirteen-hour drive to Norfolk, but then she made us a few turkey sandwiches to throw in there as well. So much food... And every bit of it delicous. But most of all the company was great and we hope to see them again soon, most likely in Newport next year.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Sebastian, FL, USA27.816415 -80.4706078-0.49381883617884625 -115.6268578 56.126648836178845 -45.314357799999996tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-23494814051369130232023-11-20T12:00:00.019-05:002024-01-29T13:50:40.135-05:00New Orleans[Kyle]After leaving our own whole wing at Cori's mansion, we were on the road early for the shortish (six hour) drive to New Orleans, Louisiana.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZimQKnUw3a_X5CVmXhJK6PbVXFg0Z_6zMjeRrzuNJXg5wEgeJH7zS4LqjhFkWK5Yku6an5cLFP_IChJRGNzjhl0yfr9o9koG_FJjrCPmcDOyoUGgRG0sCaHDgPig93lryB3LycdyQNCRue7-nJvCOzlBqGeFIBXDBxBNAtSjSVEH5xCY4Dv1/s200/IMG_0779.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>Generally speaking, our accommodation for the in-between parts of our big road trip have been hit or miss. Mostly, this was because we were booking hotels on the fly along the way without having enough time to really study the listings for red flags like shots taken of a really nice lobby, but not the rooms. Photos of suspiciously large rooms taken with a fish-eye lens, where closer inspection reveals that there doesn't actually seem to be enough room to walk around the giant bed are also common.
<p>That and a bit of sticker shock is how we ended up at the Bear Motel in Tahoe. Later, on the way between Phoenix and Houston, we stayed at another dodgy motel on the outskirts of San Antonio. This time, there were no bears to worry about, but I'm pretty sure we were the only ones that stayed all night. Our room there was actually very clean and well-appointed. I suspect the proprietor has a couple set aside for unwary travelers that actually thought they had booked a motel.
<p>Then we came to New Orleans. We were excited to have found a place within walking distance of the French Quarter that also had a secure, gated parking lot for the car. Our place ended up being a quirky little studio in a stand-alone building that sits inexplicably in the middle of the parking lot of a looming, four-story apartment building. We think it may have been either a maintenance shack or a caretaker's quarters that has been upgraded.
<p>All of this was in the middle of Treme, a neighborhood that subsequent research uncovered a consensus that it was mostly safe during the day, but definitely NOT at night (their emphasis).
<p>Basically, it was no worse than downtown Oakland, California, where we lived for two years without incident. The thing is, like Oakland, depending on which specific block you live, you can be in a nice area or a scary area and they are often right next to each other.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNFwcWu3zFlZzI6d6369_w1ZcO5ZbWGXUv9bJf1kNf4cyik3SBd2O-SYu-dgrVcnmH-uBy1gXrPB2HWoyT0hMTj2pEtCzsl07FKUA-n8EYrC78_9Rtwx54BM7MWXsybFHs3-jw6w8AUquZmxzDLhwKuHlrK63yd-w2ckkWh4eiJMztu9xJpXR/s4032/IMG_0564.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJNFwcWu3zFlZzI6d6369_w1ZcO5ZbWGXUv9bJf1kNf4cyik3SBd2O-SYu-dgrVcnmH-uBy1gXrPB2HWoyT0hMTj2pEtCzsl07FKUA-n8EYrC78_9Rtwx54BM7MWXsybFHs3-jw6w8AUquZmxzDLhwKuHlrK63yd-w2ckkWh4eiJMztu9xJpXR/s200/IMG_0564.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEnFQRK8Yh5nIq9G3fg_lPsLqujc43RvJ3lxXQTl3abfW6pGFFzm0n3LNgeIFKhGAwNwyA4PBXx75_8DzITx6omKSw1Z0AlyN7Mm1WFh3JAIGQbFA_LMuz28k68Z9plsqvTy99OQ7Bfw6pCM64i8imvN_aeC12DAPWSo7ZuGQrropjNgb6avt/s4032/IMG_8358.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfEnFQRK8Yh5nIq9G3fg_lPsLqujc43RvJ3lxXQTl3abfW6pGFFzm0n3LNgeIFKhGAwNwyA4PBXx75_8DzITx6omKSw1Z0AlyN7Mm1WFh3JAIGQbFA_LMuz28k68Z9plsqvTy99OQ7Bfw6pCM64i8imvN_aeC12DAPWSo7ZuGQrropjNgb6avt/s200/IMG_8358.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2bmTWMQuJMqQ40kBorPmcvYhe7hh_mKDpoovOsAxI6gpid5luAuOrcxScjS1uJW6vvZ2WMkMItAfs7JVGj_58yIBmATx0-cAiPXHhxlm1Is1Gw7IogPSQZPaw-z8zo1Bm0UTH8dX0a7RCA_hFsMC7o0AX7LPsj_fwGjbXUzyCFJFwJNLPka1/s3024/IMG_8364.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2146" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj2bmTWMQuJMqQ40kBorPmcvYhe7hh_mKDpoovOsAxI6gpid5luAuOrcxScjS1uJW6vvZ2WMkMItAfs7JVGj_58yIBmATx0-cAiPXHhxlm1Is1Gw7IogPSQZPaw-z8zo1Bm0UTH8dX0a7RCA_hFsMC7o0AX7LPsj_fwGjbXUzyCFJFwJNLPka1/s200/IMG_8364.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXqY-6RIgSugJNAicClTTiAjeWA4OAV-8jZmb0KF5t2selFBIggLbGjaVlpvDgM_75OPLTnEVnBX8h0QLd5owen8SBJh01wmKEPcBnUr5x77nFOlCSNbkXb8ZqvoUK1LkgS2YGqXVFrNQz01SCZrNND7nl-cmvLvEe3KIBIsSV9GFQTFEGAys/s4032/IMG_8366.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXqY-6RIgSugJNAicClTTiAjeWA4OAV-8jZmb0KF5t2selFBIggLbGjaVlpvDgM_75OPLTnEVnBX8h0QLd5owen8SBJh01wmKEPcBnUr5x77nFOlCSNbkXb8ZqvoUK1LkgS2YGqXVFrNQz01SCZrNND7nl-cmvLvEe3KIBIsSV9GFQTFEGAys/s200/IMG_8366.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh1NxqS6wlRPXcf1T0kZ2v79zO3LM3mdKlSDuEHj0gc8eyeeZ1a_7iihTePmc2YUGp8I0g50sO3NMS8Oy4mWLAhVv4P_-PANNcLnQgtb8FM0wCJAgDagVxjmLckRzULLA_zMlAS0Hy0KQTeY79GcCGj6ZkafGCkWH_j6HJOs4VboamAU3SVJb/s3024/IMG_8369.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXh1NxqS6wlRPXcf1T0kZ2v79zO3LM3mdKlSDuEHj0gc8eyeeZ1a_7iihTePmc2YUGp8I0g50sO3NMS8Oy4mWLAhVv4P_-PANNcLnQgtb8FM0wCJAgDagVxjmLckRzULLA_zMlAS0Hy0KQTeY79GcCGj6ZkafGCkWH_j6HJOs4VboamAU3SVJb/s200/IMG_8369.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjelC6AHbb2v1C6gkCH0XlkM8ax5W7T4-Bt_KrmmtEFpPCnqdgc0QJtpp63XARgYjpLq2ZbwaWh3ZccJIZGLLBQljmDcLOSPXOvhmF2I3dH8nWNkpBMtxVY_kg6-MkX1pT2Z86tq5CmyMRi3pkH3p7aZ_2ss4AsplGMkdAJGqwVk-6G3lRXUwe/s4032/IMG_0571.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjelC6AHbb2v1C6gkCH0XlkM8ax5W7T4-Bt_KrmmtEFpPCnqdgc0QJtpp63XARgYjpLq2ZbwaWh3ZccJIZGLLBQljmDcLOSPXOvhmF2I3dH8nWNkpBMtxVY_kg6-MkX1pT2Z86tq5CmyMRi3pkH3p7aZ_2ss4AsplGMkdAJGqwVk-6G3lRXUwe/s200/IMG_0571.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYgMVdYV6rs8Az_lEEGcaXNYOqp676z5O9F9qzDD-lmN100wbizj62kYFHrAvqdNSeqcZL_BRzP4oLtX8gbDJEpm_SFqeRLmnbH7LuaL0SxJI_To9C7WLu3w6kvuZsaeLHPKKe2aWEYQyNE3fDxpLAxfygi60S4SYvbJ_x3AFnz1FFDS3HhfB/s4032/IMG_8371.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjYgMVdYV6rs8Az_lEEGcaXNYOqp676z5O9F9qzDD-lmN100wbizj62kYFHrAvqdNSeqcZL_BRzP4oLtX8gbDJEpm_SFqeRLmnbH7LuaL0SxJI_To9C7WLu3w6kvuZsaeLHPKKe2aWEYQyNE3fDxpLAxfygi60S4SYvbJ_x3AFnz1FFDS3HhfB/s200/IMG_8371.jpg"/></a>
<br>In New Orleans our AirBnB rental was in the Treme district, nearby to the Louis Armstrong Park. On arrival we took a walk through the park, and then whent on to The French Quarter (Vieux Carré)</center>
<p>Our place in Treme seemed to be about two blocks past where we would have liked. The main thing was that it was under the elevated Interstate 10. There is a very large homeless encampment there that stretches for blocks and blocks, but the main problem was that it was next to an uphill on-ramp where all of the motorcycles and boy racers seem to love to peel out. I would have concluded that it was the loudest part of New Orleans, but then we went to Bourbon Street, so it's a close second. Even with the door and windows shut, you can't hear yourself think in there.
<p>As for New Orleans itself, I have been there many times, so I didn't feel the need to try to fit the whole of the city in during our short stay, which was technically an extended break on a long drive. Maryanne was scheduled to join me once on a long overnight, but we ended up being rescheduled to a short, lame layover near the airport. I was looking forward to showing her around.
<p>Our first stop was, of course, Cafe du Monde. For connoisseurs of all-sugar breakfasts like myself, a pilgrimage to Cafe du Monde is a must-do. We arrive in long lines of sad-looking schleps with droopy eyes and veritably bounce out like a giant serving tray full of Tiggers that have just had the big silver dome removed. Then the tourist dollars virtually vibrate out of our pockets. {Maryanne:Actually Cafe du Monde was rediculously inexpensive, a plate of three delicous, fresh beignets for less than $4 and a coffee even less.}
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi643iZwwjEcNQ_DVyfZWEKGekmpH0C6keL90A5hIbWZ8sC8NU2LwcEXLb2YSmWvsKb75yARm-DJp4-q2nP7KezxR_WNhqlLVD5bag7AseaV3NOpbmdUtLHi-aqcXjN7KtwrJxz7HZHQWKrmA9g_A12RfpRYCoB5LHQDMGAqimDaBsQis5FK-zF/s2545/DSC00160.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1909" data-original-width="2545" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi643iZwwjEcNQ_DVyfZWEKGekmpH0C6keL90A5hIbWZ8sC8NU2LwcEXLb2YSmWvsKb75yARm-DJp4-q2nP7KezxR_WNhqlLVD5bag7AseaV3NOpbmdUtLHi-aqcXjN7KtwrJxz7HZHQWKrmA9g_A12RfpRYCoB5LHQDMGAqimDaBsQis5FK-zF/s200/DSC00160.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdjS8vPT6_r94MNZzK2D7xqAv3-EifwJ6aa8RmcYqC_f3SfhhoopuhgTexyTfeHh7InPeDr7KKYouzi9SVteZDTMWKZocPkzuQMZzx-lhT6Fb-vtl6SONleFWxU9IY9IQ3HLOFnrw8vA3zW46s29dTQB18z6E5OccdD_63z2GVjhom7ZLg75w/s2592/DSC00157.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdjS8vPT6_r94MNZzK2D7xqAv3-EifwJ6aa8RmcYqC_f3SfhhoopuhgTexyTfeHh7InPeDr7KKYouzi9SVteZDTMWKZocPkzuQMZzx-lhT6Fb-vtl6SONleFWxU9IY9IQ3HLOFnrw8vA3zW46s29dTQB18z6E5OccdD_63z2GVjhom7ZLg75w/s200/DSC00157.jpg"/></a>
<br>On the river, the paddle steamer had a steam organ playing to entertain those waiting to board</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP98zM-hn4zPbtKW2PWZMK0BGg0igu6dVp5kYOpBie5fsdf4hOKHGhkB8fspPz7OR3mlafrUAvGvbKu4i_0F5zm4Fn4bt2e18UipovkbHgBDtA00-eohSafqmZgPopGJhHvEIHDX_6eHMGJ9uLifeZ-2Xdj-HonyyRBhew5wN0i8zx8zSC4Wbj/s4032/IMG_0601.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP98zM-hn4zPbtKW2PWZMK0BGg0igu6dVp5kYOpBie5fsdf4hOKHGhkB8fspPz7OR3mlafrUAvGvbKu4i_0F5zm4Fn4bt2e18UipovkbHgBDtA00-eohSafqmZgPopGJhHvEIHDX_6eHMGJ9uLifeZ-2Xdj-HonyyRBhew5wN0i8zx8zSC4Wbj/s200/IMG_0601.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh26H49cetMEYrMYiCpUSQqxWxGV9wJESJApxGS_NlikouvO9s28vTU0OIUldV7tdqjsnmoYWiFAxG20ycg7AKbSR54ow_lcnjvlEx-DWYSnJIwwQQUUhpDGdQzydCQHdKL1WL4I6WjJbVm_rlyI9psBAFvbObmcrh0HjvBfjlRljphm9FUGdA/s4032/IMG_0604.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh26H49cetMEYrMYiCpUSQqxWxGV9wJESJApxGS_NlikouvO9s28vTU0OIUldV7tdqjsnmoYWiFAxG20ycg7AKbSR54ow_lcnjvlEx-DWYSnJIwwQQUUhpDGdQzydCQHdKL1WL4I6WjJbVm_rlyI9psBAFvbObmcrh0HjvBfjlRljphm9FUGdA/s200/IMG_0604.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzhZhldCXiqtEzxWnNYjG45leUmDBE4HkvW4igEHVTZwO_xnyhE-04xukYIAynF5aTJ-xDnfNSbcziw2JCmWSbBceXZ_lqnCYkSzsEmkdLMTu9YKv6Qkrsmll1LA5v86S2WDTASQ_tPzrtunLeOJSvViruL1MUcW6bF6dsZehdHk9_Be58IB3/s4032/IMG_0609.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzhZhldCXiqtEzxWnNYjG45leUmDBE4HkvW4igEHVTZwO_xnyhE-04xukYIAynF5aTJ-xDnfNSbcziw2JCmWSbBceXZ_lqnCYkSzsEmkdLMTu9YKv6Qkrsmll1LA5v86S2WDTASQ_tPzrtunLeOJSvViruL1MUcW6bF6dsZehdHk9_Be58IB3/s200/IMG_0609.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Louisiana museum had a whole floor dedicated to the history of the famous Mardi Gras</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkUopcHEf3eA2XXYuJ_pEyrH8-QDz6lat3GG1YhCveWQ2c6dsPIvX6lJJMAPpNTWnS0ZnfvBTIHgpL7WD4JtJzVPRe9Czq1QxcmUBY-AUv9OXKInD21OLn4L0l8wyaYijhSsDrq_i__N4wMwoEamt5P377zIfWjoimHVpMtBLK-_2daD28uyG/s4032/IMG_0624.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkUopcHEf3eA2XXYuJ_pEyrH8-QDz6lat3GG1YhCveWQ2c6dsPIvX6lJJMAPpNTWnS0ZnfvBTIHgpL7WD4JtJzVPRe9Czq1QxcmUBY-AUv9OXKInD21OLn4L0l8wyaYijhSsDrq_i__N4wMwoEamt5P377zIfWjoimHVpMtBLK-_2daD28uyG/s200/IMG_0624.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDeldryghkEwVbGZFNv5gINkIGsgdyQdy020Yz0fSAVHrxiwNg23GUxjXPhcA9EqJswYurFeXA5nLNGsUiF6ROq3Szjbb00EmxZxg48SSToT2AB09kYwaIYeBEuM-oZ2WOLgBXTFzk0LjBDL2OST46e8z1PklMjr6x_6sDGKUJyHC8wRiDldM/s4032/IMG_0621.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtDeldryghkEwVbGZFNv5gINkIGsgdyQdy020Yz0fSAVHrxiwNg23GUxjXPhcA9EqJswYurFeXA5nLNGsUiF6ROq3Szjbb00EmxZxg48SSToT2AB09kYwaIYeBEuM-oZ2WOLgBXTFzk0LjBDL2OST46e8z1PklMjr6x_6sDGKUJyHC8wRiDldM/s200/IMG_0621.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kQsP4SditEMVJvreRCfHYqvdaDmHW38HptiVMLQ2l6O7NCBoBhex7dvReBD01yujD9kwibGyLuGyXZIXf7td6HSZiCyFz9RvYQ2qO69gnuEVM-3uNvyUrKvCYP535cGhzTE6LTMct95AiILnzElUIqHzzc1_43rZqCJSdy-ELZ2VU-XPbFld/s4032/IMG_0622.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1kQsP4SditEMVJvreRCfHYqvdaDmHW38HptiVMLQ2l6O7NCBoBhex7dvReBD01yujD9kwibGyLuGyXZIXf7td6HSZiCyFz9RvYQ2qO69gnuEVM-3uNvyUrKvCYP535cGhzTE6LTMct95AiILnzElUIqHzzc1_43rZqCJSdy-ELZ2VU-XPbFld/s200/IMG_0622.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf5zJXQWbKd23dtt1-1jjdO3CE3OabCpna0ro6ZpuyFvB7cBBU488Una5dkoWv6PPZPcfgBvbsydDwHI7yLQrJIXMSCCBMKkn5VFzMKaIA5FUU5G8yHx9kTUYGu8C8ddKx08ApfGE2A7Nh0Bsyb4B0BMDYl4vutNCDAz2aPsAfKxPkkMNIZ_w/s4032/IMG_0817.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirf5zJXQWbKd23dtt1-1jjdO3CE3OabCpna0ro6ZpuyFvB7cBBU488Una5dkoWv6PPZPcfgBvbsydDwHI7yLQrJIXMSCCBMKkn5VFzMKaIA5FUU5G8yHx9kTUYGu8C8ddKx08ApfGE2A7Nh0Bsyb4B0BMDYl4vutNCDAz2aPsAfKxPkkMNIZ_w/s200/IMG_0817.jpg"/></a>
<br>And the famous "Farmers Market" had a huge selection of foods and gifts sufficient for any tourist</center>
<p>Bourbon Street was the expected cacophony of touts, buskers, and lots of really loud music coming out of bars that were all advertising the biggest daiquiris in New Orleans, each served in a unique container that made direct comparison with the competition impossible. To be fair, after you've had the first one, You're just going to spill half of the next on the street anyway, so it's a moot point.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOSN85s3PBrKDVnmHu6IPeOZOyQp6-gOF0dFwiYEXIo4BiRrAgpnmL1OfKsPPFGRTT8USYq7JzTVKeLD-S42V44wR6s60ePDQHpRIZ7UbB3HsRvbJ61uLUmCXdXg5D5sMVVVMzvd0vRXc8WbacIOU-MZQBcerGxTAcWxVlAVZfo5T-cDUIGBd/s4032/IMG_0578.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEOSN85s3PBrKDVnmHu6IPeOZOyQp6-gOF0dFwiYEXIo4BiRrAgpnmL1OfKsPPFGRTT8USYq7JzTVKeLD-S42V44wR6s60ePDQHpRIZ7UbB3HsRvbJ61uLUmCXdXg5D5sMVVVMzvd0vRXc8WbacIOU-MZQBcerGxTAcWxVlAVZfo5T-cDUIGBd/s200/IMG_0578.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOBbk5ZmEosx8nIbGVOHDfrWP0VzhvAuVlUFQIAyn-n5I-V_nPSOWhKbFLJpbzElFNtkljyHhxwoLvWL3w1hucBsu6L6v5mNmJ_Vj-tahwe0LZUNZ3MQiuquKSO45UCgRUAGDRKHYMYgb1WBJYLBT0ucCAwsgEDI9Zp6wqeTZ9XnYvY4doosw/s4032/IMG_0634.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQOBbk5ZmEosx8nIbGVOHDfrWP0VzhvAuVlUFQIAyn-n5I-V_nPSOWhKbFLJpbzElFNtkljyHhxwoLvWL3w1hucBsu6L6v5mNmJ_Vj-tahwe0LZUNZ3MQiuquKSO45UCgRUAGDRKHYMYgb1WBJYLBT0ucCAwsgEDI9Zp6wqeTZ9XnYvY4doosw/s200/IMG_0634.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_77HKmWc7IFofDjfMAlisUME-RbBj_b8uUPbjkHFfhEUEdnETz1t5GMAgh47hEi90HX9WcaYpT1fKDfAUl_KcWzv1F1OpC4Vo5yyvzbrruiYMNJ_UIsX17urRasUGTOYQ39_v0rSP_2kKZLf-qn5sLWxFT3UhKihrFXLLvVeZRGh3hp0_m-j4/s4032/IMG_E8388.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_77HKmWc7IFofDjfMAlisUME-RbBj_b8uUPbjkHFfhEUEdnETz1t5GMAgh47hEi90HX9WcaYpT1fKDfAUl_KcWzv1F1OpC4Vo5yyvzbrruiYMNJ_UIsX17urRasUGTOYQ39_v0rSP_2kKZLf-qn5sLWxFT3UhKihrFXLLvVeZRGh3hp0_m-j4/s200/IMG_E8388.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkXShzv8sRGH4eSBfMwK3nio_RIyGcO5X6UfZKxwxSljije1lDh36Xi7yt0zdQpYY5QNWt71T-Ox-raMBt31RIw278I92FcGFUjvKV9WBXfebQAn5_7GisnlXGHzT7qXHpNbYCMVpbWxBysg_HPBMiNVnzUAoJ2RIWvmRqEOwvMr9kVBFxog9/s4032/IMG_0676.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJkXShzv8sRGH4eSBfMwK3nio_RIyGcO5X6UfZKxwxSljije1lDh36Xi7yt0zdQpYY5QNWt71T-Ox-raMBt31RIw278I92FcGFUjvKV9WBXfebQAn5_7GisnlXGHzT7qXHpNbYCMVpbWxBysg_HPBMiNVnzUAoJ2RIWvmRqEOwvMr9kVBFxog9/s200/IMG_0676.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nX2G9uWExSZrVo_Qv7zqle1yOrHI7P4RbItlq95sqL1EEF71-ua-B1tx_vuDBfy2mVBkdy9u-uhjin0VJUNUW0quMd0Jy1Z6tjOi6Fjv2P2A2OsXN3AShU-b-XZNiv0hkZ6MGi-kecQfq7mE3mm6irsi3P3YV-fp9PksNjlYntT0Ftzhb63l/s4032/IMG_0683.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3nX2G9uWExSZrVo_Qv7zqle1yOrHI7P4RbItlq95sqL1EEF71-ua-B1tx_vuDBfy2mVBkdy9u-uhjin0VJUNUW0quMd0Jy1Z6tjOi6Fjv2P2A2OsXN3AShU-b-XZNiv0hkZ6MGi-kecQfq7mE3mm6irsi3P3YV-fp9PksNjlYntT0Ftzhb63l/s200/IMG_0683.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04GQGpjn5ucIYxuE2TSKejrs9uoHHNEl9g1LTo454R9zuNajC3_cBM80-NwRDLQq6F1QmlkHISisLdWywUUw0-3JZ4mvQBT0McyjQ_O0k-ptWY6JoKRWip10gnYrfGiafrsPdu3kmSZz6QOX60tlRKLxHh0l6cchpLjq_OPJIgpv2CZWWthFe/s4032/IMG_0678.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh04GQGpjn5ucIYxuE2TSKejrs9uoHHNEl9g1LTo454R9zuNajC3_cBM80-NwRDLQq6F1QmlkHISisLdWywUUw0-3JZ4mvQBT0McyjQ_O0k-ptWY6JoKRWip10gnYrfGiafrsPdu3kmSZz6QOX60tlRKLxHh0l6cchpLjq_OPJIgpv2CZWWthFe/s200/IMG_0678.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S2yKt3k68XsZQJJ1h_DYuh1Aj5ldBmxj2Bv9thfjnZvqu_0cw4MKA9x-3KzS9CrGxcWl3lZjZX2fBzbBnqsv5qxrc35pceaYi8zWdauoqTMXdqiFx_H7pIxh3HrSf48qGoza5JjdGGukqP5mjhnr3e3GV1pyV5pOTpmULe5hboTWKalAFN8o/s4032/IMG_0681.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4S2yKt3k68XsZQJJ1h_DYuh1Aj5ldBmxj2Bv9thfjnZvqu_0cw4MKA9x-3KzS9CrGxcWl3lZjZX2fBzbBnqsv5qxrc35pceaYi8zWdauoqTMXdqiFx_H7pIxh3HrSf48qGoza5JjdGGukqP5mjhnr3e3GV1pyV5pOTpmULe5hboTWKalAFN8o/s200/IMG_0681.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIm4lvO13FySg7n4Lt-VXeCNiXJxVeM5g-bid1b6FuADu4DpxjcuAvOFUyaEgJcfluqQk4AnDBM0QRiDh1kQuEReamFoLn6wypjLFdpncP4obyOBebn7cT9cxpm_idYxSIF0dpFqLxWD0b7dgb7oD9IMckpFWZDXqzDzUGo98gAl746ctscBK/s4032/IMG_0610.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxIm4lvO13FySg7n4Lt-VXeCNiXJxVeM5g-bid1b6FuADu4DpxjcuAvOFUyaEgJcfluqQk4AnDBM0QRiDh1kQuEReamFoLn6wypjLFdpncP4obyOBebn7cT9cxpm_idYxSIF0dpFqLxWD0b7dgb7oD9IMckpFWZDXqzDzUGo98gAl746ctscBK/s200/IMG_0610.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOyxpWzLT3523FKIGEBFSrsnVorOYUPBNfjCsfd5c22hkNijckfHD6ikwjjYESzxickhf2y8prJECkgTjWFQUra2BXqYjah7VqTVL_3-35RjwmS8-vvGlUqQU0Ce4QKka5KLog-JdVIzDhTS8eG_lEg4nKSrq4r5b43vYNrQNdMa1w2mc_X9h/s4032/IMG_0612.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYOyxpWzLT3523FKIGEBFSrsnVorOYUPBNfjCsfd5c22hkNijckfHD6ikwjjYESzxickhf2y8prJECkgTjWFQUra2BXqYjah7VqTVL_3-35RjwmS8-vvGlUqQU0Ce4QKka5KLog-JdVIzDhTS8eG_lEg4nKSrq4r5b43vYNrQNdMa1w2mc_X9h/s200/IMG_0612.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7GNjxTNhGY-iyle0B3GHjyYHtcLm-1QDplx1vlvifkpJgi26yFL8DcyZl8JvcsS56K_uHp9Cto8q6bOrfXEtHxuHDmRqDRBQenK3rU4PeOCgmjC43tCSfiONKoQbtsJyuV96m9AMlI1iUm7tPblDK-8-j4N2oCxkktlWFg4iMFySicgiTeZu/s4032/IMG_0697.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7GNjxTNhGY-iyle0B3GHjyYHtcLm-1QDplx1vlvifkpJgi26yFL8DcyZl8JvcsS56K_uHp9Cto8q6bOrfXEtHxuHDmRqDRBQenK3rU4PeOCgmjC43tCSfiONKoQbtsJyuV96m9AMlI1iUm7tPblDK-8-j4N2oCxkktlWFg4iMFySicgiTeZu/s200/IMG_0697.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMj2eJfEn-QWg73zFDBzh-nGKA9ldCLMEV8FFRj7XbkVYePNefYkgAmon6Recnkv9HIiAlCmOSHpdNN650qHYMXBtf510uC_niEmG2fOeTCrQlCWfSvY0Nk4Plxt1tT27f2Ml4p7X9s1dpCB33nk65ulx1dCCKmJP8X62MWdCxc03K7u7j0Dn/s4032/IMG_0711.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMj2eJfEn-QWg73zFDBzh-nGKA9ldCLMEV8FFRj7XbkVYePNefYkgAmon6Recnkv9HIiAlCmOSHpdNN650qHYMXBtf510uC_niEmG2fOeTCrQlCWfSvY0Nk4Plxt1tT27f2Ml4p7X9s1dpCB33nk65ulx1dCCKmJP8X62MWdCxc03K7u7j0Dn/s200/IMG_0711.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIbHjv9ZLQp2WQrQ4E5dD5INTKzoJ6wSsbuM9pteBO6XChi88AN_JbajdAoJbADZASoNIMvsCHw80Y_K0JykmoqxDDeQAd9G5wk7weWMVblPw4AmUIbw_788lwVeX5-gWfd2OkS-ewFsCmgO3Y0L1fi6FF7wdoOZA4ibysh2vCkpk-Q7DN1OY/s4032/IMG_0749.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtIbHjv9ZLQp2WQrQ4E5dD5INTKzoJ6wSsbuM9pteBO6XChi88AN_JbajdAoJbADZASoNIMvsCHw80Y_K0JykmoqxDDeQAd9G5wk7weWMVblPw4AmUIbw_788lwVeX5-gWfd2OkS-ewFsCmgO3Y0L1fi6FF7wdoOZA4ibysh2vCkpk-Q7DN1OY/s200/IMG_0749.jpg"/></a>
<br>New Orleans - just what you expect</center>
<p>One thing that was different from my previous visits was the music. New Orleans is home to some great Jazz and my auditory memories of the Bourbon Street amble are of blaring trumpets and the staccato of snare drums. Now the overwhelmingly predominant output is shouted Hip Hop lyrics that I could never repeat in any context whatsoever, including singing along with the actual songs in real time. To me, it seems as incongruous as walking down Beale Street in Memphis and hearing nothing come out of the clubs but yodeling. Bourbon Street now seems to me to be like any of the tourist areas in America where drunks stagger zigzag courses from one bar to the next amid flashing neon lights.
<p>Further out, we found lots of delicious food and someone playing the largest instrument I've ever seen - the steamboat.
<p>I can't imagine how expensive that must have been for his parents. I mean, steamboat lessons must not be that common. If the kid shows some aptitude, do you buy them their own small steamboat to practice on at home?
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQXRt9w70-uRaGLkB_usn1tmoN8EK6fd-PKeHl7zdNyLjjkvlRPTkxgFx8uQpMdOI1L_zYT0MTgBIGwZPcKQIVSoZmWsT8f7UKz3p0OEGcSrAJm8VWX5cRIWtKOOT4welh1UVjtVKm4JhyphenhyphenA1S04G7mCaVAN31-QDIi2ciy4Rl76PisWXfVafo/s4032/IMG_0641.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaQXRt9w70-uRaGLkB_usn1tmoN8EK6fd-PKeHl7zdNyLjjkvlRPTkxgFx8uQpMdOI1L_zYT0MTgBIGwZPcKQIVSoZmWsT8f7UKz3p0OEGcSrAJm8VWX5cRIWtKOOT4welh1UVjtVKm4JhyphenhyphenA1S04G7mCaVAN31-QDIi2ciy4Rl76PisWXfVafo/s200/IMG_0641.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZvu83fLSMFdgZ4tr9FT3ktVUKawnVX5dtA_UGPWwR8VuVE4n0iqap4CnoXICqaj1p8iuTSfdSTJVmLOoe1Ct_pQr-L377KF_GJjgs8Kn6A-Jl8rRBTUk_wry3NojkPX-O7cvPkxWpj2LW41vVG8tH34rosaL5vjrK6t8iwEoBIncvyEdww0s/s4004/IMG_0652.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3003" data-original-width="4004" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRZvu83fLSMFdgZ4tr9FT3ktVUKawnVX5dtA_UGPWwR8VuVE4n0iqap4CnoXICqaj1p8iuTSfdSTJVmLOoe1Ct_pQr-L377KF_GJjgs8Kn6A-Jl8rRBTUk_wry3NojkPX-O7cvPkxWpj2LW41vVG8tH34rosaL5vjrK6t8iwEoBIncvyEdww0s/s200/IMG_0652.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8CnoeXDVVTc4vJbtsJl43IVcMrvRv21h7SmQaKg5Xyhl09zABosIpAGTI_2EdIlxliI7PPtVrAlHtxEd8FYScuGltFdcx5ZSm37Ukmz7fnjO2ZUv7UwcS9ibSEPnhMHfyM8OfmkV1_sfTs2Zc59GqBLWB136NkEV8iNhrsJ6GgTe53I6EoXm/s4032/IMG_0658.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp8CnoeXDVVTc4vJbtsJl43IVcMrvRv21h7SmQaKg5Xyhl09zABosIpAGTI_2EdIlxliI7PPtVrAlHtxEd8FYScuGltFdcx5ZSm37Ukmz7fnjO2ZUv7UwcS9ibSEPnhMHfyM8OfmkV1_sfTs2Zc59GqBLWB136NkEV8iNhrsJ6GgTe53I6EoXm/s200/IMG_0658.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg7FfJafi1V7t9wq8s-ZNX8GzbjbS-4qFkxNW4SQyKg_9EyfqI1A-oimG6T4KWk9Opkxjc0CQjUxVRScanoaCoHEpfihJPJ4H5RBovWh3hDlNxM-zqZxulxIVU8AGmqR5ZDbN3UqeLRfKcAqOtmqPKIjSmQ3GF64xYN1gdWKh8eOOF0kamAg_/s4032/IMG_0660.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcg7FfJafi1V7t9wq8s-ZNX8GzbjbS-4qFkxNW4SQyKg_9EyfqI1A-oimG6T4KWk9Opkxjc0CQjUxVRScanoaCoHEpfihJPJ4H5RBovWh3hDlNxM-zqZxulxIVU8AGmqR5ZDbN3UqeLRfKcAqOtmqPKIjSmQ3GF64xYN1gdWKh8eOOF0kamAg_/s200/IMG_0660.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pjJvTJy_fDgVyc7RHSMbxc-dWqRgayqa9HdhS3cpFsQP42W3gnWDv9kU01MgVIz9ZN6lXf2CBJdP910r2rIiLgYodkEgq8NvUxzBwTkeDy_rmo9yQjhgpShtTQSzvBU7SSMZsyxOpmkxLA0Sq-m3fzzktE1EaOY8ZBVJQ82mfu-VHckSExKw/s4032/IMG_8394.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-pjJvTJy_fDgVyc7RHSMbxc-dWqRgayqa9HdhS3cpFsQP42W3gnWDv9kU01MgVIz9ZN6lXf2CBJdP910r2rIiLgYodkEgq8NvUxzBwTkeDy_rmo9yQjhgpShtTQSzvBU7SSMZsyxOpmkxLA0Sq-m3fzzktE1EaOY8ZBVJQ82mfu-VHckSExKw/s200/IMG_8394.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7m2nE0uFCIvyB2K6s8qbuuiPoxRl4UMhLwRjDjxRwuA3pBI5-4cTkeVDArqjPEIyT9sQOtrGCH73XhRl4ExP6hXAX3WjDPeegXqikmNqf3PFUuVAn_SkbyF3aDZG4ULRzo-gYD_fqomFpOuMF22gSLwUzS1tqVUTerEl9DyxMJD_21A4ahfP/s4032/IMG_8396.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj7m2nE0uFCIvyB2K6s8qbuuiPoxRl4UMhLwRjDjxRwuA3pBI5-4cTkeVDArqjPEIyT9sQOtrGCH73XhRl4ExP6hXAX3WjDPeegXqikmNqf3PFUuVAn_SkbyF3aDZG4ULRzo-gYD_fqomFpOuMF22gSLwUzS1tqVUTerEl9DyxMJD_21A4ahfP/s200/IMG_8396.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8LQwZ9PyxsISTOZSs4gm0ri-tOtc_wRrZlrLeJgbi93md-wwTeIhV3tWsLvPvqes3EldlCGJuZo8wZlextsbvCInUDhlfRgpENIyj2euZButzvkVQCwd-fzq0jEk5Z1RHBMGfYM_ZejC8d20MVAQQjJwZIHt_xC1uPMsFsYtFIhME7V4AgvW/s3941/IMG_8414.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2956" data-original-width="3941" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin8LQwZ9PyxsISTOZSs4gm0ri-tOtc_wRrZlrLeJgbi93md-wwTeIhV3tWsLvPvqes3EldlCGJuZo8wZlextsbvCInUDhlfRgpENIyj2euZButzvkVQCwd-fzq0jEk5Z1RHBMGfYM_ZejC8d20MVAQQjJwZIHt_xC1uPMsFsYtFIhME7V4AgvW/s200/IMG_8414.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSoE8hD_DCVHiV68nIq5N76Rlc8KHa7Sn1pM2bodOi0bI5v6DgLvm5wWlBKqc_f2F7njnLY0ixxfgfNQZlqAikhx2sy0qyyZYi0OagAmRZnD9t-832gkx24mOIgrAeYvHBqcu8Uf8efvu9Y2UQ62cf6RNF-0oQZ4gv-var7Qe-l3dJmyuhCMc/s3986/IMG_0577.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSoE8hD_DCVHiV68nIq5N76Rlc8KHa7Sn1pM2bodOi0bI5v6DgLvm5wWlBKqc_f2F7njnLY0ixxfgfNQZlqAikhx2sy0qyyZYi0OagAmRZnD9t-832gkx24mOIgrAeYvHBqcu8Uf8efvu9Y2UQ62cf6RNF-0oQZ4gv-var7Qe-l3dJmyuhCMc/s200/IMG_0577.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWyXwA5wlX35i38e4PDL20V_JyGPfG0DoGPagAlmb4BPsNcLaaDrHM7ywutFvl6qVTletY100-vfpM1sb3d-duXUT9zfXUCBiVsbiK9OPf72MvgyHMF6KTcxVlW0bwYuH0XGjS4wlySK918vBvrVolksV8PDg-36epW0WVjJPu767odxNFObl/s4032/IMG_0628.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhWyXwA5wlX35i38e4PDL20V_JyGPfG0DoGPagAlmb4BPsNcLaaDrHM7ywutFvl6qVTletY100-vfpM1sb3d-duXUT9zfXUCBiVsbiK9OPf72MvgyHMF6KTcxVlW0bwYuH0XGjS4wlySK918vBvrVolksV8PDg-36epW0WVjJPu767odxNFObl/s200/IMG_0628.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHuRhQASGqnhbqqvcx-RhM2G-EpWUDCyvePbYpB7E0FlvbifZpXLDPKfKHAmizo6fGhIjnVQQnnGg1FWT1fxIRhTgveKnS-Q5DQwWaoUbTU2Ks-uhy_Xri4ZK44w0PexnlBBKdPZwYeKi4qeaRXaW6RpgmuNQxSadveFPIu6lM9-fonvS6xpnR/s4032/IMG_0629.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHuRhQASGqnhbqqvcx-RhM2G-EpWUDCyvePbYpB7E0FlvbifZpXLDPKfKHAmizo6fGhIjnVQQnnGg1FWT1fxIRhTgveKnS-Q5DQwWaoUbTU2Ks-uhy_Xri4ZK44w0PexnlBBKdPZwYeKi4qeaRXaW6RpgmuNQxSadveFPIu6lM9-fonvS6xpnR/s200/IMG_0629.jpg"/></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaidWBIVNS5JLLxC9ATUf5B8hbDgpmoZyffzjAAZX_UvhQiVOTBhk0iSEg7oWfGgR08UpioYOVPgj6k9zTeu9W_jb6cUy3lNMJ1R35aO5CY20BuUZn48_Dc6lIjokN_2kM6So9gbCB4SQfg_RpXtuOoe1EkwJGP_HV0bQf0avfENXQ5lXPbUFd/s4032/IMG_0754.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaidWBIVNS5JLLxC9ATUf5B8hbDgpmoZyffzjAAZX_UvhQiVOTBhk0iSEg7oWfGgR08UpioYOVPgj6k9zTeu9W_jb6cUy3lNMJ1R35aO5CY20BuUZn48_Dc6lIjokN_2kM6So9gbCB4SQfg_RpXtuOoe1EkwJGP_HV0bQf0avfENXQ5lXPbUFd/s200/IMG_0754.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZimQKnUw3a_X5CVmXhJK6PbVXFg0Z_6zMjeRrzuNJXg5wEgeJH7zS4LqjhFkWK5Yku6an5cLFP_IChJRGNzjhl0yfr9o9koG_FJjrCPmcDOyoUGgRG0sCaHDgPig93lryB3LycdyQNCRue7-nJvCOzlBqGeFIBXDBxBNAtSjSVEH5xCY4Dv1/s3959/IMG_0779.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9ZimQKnUw3a_X5CVmXhJK6PbVXFg0Z_6zMjeRrzuNJXg5wEgeJH7zS4LqjhFkWK5Yku6an5cLFP_IChJRGNzjhl0yfr9o9koG_FJjrCPmcDOyoUGgRG0sCaHDgPig93lryB3LycdyQNCRue7-nJvCOzlBqGeFIBXDBxBNAtSjSVEH5xCY4Dv1/s200/IMG_0779.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xgTx8tG8GeWbh-HMiB67axVEjc6DWK_9SDd55wIwkvF1b3m1iEyYM2v7Zhi6ReUcHXxFEpPT9UVAXNMvfb4NsAVQqoIRfluaB1K1ZdiQyyJQAKPOV96OVJNWCtmHbqUgvyTBzWbDi-y8wHkO-2hzuATHxUQdtqZDqb6KNXO4hIuIjNPy-Pb3/s3932/IMG_8417.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2949" data-original-width="3932" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-xgTx8tG8GeWbh-HMiB67axVEjc6DWK_9SDd55wIwkvF1b3m1iEyYM2v7Zhi6ReUcHXxFEpPT9UVAXNMvfb4NsAVQqoIRfluaB1K1ZdiQyyJQAKPOV96OVJNWCtmHbqUgvyTBzWbDi-y8wHkO-2hzuATHxUQdtqZDqb6KNXO4hIuIjNPy-Pb3/s200/IMG_8417.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98MY3EDZhSTUgRM_JlIeGoxkXuGaZQIo0GJ5HL0OjMnzHWfQ5KDpzWpWyuvByEfQEkJ5Wd8sTreKXrCDc9FIoqsLiXPsn9UD43Ta5ok3tlQzw1LotRnEuRwjWvVVhzsbr3I-HHKJZVkQzpkbPLlu2OnX-M2f1bRtj2B0iZ_2Nz7OiLDVK6rH2/s4032/IMG_8419.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg98MY3EDZhSTUgRM_JlIeGoxkXuGaZQIo0GJ5HL0OjMnzHWfQ5KDpzWpWyuvByEfQEkJ5Wd8sTreKXrCDc9FIoqsLiXPsn9UD43Ta5ok3tlQzw1LotRnEuRwjWvVVhzsbr3I-HHKJZVkQzpkbPLlu2OnX-M2f1bRtj2B0iZ_2Nz7OiLDVK6rH2/s200/IMG_8419.jpg"/></a>
<br>And a hop-on, hop-off bus tour made it easy to visit further afield (the Garden District, the cemetaries, etc)</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZj6nix521PhdmX5Ag9b3fTt5cCfYOK9OqCQM7IfJa5NNoE5hx11HS_69xK2lLymCGf1qlyiP3k96SwOUl3JB-BuwleEQeRH0Z9r2PaKGIGtMv0-J3rYohW5Ivq7TZxS2p8PlhK7Bs4wX8-X4ppaPcsC8-O3lAcOsbLmCM6SYsXDbM0zHo-GRd/s4032/IMG_0836.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZj6nix521PhdmX5Ag9b3fTt5cCfYOK9OqCQM7IfJa5NNoE5hx11HS_69xK2lLymCGf1qlyiP3k96SwOUl3JB-BuwleEQeRH0Z9r2PaKGIGtMv0-J3rYohW5Ivq7TZxS2p8PlhK7Bs4wX8-X4ppaPcsC8-O3lAcOsbLmCM6SYsXDbM0zHo-GRd/s200/IMG_0836.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChTqQqgOzy1CuRFHo8U9CCkWuKSb6-sdqpMi-mfUw6bVY_WxpU-MO_W4lZoRG3mLb_TnMJuIt6UKHO5G9P23gPyaDeQIX7kxVCdPF0wbQrCVHVCX8lKB6hyphenhyphenCluEJBulpeDv3-6k1m4lpn-HapWjeDhkHedpOGOZBnifa_QoS_pk27ht6x9dZ9/s4032/IMG_0833.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgChTqQqgOzy1CuRFHo8U9CCkWuKSb6-sdqpMi-mfUw6bVY_WxpU-MO_W4lZoRG3mLb_TnMJuIt6UKHO5G9P23gPyaDeQIX7kxVCdPF0wbQrCVHVCX8lKB6hyphenhyphenCluEJBulpeDv3-6k1m4lpn-HapWjeDhkHedpOGOZBnifa_QoS_pk27ht6x9dZ9/s200/IMG_0833.jpg"/></a>
<br>Congo Square remains busy on Sundays (with drumming and dancing) a long held tradition</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3XIpOTsxdBIFFZN1gInxhFHDmnleqfkuP3rnRu0NksRQ4YKP9w1SjDKfi4_MionrAT8su5cfBDFGnHbZRUpxaPVX_pnDZGfDxvs-JjV2O4qq75febxrYXI9CsgZtqjoEE_8G_kqiqyRe2xsGHO1N8ZyWxYCiWfuPHDzdwgI00MhKM7EyErWF/s4032/IMG_0824.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiq3XIpOTsxdBIFFZN1gInxhFHDmnleqfkuP3rnRu0NksRQ4YKP9w1SjDKfi4_MionrAT8su5cfBDFGnHbZRUpxaPVX_pnDZGfDxvs-JjV2O4qq75febxrYXI9CsgZtqjoEE_8G_kqiqyRe2xsGHO1N8ZyWxYCiWfuPHDzdwgI00MhKM7EyErWF/s200/IMG_0824.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMQOsKNb1bymo3Pfl1Al4300mDt9Plxg5Op8zetmS5E-HelT_Gs8SH1-CSlQ3yt8Cr6JPl0zh6DcBLjYdEiqFzMTxChNyBDoNhwFAMg5XAWqi0fuDdxZcySD96hsro1vPtLQQ4-RhrDIV6cQ1dQexW9b0EiuB-zIpcBI6PNGffKSI5gePVswU/s4032/IMG_0829.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQMQOsKNb1bymo3Pfl1Al4300mDt9Plxg5Op8zetmS5E-HelT_Gs8SH1-CSlQ3yt8Cr6JPl0zh6DcBLjYdEiqFzMTxChNyBDoNhwFAMg5XAWqi0fuDdxZcySD96hsro1vPtLQQ4-RhrDIV6cQ1dQexW9b0EiuB-zIpcBI6PNGffKSI5gePVswU/s200/IMG_0829.jpg"/></a>
<br>And we even visited the (tiny) Voodoo museum</center>
<p>Yep, New Orleans is a loud city. After our fifth or sixth lunch, Maryanne and I managed to make it safely home, where we shouted goodnight to each other and then spent the rest of the night staring helplessly at the ceiling while listening to the races between the Harleys and the mid-nineties Honda Accords with the giant spoilers and the super low-profile tires. Neither is fast, but they sure do make a lot of noise trying.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com1New Orleans, LA, USA29.951065799999991 -90.07153231.6408319638211459 -125.2277823 58.261299636178833 -54.9152823tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-36055830032602891972023-11-17T10:00:00.003-05:002023-11-30T12:53:19.855-05:00Texas[Kyle]Next up on the big, ol' list was a visit to my sister Cori and her partner Shawn, who live in the greater Houston area. To be perfectly honest, Houston is not my favorite. I've spent enough time living and working there to be assured of my conviction.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXlJliu9gfm3Dn31CvVZsAf1VcICjoO2mrFCmWdfjd_KHXXolQaCKglKnymZyjw_atVbcO7djbUs8eF6wtvyZh08cqbazUm_azwBGlz8_3Cd8gImSQytZpRkjqVwdyBjqnNDZuUrJ_MPp5JavpcKsd0kWGrLIuVF5Fgss2jXbp8ofQphL9Dmo/s200/IMG_0552.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>That being said, Cori does not live or work in any of the parts of Houston that I did, so her experience may differ. In fact, I would dare say her region is "nice adjacent" because I am a curmudgeon and I will never admit to liking any part of Houston - ever.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2bOXRpKXzqLnpJNpUGFuuc28AQvKzvOEjy7AFAQrZkGcik19qXDatL9M5wjLk4hl61SQrvk5GOwl3cJuXhvfgT2S1ZlSyzFkV6ES0UurrxGgZ4LKvkxKDWHkHuGUMxrgVBZyQC7dObnC5X9iw97RDIfUSRKKF2_8uweMMJvV5ipEv9feYoS/s4032/IMG_0441.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFD2bOXRpKXzqLnpJNpUGFuuc28AQvKzvOEjy7AFAQrZkGcik19qXDatL9M5wjLk4hl61SQrvk5GOwl3cJuXhvfgT2S1ZlSyzFkV6ES0UurrxGgZ4LKvkxKDWHkHuGUMxrgVBZyQC7dObnC5X9iw97RDIfUSRKKF2_8uweMMJvV5ipEv9feYoS/s200/IMG_0441.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQhlhR_naqxBYYKXF93xZLCJI5U7UobJkUf16iQWvrdamRWkzNAijJbJ4BYqynlm8DGDiyhE_faK2US5lv-_yaFCJU025Or1n-XgPFV4CKaOL7GcltZ_M0ypWfYJwS3Q2_jYrJJUnsxUykwOCOS3w2uD0IsyqzdxTALNzxs2SVF1JCyjPf8eF/s4032/IMG_0444.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfQhlhR_naqxBYYKXF93xZLCJI5U7UobJkUf16iQWvrdamRWkzNAijJbJ4BYqynlm8DGDiyhE_faK2US5lv-_yaFCJU025Or1n-XgPFV4CKaOL7GcltZ_M0ypWfYJwS3Q2_jYrJJUnsxUykwOCOS3w2uD0IsyqzdxTALNzxs2SVF1JCyjPf8eF/s200/IMG_0444.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34WXRGf1Gli6zIzJ1fwqNXTB-4TSBnht-TW500UXfZhoSzOji29lF8dZ8uvZLhIL9Gr7dqqgu0f-E4-sl09YNRFyJJWC0xaI0wuNX9BIX-0X4jCjnmgBzSGWGzz9CKO3dSscFRyhyON3iAL0TfkLVvQAiDJYmcVW2vg-d4qajS4wcR4UyGf-n/s4032/IMG_0467.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh34WXRGf1Gli6zIzJ1fwqNXTB-4TSBnht-TW500UXfZhoSzOji29lF8dZ8uvZLhIL9Gr7dqqgu0f-E4-sl09YNRFyJJWC0xaI0wuNX9BIX-0X4jCjnmgBzSGWGzz9CKO3dSscFRyhyON3iAL0TfkLVvQAiDJYmcVW2vg-d4qajS4wcR4UyGf-n/s200/IMG_0467.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVtXq9nePg1pdhHq1czio5HNQmvMkVjkKH-IJgp-ObEOR2Spfr2uLwpfEUzm6_Q8k4X91dPtVEWFpXxwgVsg-iBE8QCLn8SaD1wBZOWiEj4j_GM9j9kyRjimpqdw9U9npqbAsgT05DtRxuM6aZv6SYS6a1NjvvT3ClkKWIi8RByxywcjfcEzH/s4032/IMG_0468.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMVtXq9nePg1pdhHq1czio5HNQmvMkVjkKH-IJgp-ObEOR2Spfr2uLwpfEUzm6_Q8k4X91dPtVEWFpXxwgVsg-iBE8QCLn8SaD1wBZOWiEj4j_GM9j9kyRjimpqdw9U9npqbAsgT05DtRxuM6aZv6SYS6a1NjvvT3ClkKWIi8RByxywcjfcEzH/s200/IMG_0468.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewwRFUTTB13HvcZzMDoUS1S039SKWGbkVJvJrMZEpgHhhHjTB6byu6K9Z5dJOS418UjIAHQnez-6lmU_S3yDIbmLTO9aeggnaXi_Ng6yfIQ40EuI0kNsbls93_T1Bkb4nNVuuGequSHWfx5BGPAfKoGI983WYcakfQ8Kp8iK1hOPeK1QwCvRk/s4032/IMG_0490.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjewwRFUTTB13HvcZzMDoUS1S039SKWGbkVJvJrMZEpgHhhHjTB6byu6K9Z5dJOS418UjIAHQnez-6lmU_S3yDIbmLTO9aeggnaXi_Ng6yfIQ40EuI0kNsbls93_T1Bkb4nNVuuGequSHWfx5BGPAfKoGI983WYcakfQ8Kp8iK1hOPeK1QwCvRk/s200/IMG_0490.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TxqZRufPx4_zm40hxaHrZfoDT249VtUAvU4C2LU1R3oI1eAPb72hblCgGGWbMJKA-4YIB1Gf-liAyPB9gWXI2waD3Z_UXglOv55MrxZ05xmonZfAF4rXypnjLQI5V6I1WSV8KMbSh9a25rT13Soqc9e1wAmqWwuTOQRkvqE6pCerQXb8jo-k/s4032/IMG_0499.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0TxqZRufPx4_zm40hxaHrZfoDT249VtUAvU4C2LU1R3oI1eAPb72hblCgGGWbMJKA-4YIB1Gf-liAyPB9gWXI2waD3Z_UXglOv55MrxZ05xmonZfAF4rXypnjLQI5V6I1WSV8KMbSh9a25rT13Soqc9e1wAmqWwuTOQRkvqE6pCerQXb8jo-k/s200/IMG_0499.jpg"/></a>
<br>On route we stopped in San Antonio, home of The Alamo, but we just slept in a hotel for our visit, and then carried on driving, no sightseeing. On route to San Antonio we shared the road with several giant wind turbine blades being delivered.</center>
<p>On the second (and shorter) day of driving Cori had suggested we should DEFINITELY stop at a Buc-ee's (a convenience store/gas station stop). Hmm, Isn't one like any other? No - Buc-ee's is crazy - huge, has art in the bathrooms, has grocery-store-like deli counters and makes pulled pork (and other) sandwiches - fresh - in front of the customers - it sells t-shirts, Christmas ornaments, beer and a million other things as well as the obvious coffee and gas/petrol.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5U5QiAG4uwH8XO26kqjfU8ah3HmULbv_71b-oddaF1ccCEXo64ceae2jwi-y7Fbw-Eq3LwoEm5wMHzmXB5fqfNRJkM6ITvRIGZI5PsUgRX5S8RADfnX1haL6xGbtOstaf6Ax_hAupJFYOXdAyXTInVqnFWNCh6-HQZAOR2tYBqVaY0JOSUjF/s4032/IMG_0516.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz5U5QiAG4uwH8XO26kqjfU8ah3HmULbv_71b-oddaF1ccCEXo64ceae2jwi-y7Fbw-Eq3LwoEm5wMHzmXB5fqfNRJkM6ITvRIGZI5PsUgRX5S8RADfnX1haL6xGbtOstaf6Ax_hAupJFYOXdAyXTInVqnFWNCh6-HQZAOR2tYBqVaY0JOSUjF/s200/IMG_0516.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14RpcrtG6s51Idp8AxhFrDaQozTmpK7KMvlZTeloo3fMgqUGZbk0N0J7OxuSrhceOkuAm8jPj3StLpmGjwDdwkb5pWEnY0NluCZtYIgtJ1XDf9tRlD_VJ2zV_8r58EcNIE9qmMG9TRPlDFBAZI5qHomAA-hIRnoxblgqgdZ2HGHbSMz90KXLK/s4032/IMG_0517.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi14RpcrtG6s51Idp8AxhFrDaQozTmpK7KMvlZTeloo3fMgqUGZbk0N0J7OxuSrhceOkuAm8jPj3StLpmGjwDdwkb5pWEnY0NluCZtYIgtJ1XDf9tRlD_VJ2zV_8r58EcNIE9qmMG9TRPlDFBAZI5qHomAA-hIRnoxblgqgdZ2HGHbSMz90KXLK/s200/IMG_0517.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNZE3HaZZy4ZDcxwZwPXkN9j33ODO0ESiGAXn2B_41D7aPtY8xeGLDJ5grd2np-ZhSSgHQhaqqZJNEYxqCKokK4j1tPKW3nyq4h9gOT0giv9RPXUFipKT6mYxTRanjvp37N4fLf2v3QychD2NVHcZacMe8gbMaG-sQikiomt-ZN4_pn7pC1Ay/s2860/IMG_0514.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2860" data-original-width="2816" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqNZE3HaZZy4ZDcxwZwPXkN9j33ODO0ESiGAXn2B_41D7aPtY8xeGLDJ5grd2np-ZhSSgHQhaqqZJNEYxqCKokK4j1tPKW3nyq4h9gOT0giv9RPXUFipKT6mYxTRanjvp37N4fLf2v3QychD2NVHcZacMe8gbMaG-sQikiomt-ZN4_pn7pC1Ay/s200/IMG_0514.jpg"/></a>
<br>Buc-ee's</center>
<p>Working in favor of visiting Houston (aside from Cori), was that it was the week in November when the weather there is pleasant (There is another one in February). Cori's house seems normal enough from the road. Once inside, though, it went on and on so far that I could barely even see the back wall. This is the standard Texas way of dealing with the heat - enclose the entire (or almost entire) property with a house as a way of air conditioning your land. Then put the badminton court on the inside next to the miniature golf course. After an extensive tour, we were showed the UPSTAIRS! Holy moly!
<p>Not only is their giant house big, but it is filled with technology. While suckers like me and Maryanne are bumping our way around looking for light switches or ceiling fan controls, Cori and Shawn just amble through, telling their house to do their bidding for them.
<p>That is the upside. The downside is that since their house is too big to see all at once, it helpfully keeps them informed of any activity in it's nether regions. This means that every time we opened a window or ventured too close to an exit, the house would ring a helpful little bell. This wasn't a problem in the daytime, but it made a stealthy run to the kitchen for a midnight glass of water impossible. After a lovely evening soak in their jacuzzi with them, their dryer dropped a dime on me by sending Shawn an email when I put our towels in to dry.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FrBgXRvn0tiZC2_I_h2HZ1UkBSDZbR5sY7I_WFgV-efG9NdsXPbeLcexoMHY7uKQfiJs_tmDs81a3V-Q9kuEpe9LzAwB0hCynvJE-J1B4exLRN6zsWMZKzpousfqTXrDtawpwWPr_HnfdEP2PhiimgvEIIvLkZom3clO0ij8xHapAng1hbbJ/s4032/IMG_0531.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7FrBgXRvn0tiZC2_I_h2HZ1UkBSDZbR5sY7I_WFgV-efG9NdsXPbeLcexoMHY7uKQfiJs_tmDs81a3V-Q9kuEpe9LzAwB0hCynvJE-J1B4exLRN6zsWMZKzpousfqTXrDtawpwWPr_HnfdEP2PhiimgvEIIvLkZom3clO0ij8xHapAng1hbbJ/s200/IMG_0531.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigNnt04RK4evZ7qEKe2XBaSk0FS3ADvJPu_KYMYryz_8aosAkllEJhVIDLKrB0ZFYT0riUxcBqb5T9VPVtuNeg6vMXr68SE6zJCclTy9ZQCPTuL5DUTW8zD47_XmfZDNbnDzBEJcrPLC_b9gwGJg01OGBtOrOM-i38k4NWPku1VjVy-kDv2Lv/s4032/IMG_0545.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjigNnt04RK4evZ7qEKe2XBaSk0FS3ADvJPu_KYMYryz_8aosAkllEJhVIDLKrB0ZFYT0riUxcBqb5T9VPVtuNeg6vMXr68SE6zJCclTy9ZQCPTuL5DUTW8zD47_XmfZDNbnDzBEJcrPLC_b9gwGJg01OGBtOrOM-i38k4NWPku1VjVy-kDv2Lv/s200/IMG_0545.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_sh1XNzLxbXK5Cibzar28cWS-mabOJ21vH46lvr-LcBpDydSeiNGyw7i3VDQlwerDULALMkbxbL3-S_u266Sjn338CyOx5h9d3AZvXljzf2KyR5kIwcKNh1jSp1BYyZJKGPk5C_b0DpZIc9X6uTTZpcrONeqQH4M8200SEvi5L6JOTg8ohMQ/s2592/DSC00155.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik_sh1XNzLxbXK5Cibzar28cWS-mabOJ21vH46lvr-LcBpDydSeiNGyw7i3VDQlwerDULALMkbxbL3-S_u266Sjn338CyOx5h9d3AZvXljzf2KyR5kIwcKNh1jSp1BYyZJKGPk5C_b0DpZIc9X6uTTZpcrONeqQH4M8200SEvi5L6JOTg8ohMQ/s200/DSC00155.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEljUVyg2zln2K5KDmpSeInAvYTBuHgniBXW36ovNQpEBC3dDnZj8ufgpx_rFjjpiT6_2N80kKeK20o-61s8Uf4o7KhBkUcrv2WKp97BaZSWmAxbaVovOcuRd35DHSZEIjM9vgJK04yjogRMRQ5TNe1VTVE57quZeXptv5TDWgxZB0XBv9hHcM/s4032/IMG_0543.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEljUVyg2zln2K5KDmpSeInAvYTBuHgniBXW36ovNQpEBC3dDnZj8ufgpx_rFjjpiT6_2N80kKeK20o-61s8Uf4o7KhBkUcrv2WKp97BaZSWmAxbaVovOcuRd35DHSZEIjM9vgJK04yjogRMRQ5TNe1VTVE57quZeXptv5TDWgxZB0XBv9hHcM/s200/IMG_0543.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj1O0X81Qqrg3uxcvioXTYBOKmngx-iRzhe0q4KVkX7K0lfUeQRzo4l5Y7ljFp29uXT1h4oAh6eOwRZ3QHFBaJn0XShxBBwSnoHB4QEVCpJnSzCuVhjokOFJK1LQFdgSfDCV5VOBYeA1VSXHSpDShqwV5pa4RXe7x2XxPbRdnn0oI8N41WOWz/s4032/IMG_0544.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnj1O0X81Qqrg3uxcvioXTYBOKmngx-iRzhe0q4KVkX7K0lfUeQRzo4l5Y7ljFp29uXT1h4oAh6eOwRZ3QHFBaJn0XShxBBwSnoHB4QEVCpJnSzCuVhjokOFJK1LQFdgSfDCV5VOBYeA1VSXHSpDShqwV5pa4RXe7x2XxPbRdnn0oI8N41WOWz/s200/IMG_0544.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMl_88EGF0hg50U-lviGToHbYZeDW7zTFFdECuzPJ4yS6yOvIzrEs2bFY_H69VFwDEbrmLBfe-fRaUJmCpIlaOZQEH-Hn13DOM9P0yay-35QDU9HydIQxMQE8PD6IuAGh5TnbLQq-oGya2R_ia-JeHHWSDKYzKH1dv6wnyS9xChRJdajnXtzg/s4032/IMG_0549.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmMl_88EGF0hg50U-lviGToHbYZeDW7zTFFdECuzPJ4yS6yOvIzrEs2bFY_H69VFwDEbrmLBfe-fRaUJmCpIlaOZQEH-Hn13DOM9P0yay-35QDU9HydIQxMQE8PD6IuAGh5TnbLQq-oGya2R_ia-JeHHWSDKYzKH1dv6wnyS9xChRJdajnXtzg/s200/IMG_0549.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXlJliu9gfm3Dn31CvVZsAf1VcICjoO2mrFCmWdfjd_KHXXolQaCKglKnymZyjw_atVbcO7djbUs8eF6wtvyZh08cqbazUm_azwBGlz8_3Cd8gImSQytZpRkjqVwdyBjqnNDZuUrJ_MPp5JavpcKsd0kWGrLIuVF5Fgss2jXbp8ofQphL9Dmo/s4032/IMG_0552.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpXlJliu9gfm3Dn31CvVZsAf1VcICjoO2mrFCmWdfjd_KHXXolQaCKglKnymZyjw_atVbcO7djbUs8eF6wtvyZh08cqbazUm_azwBGlz8_3Cd8gImSQytZpRkjqVwdyBjqnNDZuUrJ_MPp5JavpcKsd0kWGrLIuVF5Fgss2jXbp8ofQphL9Dmo/s200/IMG_0552.jpg"/></a>
<br>We had a great time, including a trip to a local park and to see Cori's workplace. We played games with virtual reality goggles (our first time), ate well, and hung out in the hot tub!</center>
<p>Cori, we already knew, but for both of us it was our first time meeting Shawn. I liked him immediately. Despite being a pretty physically imposing guy who could have easily skated through life on his brawn alone, he is inquisitive, intelligent and very self-aware. He is an interesting guy who can carry on an entertaining conversation about almost anything, even if his house sometimes doesn't get the joke and starts lighting up like a disco. At least I didn't wake in the middle of the night to find it holding a pillow over my face and saying, "Shhhh, shhhh… sleep!"
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Conroe, TX, USA30.3118769 -95.456051199999992.001643063821156 -130.6123012 58.622110736178847 -60.29980119999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-55578271653558751512023-11-14T05:00:00.039-05:002023-11-21T18:26:42.506-05:00Phoenix, Arizona[Kyle]Once we got clear of LA traffic, we had a short four-hour drive to Phoenix to see the best two friends my mom ever had: Scott and Robin.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qQKbwc8RYf3Xjp4COwihlWsJGEGoKdeKo2hQXiWziTBuLDFs5Qu2oogYhpAhfLCgKw0kXCH7k4Vj9d9rWvejTvSfMH8mOr1t9Bdab7ewlhoM5bxvEMROa1W4t1gEsIvGQWJld72LfyVQ_3lBtjrb94G_rArpWtRwhq03j10GncyXRk29qLu6/s200/IMG_1760-2.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV36yuJUKQbAFq5hyphenhyphenZJuz2861hKmEcwEsxG5w6hwumYO6iyB-kaoKALGBDiNHGwq9KTBj_oUAshaEBeKeHUf8FvfPqbsIkdGzQGJJ3JXs7uO2grP0IF8RhZriRKcf8hVLqw6tQ6Ry6naa8SgVKoIGtFGAUlXGpMBCKVvbhdPNZAp8lULaUsn5U/s4032/IMG_0354.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV36yuJUKQbAFq5hyphenhyphenZJuz2861hKmEcwEsxG5w6hwumYO6iyB-kaoKALGBDiNHGwq9KTBj_oUAshaEBeKeHUf8FvfPqbsIkdGzQGJJ3JXs7uO2grP0IF8RhZriRKcf8hVLqw6tQ6Ry6naa8SgVKoIGtFGAUlXGpMBCKVvbhdPNZAp8lULaUsn5U/s200/IMG_0354.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1lbpBUrWhKcUUxu9QzdKolV10l-conzf2pQHgSQ2GPsX7m0pDCtcqeayc9bMthYA5J5TgVWZr_rmqLlg5SEXpT2x6BmqAGxe4AvpEaRsD1O_1j7i24JLyPh5axjNRzkGtDsrawh-hPXTQVE_e_GbDm1MPvk5L5fZGPp0rcBvZAPgxpb6Atx4/s3117/IMG_0360.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2338" data-original-width="3117" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT1lbpBUrWhKcUUxu9QzdKolV10l-conzf2pQHgSQ2GPsX7m0pDCtcqeayc9bMthYA5J5TgVWZr_rmqLlg5SEXpT2x6BmqAGxe4AvpEaRsD1O_1j7i24JLyPh5axjNRzkGtDsrawh-hPXTQVE_e_GbDm1MPvk5L5fZGPp0rcBvZAPgxpb6Atx4/s200/IMG_0360.jpg"/></a>
<br>The blur of scnery as we move from California to Arizona</center>
<p>We stayed and spent the bulk of our time with Robin. She lives in the same development as Mom and spent the most time with her over the last few years, helping her to expand her business along the way. She was also the one who was taking care of Mom when she died. When we first saw her, I hugged her so hard that she winced. Oops! Sorry, Robin.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIVILVPbkaeLbp5gt_H53rmOSglMX2p3I3g18kUKX-Pa0B9YwjXv6J4WfSmFQXaBky27Luqu9WLgBeBJmkHebp2X36rS_HciQqkaVQBlkp-7TdFOCQmo3-5BoGhnVRpdEq_TL8O8nN0OxbyIx3gYpbkTzgWUAAd1dW8jo4gQpJt5Z2hm-bVoq/s4032/IMG_0368.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIVILVPbkaeLbp5gt_H53rmOSglMX2p3I3g18kUKX-Pa0B9YwjXv6J4WfSmFQXaBky27Luqu9WLgBeBJmkHebp2X36rS_HciQqkaVQBlkp-7TdFOCQmo3-5BoGhnVRpdEq_TL8O8nN0OxbyIx3gYpbkTzgWUAAd1dW8jo4gQpJt5Z2hm-bVoq/s200/IMG_0368.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ShhGz5moqlcR0kfZhXrM2jkvm0uofgFARSd0MH4AXhOwtUsyr9Dacqv9_ijxVZCFRAwpkqh27wrZvE7WqkUWg_r-f0mMLXcpEwStFjYkFFEkgkfMNG_vYKvz443FixfqDoxCXWxWliDItFryk2JIkHTmuEJKJC8GHdAnO0rTS7AwuxYcn4H5/s4032/IMG_0378.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3ShhGz5moqlcR0kfZhXrM2jkvm0uofgFARSd0MH4AXhOwtUsyr9Dacqv9_ijxVZCFRAwpkqh27wrZvE7WqkUWg_r-f0mMLXcpEwStFjYkFFEkgkfMNG_vYKvz443FixfqDoxCXWxWliDItFryk2JIkHTmuEJKJC8GHdAnO0rTS7AwuxYcn4H5/s200/IMG_0378.jpg"/></a>
<br>Robin gets a version of our travels from Kyle, and her lovely pup Dougie keeps us all with a smile on our faces</center>
<p>It was so nice to be in her company again. So many of the times we have stayed at Mom's, Robin was also there for a good portion of the time. She's really part of the family for us.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBkgV7Br9tnZKPrGeAbyO5FBlv8UetA75dSCWvuK0rDu0mjeDLPgNyB9IjA1CdGpDqDfCeCIaNTrS0Gk3gJMHRh_eglhK7bpOwfQKvU_W5VfYM5H4c9OWtOs3SRxeJrdv0IRvhvJeU3x-srUFXmTES1KYFIKK16gzoFSUld-h2jYtiHETGVjA/s3738/IMG_0418-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2804" data-original-width="3738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKBkgV7Br9tnZKPrGeAbyO5FBlv8UetA75dSCWvuK0rDu0mjeDLPgNyB9IjA1CdGpDqDfCeCIaNTrS0Gk3gJMHRh_eglhK7bpOwfQKvU_W5VfYM5H4c9OWtOs3SRxeJrdv0IRvhvJeU3x-srUFXmTES1KYFIKK16gzoFSUld-h2jYtiHETGVjA/s200/IMG_0418-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qQKbwc8RYf3Xjp4COwihlWsJGEGoKdeKo2hQXiWziTBuLDFs5Qu2oogYhpAhfLCgKw0kXCH7k4Vj9d9rWvejTvSfMH8mOr1t9Bdab7ewlhoM5bxvEMROa1W4t1gEsIvGQWJld72LfyVQ_3lBtjrb94G_rArpWtRwhq03j10GncyXRk29qLu6/s1600/IMG_1760-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-qQKbwc8RYf3Xjp4COwihlWsJGEGoKdeKo2hQXiWziTBuLDFs5Qu2oogYhpAhfLCgKw0kXCH7k4Vj9d9rWvejTvSfMH8mOr1t9Bdab7ewlhoM5bxvEMROa1W4t1gEsIvGQWJld72LfyVQ_3lBtjrb94G_rArpWtRwhq03j10GncyXRk29qLu6/s200/IMG_1760-2.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsHnAhIe5XeaMLn-DFxQUyuYWf3-9ql2LraXS0wgLnxwWOfmEm4ZkalrlqK2Qmv9Eoun2TWz5a5WpF1y9tK7UDdigzdxf_cZqbez0kk5LXTVfpDuRjY2cHeDp0EudRixNIfjTobigHuKxNBlFN1izUs3NmGkv02RFi8lVwPLGjNQPmWvbjoTF/s4032/IMG_0414-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhsHnAhIe5XeaMLn-DFxQUyuYWf3-9ql2LraXS0wgLnxwWOfmEm4ZkalrlqK2Qmv9Eoun2TWz5a5WpF1y9tK7UDdigzdxf_cZqbez0kk5LXTVfpDuRjY2cHeDp0EudRixNIfjTobigHuKxNBlFN1izUs3NmGkv02RFi8lVwPLGjNQPmWvbjoTF/s200/IMG_0414-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-LdL0_T8JpWCk3Ar5FOZSyzz9sRNFgkAEazTNMy9BK4Futc_PIBvly1M6G2JQIFnFFnNDm6Ps91Z8vg23sN6jvxso_FjSqkKc1Y_sh6xIXbd1_EpqnSIrFC7AvqtfdUAvyNE1-zjp_8l81tv2UguItYedj_r7Nlg7U38ha21gdk22pLuExO7/s4032/IMG_0423-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-LdL0_T8JpWCk3Ar5FOZSyzz9sRNFgkAEazTNMy9BK4Futc_PIBvly1M6G2JQIFnFFnNDm6Ps91Z8vg23sN6jvxso_FjSqkKc1Y_sh6xIXbd1_EpqnSIrFC7AvqtfdUAvyNE1-zjp_8l81tv2UguItYedj_r7Nlg7U38ha21gdk22pLuExO7/s200/IMG_0423-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXXR9P81NZevAKK6xV5VDFPN9pDAV2nnpGfEXLvA78Mbi806H67v9rh1tnEzzUrLcvwwolQygG2nwo7PWogzqVymhwYZHHZvwe_7PUtgnSkF0BgIWMuiNDXg6hpAWz10Yj63GjXGO0TU8VP4mphFMMeTkPi7azQ8WclbHFC9HwshGMjsEzcTu/s1600/IMG_1755-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwXXR9P81NZevAKK6xV5VDFPN9pDAV2nnpGfEXLvA78Mbi806H67v9rh1tnEzzUrLcvwwolQygG2nwo7PWogzqVymhwYZHHZvwe_7PUtgnSkF0BgIWMuiNDXg6hpAWz10Yj63GjXGO0TU8VP4mphFMMeTkPi7azQ8WclbHFC9HwshGMjsEzcTu/s200/IMG_1755-2.jpg"/></a>
<br>We took a trip to the Capitol building to explore a little of Arizona's history</center>
<p>Since Robin's house is on the other side of the same neighborhood as Mom's, where we visited so often and even spent a couple of whole winters living, everything is very familiar. Walking Robin's dog, Dougie, on my old running route, it felt at times like I was just taking a week off of work for another visit again.
<p>Of course, not everything was the same. My route took us past Mom's old house. It looks pretty much the same, except the trees are a little bit taller. The first time I went by it, the glow of the lights inside made me feel like I was my usual ten seconds from the big hug and warm welcome I always got every time I came up the path.
<p>Things are different now. The house belongs to somebody else, so I just had a long look and kept on walking, but I still can't shake the feeling every time I see it.
<p>Mom's other great friend and mentor, Scott, is a busy man, but he and his partner Fred carved out some time for us.
<p>I can't say enough good things about Scott. He's absolutely brilliant at what he does and is a paragon of fairness and integrity. Plus, he's just really great company. It's easy to see why Mom loved him so much. Fred is pretty good, too. Hey, Fred.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctz4VvFUWiUuaShrozjm0O891TwUk-4u-45HiLEl2cVp9J2FkECAdGdsCDRrWeU89EXNpoMyGiSndFFB___fTc7EhvFg3CL2WZvTGwpC_hU54pGS3lEWKVto-i_gf-Bsl4omES-574ePml0MBZUBFQxk_0GeL98xBZgKl8VwDij1SO-M1Zh3R/s4032/IMG_0430.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjctz4VvFUWiUuaShrozjm0O891TwUk-4u-45HiLEl2cVp9J2FkECAdGdsCDRrWeU89EXNpoMyGiSndFFB___fTc7EhvFg3CL2WZvTGwpC_hU54pGS3lEWKVto-i_gf-Bsl4omES-574ePml0MBZUBFQxk_0GeL98xBZgKl8VwDij1SO-M1Zh3R/s200/IMG_0430.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva48Lo5oRxAHYOmEOz9ez_9UFRnauotbznHeph6d9Tr-8ne0MFIXAE1mRr1JGwPIuLmG7qI_svXSLyRrdGUVjLljsOovI1aLhdVYG4Z2XxiXzmW2v1wNlLRWuWStLuWTgfIfNBGnx06k3zQLPV1KOd8WG0m-wyf7IF9onR9TvRvTP51-JPcZG/s2048/IMG_1768.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhva48Lo5oRxAHYOmEOz9ez_9UFRnauotbznHeph6d9Tr-8ne0MFIXAE1mRr1JGwPIuLmG7qI_svXSLyRrdGUVjLljsOovI1aLhdVYG4Z2XxiXzmW2v1wNlLRWuWStLuWTgfIfNBGnx06k3zQLPV1KOd8WG0m-wyf7IF9onR9TvRvTP51-JPcZG/s200/IMG_1768.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p>I don't share the same interest in the finer details of precious antiques as Mom did with Scott, although it was hard not to with her infectious enthusiasm, but I'd like to think that if there were a parallel universe where Maryanne and I could live down the street from him and Fred, we would all be great friends. Time spent with them is always such fun. It's hard to leave and let them get back to their busy lives.
<p>We got a few overdue errands done in the ol' neighborhood and managed also to do a few touristy things during our brief stay. Then, it seemed like it was already time to be leaving. We often spent weeks or even months at a time in Phoenix in the past. That made this time feel like we had just breezed in and then breezed right out before we had a chance to settle in. Going all over the world is great and all, but sometimes it can just seem way too big.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.9764,-081.1860" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Surprise, AZ, USA33.6292337 -112.36792795.3189998638211549 -147.52417789999998 61.939467536178846 -77.2116779tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-58998214325216132282023-11-08T10:00:00.006-05:002023-11-14T09:57:55.833-05:00More California [Kyle]From Santa Cruz, we drove south to Altadena (in Norther Los Angeles), home to our friends Issy and Warren. Maryanne has seen them since (most recently in 2015), but the last time I saw them was at our own wedding just a little tiny bit ago (2003).
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLn0MWtrunMUJUFRkF_Ym8XaGBKdE1vXHsQHXCkCygH40tzrdsfIbnA9Ej9H3D3IU8_7WHq9dz8qn0VrC14lqsrh_qOrsL1iLMtE58DLO82cz3KDu7iBJLc0m-aWgiSRorW19HAdPA2vLQ2s70ih1U6TmfCHGQE9LuUP_BLSs302kzILYN9MV/s200/IMG_0344.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN7noPTUEX-r1987Hv7emA4jTHKB3XFufLSO1O4wO0XQOYxuxOdekvZO-rpfIHMaET-wgR0X55RxfFCqlTRRmdvSDtDeOabigKjfrWahp0izuRe3m7f18uI_NRest-vdYXBIQ0QYxx2MW9HUNy4Uk_46waHcFw4Mu3E3Zs5JhDGQNw95vr6_z/s1421/SkidmoreWedding-GroupPhoto-2022-05-26.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="947" data-original-width="1421" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMN7noPTUEX-r1987Hv7emA4jTHKB3XFufLSO1O4wO0XQOYxuxOdekvZO-rpfIHMaET-wgR0X55RxfFCqlTRRmdvSDtDeOabigKjfrWahp0izuRe3m7f18uI_NRest-vdYXBIQ0QYxx2MW9HUNy4Uk_46waHcFw4Mu3E3Zs5JhDGQNw95vr6_z/s200/SkidmoreWedding-GroupPhoto-2022-05-26.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTvluTckDEUsDblL52u69IzQGvZqq04edbJL71dzoIwYLUw0ug4MHN_7CqVqBaB8IGOb28WnJ16dOQAGY2HkA7khQRhqfQc27rB6fz-waBBhql58Ya2B7rzgdXmoKItymtgmMda7HWootH5fdtNjhjQxqbj_oGYmIaL79NV2IFy0nivZPeM7K/s668/WarrenFilm04_04_GroupShot.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="516" data-original-width="668" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnTvluTckDEUsDblL52u69IzQGvZqq04edbJL71dzoIwYLUw0ug4MHN_7CqVqBaB8IGOb28WnJ16dOQAGY2HkA7khQRhqfQc27rB6fz-waBBhql58Ya2B7rzgdXmoKItymtgmMda7HWootH5fdtNjhjQxqbj_oGYmIaL79NV2IFy0nivZPeM7K/s200/WarrenFilm04_04_GroupShot.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Skidmores and Maryanne both moved from Scotland to the USA around the same time - and all were at each others weddings on either side of the Atlantic and the timeframe that brackets that move (Photo credit:Unkown)</center>
<p>They since have raised two fully grown daughters, which is incomprehensible. Warren is an astrophysicist, while Isabelle manages all things down-to-earth. Warren tried to explain to me how time works, but I think it may have gone over my head a bit. All I know is that for some reason, there seemed to be six fully-grown humans wandering around in their house.
<p>Anyway, the whole family is lovely. Issy and Warren we already knew about, but their brand-new daughters are smarter, kinder and friendlier than any teenagers I have ever met.
<p>We only had a day and a half with them all, and the time just flew by with plenty of laughs, reminiscing, catching-up, and a whole host of interesting conversation. One evening during our visit Warren set up his (much smaller) telescope so we could catch an amazing view of the cloud bands on Jupiter.
<p>As a bonus while in the area we all went out to lunch with Connor, a small-boat, solo, sailor who was (back in 2019) in the same general group as us when sailing from New Caledonia to Australia (You can check out some of his arcticles <a href="https://www.sailmagazine.com/author/connor-jackson" target="_blank">in Sail Magazine</a>). We haven't seen him since. He is a really interesting guy, and also with a space and science background/career, so we all had a lot to talk about.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLn0MWtrunMUJUFRkF_Ym8XaGBKdE1vXHsQHXCkCygH40tzrdsfIbnA9Ej9H3D3IU8_7WHq9dz8qn0VrC14lqsrh_qOrsL1iLMtE58DLO82cz3KDu7iBJLc0m-aWgiSRorW19HAdPA2vLQ2s70ih1U6TmfCHGQE9LuUP_BLSs302kzILYN9MV/s4032/IMG_0344.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyLn0MWtrunMUJUFRkF_Ym8XaGBKdE1vXHsQHXCkCygH40tzrdsfIbnA9Ej9H3D3IU8_7WHq9dz8qn0VrC14lqsrh_qOrsL1iLMtE58DLO82cz3KDu7iBJLc0m-aWgiSRorW19HAdPA2vLQ2s70ih1U6TmfCHGQE9LuUP_BLSs302kzILYN9MV/s200/IMG_0344.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMHLMNuQjQsyDHHy6iokzdEjQMbYyOhHOxxOcGlVSe7SqbUm8C9BBYpBdry6WAyd6fOi4CZcU-2Shxg7Gww3_A4AVvZ2-PS-hKZe6apP4sZRPR9BlRkklhR68NqijduJbhNkCHLO_mfnZvlj9rL75VLwwl1M2Bsvr0YEFYk4F6mUKViGAsmLB/s4032/IMG_0330.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMMHLMNuQjQsyDHHy6iokzdEjQMbYyOhHOxxOcGlVSe7SqbUm8C9BBYpBdry6WAyd6fOi4CZcU-2Shxg7Gww3_A4AVvZ2-PS-hKZe6apP4sZRPR9BlRkklhR68NqijduJbhNkCHLO_mfnZvlj9rL75VLwwl1M2Bsvr0YEFYk4F6mUKViGAsmLB/s200/IMG_0330.jpg"/></a>
<br>We were so happy our giant road trip gave us the chance to meet up with Issy and Warren and family. A quick lumch with fellow Pacific Ocean sailor, Connor, was an extra bonus (Photo credits to the Skidmores)</center>
<p>Warren is an all-around Action Man figure who met Maryanne when they were both club SCUBA instructors at the University of St. Andrews. Now we assume he does differential equations while fighting crime (actually he has spent much of his career resarching sites across the globe for really big telecsopes, and a lot of time doing local citizen outreach for science generally).
<p>It felt like the whole stay was over in an hour (Warren can explain it) and we left way before we were really ready to go.
<p>On the morning of our depature, we were itching to get into all the LA rush hour traffic we have been hearing about. It was everything we could have hoped for, although we didn't see any gun-waving. All the time we left at the house was waiting for us there. The first hour took two hours. The second took three, and strangely, the third changed units and took six quarts. Technically, we are still out there and expect to be at our next stop yesterday... Warren can explain it.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Altadena, CA, USA34.190162 -118.13131885.8799281638211554 -153.2875688 62.500395836178846 -82.9750688tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-60905297002063035322023-11-06T10:00:00.013-05:002023-11-15T09:43:15.079-05:00Some Special Time for the Webb Brothersma[Kyle]From Lake Tahoe we hit the road again. This time we were heading to Mendocino, California, where we would share a rented AirBnB with my brother, Darren (last seen over Christmas of 2016). At the last big town on the way, Maryanne popped into a grocery store to pick up some food for the stay. While she did that, I couldn't help myself going to the car wash, where I emptied the contents of the car onto the curb, spent a pocketful of quarters on the vacuum, reloaded everything and then topped it all off by having our Montana dust collection washed off. That's better! If it weren't for the one shredded back seat (from our recent bear encounter), it felt like we had a new car again.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchS6aZllyJ3RWNoRGAXdXBXHg7lMBXN_jKsXRjuumRnE-ZpuiwfoM_oc5gDUip6NZg2LFCxfFYu7FQdIcMeqJ6jo06vl644sqZQTr7BNeaMy5ufAQgqWFcC7Xja722QEtVZ0RvpxoJs7iP9qa4zufZ79_Lw00jHg6-6Mpzq0eK1DLaYf6HbFm/s7360/IMG_9882.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3916" data-original-width="7360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgchS6aZllyJ3RWNoRGAXdXBXHg7lMBXN_jKsXRjuumRnE-ZpuiwfoM_oc5gDUip6NZg2LFCxfFYu7FQdIcMeqJ6jo06vl644sqZQTr7BNeaMy5ufAQgqWFcC7Xja722QEtVZ0RvpxoJs7iP9qa4zufZ79_Lw00jHg6-6Mpzq0eK1DLaYf6HbFm/s400/IMG_9882.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE6clYC9PafNs0uJBvmXhzDNmfQymMi57eDFI0zpSSdItFc15zLyNyrLpZ7D_OR0e8ACQ8hL4s0Qnb9pDZA65auDKRvJBuP0g8t1lbtgytbpDnNtFuPnFPf6Nl6voNguYIIafRkZspZvgUlBoEHTw-G6XlOlslrOxvZrKvEbdF02P4H-V1UCL/s1166/DSC09975.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="875" data-original-width="1166" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfE6clYC9PafNs0uJBvmXhzDNmfQymMi57eDFI0zpSSdItFc15zLyNyrLpZ7D_OR0e8ACQ8hL4s0Qnb9pDZA65auDKRvJBuP0g8t1lbtgytbpDnNtFuPnFPf6Nl6voNguYIIafRkZspZvgUlBoEHTw-G6XlOlslrOxvZrKvEbdF02P4H-V1UCL/s200/DSC09975.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOIZjelEw0aiCLPWfjpsN_D06Jyyc8sY0JTY9XkJlBnXLHvNnESuiuQAUiUJZVFh8RrHaisUbt7JPrhYnPw1PSBnkWY82SuPpIuS2hB9xV_v4jFUolTLGqsfhFel2R5qTrBbjEUkyB4uWESUhfXhvp-dDfk9ueOaYiHtMZ2Blm6WQ2Mt1iRIP/s4032/IMG_9890.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicOIZjelEw0aiCLPWfjpsN_D06Jyyc8sY0JTY9XkJlBnXLHvNnESuiuQAUiUJZVFh8RrHaisUbt7JPrhYnPw1PSBnkWY82SuPpIuS2hB9xV_v4jFUolTLGqsfhFel2R5qTrBbjEUkyB4uWESUhfXhvp-dDfk9ueOaYiHtMZ2Blm6WQ2Mt1iRIP/s200/IMG_9890.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25ynovptSykZMejeq-qih_jIe5kdj2QoPPT29XoYwttpmLy7GAYwemu1IsjGCvfuKy4CdHv07GkRfL5qgFFUMgJEm657WfmXIUgVzrj6WDlijuMHByWK-yxJYOqnA7QvHBuOGNIPZeUd6KEV41sEVfjLJ_K9RuDUra6Wq0BLZJcliYKOg3OF7/s4032/IMG_9897.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi25ynovptSykZMejeq-qih_jIe5kdj2QoPPT29XoYwttpmLy7GAYwemu1IsjGCvfuKy4CdHv07GkRfL5qgFFUMgJEm657WfmXIUgVzrj6WDlijuMHByWK-yxJYOqnA7QvHBuOGNIPZeUd6KEV41sEVfjLJ_K9RuDUra6Wq0BLZJcliYKOg3OF7/s200/IMG_9897.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF90cb1niEZ5xgDuYf5LP_Bc779QMUrEC0c4AcxMxpPaB18S18cT0YMGXu5hkw9lRLLzCqTJiCMdFuPTWIWNCWMU6mPrUGG2v3U2qtQWgH9Gk0QGCAVutTCNM0Thj9NBD4p7Dcsa1iQR2458R0Ic6YUuiKuq1MiFGcxPyohmVc0IUzAxVIVBe/s4032/IMG_9898.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNF90cb1niEZ5xgDuYf5LP_Bc779QMUrEC0c4AcxMxpPaB18S18cT0YMGXu5hkw9lRLLzCqTJiCMdFuPTWIWNCWMU6mPrUGG2v3U2qtQWgH9Gk0QGCAVutTCNM0Thj9NBD4p7Dcsa1iQR2458R0Ic6YUuiKuq1MiFGcxPyohmVc0IUzAxVIVBe/s200/IMG_9898.jpg"/></a>
<br>Once we arrived in Mendocino - we had 30 mins to enjoy the local beach before our accomodation was ready. So California.</center>
<p>Our reason for going to Mendocino was that it was Mom's favorite town in California and she had requested her ashes be scattered among the redwoods, of which there are many great groves in this beautiful area.
<p>As soon as we saw our accommodation, I had to reluctantly admit to Maryanne that she had redeemed herself after that dodgy Tahoe place. It was big and airy, with a giant kitchen, a wood stove and even a hot tub. Darren showed up a bit late. He swore it was traffic and not that he forgot Mom (he hadn't).
<p>The next day, Maryanne stayed behind cooking while Darren and I went off to the redwoods. I thought this part would be straightforward, but then I suddenly felt the pressure of trying to find the very best spot in the forest for Mom. Darren and I walked and walked and walked, just in case the next place would be better than what we had seen already. When we finally found a sunny spot that we both really liked, Darren made the brilliant suggestion that we could divide Mom's ashes between multiple sites within the grove. That took a lot of the pressure off of finding the One Perfect Place.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34X2TRvcZcu7ywyPwZ8ibKkZg8-z72QNLm_vnKNnlwEk52BYDziG9p0sNnZEUe8oDSJNSGF_SnTi_rZMq8qwOEE1tZOz79ttK4GZkqKQ349cC7HWgu4ZfxujK95BM8ki-t3Ucw8Kr6I8Xou0ruOVJ2dDSPOrtAxdYN7SQGxGIgHbjmUSWjGDZ/s4032/IMG_6485.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg34X2TRvcZcu7ywyPwZ8ibKkZg8-z72QNLm_vnKNnlwEk52BYDziG9p0sNnZEUe8oDSJNSGF_SnTi_rZMq8qwOEE1tZOz79ttK4GZkqKQ349cC7HWgu4ZfxujK95BM8ki-t3Ucw8Kr6I8Xou0ruOVJ2dDSPOrtAxdYN7SQGxGIgHbjmUSWjGDZ/s200/IMG_6485.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFZXMWGBPmPSF1DatKfK6xcX6ajIiRLqeyJUe-kHf998W1DYh-eJVUO1xcN7f2FFzkL5Qmk7f74-qiV83x9Mbok8UivBHiQN2N9HBGlhkvEuRyCc3nQ7-kcYGAv4vsthyphenhyphenfCM4fzTCRsZOTS0vzJDw2qXGhn-K0-Vxm0WydNmyD_b9Hh4dvat8/s4032/IMG_6520.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOFZXMWGBPmPSF1DatKfK6xcX6ajIiRLqeyJUe-kHf998W1DYh-eJVUO1xcN7f2FFzkL5Qmk7f74-qiV83x9Mbok8UivBHiQN2N9HBGlhkvEuRyCc3nQ7-kcYGAv4vsthyphenhyphenfCM4fzTCRsZOTS0vzJDw2qXGhn-K0-Vxm0WydNmyD_b9Hh4dvat8/s200/IMG_6520.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE844K7fs0-cb8v6bVSiFS-rOC3MdGhJ_qqg-3LDVdTeWt31Ia6mOu5B8Ax0gw7akbJjUWKVrMZOCogWi3EogWYxG1i9MMl2fjUGBWmgHxsM3vHqQS37BdZb5VC7_gTGQEqwiTA43ag5Q60DwqYKQ6Nur4SEQ28-eFuIyG9Eah2GIx0vm0OKg/s4032/IMG_6530.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFE844K7fs0-cb8v6bVSiFS-rOC3MdGhJ_qqg-3LDVdTeWt31Ia6mOu5B8Ax0gw7akbJjUWKVrMZOCogWi3EogWYxG1i9MMl2fjUGBWmgHxsM3vHqQS37BdZb5VC7_gTGQEqwiTA43ag5Q60DwqYKQ6Nur4SEQ28-eFuIyG9Eah2GIx0vm0OKg/s200/IMG_6530.jpg"/></a>
<br>Darren and Kyle scatterd Mom among the the majesty of the redwood trees, where she "will take comfort in knowning her body will become part of something that so easily trancends the troubles of the world", and she "will surely rest in peace and comfort there"</center>
<p>After returning, we picked up Maryanne and then had a walk around Mendocino while talking about Mom and how much she loved it here. We then shared a delicious dinner at the house, Thanks to Maryanne's day-long effort.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r78V8g_UlwxRWOgQBibWJ_cJWL_VvtSsCTlCdcfp67DixsRqHaJyfWFv9U13liqHgUAgfukXAtM7N9AyCw-ftdSHF_pT7dDJ0lZpHMNvWnCDPR7WGR7MrUdMD6lmRjWMhR-48I2qFVmJvJr5jdYrdu8rXRxf4o8s7b83WIodBGNOT_Urxavo/s2592/DSC00001.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8r78V8g_UlwxRWOgQBibWJ_cJWL_VvtSsCTlCdcfp67DixsRqHaJyfWFv9U13liqHgUAgfukXAtM7N9AyCw-ftdSHF_pT7dDJ0lZpHMNvWnCDPR7WGR7MrUdMD6lmRjWMhR-48I2qFVmJvJr5jdYrdu8rXRxf4o8s7b83WIodBGNOT_Urxavo/s200/DSC00001.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBjb4OOQh5lwonbeK2W4Bqu23K7TYODAwrY9MQSQVuHV-mgpy2AiI3j69g_fUUVDN1ODazHsW2Hg6hZmVTPOms00z8-zEgKVkknbJap0EN3hyphenhyphenlOsED6AHJNeBq75-qHw4Jea7RCFuEqqlhmr63m64rZ_RsylPSfx5KSiXw0uyHujdV1HGTIqQ/s2592/DSC09990.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlBjb4OOQh5lwonbeK2W4Bqu23K7TYODAwrY9MQSQVuHV-mgpy2AiI3j69g_fUUVDN1ODazHsW2Hg6hZmVTPOms00z8-zEgKVkknbJap0EN3hyphenhyphenlOsED6AHJNeBq75-qHw4Jea7RCFuEqqlhmr63m64rZ_RsylPSfx5KSiXw0uyHujdV1HGTIqQ/s200/DSC09990.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbV6NI2Si6PsXwat_e6CSBCsBA8Cwv9cA07x5ayIGg99u0l-Ogn-Th3P2LD9SDiaLCtPlK8UzwKxjhCI3nfBb8oR_NvzYBkhLA9d_fGWjxEhyphenhyphenbBm3lFGPC17TeSN37bVG2o-BnznDKB2deHbjW8FGHPlnchaRGqvlszPqo2nm-iwZfeVoRK9v/s2592/DSC09999.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbV6NI2Si6PsXwat_e6CSBCsBA8Cwv9cA07x5ayIGg99u0l-Ogn-Th3P2LD9SDiaLCtPlK8UzwKxjhCI3nfBb8oR_NvzYBkhLA9d_fGWjxEhyphenhyphenbBm3lFGPC17TeSN37bVG2o-BnznDKB2deHbjW8FGHPlnchaRGqvlszPqo2nm-iwZfeVoRK9v/s200/DSC09999.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcHULNjHDkIp462eCrQL2c6WEdbA9phQGApGhtzq6ECVXYQU0cBHy9XCMWe291qsX0vQVdzRL-abzfesWB7-HM129xBDHQ2kYZqpEOlyWFt-R07_7_F3PkygUkafmZaTQGXJTYv2MpI9kW-Nzkwas9k4sI-gRwpqtKEeD6Ibnre_FzZDjVyhU/s4032/IMG_9919.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifcHULNjHDkIp462eCrQL2c6WEdbA9phQGApGhtzq6ECVXYQU0cBHy9XCMWe291qsX0vQVdzRL-abzfesWB7-HM129xBDHQ2kYZqpEOlyWFt-R07_7_F3PkygUkafmZaTQGXJTYv2MpI9kW-Nzkwas9k4sI-gRwpqtKEeD6Ibnre_FzZDjVyhU/s200/IMG_9919.jpg"/></a>
<br>Some time to relax in Mendocino itself - where we could all reflect on the amazing Carla's influence in each of our lives</center>
<p>Darren's plans were cut short and he had to run off to work the next day, so Maryanne and I stayed back to have a short hike along the paths behind the house. It's so beautiful and peaceful around here. As it always does, our hike quickly expanded to every trail we could manage, logging just under ten miles by the time we had finally climbed the last hill to the house. The hot tub was the perfect remedy for that.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtv8SSZSBKP_Y2vVnTIKZhiMepSnBPA0riXLbZtWP75yx1Znoa5lsI_tIh11x75O_jfoXC9-ItwCn3gKwyIexUPgXfW902EAgk_39m9e1I-5bA8wJO98o9oPyyGgfRZeU9XznU5NdP7HbL-yRtMrFE5HVM-eQod0nU1suM9cESdTin3heS-KL/s4032/IMG_8158.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggtv8SSZSBKP_Y2vVnTIKZhiMepSnBPA0riXLbZtWP75yx1Znoa5lsI_tIh11x75O_jfoXC9-ItwCn3gKwyIexUPgXfW902EAgk_39m9e1I-5bA8wJO98o9oPyyGgfRZeU9XznU5NdP7HbL-yRtMrFE5HVM-eQod0nU1suM9cESdTin3heS-KL/s200/IMG_8158.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIftye7mFQ8F7K7wIFSh149CuGqZdXXRMsPKk62t4F0P3-fAmo_Aq78_3FFlyRjOiayI0uC0suBuDveLsGvQMvPXtY3z0NdhXHGl8gt67t0_8gYOVQUNoZsXgKY7CQdKfaF67w3_yod5hO6vmvSmbsUWkYsHP0JSzfgoKysy8cOzwzfTIc7Oj/s4032/IMG_9925.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSIftye7mFQ8F7K7wIFSh149CuGqZdXXRMsPKk62t4F0P3-fAmo_Aq78_3FFlyRjOiayI0uC0suBuDveLsGvQMvPXtY3z0NdhXHGl8gt67t0_8gYOVQUNoZsXgKY7CQdKfaF67w3_yod5hO6vmvSmbsUWkYsHP0JSzfgoKysy8cOzwzfTIc7Oj/s200/IMG_9925.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKAJ6g4zgVyKYFR2rAwoXVEEvTP1YO86iQpFWWVLxXsOly9dRmaWSFL_sV_gSMSPI6G3GzpF921aRtSVVWFL_MdW5O0mQvwCN7iTnBVRT2wmcf8tF5qJe8pRvW5vJK_dbv_EmKUZdpLr0jTFMUw_OzD7wcMS2PAqO3CTk92vL1TO53snSIH83/s4032/IMG_9933.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsKAJ6g4zgVyKYFR2rAwoXVEEvTP1YO86iQpFWWVLxXsOly9dRmaWSFL_sV_gSMSPI6G3GzpF921aRtSVVWFL_MdW5O0mQvwCN7iTnBVRT2wmcf8tF5qJe8pRvW5vJK_dbv_EmKUZdpLr0jTFMUw_OzD7wcMS2PAqO3CTk92vL1TO53snSIH83/s200/IMG_9933.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ1HvlKORUAV1xeVOt4EeamY25ns0mm4O8KdLlbAErN8catHVw7f-AM1m558ht0lIfpaR9-pdQOoXwDOSRSStQY7dPXC2LVaBcyAaqxG_akgwMdjji26AYNXalJ3Qx9yPqTYhIJTXrXxMlgZ6LNuinNKwq03g1GwJOfqMBcoVZWw6tzO6gxUm/s4032/IMG_9945.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIZ1HvlKORUAV1xeVOt4EeamY25ns0mm4O8KdLlbAErN8catHVw7f-AM1m558ht0lIfpaR9-pdQOoXwDOSRSStQY7dPXC2LVaBcyAaqxG_akgwMdjji26AYNXalJ3Qx9yPqTYhIJTXrXxMlgZ6LNuinNKwq03g1GwJOfqMBcoVZWw6tzO6gxUm/s200/IMG_9945.jpg"/></a>
<br>Our AirBnB had a private gate right onto the Russian Gulch State Park</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCQ40G4DOJ0NheA7nVSFDkL4_UWGiCO8E78oI-W1Stw06xv_s9RjsAyNiVD1b1L_MGB5QWbAEZ-OS7FCpuB4mw6lwwIfkh6h9qZEkX8gvz_5GvUzXAFg8y0b7OE0u8QuyzQNrFilACer6P2rFVnypID8c2qhf8i8TUKH3IbfLCZQcZ2KuwtmL/s4032/IMG_9968.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihCQ40G4DOJ0NheA7nVSFDkL4_UWGiCO8E78oI-W1Stw06xv_s9RjsAyNiVD1b1L_MGB5QWbAEZ-OS7FCpuB4mw6lwwIfkh6h9qZEkX8gvz_5GvUzXAFg8y0b7OE0u8QuyzQNrFilACer6P2rFVnypID8c2qhf8i8TUKH3IbfLCZQcZ2KuwtmL/s200/IMG_9968.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaICWsfaqWujE-x3wHKitTz7WAtmxThaDKIFkpSgp8ui6TuDXglw-2hVHoVAfFWk9tS-VLnHLXUyqwZzEYrlY8MB4UwlnjW7RyLKGXlf02aTwLfGzfuFK4OuTVzyAFmlqlGgtcT8_6cmowWcYdXWnh_K5NbkaOl9JrRbzQ22lJ1qg1bm4ftMZn/s4032/IMG_9991.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaICWsfaqWujE-x3wHKitTz7WAtmxThaDKIFkpSgp8ui6TuDXglw-2hVHoVAfFWk9tS-VLnHLXUyqwZzEYrlY8MB4UwlnjW7RyLKGXlf02aTwLfGzfuFK4OuTVzyAFmlqlGgtcT8_6cmowWcYdXWnh_K5NbkaOl9JrRbzQ22lJ1qg1bm4ftMZn/s200/IMG_9991.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzVeHxW7KpkSA5PslVi51pfB6RSLAN_Y0_7eCdSLCqTaRnTYqcUTR1NNCtYUY4n9UTDN-JqjUEqaPXtD5_ry1Z_pVwpi9sQP6X0rA1pEfV8W9rKfHJF3eNTPh-Kk8NJEhF8SmcicV_9Gxo6PKWVra2XvzBXxuEXavGZMTXn-1Hx3BC3r9hegp/s4032/IMG_9992.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvzVeHxW7KpkSA5PslVi51pfB6RSLAN_Y0_7eCdSLCqTaRnTYqcUTR1NNCtYUY4n9UTDN-JqjUEqaPXtD5_ry1Z_pVwpi9sQP6X0rA1pEfV8W9rKfHJF3eNTPh-Kk8NJEhF8SmcicV_9Gxo6PKWVra2XvzBXxuEXavGZMTXn-1Hx3BC3r9hegp/s200/IMG_9992.jpg"/></a>
<br>On route to visit Darren - we swung by various beautiful viewpoints, but a 'Must see' for one of us was Kyle's favourite resaurant: "Juan's Place" in Berkeley (near San Francisco). Eventually we reached Darren at his workplace (where he builds and repairs some very fancy guitars). </center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM95YqnfUGtfHMPb8w6DSAMACn4hiR1aJplTN0bbMRWH_CHL9CCyt0QF0hUh3DOqSfeyahAMDpWuzRxrS889A9bUToiOw0FEmaGVY46bR0hErF_JEb96NDksLc-rGAonbiTqQ8uo90VvWsNvHNxmfEVCOarG5R2KDlGPCItTZJSsSnAjPs1my/s1337/DSC00036.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1337" data-original-width="1003" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqM95YqnfUGtfHMPb8w6DSAMACn4hiR1aJplTN0bbMRWH_CHL9CCyt0QF0hUh3DOqSfeyahAMDpWuzRxrS889A9bUToiOw0FEmaGVY46bR0hErF_JEb96NDksLc-rGAonbiTqQ8uo90VvWsNvHNxmfEVCOarG5R2KDlGPCItTZJSsSnAjPs1my/s200/DSC00036.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIc2fhOnuwC56M3br745plYWIm9Al_rlCr5iJrR3O1nyMPbOn1m7xVpBozl8kJDbwJKvV-TgSorCuiSdT7Dct5VADsqL9HtfmBawwMMsYHjAQlVzYrvVZb_hCvciGkdlUdPHnmQcSg1yK5XPabxklvabAKHO6wqmosd4xiatsXACUXbwY8hkWM/s1493/DSC00072.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1493" data-original-width="1120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIc2fhOnuwC56M3br745plYWIm9Al_rlCr5iJrR3O1nyMPbOn1m7xVpBozl8kJDbwJKvV-TgSorCuiSdT7Dct5VADsqL9HtfmBawwMMsYHjAQlVzYrvVZb_hCvciGkdlUdPHnmQcSg1yK5XPabxklvabAKHO6wqmosd4xiatsXACUXbwY8hkWM/s200/DSC00072.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2hw_mesnGKpzx6NfHdc0JLkoKn4LmnNXYc5XM-ilavYebJfxFhVHgqd2X2GBRQ24fsVsKc6MhtD3Pxa-0ED11ytUPdzkFf1Ap7Cshdipt-XjZRZBK7KSxnchbGOxTX_Z1xJ3MO2xI15i8lx_YvImvULAawu1cxoRF4V70SZibTGnDZQJllX2/s2592/DSC00120.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO2hw_mesnGKpzx6NfHdc0JLkoKn4LmnNXYc5XM-ilavYebJfxFhVHgqd2X2GBRQ24fsVsKc6MhtD3Pxa-0ED11ytUPdzkFf1Ap7Cshdipt-XjZRZBK7KSxnchbGOxTX_Z1xJ3MO2xI15i8lx_YvImvULAawu1cxoRF4V70SZibTGnDZQJllX2/s200/DSC00120.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NI4voE9fcY-U60EErybDGNGBJ54-WXm1UA6Y3Si4pFAIfhqX9rllRNiN4_Tbz1N2UYPFxAtD-9-Lta1y4RPG8a1q41ByvFnvczuQNY2wmjGHZqUlHVqb1VAUfuRSMUqIH3X-fZa7-zOpdfFVvENQscOicGTdRaIXEgnXuRsAmoYSDMjt9hTe/s600/DSC00087.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="600" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_NI4voE9fcY-U60EErybDGNGBJ54-WXm1UA6Y3Si4pFAIfhqX9rllRNiN4_Tbz1N2UYPFxAtD-9-Lta1y4RPG8a1q41ByvFnvczuQNY2wmjGHZqUlHVqb1VAUfuRSMUqIH3X-fZa7-zOpdfFVvENQscOicGTdRaIXEgnXuRsAmoYSDMjt9hTe/s200/DSC00087.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a3b4EQ7e7p7QEVggP17CRYfESIY4wffryl9XhMltFYqtvRAJa8Qo1DowaYsD2ilpumNsHcSjup_wCLx7cVGwkRihuGTyPk-V4N_tnTNqtNiwkOlBWeXBLIbNHWMwo_bLq9h1fCqhWMsTrEoAHu35ukuiZbMbE-li1fyoaXPbDbaiO4iK8utQ/s1799/DSC00099.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1349" data-original-width="1799" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6a3b4EQ7e7p7QEVggP17CRYfESIY4wffryl9XhMltFYqtvRAJa8Qo1DowaYsD2ilpumNsHcSjup_wCLx7cVGwkRihuGTyPk-V4N_tnTNqtNiwkOlBWeXBLIbNHWMwo_bLq9h1fCqhWMsTrEoAHu35ukuiZbMbE-li1fyoaXPbDbaiO4iK8utQ/s200/DSC00099.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjhMoMNXQD1yEGqFZQ6XVAaMcRUx4U9gg5duhFrLtCr6y6X5cZCQNSDqgDWnYB_Ntv8bniNGsFh5TKrdfujuSjbYyb9mw4-QvNcx3biBCK-tXfb60AjsDJYvLmJRb13hhg7r3MC70xU7sR-kkqqOcve5lF06dJ_Po8eKyBDFuOGac-FzNMVCV/s1968/DSC00115.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="1968" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzjhMoMNXQD1yEGqFZQ6XVAaMcRUx4U9gg5duhFrLtCr6y6X5cZCQNSDqgDWnYB_Ntv8bniNGsFh5TKrdfujuSjbYyb9mw4-QvNcx3biBCK-tXfb60AjsDJYvLmJRb13hhg7r3MC70xU7sR-kkqqOcve5lF06dJ_Po8eKyBDFuOGac-FzNMVCV/s200/DSC00115.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezxiTmJ0Ysv4LPxvZ9AOzi2kkmmrB-nt75Z_EDrXhJ3QjOnMV8fh_GOYHFF4DGD4pvBAvYnbqkICDnGD2zYM3GKKGaQzlI5-HhEhTY7S47dvr_A-vRB2BBkHfs1sjlcDYyqocZkv6NZa8rnlV-Qw5dxm5l9hJMj0O6KTu41ZOSSbkARCVAYO4/s4032/IMG_0114.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgezxiTmJ0Ysv4LPxvZ9AOzi2kkmmrB-nt75Z_EDrXhJ3QjOnMV8fh_GOYHFF4DGD4pvBAvYnbqkICDnGD2zYM3GKKGaQzlI5-HhEhTY7S47dvr_A-vRB2BBkHfs1sjlcDYyqocZkv6NZa8rnlV-Qw5dxm5l9hJMj0O6KTu41ZOSSbkARCVAYO4/s200/IMG_0114.jpg"/></a>
<br>Darren has created quite the oasis around his forest home - and is frequented by visiting birds and other wildlife, what he can't find in his own garden, is easily found in nearby state parks</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOF0ZxZZVpFmWlRG2LXmsuk9EUIhReP_0h27gZaS_YqU8SBn2fP_jQ0j585hHiTgtXRfCklb-l6F3X-dOiXFYF7T8FSb_tF6jxkmXBftz5Lb01Pg0sKVbQhkCzTOkfQjnivOda8TKi7YzpiwZAWWFpzvlL5uBY3tPNpLh9GDn1riT3BrXoWwW/s4032/IMG_0242.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGOF0ZxZZVpFmWlRG2LXmsuk9EUIhReP_0h27gZaS_YqU8SBn2fP_jQ0j585hHiTgtXRfCklb-l6F3X-dOiXFYF7T8FSb_tF6jxkmXBftz5Lb01Pg0sKVbQhkCzTOkfQjnivOda8TKi7YzpiwZAWWFpzvlL5uBY3tPNpLh9GDn1riT3BrXoWwW/s200/IMG_0242.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFXu8F54Q1vGS7w8YPz1skHLzsw0vX7oChUIQd0MH7tBjt9Fv_sVCipdeklQaR5As0mVzgGL3ckKfUdKhDClRB3ZFW6Yr94-OEHYp0tXyybPI5gBfzcIRBJvSgG0Qss_BLkZI_h2Mp1cAU8gB-HTa7SVynOA4MhjO__GSs2LbayDtdgDfREB1/s4032/IMG_0244.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFXu8F54Q1vGS7w8YPz1skHLzsw0vX7oChUIQd0MH7tBjt9Fv_sVCipdeklQaR5As0mVzgGL3ckKfUdKhDClRB3ZFW6Yr94-OEHYp0tXyybPI5gBfzcIRBJvSgG0Qss_BLkZI_h2Mp1cAU8gB-HTa7SVynOA4MhjO__GSs2LbayDtdgDfREB1/s200/IMG_0244.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZmWdEwhY4nJED5qoXH8CSdMatPkEyXrIC4P8qwIRtUbU7tcmyMUbnUEe6uxRN5BoZDWPa2GlLS55grv4UCfIOMjrMNxBkoImZSXssDYVd_CrX0Kr_Ho3egYk9XunWl_P9JvurNpRUWdRx5BHyHAZOsVNJwO7zqhXNIVvBhAhx76fBowGWJaA/s4032/IMG_0256.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrZmWdEwhY4nJED5qoXH8CSdMatPkEyXrIC4P8qwIRtUbU7tcmyMUbnUEe6uxRN5BoZDWPa2GlLS55grv4UCfIOMjrMNxBkoImZSXssDYVd_CrX0Kr_Ho3egYk9XunWl_P9JvurNpRUWdRx5BHyHAZOsVNJwO7zqhXNIVvBhAhx76fBowGWJaA/s200/IMG_0256.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hse_wDIdvz8nxr8GAJImdTq_bsNAD3AS5oCqczKVYKE40W4x1dULo7F23ZEXL9vWoYRzr2rDmYHJ81Qcvm4mww6HwDmhCyY_Lt2wASkxxmC6IFWwTrCryNc0TC0zqQzzjxMVUUv6znAPbu2aOIqK5IWoY8C0c2wdZY8z4Wsmawi4LMEVLFxQ/s4032/IMG_0261.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_hse_wDIdvz8nxr8GAJImdTq_bsNAD3AS5oCqczKVYKE40W4x1dULo7F23ZEXL9vWoYRzr2rDmYHJ81Qcvm4mww6HwDmhCyY_Lt2wASkxxmC6IFWwTrCryNc0TC0zqQzzjxMVUUv6znAPbu2aOIqK5IWoY8C0c2wdZY8z4Wsmawi4LMEVLFxQ/s200/IMG_0261.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PCmpqdCJeIWRSSSdoLNKdUiE-LhR7XongT4kg6WLDbwYhe4xUnaruYcp8O-WAYpMdmf32tZCj-pKemG0SPN8DpIixRrWhXkbpauyxCoRmnz0hL0y14RFN3qnlNnmIW43t7qH1G0OpFn4qOY5OdOpXi_dcmQIlL8XU8pvZLrc3sy8g8ClM6L_/s4032/IMG_0272.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PCmpqdCJeIWRSSSdoLNKdUiE-LhR7XongT4kg6WLDbwYhe4xUnaruYcp8O-WAYpMdmf32tZCj-pKemG0SPN8DpIixRrWhXkbpauyxCoRmnz0hL0y14RFN3qnlNnmIW43t7qH1G0OpFn4qOY5OdOpXi_dcmQIlL8XU8pvZLrc3sy8g8ClM6L_/s200/IMG_0272.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bJvbWEsMqNyniS5TOQmp7loisXt0MNqD64sYiQdzvd3r1Sof2c4zLP84KiOZaOhWgn4DojjE0FRXHmei64PderssRrX8TjYTInrOhhNdf99quZop1H5OPCjyUYTm9-s2pB1ujt7bR83v1YefgRzW9PwBdmEqii1DaFVa81hpCkfpDU5CWO8G/s4032/IMG_0283.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5bJvbWEsMqNyniS5TOQmp7loisXt0MNqD64sYiQdzvd3r1Sof2c4zLP84KiOZaOhWgn4DojjE0FRXHmei64PderssRrX8TjYTInrOhhNdf99quZop1H5OPCjyUYTm9-s2pB1ujt7bR83v1YefgRzW9PwBdmEqii1DaFVa81hpCkfpDU5CWO8G/s200/IMG_0283.jpg"/></a>
<br>We managed a side trip to Monterey, where we enjoyed a historical tour and learned, that among other key historic moments for California, the State Constitution was written before it could become a USA state back in 1849. We also enjoyed some great Chowder on Fishermans Wharf)</center>
<p>We then joined Darren at his cabin near Santa Cruz for the rest of the weekend. It was nice to be able to spend some proper time with him after being gone so long. We ate out, went for walks in the forest, spent a day in Monterey, hung out in the garden and took a tour of his shop. We finished the visit with a Dark Tower rematch - poor Darren has been smarting since his defeat seven years ago. Dark Tower is an 1981 board game with some electronic randomness to it, <a href="https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/30/dark-tower" target="_blank">here</a> it is described as "An epic fantasy quest to recover an ancient magic scepter from a tyrant king in his Dark Tower, brought to life in electronic form". This time, Darren snuck in a brilliant victory before either Maryanne or I realized he was that far ahead of us. I would normally have been more upset about it, but he really did outfox us, so I can only give him credit where it's due. Enjoy it while you can, brother!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KMlGo_sn5H1e2KUAILce1_Y0z2ZAI720joRLYG-c-arCTieH1BsDDDf5w2qU5TOqKNM1iIB7J_2RnVPDERr_2mOG0GUCFEgzLPlp7PclxyAvieKRSr9DSFbrGnOW10jwxAcZwqT-msX4wvAglO3JDBxthd8Wiea-A-h5lvVZvDfr7Vh7028g/s398/DarrenAndDarkTower.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="398" data-original-width="333" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4KMlGo_sn5H1e2KUAILce1_Y0z2ZAI720joRLYG-c-arCTieH1BsDDDf5w2qU5TOqKNM1iIB7J_2RnVPDERr_2mOG0GUCFEgzLPlp7PclxyAvieKRSr9DSFbrGnOW10jwxAcZwqT-msX4wvAglO3JDBxthd8Wiea-A-h5lvVZvDfr7Vh7028g/s200/DarrenAndDarkTower.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2RQREth-x6WXcWQyksk3Ap_ni47iTQhu1mqvQVQRYBRo4L__bgHvBMJep0rGkf1_qeU_xBIZPxVsnBpsh46J8lpsIAsG2fdIxbhyphenhyphenU8r76cZoDVxgNEXyNNCVlvllItNes6LO44BGxOW4E0vyOSpyIGi5RwsXRAnUd6jpXGwi3C36TJOCVKex/s2267/IMG_0042.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2267" data-original-width="1592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif2RQREth-x6WXcWQyksk3Ap_ni47iTQhu1mqvQVQRYBRo4L__bgHvBMJep0rGkf1_qeU_xBIZPxVsnBpsh46J8lpsIAsG2fdIxbhyphenhyphenU8r76cZoDVxgNEXyNNCVlvllItNes6LO44BGxOW4E0vyOSpyIGi5RwsXRAnUd6jpXGwi3C36TJOCVKex/s200/IMG_0042.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7YX93dKN56rZ8FZTyvemYg9_3nq0ZkgYJur9qWzwMdoDyspiupncTsJMUwkypZO7ckcz0Wwdbvn6ehr_4Edam0CxfpFBriXsl1tviPrnBTMI5k7anf91ccolvaex9UGKg0V49IbYiHeDRVxHcPf-duN-n2TwTFkIDi8tasvKg34qIHMIWjlf/s2592/DSC05538.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ7YX93dKN56rZ8FZTyvemYg9_3nq0ZkgYJur9qWzwMdoDyspiupncTsJMUwkypZO7ckcz0Wwdbvn6ehr_4Edam0CxfpFBriXsl1tviPrnBTMI5k7anf91ccolvaex9UGKg0V49IbYiHeDRVxHcPf-duN-n2TwTFkIDi8tasvKg34qIHMIWjlf/s200/DSC05538.jpg"/></a>
<br>The game 'Dark Tower' has a long history among the family (none of us thought to snap a picture for this particular challenge)</center>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Santa Cruz, CA, USA36.9741171 -122.03079638.6638832638211554 -157.18704630000002 65.284350936178839 -86.8745463tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-10158357367484652752023-10-30T11:00:00.003-04:002023-11-14T09:57:55.830-05:00On to Lake Tahoe[Kyle]After Mindy et al in Utah, the next family member for us to visit was my brother Darren - but first we'd have to get to California, and on route we decided to take a stop over in Lake Tahoe which was directly on route. The drive took us through a whole lot of nothing, which is to say Nevada. Now I'm sure Nevada has many interesting things to do, but we were on I-80, so we didn't see any of 'em. By the way, what's with the twenty-five mile long construction zones that consist of four thousand traffic cones waiting in the dirt off the side of the road, two workers on one end and a 45mph speed limit the whole way?
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvxbtzWgpC3GWgordHCmi2WWTAZpudBMmjSarbAMu21_BDwqJEqIfncFPeu7QNpc2KMJEjGn0lGn9PzTxEISruf2JwABH0e9k8lbS0Lkeu252mKT1rJpA30QzWKBzLgYn8CWXZ9y13VGPr1rocgLxBhtlm0k1BZylvCy-dYFbivGXfj2V-A9Y/s200/DSC09936.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBB3pRGWDFYda6VYdGmnQJ9VstHzlL0fCnuA1kC2xLYkOyRtcB6IN8Dz3ehh9EXi5-QFcvL9op-_6vgGvple2aLz4RE8IQRpWEb-YQvuJb8o7v6BJNPU98X7BBdi7mOAQz2fIVArR2BpR49rREt49tp-tV-Vi2rNwE6QdbRSdAfXSWkVaCEakT/s4032/IMG_9769.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBB3pRGWDFYda6VYdGmnQJ9VstHzlL0fCnuA1kC2xLYkOyRtcB6IN8Dz3ehh9EXi5-QFcvL9op-_6vgGvple2aLz4RE8IQRpWEb-YQvuJb8o7v6BJNPU98X7BBdi7mOAQz2fIVArR2BpR49rREt49tp-tV-Vi2rNwE6QdbRSdAfXSWkVaCEakT/s200/IMG_9769.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEpjVcQtYcFYxnJqPaHMv41ui_jBv-TMMO_9RcUbphFwud2NRxaamnt6uWOX5qJiCYWx0bLZoDLzQKKM36DWDzbKegXKafZAMQsZqJaf8hOsKM7uWMbxEUatHWKGsaTppc4MDGSyabQJZhknhs02L1voAFhC1R1ke3FKC3rC94SvrKNw2F3mU/s4032/IMG_9777.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXEpjVcQtYcFYxnJqPaHMv41ui_jBv-TMMO_9RcUbphFwud2NRxaamnt6uWOX5qJiCYWx0bLZoDLzQKKM36DWDzbKegXKafZAMQsZqJaf8hOsKM7uWMbxEUatHWKGsaTppc4MDGSyabQJZhknhs02L1voAFhC1R1ke3FKC3rC94SvrKNw2F3mU/s200/IMG_9777.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeXPmHSW_nbxcKhuMsZXw0sCCGHzYPbnzUr5hJJIEutysVELlngouNPaHAUmHFAQFmIZLbVWYHv_kTi1q2PhDzyNzpXD47i4XfababsCIxPXyO7L4bILkc2OgpF64-xEgm2OkaLeCln5rs5UPfk9YJSOzfXWgkcC4zzle4JlzItZOuQwLtz0h/s4032/IMG_9778.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEeXPmHSW_nbxcKhuMsZXw0sCCGHzYPbnzUr5hJJIEutysVELlngouNPaHAUmHFAQFmIZLbVWYHv_kTi1q2PhDzyNzpXD47i4XfababsCIxPXyO7L4bILkc2OgpF64-xEgm2OkaLeCln5rs5UPfk9YJSOzfXWgkcC4zzle4JlzItZOuQwLtz0h/s200/IMG_9778.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduPDTbpLZ-KiGY37N_5-TppdXIaEzbZFTc8PqDV3uVsdrnh8SkRK9Sfx2T6HEmg1saIGpgnPjaAgiyd1gj84otGNeNGDBq3xk3wg660m_3LnUogRq1mTQBgV1yCwKrcwO-284h7LbstkP57RP61gVxkJG4lqmrXDnsHJJoroFglOs0sTL8eM7/s4032/IMG_9780.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiduPDTbpLZ-KiGY37N_5-TppdXIaEzbZFTc8PqDV3uVsdrnh8SkRK9Sfx2T6HEmg1saIGpgnPjaAgiyd1gj84otGNeNGDBq3xk3wg660m_3LnUogRq1mTQBgV1yCwKrcwO-284h7LbstkP57RP61gVxkJG4lqmrXDnsHJJoroFglOs0sTL8eM7/s200/IMG_9780.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJc4khiR9eE1AVpqL2P7V-9jASXg5aBNJHdA56AeZNvId8UPNTrdXC4CwUpR9Tg33v2_1kCFSEWuu9DGHZTC5uysG3W7Bn2Kk1MdoUUhWnnhzSAckGpU16catUNikDCdPNP-1VaZSHtDjiI-jgBiI9PO3J1bIQBAtd27gafHOHz8jHQ537__g/s828/IMG_9765.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="595" data-original-width="828" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtJc4khiR9eE1AVpqL2P7V-9jASXg5aBNJHdA56AeZNvId8UPNTrdXC4CwUpR9Tg33v2_1kCFSEWuu9DGHZTC5uysG3W7Bn2Kk1MdoUUhWnnhzSAckGpU16catUNikDCdPNP-1VaZSHtDjiI-jgBiI9PO3J1bIQBAtd27gafHOHz8jHQ537__g/s400/IMG_9765.jpg"/></a>
<br>Another blur of scenery as we head West. Our road trip so far has had us enter 13 different USA states</center>
<p>At the far end of this drive, we took a winding mountain road over a pass and the jewel of Lake Tahoe spread out before us.
<p>We crossed the border into California and located our accommodation for the night.
<p>I must say, it was a bit underwhelming when compared to the listing. It turned out to be one of those motels with the door and window both facing the parking lot. This gives a choice between living in a very public fishbowl or a private cave. At least it was clean and the woman who checked us in was super nice.
<p>We were a few minutes early. While we waited for our room to be ready, we ate at a place that was billed as "amazing", but was in reality just not <b>too</b> bad.
<p>Afterwards, we decided to work off our meal with a short walk in the mountains above the town. "Above" was important. I used to be pretty well acclimated to altitude, what with growing up in the mountains and then spending a career in the low atmospheric pressure of an airplane cockpit. Now, not so much. The last time we did a hike anywhere near this altitude was when we descended from Mt. Whitney more than seven years ago. The atmospheric density here is about three-quarters that at sea level. Every time the path sloped up even a little, we felt it instantly.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvOHfySqx8ofLmjtuuCun1Mr1FXV_CMlAibuw15ifc93H1OmklkJRqrvTHxp5GKZ_NiEILMnS2R3IZc8dy8UNBY0wMtLvWXiYOEAMe4xCIsY9hMpzl1YD8q2NJW5i23jhVkicUlOm0Rd4NORoPT-ZTYu8wyzyOOhZY_YmoHVmOAF6Jt7zq-eU/s2592/DSC09906.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEvOHfySqx8ofLmjtuuCun1Mr1FXV_CMlAibuw15ifc93H1OmklkJRqrvTHxp5GKZ_NiEILMnS2R3IZc8dy8UNBY0wMtLvWXiYOEAMe4xCIsY9hMpzl1YD8q2NJW5i23jhVkicUlOm0Rd4NORoPT-ZTYu8wyzyOOhZY_YmoHVmOAF6Jt7zq-eU/s200/DSC09906.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNjjR18tYro_TD7vZ5S3hbSpOBgSmVDZof5_KKvl-H2plOWaESXOJ832htcgfOmYFMPNjr_wa849Oq8yrKh1zQQ4tmBMOy7vE0wyVgUvQOg312XhfCCCiXLkwC_0rx_kvtHG7iGn-rY_vsnpbh1smlCSapidQmvMf2sAnkQV6eVhvhMWUYFXl/s2592/DSC09910.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiNjjR18tYro_TD7vZ5S3hbSpOBgSmVDZof5_KKvl-H2plOWaESXOJ832htcgfOmYFMPNjr_wa849Oq8yrKh1zQQ4tmBMOy7vE0wyVgUvQOg312XhfCCCiXLkwC_0rx_kvtHG7iGn-rY_vsnpbh1smlCSapidQmvMf2sAnkQV6eVhvhMWUYFXl/s200/DSC09910.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKr50_A2A05jUWLHNDbp9TRuDqlbrFqOUsXBBYyZX0WFZ_mUDThMMrPjjE-v80_DWw1LvbMDZlLfLS4dL3zVY6pN1AVhz35wv7QiS2z77Vgad8SsqQcXYdclPIgBZf9UfzXb9Dwy765faoYm9zWqpmHK9MD2rhbIEVhIJv23wZ9kj41uIu8de/s4032/IMG_9795.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKr50_A2A05jUWLHNDbp9TRuDqlbrFqOUsXBBYyZX0WFZ_mUDThMMrPjjE-v80_DWw1LvbMDZlLfLS4dL3zVY6pN1AVhz35wv7QiS2z77Vgad8SsqQcXYdclPIgBZf9UfzXb9Dwy765faoYm9zWqpmHK9MD2rhbIEVhIJv23wZ9kj41uIu8de/s200/IMG_9795.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhqTtnWe76T5m9-ibayDSUgyzLhaRl2gBrqKS3fyDOa6AMb_p3-9PxRUYFxJT8rBaOiT6gPmwP_4vBxYkmCVPNepKwHaF0LQegxCvmtncyk4Vb0WWyqc2REEzAtVQzMn5PfTwR5wjAg8ZVaF-aBLKDXFlXMchATBKPlSBy7702KRnQMT6LLWi/s4032/IMG_9785.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNhqTtnWe76T5m9-ibayDSUgyzLhaRl2gBrqKS3fyDOa6AMb_p3-9PxRUYFxJT8rBaOiT6gPmwP_4vBxYkmCVPNepKwHaF0LQegxCvmtncyk4Vb0WWyqc2REEzAtVQzMn5PfTwR5wjAg8ZVaF-aBLKDXFlXMchATBKPlSBy7702KRnQMT6LLWi/s200/IMG_9785.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYh8cSgjGV1TX5UAKKLUNE9sz6Lm5_Rj7nGgVos85lP7Hcvyn1l1ybV6RUuUQciyoO0oYodIyPpdwSLqscZHk9c7kl95qJ9fOQ7RYWGYvTpZm5uLVjtq4pPTvUxbT1N8fvinqcfCHEpj3YqjT1hz1YtGtStmunck-NZDQwJcvzkAKRgakmF9J/s4032/IMG_9790.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiYh8cSgjGV1TX5UAKKLUNE9sz6Lm5_Rj7nGgVos85lP7Hcvyn1l1ybV6RUuUQciyoO0oYodIyPpdwSLqscZHk9c7kl95qJ9fOQ7RYWGYvTpZm5uLVjtq4pPTvUxbT1N8fvinqcfCHEpj3YqjT1hz1YtGtStmunck-NZDQwJcvzkAKRgakmF9J/s200/IMG_9790.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojiOlZVIrQsZrhov2DVLCvdHsp7X-o_jN_1KLaK0s6NW0zdeeYPQkqQ31dEcou5aF1m2nkZVojbjxIVCvuegCQnDFlXZsM2jeoluG85FC0iWUx-xzlboOZ6JbU0uTcYNqSZdT1rFOzjlp8SCpZRcLI_LBWIFirJDdsmfukoPaVny85UVkPyWH/s2592/DSC09928.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjojiOlZVIrQsZrhov2DVLCvdHsp7X-o_jN_1KLaK0s6NW0zdeeYPQkqQ31dEcou5aF1m2nkZVojbjxIVCvuegCQnDFlXZsM2jeoluG85FC0iWUx-xzlboOZ6JbU0uTcYNqSZdT1rFOzjlp8SCpZRcLI_LBWIFirJDdsmfukoPaVny85UVkPyWH/s200/DSC09928.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbzQwrEuAOmtnGZa3lHcORBcF0T7mHgqmGPBw_GrrhGOeOoJSaf3mghp37XGw2PQH7SzkaxE_kX8Yl8X0agEah01SoYaes-AWc9OQeFUZnuIVRbuHHTuxgtBMq1vwG5X_A-sR6oLanr1mXkFtVFvQwMv23r6cpRcT9ti4NpAHImtnOUcELVnN/s4032/IMG_8045.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMbzQwrEuAOmtnGZa3lHcORBcF0T7mHgqmGPBw_GrrhGOeOoJSaf3mghp37XGw2PQH7SzkaxE_kX8Yl8X0agEah01SoYaes-AWc9OQeFUZnuIVRbuHHTuxgtBMq1vwG5X_A-sR6oLanr1mXkFtVFvQwMv23r6cpRcT9ti4NpAHImtnOUcELVnN/s200/IMG_8045.jpg"/></a>
<br>Arriving mid-afternoon gave us time for a walk to the local Lake Tahoe lakefront and up the mountain trails of Kings Beach</center>
<p>Add to that that we still did our usual thing of pushing past one turn-around point after another in pursuit of the view around the next bend or over the next ridge. By the time we had finally made it back to our motel room, it was getting dark and we were tired enough that even the cave seemed appealing.
<p>The motel bed was actually quite comfortable. We awoke in the morning eager to go further afield. We spent the whole day driving the 68-mile perimeter road, stopping at various trails and viewpoints along the way. We even managed a stop at a nice Mexican restaurant where we were pretty sure we were the only patrons with English as a first language.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR5P6tCtDGJpD9MEsvAHQmkqjXgj4mQILzGfMAaSUqFeQSm1pg0I5KI4R7rJybs9e8W55SQBfZhtPQT13zY386Kth8Pi4nmCv9cLodeNcvgJcV7zj0IitvvQCarOP24_WipYnq6-vHWvzEnhjsOFLxmZp3BqwjS5mm7CsDtl6LqQwUUQYPPAH/s12028/IMG_8055.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3896" data-original-width="12028" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCR5P6tCtDGJpD9MEsvAHQmkqjXgj4mQILzGfMAaSUqFeQSm1pg0I5KI4R7rJybs9e8W55SQBfZhtPQT13zY386Kth8Pi4nmCv9cLodeNcvgJcV7zj0IitvvQCarOP24_WipYnq6-vHWvzEnhjsOFLxmZp3BqwjS5mm7CsDtl6LqQwUUQYPPAH/s400/IMG_8055.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscJprPnzCQPznE9uIzG7LhCgLPjsVJ-dWxeF_2fa34vM47zS9_iBNZMeDoV4tKl1akJ4ecR-jZNLFRf-kIYj6p_u_WgvwyIEK3zjurN1v070aLv_V720G8zpyDWmA5ZBrgvqnn2fpIbAooTB3ipzl11cCGV2DEEXYi4Vp99SjxFbMdqJ82jNT/s11328/IMG_8074.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3878" data-original-width="11328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscJprPnzCQPznE9uIzG7LhCgLPjsVJ-dWxeF_2fa34vM47zS9_iBNZMeDoV4tKl1akJ4ecR-jZNLFRf-kIYj6p_u_WgvwyIEK3zjurN1v070aLv_V720G8zpyDWmA5ZBrgvqnn2fpIbAooTB3ipzl11cCGV2DEEXYi4Vp99SjxFbMdqJ82jNT/s400/IMG_8074.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RZlj7qf8_fnhIGVNGbBoYBD27C5_dMP8hUHMPppywgWfQEBEqrzhY_4NzQsj6jEfKZnaRbPNI7Qr4Jpb1k_41b8jWqiqW9iK0RMgFgLIo3SJdF_fQg83HfVuJi7bXNwCNOL2LZzfNMnJP8wFOBUeNgA8BlAKM25uu2wcg3nRrAeZ6_Rl9cth/s2592/DSC09952.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6RZlj7qf8_fnhIGVNGbBoYBD27C5_dMP8hUHMPppywgWfQEBEqrzhY_4NzQsj6jEfKZnaRbPNI7Qr4Jpb1k_41b8jWqiqW9iK0RMgFgLIo3SJdF_fQg83HfVuJi7bXNwCNOL2LZzfNMnJP8wFOBUeNgA8BlAKM25uu2wcg3nRrAeZ6_Rl9cth/s200/DSC09952.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9LG3Ri6dFqIqcpyB8ZaMeCkHSLRlj-UhQDzALzShU_8lUZwbMstL4QuzgTYlh5pmgnsCkUqBeVzdCwm5ieshAFTMZgMY0ZPwhRQQRNcJeroF8DYxnIMmzdT2Pm6ZviEFGFzWk928xbLZrimUhQ9vr7W0NbzM5zMWJIJZQzmb0jJRmgW_RnYO/s2592/DSC09959.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD9LG3Ri6dFqIqcpyB8ZaMeCkHSLRlj-UhQDzALzShU_8lUZwbMstL4QuzgTYlh5pmgnsCkUqBeVzdCwm5ieshAFTMZgMY0ZPwhRQQRNcJeroF8DYxnIMmzdT2Pm6ZviEFGFzWk928xbLZrimUhQ9vr7W0NbzM5zMWJIJZQzmb0jJRmgW_RnYO/s200/DSC09959.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeLlIXG9RO5ECL-yhouYaRQzJQ5zNjzHZJeyPnhVD3Zd9XDhVoT3RARdPrRGykggk5bmjBH8LtYAcvat-4cKEkGtS0wcft1nW4XMy9-pETJQ1oRCNsL71qVmuV9oG8mdpMtAtY0QoO7T-2IYzWu2woPdLL28okNRQxSXHzF8UNielGFa4RmJJ/s4032/IMG_9834.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioeLlIXG9RO5ECL-yhouYaRQzJQ5zNjzHZJeyPnhVD3Zd9XDhVoT3RARdPrRGykggk5bmjBH8LtYAcvat-4cKEkGtS0wcft1nW4XMy9-pETJQ1oRCNsL71qVmuV9oG8mdpMtAtY0QoO7T-2IYzWu2woPdLL28okNRQxSXHzF8UNielGFa4RmJJ/s200/IMG_9834.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvxbtzWgpC3GWgordHCmi2WWTAZpudBMmjSarbAMu21_BDwqJEqIfncFPeu7QNpc2KMJEjGn0lGn9PzTxEISruf2JwABH0e9k8lbS0Lkeu252mKT1rJpA30QzWKBzLgYn8CWXZ9y13VGPr1rocgLxBhtlm0k1BZylvCy-dYFbivGXfj2V-A9Y/s2592/DSC09936.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfvxbtzWgpC3GWgordHCmi2WWTAZpudBMmjSarbAMu21_BDwqJEqIfncFPeu7QNpc2KMJEjGn0lGn9PzTxEISruf2JwABH0e9k8lbS0Lkeu252mKT1rJpA30QzWKBzLgYn8CWXZ9y13VGPr1rocgLxBhtlm0k1BZylvCy-dYFbivGXfj2V-A9Y/s200/DSC09936.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DrJHyrh8c2J7QvdOgW9Rx03mLZVDRe5EHRWglphPTM_HV40F28Erhgd5FE7kk9-AHT2-F6b5C4HZ6VF3JN1qQjB5B7w3kwM87YWpjFzE1TEWrBspoG8LYVwEtLKIX9olpBWkwZNZqbXwnGeq1WIFixZUHqLtzwKxNul3E_wH3ZOj8ef_d_48/s4032/IMG_8071.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DrJHyrh8c2J7QvdOgW9Rx03mLZVDRe5EHRWglphPTM_HV40F28Erhgd5FE7kk9-AHT2-F6b5C4HZ6VF3JN1qQjB5B7w3kwM87YWpjFzE1TEWrBspoG8LYVwEtLKIX9olpBWkwZNZqbXwnGeq1WIFixZUHqLtzwKxNul3E_wH3ZOj8ef_d_48/s200/IMG_8071.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmlcUAKJQwNHf5qLCq3DxKmSBq-mt_ZpkmmVKcVk8bC1qcfGDsz0lO-IVqEdeWlGiaVYSlJVWX42QJ9I1jhoh_PAhu80RmG3oNOWdXYJKX7E1hYDoZvXRNxanIpBY39wvawpj26U4XK2hPLYimw7mnuH8UErz3JcBDKRLXfz15IefS5o7-GUV/s4032/IMG_9837.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQmlcUAKJQwNHf5qLCq3DxKmSBq-mt_ZpkmmVKcVk8bC1qcfGDsz0lO-IVqEdeWlGiaVYSlJVWX42QJ9I1jhoh_PAhu80RmG3oNOWdXYJKX7E1hYDoZvXRNxanIpBY39wvawpj26U4XK2hPLYimw7mnuH8UErz3JcBDKRLXfz15IefS5o7-GUV/s200/IMG_9837.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaN3wXQOkMr83QtxhDRuTYDEdD6wii6i-04Ao8reI1i8TgZGRX_4T8bwUdqvBpn9rRa7jDhz6Y11FDvLOhmD4vtS2sK4H3MUos6jrIafbkWNScv5l_EQYkeQMfY9DgKbFdHbVDOzUMsflQMgBhRRhLCbchDUwuCi6VoKH5sRjOG_T4gEmSI2_/s4032/IMG_9846.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDaN3wXQOkMr83QtxhDRuTYDEdD6wii6i-04Ao8reI1i8TgZGRX_4T8bwUdqvBpn9rRa7jDhz6Y11FDvLOhmD4vtS2sK4H3MUos6jrIafbkWNScv5l_EQYkeQMfY9DgKbFdHbVDOzUMsflQMgBhRRhLCbchDUwuCi6VoKH5sRjOG_T4gEmSI2_/s200/IMG_9846.jpg"/></a>
<br>The following day we drove all around the lake enjoying various hikes and scenic views</center>
<p>At the motel, unlike the previous night when the place was full, this time we appeared to be the sole occupants.
<p>Half asleep in the middle of the night, I heard what sounded like people moving into the adjacent room. Why, I thought, would the motel put the only two sets of occupants in rooms right next to each other without a buffer?
<p>Then I heard a short toot from a car horn. After a second, I thought it kind of sounded like ours. I got up and pulled back the curtains to see our rental car with all four doors wide open and some of our stuff nearby on the ground.
<p>"Maryanne," I said, "someone's in our car!" It was cold outside and I fumbled for something to put on.
<p>Maryanne woke up quickly (she does that). She opened the door and started yelling, "Hey! Get the &%# out of our car!!"
<p>That's when two furry heads popped up from behind the car. The miscreants had been a pair of bears - a bear pair if you like.
<p>They looked at her and then started to slowly saunter off with no sense of urgency. After all, what were we going to do, chase them?
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift_VkkkR81RB6nrXqxcM247SXM5DhXr6sh6Wol_gR-8bScVi9QzwAZ93BvgERj7AZ-cal5d1xTRFKjpYh2ney6bikFhqcikFgbNmImAppo-8NJFl4DPRBw3eDMYc_w9pxsRk_a6KsndRBvtKevFVz6AOFtSRiPi8VBEpXDDn4zJ_nFP6pK1TY/s1650/DSC09961.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1238" data-original-width="1650" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEift_VkkkR81RB6nrXqxcM247SXM5DhXr6sh6Wol_gR-8bScVi9QzwAZ93BvgERj7AZ-cal5d1xTRFKjpYh2ney6bikFhqcikFgbNmImAppo-8NJFl4DPRBw3eDMYc_w9pxsRk_a6KsndRBvtKevFVz6AOFtSRiPi8VBEpXDDn4zJ_nFP6pK1TY/s200/DSC09961.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse30R-5Ov43qwKVrCiDNmdQRTlbiFBnQB-L2BzhKV8Krx-V8j_Et-5DzF0an_KPLhQo1yeUUpduUEVGF60vOW6CWt4ldsyT62fonPbOEZ53mjI9Q0bsV_3IBymkOLyeAakzZQ9iMhqyHC6E4kmdw1VZy7xrIUDs71ezdAR8z1oVBFolWbts1A/s4032/IMG_9854.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgse30R-5Ov43qwKVrCiDNmdQRTlbiFBnQB-L2BzhKV8Krx-V8j_Et-5DzF0an_KPLhQo1yeUUpduUEVGF60vOW6CWt4ldsyT62fonPbOEZ53mjI9Q0bsV_3IBymkOLyeAakzZQ9iMhqyHC6E4kmdw1VZy7xrIUDs71ezdAR8z1oVBFolWbts1A/s200/IMG_9854.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYpSNSwcxGNCDzJ8x1PHE-b6RUPZm7cBXICDKZGzLqQpOlY6ScTO-JDUVoMYjAtbVmgYLRMznEo__f_kpDZDJr5M4xVbRIRnCG67ED60dg5pN5jintBRzY38g7VO2lJ7JHYxcTg4XwxsqNrvOXtDKhP3WoMcfZJ644TUhRHVgH3dMjAHOv5jC/s4032/IMG_9856.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTYpSNSwcxGNCDzJ8x1PHE-b6RUPZm7cBXICDKZGzLqQpOlY6ScTO-JDUVoMYjAtbVmgYLRMznEo__f_kpDZDJr5M4xVbRIRnCG67ED60dg5pN5jintBRzY38g7VO2lJ7JHYxcTg4XwxsqNrvOXtDKhP3WoMcfZJ644TUhRHVgH3dMjAHOv5jC/s200/IMG_9856.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnHE9NhrJebgP7Zt4wAX_CxMCmMOIWT_atrdffDy_6wVWdY_9FKgRnggA03eEn-M2eBjWQUI9PTImILN5EceeWKGIRw0k4xXwIi7EJpMXYu0Vx0OmMVuRPEtBfK786HBJjcejgeSOscyR1bJoRMs4KwYoTdwZjUKWp3oS4Ms62zgYioT0kTul/s2924/IMG_9917.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2193" data-original-width="2924" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnHE9NhrJebgP7Zt4wAX_CxMCmMOIWT_atrdffDy_6wVWdY_9FKgRnggA03eEn-M2eBjWQUI9PTImILN5EceeWKGIRw0k4xXwIi7EJpMXYu0Vx0OmMVuRPEtBfK786HBJjcejgeSOscyR1bJoRMs4KwYoTdwZjUKWp3oS4Ms62zgYioT0kTul/s200/IMG_9917.jpg"/></a>
<br>The car break-in was a couple of hungry, local, black bears - Yikes</center>
<p>I had a look at the car. Mostly, they had scooped the food that was inside onto the parking lot, where it was easier to eat. There were a few places where they had slobbered sticky slobber on the windows and door handles. The main damage was where they had chewed through all three rear seat headrests, clawed one of the split seats and ripped through the parcel shelf to get to the trunk.
<p>I moved anything left in the car that may smell like food into our room, although I knew there was still sugary bear spit all over the place. Hopefully the scent coming from the car would appeal less than what remained outside.
<p>The parking area was such a mess. We had no cleaning supplies beyond a couple of wet washcloths, so we could think of no way to clean it up without tracking the gooey mess into our room. The best we could do was kick the scattered mess into a pile.
<p>It wasn't long before the bears returned to rifle through what was left. Knowing there wasn't anything left that we could do, and that we also had a long clean-up and drive ahead of us later, we tried in vain to get back to sleep.
<p>Of course, that didn't work. There were two BEARS right on the other side of our door. They tried the door handles and when that didn't work, they leaned up on the car and started rocking it back and forth. We were worried because we had read that they are strong enough to peel back door frames if they really want to get in. So far, all of the damage was limited to the upholstery. We did NOT want to have to add body damage to the mix; we did our best to deter them.
<p>They gave up after a while and then moved on to the other two cars in the lot. After checking all four doors on the first car using their curved claws as easily as if they were human fingers, one of them opened the driver's side door on the motel manager's truck and then started rooting around.
<p>Groan.
<p>Well, I can't ignore that. I opened the motel room door and the other bear was standing right there. YIKES! I slammed the door shut and then leaned into it to make sure the latch caught. Thaaaat's what the peepholes are for! It would not be good if a bear made it into our room.
<p>After a minute or so, the bear by the door moved off to the other side of our car. I decided that was my chance to go confront the bear in the manager's truck. I'm 100% sure that was my first time ever approaching a bear while looking over my shoulder to see if the other one is following me.
<p>When I got to the manager's truck, I knocked on the passenger side window and made faces at the bear inside. It looked at me briefly like I was an idiot, for some reason, and then slowly backed out and wandered up the parking lot. It headed toward the street with all the enthusiasm of a loiterer being told to move on by a trainee security guard. I went around and slammed the door somewhat loudly, hoping the noise would summon reinforcements. It didn't. The bear occasionally looked back, not so much to look at me, but to make sure it's other half was aware of the new exit route past the annoying human.
<p>The second bear sauntered past, looking groggy like it really just wanted to lie down and take a nap. It looked so benign and fluffy, or in this case, half fluffy and half sticky. It occurred to me that I would rightfully be very nervous letting a loose Rottweiler pass that close to me. Bears can outrun Rottweilers and are apparently more short-tempered. I decided to keep the manager's truck between us until it was well on its way.
<p>We're not really sure what happened there. The food in the car was our fault. We had taken it off the boat when we left, knowing it would not last the winter, and not wanting to attract critters to make a home aboard while we were gone. We figured we would use it up or get rid of it before we leave North America. All the bear-proof trash cans in the town should have given us a clue. Honestly, I figured a locked metal car would be more secure than the bear canisters we used on the High Sierra Trail.
<p>Why the car was unlocked is a bit of a mystery. Maryanne and I have a procedure between us where whomever is the driver locks the car and then the other one verifies it. It's possible we both forgot, but I'm suspicious of the electronic locking mechanism . On a couple of occasions, when Maryanne and I locked the car and then stayed in the immediate vicinity, it would unlock itself after a few minutes as if it thought we were still inside and hadn't yet exited. It would also do the opposite thing if we unlocked the car and then didn't get in immediately. It happens more often than rarely when the locks are opposite of what we expect. Perhaps the key fob in our room was close enough to the car parked just on the other side of the door that it didn't stay locked all night. A good ol' mechanical lock would be a little more reassuring. At least it didn't start the engine so the bears could take a little joyride. {Maryanne: Most likely we just both forgot to be sure it was locked}
<p>When we checked out and told the manager about the events of the night, he didn't seem surprised. A little heads-up would have been nice when we arrived, buddy; a few signs around the place perhaps?.
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Lake Tahoe, United States39.0968493 -120.032350711.552667002577554 -155.1886007 66.641031597422455 -84.8761007tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-53696644906412522402023-10-28T13:00:00.094-04:002023-11-14T09:57:55.832-05:00Travelling to Cousin Mindy's via Yellowstone and more[Kyle]Next up on our big tour of the U.S. was a visit to see my Cousin Mindy in the Salt Lake City area. On the way from Uncle Jay's, on an almost direct line, were both Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. We decided to break the drive into two days to allow for whirlwind stops at each along the way.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxtRzxRzm1RwI2G6A98RlRxV6lRXlLZbuEaNyMfHkGUOhTuhAjwSwRmYvy_kG_sIc3JBurfH91MwpOQXeHSamWVQ0aYT6cmQs-yiBbMd8w7BLot1rv1N03myIeAeT4kx-d06yP6RGjBLrFvhSRVMuu_MX6zI4vTEPcHlkdotle0u9XbUXPGUh/s200/IMG_9577.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>What a difference the season makes. The last time we visited these parks was on a long, summer weekend <a href="https://sv-footprint.blogspot.com/2016/07/yellowstone-national-park-via-denver.html" target="_blank">in 2016</a>. Traffic was stop-and-go then and most places in the parks near the road were so full of people that it was hard to walk on the paths.
<p>This time, in near-freezing conditions, Maryanne and I were often the only ones at each site. The rest of the time, we would be sharing with no more than half a dozen others.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM5w5lUe1aw_lFqoy318KpjTWIG1MjqGxgVDnEobgYMzAXCi1yNOGC8fbe3Jvs6fgeixp__ztCMEPrSeQxMlDqWYcnUF7BE5C3TE9d7ZDx1771WbnJLxCTv35wXPw_YnRPV3lQJ8bozzDkC2FSAVqlo0dkJI3CaSXEYpcnXkVk63H-sAAKZnM/s9330/IMG_7751.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3924" data-original-width="9330" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM5w5lUe1aw_lFqoy318KpjTWIG1MjqGxgVDnEobgYMzAXCi1yNOGC8fbe3Jvs6fgeixp__ztCMEPrSeQxMlDqWYcnUF7BE5C3TE9d7ZDx1771WbnJLxCTv35wXPw_YnRPV3lQJ8bozzDkC2FSAVqlo0dkJI3CaSXEYpcnXkVk63H-sAAKZnM/s400/IMG_7751.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeCT6VIwKYO4t408CDFvfS4nH4mF2LqHQr_igH-xj6sVNX55i5pLcLJnoRDsDHy8nXbmAX6YMEdlgn-qoMU8XOHSfVjgw2kExTZI9xAnGlZb663tCyg7wE3xDbAts33U6c8hILdWFkQtLCDeJp-BQ3SlYahDfSdJrcCARKjUTQ4T_hy_doQRv/s10812/IMG_7685.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3818" data-original-width="10812" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEeCT6VIwKYO4t408CDFvfS4nH4mF2LqHQr_igH-xj6sVNX55i5pLcLJnoRDsDHy8nXbmAX6YMEdlgn-qoMU8XOHSfVjgw2kExTZI9xAnGlZb663tCyg7wE3xDbAts33U6c8hILdWFkQtLCDeJp-BQ3SlYahDfSdJrcCARKjUTQ4T_hy_doQRv/s400/IMG_7685.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH4-uLgT5Ntob7GPwukEm3XYoBTvFnx2JR4-hPMZtvWQ1DhyphenhyphenLFt-y12vb1YXiLwG6HQ5e_ckueM1uB3s4tIFnS2I2jF5pVgGwcU-WMyKIUVJFpdQbKnB2hwerpsco-guFEmqrv4RTHeEvh-0FtZizXNa794nD4SvM09sb2pUUPVGoGLp3iqLG/s2592/DSC09675.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH4-uLgT5Ntob7GPwukEm3XYoBTvFnx2JR4-hPMZtvWQ1DhyphenhyphenLFt-y12vb1YXiLwG6HQ5e_ckueM1uB3s4tIFnS2I2jF5pVgGwcU-WMyKIUVJFpdQbKnB2hwerpsco-guFEmqrv4RTHeEvh-0FtZizXNa794nD4SvM09sb2pUUPVGoGLp3iqLG/s200/DSC09675.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpsZsAVUe5WznhZ5VwRXm-zoRAlxQ1yE-aI-IEvnaDFLnz88KPbyiiS-3tMmsraPoId0nvAYNKQS0oOgs5iM-QjM0vba03d9NWO_v46FPDMz1eudrHCsVequvAdhx4l1giLvHjc-OsmWzObd7yf1CwojC1hWwsxkk73vYfLse3R1exPk8GzPk/s2592/DSC09690.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjpsZsAVUe5WznhZ5VwRXm-zoRAlxQ1yE-aI-IEvnaDFLnz88KPbyiiS-3tMmsraPoId0nvAYNKQS0oOgs5iM-QjM0vba03d9NWO_v46FPDMz1eudrHCsVequvAdhx4l1giLvHjc-OsmWzObd7yf1CwojC1hWwsxkk73vYfLse3R1exPk8GzPk/s200/DSC09690.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LsdSbBGxroNCdTV8Y_xPHOsMba0MhjcY258gl8A3NzYTMO_uy-5eFSe95XwiVxc7WCqI17ICnQ5NB05dwytzE00JZyIaPxckfq9bDrY8Mal-WsmkNUDbo0UALfhAlqUVextc58YJrHE9AI6a7dLC_WKbKOqV9hvAvD0xCdR_2t8Ms3HhSOkz/s4032/IMG_8097.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-LsdSbBGxroNCdTV8Y_xPHOsMba0MhjcY258gl8A3NzYTMO_uy-5eFSe95XwiVxc7WCqI17ICnQ5NB05dwytzE00JZyIaPxckfq9bDrY8Mal-WsmkNUDbo0UALfhAlqUVextc58YJrHE9AI6a7dLC_WKbKOqV9hvAvD0xCdR_2t8Ms3HhSOkz/s200/IMG_8097.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq67sXygTBcIpvxLo5i-a3sOBIqTGX5CLUSf1U94QHlGIvpQ30L8fpcvIiQP5EJF2DgrIO5qndPtM2J2qt0zYZ7pmPNfVIC5r1uCtyUiNW_q57lympbajoZY0Ysj373ySc79GOLZB4LDC-gTNuChnEQlTFj3Tw0j6kfAeZ06y3TvweJ4sE_dpJ/s4032/IMG_8117.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq67sXygTBcIpvxLo5i-a3sOBIqTGX5CLUSf1U94QHlGIvpQ30L8fpcvIiQP5EJF2DgrIO5qndPtM2J2qt0zYZ7pmPNfVIC5r1uCtyUiNW_q57lympbajoZY0Ysj373ySc79GOLZB4LDC-gTNuChnEQlTFj3Tw0j6kfAeZ06y3TvweJ4sE_dpJ/s200/IMG_8117.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIML2P0_xXRs1l5Z48kLILRMLkioFQREJUMOYD7oFwaIxMDI4pQlNo3xu3mpHBpoZPYJvNKjGn3xqzgBKrESXibBC78OaJRR9PHQgJUs6VIXoaLypGTPVZWxCUBhgNL57xH7otVYQc-mZxvgid1a3RVinrjZlimCuSAOxM48Salf5vVfoADolI/s2592/DSC09699.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIML2P0_xXRs1l5Z48kLILRMLkioFQREJUMOYD7oFwaIxMDI4pQlNo3xu3mpHBpoZPYJvNKjGn3xqzgBKrESXibBC78OaJRR9PHQgJUs6VIXoaLypGTPVZWxCUBhgNL57xH7otVYQc-mZxvgid1a3RVinrjZlimCuSAOxM48Salf5vVfoADolI/s200/DSC09699.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9HR1DtaMDBh6NOdzfK-K-Q3TLFyt79XM-Cn2PzPpmvtdDPKP6-hziTMLmhEhhZIRnWWqbnESEzcMJsFYHn_v6etz09gbXp_2GQ-g8TL5iF_zwofVC2XEzKswf-getTEXM9uUqJGVvtfCnfF83VuWP_pZPq42yoXO5zqBTgBJ6NITSpgjv_K6/s4700/IMG_7774.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4700" data-original-width="3940" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9HR1DtaMDBh6NOdzfK-K-Q3TLFyt79XM-Cn2PzPpmvtdDPKP6-hziTMLmhEhhZIRnWWqbnESEzcMJsFYHn_v6etz09gbXp_2GQ-g8TL5iF_zwofVC2XEzKswf-getTEXM9uUqJGVvtfCnfF83VuWP_pZPq42yoXO5zqBTgBJ6NITSpgjv_K6/s200/IMG_7774.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJgn5WiKt950gyViQLL0qCqjApYA7dLbDRwo3F-uJqm6ARupatW73weO2isRZ-nCgQ0SbhAAx5H8FTL4Gip-FRclxXE6wjKOmhKvC8UNvg9NdX7o3u0Wz5h4ieRgBG8-Itsy8xhy046alU3k_h_QHdJ_FoDShNruzSU0A9vfnCHMupcNA8afZ/s4032/IMG_8109.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmJgn5WiKt950gyViQLL0qCqjApYA7dLbDRwo3F-uJqm6ARupatW73weO2isRZ-nCgQ0SbhAAx5H8FTL4Gip-FRclxXE6wjKOmhKvC8UNvg9NdX7o3u0Wz5h4ieRgBG8-Itsy8xhy046alU3k_h_QHdJ_FoDShNruzSU0A9vfnCHMupcNA8afZ/s200/IMG_8109.jpg"/></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1saKfs20jxD2CvlPHhc1oKQZHMnIVELro8hBgkOqO1jkySyfWah4JoRHGPEbkObmA8JVZGeSiBjwv44ogSKmVM9x3UuhiXpWlQIynco3TOO9yzvdHdKubYw8m8ctblSrefxP1-EQZqBOVTpAJotj8MYqpxAnrt5CTR3AWKxfZ_ac6mNZMcwi/s2592/DSC09754.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH1saKfs20jxD2CvlPHhc1oKQZHMnIVELro8hBgkOqO1jkySyfWah4JoRHGPEbkObmA8JVZGeSiBjwv44ogSKmVM9x3UuhiXpWlQIynco3TOO9yzvdHdKubYw8m8ctblSrefxP1-EQZqBOVTpAJotj8MYqpxAnrt5CTR3AWKxfZ_ac6mNZMcwi/s200/DSC09754.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQUjLSLY1TMXT4JzES7N1ZQsbGrbfN48EC00Bjoat-VQYHjFXPWBtpb_2gkXlCgK_k90ObjcaZ9U1zQyXTttrKmp-3zALfR3NsKgXWONdq76IKV-i3jEB3qJBb8rOBlSTsAxX5qASUwF2-1GUhc-7EYJkSZPfG2i4c5Ty7k1XMWwHZqOy4_gU/s2592/DSC09768.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVQUjLSLY1TMXT4JzES7N1ZQsbGrbfN48EC00Bjoat-VQYHjFXPWBtpb_2gkXlCgK_k90ObjcaZ9U1zQyXTttrKmp-3zALfR3NsKgXWONdq76IKV-i3jEB3qJBb8rOBlSTsAxX5qASUwF2-1GUhc-7EYJkSZPfG2i4c5Ty7k1XMWwHZqOy4_gU/s200/DSC09768.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuHcVgLdmZXb0S5aJQzArIx1qjL50WJLLOnFQL1Mz52wJCSJ7LDgSL_tEy4dBth_tY4WccCTFaquXfWRa_yPR2pHL1pipAnxwcIW4mQLacyoYkI_Cfr0EdE5OFoK1L4OKQzPX_uYl8YSJo4y_p9q9L2TFAhlmf6OmB1aJzoDK17dH6zGfheAs/s4032/IMG_8211.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVuHcVgLdmZXb0S5aJQzArIx1qjL50WJLLOnFQL1Mz52wJCSJ7LDgSL_tEy4dBth_tY4WccCTFaquXfWRa_yPR2pHL1pipAnxwcIW4mQLacyoYkI_Cfr0EdE5OFoK1L4OKQzPX_uYl8YSJo4y_p9q9L2TFAhlmf6OmB1aJzoDK17dH6zGfheAs/s200/IMG_8211.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf35EGTmz9uSQSJrfkT5_aIQcBpyZX1nk0fhsQHjJrRvXYNxWUbEjEYhMsOT_QLPrWKP8q-u2sTEfSvsKozDMQP2OWRKncfjWAUFUKcNNmb-evINcATICfdpwS_bfWSaXw1aeXp3HTbCmbgOMRuW8hLXG5OmvSJKJQBD22EFMDJs4SQbD4JCvt/s4032/IMG_7820.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf35EGTmz9uSQSJrfkT5_aIQcBpyZX1nk0fhsQHjJrRvXYNxWUbEjEYhMsOT_QLPrWKP8q-u2sTEfSvsKozDMQP2OWRKncfjWAUFUKcNNmb-evINcATICfdpwS_bfWSaXw1aeXp3HTbCmbgOMRuW8hLXG5OmvSJKJQBD22EFMDJs4SQbD4JCvt/s200/IMG_7820.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfPVaj7RsrlptJuGkJ3immiHzC4NFGD7uPf-VIALzoEUJYs8s7Sdvg22E9Trl-4WTnC14QxKtCSDHVzMJU2_N1eu0UOGUcz5aiqQmOznDjgMYLYu9_Km0zRfHneCYEy8S3vkJxjqqxM0uzbEGurHkGb5gwdP-QViPSCiHMu7KWiYCBFnCX5Mb/s4032/IMG_8136.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYfPVaj7RsrlptJuGkJ3immiHzC4NFGD7uPf-VIALzoEUJYs8s7Sdvg22E9Trl-4WTnC14QxKtCSDHVzMJU2_N1eu0UOGUcz5aiqQmOznDjgMYLYu9_Km0zRfHneCYEy8S3vkJxjqqxM0uzbEGurHkGb5gwdP-QViPSCiHMu7KWiYCBFnCX5Mb/s200/IMG_8136.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZbfxxCgkuF3Lxn24_ddnWmn05QMBEHt0QcKtmz5f2zuNWfTPziivR6GRmaHo8lGHyaid4YJNhahWU-k8J9i_Yd15Zg3_QEVpp38qotPTYO0S5iGFLCx3PuRjCf4PIouZ_1oPKXIjpSotMe9HQmlrAucp6fgqqhKpONqQUWbouDa1Ul18XmPI/s4032/IMG_8165.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqZbfxxCgkuF3Lxn24_ddnWmn05QMBEHt0QcKtmz5f2zuNWfTPziivR6GRmaHo8lGHyaid4YJNhahWU-k8J9i_Yd15Zg3_QEVpp38qotPTYO0S5iGFLCx3PuRjCf4PIouZ_1oPKXIjpSotMe9HQmlrAucp6fgqqhKpONqQUWbouDa1Ul18XmPI/s200/IMG_8165.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0C2ex0u7ctaejsBbXNW1HByulQgz6-HknRuUCPiXu-QS1ciF3pTC8mCfdzv-v8IOl6BDhnkeC1tLfmMvFxjpy_6l_ibdOx57BAscODE2cBz5uNEoVO1i2Eg_RKG4GLdyhZ4ML2XrOSzqI11t6geefm1Fv07YlAG1uwkaGQZc1XK_gmif99bc/s4032/IMG_8186.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO0C2ex0u7ctaejsBbXNW1HByulQgz6-HknRuUCPiXu-QS1ciF3pTC8mCfdzv-v8IOl6BDhnkeC1tLfmMvFxjpy_6l_ibdOx57BAscODE2cBz5uNEoVO1i2Eg_RKG4GLdyhZ4ML2XrOSzqI11t6geefm1Fv07YlAG1uwkaGQZc1XK_gmif99bc/s200/IMG_8186.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIE4BQCwIXNfM9l9mK_x919qsOvqOOCuWRmN0oQTD_cjeRGcTNR2tNr3pvDG8QPf5qFrppD_VaCAGlvOXnvVUc_LBCs_tIu6zf1VWGreQIKp0jFSNNw0f6BlwSvV291cNxZH3NkrjxjzhhBWuFv6OImz4XcMIJU5Tku8Af_OJn7ITjpZuveOn/s4810/IMG_8614.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4810" data-original-width="3856" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrIE4BQCwIXNfM9l9mK_x919qsOvqOOCuWRmN0oQTD_cjeRGcTNR2tNr3pvDG8QPf5qFrppD_VaCAGlvOXnvVUc_LBCs_tIu6zf1VWGreQIKp0jFSNNw0f6BlwSvV291cNxZH3NkrjxjzhhBWuFv6OImz4XcMIJU5Tku8Af_OJn7ITjpZuveOn/s200/IMG_8614.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH0S-Rai2T0sM3vUyACbEif5McmXbRhle1AK2omKc_XeUCZlSp_qIbRDSg4hZLxpkdwQNiEztaxyf6V0bzZOBGSGyRWRVkxUaqfWQeeDVU-uQ8ndtpHjou_pUGjKwJJQiHV8SrZ5tJCW1vYzZMHA5Qc8vivPDchemZL3EAbMwZ8i_dcbR0qEU/s4032/IMG_8657.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUH0S-Rai2T0sM3vUyACbEif5McmXbRhle1AK2omKc_XeUCZlSp_qIbRDSg4hZLxpkdwQNiEztaxyf6V0bzZOBGSGyRWRVkxUaqfWQeeDVU-uQ8ndtpHjou_pUGjKwJJQiHV8SrZ5tJCW1vYzZMHA5Qc8vivPDchemZL3EAbMwZ8i_dcbR0qEU/s200/IMG_8657.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HHd67mFkC5etVboeXtKGDZfftnAAEV7sTfIitvViV0w0NLWVMEw42tNY-GhCckbyiO9HUXf8UzKoYEQ-YF00D4m9emIWVvhWEq_1K34ib05DY1z6IyLjFT2K_0D1yA080Sw8_SsaDEI3G7xz-uI3L4kiSKLKne9PD_0QT6FMUqiu93auMXUf/s4426/IMG_8696.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4426" data-original-width="3926" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1HHd67mFkC5etVboeXtKGDZfftnAAEV7sTfIitvViV0w0NLWVMEw42tNY-GhCckbyiO9HUXf8UzKoYEQ-YF00D4m9emIWVvhWEq_1K34ib05DY1z6IyLjFT2K_0D1yA080Sw8_SsaDEI3G7xz-uI3L4kiSKLKne9PD_0QT6FMUqiu93auMXUf/s200/IMG_8696.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIT_PbOoLCxjEhZyHgCX9608Q0raV0hnsc6gSwFpyMw0UQqeApoTzOJJubOUm6XaFfUG4MLZe75o75ZWrbuKU4ayC411xwGKvzRq_z2twEBd4E5Dkp2HR-o0Y686xVOdAKusnTtkk8tmlCj59WMvughAMDIb5xkbUbjL7ctZ8OxGjmtcik4U8/s4032/IMG_8508.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZIT_PbOoLCxjEhZyHgCX9608Q0raV0hnsc6gSwFpyMw0UQqeApoTzOJJubOUm6XaFfUG4MLZe75o75ZWrbuKU4ayC411xwGKvzRq_z2twEBd4E5Dkp2HR-o0Y686xVOdAKusnTtkk8tmlCj59WMvughAMDIb5xkbUbjL7ctZ8OxGjmtcik4U8/s200/IMG_8508.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCBzSQxweI5Y-B9nB5AfsxbiO8RLamdOJQ-3MQj5YbPtCCeYCXldxaAOB6PPT8N0RO4l8xQ542zXMBZ_jIQbeM9GW6WpbVcXza6jtEK9CG_zdphT5olZQ14zMBU0gyyeKsxtXb7LQLa1nP43VFJLpBJDyaSgLkEY5qc36EGWlbcnlFMJ-Pu4Q/s4032/IMG_8699.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVCBzSQxweI5Y-B9nB5AfsxbiO8RLamdOJQ-3MQj5YbPtCCeYCXldxaAOB6PPT8N0RO4l8xQ542zXMBZ_jIQbeM9GW6WpbVcXza6jtEK9CG_zdphT5olZQ14zMBU0gyyeKsxtXb7LQLa1nP43VFJLpBJDyaSgLkEY5qc36EGWlbcnlFMJ-Pu4Q/s200/IMG_8699.jpg"/></a>
<br>Yellowstone - beautiful scenery, geysers and hot springs galore</center>
<p>I was really looking forward to my favorite spot at Grand Prismatic Spring, but the increased steaminess in the cold weather made it hard to see. That and the induced snow caused the empty walkways to be a bit treacherous. Still, we know what's in all of that mist and it's pretty cool.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnI34BpUKCG4DE2N-uTvlSruEmt6qKtlW_ZciNNE0GP_2-UAZs-I6KMGYZ4oOWNG1PxBgLU3fBaSlAayCAiwPY9GePHxf2aTo6pafOTLgD_-8QvW0BqwTAXqgTjploTGKxjg_FoiPoIAfcRKP0MLgwOvsaq5WXRd8rY6cPHpADm5fhMsOOfhz/s3008/DSC_0215_2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2000" data-original-width="3008" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihnI34BpUKCG4DE2N-uTvlSruEmt6qKtlW_ZciNNE0GP_2-UAZs-I6KMGYZ4oOWNG1PxBgLU3fBaSlAayCAiwPY9GePHxf2aTo6pafOTLgD_-8QvW0BqwTAXqgTjploTGKxjg_FoiPoIAfcRKP0MLgwOvsaq5WXRd8rY6cPHpADm5fhMsOOfhz/s200/DSC_0215_2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-Ljle8eO_ZKz7A_3BkJTQ8pHA3VfrpNvJPl3O6XIEVv0iSDiRdfr6vDZg4YkW89gM8VVynhnJ7qShUYVM5ug6WRGOEag7sGnlvch2H9DJyIStGNV4mieeh7M194Lk3yGbFCXPQxk37Fw7ugjIBTbmCxBfsVzF6CghdWFSJ-yVXlWS_Gi-Rw3/s4032/IMG_7918.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR-Ljle8eO_ZKz7A_3BkJTQ8pHA3VfrpNvJPl3O6XIEVv0iSDiRdfr6vDZg4YkW89gM8VVynhnJ7qShUYVM5ug6WRGOEag7sGnlvch2H9DJyIStGNV4mieeh7M194Lk3yGbFCXPQxk37Fw7ugjIBTbmCxBfsVzF6CghdWFSJ-yVXlWS_Gi-Rw3/s200/IMG_7918.jpg"/></a>
<br>Grand Prismatic spring on a warm sunny day (2016) v when we went this year on a cold day when the mist hides the beautiful colours</center>
<p>As we descended from Yellowstone to Grand Teton Parks, winter arrived. Our last pass crossing was through a winter wonderland of fresh, heavy snow. Marie said they got almost a foot back at the cabin in Montana. Our rental car would have been stranded.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OgXxfR8BI71ILzUlZvqt0b8wGSf6HCrtxLDELmMgLAUUNVTHU0InR-ZO91z1lVZubbf5ob_-zlSwazf5-Qv_SZRgrRkheKfm-RGDxT2VKl2jwFI7okhAFlAGReYyGvJ3C-mzHupE-1KoqyGKZsvwjdpVY2s-k3m-TgLLfOUP__j70s-teD1-/s4032/IMG_8703.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-OgXxfR8BI71ILzUlZvqt0b8wGSf6HCrtxLDELmMgLAUUNVTHU0InR-ZO91z1lVZubbf5ob_-zlSwazf5-Qv_SZRgrRkheKfm-RGDxT2VKl2jwFI7okhAFlAGReYyGvJ3C-mzHupE-1KoqyGKZsvwjdpVY2s-k3m-TgLLfOUP__j70s-teD1-/s200/IMG_8703.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMy00srKHwWlhWdMEXgeaqJMBIVoSsRR_01BS2torEyHfjMk3kzlwjIKdMn0keNmewBRl7yQ6VRXM6mI7Cv-_Rv3L6ghxJVODhlEqoeGK-A-eJPuwevJbHgUstRUgTqQm8UDTrgYv3xjrsivRdWIxx8m9pyTdNl3BR4XArbJMAulC_0L3URwF/s4032/IMG_8705.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioMy00srKHwWlhWdMEXgeaqJMBIVoSsRR_01BS2torEyHfjMk3kzlwjIKdMn0keNmewBRl7yQ6VRXM6mI7Cv-_Rv3L6ghxJVODhlEqoeGK-A-eJPuwevJbHgUstRUgTqQm8UDTrgYv3xjrsivRdWIxx8m9pyTdNl3BR4XArbJMAulC_0L3URwF/s200/IMG_8705.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRewO_8Y-EqHHK7C6HqALcQ6xeIhsNQx9Zg63fWu-4gDw-00fQycYCBCZKEUXxG7FI2-iLYBJ8jswndtaH8tA3Gp0iUudAJ_HK3pwVeTdEGP_nFMFaZBZank1Z3TxXkI5fTfzuVl3rLF7jh6wApLmWRb1MO3fqFmPfyMQkkWeew8MITiaEKkw9/s4032/IMG_8708.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRewO_8Y-EqHHK7C6HqALcQ6xeIhsNQx9Zg63fWu-4gDw-00fQycYCBCZKEUXxG7FI2-iLYBJ8jswndtaH8tA3Gp0iUudAJ_HK3pwVeTdEGP_nFMFaZBZank1Z3TxXkI5fTfzuVl3rLF7jh6wApLmWRb1MO3fqFmPfyMQkkWeew8MITiaEKkw9/s200/IMG_8708.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDxMFSL89AxG6q-y7BzJepk93XGfrv-sWErATNIw7SJ9RZLsWbLCu1shxg4bupAqDslSH8PpMo3-J7am7zFFTk17P9ufFnvLj9Os-oVLPgZnoWMNzaf1waeL8BVsfnMejJlv4-lK1ZtXMFr8DaY2TYaPZEmyqfriMUaIU_QFyFm5my_GxYiH4/s4032/IMG_8727.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnDxMFSL89AxG6q-y7BzJepk93XGfrv-sWErATNIw7SJ9RZLsWbLCu1shxg4bupAqDslSH8PpMo3-J7am7zFFTk17P9ufFnvLj9Os-oVLPgZnoWMNzaf1waeL8BVsfnMejJlv4-lK1ZtXMFr8DaY2TYaPZEmyqfriMUaIU_QFyFm5my_GxYiH4/s200/IMG_8727.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMauuklddyLBOvYZ7H3svcBliWTZAHY09axEmgZI3AhBRXAAPblkHu0LlVPF_ZCtp7ZP0ngrtR0kV5bu_XsxfEv5fTNKi-cEpgt9qnq9Px4N5_CrPjFkhQ23Elyy2KN9aFK_kMKZQ0SRamrrBPZTZLKgN9pyJCPMafGaa2NE7Ust-BARPaAU3f/s4032/IMG_8730.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMauuklddyLBOvYZ7H3svcBliWTZAHY09axEmgZI3AhBRXAAPblkHu0LlVPF_ZCtp7ZP0ngrtR0kV5bu_XsxfEv5fTNKi-cEpgt9qnq9Px4N5_CrPjFkhQ23Elyy2KN9aFK_kMKZQ0SRamrrBPZTZLKgN9pyJCPMafGaa2NE7Ust-BARPaAU3f/s200/IMG_8730.jpg"/></a>
<br>Once we gained altitude, the snow appeared - a magical winter wonderland</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1ndGcnvtL63fA7kRIRrWILzuH6PTyMGy8dzeRc8ll_-ALCqRVV44GJIzFyvTt3GdJG5eVgbn1j4XQYnnVPLohzMCyjXHb00jncuQQ03xXeypPQqyZqpL0DRxN1kJ3qM9OR1pP94EZZCjMp-FSxI-_jWJwFvBKCs0Z8NefVZ1rw5YmPu4yvWR/s2592/DSC09860.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr1ndGcnvtL63fA7kRIRrWILzuH6PTyMGy8dzeRc8ll_-ALCqRVV44GJIzFyvTt3GdJG5eVgbn1j4XQYnnVPLohzMCyjXHb00jncuQQ03xXeypPQqyZqpL0DRxN1kJ3qM9OR1pP94EZZCjMp-FSxI-_jWJwFvBKCs0Z8NefVZ1rw5YmPu4yvWR/s200/DSC09860.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAIgUyPmCnqyc6SBWb8F2NOLG8NGX4YLRSQD1r1bcFSXsVDmYHiuWCnkUr-Q1llOAfrFzqp3sMfZsi2OHxHFcGDAZL_CGAcQi8ctXGh4r_d04Gsff7b_q-KbOUXwseL5qPR7KcK_-M3sXRyRC4JmTLkfOyDxnjT_Tj31p3t48E27twGaa_2H8/s2592/DSC09867.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAAIgUyPmCnqyc6SBWb8F2NOLG8NGX4YLRSQD1r1bcFSXsVDmYHiuWCnkUr-Q1llOAfrFzqp3sMfZsi2OHxHFcGDAZL_CGAcQi8ctXGh4r_d04Gsff7b_q-KbOUXwseL5qPR7KcK_-M3sXRyRC4JmTLkfOyDxnjT_Tj31p3t48E27twGaa_2H8/s200/DSC09867.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IX4Rsu9KOBPAOQ_jyDp9XOJItPwYBYy3sTg7qQ4pIuruJWseW_9FOj_n_x1-ZDsGqKwAl1-QuRfMIQ_2lYm3lflJjJvPViP4DjbKDe_bSBaIvVLgVR_NLvXF6Ph4gepBLhTG0aHNsmiftqBuI77_YqjDuj7rdzwihQC-I5uq6tlEkLTn5vTo/s2592/DSC09871.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6IX4Rsu9KOBPAOQ_jyDp9XOJItPwYBYy3sTg7qQ4pIuruJWseW_9FOj_n_x1-ZDsGqKwAl1-QuRfMIQ_2lYm3lflJjJvPViP4DjbKDe_bSBaIvVLgVR_NLvXF6Ph4gepBLhTG0aHNsmiftqBuI77_YqjDuj7rdzwihQC-I5uq6tlEkLTn5vTo/s200/DSC09871.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1kqZook9B93crCX-OhJW9KQDy0M-2yQQ0DquvHnED5z-kkW6xpFgRLTIhLtLN5aU5HoizHm5MgwQRhS1ufLWSpqyCgsuv1j8Bp9X6mE1TiYVyIDPiNTuQ6kzYEkVAbdYucK6maRVLCTXHhmUvGJhPOrziPMjH6Ge0CHcsboZazQPlXV4PEZ_/s2592/DSC09877.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1kqZook9B93crCX-OhJW9KQDy0M-2yQQ0DquvHnED5z-kkW6xpFgRLTIhLtLN5aU5HoizHm5MgwQRhS1ufLWSpqyCgsuv1j8Bp9X6mE1TiYVyIDPiNTuQ6kzYEkVAbdYucK6maRVLCTXHhmUvGJhPOrziPMjH6Ge0CHcsboZazQPlXV4PEZ_/s200/DSC09877.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnT61EjcLx4PsWdZ52ihGjCHJ16bDGf8kCMzZB1Th1vhHlxKWYZmH_yln_vv10bKFfqvFjiBC2t8imhdZV_ZDmOy6ClKEBDch20BiNfsL5ZbNbYnAYTsRv3FzWoKgw54oiTaOWlzn1AyDweKsooMnORxYqrfhifbGH5r6nYqDm1Dp9rOB4xQNA/s2592/DSC09891.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnT61EjcLx4PsWdZ52ihGjCHJ16bDGf8kCMzZB1Th1vhHlxKWYZmH_yln_vv10bKFfqvFjiBC2t8imhdZV_ZDmOy6ClKEBDch20BiNfsL5ZbNbYnAYTsRv3FzWoKgw54oiTaOWlzn1AyDweKsooMnORxYqrfhifbGH5r6nYqDm1Dp9rOB4xQNA/s200/DSC09891.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMUguPEWQQoFzqtp5mriwcpJsg6ykKTCpQvYji8DgLnqZjtDEL7JzDJ8_Tq9iGkiWqUt5F-CStfiLBSwPdRBKopMf9mprQxO9rcoU_YHzeEuXd_48qok_cTeZKQxaftbROTUCuKhkSM1XrfBg_bbY3whkkwk6bdv0d73YQvImFePt6oQi6Rrx/s4032/IMG_8735.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJMUguPEWQQoFzqtp5mriwcpJsg6ykKTCpQvYji8DgLnqZjtDEL7JzDJ8_Tq9iGkiWqUt5F-CStfiLBSwPdRBKopMf9mprQxO9rcoU_YHzeEuXd_48qok_cTeZKQxaftbROTUCuKhkSM1XrfBg_bbY3whkkwk6bdv0d73YQvImFePt6oQi6Rrx/s200/IMG_8735.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vK_rtregUfK-eyD9FIQFJfU0NQY1eDuUKvOntm1ZvoWovVZFhfYzPrxYpei68CfriGsBOH_sweWvEFciarfpcdIWz7zOAX-DUZnDKPm9CY4qhze1Ef5anOR8nSC1CMcsnBLuMuBJCfZdZ7iseA2xDqhnn0RIxYazIVUH4Bh6L9qXjyQAW3Vm/s8482/IMG_8010.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3930" data-original-width="8482" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3vK_rtregUfK-eyD9FIQFJfU0NQY1eDuUKvOntm1ZvoWovVZFhfYzPrxYpei68CfriGsBOH_sweWvEFciarfpcdIWz7zOAX-DUZnDKPm9CY4qhze1Ef5anOR8nSC1CMcsnBLuMuBJCfZdZ7iseA2xDqhnn0RIxYazIVUH4Bh6L9qXjyQAW3Vm/s400/IMG_8010.jpg"/></a>
<br>Grand Teton</center>
<p>With an eye on the clock, we reluctantly left Grand Teton way before we had our fill of the incredible views. We made it to Salt Lake City just at sunset and it was jarring to go from empty, wide-open spaces to a city filled with traffic crawling from one traffic signal to the next.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaY-UB37PD9EKVDVdOeY1fLifqngogKU34ih8gB3XluioSmEULpGHyt48S4lUsEPeMtfQUY8bngb6fUcIme7PIGigVih8uIZCPCo3jC0aWxNHsfsSAEIYijI7eG60u9N5PISZVomTAbEcGjWoHy-qEKZ44_a9Wnc-iqMKROB2vtZf4iT-P8CIr/s4032/IMG_8762.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaY-UB37PD9EKVDVdOeY1fLifqngogKU34ih8gB3XluioSmEULpGHyt48S4lUsEPeMtfQUY8bngb6fUcIme7PIGigVih8uIZCPCo3jC0aWxNHsfsSAEIYijI7eG60u9N5PISZVomTAbEcGjWoHy-qEKZ44_a9Wnc-iqMKROB2vtZf4iT-P8CIr/s200/IMG_8762.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4obRDI7JXCyH_tNav8qR7F5uOcoN2U7eCAl9Dd2D6hS6CayroXXxlr4wUNHQq06EJBHNeTSbqrMl_boBBy0hs21KJLOEj48achtJCQTv06paLHfaN1KaAX3LfVoP7xjgrXoNhdCefmBUfjDn1FkPdQMmj01jx_Xrj7TalL_urJ0uNF-YdQtZT/s4032/IMG_8770.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4obRDI7JXCyH_tNav8qR7F5uOcoN2U7eCAl9Dd2D6hS6CayroXXxlr4wUNHQq06EJBHNeTSbqrMl_boBBy0hs21KJLOEj48achtJCQTv06paLHfaN1KaAX3LfVoP7xjgrXoNhdCefmBUfjDn1FkPdQMmj01jx_Xrj7TalL_urJ0uNF-YdQtZT/s200/IMG_8770.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw026MjnPsFRS9qaNqaHkcE3z89LqoCaEE79eLWMWzcSPngwUxOAb__3THqN7fIzUDM5kLX6ehmqoiRs9Gf-OcwiVwlMGW1uNdo1E_YYOiZwITOVXrryGvDS0TClL925A9Cy2_tFYSZrSvUob9FO6URckwr1vGMphwSWOf3_MUM0wwlIxd9My/s4032/IMG_8777.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCw026MjnPsFRS9qaNqaHkcE3z89LqoCaEE79eLWMWzcSPngwUxOAb__3THqN7fIzUDM5kLX6ehmqoiRs9Gf-OcwiVwlMGW1uNdo1E_YYOiZwITOVXrryGvDS0TClL925A9Cy2_tFYSZrSvUob9FO6URckwr1vGMphwSWOf3_MUM0wwlIxd9My/s200/IMG_8777.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb73X51tUCRdY1VPNy8swsIYj7TiJFQ58Mg3ZLpbQ01WyTaQR6iJ6WA1uzTlpEi3fMgzCyiV6W_15UdeW6Ub_QR1AA7I3PCodGEHFSDWSbv01Xjam6KKO4xBpRtBPzOHRpCRhzMn6Ze0GPYmKskvRJkUaKIM8S1Lm9aKgmGh5Fw79NIs9VJy0V/s4032/IMG_8782.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgb73X51tUCRdY1VPNy8swsIYj7TiJFQ58Mg3ZLpbQ01WyTaQR6iJ6WA1uzTlpEi3fMgzCyiV6W_15UdeW6Ub_QR1AA7I3PCodGEHFSDWSbv01Xjam6KKO4xBpRtBPzOHRpCRhzMn6Ze0GPYmKskvRJkUaKIM8S1Lm9aKgmGh5Fw79NIs9VJy0V/s200/IMG_8782.jpg"/></a>
<br>The road to Utah</center>
<p>It was a relief to pull off the main road into Mindy's quiet neighborhood. Her partner, Kim, greeted us with a smile and big hugs as if we were close family and not two people she had just met for the first time five seconds ago. We had just enough time to take our stuff in the house and get oriented before Mindy arrived, sparking a big, teary, huggy reunion.
<p>The next day, we went to pick up her mom, my mother's big sister Linda, to come stay with us all during our visit. I thought I was generally holding it together pretty well, but when I saw her, I kinda choked up a little. She's probably the closest I can come now to hugging my actual mom and I guess it kind of just came out. I don't think anybody saw me, though.
<p>Linda and Mindy have become the de facto family archive. They were the ones who drove down to Phoenix after Mom died and dutifully collected anything that looked like it may be important memorabilia. They hadn't had time to go through everything then, so with me and Maryanne there, the four of us got to see much of it for the first time. Since Maryanne and I were in Australia, we were saved the experience (and pain) of sorting through Mom's things at her house. Going through the carload of stuff that they had saved with Linda and Mindy made me feel like I got to have my own part of the process in some small way. Like every child, I wished that I could have done it with Mom before she had gone.
<p>Going through the old photographs, Linda was especially good at identifying great, and great great grandparents from their childhood photos. It was then that I realized that all of those photos that parents take of their little kids so they can remember what they looked like at that age also eventually end up being for the kids themselves, and then the grandkids and so on. I wonder if my granddaddy knew when he was taking all of those pictures of his adorable, six-year-old daughter that his then-unborn grandson would end up flipping through them with a different sort of pride.
<p>When things got to be too much, we took a break and drove up into the mountains for some comfort food and scenery. Also, I got to chuck a big, wet snowball into the middle of a pool that was empty, but still open. Jacuzzi, I understand, but who wants to go for a swim in an outdoor pool after a day on the slopes?
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYUwuevM3R_JteTWjBxU_KEIxzAQWIAFAVqDzsckkf2v6yXww6YqZuHBqeeiWCIu3qWNfhlSQ5ilFhdH1Jt-G-b55qEgS_1HcgAiJvkY_tpwBy3WE6lx7TVyD38LfVs_3_GHkpPr6ozmbwCwkERMN3wdhKFv1Q5zSzQVINRNx7pdnmumk31uq/s4032/IMG_9575.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwYUwuevM3R_JteTWjBxU_KEIxzAQWIAFAVqDzsckkf2v6yXww6YqZuHBqeeiWCIu3qWNfhlSQ5ilFhdH1Jt-G-b55qEgS_1HcgAiJvkY_tpwBy3WE6lx7TVyD38LfVs_3_GHkpPr6ozmbwCwkERMN3wdhKFv1Q5zSzQVINRNx7pdnmumk31uq/s200/IMG_9575.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxtRzxRzm1RwI2G6A98RlRxV6lRXlLZbuEaNyMfHkGUOhTuhAjwSwRmYvy_kG_sIc3JBurfH91MwpOQXeHSamWVQ0aYT6cmQs-yiBbMd8w7BLot1rv1N03myIeAeT4kx-d06yP6RGjBLrFvhSRVMuu_MX6zI4vTEPcHlkdotle0u9XbUXPGUh/s4032/IMG_9577.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZxtRzxRzm1RwI2G6A98RlRxV6lRXlLZbuEaNyMfHkGUOhTuhAjwSwRmYvy_kG_sIc3JBurfH91MwpOQXeHSamWVQ0aYT6cmQs-yiBbMd8w7BLot1rv1N03myIeAeT4kx-d06yP6RGjBLrFvhSRVMuu_MX6zI4vTEPcHlkdotle0u9XbUXPGUh/s200/IMG_9577.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy61RPqCJs_w9EfjklKFvPG8UPHA-xKqI6EzDPpfJmB_-fLA9odAKh9mNvtAv-jVeVQOElKn1E_JQfGj122J7QAsBBs44sOkNkF6t1bUnvnAiQdxSW2Ay3jvGcBKJKzdxSRRtMR1ylgV8txII65BVrBovMwf82gYB9oNRw6QMGHwRR6Wxy_H6/s4032/IMG_9586.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEy61RPqCJs_w9EfjklKFvPG8UPHA-xKqI6EzDPpfJmB_-fLA9odAKh9mNvtAv-jVeVQOElKn1E_JQfGj122J7QAsBBs44sOkNkF6t1bUnvnAiQdxSW2Ay3jvGcBKJKzdxSRRtMR1ylgV8txII65BVrBovMwf82gYB9oNRw6QMGHwRR6Wxy_H6/s200/IMG_9586.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTBnMmXUtbPCOQT1BPjQd1R7UYgBRZ5-VTo7TkT8yMYPKbzWaZscc3FQBepgxdNa8trDBDx_swzCUrIok7NRREai70JOmuBK9TsewfHtVzEGeMytGGJFkPq3ujsrkBqOMkRZ4ChqxdC_6FGb5YaO1tBAGOzbT5XZMkMjvWsm6KMArQU771o0z/s4032/IMG_9591.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMTBnMmXUtbPCOQT1BPjQd1R7UYgBRZ5-VTo7TkT8yMYPKbzWaZscc3FQBepgxdNa8trDBDx_swzCUrIok7NRREai70JOmuBK9TsewfHtVzEGeMytGGJFkPq3ujsrkBqOMkRZ4ChqxdC_6FGb5YaO1tBAGOzbT5XZMkMjvWsm6KMArQU771o0z/s200/IMG_9591.jpg"/></a>
<br>A trip up into the mountains and the Alta ski lodge/resort where we found hot cocoa and beautiful scenery</center>
<p>We then had what turned out to be an early Thanksgiving, when all of Linda's children came for dinner, plus some of their families. I haven't seen some of my cousins since we were kids in grade school. We are all grown up now. Most of them even have kids that are all grown up now as well. How strange, but I guess the ‘80s were actually more than a couple of weeks ago, even though sometimes it doesn't feel like it.
<p>Because they see each other pretty often, it quickly became apparent that the main reason for this particular get-together was to see me and Maryanne. We had enough requests to put our photos on the big screen that we ended up doing an impromptu presentation for everyone. Maryanne was the last to know, but she took her new role as host in stride. I have a better memory of where and when each photo was taken, so it was my job to try to follow her narration with the associated images. She had a little bit of fun with this and deliberately jumped all over the place to see how well I kept up. My other task was that of all married people, which was to interrupt when I thought she was skipping the good part of the story.
<p>It feels a bit strange for us to be the center of attention, but we understood that everyone was curious. Zoomed out, the bullet points of our life are unusual and skim over all the moments of uncertainty and self-doubt in between that lead to each of them.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyN4eLFo_iynY0Fa6tSHCJpxPCS3xpCqG2dKyrKFwBl764mosho4kAIS5wjElTuJ_QMM50Imh6kY770ZEoHvhjZp2oVY5inON-1PwwgemzvoSTZ8cZr3RQhqQmwzzVj4XaTE5OQ0teZGdGfJCCqNWjk6SnTF03HoO0cYa4YXvR-CuhqYeVmwa/s4032/IMG_9735.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQyN4eLFo_iynY0Fa6tSHCJpxPCS3xpCqG2dKyrKFwBl764mosho4kAIS5wjElTuJ_QMM50Imh6kY770ZEoHvhjZp2oVY5inON-1PwwgemzvoSTZ8cZr3RQhqQmwzzVj4XaTE5OQ0teZGdGfJCCqNWjk6SnTF03HoO0cYa4YXvR-CuhqYeVmwa/s200/IMG_9735.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBKipIj3DzRPneDF443iIYEBXbcHrt6_npwo_8TAJh4JoIid_ez5YtbQvR_1ntbuK6vWqdlkfOCeCt_UrBs62OKj2cvcqoWeQRS2r4DysCHYhWtw8Tv-VX9tWZWMObDWlYaxf7A_kK-KyrMWI7ajT9YxIGn8yqkrHMg4vu6JBHjcIt-TfOoFb/s4032/IMG_9759.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkBKipIj3DzRPneDF443iIYEBXbcHrt6_npwo_8TAJh4JoIid_ez5YtbQvR_1ntbuK6vWqdlkfOCeCt_UrBs62OKj2cvcqoWeQRS2r4DysCHYhWtw8Tv-VX9tWZWMObDWlYaxf7A_kK-KyrMWI7ajT9YxIGn8yqkrHMg4vu6JBHjcIt-TfOoFb/s200/IMG_9759.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5KHObKN6WfilRSOpdvsqebKgeZuNZLiUdMjGqzJfxSq-j2wBPF6JJJtvHwWHgTpINtdIUHRoNF7vFkC-vMQvNgiMPA3bbI2m8ynn9EVO-ORtc2L-MCLpKdnavIShdgnIEnj54o_djj-KyFgGsd7Y8zkm6XfUwtz5G8UocBwWJXzSD8iPnvWG/s4032/IMG_9760.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5KHObKN6WfilRSOpdvsqebKgeZuNZLiUdMjGqzJfxSq-j2wBPF6JJJtvHwWHgTpINtdIUHRoNF7vFkC-vMQvNgiMPA3bbI2m8ynn9EVO-ORtc2L-MCLpKdnavIShdgnIEnj54o_djj-KyFgGsd7Y8zkm6XfUwtz5G8UocBwWJXzSD8iPnvWG/s200/IMG_9760.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw14dQkNP2JPI9RVS4wq1HlB5ui4G2jvSsvF7gSraymHMpcvv0PWcsx6ErAc19Vnxqb0vDbyMLxjyKuShaITfPjmwyJ-aTgxz1XUZ_EveSBmVxK46xhBFnYO5LVkkUSAAh9VLJ35yLhYXDCZYLCfHn5Y4Nb_RwjzG9u78Hp6Wh_o9GySPznOrf/s4032/IMG_9737.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw14dQkNP2JPI9RVS4wq1HlB5ui4G2jvSsvF7gSraymHMpcvv0PWcsx6ErAc19Vnxqb0vDbyMLxjyKuShaITfPjmwyJ-aTgxz1XUZ_EveSBmVxK46xhBFnYO5LVkkUSAAh9VLJ35yLhYXDCZYLCfHn5Y4Nb_RwjzG9u78Hp6Wh_o9GySPznOrf/s200/IMG_9737.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XQ7IEAOU_WJLTTjx6bSyEubox15rv9AhnKmTwRgP3upFsw38D6gtPcmS9vDqxL-Xcejk-DAnq8yyY1IjIpjLwSPmmnNh2EM4yyW_l3zKU24id3GuWqPDtTwr4qrFjgwAsB7K0X21FyD4lOSml49XiGQJiqrnNS3fzlrg050oCArUaQb9mU4_/s4032/IMG_9739.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4XQ7IEAOU_WJLTTjx6bSyEubox15rv9AhnKmTwRgP3upFsw38D6gtPcmS9vDqxL-Xcejk-DAnq8yyY1IjIpjLwSPmmnNh2EM4yyW_l3zKU24id3GuWqPDtTwr4qrFjgwAsB7K0X21FyD4lOSml49XiGQJiqrnNS3fzlrg050oCArUaQb9mU4_/s200/IMG_9739.jpg"/></a>
<br>A lovely time in UTAH with the Jamison Family - Aunt Linda and the cousins. A big shout out to the lovely Kim who kept us all well fed and made us so welcome</center>
<p>I often wonder if the whole life we have spent so much time and energy creating will someday vanish without a trace. All of our favorite photos of the amazing places that we have been will never be seen, the story will never be told and whatever worldly wisdom we may have accumulated will end up being for naught in the end. It was nice in this instance to feel the appreciation of family for it all. They did a pretty good job of replicating the unconditional pride that would have beamed from Mom's face had we made it back in time.
<p>By the time the evening was winding down and people were starting to filter away to their cars, Kim had finished her magician's trick of stealthily cleaning up here while we were all looking over there. The usual three hours of dishwashing and tidying up required after a big party were completely unnecessary. Maryanne and I were particularly grateful since our plan was to leave the next morning while the stars were still out.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/40.66,-111.82" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047412.450545463821157 -147.0472974 69.071013136178848 -76.7347974tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-49775779742966141962023-10-23T16:00:00.009-04:002024-01-27T04:50:24.334-05:00Montana (Journey to, and time in)[Kyle]So, now Begonia has been left to her own for the Ontario winter. The time had finally come for us to start our guest room tour of many of the friends and family we haven't seen since we left the USA (from Oakland, California) in 2016.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSab66bNYNr3Sg-Qs7Z0xIEUdctBjMOmAx2I_GB501gzCAFg1Dae5WdXkr6-iPSRe2y81sh7FgydQa7EjuqC7obdXMmGoRRprkyanzWsNUbpWxt4SNv3wLfCdOP39JAgGJyLGU4w4VO9u1aDxfur7AAr1sxlvvyt71rKDJMTTs3fW_SU9fhcE/s200/IMG_7973.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>We planned to start with a circuit of the United States, and planned a route to see as many people as possible (unfortunately we couldn't find a way to see everyone). For our tour, we booked a rental car. Economically, it would have been better to buy a car and then sell it afterwards, like is common practice in New Zealand.
<p>It's a little more problematic in the U.S. If we bought a car, we would have to register it in our state of residence by going to that state. Although we both have U.S. citizenship, we don't actually reside in any particular state, so we would first have to jump through whatever hoops are necessary to establish residency in our selected state before worrying about the car. Then there was the fact that we wanted to start and end the trip in Canada. Buying a car, registering it in a different country and then selling it across the border triggers all sorts of import duties going either way. Without a car, getting across the border is a problem, particularly since Erieau is nowhere near the border. That is how we eventually decided to bite the bullet and rent a car. Picking it up is easy, leaving it behind is easy, and our contract says we can drive it anywhere within the U.S. and Canada. The car we got gets forty miles per gallon and had less than three thousand miles on the odometer when we collected it.
<p>Our first real stop was to be my Uncle Jay's cabin, which is almost at the geographic center of Montana. To get there, we needed to do three solid days of driving.
<p>The first day, to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, was always going to be a long one, but since Begonia was now much farther east than we had originally planned, we had to add two more hours of driving. In order to not make that worse by getting stuck in morning rush-hour traffic in Chicago, we had to leave Erieau in the quiet darkness of one o'clock in the morning.
<p>We made it to the border crossing at the tunnel between Windsor, Ontario and Detroit, Michigan at three a.m. We were the only one there. The officer seemed a little annoyed that we were not a straightforward case. We pulled up in a Canadian car, which was not ours, handed over two U.S. passports, which had last left the country months ago from a completely different place and not by road, and then told him we were heading nowhere near any address in his system.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAKgUl6aGJHoP1GntWnaSntKVLNkmzxjJn2nAnKb0ZOa0xhRsb5z6N23Icm4Gy44uuQQts4SIpC3_6TxmLEqimmq2Hhvw8Lmb4P6fmvWhE0-x7MoCSFA3Qtw2Hj109PKo12i-1JzaiGpb1HCb-SxVNakLWiZaNMXHlFLpAL3SyEqhEM2xz-4g/s4032/IMG_7430.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguAKgUl6aGJHoP1GntWnaSntKVLNkmzxjJn2nAnKb0ZOa0xhRsb5z6N23Icm4Gy44uuQQts4SIpC3_6TxmLEqimmq2Hhvw8Lmb4P6fmvWhE0-x7MoCSFA3Qtw2Hj109PKo12i-1JzaiGpb1HCb-SxVNakLWiZaNMXHlFLpAL3SyEqhEM2xz-4g/s200/IMG_7430.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFenc9YOh51InHlW0cJ4CmsCXnxiXDaBpIqR3oMByMjXMymU-lhhWCbLLE_bBDdqJ52MyHjsSwGraWn5HTdmz1JjxOgmqFwDzCOZTDCU3XWgEprep0VAjaI0Pb4QTTLAlN2UISy8oWWz5N-XIV9bTPZX9porof0njGNGhJoou4X41ZCF8Ti9NK/s4032/IMG_7450.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFenc9YOh51InHlW0cJ4CmsCXnxiXDaBpIqR3oMByMjXMymU-lhhWCbLLE_bBDdqJ52MyHjsSwGraWn5HTdmz1JjxOgmqFwDzCOZTDCU3XWgEprep0VAjaI0Pb4QTTLAlN2UISy8oWWz5N-XIV9bTPZX9porof0njGNGhJoou4X41ZCF8Ti9NK/s200/IMG_7450.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmivNwe-HgM098oiRRdXh-i2E9q0t_FtLpPf9BGtgitAhBjZKxDAsHkwi9O7Ijv8SPyzEZL7p4tpKZUH0n01xK21t3AB99cCiAynh3r-LNwLa1JSJlpiUOtxIaezDAFVFhOxyrubsSZlrL6XrhpH9RVlWZ13EeIoGphTsA4avTc3EBEhNb9K2/s4032/IMG_7532.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwmivNwe-HgM098oiRRdXh-i2E9q0t_FtLpPf9BGtgitAhBjZKxDAsHkwi9O7Ijv8SPyzEZL7p4tpKZUH0n01xK21t3AB99cCiAynh3r-LNwLa1JSJlpiUOtxIaezDAFVFhOxyrubsSZlrL6XrhpH9RVlWZ13EeIoGphTsA4avTc3EBEhNb9K2/s200/IMG_7532.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufwK2c-HaFSI7I5aQ2s5KX1tWbjoU4x-VXh5fQAFxo-5p-etYzFRYDNWhWumvxZdyFlP9MZ5nbdp65s6O4Z7_HnuMt9bPUbrRv75WdNKZTsa_-RQTLXNQ6aF_NlvjIRh_xcSPimfFWn0PIJght2YaSabOZ2uw03I0EPZSi3CZDBc2b_uZVUyg/s4032/IMG_7537.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiufwK2c-HaFSI7I5aQ2s5KX1tWbjoU4x-VXh5fQAFxo-5p-etYzFRYDNWhWumvxZdyFlP9MZ5nbdp65s6O4Z7_HnuMt9bPUbrRv75WdNKZTsa_-RQTLXNQ6aF_NlvjIRh_xcSPimfFWn0PIJght2YaSabOZ2uw03I0EPZSi3CZDBc2b_uZVUyg/s200/IMG_7537.jpg"/></a>
<br>We crossed the border back into the USA in full dark (and zero traffic) and then had a blur of scenery as we travelled west</center>
<p>I think the poor guy was just tired. It was that time of night where it gets really hard to stay awake if there is not that much going on, even for people who regularly work the night shift. The first thing his system did was read our car's license plate number. This caused him to start with the spiel he uses to determine if a foreign national has a legitimate reason for being allowed entry. As he was doing this, I was thinking something like 'Why are you hassling us? We're citizens.' Then he asked for our passports and seemed to think the same thing.
<p>He let out a sigh, "Welcome to the United States."
<p>We're in!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyWRs1Nfsl5cl6NK6wPcipor842K-5JVkhWCIaxTrX3kbGzzvpGeHthKhQ2Pfy8yiSusDjnA1GGuI_e_XBdpZ_UKJ1mSJflzq2FVr7KuIhZyPvsHxIULRcsT9_mewZKloyO_5_kgHIH0LB519xI4D5R_Lbt827ILkp2GpupJYMobtM32M-x2l/s4032/IMG_7460.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZyWRs1Nfsl5cl6NK6wPcipor842K-5JVkhWCIaxTrX3kbGzzvpGeHthKhQ2Pfy8yiSusDjnA1GGuI_e_XBdpZ_UKJ1mSJflzq2FVr7KuIhZyPvsHxIULRcsT9_mewZKloyO_5_kgHIH0LB519xI4D5R_Lbt827ILkp2GpupJYMobtM32M-x2l/s200/IMG_7460.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmFyJBh_yrSwQeZH96Gp3bQZcACBYNGLBInIjvmim-J024bhQXtzvOrxbkxY-GyBc5D1CS8WnbCRSVkk8zIIbDPDZVlpdn8n3sCekS-GrWVY-dNRSKmt4ygtsXWGd1eMW3u2yvyDs8A_UOffjXTWHp5JO5PV6hdSsKL2UTjiuYKTodOtuzlnW/s4032/IMG_7463.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixmFyJBh_yrSwQeZH96Gp3bQZcACBYNGLBInIjvmim-J024bhQXtzvOrxbkxY-GyBc5D1CS8WnbCRSVkk8zIIbDPDZVlpdn8n3sCekS-GrWVY-dNRSKmt4ygtsXWGd1eMW3u2yvyDs8A_UOffjXTWHp5JO5PV6hdSsKL2UTjiuYKTodOtuzlnW/s200/IMG_7463.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNXzDvr4DynRWex-ZTQdbdcZLg0CLI2YMzfCySC8fY3BG0eRIRJOyIjNOXAayp8jZW1VDn8bWpx_MBh-zjvA6osiYnY_9yvET4pg034DMCmAPVMLdPnjX1Ca7bC88LYwAlVD2PlzjIkFT3lWBmJqZx6S0vuUQDdDhw2C9XRR-N-oKaKh1XKOE/s4032/IMG_7458.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmNXzDvr4DynRWex-ZTQdbdcZLg0CLI2YMzfCySC8fY3BG0eRIRJOyIjNOXAayp8jZW1VDn8bWpx_MBh-zjvA6osiYnY_9yvET4pg034DMCmAPVMLdPnjX1Ca7bC88LYwAlVD2PlzjIkFT3lWBmJqZx6S0vuUQDdDhw2C9XRR-N-oKaKh1XKOE/s200/IMG_7458.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-n6jrD8rw3Dlaw9QdaUB0YkZcbL4bpvDVA5NReJ2AD8c_luqKp9C935TO6NmN4QbJyqDnZfenu83vLysnLlh3l4euYRRnaEUxGdrAPmtWiej_ZORrsyLv8d3NPQzJddm9wAm8iFiPRshzbpxO-QJSUiiw8FInYfuwZ3zM_JRuA_QX5TviJLSh/s4032/IMG_7545.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-n6jrD8rw3Dlaw9QdaUB0YkZcbL4bpvDVA5NReJ2AD8c_luqKp9C935TO6NmN4QbJyqDnZfenu83vLysnLlh3l4euYRRnaEUxGdrAPmtWiej_ZORrsyLv8d3NPQzJddm9wAm8iFiPRshzbpxO-QJSUiiw8FInYfuwZ3zM_JRuA_QX5TviJLSh/s200/IMG_7545.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSd7qA9Xo9NIaJV3A5IxK_Yoq3kM0I-qDEXtvTogyea8XBbIFAT7H_b9vltRhi7qSbYcr13-TIPVHfp4xBgfp2tYdE9NpR3lngDx89NscJuwOOulpPQO3oDtRyyts0hyphenhyphenKA5v8WZo6dbNP0i5OKy4YQOis-0tjj0WycIfd-YjI4AF5Zdx79D90/s4032/IMG_7469.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLSd7qA9Xo9NIaJV3A5IxK_Yoq3kM0I-qDEXtvTogyea8XBbIFAT7H_b9vltRhi7qSbYcr13-TIPVHfp4xBgfp2tYdE9NpR3lngDx89NscJuwOOulpPQO3oDtRyyts0hyphenhyphenKA5v8WZo6dbNP0i5OKy4YQOis-0tjj0WycIfd-YjI4AF5Zdx79D90/s200/IMG_7469.jpg"/></a>
<br>Maryanne insisted on a few stops - here we are at the home and museum of the "Jolly Green giant" in Minnesota, and to 'nab' Iowa we diverted to the tri-state marker and ran around</center>
<p>We had just a few minutes delay at the beginning of Chicago's rush hour, and then it was a lot of empty road and fast speed limits to Sioux Falls. We were able to make it to the river feature that is the city's namesake just before the sun went down. That gave us just enough time to do a walk around the park before heading to our hotel. We had driven nine hundred miles and touched seven U.S. states and one Canadian Province.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil00-pmjJIFq0AYCEVM9HKMyR-UQ6MrnbQePQgTlmfgi8OqXr6n2AwMR9eTr2yNPQuU9_loVlU3n3kBjWlWtDL7CMEbXomyyEq541-iQlzOfCXwo4MFF46CAy73dz7RMV1cWWUzmIxx19Kg3jcrzI_xFXk7h9ievZw5O3zuzDwdWl-0K3mR04r/s2592/DSC09353.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil00-pmjJIFq0AYCEVM9HKMyR-UQ6MrnbQePQgTlmfgi8OqXr6n2AwMR9eTr2yNPQuU9_loVlU3n3kBjWlWtDL7CMEbXomyyEq541-iQlzOfCXwo4MFF46CAy73dz7RMV1cWWUzmIxx19Kg3jcrzI_xFXk7h9ievZw5O3zuzDwdWl-0K3mR04r/s200/DSC09353.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ng2U89zt2l4kRxp2CxdAfu7isjsTuiX78R8MmFtdhuuxl_QQDjL689EHUiAiNAngOcYkhlx2HoDId9fgn0KafIErmlp46cIw4ZHFvrpVJVZzue6LAsDpX4M48LaHYi2QyV7Kh1yAt6OMoshu9gE4R-yzbiPqpUuuRKItaqIsdVJLJO6so0f/s2592/DSC09357.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja8ng2U89zt2l4kRxp2CxdAfu7isjsTuiX78R8MmFtdhuuxl_QQDjL689EHUiAiNAngOcYkhlx2HoDId9fgn0KafIErmlp46cIw4ZHFvrpVJVZzue6LAsDpX4M48LaHYi2QyV7Kh1yAt6OMoshu9gE4R-yzbiPqpUuuRKItaqIsdVJLJO6so0f/s200/DSC09357.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1vlK7McFX8SslAA2UL6OE3qHlOzOH8AU9kf4weXIaX9vK1egr54yKE3kU5cmvgjEej7f_Hzwi6SAqwxDO0qf6o0I_kvimFVbFqXU_uGb1rDoSX4jiBv-4tRW35fOm8OgMNfZQvfYEAbLvEg0R5QbDh-XizVVXwi-7Hd4jcB3hsYktQ2k57Tp/s4032/IMG_7475.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH1vlK7McFX8SslAA2UL6OE3qHlOzOH8AU9kf4weXIaX9vK1egr54yKE3kU5cmvgjEej7f_Hzwi6SAqwxDO0qf6o0I_kvimFVbFqXU_uGb1rDoSX4jiBv-4tRW35fOm8OgMNfZQvfYEAbLvEg0R5QbDh-XizVVXwi-7Hd4jcB3hsYktQ2k57Tp/s200/IMG_7475.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_ZwTuK1WD97iWJ5GXrL3z2dYR0Njy1GQdW9ekUR3T2TgUdIgGOKNt4FA_kXsrHBa3F6c1KvIjsb9B-MTTYxKoKm32dlOgOewYo31koESH0-x7FWh49Xa5b-3waWYTnUVQweSrqVrm963TBgKE398bsHm7yNVhsKAMnsF4L3PjXwlcbQQ484o/s4032/IMG_7551.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4_ZwTuK1WD97iWJ5GXrL3z2dYR0Njy1GQdW9ekUR3T2TgUdIgGOKNt4FA_kXsrHBa3F6c1KvIjsb9B-MTTYxKoKm32dlOgOewYo31koESH0-x7FWh49Xa5b-3waWYTnUVQweSrqVrm963TBgKE398bsHm7yNVhsKAMnsF4L3PjXwlcbQQ484o/s200/IMG_7551.jpg"/></a>
<br>Sioux Falls just before sunset</center>
<p>That made for a long day. We ate a quick dinner at a place we selected entirely based on it's proximity to our motel, and then spent most of our time in the room looking at the back of our eyelids.
<p>The next day, I had billed as a tourism day. That was misleading because it was still a long day with a lot of driving ("only" 550 miles), plus we squeezed in visits to Mt. Rushmore, The Crazy Horse Memorial and, right at sunset, Devils Tower.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSqprTcdGZ13xYpwT_QL9ln5TKslqGgSF1n5z6_27Duev3Mvva_cQTSexGQ_iwCcnOYxBfnnTxYx88vwb1IWvAG_L29W__yCo_RXCD42kRKM96fkbqToilUE7Vld_SRadwrOLyaMuCl8xyNK4uWunuK5PtP0rELo9W2oE8BCQ9m7-Vs71JVZF/s2155/IMG_7493.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1616" data-original-width="2155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwSqprTcdGZ13xYpwT_QL9ln5TKslqGgSF1n5z6_27Duev3Mvva_cQTSexGQ_iwCcnOYxBfnnTxYx88vwb1IWvAG_L29W__yCo_RXCD42kRKM96fkbqToilUE7Vld_SRadwrOLyaMuCl8xyNK4uWunuK5PtP0rELo9W2oE8BCQ9m7-Vs71JVZF/s200/IMG_7493.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5aihThb-usio_DjeZQRot-v7bjiVIrcjs3xUaxX7StMOw26suw0t17-YH7UTJ1AKQflQTxWZP2Ad6vWG4hqWkoXhVY6ZkvX6lslLpQfO_fhvODNg3ZCdtK_LzYCAi_fDdHbWVzsy1uGILYYFprSUqZpDMgruzCRkpFp1ZgJInCeK55rIMGXW/s4032/IMG_7505.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhU5aihThb-usio_DjeZQRot-v7bjiVIrcjs3xUaxX7StMOw26suw0t17-YH7UTJ1AKQflQTxWZP2Ad6vWG4hqWkoXhVY6ZkvX6lslLpQfO_fhvODNg3ZCdtK_LzYCAi_fDdHbWVzsy1uGILYYFprSUqZpDMgruzCRkpFp1ZgJInCeK55rIMGXW/s200/IMG_7505.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6KtjFs9FquwkjePjRYJkZirOawInoa-gg8V3yygm5G00wiyB86Aj-C3Cx4RDGNdSWPSd5nnpxitZi3gflreNwTxYpARfiBYKSlsbuJTLn7Myfab9iIf4JzfR79ARKJgiWkcw5TYTdxHTwWtL7zLmj5C4BDEAuTwptJiOf6sjgTR9RvXgcUFt/s4032/IMG_7515.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE6KtjFs9FquwkjePjRYJkZirOawInoa-gg8V3yygm5G00wiyB86Aj-C3Cx4RDGNdSWPSd5nnpxitZi3gflreNwTxYpARfiBYKSlsbuJTLn7Myfab9iIf4JzfR79ARKJgiWkcw5TYTdxHTwWtL7zLmj5C4BDEAuTwptJiOf6sjgTR9RvXgcUFt/s200/IMG_7515.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLuFtyhlzAInlJB0qE9Ya_a_wYzaVMeHbhx4AgrVBmraKYeAjcYh2fIcY7g_3k_lJ_DVWjPbSRy_Zx5m15E5mktDw426Xnnb6O-BwBBOgrnueeF91TOADRA7P4ZVbrVbkiAUr6MyTIW8i_AIdZJYOnbPrO5fsNsPOfyRxXDA1ak4mVh7LdPF1/s4032/IMG_7517.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiLuFtyhlzAInlJB0qE9Ya_a_wYzaVMeHbhx4AgrVBmraKYeAjcYh2fIcY7g_3k_lJ_DVWjPbSRy_Zx5m15E5mktDw426Xnnb6O-BwBBOgrnueeF91TOADRA7P4ZVbrVbkiAUr6MyTIW8i_AIdZJYOnbPrO5fsNsPOfyRxXDA1ak4mVh7LdPF1/s200/IMG_7517.jpg"/></a>
<br>More blurred scenery at the start of day 2</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUV-M1z1Zh9P86-o5vlSTpXmyyPCkeUzUhWuqFavTwzdrzznL3OqBW0IeTY-qSR6_BwtTQk7o9EPakE9paxdyXzmPZm8vuO3Rlc4OI28tKpOaXsxRPrgB7LaFORpVekz3NONz4WbE_5gE-WhHOh_9DvkxXLCeQxCDZy4OOef4Z4ktQDW2Sy3e/s3048/IMG_7558.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3048" data-original-width="2286" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnUV-M1z1Zh9P86-o5vlSTpXmyyPCkeUzUhWuqFavTwzdrzznL3OqBW0IeTY-qSR6_BwtTQk7o9EPakE9paxdyXzmPZm8vuO3Rlc4OI28tKpOaXsxRPrgB7LaFORpVekz3NONz4WbE_5gE-WhHOh_9DvkxXLCeQxCDZy4OOef4Z4ktQDW2Sy3e/s200/IMG_7558.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSOvnzEQfVPhXM_exM9Ut9Dh4AJ_KsgF00BXJBzrlVmAhP5ZMZUsg4bHSt2qnps1DPhGOMkb2mtIITvd8cFJ5xQMraGqjeBR79WlQf_chNmCswN_6asmqK_hgQMWl-2K62eYM-QCEafx8OBUCYmlWs_GnG-C0AR9Vh0t4BR4QC2JvIAUBYGlj/s4032/IMG_7522.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibSOvnzEQfVPhXM_exM9Ut9Dh4AJ_KsgF00BXJBzrlVmAhP5ZMZUsg4bHSt2qnps1DPhGOMkb2mtIITvd8cFJ5xQMraGqjeBR79WlQf_chNmCswN_6asmqK_hgQMWl-2K62eYM-QCEafx8OBUCYmlWs_GnG-C0AR9Vh0t4BR4QC2JvIAUBYGlj/s200/IMG_7522.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTac66CItlukYapzfo5nKpd2Stzc5SfWgPJAXL9kGfIta_n9llFeur75iEYvRU9LrkHRDnW6FpB2RwlifUXQRiznOLywJt8xAUX6wY7Rtp-H-VHkijFSof8OMjgFWpdSLU3ahY8bPeQp99Gdyc2CltFzvxi_dKkbXrOagu4XXNb_11uk_FHscN/s2592/DSC09416.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTac66CItlukYapzfo5nKpd2Stzc5SfWgPJAXL9kGfIta_n9llFeur75iEYvRU9LrkHRDnW6FpB2RwlifUXQRiznOLywJt8xAUX6wY7Rtp-H-VHkijFSof8OMjgFWpdSLU3ahY8bPeQp99Gdyc2CltFzvxi_dKkbXrOagu4XXNb_11uk_FHscN/s200/DSC09416.jpg"/></a>
<br>Maryanne insisted on a stop to feed the Prairie Dogs</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQfzuaV-a2xszUgbIcrxk6zV70eXa2RLk7q_uN6a-LPheZfzHTFe5D7lCph1Z9N1QhBT5w7OXw00JoLpnfRKkf1J7snqjndQWm1yAexDbK8BDoYjFii98My7lpf04a0mid7L4gMedTIiP4GynsjzejXCR8MEgEBWW7g5yPVG2L70cZqKH7E0-/s2592/DSC09523.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNQfzuaV-a2xszUgbIcrxk6zV70eXa2RLk7q_uN6a-LPheZfzHTFe5D7lCph1Z9N1QhBT5w7OXw00JoLpnfRKkf1J7snqjndQWm1yAexDbK8BDoYjFii98My7lpf04a0mid7L4gMedTIiP4GynsjzejXCR8MEgEBWW7g5yPVG2L70cZqKH7E0-/s200/DSC09523.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgxVQIorLCTzP77Rm3rrhvaRTuqRUZg5F0XEiod30GkJTsS6IK7w_iogctWaf09x1ykVLo7jxYhUMN_37A5qz9knA4jsOvAsiCwLiy2NZfp4kb4Y3Yj9hMC3UraMMhy7YmwEEQORVvfSNgm4Shc6nRZqzCSuRmosv6UE64pZ2nHjJcExvrnVU/s4032/IMG_7534.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidgxVQIorLCTzP77Rm3rrhvaRTuqRUZg5F0XEiod30GkJTsS6IK7w_iogctWaf09x1ykVLo7jxYhUMN_37A5qz9knA4jsOvAsiCwLiy2NZfp4kb4Y3Yj9hMC3UraMMhy7YmwEEQORVvfSNgm4Shc6nRZqzCSuRmosv6UE64pZ2nHjJcExvrnVU/s200/IMG_7534.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSkUk_zr3vwv_AeqZ3MHmBHVoCJT_Uv5zKfRUGRU0JubDCHeLM9yZH2ei6hXwtUCmhyphenhyphenMDJY_04_dToMZJkAx_l5BpbQbT5ZN1Wmo5vUprl-B93wQP-t-byLJNRv7sklbpgmzZG5rcV2jPBkBdkuGRAz_dQzZq-Hd-wq7iMXER1ECGfdyKt2V8/s4032/IMG_7542.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfSkUk_zr3vwv_AeqZ3MHmBHVoCJT_Uv5zKfRUGRU0JubDCHeLM9yZH2ei6hXwtUCmhyphenhyphenMDJY_04_dToMZJkAx_l5BpbQbT5ZN1Wmo5vUprl-B93wQP-t-byLJNRv7sklbpgmzZG5rcV2jPBkBdkuGRAz_dQzZq-Hd-wq7iMXER1ECGfdyKt2V8/s200/IMG_7542.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7euq7QQJ-_GTkemF1DGAdNMcqV7962pQsb6lQt1TjEyf0bYZ199eDce1rWoZuV1Mjtp7-KkoLA110V4o4oFRm21x6Q22RqXiAaJgt6G4SzSxFsDxg2oztuoV7B93cJYI7EJV7Ifw72nIpojXTaRbEb8eFvOrkMB3A-cMDpv9S1XGZweEQr_pW/s2592/DSC09513.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7euq7QQJ-_GTkemF1DGAdNMcqV7962pQsb6lQt1TjEyf0bYZ199eDce1rWoZuV1Mjtp7-KkoLA110V4o4oFRm21x6Q22RqXiAaJgt6G4SzSxFsDxg2oztuoV7B93cJYI7EJV7Ifw72nIpojXTaRbEb8eFvOrkMB3A-cMDpv9S1XGZweEQr_pW/s200/DSC09513.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi9PS70EIKnpA26i-5x7VcKTKBBQH0LnOfBTJiKsRyZoRLUENSmJvZ_awJ2NM-1jY52zFG7_dbh7qiGKsMImDdcGS0P29i3DPzgL4AEHKMGFtC5Ws49nMSyIslwvin9PchIEGvinfIV7F7W6_NmYdEqdrEcpnF6r0TmXypojtTI3rukHVoYhk/s2592/DSC09516.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSi9PS70EIKnpA26i-5x7VcKTKBBQH0LnOfBTJiKsRyZoRLUENSmJvZ_awJ2NM-1jY52zFG7_dbh7qiGKsMImDdcGS0P29i3DPzgL4AEHKMGFtC5Ws49nMSyIslwvin9PchIEGvinfIV7F7W6_NmYdEqdrEcpnF6r0TmXypojtTI3rukHVoYhk/s200/DSC09516.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3VF4vOKozHa2t26S9CCsVqQuq2Dn1cBWvtp5Z8CNqk9AAtK9Zess97GZpGdHTdsbLYWG6x_lmevPCOKzkoFnY-xrSQYiAnYfWks6j8T8HnYfF_izguLr7LK8ExN9RCOvaZitudmrUqCcpgoGwfFkhP0oAlTLTQ4TZUms0_USCQJ1D6kG_B7g/s2592/DSC09527.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ3VF4vOKozHa2t26S9CCsVqQuq2Dn1cBWvtp5Z8CNqk9AAtK9Zess97GZpGdHTdsbLYWG6x_lmevPCOKzkoFnY-xrSQYiAnYfWks6j8T8HnYfF_izguLr7LK8ExN9RCOvaZitudmrUqCcpgoGwfFkhP0oAlTLTQ4TZUms0_USCQJ1D6kG_B7g/s200/DSC09527.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnkYsiH28crHdyT7geGauTBUsqmSNM_qG34-FzHJoxYV9YlRp0VhdxL6lKyAisuCYiTpDiD76RtEXrbw-1rVF6zD8Z8OVeLApY12BBTketv-ZfvS2toqGkXXHkqoeRpoIEx9hC6ZF7g-ql5GUI7gQvRAxAvyr4tAAsHCvjq4JyNYi5lMdxDbu/s2592/DSC09529.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSnkYsiH28crHdyT7geGauTBUsqmSNM_qG34-FzHJoxYV9YlRp0VhdxL6lKyAisuCYiTpDiD76RtEXrbw-1rVF6zD8Z8OVeLApY12BBTketv-ZfvS2toqGkXXHkqoeRpoIEx9hC6ZF7g-ql5GUI7gQvRAxAvyr4tAAsHCvjq4JyNYi5lMdxDbu/s200/DSC09529.jpg"/></a>
<br>Mount Rushmore, included a stop for ice cream and we were quite taken by the light fittings in the cafe</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIY73LJI8MzXkLoAGSGQ6LZuVpIbituFWpGlXNWUOXiOqsOp1PFiQ2RSp9TCX9E6seQUUh0vNn4Yb9n9x7U4-cj8uqfWWBkZ7jNmzCrT2sl2LXzPHx02SFjmL1QA72NiVbdzsjBKQ_7YfGG1yW_aatInoWcRhxJABqpaFebKh6YRIvEdG5mmq/s2592/DSC09535.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBIY73LJI8MzXkLoAGSGQ6LZuVpIbituFWpGlXNWUOXiOqsOp1PFiQ2RSp9TCX9E6seQUUh0vNn4Yb9n9x7U4-cj8uqfWWBkZ7jNmzCrT2sl2LXzPHx02SFjmL1QA72NiVbdzsjBKQ_7YfGG1yW_aatInoWcRhxJABqpaFebKh6YRIvEdG5mmq/s200/DSC09535.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFNzzYDsyYRUrGDE56sKdbahPpI_Fzn_HZSjc6-48PLin2TSzdTP833YrJTWLXjIfjyxPD2D2RGRDxxQtH2CsBJSD78YWEKDXK7F3makrFbXwP-F10Ts-Ed0EkqxIIURIb9RRHpYThc645yAxx2aUKnbVy3iWK6bNKcy6LofKh6TT51walJWE/s2592/DSC09544.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaFNzzYDsyYRUrGDE56sKdbahPpI_Fzn_HZSjc6-48PLin2TSzdTP833YrJTWLXjIfjyxPD2D2RGRDxxQtH2CsBJSD78YWEKDXK7F3makrFbXwP-F10Ts-Ed0EkqxIIURIb9RRHpYThc645yAxx2aUKnbVy3iWK6bNKcy6LofKh6TT51walJWE/s200/DSC09544.jpg"/></a>
<br>More blurs of scenery as we wisk along</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-9ZHMs9L8L743nCEgjiQM1-Oc_xxPSHBHggW84xwVCoL3BuSW_7id50jDxpmp266YVvH-8SlYDKtr1HgkS2xcPSMiaXxBcUQFIsX4TlflFeDNcRKgCBOLmR8r_tS6QYs6uefOovLZhkMZy0u_Q03ORn5UaXy1cKLj5nKBKd61LQcPCwQMxfN/s2592/DSC09550.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn-9ZHMs9L8L743nCEgjiQM1-Oc_xxPSHBHggW84xwVCoL3BuSW_7id50jDxpmp266YVvH-8SlYDKtr1HgkS2xcPSMiaXxBcUQFIsX4TlflFeDNcRKgCBOLmR8r_tS6QYs6uefOovLZhkMZy0u_Q03ORn5UaXy1cKLj5nKBKd61LQcPCwQMxfN/s200/DSC09550.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQ29jX0CBp3p600R_6sDkZN_lq-xwx2rZ7vHU-Cd0VDMAZQSDZNIeN_5BL5xCz3DcNz74msCAG3RmTy-HGfRsHBw994cfQPLvJzWTlNq16uzUJudQNSbX510OQwNhum8VCBbjjEwtymzDQ2uRig6NtMzExuzBLjeFq7AfXl7bbAFYI5FKGugT/s4032/IMG_7566-2.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggQ29jX0CBp3p600R_6sDkZN_lq-xwx2rZ7vHU-Cd0VDMAZQSDZNIeN_5BL5xCz3DcNz74msCAG3RmTy-HGfRsHBw994cfQPLvJzWTlNq16uzUJudQNSbX510OQwNhum8VCBbjjEwtymzDQ2uRig6NtMzExuzBLjeFq7AfXl7bbAFYI5FKGugT/s200/IMG_7566-2.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir57QhelUgDPQKwvdMFhrYaMkn3RNVTzRXUcxfkAoTf9mRwxvteglK8KruGPpf19CXX5fON45wUyPnsEiWDANyVJlvj9LH5ye1NzzyUJoxA8zxuHHR_yQWfJ6jBJ8PvVMehMgCFQQp1AUsAJgdJ-F2oWc6CWcv3FhBoWz_zPVQ0K42eny5g81S/s4032/IMG_7552.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir57QhelUgDPQKwvdMFhrYaMkn3RNVTzRXUcxfkAoTf9mRwxvteglK8KruGPpf19CXX5fON45wUyPnsEiWDANyVJlvj9LH5ye1NzzyUJoxA8zxuHHR_yQWfJ6jBJ8PvVMehMgCFQQp1AUsAJgdJ-F2oWc6CWcv3FhBoWz_zPVQ0K42eny5g81S/s200/IMG_7552.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGff0CGxvdu1ahag3PMPc6zEIAgQVFq400W54VxFJb3-d620T66oVvMwYqsu94q9jC1ejm_tXu8EmMcv6Ki0gCOhkaoOb8ik1XfLvljqH-t4E0lW6O3asWOVJ-PMpZt_Rq6F4QDd_QwOpMW1WfNwOx5VsCrb6brdt_XzksU_kxivkeK2KJVBw/s4032/IMG_7569.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjGff0CGxvdu1ahag3PMPc6zEIAgQVFq400W54VxFJb3-d620T66oVvMwYqsu94q9jC1ejm_tXu8EmMcv6Ki0gCOhkaoOb8ik1XfLvljqH-t4E0lW6O3asWOVJ-PMpZt_Rq6F4QDd_QwOpMW1WfNwOx5VsCrb6brdt_XzksU_kxivkeK2KJVBw/s200/IMG_7569.jpg"/></a>
<br>The Crazy Horse Memorial (to all Native Americans) is a long way from being finshed, but included a great museum telling the story of the memorial, and the history of various Native American groups. It is also where we spotted our first snow!</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUL4Blrz-phCYyK8ZZSlJ9veIp_glDgBCgRGKmaZBRo_DwcpU3udccxoZFKGxxIv1cZqT_826P9120eCVdm53-TvJV_dPH0u929w3YXW_bdZh4r_FO13MkOJewe00Sa1PchjuzKHexu71R6kSzJ5zJgSwi6K_b97jpSxrXx15jHRqkgE6gi_t/s2592/DSC09556.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBUL4Blrz-phCYyK8ZZSlJ9veIp_glDgBCgRGKmaZBRo_DwcpU3udccxoZFKGxxIv1cZqT_826P9120eCVdm53-TvJV_dPH0u929w3YXW_bdZh4r_FO13MkOJewe00Sa1PchjuzKHexu71R6kSzJ5zJgSwi6K_b97jpSxrXx15jHRqkgE6gi_t/s200/DSC09556.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYpCqCto0ooy46Uiiq-zvfrprjLcjYiYbNDxBH9maOMnydlIlzDi2hg82SrYiQA3zDB1TknOw9aL4DL9bwcS8-68RcwQZkvMwELj94nL1Eqp-YNO1L5MFFtgqSbDLA1Di-KHjbN-EA0btgq2fltGgE_vrzHhpRSb5dBoo0gfaVvEWPyaUu8i6/s4032/IMG_7629.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYpCqCto0ooy46Uiiq-zvfrprjLcjYiYbNDxBH9maOMnydlIlzDi2hg82SrYiQA3zDB1TknOw9aL4DL9bwcS8-68RcwQZkvMwELj94nL1Eqp-YNO1L5MFFtgqSbDLA1Di-KHjbN-EA0btgq2fltGgE_vrzHhpRSb5dBoo0gfaVvEWPyaUu8i6/s200/IMG_7629.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3b5SAqQ3cy3-_jTtKzi8pFhtM2zBnD5y4p1flDSQv-O30WcqOIo2ksjJ2sZtE0mvYgl3OqQfdWcQP0jD8ZrAkjtRotlHtdJdfTqSwbTkAqPNmI9W9a3JG27Lw_ZwIfegSq950vtPqn9FBM4PeyQfPPYRXv0obXMQ4SlEH6FDgcEClhP8FRP-/s4032/IMG_7658.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3b5SAqQ3cy3-_jTtKzi8pFhtM2zBnD5y4p1flDSQv-O30WcqOIo2ksjJ2sZtE0mvYgl3OqQfdWcQP0jD8ZrAkjtRotlHtdJdfTqSwbTkAqPNmI9W9a3JG27Lw_ZwIfegSq950vtPqn9FBM4PeyQfPPYRXv0obXMQ4SlEH6FDgcEClhP8FRP-/s200/IMG_7658.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoNwqb4Wn4nt-JsStBiwAISYxrSfycz8pYHyiDdGnt8MKSgRSUs-PgKMzcC9BWmzv_fnkiyt_D22nEwrjyJFzFkbiSHI40ZFtuJTLpXyY7D5cDpiTcsnt_Eo8bL25c84qKLgzd20MQbnn4-BXQLtXDx0MiaRny75oDMcskxPnD9fwhEJW2zDF/s4032/IMG_7672.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyoNwqb4Wn4nt-JsStBiwAISYxrSfycz8pYHyiDdGnt8MKSgRSUs-PgKMzcC9BWmzv_fnkiyt_D22nEwrjyJFzFkbiSHI40ZFtuJTLpXyY7D5cDpiTcsnt_Eo8bL25c84qKLgzd20MQbnn4-BXQLtXDx0MiaRny75oDMcskxPnD9fwhEJW2zDF/s200/IMG_7672.jpg"/></a>
<br>We squeezed in a visit to Devils Tower (apostrophe omitted deliberately) before dark arrived. You may recognize it from the The 1977 movie: Close Encounters of the Third Kind</center>
<p>We finished the day in Gillette, Wyoming, which is the center of Wyoming's coal industry and not a great spot for tourism, but we were at least getting far enough west into the part of the country where really good Mexican food is ubiquitous instead of rare. that certainly helped make up for the post-apocalyptic view on the way in.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG4Hs26bp0Q3BjoGzeAyxShOZyITaZZox0sMWyyn07Uy4IHQmBymGHUyuDybJayZ90Sl4ljXlOCNXM9hCT0BFFnWDMfaGTKrOzic4P3xcJtA6UmhbQTx7e_N5ZDBRXGsrZrqAsrTT0V_NxLbLkPO_1pWErQRMUitAVnXsNqdHVfSuvGBmUZ5b/s3024/IMG_7691.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="2268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsG4Hs26bp0Q3BjoGzeAyxShOZyITaZZox0sMWyyn07Uy4IHQmBymGHUyuDybJayZ90Sl4ljXlOCNXM9hCT0BFFnWDMfaGTKrOzic4P3xcJtA6UmhbQTx7e_N5ZDBRXGsrZrqAsrTT0V_NxLbLkPO_1pWErQRMUitAVnXsNqdHVfSuvGBmUZ5b/s200/IMG_7691.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCmqRJcDUFoBN7MeEzhD4vRe2qX7R0cJmfPd1g-kLOz6lsBZvfYNQzN5iXX-hK55vwTRNzzstmGRjq3AGpgjh24AEigGQgtvmquOHQ8lHqKv8hRUBO_dHAgoukIVheBkMOeFLjydibz0T3k7Lg27JQb8IqVmxsfSQ8lh2dl_pr8j8YRow7qGZ/s4032/IMG_7693.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOCmqRJcDUFoBN7MeEzhD4vRe2qX7R0cJmfPd1g-kLOz6lsBZvfYNQzN5iXX-hK55vwTRNzzstmGRjq3AGpgjh24AEigGQgtvmquOHQ8lHqKv8hRUBO_dHAgoukIVheBkMOeFLjydibz0T3k7Lg27JQb8IqVmxsfSQ8lh2dl_pr8j8YRow7qGZ/s200/IMG_7693.jpg"/></a>
<br>We grabbed a quick Mexican meal for dinner before a rest for the night</center>
<p>After that, it was just an easy six hours into Montana, including a provisioning stop in Billings, to Uncle Jay's (& Aunt Marie's) cozy cabin.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXKb1IEIGaiKUVLaltjULaiG6lkya-7v5BsRV-elTAwv6QmxufhHxeazK8b8W3kimO1kknRsuC8HzlRhs3JT9htiuV61s_YrUXJJz7DdBZnuQ-h5ljfY7vuoLBIznaG9zMDXEQ4AERZvukPAhB9iz_FQ9rUvRHe3sG24giN5VVLBmzm5A7mRj/s4032/IMG_7744.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVXKb1IEIGaiKUVLaltjULaiG6lkya-7v5BsRV-elTAwv6QmxufhHxeazK8b8W3kimO1kknRsuC8HzlRhs3JT9htiuV61s_YrUXJJz7DdBZnuQ-h5ljfY7vuoLBIznaG9zMDXEQ4AERZvukPAhB9iz_FQ9rUvRHe3sG24giN5VVLBmzm5A7mRj/s200/IMG_7744.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2hdwwbL_0nP4LLrqoKzW0AT-O1Jou4n8jLyXFfBIoda_66AlLyFpPAlPgbbZjfBjxCNeER8Kqb-dfeNEwMiSo8Q4eF_mZ0xs_8v3wkt63kEdE0mi832gQJkjNMUCuxcJPdOerdUkZfEePMfZ0xlSSM7Bgsbj5T2hfjnJSuzh-pfqw7Q2SxM6/s4032/IMG_7779.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs2hdwwbL_0nP4LLrqoKzW0AT-O1Jou4n8jLyXFfBIoda_66AlLyFpPAlPgbbZjfBjxCNeER8Kqb-dfeNEwMiSo8Q4eF_mZ0xs_8v3wkt63kEdE0mi832gQJkjNMUCuxcJPdOerdUkZfEePMfZ0xlSSM7Bgsbj5T2hfjnJSuzh-pfqw7Q2SxM6/s200/IMG_7779.jpg"/></a>
<br>More blurs of scenery</center>
<p>Once we left the last settlement at Rygate, where Marie works as an elected official, it was just thirty five miles to the cabin. We were surprised to find a nice, two-lane road with a seventy mile per hour speed limit heading out of town. We'll be there in no time!
<p>The pavement ended ten miles later with no notice. Jay later told us that locals drive the dirt roads at about forty miles per hour. They all have big 4WD pickups for coping with winter snows. Our rented economy car with its little tires and low clearance had to slow below thirty to feel safe. When we got to Jay's address an hour later, we discovered that's just the location of the mailbox. It was still a few more miles to the actual house.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJho8oaGjDbxsFvCRpeFsLebvId2ZyhmofWNA5hoE4Hy1TckQgX2pkHZE6wolewTl3Sxpq1EkxO5KW8PKTHekQdzA7rBqBNHRK7XQJjJbd6dTcK-ipRUourIM5shB84BvAEh3FXtpoaRLYk-4pQQNPsPMJZb4iY5SNVkoT-4_YrtV0G7kAEH7E/s4032/IMG_7602.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJho8oaGjDbxsFvCRpeFsLebvId2ZyhmofWNA5hoE4Hy1TckQgX2pkHZE6wolewTl3Sxpq1EkxO5KW8PKTHekQdzA7rBqBNHRK7XQJjJbd6dTcK-ipRUourIM5shB84BvAEh3FXtpoaRLYk-4pQQNPsPMJZb4iY5SNVkoT-4_YrtV0G7kAEH7E/s200/IMG_7602.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnS8d4jVbfmHi1b7DBUvBRd5lnHX3g393UM9Iyzq8VtiXi823sjKZ8OyHyM0taffCSU62jC2SDVtLbjwFCtzk7QrsvZhW-1SebCgHrzC5gdROsrEtXg7IMJGxpjTteWnKFHilNdovivuz1kIf8ZsBcgvOTnoRVcsUcyxfrchP0TRTOFHtN37h/s4032/IMG_7791.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDnS8d4jVbfmHi1b7DBUvBRd5lnHX3g393UM9Iyzq8VtiXi823sjKZ8OyHyM0taffCSU62jC2SDVtLbjwFCtzk7QrsvZhW-1SebCgHrzC5gdROsrEtXg7IMJGxpjTteWnKFHilNdovivuz1kIf8ZsBcgvOTnoRVcsUcyxfrchP0TRTOFHtN37h/s200/IMG_7791.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimE6xDOLRzoMPSgfI3BtVGx9PdVDGNpsJzp_F99E_3Ewf7KLVrwXwwR8eYqNZrUuRQyVMXZ4AU4Qu4GUoRV_cPq57hJgdabNWo1qDHC-6-dvOgqSm4jHSlov577Deb4WMYybd9GvWsfOZSomvDcPuPCczqy5H1jGgJZ19CLsI6CuR_4UpaYrfY/s3019/IMG_7795.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2386" data-original-width="3019" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimE6xDOLRzoMPSgfI3BtVGx9PdVDGNpsJzp_F99E_3Ewf7KLVrwXwwR8eYqNZrUuRQyVMXZ4AU4Qu4GUoRV_cPq57hJgdabNWo1qDHC-6-dvOgqSm4jHSlov577Deb4WMYybd9GvWsfOZSomvDcPuPCczqy5H1jGgJZ19CLsI6CuR_4UpaYrfY/s200/IMG_7795.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2XW2KkI90ao83DppVImePZdnr_D6h1OAv1C7peoOW94JNxa0e0K7CrGen8p84wsHv2XWuZ60xFapJyRRQ3A0_uYP_OsgSUjYWk1WaFkZhu3AdxeNDsFmGRnAc4KMqD882M_PZ0xrqDBHuY60ogkrOxgT9wUAYkdHk5CQHdFg7VFkPZ8MJMTZ/s4032/IMG_7804.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY2XW2KkI90ao83DppVImePZdnr_D6h1OAv1C7peoOW94JNxa0e0K7CrGen8p84wsHv2XWuZ60xFapJyRRQ3A0_uYP_OsgSUjYWk1WaFkZhu3AdxeNDsFmGRnAc4KMqD882M_PZ0xrqDBHuY60ogkrOxgT9wUAYkdHk5CQHdFg7VFkPZ8MJMTZ/s200/IMG_7804.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSab66bNYNr3Sg-Qs7Z0xIEUdctBjMOmAx2I_GB501gzCAFg1Dae5WdXkr6-iPSRe2y81sh7FgydQa7EjuqC7obdXMmGoRRprkyanzWsNUbpWxt4SNv3wLfCdOP39JAgGJyLGU4w4VO9u1aDxfur7AAr1sxlvvyt71rKDJMTTs3fW_SU9fhcE/s4032/IMG_7973.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlSab66bNYNr3Sg-Qs7Z0xIEUdctBjMOmAx2I_GB501gzCAFg1Dae5WdXkr6-iPSRe2y81sh7FgydQa7EjuqC7obdXMmGoRRprkyanzWsNUbpWxt4SNv3wLfCdOP39JAgGJyLGU4w4VO9u1aDxfur7AAr1sxlvvyt71rKDJMTTs3fW_SU9fhcE/s200/IMG_7973.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-0rwtsVTeigKXsiYm5-zdwGTt7R62QO1Sk51yZR1d2zA7uptUu07kG9SHiiZKZvywvBInuXHOSby_OtrBQLtMvyOaWF5D4MM8IRUvkhFv7ZfuynTtvCW7rgviidwwl4jkmuHIw8kvK1j9OVNHLaT0O0G9BKv_Ztl6EgBwUbKeI7uXGacA6ns/s4032/IMG_8003.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU-0rwtsVTeigKXsiYm5-zdwGTt7R62QO1Sk51yZR1d2zA7uptUu07kG9SHiiZKZvywvBInuXHOSby_OtrBQLtMvyOaWF5D4MM8IRUvkhFv7ZfuynTtvCW7rgviidwwl4jkmuHIw8kvK1j9OVNHLaT0O0G9BKv_Ztl6EgBwUbKeI7uXGacA6ns/s200/IMG_8003.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXFsSMGQvp_fuV3q3UOlAmJQB3gw_bfrSowpWO19glQdiIGudZs8RvuuWFrWhCeL30AEBTVOHSB_n7lmKz-rpsdTW2WnERQTGb6ZTj1XK4P7IRumCSqXc_uWct78fy2sgwIHCFcSFmMi7vouLIY27PmQNuwJEBB9oFGG7oNQV7XVr0kAwbk1r/s4032/IMG_8006.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgXFsSMGQvp_fuV3q3UOlAmJQB3gw_bfrSowpWO19glQdiIGudZs8RvuuWFrWhCeL30AEBTVOHSB_n7lmKz-rpsdTW2WnERQTGb6ZTj1XK4P7IRumCSqXc_uWct78fy2sgwIHCFcSFmMi7vouLIY27PmQNuwJEBB9oFGG7oNQV7XVr0kAwbk1r/s200/IMG_8006.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB__8PWJ3hgh_UhFYyH6HDLAElLD7t6SJ2EB2yYserswTi60QIhlpMOFZmU5znhcVVwo3Vq_cm5RWqvBN4B9ddYyh9dz8UuVwFKhat8y-EGNPLZFb4qk-0r44uORFDOUzZ8NYl72P0Vz6e3ue7PpeaYr7ePQACkQqS6YLG9Qwy2Mymbt-IhlLB/s4032/IMG_8045.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB__8PWJ3hgh_UhFYyH6HDLAElLD7t6SJ2EB2yYserswTi60QIhlpMOFZmU5znhcVVwo3Vq_cm5RWqvBN4B9ddYyh9dz8UuVwFKhat8y-EGNPLZFb4qk-0r44uORFDOUzZ8NYl72P0Vz6e3ue7PpeaYr7ePQACkQqS6YLG9Qwy2Mymbt-IhlLB/s200/IMG_8045.jpg"/></a>
<br>We enjoyed several days of relaxation and time with family - we were made to feel welcome and were very much looked after in their cozy home and amazing surroundings of 'Big Sky' Montana</center>
<p>Wow! The place sits in the middle of thousands of acres of rolling grassland (what Montanans call 'a little') backed by craggy mountains. The view out every single one of their windows is of magnificent solitude and astonishing beauty. His neighbors aren't that far away. If they were ships on the ocean, you might be able to see the top of a bridge breaking the horizon, but here, you have to get in the pickup and drive a few minutes to even see them. Looking at Jay, my mom's little brother, and giving him his first bear hug since she passed away, it was clear from the contented look on his face that he was living right in the middle of his happy place.
<p>When Marie got home from work, she told us that a coworker had heard about our visit and pretty much insisted she take a long weekend. That allowed us all to have big fun in Big Sky Country, where a hundred miles on a dirt road is pretty much the standard for any outing that leaves the cabin.
<p>My personal favorite of these was when we took two pickups towing two all-terrain vehicles, plus three dogs, to a big bowl in the mountains called Swimming Woman. It is pretty and all, but the real fun came when Maryanne and I were tasked with taking the dogs in the big ATV, which they call a side-by-side, with two dogs squeezed between us on the middle seat and one in the back.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUHXpYsPcvk4LlTTM6Rz1EnVv60j224nAjiCCqYKCjV3h5uBxIahbM92Vpb5RwV_TqcVjpkHxUx82h-nDOZxFCpmILH1mlxRRwUDq0_5tQkKaSwaoT7r48kADzFlsFTKiPj6Wf3iSnWoByNfxmNqkkec7I5lS4cWCbLldGCQ4miaStug64OB5/s10812/IMG_7685.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3818" data-original-width="10812" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilUHXpYsPcvk4LlTTM6Rz1EnVv60j224nAjiCCqYKCjV3h5uBxIahbM92Vpb5RwV_TqcVjpkHxUx82h-nDOZxFCpmILH1mlxRRwUDq0_5tQkKaSwaoT7r48kADzFlsFTKiPj6Wf3iSnWoByNfxmNqkkec7I5lS4cWCbLldGCQ4miaStug64OB5/s400/IMG_7685.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kYki-WY7owTGWCLBY1G4QBPxIQKjGi5XzGcf83Z2Li-kQkTsaO7czctZTXRkln17pVGvVwzD2F8ZbniodAiVYSVYqh2ExJAabnzAQDzUIQT1WZFpCj1nhY40LP-im65HrG5QUfo5DGkWryPgLQLUg24WX182cxXZFWon8XeOIMhMGnf52V2y/s2592/DSC09610.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2kYki-WY7owTGWCLBY1G4QBPxIQKjGi5XzGcf83Z2Li-kQkTsaO7czctZTXRkln17pVGvVwzD2F8ZbniodAiVYSVYqh2ExJAabnzAQDzUIQT1WZFpCj1nhY40LP-im65HrG5QUfo5DGkWryPgLQLUg24WX182cxXZFWon8XeOIMhMGnf52V2y/s200/DSC09610.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeg-gnksTjG8fSh8DfW_IDgEAwMiHhatepdwGhiXjzZfBhSqMNmzUjAuri8G-i2R3q32ZRJ6biLfEgCltjEAfPC-cQaGR00l1HEEkqcM0dzoQCtK4-dbIQyXUJIGl7oWDTc9KWnUwb73A78JDViq87k_Da3wl-ZIsJ81WD1HRtm2s_kIxRjs2/s2592/DSC09623.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmeg-gnksTjG8fSh8DfW_IDgEAwMiHhatepdwGhiXjzZfBhSqMNmzUjAuri8G-i2R3q32ZRJ6biLfEgCltjEAfPC-cQaGR00l1HEEkqcM0dzoQCtK4-dbIQyXUJIGl7oWDTc9KWnUwb73A78JDViq87k_Da3wl-ZIsJ81WD1HRtm2s_kIxRjs2/s200/DSC09623.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ks8DSsnkRkWADIidGzzzQuvQc-QarN86RoiLI3UA32eS1qcdYcbe4-qkF7C1HLB8R86Gf9fTr5Uc3_Hic1DBAoeqt5rc62bI6x63MlTw-tR_HXL6Qnc9fpT0T4i1TeI2B1W3A2ST3nEL33X_NyUy8VFR9iiiV6vZ9OQ7G5ZFaU7DevBhgzVp/s4032/IMG_7655.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2ks8DSsnkRkWADIidGzzzQuvQc-QarN86RoiLI3UA32eS1qcdYcbe4-qkF7C1HLB8R86Gf9fTr5Uc3_Hic1DBAoeqt5rc62bI6x63MlTw-tR_HXL6Qnc9fpT0T4i1TeI2B1W3A2ST3nEL33X_NyUy8VFR9iiiV6vZ9OQ7G5ZFaU7DevBhgzVp/s200/IMG_7655.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbo1UpLblT8Rj3NbekTGKTeFH8rWhrTgbQrL9fHViUBohO90dcC_5S1wsB_wHSFmhJZDLizoABedgB23ObNsn4gOGBrRDOAUngvnlX85ijLZb4Fz1QvhjffXXp89dYYWbQCNyBhd87J1oMQwG2zwF2UOuI_sHiZJhGROL0NDCpqvvxYo_7sQn/s4032/IMG_7932.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGbo1UpLblT8Rj3NbekTGKTeFH8rWhrTgbQrL9fHViUBohO90dcC_5S1wsB_wHSFmhJZDLizoABedgB23ObNsn4gOGBrRDOAUngvnlX85ijLZb4Fz1QvhjffXXp89dYYWbQCNyBhd87J1oMQwG2zwF2UOuI_sHiZJhGROL0NDCpqvvxYo_7sQn/s200/IMG_7932.jpg"/></a>
<br>Among the many fun outings, a trip to the Helena-Lewis & Clark National Forest and its great mountains</center>
<p>After fording a small stream, we stopped to snap a photo. Freyja, the dog in the back, decided we were "there" and bolted, tearing back and forth across the valley at full puppy speed with the wind blowing her fur back. She couldn't get lost - after all, it was a canyon - she just tore from one side to the other at three times our speed while following the sound of our motors.
<p>When we thought she had worn herself out, we stopped to let her climb in and ride the rest of the way. That's when the other two decided it was their turn to join in and leapt out.
<p>There was something immensely satisfying about seeing the three dogs express their true dogness, tearing through streams and into bushes in a full gallop with their tongues streaming behind. The only difference between Dog Heaven and their actual lives might have been a couple of rabbits to chase along the way. After what must've been ten miles of running, they slept for ten minutes and then were raring to run back.
<p>Yeah, Jay and Marie really seem to have figured out the life for themselves!
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hwq8WRxE8PdGilyTbMPxqZPbtr-KPRKY2auTSxDhSjFU_pV3MEhUMjlzs2vt_llGVwsbaKO-TYDU3H61p5NIEWYziF9h8vQXMhMXNYD_sKq-WoanPG-zjO72PmnZY9AS1dlhQi-rInnhNnYRkFL4gaOzk5wApROYaf3MPd1DtnmbA0F9F0Jj/s2592/DSC09601.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Hwq8WRxE8PdGilyTbMPxqZPbtr-KPRKY2auTSxDhSjFU_pV3MEhUMjlzs2vt_llGVwsbaKO-TYDU3H61p5NIEWYziF9h8vQXMhMXNYD_sKq-WoanPG-zjO72PmnZY9AS1dlhQi-rInnhNnYRkFL4gaOzk5wApROYaf3MPd1DtnmbA0F9F0Jj/s200/DSC09601.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLq7lx9KykpvwMXPF0zurAURAIzDVjgamr6lAOtqKVPCakSqmOFfRwg_3PbGBz1-pxLT0KKnqD6_jRbvUp3fwK2om_LX93lI1Tj-kr-UoQ3B4vOr1G8TPoz2aDYiDyCKwdqk6hYSjGbUyayhpVCJe67nYGlMpZOyTHP3V4wpvJsYJDEpf1jz4/s4032/IMG_8015.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXLq7lx9KykpvwMXPF0zurAURAIzDVjgamr6lAOtqKVPCakSqmOFfRwg_3PbGBz1-pxLT0KKnqD6_jRbvUp3fwK2om_LX93lI1Tj-kr-UoQ3B4vOr1G8TPoz2aDYiDyCKwdqk6hYSjGbUyayhpVCJe67nYGlMpZOyTHP3V4wpvJsYJDEpf1jz4/s200/IMG_8015.jpg"/></a>
<br>It was tough to leave the warmth of Jay and Marie and Montana (not to mention their delicious cooking!). We departed just before a big snow fall was forecast.</center>
<p>
<hr>
<p>Location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/46%C2%B036'33.0%22N+109%C2%B011" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Ryegate, MT 59074, USA46.2971794 -109.258785917.986945563821152 -144.41503590000002 74.607413236178843 -74.1025359tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-63411038442745270312023-10-16T13:00:00.018-04:002023-11-03T14:49:32.052-04:00It's a Storage Facility, Not a Boatyard[Kyle]Oh, the joys of being hauled out! Once we had cobbled together a reasonably safe method of getting on and off the boat, the fun started in earnest. Dave kept reminding us that Begonia was blocked over sand, not mud. It seems a fine distinction. For the record, tracking sand everywhere also makes a huge mess.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTohiXqGcPzInn3MPR7oA2oCwHhdVtoCgSEKETo0IVUfRKXG1hmAxM58EiPrzdZlK2PIehvFfTij1ZKREZnBSlTyPGN6M6_z2XvNxmd70qnCbI6yODSGRzT1NsXreJsTZEyMMxdBeaVtuJF97rsATvZ4o8I2DbmbL-x0USX-2hku83nHndMGs/s200/IMG_7382.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3UUb1mBrUY95MSnppmgsYtmQHAZkCpf9g5V2OH3FHLimP6vXBJN8XXwNYlC0dHVFL__u5-9WOloIArstMusT9Zz3w1rs_-FY5wEsBqX1SSvw32Md4fOkcBR_GZUdItnFsigl64zSzZGtVmHRTQyVyH8veaqJtOXNr8U9VspdlLvOsAnM4J9/s4032/IMG_7287.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHz3UUb1mBrUY95MSnppmgsYtmQHAZkCpf9g5V2OH3FHLimP6vXBJN8XXwNYlC0dHVFL__u5-9WOloIArstMusT9Zz3w1rs_-FY5wEsBqX1SSvw32Md4fOkcBR_GZUdItnFsigl64zSzZGtVmHRTQyVyH8veaqJtOXNr8U9VspdlLvOsAnM4J9/s200/IMG_7287.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc4-4CZJn4dCWWwe2vLqXyLM5OC_X8VYamUiKt3V0yKZQMER2PK1INppIWGaPu0YgFVQW6aS3xBFWbl22ZkWWpd4GadTvd1fGqvXs7471ht9U2-CmxVr1z6Qtk_h5NsqgD4hQHGeufbmNuMBGRHy4Tf5VzMHyxpGlXbyO15tPzlRqN5dY9KEd/s4032/IMG_7484.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPc4-4CZJn4dCWWwe2vLqXyLM5OC_X8VYamUiKt3V0yKZQMER2PK1INppIWGaPu0YgFVQW6aS3xBFWbl22ZkWWpd4GadTvd1fGqvXs7471ht9U2-CmxVr1z6Qtk_h5NsqgD4hQHGeufbmNuMBGRHy4Tf5VzMHyxpGlXbyO15tPzlRqN5dY9KEd/s200/IMG_7484.jpg"/></a>
<br>It's a nice marina in the (very small) town - village really - of Erieau</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs9eZMZmqbNKqkFMNpEwjwgCcdf58Nj0lb38rM6yF8jvnpQl0i4c_nzV5XP6i0iBUkvpe4MIzJKpw51Rds9kOiRohAinI6BJ8Esmj9KvrxlaD7ItVuylQ01yDSxaxR2Bz_3K_-oYgSOMfNX3-xHfXIiO8oyWUuF2-fOQyRVxvpv8xiGiPjsFL/s4032/IMG_7470.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMs9eZMZmqbNKqkFMNpEwjwgCcdf58Nj0lb38rM6yF8jvnpQl0i4c_nzV5XP6i0iBUkvpe4MIzJKpw51Rds9kOiRohAinI6BJ8Esmj9KvrxlaD7ItVuylQ01yDSxaxR2Bz_3K_-oYgSOMfNX3-xHfXIiO8oyWUuF2-fOQyRVxvpv8xiGiPjsFL/s200/IMG_7470.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO254Gwgf2bgB-2_-oFC33sepRIfaO9GZ_KgwRSjDcE0gsGGMYHDfKkXu2THG-hEc1UBqsQlaeaAdPLK2a3vEsQdOwSi4SOFQ2iEfzxPfBvkjBruhfuxYX-si2eObVxzkWZQhID4Rgvfr7gSEatRpeDEnHqdddqXk-WHc1H7JgZgR4ZQ0OKA52/s4032/IMG_7312.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO254Gwgf2bgB-2_-oFC33sepRIfaO9GZ_KgwRSjDcE0gsGGMYHDfKkXu2THG-hEc1UBqsQlaeaAdPLK2a3vEsQdOwSi4SOFQ2iEfzxPfBvkjBruhfuxYX-si2eObVxzkWZQhID4Rgvfr7gSEatRpeDEnHqdddqXk-WHc1H7JgZgR4ZQ0OKA52/s200/IMG_7312.jpg"/></a>
<br>It was a tight fit in the lift bay, but the team managed just fine</center>
<p>We had the usual list of routine maintenance to deal with: oil changes, adding antifouling paint layers, wax the hulls, tune up the engines, etc. Then there was all of the repairs we have been deferring until we were out of the water and there were no longer any more appealing distractions from local scenery: One saildrive (transmission) needed to be dismantled to replace a failed seal, One engine needed a new fuel pump and the other needed a new fuel filter assembly. Then, of course, there was the matter of fixing our Webasto heater so it would work in the springtime, preferably sooner. It was finally time to replace our entire wardrobe of sails and Maryanne had lots of sewing projects to do, the most challenging of which was probably fixing a few chafed areas on the Bimini. The repair itself wasn’t too involved, but getting the Bimini off and the solar panels disconnected took half a day.
<p>On a variation of the lesson we learned at The Boat Works, when we hired a container to hold our extraneous stuff, out of the way of other projects, this time we removed ourselves to an AirBnB just a few blocks away. This allowed us to leave the boat in a right state, walk away and go to a clean house for the night, where we could cook and sleep without having to make some space beforehand. Maryanne also ended up with a giant space to sew that didn’t conflict with the piles of tools and parts strewn throughout the boat.
<p>Then there was the winterization itself. Since Begonia was going to be stored for the first time ever in below-freezing conditions, we needed to make sure every drop of water in the boat was removed and replaced with antifreeze. Also, to protect from mildew, all textiles and anything else with a porous surface needed to be sealed in plastic and kept clear of any source of condensation. Maryanne did most of that job, which was basically like packing for a big move and then putting it all back again.
<p>Of course, almost none of the work went as smoothly as planned. Our source of electricity and water was not as reliable as hoped, so I ended up doing almost all of the sanding and waxing by hand. Every time we realized we had the wrong tool or part, Maryanne was usually the one who had to interrupt her flow to make the half-hour drive to the nearest real town of Chatham to get the right ones.
<p>For me, every day was worse than the one before it. Every morning, we would show up to the boat during the last few minutes of night, feel our way aboard and then start working through our respective lists. Then we would work without anything except bathroom breaks until it got too dark to see. We would then go back to the house, struggle to stay awake for dinner, which was also often breakfast, and then fall fast asleep.
<p>Oh, it felt so good to be in a nice, flat bed. The problem was that after an initial couple hours of sleep, we would each wake up too sore from the previous day and too busy going over everything that needed to be done next in our heads to fall back to sleep. When the alarm finally went off, we only felt marginally better, starting the next day off feeling more worn out than the last. We were under a constant threat of running out of good weather, which kept us going all-out day after day to beat it.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl5tbx80yoHX8K5sXKFII7bop_-Z-yPKkYwbmdBsnbji65IzN_OpZoJZELhyNw_fH08FxIXZpbchBz_RWTOkrPhTcEENU7ZaSRMHq2meIrMqB6-lZZshm0YwP7R4vbM04kD-XL11o9jl_IQLYqYOtweso7fzxguLcrgxPHRRJkGdNaC3OYIir/s4032/IMG_7306.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGl5tbx80yoHX8K5sXKFII7bop_-Z-yPKkYwbmdBsnbji65IzN_OpZoJZELhyNw_fH08FxIXZpbchBz_RWTOkrPhTcEENU7ZaSRMHq2meIrMqB6-lZZshm0YwP7R4vbM04kD-XL11o9jl_IQLYqYOtweso7fzxguLcrgxPHRRJkGdNaC3OYIir/s200/IMG_7306.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTohiXqGcPzInn3MPR7oA2oCwHhdVtoCgSEKETo0IVUfRKXG1hmAxM58EiPrzdZlK2PIehvFfTij1ZKREZnBSlTyPGN6M6_z2XvNxmd70qnCbI6yODSGRzT1NsXreJsTZEyMMxdBeaVtuJF97rsATvZ4o8I2DbmbL-x0USX-2hku83nHndMGs/s4032/IMG_7382.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDTohiXqGcPzInn3MPR7oA2oCwHhdVtoCgSEKETo0IVUfRKXG1hmAxM58EiPrzdZlK2PIehvFfTij1ZKREZnBSlTyPGN6M6_z2XvNxmd70qnCbI6yODSGRzT1NsXreJsTZEyMMxdBeaVtuJF97rsATvZ4o8I2DbmbL-x0USX-2hku83nHndMGs/s200/IMG_7382.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQsyf2OsvCqy1-1cX5nftJ-adTtiPECp585YzrNMv9bfX25rNFPqKY4BCk286c9ZsMZnRIkn__hth7YLrx21OiSOGNTmCboBjqEKRwDhH6W7ycACLEi1pcpZZ-B61F2b-m2gdDM0GbJPfYYV9R4J6yv1m7PZgzuhVZzCdWoAPfmYrWLLoNzqA/s4032/IMG_7498.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcQsyf2OsvCqy1-1cX5nftJ-adTtiPECp585YzrNMv9bfX25rNFPqKY4BCk286c9ZsMZnRIkn__hth7YLrx21OiSOGNTmCboBjqEKRwDhH6W7ycACLEi1pcpZZ-B61F2b-m2gdDM0GbJPfYYV9R4J6yv1m7PZgzuhVZzCdWoAPfmYrWLLoNzqA/s200/IMG_7498.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVHMWAOsO1wLJxKFq_KNXysmuDfJnZ6u79XxfhIMElc-J6emt6sIFNmgzLxBPU4i3TCzbFiuIf0LWnkfCEu8b002awzXO8-rPuEsi7qjSc5KEFYMTGwaqv2Ec5bEnYBcNIQ0YJYkOtqMbU07DceawafkTBQULCkSbe5MZoBxtPQvaG4LgPmPi/s4032/IMG_7500.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirVHMWAOsO1wLJxKFq_KNXysmuDfJnZ6u79XxfhIMElc-J6emt6sIFNmgzLxBPU4i3TCzbFiuIf0LWnkfCEu8b002awzXO8-rPuEsi7qjSc5KEFYMTGwaqv2Ec5bEnYBcNIQ0YJYkOtqMbU07DceawafkTBQULCkSbe5MZoBxtPQvaG4LgPmPi/s200/IMG_7500.jpg"/></a>
<br>So many jobs, including installing a new martingale (the wire that goes at the front from beam to beam) - it was a full time effort, and despite delayed parts and paints, we just made it before our allocated 2 weeks were up!</center>
<p>The cycle repeated itself until I finally made it to the task of removing our Webasto heater. With heavy rain and bitter cold forecast to be setting in by midnight, I was determined to finish every outstanding job that would require me to poke my head out into the weather.
<p>it was already dark when I tidied up the last engine and started in on the Webasto. It has been in its current location in the port engine compartment since it was installed eleven years earlier. This is the first time that I learned that it it not possible to see and touch the mounting bolts at the same time. The nuts could only be removed by feel (while supporting my weight on all of the most pointy, uncomfortable parts of the engine) and then only a sixteenth of a turn at a time. The hose clamps for the fuel and exhaust were in an even worse position and then it turned out the exhaust hose had fused with the flange and had to be cut free, all while hanging upside down with the radiator cap digging into my shoulder.
<p>By then, I was exhausted and frustrated almost to the point of tears. When Maryanne offered to help or suggested that I call it a day and have a fresh go at it in the morning, I opined that maybe her time would most efficiently be spent at the house. It’s possible that the dipstick in my neck made my tone a little strained.
<p>I finally extracted the thing after both of my headlamp batteries went flat and my shop light fell to where It was both out of reach and not shining where I wanted it. I was triumphant, but barely had the strength to extricate myself. I set it on the salon table amongst a pile of tools and started limping back to the house. Maryanne offered to pick me up in the car, but I told her I would rather have her heat up dinner instead so that we could get to bed sooner.
<p>Everything hurt. Not only were my muscles and joints sore, but almost all of my skin was covered in little cuts, abrasions and burns that made it hurt to touch anything. By the time I had finished the five-minute walk to the house, which took twenty, I felt like I had walked ten miles on burning feet. Maryanne had to help me up the four steps from the street to the house.
<p>That turned out to be the worst day. The following day, in the rain, my only two remaining jobs were to fix and install the heater and to winterize the plumbing.
<p>I was able to disassemble, repair and reassemble the Webasto (heater unit) while sitting comfortably at our salon table. My main fear was that there would be no way to tell if the repair worked without reinstalling the whole unit and then no way to correct the problem without doing the entire job over again. I went through each step very carefully, checking myself twice before proceeding to the next. I reconnected it and after a few tense moments when it wouldn’t light (which is normal until the air in the fuel feed lines is purged) we finally had heat for the first time in weeks. WOO HOO!
<p>Maryanne only got to enjoy it for a few minutes before running off to Chatham for some last-minute errands. While she was gone, I winterized what I could, which was actually a lot easier than I had thought it would be for a change. She helped me finish the job off when she got back, then we decided to keep going until the daylight was gone.
<p>We returned to the house, packed our bags for the winter and then returned everything to the boat that would be staying with her for the winter. Our last task was to remove the hodgepodge of crates and pallets that had been our boarding method for the last two weeks, hunching ourselves over to protect from the rain.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jnIURoYh9C_m_sneX_njlLUhR-t2oLxeb81l2VWi2fFokAgZXRz9eCPiHKyAHN2Srk7W8PgsT48XhyykornZQucOiaX0mWd1r1co46J_kiYGo-1hkvCi0I1m_NlKjq6CnebgPFajT_eL0Jvpv9-QaqSgRNnnEsVmnCL8nVcX2TSkfAvnyuL1/s2592/DSC09296.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9jnIURoYh9C_m_sneX_njlLUhR-t2oLxeb81l2VWi2fFokAgZXRz9eCPiHKyAHN2Srk7W8PgsT48XhyykornZQucOiaX0mWd1r1co46J_kiYGo-1hkvCi0I1m_NlKjq6CnebgPFajT_eL0Jvpv9-QaqSgRNnnEsVmnCL8nVcX2TSkfAvnyuL1/s200/DSC09296.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsng8H8Y-_j8o9Kdh9QdjlHpWPyukeqoSphph4wNK7MAMP3gNwCKj9XN1sItapyw4H2uDdTrLBntZRjP-CN1WqL3TJcKeIn7sNEmJlFbXYIDVTCTyjEwXhyVOO1uq1V050YUvg-rj6rfdVLV77P1OaBMh_TGxKadZeFVuXjiz14MORkfT-Abn9/s2592/DSC09345.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsng8H8Y-_j8o9Kdh9QdjlHpWPyukeqoSphph4wNK7MAMP3gNwCKj9XN1sItapyw4H2uDdTrLBntZRjP-CN1WqL3TJcKeIn7sNEmJlFbXYIDVTCTyjEwXhyVOO1uq1V050YUvg-rj6rfdVLV77P1OaBMh_TGxKadZeFVuXjiz14MORkfT-Abn9/s200/DSC09345.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsL9JrX2-mgrcTFlmfL7XbxT3D8PtWeRu3QtclqqwlgWAEZJP7yVs-cIn5O56Bw9rXomAnIE_Azic0iVDPiEVsLylmvlJzwU6WVIleRuIaeUAlum1F8Sh2KugoGSleuU_G2cX4oYaOPCiz7Bv1vSxSXoTLYxarEVGbljxYUF-qMlxqxL6wKJv/s4032/IMG_7420.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsL9JrX2-mgrcTFlmfL7XbxT3D8PtWeRu3QtclqqwlgWAEZJP7yVs-cIn5O56Bw9rXomAnIE_Azic0iVDPiEVsLylmvlJzwU6WVIleRuIaeUAlum1F8Sh2KugoGSleuU_G2cX4oYaOPCiz7Bv1vSxSXoTLYxarEVGbljxYUF-qMlxqxL6wKJv/s200/IMG_7420.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUQMX_OeFtTpH7Wi9OwuI18ZqdhmL_cdis5D-EsF3hFyi21S4zkby64UJXm9-DAECq8V2ydBS-7X2nYtKrOjjJBiiFz_1uWtlP5JznXck5AlArKi3TG76doZs4Lu_Z8WTIrR-ISwjPsgwx2mOZM-X-xPWOvDo1XU7dXSnSSMci8yMFYTVhhgR/s2592/DSC09301.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgUQMX_OeFtTpH7Wi9OwuI18ZqdhmL_cdis5D-EsF3hFyi21S4zkby64UJXm9-DAECq8V2ydBS-7X2nYtKrOjjJBiiFz_1uWtlP5JznXck5AlArKi3TG76doZs4Lu_Z8WTIrR-ISwjPsgwx2mOZM-X-xPWOvDo1XU7dXSnSSMci8yMFYTVhhgR/s200/DSC09301.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qVtv0eiGKx2UDfEfwfr0OM2cAl8ysnE2Vewt5RY9cb6dMpxfkHSKeuLdxku4oIgt9J4tDxZw-Xf671J6g-Af4-WqaP1SA-0urCY5DTjGrGsAaceAdyiV0OOp4Ji2BMjGxYDDoHqrtzHBfa0OXsCfL2diZ1ssp8JGgeAGKXXPDnavZibVjNp9/s2592/DSC09333.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3qVtv0eiGKx2UDfEfwfr0OM2cAl8ysnE2Vewt5RY9cb6dMpxfkHSKeuLdxku4oIgt9J4tDxZw-Xf671J6g-Af4-WqaP1SA-0urCY5DTjGrGsAaceAdyiV0OOp4Ji2BMjGxYDDoHqrtzHBfa0OXsCfL2diZ1ssp8JGgeAGKXXPDnavZibVjNp9/s200/DSC09333.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTrA4drTONYeEKQ7sr1i3deBwPYEMQMB1nSYb8J-DcAl_BeCG_lXjyZQQ0c8uBfKyJJvNwJjF6IS-_AUp1gWSkSAG3ELtXgtxR6KPGWGxsmaQ0Z4rIc4zZp0uyroAWe73bgO_pjunVFdarvriAUv6QwO1BS3stbgJM-MDq-BWiPiNtPQvPJTq/s4032/IMG_7509.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXTrA4drTONYeEKQ7sr1i3deBwPYEMQMB1nSYb8J-DcAl_BeCG_lXjyZQQ0c8uBfKyJJvNwJjF6IS-_AUp1gWSkSAG3ELtXgtxR6KPGWGxsmaQ0Z4rIc4zZp0uyroAWe73bgO_pjunVFdarvriAUv6QwO1BS3stbgJM-MDq-BWiPiNtPQvPJTq/s200/IMG_7509.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGolR7VJQ0FHeLY0o2_6hXFErrAVdVSltXspQKBxy_e3SBG8FEvBAWYlum8LsXsk_oolDqxkUZUki-2FCIaKGPoKRVXkzUVzXp34bFcpFugxG35EXbVXTQB-BWWbRCntylttjMg34_bhEv0PrCaE6VvV-QDLAsSrhu3P-d160uSlNMkE-B7Qyc/s4032/IMG_7512.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGolR7VJQ0FHeLY0o2_6hXFErrAVdVSltXspQKBxy_e3SBG8FEvBAWYlum8LsXsk_oolDqxkUZUki-2FCIaKGPoKRVXkzUVzXp34bFcpFugxG35EXbVXTQB-BWWbRCntylttjMg34_bhEv0PrCaE6VvV-QDLAsSrhu3P-d160uSlNMkE-B7Qyc/s200/IMG_7512.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhix290LIfLCanTP6ERLXWjZPICjMjPo8aih1czyOzlfZZDEboPTMsiS5NIgX19goMjxoFpAi7PxKtFTtV_pD-SVlmYwObe8uQCuWFzFiQMiPIiOnqWW0G-m-9zH7lFlsLddUl8LztD9AIJyHSMxaV_uusCNW2s3bP8YdtQfzQHxATE5-cn4f5/s4032/IMG_7516.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhix290LIfLCanTP6ERLXWjZPICjMjPo8aih1czyOzlfZZDEboPTMsiS5NIgX19goMjxoFpAi7PxKtFTtV_pD-SVlmYwObe8uQCuWFzFiQMiPIiOnqWW0G-m-9zH7lFlsLddUl8LztD9AIJyHSMxaV_uusCNW2s3bP8YdtQfzQHxATE5-cn4f5/s200/IMG_7516.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4GSRLfeaNPv5alUvdWl-AjHshzIYQmvgYPZah8zVut0Y-vYXoibVd4mPMKPiU2N32Ol55CaVTILxAd_6kcoP4gloeHInpe3OFk9Cu1cl6zzclwebzbJSwY3lhWI2zVI44q2XgMu7wlp7bCeQEjWqTA5ZTZ8EsOrgPItplXjlIBdOt7SoNqit/s2592/DSC09308.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4GSRLfeaNPv5alUvdWl-AjHshzIYQmvgYPZah8zVut0Y-vYXoibVd4mPMKPiU2N32Ol55CaVTILxAd_6kcoP4gloeHInpe3OFk9Cu1cl6zzclwebzbJSwY3lhWI2zVI44q2XgMu7wlp7bCeQEjWqTA5ZTZ8EsOrgPItplXjlIBdOt7SoNqit/s200/DSC09308.jpg"/></a>
<br>And once complete - were were able to enjoy our final day in Erieau with a pleasant amble under blue skies!</center>
<p>We were done a whole day ahead of schedule. We turned off the 5am alarm that had been tormenting us since arriving in Erieau, slept in and then went for a walk along the shore in the opposite direction from the boat. The we had a lovely meal out, made a quick pass to make sure our home was okay, and then headed back to our rental house for an early night. We both remarked to each other that we were actually feeling better, physically, than the day before. The night was going to be a short one, but I couldn’t wait to have nothing to do all day but drive west towards family.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriRlesuPM43nwVpxMkWCCpX4AJdH_zKQxApJZefivxS5DbzKaMIneN-0yHlMzn0Z-4RYCwA4BkXxJ3uiPVN9J0xIjvtPJPyhamUBSG8yJ1HfBLTkgolvQVhWfdV8fst46P7eaM9PF-FffKcz7Km_pw8aGCS1ztQj5kliAT4c6z6D-_M25NPDM/s4000/GUSP5832.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjriRlesuPM43nwVpxMkWCCpX4AJdH_zKQxApJZefivxS5DbzKaMIneN-0yHlMzn0Z-4RYCwA4BkXxJ3uiPVN9J0xIjvtPJPyhamUBSG8yJ1HfBLTkgolvQVhWfdV8fst46P7eaM9PF-FffKcz7Km_pw8aGCS1ztQj5kliAT4c6z6D-_M25NPDM/s200/GUSP5832.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4RkhWJhHLOn7jGMNcPrZFmXdTzGFcU-iDJHa1Om_5KNMn_7Lyiu1QnD5NQz9_bIijV2WqoQDRubuaNwuTtieYbEi-2yhtiZ2WDx4Ahk9nI-Qm0JUoFqdzvr4xEu_8uoHc1FYfaXf_iLTTsDDby_4r_zlO-pgm70oi9H0FKFbr1bPQCevfYgs/s4000/VEAA4725.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4RkhWJhHLOn7jGMNcPrZFmXdTzGFcU-iDJHa1Om_5KNMn_7Lyiu1QnD5NQz9_bIijV2WqoQDRubuaNwuTtieYbEi-2yhtiZ2WDx4Ahk9nI-Qm0JUoFqdzvr4xEu_8uoHc1FYfaXf_iLTTsDDby_4r_zlO-pgm70oi9H0FKFbr1bPQCevfYgs/s200/VEAA4725.jpg"/></a>
<br>A few days after we left, Dave (the owner) sent us pictures of Begonia fully shrink wrapped for the winter. We are expecting a lot of rain, some snow even, and temperatures may well reach -25°C (-13°F)</center>
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/42.2598,-081.9096" source="_blank">On google maps</a>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Erieau, ON, Canada42.2600092 -81.915673599999991-9.0790267224507062 -152.2281736 90 -11.603173599999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-5636641411368847252023-10-03T00:00:00.071-04:002023-10-27T17:25:40.545-04:00Leaving Lake Huron and a Boat Yard Scramble[Kyle]After several days in Thomas Bay, the wind finally shifted far enough to the north, with a forecast to stay there long enough to make it all the way to the Detroit River without having to do any significant periods of upwind sailing. As soon as the morning was light enough for us to see our way through the shallows at the entrance, we lifted anchor and headed out. By the time the cottagers made their first morning lap of their outer decks, our masthead light was surely already way over the horizon.
<p>We had a nice, fast, broad reach across Georgian Bay to the Main Channel. The extra speed helped us pass through the tricky bits there mid-afternoon, rather than after sunset. That left us each with easy night watches where all we had to do was steer down the empty middle of the big lake.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsGAFyywyro3Adsm5O4YD0_wmUSVAjkrx3Sz9wQMpVojindchUQ91BGq_7q61xoSu9sOG-r1cXMKA24BkkSfiqUABla48NXKvBvxbghjI_jGJt0SeWdbKPh7Qayr6ZyizYwFKcbkeFqe_KH4alBvAmzGn6VkEXhsI02_QhOXCvtz9Ka-U_uMg/s2592/DSC09247.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIsGAFyywyro3Adsm5O4YD0_wmUSVAjkrx3Sz9wQMpVojindchUQ91BGq_7q61xoSu9sOG-r1cXMKA24BkkSfiqUABla48NXKvBvxbghjI_jGJt0SeWdbKPh7Qayr6ZyizYwFKcbkeFqe_KH4alBvAmzGn6VkEXhsI02_QhOXCvtz9Ka-U_uMg/s200/DSC09247.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi555HbXULay29pMqAPUeYMsqkAvP-QY55eo8Q6OGDo5FgBx7JCIH5lTaFpcNGXdwLaORtDWz5hfYjZeIurEn0zxYJ_7CbzKS1f1-2iondpp8PvjEDbqcrW9alFnV7hULVk_aKhYV1VQ0XQJ0_Qk36C8eYArdXNjRe0_S02eDCwLxrs9oIgRb00/s4032/IMG_7017.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi555HbXULay29pMqAPUeYMsqkAvP-QY55eo8Q6OGDo5FgBx7JCIH5lTaFpcNGXdwLaORtDWz5hfYjZeIurEn0zxYJ_7CbzKS1f1-2iondpp8PvjEDbqcrW9alFnV7hULVk_aKhYV1VQ0XQJ0_Qk36C8eYArdXNjRe0_S02eDCwLxrs9oIgRb00/s200/IMG_7017.jpg"/></a>
<br>Our last sail of the year - not too bad at all</center>
<p>The same was not true the next night. After a hurried dinner and quick sail change, we entered the St. Clair River just in time for Maryanne to take over. With the darkness, the narrow channels, and occasionally having to slide out of the way of heavy shipping traffic, the only time she was able to leave the helm was for a quick step onto the adjacent deck for a better vantage point. I had the same on my night watch for the last bit of the river and the crossing of Lake St. Clair.
<p>At the other side, just past sunrise, we were happy to pull in behind Peche Island, at the northern end of the Detroit River and call an early end to the day. We then had a rainy day-and-a-half to rest and start preparing for our impending haulout.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZQIXVK5SNcSGLvQubLNwbekIKOnhBNx2ncJVCLKY7jVDPOwBLtg7gFuU-ZxGaQ8_TVzrtbiSb_jQ9wmnm8Oj1Uc_1dCvmODwU1U4t_y2qLl6eLA-wDsuCO_vETlKboF1GEyyOzTLMV-KVUeUSe5anL9FPaHWgtLP1L3EReYkrqxMpHaR7cKc/s4032/IMG_7027.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWZQIXVK5SNcSGLvQubLNwbekIKOnhBNx2ncJVCLKY7jVDPOwBLtg7gFuU-ZxGaQ8_TVzrtbiSb_jQ9wmnm8Oj1Uc_1dCvmODwU1U4t_y2qLl6eLA-wDsuCO_vETlKboF1GEyyOzTLMV-KVUeUSe5anL9FPaHWgtLP1L3EReYkrqxMpHaR7cKc/s200/IMG_7027.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAtMOxfOMJtePUvMHaDYlm0AOhkHfuqlT9VAZUQ98n1TFEjMuuMNDJfJFSOejDMOVYKUqJ5xJ-6VhqarUzxZlL4txiaTDvuHXgVHSdyPZdW2VvIFTrozVQVZH7IsGyw3UYqWuaWQ4vcJZsKuEdG14BNm0gQ0xMa6mWwo8iZvF5yLNHxyCMcSD/s4032/IMG_7041.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGAtMOxfOMJtePUvMHaDYlm0AOhkHfuqlT9VAZUQ98n1TFEjMuuMNDJfJFSOejDMOVYKUqJ5xJ-6VhqarUzxZlL4txiaTDvuHXgVHSdyPZdW2VvIFTrozVQVZH7IsGyw3UYqWuaWQ4vcJZsKuEdG14BNm0gQ0xMa6mWwo8iZvF5yLNHxyCMcSD/s200/IMG_7041.jpg"/></a>
<br>We anchored for a few nights to prep the boat for haul out</center>
<p>When the rain stopped, we motored the partially disassembled Begonia to last few miles to her new winter home in La Salle, Ontario. As we tied up, we couldn't help but notice a slight look of concern and confusion on the faces of the guys who took our lines as to what we were doing there. When we explained that we were hauling out the next day, that only seemed to partly appease them.
<p>A few minutes later, they returned armed with tape measures, took some measurements, and left. When we went to the office to pick up our accumulated parcels, we were told the guys had remeasured both Begonia and their lift and that there was no way Begonia was going to fit. Of course the measurements were exactly the same as we'd already given months before, but this time they measured the lift too, and therein lay the problem.
<p>Kim, the office manager, came by the boat later. She was very apologetic about the mix-up and had spent a huge amount of time to work out a couple of options for us. The first was to hire a local crane company to haul us out. This was 'only' going to cost us about an extra thousand dollars each way. That option had the appeal of still being at the same marina, where all of our boat parts were already being sent. Plus, we had already booked a car and accommodation in nearby Windsor.
<p>Looking around the marina, there didn't seem to be any location to lift Begonia that was very close to a place that would support a big crane. The longer distance would mean we would need an even bigger crane, which would require a bigger pad, etc.
<p>We eventually decided to go with the even more expensive second option, which was to go to a commercial yard that builds and services Coast Guard boats, ice breakers, and the like. They had a huge lift. We were told it was five hours away, but after plotting the route, it looked like it would be more like ten. As we were busy diverting our shipping and redoing our accomodation reservations, the manager of the commercial yard called us and told us (heavily suggested) that a better option for us would be the marina in Erieau, only seven hours farther along the shore. In order to make it there by the next day's sunset, I would have to leave at one a.m. while Maryanne killed time driving the much faster rental car to me.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvzcVOZ10STf1L3go2kKYwa1eqxa8jWki7Hv58e7-t0O75g_PPvx1vm_XxkBCDTb4Ahv1v-hHZRH1XYzZGY0bVptvrixKyUWJfjtSlh45QRUJgxZay9gGh7uMx4708Ha6vjP-ZqxSR4Ypi6K5lxe-0gUu6MO6HjARfL-Idds9vwAu3nPUzrbJ/s2592/DSC09255.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSvzcVOZ10STf1L3go2kKYwa1eqxa8jWki7Hv58e7-t0O75g_PPvx1vm_XxkBCDTb4Ahv1v-hHZRH1XYzZGY0bVptvrixKyUWJfjtSlh45QRUJgxZay9gGh7uMx4708Ha6vjP-ZqxSR4Ypi6K5lxe-0gUu6MO6HjARfL-Idds9vwAu3nPUzrbJ/s200/DSC09255.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfodO50hGX2KVhkqO9DHQq0LfYcKCbAEbANjr-N5S3b37MyYXk26MTb78-V4tDMTFJZshlnJyWuh7DZrsXtP1gok31WjxQDe8la81Uy5hVpnToCh4vo8u5F09gfZlXQVnCXnbZmI3HGzGqPKaNyoKHYMOyZw7xAj9ZNYXbIFgisy1dhT7hyphenhyphenjHZ/s1560/DSC09270.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1560" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfodO50hGX2KVhkqO9DHQq0LfYcKCbAEbANjr-N5S3b37MyYXk26MTb78-V4tDMTFJZshlnJyWuh7DZrsXtP1gok31WjxQDe8la81Uy5hVpnToCh4vo8u5F09gfZlXQVnCXnbZmI3HGzGqPKaNyoKHYMOyZw7xAj9ZNYXbIFgisy1dhT7hyphenhyphenjHZ/s200/DSC09270.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m22P2Hni211Y_EwWqZbHjN-r5AvmUa8ALNF3EiyO2yDNhldYtluLsBdl8SrkhgQwRFzESNVsKKjEBc4QPCLFrKoa_rNE9kcsNrBviUGfPyvg61RKLAgcAX1Hu4h-Et5vTslYGEd9tvC-jDhcNfaS5rVzgdYGSfVJnHuGH5sUj3v3PcJ0m4Nk/s2592/DSC09272.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8m22P2Hni211Y_EwWqZbHjN-r5AvmUa8ALNF3EiyO2yDNhldYtluLsBdl8SrkhgQwRFzESNVsKKjEBc4QPCLFrKoa_rNE9kcsNrBviUGfPyvg61RKLAgcAX1Hu4h-Et5vTslYGEd9tvC-jDhcNfaS5rVzgdYGSfVJnHuGH5sUj3v3PcJ0m4Nk/s200/DSC09272.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiovCjrf7AGXIo1NnW1HeECc11qiBusQ6lfxIa81ZMc-9Zs26zqY9c4LG1eXl33ghswfAG6dxzyEcGW0HU6KkPDd3ZRZ0Zf6eMIy3oVECPjQ34Y4zKsM0_w9ql8D5fkxWH-QDAhvdzkPFADwZXaDxlhMOXTGvcuhve5z2-FLpwlCG0DOIwvil/s2592/DSC09277.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIiovCjrf7AGXIo1NnW1HeECc11qiBusQ6lfxIa81ZMc-9Zs26zqY9c4LG1eXl33ghswfAG6dxzyEcGW0HU6KkPDd3ZRZ0Zf6eMIy3oVECPjQ34Y4zKsM0_w9ql8D5fkxWH-QDAhvdzkPFADwZXaDxlhMOXTGvcuhve5z2-FLpwlCG0DOIwvil/s200/DSC09277.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROYeW1RVxf1OLTM0lObL9lu80pnqdfJLaCxy76Xg2y4RmzSIvja2_iqhUpEadjDmQ4K_DzOxVXc4tJglvallBDevbsByhTpepuDdAWdrNYBOR1VyR3m9CZ2MM9YxViOX4-yfQxIwVUPJpOi_lMZGH-TKKRH5zCsisZnPHj1DmwNaGJOHe4tgb/s2592/DSC09283.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhROYeW1RVxf1OLTM0lObL9lu80pnqdfJLaCxy76Xg2y4RmzSIvja2_iqhUpEadjDmQ4K_DzOxVXc4tJglvallBDevbsByhTpepuDdAWdrNYBOR1VyR3m9CZ2MM9YxViOX4-yfQxIwVUPJpOi_lMZGH-TKKRH5zCsisZnPHj1DmwNaGJOHe4tgb/s200/DSC09283.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb42rJCAL2sNy_SxJo1ukVdkDStiKzeIsYrHpgzvl5ojYpSKKbbtesXFgCnC4UtfEK-8K_3CjjVNSu4o6tMqXky-MmmMf2ykkudPGep86R-lDE1j9RFPQ9ZlfOU-yr_yvCi5fitP74W35o0gxCVdosGkXAX314f7si_b7IXB_l-YjJAhdwaJP/s2592/DSC09285.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEb42rJCAL2sNy_SxJo1ukVdkDStiKzeIsYrHpgzvl5ojYpSKKbbtesXFgCnC4UtfEK-8K_3CjjVNSu4o6tMqXky-MmmMf2ykkudPGep86R-lDE1j9RFPQ9ZlfOU-yr_yvCi5fitP74W35o0gxCVdosGkXAX314f7si_b7IXB_l-YjJAhdwaJP/s200/DSC09285.jpg"/></a>
<br>While I sailed, Maryanne did trips to stores all over, loading the car with all we'd need for the haul-out, but also squeezed in a visit to Point Pelee National Park, knowing too well that this might be her last chance in a while to appreciate a break from the full time boatyard work</center>
<p>The boat relocation trip actually went better than I thought it would. The forecast was for flat calm conditions, which should have made for a long, slow session of motoring, but I managed to get just enough crosswind to be able to put up the sails and enjoy some quiet time while going faster the motor would have managed.
<p>I got to Erieau ahead of my original estimate. Maryanne had timed all of her errand-running based on that, so when she finally arrived to take my lines, I had already been tied up for ten minutes or so.
<p>In the morning, Dave, the marina owner, stopped by to have a look at Begonia and to tell us the plan. It was encouraging that he didn't seem concerned about whether or not we would fit in the lift. The main issue, was that "We are really a storage facility, not a boatyard".
<p>There was no power, no ladders, no stairs, and if we needed water for cleaning anything, we had better fill our tanks, because that's where we were going to get it.
<p>This was definately not going to be like our previous two haulouts (both at The Boat Works, which is one of the world's most comprehensive refit yards). This was going to be more like being left in a gravel parking lot in the middle of nowhere. Of course by now we were grateful for anywhere that would take us at such short notice, we'd just have to work it out.
<p>This last one was particularly problematic because we had been dwindling our supplies in preparation for winterizing the water system. In fact, we had run out just after filling the kettle with water for morning coffee. I thought it would be a simple, if time-consuming, task to fill our tanks from the hose at the adjacent fuel dock.
<p>This was not the case. Due to Erieau's proximity to Mars, water is a scarce and closely-guarded commodity. Talking to the fuel kiosk attendant, he told me the water for the dock was off and that he had neither the knowledge nor the authority to turn it on. He suggested I try the fish cleaning station at the boat ramp. That was well out of hose range, so I would have to jug it to the boat. One look at the fish-gut-coated nozzles there had me going further along to the next finger of docks. There, I discovered the taps are all at toe level, and thus useless for filling a jug. Halfway along, I finally found a clean enough looking hose attached to one of them to fill the jug, but then now I had to walk an eighth of a mile back to the boat. I was not about to do that fifteen or twenty more times to fill the tanks. Late the next afternoon, after much running around to find Dave and then the guy with the right keys, we were finally told the water at the fuel dock would be turned on for us, but that it was going off promptly at closing.
<p>The guy at the fuel dock was perfectly polite about it, but by the time the last of our tanks were full with just three minutes to go, he had clearly finished up all of his other duties for the day and was running out of ways to look busy while he waited for me.
<p>First thing the next morning, Dave came by to say he was ready for us with the Travelift (the machine that lifts the boat from the water and can then drive it to any nearby patch of yard to set it down again). We were fortunate that there was not a breath of wind, which made it easy for me to maneuver Begonia into the exact middle of the lift with six inches to spare on each side.
<p>It was then that we discovered a couple of problems with the Travelift. The first was that Dave had it set for the larger boats that he had previously hauled and expected to haul after he was done with Begonia. Instead of the usual two straps, the lift was set up with two pairs of straps. The front pair weren't a problem, but the back two were too far apart to fit between Begonia's keels and saildrives. Removing one of the straps put the forward two in the wrong place, so one of them had to be removed. The second problem was that this particular Travelift was one of the versions that doesn't readily allow for fore and aft adjustments to the vessel position as a whole. The straps could be moved closer together or farther apart, but not in the same direction. This, combined with the fact that Begonia's lifting points are both pretty far back meant that as she was lifted, clearance between our forestay and the Travelift's forward beam became an issue. Dave asked if we could drop the forestay so it wouldn't hit.
<p>"Sure, but the mast will fall down, so we probably shouldn't." I was worried he was going to tell us we had no choice but to unstep the mast for the second time in a year, but he just kept working the problem instead.
<p>We couldn't lift Begonia high enough to remove the rudders in the usual way, so we had to go down to the water and remove them while the stern was hanging off the edge of the pad. Then Dave was able to lift her just high enough to keep her keels off the ground. Success!
<p>Despite all that he had told us about not being able provide to boatyard-style facilities for us, Dave rearranged his storage plan so that he could get us close enough to the dry storage building to be able to access both water and power from it during business hours. We were also much, much closer to the toilets and showers. Our only problem was that we were going to have to dump all the water we just loaded. Still that was a much better problem to have than being way out in the sticks, where we could only get it by filling buckets from our galley faucet.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/42.2598,-081.9096" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Erieau, ON, Canada42.2600092 -81.91567359999999113.949775363821153 -117.07192359999999 70.570243036178852 -46.759423599999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-45372826564346947152023-09-24T22:00:00.050-04:002023-09-27T11:55:35.169-04:00Thomas Bay (near Killarney)[Kyle]Speaking of scenery; for some reason we were expecting it to peter out as we approached the end of Collins Inlet. It did not. I feel like a broken record saying it (look it up, kids. They were the thing before CDs), but every new vista is just as beautiful as the last, but in enough of a new way to make it seem as if it is the first time we have gasped in awe of it all.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MSt_YYCBbykOU6fnUZcKo4UTi_qs8NF2qagCgKlgiq_8kwvzHj7ADGZQvkMt4K7S15fcgc7ZeFyHn7FJaH00jViRRBa_ruxkzepNCha3JQ5HEAeJxVIIDHjA0ny38AvNx353a6qmUjq8OI6QPQUAfbUBL8n6ALXwPdAK4Tx6GtcKAwG_jC9P/s200/IMG_7419.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu80M343vAAzHUXt5rhsY-b37jgPMya3E5rrDSvjHpSpNxOYu9a6cT0qTdqHD3XdM2_7zLge8gpNJ6Q6iyFXD9AQkpoimnqp6wRikKH3ylALSE7j6d8wZ253DQ25pxtEGfO5RKBKuLVbk7UyWFhHBhRTcYsmx4YyoCXYbRWuRfz3a45xRAAwA/s2534/DSC09008.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1900" data-original-width="2534" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnu80M343vAAzHUXt5rhsY-b37jgPMya3E5rrDSvjHpSpNxOYu9a6cT0qTdqHD3XdM2_7zLge8gpNJ6Q6iyFXD9AQkpoimnqp6wRikKH3ylALSE7j6d8wZ253DQ25pxtEGfO5RKBKuLVbk7UyWFhHBhRTcYsmx4YyoCXYbRWuRfz3a45xRAAwA/s200/DSC09008.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgI_N0s3V9bsBSH5_uKoNYygS4YAFyJRdGa-8y_X2cR6uxZEUcfh_u3mqUUlK1r85dPSlxyLg_SD997FiSIKNEqW5dMVpuGCqBqPTfiMdIDShlihlp35Ee6M2URSqlNMcjWZvoKg8TS0qrO22-17n2fJ91RGoXGERycb1RMB3dg4Co33dJJQz/s3959/IMG_6597.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdgI_N0s3V9bsBSH5_uKoNYygS4YAFyJRdGa-8y_X2cR6uxZEUcfh_u3mqUUlK1r85dPSlxyLg_SD997FiSIKNEqW5dMVpuGCqBqPTfiMdIDShlihlp35Ee6M2URSqlNMcjWZvoKg8TS0qrO22-17n2fJ91RGoXGERycb1RMB3dg4Co33dJJQz/s200/IMG_6597.jpg"/></a>
<br>From Mill Lake we transited through the 'other part' of Collins Inlet</center>
<p>We eventually set our anchor in Thomas Bay, just past where Collins Inlet gives way to open water again. On the way in, we even sighted Manitoulin Island on the horizon for the first time in a month and a half.
<p>From the write-ups, Thomas Bay looks like a very popular spot. Because of this, I think we were expecting it to be both big and full of boats looking to escape the bustle of nearby Killarney for a few days. The reality was that the bay is quite small. Without tying to shore, there is really only room for one or maybe two boats to anchor with reasonable depths.
<p>When we arrived, we were the only boat around. The crowds seem to have been put off by a new cottage that was built relatively recently. It overlooks the bay, diminishing the sense that the bay is private or remote. Since were late in the season, when we showed up in the middle of the week, the cottage appeared to be completely unoccupied.
<p>Recent solar flares were causing lots of Aurora alerts to be sent to us over the next few nights. With the cottage being dark at night, we ended up having a good view of an even better show than we had at Nares Inlet, with lots of undulating curtains and quick-moving flashes of red and green light.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UUce3HsoMAIz01vwmWciC6ulDOZSGRl_IftBrOBXxhDbWcLdMZHxiZerWEisuVwLa7sg_foxNCAZCpykSX3ushfo0zBeON7P5AzkKYIbVJJYydX2fuE-J-lAHD5EUh28GyyVpFRu02iY8_HN5yKEl_ERX8fbObnlRRBTP3PP_RspywI8SQSc/s2592/DSC09065.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3UUce3HsoMAIz01vwmWciC6ulDOZSGRl_IftBrOBXxhDbWcLdMZHxiZerWEisuVwLa7sg_foxNCAZCpykSX3ushfo0zBeON7P5AzkKYIbVJJYydX2fuE-J-lAHD5EUh28GyyVpFRu02iY8_HN5yKEl_ERX8fbObnlRRBTP3PP_RspywI8SQSc/s200/DSC09065.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6Y8108lZsPzs10hvcKVi0yhYtse41SJECs9zOpPo704u8NMDbyDQHXfxw793Ct4Yvt8id6bRM4eHo7jw6yn7ajRjdWXZqYHjnIHJ52qy0PA3P_Tp00sUCBDtNCg7Zyuy8TDNAaS9ODW2uA0KRRS1YOJqBoJsP53Hwrkfl-4h4W1c6NhGPTg6/s2592/DSC09070.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht6Y8108lZsPzs10hvcKVi0yhYtse41SJECs9zOpPo704u8NMDbyDQHXfxw793Ct4Yvt8id6bRM4eHo7jw6yn7ajRjdWXZqYHjnIHJ52qy0PA3P_Tp00sUCBDtNCg7Zyuy8TDNAaS9ODW2uA0KRRS1YOJqBoJsP53Hwrkfl-4h4W1c6NhGPTg6/s200/DSC09070.jpg"/></a>
<br>We felt so lucky to see the aurora AGAIN! <br>(Photos taken from the boat)</center>
<p>Staying up well past midnight like a couple of teenagers put a pretty big dent in our original plan to get an early departure in the kayak the next morning. We decided to change it to early afternoon. Thomas Bay is right on the edge of Killarney Provincial Park. We headed a couple miles into it to the parking lot and trailhead for the Chikanishing River trail.
<p>The 3.5km loop is not long, but it varies from deep woods to boulder scrambles to high viewpoints, which makes it seem suitably athletic. We augmented it by summiting a few of the intervening islets on the kayak home. That gave us even more great stuff upon which to gaze.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLUjeZ4QJjIdFu5rFSp3QuOUZUuGqsigkYBbDa4vWAa9vo4XCE8YxOpAhvyskSWry3ucDNP8RVBq5FqLA4OMWGEmUMKQgGQgaIsSdVlkaAA2CzuC4hF4aw3bCWhNwXbjJxkNSVju4Du9FD93omo52q_uZ09m4uzniDX9hv6pLrfhs1tWR-obq/s8924/IMG_7374.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3578" data-original-width="8924" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifLUjeZ4QJjIdFu5rFSp3QuOUZUuGqsigkYBbDa4vWAa9vo4XCE8YxOpAhvyskSWry3ucDNP8RVBq5FqLA4OMWGEmUMKQgGQgaIsSdVlkaAA2CzuC4hF4aw3bCWhNwXbjJxkNSVju4Du9FD93omo52q_uZ09m4uzniDX9hv6pLrfhs1tWR-obq/s400/IMG_7374.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5CXedesf6ZoEXc3GcHA8lZ0wXAvKGjllqftozD-cFwsb2iWzJmZJNK0T5gkHtSvyq3VPu6xwGC-rItlXxIJL0yQoFmRru0bG4GxmrmytVNqBfYgSPH5Dk8v7Wsd0c2l3PvWA8c4mcBXU4KUOeFK3TzHedvDm4jZgSA6BtO3cEhpBIPfxcCLJ/s4032/IMG_6799.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt5CXedesf6ZoEXc3GcHA8lZ0wXAvKGjllqftozD-cFwsb2iWzJmZJNK0T5gkHtSvyq3VPu6xwGC-rItlXxIJL0yQoFmRru0bG4GxmrmytVNqBfYgSPH5Dk8v7Wsd0c2l3PvWA8c4mcBXU4KUOeFK3TzHedvDm4jZgSA6BtO3cEhpBIPfxcCLJ/s200/IMG_6799.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtEAM8EfwfR3jmKBUugwzK8Pg3KSwujWH8F__3If0c7FEmReM6K-4uFPkcBQV4LCSz-D7JcU9zu9Mcsat7TLPRkDaXPpWt1ExxtPhFnvZ9LXz-zIcJa81Wvm7iY7O3NVyXRRTL20dlNZItyEbpY58l3wTG1nTib4u8WN7kNJZ_dRxHPTKt0TX/s4032/IMG_6853.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxtEAM8EfwfR3jmKBUugwzK8Pg3KSwujWH8F__3If0c7FEmReM6K-4uFPkcBQV4LCSz-D7JcU9zu9Mcsat7TLPRkDaXPpWt1ExxtPhFnvZ9LXz-zIcJa81Wvm7iY7O3NVyXRRTL20dlNZItyEbpY58l3wTG1nTib4u8WN7kNJZ_dRxHPTKt0TX/s200/IMG_6853.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g-J5Ss_k_OxishAS_jKRoI49SlNm90oTvAahoWOPygXCTGURrPpVzcmXT4FfRJQKupgWSHxai-_vlbev0Y-ZXRza2WAUbXBMfbgz_miBakyCSa0BuCiKzXsUTLa09Cm3wLqQkedb8Wqn1atMOy1v-c11xpd1A9a0fWFNb3wdBNB6W5r-eJj7/s4032/IMG_6858.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3g-J5Ss_k_OxishAS_jKRoI49SlNm90oTvAahoWOPygXCTGURrPpVzcmXT4FfRJQKupgWSHxai-_vlbev0Y-ZXRza2WAUbXBMfbgz_miBakyCSa0BuCiKzXsUTLa09Cm3wLqQkedb8Wqn1atMOy1v-c11xpd1A9a0fWFNb3wdBNB6W5r-eJj7/s200/IMG_6858.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuYvX_crI7mFmRmAkownbXbBaB8YBFxnPeyY-yDoF053OXH6t-R1Uz-dsRhhQNmLnkrgUbWjcsDiM-wR9cPqSlH_SFNSN_WNNLNZeU2DEKfg9RhJwq4WPT1-J_zpprUVegYcHSwXZ6CiXRFDFp6lRh1RVG6qJgG19kANG3QjaI4D3A8kG8Xus/s2592/DSC09142.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTuYvX_crI7mFmRmAkownbXbBaB8YBFxnPeyY-yDoF053OXH6t-R1Uz-dsRhhQNmLnkrgUbWjcsDiM-wR9cPqSlH_SFNSN_WNNLNZeU2DEKfg9RhJwq4WPT1-J_zpprUVegYcHSwXZ6CiXRFDFp6lRh1RVG6qJgG19kANG3QjaI4D3A8kG8Xus/s200/DSC09142.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5JmAGSB5TTHVFEYhGpWgsD9DVzvBOfmDoxeQdJXPZzGWiGIk-EVuGo0G-qQmbb2_EeNbZ0mFOIXUHp4BlleyoYsEYSmGHloPyQF1V8LxwCKMVC_9XdWrPAVXP2P78GHmiLL9sHmkn3I9U3wZ7E4kqm_GlFl6Gv_H4wj-bFDnLtwrJdRcNFYy/s1038/DSC09160.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="779" data-original-width="1038" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE5JmAGSB5TTHVFEYhGpWgsD9DVzvBOfmDoxeQdJXPZzGWiGIk-EVuGo0G-qQmbb2_EeNbZ0mFOIXUHp4BlleyoYsEYSmGHloPyQF1V8LxwCKMVC_9XdWrPAVXP2P78GHmiLL9sHmkn3I9U3wZ7E4kqm_GlFl6Gv_H4wj-bFDnLtwrJdRcNFYy/s200/DSC09160.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEykukmJvqH4Cb9jDhuig4JTPualeJkqTStv8MWy5IUQx9Ho1jYQvC_R-YJlAf99uvq8bs7sSr6fUbM_nBsnHq-uQ5VEimDeue4lTivvk5786YWTTTAqI5VWt0F7KVwE9i269cNAgPlc2vnXVL9d6Be_nQW9vzZhTP8MVClmm1cy3B4wBUQS4/s4032/IMG_6880.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvEykukmJvqH4Cb9jDhuig4JTPualeJkqTStv8MWy5IUQx9Ho1jYQvC_R-YJlAf99uvq8bs7sSr6fUbM_nBsnHq-uQ5VEimDeue4lTivvk5786YWTTTAqI5VWt0F7KVwE9i269cNAgPlc2vnXVL9d6Be_nQW9vzZhTP8MVClmm1cy3B4wBUQS4/s200/IMG_6880.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0bVJnW0oF1h3k5hdXP34zj8jv3XHwMKTdRKFKQLwJJpIpG24mHf6MImvyZ9aH0rWYuwO1TUmCzk-0vcuxhJs5hnD5QvvdvpfsAK2lp3WnBxgFP1kxLHq1lJgPnhcrop9pX3tPtimKvZYP-lrBlW2fB8rel1oPVDy8cTvVhMsnXDkiQn3VLOZ/s4032/IMG_7338.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_0bVJnW0oF1h3k5hdXP34zj8jv3XHwMKTdRKFKQLwJJpIpG24mHf6MImvyZ9aH0rWYuwO1TUmCzk-0vcuxhJs5hnD5QvvdvpfsAK2lp3WnBxgFP1kxLHq1lJgPnhcrop9pX3tPtimKvZYP-lrBlW2fB8rel1oPVDy8cTvVhMsnXDkiQn3VLOZ/s200/IMG_7338.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMBuJ_1HCMVJrVvjEko6cAjWCpM2OtUXPTHqrqOOZgpE6uVpzeGfp-4YRYaMsEXjmhhMAUmBLX-BsDAUtTOH3wFgkiScmjz2Sz2Sz4b_IIgj0uZfLNNBC2qrPrTJEIcKs6NfkucOcn71jtlxBZrhjX4p8GuAZ7gE3AOekpv03eWMpjXTw5_rD/s4032/IMG_7396.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSMBuJ_1HCMVJrVvjEko6cAjWCpM2OtUXPTHqrqOOZgpE6uVpzeGfp-4YRYaMsEXjmhhMAUmBLX-BsDAUtTOH3wFgkiScmjz2Sz2Sz4b_IIgj0uZfLNNBC2qrPrTJEIcKs6NfkucOcn71jtlxBZrhjX4p8GuAZ7gE3AOekpv03eWMpjXTw5_rD/s200/IMG_7396.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB7yfY0M4xC2_9BQDLUm73pH0Ib0DglhrPKUmwocp96ETL6UyTSrzsCYUSkKKOojHYDnn_lfsvVZv7Ir7ftK-0Xq75zbCV7Xl_FJ6hiLHsjDgWvQheYLD8Jo1p1md1ihZfybW_pimbG9xtJQh0YalTMPpO2C4Lo5JZ1KzMzuNfFYAHlLOfT90/s4032/IMG_7414.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVB7yfY0M4xC2_9BQDLUm73pH0Ib0DglhrPKUmwocp96ETL6UyTSrzsCYUSkKKOojHYDnn_lfsvVZv7Ir7ftK-0Xq75zbCV7Xl_FJ6hiLHsjDgWvQheYLD8Jo1p1md1ihZfybW_pimbG9xtJQh0YalTMPpO2C4Lo5JZ1KzMzuNfFYAHlLOfT90/s200/IMG_7414.jpg"/></a>
<br>Enjoying Chikanishing Trail, Killarney Provincial Park & the shoreline to the east of Begonia</center>
<p>The following day, we went the other direction to the marshy river that feeds Dufois Bay. It turned out to be a lot reedier than we had expected. We pushed our way up the narrowing sliver of water in the middle so far that we ended up without enough room to turn around. We had to back out quite a way, which made for some amusing moments when the stern left the centerline and plunged into the reeds.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcY1PhLBbPebol5LQC5pApA__7tca-wX9sgCt8qcv-7Txmn3UWDYXF48Rs2zO1Umn9zXmA67mW85atdC9lq837v45LH3t88XG86Sjkm-LQPp4QiGQVKBKO_BCO9iCoHM7s9qzHeqV3D866KrSPfr0r16fImxly439g5Az_OsShX-jpIFFQNX1/s4032/IMG_6889.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdcY1PhLBbPebol5LQC5pApA__7tca-wX9sgCt8qcv-7Txmn3UWDYXF48Rs2zO1Umn9zXmA67mW85atdC9lq837v45LH3t88XG86Sjkm-LQPp4QiGQVKBKO_BCO9iCoHM7s9qzHeqV3D866KrSPfr0r16fImxly439g5Az_OsShX-jpIFFQNX1/s200/IMG_6889.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicykRF_48g3G5I4xx-NZUSwGgJRS_p99uT0oLFcSpXqfk54uFWckDJ9Z34bFdVgBSD3qnBvcu6Tp4xg4u0H9ldpK0DOjrJXQbuVhk7RjzwgVDAsrgtsjjjwrx4sfNqtBuPpc_S3QXIxnzd5bmvRHNoL4LGZA8gPbo_NWz_44WpVM-SM8BW4aL1/s4032/IMG_6900.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicykRF_48g3G5I4xx-NZUSwGgJRS_p99uT0oLFcSpXqfk54uFWckDJ9Z34bFdVgBSD3qnBvcu6Tp4xg4u0H9ldpK0DOjrJXQbuVhk7RjzwgVDAsrgtsjjjwrx4sfNqtBuPpc_S3QXIxnzd5bmvRHNoL4LGZA8gPbo_NWz_44WpVM-SM8BW4aL1/s200/IMG_6900.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCcjMKvHnRDMmgu-fn83D-k_aKPvlVvqnTX_yveRTUt3-PWG3Hfqj27nWnBa42zDpfhELqoUu3Pxg7dF9XTGljo17LcQiqDwNoVRBjGzG6RIMfHj65BXg5u6BE7GHM6Fven8XgdmT2SkZ1sxpwIFrvMu0s5gJAecH8OzfsJ6LkQ6lCRe-WFbr/s3959/IMG_6928.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2969" data-original-width="3959" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHCcjMKvHnRDMmgu-fn83D-k_aKPvlVvqnTX_yveRTUt3-PWG3Hfqj27nWnBa42zDpfhELqoUu3Pxg7dF9XTGljo17LcQiqDwNoVRBjGzG6RIMfHj65BXg5u6BE7GHM6Fven8XgdmT2SkZ1sxpwIFrvMu0s5gJAecH8OzfsJ6LkQ6lCRe-WFbr/s200/IMG_6928.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MSt_YYCBbykOU6fnUZcKo4UTi_qs8NF2qagCgKlgiq_8kwvzHj7ADGZQvkMt4K7S15fcgc7ZeFyHn7FJaH00jViRRBa_ruxkzepNCha3JQ5HEAeJxVIIDHjA0ny38AvNx353a6qmUjq8OI6QPQUAfbUBL8n6ALXwPdAK4Tx6GtcKAwG_jC9P/s4032/IMG_7419.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6MSt_YYCBbykOU6fnUZcKo4UTi_qs8NF2qagCgKlgiq_8kwvzHj7ADGZQvkMt4K7S15fcgc7ZeFyHn7FJaH00jViRRBa_ruxkzepNCha3JQ5HEAeJxVIIDHjA0ny38AvNx353a6qmUjq8OI6QPQUAfbUBL8n6ALXwPdAK4Tx6GtcKAwG_jC9P/s200/IMG_7419.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsezfg5h8Bfp0FKcjDpFv8h7DyEz5gYqOf6WAByGWfHDnTgxYfZVYfFhKF9pDR7rbo9uFYb8pNRxtS8cPQLlFYqsTWwJdaYfRjlZaXfqZaczK_bZAzzGqZ9j9iO5WG4tcxzD_SqPGS43M3BwN-wnXchAItYWaIUqU43WX2hD8VlEZgPlPELKji/s4032/IMG_7435.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsezfg5h8Bfp0FKcjDpFv8h7DyEz5gYqOf6WAByGWfHDnTgxYfZVYfFhKF9pDR7rbo9uFYb8pNRxtS8cPQLlFYqsTWwJdaYfRjlZaXfqZaczK_bZAzzGqZ9j9iO5WG4tcxzD_SqPGS43M3BwN-wnXchAItYWaIUqU43WX2hD8VlEZgPlPELKji/s200/IMG_7435.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2k62YudB-zbIcYgx9RwkWhPQ3iQWrBH5S7hLn03JOEJmxs7K2ZL3vkJVS7lViKHgPAUBH0PlxjxZXeY8nAIjYS__vpV8fU_C_f-oib2RjRVYlXzj7W7oHanL6kjo1zC8-Wu4Bn9iammsUI1sUU2ympRrI27ZA7P8S8C_JdQiLOB8oXF-ybxq/s4032/IMG_7436.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh2k62YudB-zbIcYgx9RwkWhPQ3iQWrBH5S7hLn03JOEJmxs7K2ZL3vkJVS7lViKHgPAUBH0PlxjxZXeY8nAIjYS__vpV8fU_C_f-oib2RjRVYlXzj7W7oHanL6kjo1zC8-Wu4Bn9iammsUI1sUU2ympRrI27ZA7P8S8C_JdQiLOB8oXF-ybxq/s200/IMG_7436.jpg"/></a>
<br>Enjoying the marshes around Dufois Bay and the shorelines to the west of our anchorage</center>
<p>The lake was starting to get a little choppy by the time we headed back home. Our kayak is narrow and a bit tippy. Traversing the open stretches in a cross-swell, we had to really concentrate on keeping both of our weights centered through the rolling. With the water getting colder by the day, we were well aware that a capsize wouldn’t allow us the luxury of taking as much time as we needed to get back aboard and paddling again.
<p>We had a couple more days after that to wait around for a weather window for the big, end-of-summer sail out of Lake Huron. Even though we were trying hard to put it out of our minds, there was a looming list of administrative jobs that we needed to dig into to get ready for our impending haulout, not to mention deflating the kayak and stuffing it back into its dark winter hole. That last job made it easier to stay aboard and focus.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZjeOBnSGtzUm5BxCq8M48wIHNeeLGydA3Nc2Hc2Lzqyx96jBl2uS3xGwSThGUwSRfoMeXBGaZOsPnCjnuHDJZhyphenhyphenT0pq9PPjh2L1J7donttIsgRQ0lNpzZ7Zly0gTAodwq2NbQvfSFlN5Rj5cmC_VN2bMOeSMMeuiuw74B8EaClMlvZn8Li3S/s2574/DSC09228.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1931" data-original-width="2574" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ZjeOBnSGtzUm5BxCq8M48wIHNeeLGydA3Nc2Hc2Lzqyx96jBl2uS3xGwSThGUwSRfoMeXBGaZOsPnCjnuHDJZhyphenhyphenT0pq9PPjh2L1J7donttIsgRQ0lNpzZ7Zly0gTAodwq2NbQvfSFlN5Rj5cmC_VN2bMOeSMMeuiuw74B8EaClMlvZn8Li3S/s200/DSC09228.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4_az8EmvQj63bkxvuE-GgUbVBrOubami_0lPxtucgnmW5xtxBBthy9TizPpf35joLEtMne6NQOTrqfo63puukAY3zDOq-1bj4MZSIOP1Gru0WRqCQBARQvSHhDtqPR7XUelye-l0pTCDyCu5G9GNoCdDeAEHMLqtkED7hfJ8Q8UuuVY5HzJM/s2540/DSC09244.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1905" data-original-width="2540" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC4_az8EmvQj63bkxvuE-GgUbVBrOubami_0lPxtucgnmW5xtxBBthy9TizPpf35joLEtMne6NQOTrqfo63puukAY3zDOq-1bj4MZSIOP1Gru0WRqCQBARQvSHhDtqPR7XUelye-l0pTCDyCu5G9GNoCdDeAEHMLqtkED7hfJ8Q8UuuVY5HzJM/s200/DSC09244.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxJ-c4-xpZYoNyPpzR5M6ZcmC-p0G5f7zqoQwKafXW-Rf6rz3_ZCpHnCvhDzGnm0lyRPxF2dnT0pL9L2586Or9KKsOi7_2n9RYRhCucOms5SVLPmZrSnE9Jj9EfjxHmEYSS-oj8TpPEP3OpR3t8p9OWxQh5BhMIPyJlY1HdinZ5R2S1mhxTls/s4023/IMG_7465.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3017" data-original-width="4023" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxJ-c4-xpZYoNyPpzR5M6ZcmC-p0G5f7zqoQwKafXW-Rf6rz3_ZCpHnCvhDzGnm0lyRPxF2dnT0pL9L2586Or9KKsOi7_2n9RYRhCucOms5SVLPmZrSnE9Jj9EfjxHmEYSS-oj8TpPEP3OpR3t8p9OWxQh5BhMIPyJlY1HdinZ5R2S1mhxTls/s200/IMG_7465.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZKXPRAleWPZPFCZDcYWBspIk_bV04iHRyYBT-8A8M_xZJfMmu3g4MsRbAyFWZwa3bdBtBF6FH5-ugDT-i0elREkErIcNosBMMjUSoqF4aYl4vm-NoG6IsmJzdOOr_lWuUxjTkuFOPXWPx9OTPlImdB0RM3dOQ2M-u1Ibfw3beZiQfnfVXPep/s4032/IMG_7468.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbZKXPRAleWPZPFCZDcYWBspIk_bV04iHRyYBT-8A8M_xZJfMmu3g4MsRbAyFWZwa3bdBtBF6FH5-ugDT-i0elREkErIcNosBMMjUSoqF4aYl4vm-NoG6IsmJzdOOr_lWuUxjTkuFOPXWPx9OTPlImdB0RM3dOQ2M-u1Ibfw3beZiQfnfVXPep/s200/IMG_7468.jpg"/></a>
<br>Enjoying Thomas Bay</center>
<p>While we were doing that, I would pop out a few times a day to stretch my legs with a lap around the deck or to fiddle with some bit of rigging. On one of my outings, I noticed that the two elderly cottagers had arrived for the weekend. They stayed to themselves and we stayed to ourselves. Their routine looked surprisingly similar to ours. About three times a day, one of them would stroll out on deck, meander for a bit, straighten the patio furniture or twiddle with the knobs on the barbecue, then disappear into the interior for hours. I often wondered what they could possibly have to do all day to keep themselves occupied, then I realized they must be thinking the exact same thing about us, not being privy to our extensive stacks of to-do lists. When we finally mysteriously disappeared from their bay at dawn on Sunday, I was glad to be looking forward to unplugging and spending my days worrying about sail trim and weather forecasts.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location >> <a href=https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.9909,-081.4350 source="_blank">On google maps</a>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Thomas Bay, Killarney, ON, Canada45.990979499999987 -81.435014517.680745663821142 -116.5912645 74.301213336178833 -46.278764499999994tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-22866971039654875462023-09-18T22:00:00.028-04:002023-09-26T10:31:49.481-04:00Mill Lake, Collins Inlet (Georgian Bay)[Kyle]Despite the plunging air and water temperatures, summer is not over yet. We decided to change things up by moving only a couple miles away (as the crow flies) to Mill Lake, a deep inlet into Philip Edward Island. To get there, we had to enter Collins Inlet, the last narrow passageway before Georgian Bay transitions into the North Channel.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZSGQEat4yt8AV75Ddj_tCmfw3Y1IeWze9rK5O9wYEsJG5gjDaByOfcSFUSV-m2Dlpzum0xvoTvHCen9H_4qknzWzCOK6ffJycb1ZVj1wo-Q0I3anVcWgQjwp5l1U5uLopsC5FGtDUFfBNfvHiPkaq9nnO1LL645gZXCOMoZ0Rqi6Q5nE5D0t/s200/IMG_7335.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p>From the open water, Beaverstone Inlet narrows and shallows before taking an abrupt left turn to become Collins Inlet. The location of the name change is a bit nerve-wracking because within the sliver of a channel, the depths reduce and vary wildly as you pass over rocks and weedy areas, never being sure which is which.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwz3PMAZ23jUo5oClp57SqLqzkrw4q6T4bBousO3uI7Z49Bb0zjF_BOSct3mX28f4n2H1Tz6PBwd5q2877G3HVfStvEP9WhQMWdBhuVMgT3YV-0weG8p4NaeniIQ70azvv2sEzZR0arh5-sOXC-eOrpF7FV6c3VHw0qoGNvCj9shiF9mn1RiT/s4032/IMG_6405.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwz3PMAZ23jUo5oClp57SqLqzkrw4q6T4bBousO3uI7Z49Bb0zjF_BOSct3mX28f4n2H1Tz6PBwd5q2877G3HVfStvEP9WhQMWdBhuVMgT3YV-0weG8p4NaeniIQ70azvv2sEzZR0arh5-sOXC-eOrpF7FV6c3VHw0qoGNvCj9shiF9mn1RiT/s200/IMG_6405.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sr2UfzCNG9hUnWZhLMJ_LlCI23oscq5BKc8sNS2PBwvogua74nLs9AZ0Oga4-AStpNfv7kMFva4vZJapRv3AgdlErx6qhHJJAWeHRPzyGFeqc3fuPuGG-8FZuVpSXJU3cYYsULdnbpaGGmqZv9JUO23fBDss5OUQhHxMQ6wmc-CobzLi1FQb/s4032/IMG_6411.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9sr2UfzCNG9hUnWZhLMJ_LlCI23oscq5BKc8sNS2PBwvogua74nLs9AZ0Oga4-AStpNfv7kMFva4vZJapRv3AgdlErx6qhHJJAWeHRPzyGFeqc3fuPuGG-8FZuVpSXJU3cYYsULdnbpaGGmqZv9JUO23fBDss5OUQhHxMQ6wmc-CobzLi1FQb/s200/IMG_6411.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iwfd0PXOaXCR2oH5lacVb-drUVsFn4TgMihjl2Kiu_E77Njmxvy4h2ogivzAENN5IDTVayQByU8EXRIT6uJY-osF0aA-EcgQjMmCBYKjL-uyrUJxiK4UdE6dZJkEXxgaznlrKn-DGcYRN7L0SOqEXqP4wxvjQHOzu-xiCXe5gtSWdJAUCeXV/s4032/IMG_6416.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7iwfd0PXOaXCR2oH5lacVb-drUVsFn4TgMihjl2Kiu_E77Njmxvy4h2ogivzAENN5IDTVayQByU8EXRIT6uJY-osF0aA-EcgQjMmCBYKjL-uyrUJxiK4UdE6dZJkEXxgaznlrKn-DGcYRN7L0SOqEXqP4wxvjQHOzu-xiCXe5gtSWdJAUCeXV/s200/IMG_6416.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCAPdpwoIg_ZlSx6MxfMto9IiHRUi-NJjb0fTlvfYMFO-Vc_ChVOy6EkORPTsAI2-LPtKQo55TS3eL6cVAZGRlKbiV3BFMZKS-cRcDtVeD4ftJXypPiyEsKJWZVaihtFHeOhQAJp6h6cQ5t7-IvhX6mB7GXwlwkam1UYw-sBa_Ok5WxYk-D6P/s4032/IMG_6408.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCCAPdpwoIg_ZlSx6MxfMto9IiHRUi-NJjb0fTlvfYMFO-Vc_ChVOy6EkORPTsAI2-LPtKQo55TS3eL6cVAZGRlKbiV3BFMZKS-cRcDtVeD4ftJXypPiyEsKJWZVaihtFHeOhQAJp6h6cQ5t7-IvhX6mB7GXwlwkam1UYw-sBa_Ok5WxYk-D6P/s200/IMG_6408.jpg"/></a>
<br>Collins Inlet</center>
<p>Turning the sharp corner, the depth increased somewhat, which allowed us to breathe a little easier as we took in the fjord-like views along the way. Mill Lake is approximately perpendicular, approximately halfway along. The land around the lake is all Provincial Park, apart from four cottages. I cleverly planned our anchorage to be out of sight of all of them in just two meters water and surrounded by islets. That way, if we saw the Aurora again, their lights wouldn't interfere.
<p>That turned out to be a bad idea. There's too much sunlight at two meters. Our anchor wouldn't set. When Maryanne retrieved it, it was covered in a ball of weed the size of Begonia. Maryanne grabbed a dive knife and started slashing away at it while I kept us off the shallows. By the time she cleared me to start moving again, she looked like she had just barely won a battle with the Swamp Thing. She suggested we try a little deeper water next time.
<p>We could see two cottages from our next choice, but they have likely already been vacated for the winter. We dropped the anchor in seven meters this time and it held fast right away. It looks like a fine location for a weed fight, but Maryanne had already tossed it overboard after cutting it free.
<p>We did the usual kayak tours during our stay, making sure they aggregated into a comprehensive survey of all the shoreline within the lake by the time we were finished.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgdxxx1EsRGX-zmgUl6PhsoedeDPJBwnuwwAB-s91Lp_vuMN6SMfFsbeh243SPCPhgjCCEIPgHbB_EqNRvnpFlADxXP00LSOdPaY2h0jmw8Di7ncbAzTjTTdK_Q7ZCzhK-wQFxKM-plUzuf8qox0Vl51iRQmV0r9vpoR5KURfgVkgL4VhVzH7/s1707/DSC08934.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1707" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgdxxx1EsRGX-zmgUl6PhsoedeDPJBwnuwwAB-s91Lp_vuMN6SMfFsbeh243SPCPhgjCCEIPgHbB_EqNRvnpFlADxXP00LSOdPaY2h0jmw8Di7ncbAzTjTTdK_Q7ZCzhK-wQFxKM-plUzuf8qox0Vl51iRQmV0r9vpoR5KURfgVkgL4VhVzH7/s200/DSC08934.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwXCM8WyQt_foRhHodV1eSZBR3dtfSWG3mwcuskDmHLaXJystK9Fqke2jVR_GiHOrU8mAM1qOPf1dTBB4ICP192VzL0Vu_Mpp7Fb10F_23ATym4ou5vnC4yqeNGm1XmBDFWUCnn7gEJKiGfFeLFWHsgzY3LX7OX4NUPy0KG8SZlkJglSKWEd9/s4032/IMG_6446.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBwXCM8WyQt_foRhHodV1eSZBR3dtfSWG3mwcuskDmHLaXJystK9Fqke2jVR_GiHOrU8mAM1qOPf1dTBB4ICP192VzL0Vu_Mpp7Fb10F_23ATym4ou5vnC4yqeNGm1XmBDFWUCnn7gEJKiGfFeLFWHsgzY3LX7OX4NUPy0KG8SZlkJglSKWEd9/s200/IMG_6446.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKy1VpFvhGnj_a5LAvJTXaZTsQMYoE0-4k9et8vVXTt8F5EvPm53IAoEEKWAgQHYJtmJN7tOtSuLTY0UqdSt0ZH_okIdZ2nld1M9ZR29wyrCYgL3AypNixgRr9C4oOaNvhfTCq5TZ8342E14QnN6NoUj1pGBhOrOWDO2Hd956AKcNE7a-O37J/s4032/IMG_6477.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoKy1VpFvhGnj_a5LAvJTXaZTsQMYoE0-4k9et8vVXTt8F5EvPm53IAoEEKWAgQHYJtmJN7tOtSuLTY0UqdSt0ZH_okIdZ2nld1M9ZR29wyrCYgL3AypNixgRr9C4oOaNvhfTCq5TZ8342E14QnN6NoUj1pGBhOrOWDO2Hd956AKcNE7a-O37J/s200/IMG_6477.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilFrO9hmffCriHOCkiliLs_a3KlOy2BwjuYE7_GoNgG0bm71aS8VJ8a0OtrxG1G4nvBRXC3OQeYtSClI0sgCdrvHsvxo6-DnCTRKvmGZsZc9KtAsZ11sOgAV-6ya24ZXe6W2UVFD5gu4akoIiFYGUweaUjUFyYEqcCYXiqeklY4uZ4n0P3pR6/s4032/IMG_6487.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiilFrO9hmffCriHOCkiliLs_a3KlOy2BwjuYE7_GoNgG0bm71aS8VJ8a0OtrxG1G4nvBRXC3OQeYtSClI0sgCdrvHsvxo6-DnCTRKvmGZsZc9KtAsZ11sOgAV-6ya24ZXe6W2UVFD5gu4akoIiFYGUweaUjUFyYEqcCYXiqeklY4uZ4n0P3pR6/s200/IMG_6487.jpg"/></a>
<br>Kayak about Mill Lake</center>
<p>On the last day, we landed at a trailhead just before the owner of the cottage on the southernmost island on the lake in her launch. She correctly surmised we were the "catamaran people" and welcomed us to the area. We joined her and her two friends for the short walk to the beautiful Manzanazing river system just over the ridge. Along the way, as the five of us were chatting, she pointed out unmistakable evidence of a bear that had recently been on the trail. Rather than being nervous at such a sight, Maryanne and I were buoyed by the thought that we might have a chance to see another one from a safe distance. Our new companions also directed us to a small waterfall a short kayak away (on the Mehzenazing River).
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OO-8X0wg-fCeGEGNkzSGK41cCdic6THyC1IOUivCaNp4ZZlRBXfQ1lhZVa-5yidKHrDlNnKWyHgCaP1a8LYehyG-MQ_eH9g6mNkkNFhKGIyAAoIu5uKckmxq33PQdNt5z47MjfFvSazEMYiWUoUo_N8TXBc4U-iw_u11JxSh6I_5DkfwIPZ8/s4032/IMG_6496.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OO-8X0wg-fCeGEGNkzSGK41cCdic6THyC1IOUivCaNp4ZZlRBXfQ1lhZVa-5yidKHrDlNnKWyHgCaP1a8LYehyG-MQ_eH9g6mNkkNFhKGIyAAoIu5uKckmxq33PQdNt5z47MjfFvSazEMYiWUoUo_N8TXBc4U-iw_u11JxSh6I_5DkfwIPZ8/s200/IMG_6496.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO1W6-b663tX4UTaqA4PXjBib-9z6X9vlrMVgopqZzG__Jzp_vj-OMayhJyx4OQo3mVbhqqGJCRhQznteDcYoJ92TLdPIxJa7Wi5__O15FvVUavwyi7C9025JmvhfnQQYlm3b9py2yNj4mNNvNmobBE90yOKfmj1uSvIMmw2cP2VI1tW-mbvm/s4032/IMG_6519.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO1W6-b663tX4UTaqA4PXjBib-9z6X9vlrMVgopqZzG__Jzp_vj-OMayhJyx4OQo3mVbhqqGJCRhQznteDcYoJ92TLdPIxJa7Wi5__O15FvVUavwyi7C9025JmvhfnQQYlm3b9py2yNj4mNNvNmobBE90yOKfmj1uSvIMmw2cP2VI1tW-mbvm/s200/IMG_6519.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjaNmAq3_C72Eq-Cb4Md8bu44hV9xrAIfZUcnI7L_Hm67I-5YS1UMtrnfhqftRfZ0UECsgJzNFTWCG1Ns03GQEzVKt5OHdzG-o1Mp-fBlHPSNkywTnfZYgpk0X25KwXezaX4E1LPmIqPYZ1Kbzbl9-tsyWtEUEPgzyKp88VChzGTAHa7SIZo2/s4032/IMG_6520.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivjaNmAq3_C72Eq-Cb4Md8bu44hV9xrAIfZUcnI7L_Hm67I-5YS1UMtrnfhqftRfZ0UECsgJzNFTWCG1Ns03GQEzVKt5OHdzG-o1Mp-fBlHPSNkywTnfZYgpk0X25KwXezaX4E1LPmIqPYZ1Kbzbl9-tsyWtEUEPgzyKp88VChzGTAHa7SIZo2/s200/IMG_6520.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmX3EThwcBY3Bai_4mq39njwQcDZo53RV-Dh-_z2OxTBxGwAa4vm2Tt7qGx4yLkMGf8dVEum5XBZOUX_JWskR8D7scZx6VXD4T6TiIKqhZzq_5Lk6CtV2RsIV9IEEAoPvX-jBfZBhYQcRRwtOHYOh3U-rYYC6UyrhbHRr14QZe9kPWS5CCUeCF/s4032/IMG_6521.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmX3EThwcBY3Bai_4mq39njwQcDZo53RV-Dh-_z2OxTBxGwAa4vm2Tt7qGx4yLkMGf8dVEum5XBZOUX_JWskR8D7scZx6VXD4T6TiIKqhZzq_5Lk6CtV2RsIV9IEEAoPvX-jBfZBhYQcRRwtOHYOh3U-rYYC6UyrhbHRr14QZe9kPWS5CCUeCF/s200/IMG_6521.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Q70xk90k47k0lG9AjLrYPCjoxTADCpwYKROxtKcnivf8yVG8le-u2A6WU06HZFuu6C1oqVWNITEkDGU5gLSPBg7xwWzaswdGsrtFawCTNUvc-YKDLjFdLzie-tQpAlvHQhnvQY_SA4NsXJTjn1EOBeQXySjLw6c3EDKXExXWTV8FT227VsJ/s4032/IMG_6524.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1Q70xk90k47k0lG9AjLrYPCjoxTADCpwYKROxtKcnivf8yVG8le-u2A6WU06HZFuu6C1oqVWNITEkDGU5gLSPBg7xwWzaswdGsrtFawCTNUvc-YKDLjFdLzie-tQpAlvHQhnvQY_SA4NsXJTjn1EOBeQXySjLw6c3EDKXExXWTV8FT227VsJ/s200/IMG_6524.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWA2dkOkgezqFvWO3p9ujQGs3XftgKtqM1EHVSRN-qiiac7qjACStPE-cA-AWar4TnCDQme2JqZful-AlPh7VKZ-rz-Lx7qGeeye66GHNT571n6hsUgcvmY6heJijuu5U6d4E77VIn3VFoDPiO3wa1HR0ULIbfNbJZdf6Ntk3rh3a__1K9_VP/s4032/IMG_6530.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWA2dkOkgezqFvWO3p9ujQGs3XftgKtqM1EHVSRN-qiiac7qjACStPE-cA-AWar4TnCDQme2JqZful-AlPh7VKZ-rz-Lx7qGeeye66GHNT571n6hsUgcvmY6heJijuu5U6d4E77VIn3VFoDPiO3wa1HR0ULIbfNbJZdf6Ntk3rh3a__1K9_VP/s200/IMG_6530.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN83y3oRBjI21Y5TRxhbtMIzC9H5uxzDNQlimClg-fyV1kto7A8ys0M4Bd-t2PPTIHe5AZPgd30R90RQ8pun-5ZIxxQcZOp8gaLA8PXN1a8Iu7JaH_3eMChypOSw8DGEe766dulQ95KpudQDGbgxTS-HNQ9hkCVlCX9O0P_OL0p7YyKS666UBl/s4032/IMG_6498.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN83y3oRBjI21Y5TRxhbtMIzC9H5uxzDNQlimClg-fyV1kto7A8ys0M4Bd-t2PPTIHe5AZPgd30R90RQ8pun-5ZIxxQcZOp8gaLA8PXN1a8Iu7JaH_3eMChypOSw8DGEe766dulQ95KpudQDGbgxTS-HNQ9hkCVlCX9O0P_OL0p7YyKS666UBl/s200/IMG_6498.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZY4hmWJ94iuw_apkXKKTn2TH9650Fksd9-mar7N-VwJrvuNeRMpARKOAGd73vjD_8sNLvVzEeTSR6Dvu8Q_hX5ZFACV9UWj05cZ8PMw8fKzSCqXYS_uP9hPwjYcYteSQKsbzqV8aiXhYMplaWAMO50NXXigS077yQFqD2bu1V9WSR2gylxu9/s4032/IMG_6512.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiZY4hmWJ94iuw_apkXKKTn2TH9650Fksd9-mar7N-VwJrvuNeRMpARKOAGd73vjD_8sNLvVzEeTSR6Dvu8Q_hX5ZFACV9UWj05cZ8PMw8fKzSCqXYS_uP9hPwjYcYteSQKsbzqV8aiXhYMplaWAMO50NXXigS077yQFqD2bu1V9WSR2gylxu9/s200/IMG_6512.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4CcwPCHgyE3seExuSEuQAaRtoN_P1bvyINhCMvh6YCXgTo60GUU6cy9ADeUoqEWif7UU_VmM0KRpoQOrXTbbxWG20nJs1SIT-1k12dgs0VqQTWraKRf7lWbguqg0g-jord3sL6edf9VPLXlws5gdKJ_r_Win0V9A9INyPOAM1iZ0fHko5sg5/s4032/IMG_7324.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI4CcwPCHgyE3seExuSEuQAaRtoN_P1bvyINhCMvh6YCXgTo60GUU6cy9ADeUoqEWif7UU_VmM0KRpoQOrXTbbxWG20nJs1SIT-1k12dgs0VqQTWraKRf7lWbguqg0g-jord3sL6edf9VPLXlws5gdKJ_r_Win0V9A9INyPOAM1iZ0fHko5sg5/s200/IMG_7324.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZSGQEat4yt8AV75Ddj_tCmfw3Y1IeWze9rK5O9wYEsJG5gjDaByOfcSFUSV-m2Dlpzum0xvoTvHCen9H_4qknzWzCOK6ffJycb1ZVj1wo-Q0I3anVcWgQjwp5l1U5uLopsC5FGtDUFfBNfvHiPkaq9nnO1LL645gZXCOMoZ0Rqi6Q5nE5D0t/s4032/IMG_7335.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-ZSGQEat4yt8AV75Ddj_tCmfw3Y1IeWze9rK5O9wYEsJG5gjDaByOfcSFUSV-m2Dlpzum0xvoTvHCen9H_4qknzWzCOK6ffJycb1ZVj1wo-Q0I3anVcWgQjwp5l1U5uLopsC5FGtDUFfBNfvHiPkaq9nnO1LL645gZXCOMoZ0Rqi6Q5nE5D0t/s200/IMG_7335.jpg"/></a>
<br>Ashore to stretch the legs and see (another) lake. We didn't take the kayak with us on this portage trail</center>
<p><center>
<br></center>
<p>Despite scanning miles of shoreline in the coming days, we never did see another bear. Still, we enjoyed all the scenery along the way.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location >> <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.9813,-081.2421" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Mill Lake, Killarney, ON, Canada45.971604199999987 -81.249810217.661370363821142 -116.4060602 74.28183803617884 -46.0935602tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-82065360794344996822023-09-15T22:00:00.034-04:002023-09-22T11:46:29.101-04:00Beaverstone Inlet (Georgian Bay)[Kyle]We could have happily stayed at our anchorage in the Bustard Islands for a few more days, but there were a few days of rain in the forecast. My only way to avoid a good drenching at the helm would be to leave the next morning. That way we could be tucked safely away in the cabin when the deluge started.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsC7J3giMZKYm3bJNuQOGCqxbZjFSkPaLRb6PgYrZMUMpH7Ayuh4pPYY4NL4UVEpguN9-TZDEdb0FCw5-6hQJpGKPCT8nJYcLros3AGg_2VzDdol0i0iIAqcwLBP5RJSnFkpM2UHGOI-MFWimO4VmsK-IF5B8oY6aotwYyupSByhkXAvatZ2u/s400/IMG_6362.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePWndZYyYX1YTaiyEcph9gsFaJQ9Lv2seyKBwSUefOM79TWstJwNDNvr0NQzzh6vvl6D4JYLJ5hc3DJ3VNRPgcW_k2zWB34hfVvzhhxiDy0mSoB-E8UsjDWEcMoPjamWr1hsQrmqsOA1ZzTcGtn8cSlS8xe0xAs0PEcvXbQAFr_J8DfxiQcth/s2569/DSC08900.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="966" data-original-width="2569" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhePWndZYyYX1YTaiyEcph9gsFaJQ9Lv2seyKBwSUefOM79TWstJwNDNvr0NQzzh6vvl6D4JYLJ5hc3DJ3VNRPgcW_k2zWB34hfVvzhhxiDy0mSoB-E8UsjDWEcMoPjamWr1hsQrmqsOA1ZzTcGtn8cSlS8xe0xAs0PEcvXbQAFr_J8DfxiQcth/s400/DSC08900.jpg"/></a>
<br>Bustard island Lights as we depart</center>
<p>Good anchorages are kind of thin in this section. We had further to go to the next spot than we have usually been doing recently. After an initial few narrow miles, we entered the open lake for the bulk of the leg. That gave us the welcome chance to let the sails do some of the work of getting us there.
<p>When we arrived at our intended anchorage, just to the north of Noble Island, in Beaverstone Bay, we both felt it didn’t allow enough swinging room for our stay. We then decided to go with a different strategy and set our anchor in the middle of big, wide spot between Burnt Island and Phillip Edward Island. That way, we had both plenty of room to swing and long views of the surrounding islands while we took a couple of rain days.
<p>When the weather cleared, we had a short paddle around the closest island groups. On Burnt Island, the biggest in the area, we were hoping to get in a decent walk. The eastern side of the island is dominated by a twenty-something-meter rock face. The top is relatively uniform in height and we thought if we could find our way up there, we should be able to stroll almost the entire length of the island on smooth, bald rock.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcP6-AhGxV8LhRFVWK9rkNKmgdF3k7pJy4ik5TypjtwzwDZrhmVxp9A4minjvltkTKkhH5nFZyABgDhkouReHR_lMJ5BrmngdRwAaikYYZq8PRdT7ai5MQ0nGrG6HPL3BhL40mElOm1PONYBbuu87QPX8Y08gIQqYPqSKodlVd7edX9M6yjGp/s4032/IMG_6367.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDcP6-AhGxV8LhRFVWK9rkNKmgdF3k7pJy4ik5TypjtwzwDZrhmVxp9A4minjvltkTKkhH5nFZyABgDhkouReHR_lMJ5BrmngdRwAaikYYZq8PRdT7ai5MQ0nGrG6HPL3BhL40mElOm1PONYBbuu87QPX8Y08gIQqYPqSKodlVd7edX9M6yjGp/s200/IMG_6367.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CYxZ7dmBVsKNl655RGdoPfVtcu2QLillyIcfVxG8IJYlqO3xfyQ7IAbWbjWeFvYcG8ILFCUIxQaFzKfWqSyp4sU5JiX8nDEs27ONG1awskKeiScSgKnMzZ0pSI1Gdyd7NQ2eMLaNNaoHZOIKZsrzkFKu4nQ3DzD1vSteEx4_uDq0aY_EgEIT/s4032/IMG_6369.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3CYxZ7dmBVsKNl655RGdoPfVtcu2QLillyIcfVxG8IJYlqO3xfyQ7IAbWbjWeFvYcG8ILFCUIxQaFzKfWqSyp4sU5JiX8nDEs27ONG1awskKeiScSgKnMzZ0pSI1Gdyd7NQ2eMLaNNaoHZOIKZsrzkFKu4nQ3DzD1vSteEx4_uDq0aY_EgEIT/s200/IMG_6369.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvtCEp0AlbDcvml0WEpx5DdWNHaZM-RnA34APFeSKDcpUHYiWtxhsXhhZpcRHhpLoyjxYNxdTDJhChLr4JZ9nrwE_YPlBUNLrKSOtamTpt4jSo_u0GB9AMXSKqpHY0zIwaHIvvSsHfODt3z5VUYlwUP3GCiI8AHBhbsGHDeaDOAQF5JKjc3RG/s4032/IMG_6379.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMvtCEp0AlbDcvml0WEpx5DdWNHaZM-RnA34APFeSKDcpUHYiWtxhsXhhZpcRHhpLoyjxYNxdTDJhChLr4JZ9nrwE_YPlBUNLrKSOtamTpt4jSo_u0GB9AMXSKqpHY0zIwaHIvvSsHfODt3z5VUYlwUP3GCiI8AHBhbsGHDeaDOAQF5JKjc3RG/s200/IMG_6379.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_upytO58xp_bU05Qt3v8ko4imh4SqsM6EhJ2zxoxnXZTr_Fsii50dQXK777VFpXXchDLHcGRySzF5WZzDKU2jKtBZ7EXsMDscbzOZPWXS04eFsrr_ttAebNIw6wLGAHeSDaBtebRCyVzaIEb83-CMkadXzHyo5iRXeDHlQDK5E5PPdhvQgMt/s4032/IMG_6381.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK_upytO58xp_bU05Qt3v8ko4imh4SqsM6EhJ2zxoxnXZTr_Fsii50dQXK777VFpXXchDLHcGRySzF5WZzDKU2jKtBZ7EXsMDscbzOZPWXS04eFsrr_ttAebNIw6wLGAHeSDaBtebRCyVzaIEb83-CMkadXzHyo5iRXeDHlQDK5E5PPdhvQgMt/s200/IMG_6381.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qK3iPVgu5tJUkkagKcbyA8NJKfV40lo5vqK_IaMpzJFk38tcho28ER_EqsokS_KCKi0OnaP8YbeYoxheEPChTg06IY49bKsEKzB1MTBBS4NTOgsZokxLMLe0qTpsPuKsqQhdhnaWycIY0V_qVf3oCqOw7_2rtvDOq-AsOQ_yzolvh5Des1Zn/s4032/IMG_6389.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_qK3iPVgu5tJUkkagKcbyA8NJKfV40lo5vqK_IaMpzJFk38tcho28ER_EqsokS_KCKi0OnaP8YbeYoxheEPChTg06IY49bKsEKzB1MTBBS4NTOgsZokxLMLe0qTpsPuKsqQhdhnaWycIY0V_qVf3oCqOw7_2rtvDOq-AsOQ_yzolvh5Des1Zn/s200/IMG_6389.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PfOmYWQXWdOA2hgc2vKKb4Ub8KFNvpLmKQkHWtscx4j2ZDKWAZMywTdqkeWtTaVlVTQiB5sbTzW_nWbu0F9mPWuUCnow8Rj5XdwN9tLgFaFu-bDresfgKI4yqcgD9bC6x5TlaNFDEuQpz-1YPhp67LIYp8B-pEznrT827bnR84iN_v79vzId/s4032/IMG_6365.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7PfOmYWQXWdOA2hgc2vKKb4Ub8KFNvpLmKQkHWtscx4j2ZDKWAZMywTdqkeWtTaVlVTQiB5sbTzW_nWbu0F9mPWuUCnow8Rj5XdwN9tLgFaFu-bDresfgKI4yqcgD9bC6x5TlaNFDEuQpz-1YPhp67LIYp8B-pEznrT827bnR84iN_v79vzId/s200/IMG_6365.jpg"/></a>
<br>Exploring the area</center>
<p>Alas, it was not to be. The western shore of the island turned out to be mostly reeds and thick marsh. We did find a rocky ledge that we could free climb to get access to some of the larger boulders in the interior, but we could never find a passable route through to the eastern wall. We had to content ourselves with the views our increased elevation could provide.
<p>One thing we have started to notice that the long views confirmed is that maybe one in every fifty trees is starting to change to Autumn colors. It seems to be happening everywhere now, not just in isolated clumps. We have also noticed that most of the animals seem to be gone, as if all the fauna in the area went extinct over the summer (hopefully not). Surrounded by all this wilderness, we are lucky to spot one or two critters a day. There are beaver lodges everywhere, but no beavers.
<p>Even birds are pretty rare. Hearing the occasional far-off call is often the only evidence we have that there are any around at all. The silence in between can be a little eerie. Two mornings in a row, we saw a couple of large flocks of Canada Geese high above, honking to each other with confident purpose. They were heading south this time. We would expect the skies to start filling with them, but we haven’t seen or heard any since.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhaVgxkKjHDvGAeiXobWyIuYJnjaHJZGXZFa8GNBWtdc-YSRis5pyeMdUKT1t3ubU1GpSuhSTatdCW5-0YhCk0M_QgAXfTUZ-5CGXopkFfKVALjfAWuJCdA3YEBoxXzvmEMKImlOrKly3fUUOkPalhp-SG9zkLjLRTSPGbyUHkv9C1WwqSsGU/s2592/DSC08904.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhaVgxkKjHDvGAeiXobWyIuYJnjaHJZGXZFa8GNBWtdc-YSRis5pyeMdUKT1t3ubU1GpSuhSTatdCW5-0YhCk0M_QgAXfTUZ-5CGXopkFfKVALjfAWuJCdA3YEBoxXzvmEMKImlOrKly3fUUOkPalhp-SG9zkLjLRTSPGbyUHkv9C1WwqSsGU/s200/DSC08904.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBunzpQycBp1Ut69LbPAu9EP9D4ppoIa0hVeTWFr7xAG1dD7wwAhflPVUi38CUXy7FkWsx_XM_htU7IOouNrdwtmW0M3mM07bZcSIw6uficVgSlC3S9LkgSFdUUwTX-bQBFpgC5VucB2ZdA_qaRPTn69ap2Ocnb1pFcBZUmpK_mq3-C3MWU8v_/s4032/IMG_6380.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBunzpQycBp1Ut69LbPAu9EP9D4ppoIa0hVeTWFr7xAG1dD7wwAhflPVUi38CUXy7FkWsx_XM_htU7IOouNrdwtmW0M3mM07bZcSIw6uficVgSlC3S9LkgSFdUUwTX-bQBFpgC5VucB2ZdA_qaRPTn69ap2Ocnb1pFcBZUmpK_mq3-C3MWU8v_/s200/IMG_6380.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3vrGfSpmXnH3UgavdhExjnWvZk59zDaQJADAJnzZ5nsWwHcoVtQ1-JCsWd0fnyfqP6YH1r4mz8x8cmRaSWfQzWHzMhrHftZuPrffcpSz047iMQIXszIHctIbLIticxwNHpFNAeLbIC96Lk4d0_orFT3ClFYPteeltsPJBgtHwCodYihnKM2i/s4032/IMG_7293.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX3vrGfSpmXnH3UgavdhExjnWvZk59zDaQJADAJnzZ5nsWwHcoVtQ1-JCsWd0fnyfqP6YH1r4mz8x8cmRaSWfQzWHzMhrHftZuPrffcpSz047iMQIXszIHctIbLIticxwNHpFNAeLbIC96Lk4d0_orFT3ClFYPteeltsPJBgtHwCodYihnKM2i/s200/IMG_7293.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlr-BKa8WIQA30H1dyAvvMVjDjw_of-dfEnEU6iya0Yu3y-iBzfqAnkAXZqUXk6l1pdBpLz80135jwkUBhsYqqotifyVmlKUwvX12X7MnS-M2QGhNj34drlZNNy0wEYqg6jwDvlKFAmuRpWffyYOl07JBjv42NFwZxgCeOsF2nG9EYFr9d5x2/s4032/IMG_7299.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJlr-BKa8WIQA30H1dyAvvMVjDjw_of-dfEnEU6iya0Yu3y-iBzfqAnkAXZqUXk6l1pdBpLz80135jwkUBhsYqqotifyVmlKUwvX12X7MnS-M2QGhNj34drlZNNy0wEYqg6jwDvlKFAmuRpWffyYOl07JBjv42NFwZxgCeOsF2nG9EYFr9d5x2/s200/IMG_7299.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsC7J3giMZKYm3bJNuQOGCqxbZjFSkPaLRb6PgYrZMUMpH7Ayuh4pPYY4NL4UVEpguN9-TZDEdb0FCw5-6hQJpGKPCT8nJYcLros3AGg_2VzDdol0i0iIAqcwLBP5RJSnFkpM2UHGOI-MFWimO4VmsK-IF5B8oY6aotwYyupSByhkXAvatZ2u/s8958/IMG_6362.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3926" data-original-width="8958" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZsC7J3giMZKYm3bJNuQOGCqxbZjFSkPaLRb6PgYrZMUMpH7Ayuh4pPYY4NL4UVEpguN9-TZDEdb0FCw5-6hQJpGKPCT8nJYcLros3AGg_2VzDdol0i0iIAqcwLBP5RJSnFkpM2UHGOI-MFWimO4VmsK-IF5B8oY6aotwYyupSByhkXAvatZ2u/s400/IMG_6362.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivQqA2AwYIvBNM_gcMMO-WJJswL_gUaz2Uku77MTtWmLRQLYuMH8F7Q41GtIJ4erEcoHZeFKqcafN8cxyUHk4g3pgPAkbI-XBQ6WVk2hh3v5nfZ15ttHMovLzp1cTlvPDYplDeDQtOhnDj-344SBIQlM0jJ7cBQMSeqNeXjRA4F04d5J27-D3/s7634/IMG_7277.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3914" data-original-width="7634" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgivQqA2AwYIvBNM_gcMMO-WJJswL_gUaz2Uku77MTtWmLRQLYuMH8F7Q41GtIJ4erEcoHZeFKqcafN8cxyUHk4g3pgPAkbI-XBQ6WVk2hh3v5nfZ15ttHMovLzp1cTlvPDYplDeDQtOhnDj-344SBIQlM0jJ7cBQMSeqNeXjRA4F04d5J27-D3/s400/IMG_7277.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p>On our last day in Beaverstone Inlet, I thought I would top off our not-too-strenuous kayak/rock scramble with a cooling afternoon dip in the pool. I must admit I was forcing it a bit, since the air was barely past lukewarm, but it was helped by cloudless, bright sunshine. The water, however, has been receiving hours less sun per day than at its peak at the solstice. That, plus the sun is also at a shallower angle. It is starting to cool quickly. This time, I never acclimated to the temperature after that first, bracing dunk. Before I could get used to it, I was shivering and had to get out to warm up. It seems my recreational swimming season has come to a close.
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.9764,-081.1860" source="_blank">On google maps</a>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Beaverstone Bay, ON P0M 2A0, Canada46.000891 -81.15177445.953162219948943 -81.220438550781253 46.048619780051062 -81.083109449218753tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-36406773207089421152023-09-11T22:00:00.010-04:002023-09-22T11:46:43.360-04:00The Bustard Islands (Georgian Bay)[Kyle]On our last morning at Sandy Bay we had a long look, but could find no bear sitting on a rock in the morning sun with a steaming, bear-sized cup of coffee in its paw. We upped anchor and headed a few miles to the Bustard Islands.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE2tttJO-Nt1DP_3-MA7j_lxP9sKgThrJ6LtUcCqAad3PGpnfqa-8xcDJZLlxOfQ_7931JNLF2RHHLnopeZsAOa59VJDD3uVFXf-U-LrHyYa6tGGDld7o3CkuFwMogMHkEMBrkR01yastSaKjCVj0fa5qP8FVlO4HcQwOmzog2kBENaUqhF7R/s200/DSC08869.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBLJo-Y6AJ7zPbtkyvHagWE2zYmNBVfrAdesE6Akq3ezeGs-myL9UNt4mstux3WPwax1fApZ5wed_Flbh9OmdtC6PZakCKLGopFEpf65Dn1FCil2FHGqInVPJf2XxroBWWJ1HUsAr59kpbeF9LKNWO8xR8-UEFodNojfmvJfHU6GA2kygcvwz/s7681/IMG_E6156.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3713" data-original-width="7681" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRBLJo-Y6AJ7zPbtkyvHagWE2zYmNBVfrAdesE6Akq3ezeGs-myL9UNt4mstux3WPwax1fApZ5wed_Flbh9OmdtC6PZakCKLGopFEpf65Dn1FCil2FHGqInVPJf2XxroBWWJ1HUsAr59kpbeF9LKNWO8xR8-UEFodNojfmvJfHU6GA2kygcvwz/s400/IMG_E6156.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOpyI54lu6iFY1K1D-Md2ye1j0F65_CPl6Bvd5Qt0HIaoIqfJtIS0WwG5yJ7DrvGXNvQ9y0RpOUXxlaC4y9toQp4gt7yODdRzMVyeOeIW1j-8Zs6Bq9BnT5dsWVeKOumDEai1aHdJFnbTzNYCB_3c7XGBgbL7ML8yuu-2QAEi4s9nYQd5TzIr/s6473/IMG_6143.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3680" data-original-width="6473" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwOpyI54lu6iFY1K1D-Md2ye1j0F65_CPl6Bvd5Qt0HIaoIqfJtIS0WwG5yJ7DrvGXNvQ9y0RpOUXxlaC4y9toQp4gt7yODdRzMVyeOeIW1j-8Zs6Bq9BnT5dsWVeKOumDEai1aHdJFnbTzNYCB_3c7XGBgbL7ML8yuu-2QAEi4s9nYQd5TzIr/s400/IMG_6143.jpg"/></a>
<br>A beautiful day for a passage</center>
<p>In our usual way, since the most popular anchorage is north of Strawberry Island, we set our hook in the middle of the broad stretch of water to the south between it and Tanvat Island. Since we arrived around midday, we took the kayak on a lap around Strawberry Island anyway. On the other, popular side, we had a brief, but pleasant chat with the only other cruising boat we have seen in a while. They were a trawler on the Great Loop who were killing time until the rivers open in Illinois in late October.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGzAjeAMgVYj2CHslesy0bffTzgat0z12xIcm3PXClKNdjpvXPBglQGLSHn-Ke54BS4shxv-1h-lU6fCA0FNhtpXfsLe4Iusxm_z-tPLNL5usIywMRmvgTnU8fQbnHcI_Dvz2y-0CLscU4n9WTFPU_36cRuFULVVaC6bUP687WeAMnpiTpKVi/s4032/IMG_6167.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGzAjeAMgVYj2CHslesy0bffTzgat0z12xIcm3PXClKNdjpvXPBglQGLSHn-Ke54BS4shxv-1h-lU6fCA0FNhtpXfsLe4Iusxm_z-tPLNL5usIywMRmvgTnU8fQbnHcI_Dvz2y-0CLscU4n9WTFPU_36cRuFULVVaC6bUP687WeAMnpiTpKVi/s200/IMG_6167.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NQGNW2uZukhMv7CBQKuORkydSeylQ4Uq0mlQosgYqx48ChYbbFvv5MMP-DAS1rlpRSEmRNmVEOewbTmrwnpe118SP5MmWKJcs2elbPb9tklNTcUwka7ru9JZ9rxHNvkbZSvK3hahgY1x7_HuaRigCaA7hRwvtbI45jCR33Bn55PdOXzW8z61/s4032/IMG_6190.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8NQGNW2uZukhMv7CBQKuORkydSeylQ4Uq0mlQosgYqx48ChYbbFvv5MMP-DAS1rlpRSEmRNmVEOewbTmrwnpe118SP5MmWKJcs2elbPb9tklNTcUwka7ru9JZ9rxHNvkbZSvK3hahgY1x7_HuaRigCaA7hRwvtbI45jCR33Bn55PdOXzW8z61/s200/IMG_6190.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDVG6RtH1ho5J9LyixukncqQRdGC_szdM6AooZzkMt13RkpfwLycARSLi1e-Ndp6-a5NdSIdDENlI0DMFUW_TlJhpGTFUVPScEFM22LcimQ_deMzFwi0rct85BtfvDfMsuLiuxBKA4r-I862k2vHhxNi7Yglc21MQoZ2Xi42aoo43ViJyu76r/s4032/IMG_6206.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsDVG6RtH1ho5J9LyixukncqQRdGC_szdM6AooZzkMt13RkpfwLycARSLi1e-Ndp6-a5NdSIdDENlI0DMFUW_TlJhpGTFUVPScEFM22LcimQ_deMzFwi0rct85BtfvDfMsuLiuxBKA4r-I862k2vHhxNi7Yglc21MQoZ2Xi42aoo43ViJyu76r/s200/IMG_6206.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYdjCEa3qlpDbvn3YN7q_JJnhuoP2E8BnGTESPYqgZghltO_MZfBovO2swILD-k88-jtA5JBvrdwfiHU_D8lY7uoS9vWQmYZSgTjRlQSye77tqcSVfkZswLmxAIwo58-VK3uGRNgz7yWdbgVeAjoZYaDzphAFOdYjP15txf2Ntu3moLZMKazz/s4032/IMG_6219.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOYdjCEa3qlpDbvn3YN7q_JJnhuoP2E8BnGTESPYqgZghltO_MZfBovO2swILD-k88-jtA5JBvrdwfiHU_D8lY7uoS9vWQmYZSgTjRlQSye77tqcSVfkZswLmxAIwo58-VK3uGRNgz7yWdbgVeAjoZYaDzphAFOdYjP15txf2Ntu3moLZMKazz/s200/IMG_6219.jpg"/></a>
<br>More great scenery under blue skies around Strawberry Island</center>
<p>The next day, we got an early start for a circuit of much larger Tanvat Island, to the south. Tanvat is very convoluted. We found <i>so many</i> private, protected little inlets that are only accessible with a kayak with a four-inch draft. We were getting to the point where we were a long way from Begonia in either direction and thinking we had perhaps bitten off more than we could chew. We were going to be pretty tired when we got home.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgLONMSABht23Y8X1fujrfYFalmdeP31zT1frOb7c3ZLyUxReypSEVs7Cstr5EHSt3W3uyVsAOigQwmZ5SUGU8nWy7GE3YfVsXa7VMwwzRsHlNjHZQ0IoxFE2Sn-xiZS00dOtGA5-oxlfKU1SOBor9WNAgixkRRrtGqofbW-kOb48TYoPJsFc/s2592/DSC08767.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZgLONMSABht23Y8X1fujrfYFalmdeP31zT1frOb7c3ZLyUxReypSEVs7Cstr5EHSt3W3uyVsAOigQwmZ5SUGU8nWy7GE3YfVsXa7VMwwzRsHlNjHZQ0IoxFE2Sn-xiZS00dOtGA5-oxlfKU1SOBor9WNAgixkRRrtGqofbW-kOb48TYoPJsFc/s200/DSC08767.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MJYcqD4hXjxqTO3xeqgxOI_qvqDFvrrHqB0eLT2xzpTrSWMWosRKo7M-mEwpigubLXG-_MDLq0CXXnVuSrwIMNxlbwoqsrGKvo5bBmuhReKfzsiQiZ1vDZEmDFeMYi8sjQLHF_MexJvmArIp1wezbn1Vvzbyu2xTvGxW1tz8UUnnbffS8XrU/s4032/IMG_6269.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1MJYcqD4hXjxqTO3xeqgxOI_qvqDFvrrHqB0eLT2xzpTrSWMWosRKo7M-mEwpigubLXG-_MDLq0CXXnVuSrwIMNxlbwoqsrGKvo5bBmuhReKfzsiQiZ1vDZEmDFeMYi8sjQLHF_MexJvmArIp1wezbn1Vvzbyu2xTvGxW1tz8UUnnbffS8XrU/s200/IMG_6269.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfizyBXChuugLEpjNrXchpe_KDnwdodYTRaRZMaSGoX4v2Kj-Et6YKOVvSd7OnI77dz220aU8tWBMI9obYqPI6sMDiw-0O0Itj-k3_d9vvKURhO6WYjwpftgbhSatH0_9ti4Gi6vZZXWWEPUiBVkYqSJubX2evdZUbTspdVG-gkGX5n0zyOj4c/s4032/IMG_6297.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfizyBXChuugLEpjNrXchpe_KDnwdodYTRaRZMaSGoX4v2Kj-Et6YKOVvSd7OnI77dz220aU8tWBMI9obYqPI6sMDiw-0O0Itj-k3_d9vvKURhO6WYjwpftgbhSatH0_9ti4Gi6vZZXWWEPUiBVkYqSJubX2evdZUbTspdVG-gkGX5n0zyOj4c/s200/IMG_6297.jpg"/></a>
<br>We've learned we can nibble on the beautiful sumac berries - they tastes like a woody lemonade</center>
<p><center>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPS2BDNYQRYUyYyP2Rm-BoaYC6e677D6mdZdJphnPnovscHNsAnd0QMzjDj-FuXcdjvEiw8ynZe9iLK_bJmRDcvV0PPdNxC4t9nCleKzsqA0OEcRgDLWAk6_qnsInXxIapmzPo6fC5V1c8H3F1kQf9h18TsoXSTqPvokG5jYN7mrVCmb2SjRg-/s2592/DSC08777.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPS2BDNYQRYUyYyP2Rm-BoaYC6e677D6mdZdJphnPnovscHNsAnd0QMzjDj-FuXcdjvEiw8ynZe9iLK_bJmRDcvV0PPdNxC4t9nCleKzsqA0OEcRgDLWAk6_qnsInXxIapmzPo6fC5V1c8H3F1kQf9h18TsoXSTqPvokG5jYN7mrVCmb2SjRg-/s200/DSC08777.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3SY9luIM4PiLitoTB14kBTgsc9gFzCXnYMTzy6sPQO_-ALB4rMWdppFonMN3q7SPKGTeYsatlra9_4HzvUUKo0vq-LkZLP8L1vwNe4WD2F1naljewxHM3LX6pX-oCfaNRTeuE0vOgR2gU19rlszFUTIihg18frcTI3HF88nOIG7ni8ebQj59/s2592/DSC08796.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv3SY9luIM4PiLitoTB14kBTgsc9gFzCXnYMTzy6sPQO_-ALB4rMWdppFonMN3q7SPKGTeYsatlra9_4HzvUUKo0vq-LkZLP8L1vwNe4WD2F1naljewxHM3LX6pX-oCfaNRTeuE0vOgR2gU19rlszFUTIihg18frcTI3HF88nOIG7ni8ebQj59/s200/DSC08796.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdapQ9xA4cdNXStURjYstQii6c_moeALLDOGkL4WedRj7iXnh4SQdpTHhQsN6hIyZzH7Bnz1AKzycg1XbojEMP2KWWIiELc_8wiSPgaQgENAyVn7HHzrXoKcastZiYMtg31GcC8ZPjvEL9AiIaVst-lkTmF8bIl9sQoOomIYuBPOUbtKtA5b7Z/s4032/IMG_6237.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdapQ9xA4cdNXStURjYstQii6c_moeALLDOGkL4WedRj7iXnh4SQdpTHhQsN6hIyZzH7Bnz1AKzycg1XbojEMP2KWWIiELc_8wiSPgaQgENAyVn7HHzrXoKcastZiYMtg31GcC8ZPjvEL9AiIaVst-lkTmF8bIl9sQoOomIYuBPOUbtKtA5b7Z/s200/IMG_6237.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XUJbVIwpi62FiLtKma1SKOMhYMBT7qapP6DvH4l4cKvMzoX7G6Baykl1wpTYbCzvbGAPr8Md8MqMT5LtMM6TJ7wtUbtKurZ1OPOuy0iW2rq25YreuvjI9oGG6IuukF-azNhV6KGWZYiF8BrLn3lxd6U-t_iIeIKVfP_Uq_uRSEX6iujatu5-/s4032/IMG_6251.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8XUJbVIwpi62FiLtKma1SKOMhYMBT7qapP6DvH4l4cKvMzoX7G6Baykl1wpTYbCzvbGAPr8Md8MqMT5LtMM6TJ7wtUbtKurZ1OPOuy0iW2rq25YreuvjI9oGG6IuukF-azNhV6KGWZYiF8BrLn3lxd6U-t_iIeIKVfP_Uq_uRSEX6iujatu5-/s200/IMG_6251.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwPWMrpNBYG2vKUwr80m2tqir_qg3cDT_HB2_EB-fh1SeJb9wr4KMnzzzlJG-SbLZNLy6f6RZNVFj41S2_bWU4wpj583F39ngmOXUhI7n3RDm4TDSoQOg8VEWzcZzhZjrVWD039aSj2BqXEvtOLvuVsXbZnt4y3JEAH9AI8n7W6_En1icsxDl/s4032/IMG_6254.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFwPWMrpNBYG2vKUwr80m2tqir_qg3cDT_HB2_EB-fh1SeJb9wr4KMnzzzlJG-SbLZNLy6f6RZNVFj41S2_bWU4wpj583F39ngmOXUhI7n3RDm4TDSoQOg8VEWzcZzhZjrVWD039aSj2BqXEvtOLvuVsXbZnt4y3JEAH9AI8n7W6_En1icsxDl/s200/IMG_6254.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMq2YRxeAcmt0krItuTuQnChUKsJS-mRX205EAAwNEhYUvwtAOWjLaRFLN8QPYqwPkLGJDFPXwqPyRDc-xqiatvEocmab3BgFcXhC3iCd4eEN1Ceu06xMZfAeVdClvyu_tHKNp5hTV2HA3ucP6U11P2sLF7eqmALuMBybM6Vnmm_LGmvyqMlMM/s4032/IMG_7224.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMq2YRxeAcmt0krItuTuQnChUKsJS-mRX205EAAwNEhYUvwtAOWjLaRFLN8QPYqwPkLGJDFPXwqPyRDc-xqiatvEocmab3BgFcXhC3iCd4eEN1Ceu06xMZfAeVdClvyu_tHKNp5hTV2HA3ucP6U11P2sLF7eqmALuMBybM6Vnmm_LGmvyqMlMM/s200/IMG_7224.jpg"/></a></center>
<p>Then Maryanne suggested we add some extra distance by going deep into one of the nearby inlets to a thin spot on the island. The water has been half a meter above datum lately and we have been finding lots of places where we have been able to squeak through narrow passages over what the chart clearly indicates is dry land. She thought there might be a chance we could get through and effectively cut our Tanvat circumnavigation in half.
<p>It turned out we couldn’t paddle through, but we got the next best thing. As we approached, we spotted a sign indicating an 80-meter-long portage trail. By then, that was sounding like a lot better deal than five extra miles of kayaking, so we picked the thing up and started walking.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGSosx4Nqj3KqWUTAM6iy0s-1GTzlJlRjIIBByuxiL6ezuN4t2u3Baqc9UItPb-wNkf848GN53qFM2iMrq040vEEceJpSr-CqVtjNX4QdcBSuBqzMYBytrXgrAefkcNjsheMZhMKUNMXKmuQG2xYaQX2odA_VbYwMsLlHfu7bObqkStT_wYu1/s4032/IMG_6276.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYGSosx4Nqj3KqWUTAM6iy0s-1GTzlJlRjIIBByuxiL6ezuN4t2u3Baqc9UItPb-wNkf848GN53qFM2iMrq040vEEceJpSr-CqVtjNX4QdcBSuBqzMYBytrXgrAefkcNjsheMZhMKUNMXKmuQG2xYaQX2odA_VbYwMsLlHfu7bObqkStT_wYu1/s200/IMG_6276.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb6V9dSj1ihffRMwoTToa5XxdBUmXC61GFbK6-uvuTIJ0iU7-A97NwoDPOLlv9BCMrj9D4_KttfmFd_R9cvOxHNKOpMdF2ODnbgOdgyJJcMfv7ftb1Xbc6gydoDMeebGsBatjNtF_Wa6HdlnAcDHUypNVNOKa4-WtxYdB0BpbHyDueRZQyTYe/s4032/IMG_7256.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivb6V9dSj1ihffRMwoTToa5XxdBUmXC61GFbK6-uvuTIJ0iU7-A97NwoDPOLlv9BCMrj9D4_KttfmFd_R9cvOxHNKOpMdF2ODnbgOdgyJJcMfv7ftb1Xbc6gydoDMeebGsBatjNtF_Wa6HdlnAcDHUypNVNOKa4-WtxYdB0BpbHyDueRZQyTYe/s200/IMG_7256.jpg"/></a>
<br>A shortcut portage</center>
<p>That took a lot of pressure off us to cut any corners on the way home, so we made the most of the scenery on that side as well. Our best find was what we are pretty sure was an American Mink. It scurried away as we approached, but its curiosity about us kept getting the best of it, so it kept coming back to have a look. Head on, it even looked like it had a tiny, tiny bear face.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_EgutZfOblwuxshawbU3BEzKm07UGU5P8Tax5Bc2B3NoN4Ar_TL0m56TWXj7jky3fOhhFIj5hdxVvx7QlOf9BMisnOO78zWKzzTfT2-xv-gX7fKn3-C1BtOtdDpvgSUtTdcXygofFhqInAICb-A8EjHb8QfRYcbfoYpx6zmpZjz1guLNzcZP/s1494/DSC08832.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1121" data-original-width="1494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN_EgutZfOblwuxshawbU3BEzKm07UGU5P8Tax5Bc2B3NoN4Ar_TL0m56TWXj7jky3fOhhFIj5hdxVvx7QlOf9BMisnOO78zWKzzTfT2-xv-gX7fKn3-C1BtOtdDpvgSUtTdcXygofFhqInAICb-A8EjHb8QfRYcbfoYpx6zmpZjz1guLNzcZP/s200/DSC08832.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE2tttJO-Nt1DP_3-MA7j_lxP9sKgThrJ6LtUcCqAad3PGpnfqa-8xcDJZLlxOfQ_7931JNLF2RHHLnopeZsAOa59VJDD3uVFXf-U-LrHyYa6tGGDld7o3CkuFwMogMHkEMBrkR01yastSaKjCVj0fa5qP8FVlO4HcQwOmzog2kBENaUqhF7R/s1029/DSC08869.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="772" data-original-width="1029" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWE2tttJO-Nt1DP_3-MA7j_lxP9sKgThrJ6LtUcCqAad3PGpnfqa-8xcDJZLlxOfQ_7931JNLF2RHHLnopeZsAOa59VJDD3uVFXf-U-LrHyYa6tGGDld7o3CkuFwMogMHkEMBrkR01yastSaKjCVj0fa5qP8FVlO4HcQwOmzog2kBENaUqhF7R/s200/DSC08869.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhUfVNdRQcj47eks0wep-mIuYWe_wR2HUK3EJ9W78GnBaUPyiDl6kviWuPCujbC4PHqnQ8ad47CbNgpDC3-mpymYqStnCK5ntg7Hba3DP4NVD1z54qsMrBg7EO_lFaT4MfiL7GSX-li3Mq0j1epZvVUyN7IsTHzg2nVIVLQ55Z1j4lWU2hZJC/s1147/DSC08858.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="860" data-original-width="1147" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhUfVNdRQcj47eks0wep-mIuYWe_wR2HUK3EJ9W78GnBaUPyiDl6kviWuPCujbC4PHqnQ8ad47CbNgpDC3-mpymYqStnCK5ntg7Hba3DP4NVD1z54qsMrBg7EO_lFaT4MfiL7GSX-li3Mq0j1epZvVUyN7IsTHzg2nVIVLQ55Z1j4lWU2hZJC/s200/DSC08858.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4laK-Ecb7nHXivMSpR0aLT_tVPyLFeA5_tBLod9sa-tmKvcJEhoHnc5f9Pau9tkvEZOIBVikK_UM9m_csBcBfLlS3tyjkkjwEPepq24M5EoEPr1wdv5tfxh97q-OP0aNmWlp2GrEiWvDkhi8WfU_v9JtSzpuFlUoJKDPBQlesWoIc8MOcYHM/s1946/DSC08874.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1460" data-original-width="1946" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4laK-Ecb7nHXivMSpR0aLT_tVPyLFeA5_tBLod9sa-tmKvcJEhoHnc5f9Pau9tkvEZOIBVikK_UM9m_csBcBfLlS3tyjkkjwEPepq24M5EoEPr1wdv5tfxh97q-OP0aNmWlp2GrEiWvDkhi8WfU_v9JtSzpuFlUoJKDPBQlesWoIc8MOcYHM/s200/DSC08874.jpg"/></a>
<br>Finally some decent pictures of (what we think is) an American Mink that seemed as curious of us as we were of him/her. We spent a good ten minutes just watching each other (up until then while we'd seen them in Georgian Bay, they were always in montion and just a blur).</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWfOYS901oTwlcqi0EfcoPd9OeC0uq9uByf2fX0WYvz6bznLOZOA8wHUZ4ElB28UN_4m8m90YojyMdeOfOKhf-qY0JPfo-fctBv3YAhKEWCwOR6OS4oM_r6xvwe0vEou0R4zBXLICaspsV3w1WhcnPBCYj29qFgzsXG-IW0YzSjnZtZzMmcLy/s4032/IMG_6264.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUWfOYS901oTwlcqi0EfcoPd9OeC0uq9uByf2fX0WYvz6bznLOZOA8wHUZ4ElB28UN_4m8m90YojyMdeOfOKhf-qY0JPfo-fctBv3YAhKEWCwOR6OS4oM_r6xvwe0vEou0R4zBXLICaspsV3w1WhcnPBCYj29qFgzsXG-IW0YzSjnZtZzMmcLy/s200/IMG_6264.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zbLLfXXwOhl-xY2RnopxQ9Scz84iVQMEziAWZ-N9RHF8c5L3TSG4gP0m5t57crQhy961HHxhNrs6ozn0eAia5JGQZj8AdwInNRyI6iiFFajjuYQoa2NKDKN7e7r50khiQSjJ0SFOXKRypn5Rzu9VP9KoVkCP3wiNexd3MfETMbK2IyVMgX2M/s4032/IMG_6265.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_zbLLfXXwOhl-xY2RnopxQ9Scz84iVQMEziAWZ-N9RHF8c5L3TSG4gP0m5t57crQhy961HHxhNrs6ozn0eAia5JGQZj8AdwInNRyI6iiFFajjuYQoa2NKDKN7e7r50khiQSjJ0SFOXKRypn5Rzu9VP9KoVkCP3wiNexd3MfETMbK2IyVMgX2M/s200/IMG_6265.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHU8h9wViHaTvVgmzHfZh_CcDNh_HYXG2aPeD89vCznAj7_h1ZWiqXAMh_jPkeXgEnuGQbyESJnBcTRQMf-AsB4rJEpqobObxiOI-KXjqqGwVSBprt2FeOrwB5F8EC29l_aQRuE1UGX-TFLBnKJfAre8X181JVGcw5l_RQevasAIm6WjBnX7K/s4032/IMG_6312.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKHU8h9wViHaTvVgmzHfZh_CcDNh_HYXG2aPeD89vCznAj7_h1ZWiqXAMh_jPkeXgEnuGQbyESJnBcTRQMf-AsB4rJEpqobObxiOI-KXjqqGwVSBprt2FeOrwB5F8EC29l_aQRuE1UGX-TFLBnKJfAre8X181JVGcw5l_RQevasAIm6WjBnX7K/s200/IMG_6312.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1_DVZVw4lg2m6TsTo30Yzds_W0m06h3Kw-vnGs-e44R6sGf-rUDMkPgEbNP8HAbSwtWFcVtgmd9VgVj2o3QxDljW9yi3KDufIq4__q31TlI1h-66d0PhIVLIAj0p5ejYMwn4DGovqDfMBZ2QE2NJnzxszIcSnE28FpmP7wdljjCVvShbVQnw/s4032/IMG_6318.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo1_DVZVw4lg2m6TsTo30Yzds_W0m06h3Kw-vnGs-e44R6sGf-rUDMkPgEbNP8HAbSwtWFcVtgmd9VgVj2o3QxDljW9yi3KDufIq4__q31TlI1h-66d0PhIVLIAj0p5ejYMwn4DGovqDfMBZ2QE2NJnzxszIcSnE28FpmP7wdljjCVvShbVQnw/s200/IMG_6318.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ephiZKJoRxePI0JPqU_je-DXkmnki-HM870J8BhrU7Ntu-Ch5ktmx2m4TxTkFNmuQfZtwRy695lsVXGTEs1XCbOHS1HH-fWH6rHVyfWJtszS6lFVFiUv-hcpMsN-sTR7hbxAHgNyjHBSY52PHYhqNMeW4YzRBG1eQNEUt9cSX5QPh-5IuOzu/s10822/IMG_7231.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3884" data-original-width="10822" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0ephiZKJoRxePI0JPqU_je-DXkmnki-HM870J8BhrU7Ntu-Ch5ktmx2m4TxTkFNmuQfZtwRy695lsVXGTEs1XCbOHS1HH-fWH6rHVyfWJtszS6lFVFiUv-hcpMsN-sTR7hbxAHgNyjHBSY52PHYhqNMeW4YzRBG1eQNEUt9cSX5QPh-5IuOzu/s400/IMG_7231.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN8WjojtZZkKT6byqeAq3fJUbrtNcnpLU4MirROglepWgoZnvhuu46hdTBDx7wr0-XbXLsvyvhS_bbM6yHIA2WgpOpGaA4TyoBcxkWq_3y3t8hyWkb4vgA_JZvCIp8J5W7iCj68uZo9ZQOVmkc5hjRzSYmkd2ILKUWnHlwTU8YzrGd0ouF1Pl/s7106/IMG_7247.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3886" data-original-width="7106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdN8WjojtZZkKT6byqeAq3fJUbrtNcnpLU4MirROglepWgoZnvhuu46hdTBDx7wr0-XbXLsvyvhS_bbM6yHIA2WgpOpGaA4TyoBcxkWq_3y3t8hyWkb4vgA_JZvCIp8J5W7iCj68uZo9ZQOVmkc5hjRzSYmkd2ILKUWnHlwTU8YzrGd0ouF1Pl/s400/IMG_7247.jpg"/></a>
<br>We've been so grateful for the glorious weather (it isn't every day, but its so nice when it shines).</center>
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.8922,-080.8884" source="_blank">On google maps</a>SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Bustard Islands, Killarney, ON, Canada45.8890766 -80.87593919999999117.578842763821157 -116.03218919999999 74.199310436178848 -45.719689199999991tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-63789233779952685272023-09-09T22:00:00.004-04:002023-09-22T11:13:28.684-04:00Sandy Bay (Georgian Bay)[Kyle]The leg to Sandy Bay was much like the previous one. We took the longer, inland route for the scenery along the way. We didn't have anything like the Hangdog Channel to contend with going into into Bying Inlet, but the northern route out, though fairly wide, did have a few places where our depth sounder read as low as 1.4 meters. We then took the narrow Cunningham's Channel to a little unnamed bay at the entrance to Sandy Bay.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DhYwYc63bunjpa6bay1Y0nch6xpWqH7obik-Y2fPmKMh7CSTZ8wg0SVKFWs9E_LOzceWu9zkSgp9q_0W7GpUvJWzTvDOfXckjEy14d1tt5wPHSlIEIOrfwqKIqliBOcXE_eFtHFL7Bb3EIMh0WOc8CjF1cMt8E6G8jaCxFyfYpnewff48Dwz/s200/IMG_7198.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAQQIAQGn2TDyd6ed0pGZpQhtVsZ4YKiP4XoLSg8CctZVzrAkkc5UrmL-ItYTPdBomNYeB_JlsKak6nWx6bR4uJX5HtOgd4EzEKL--7d7YY30EdseSEtP946GyqKxWn8w2yafLnkRy5_Vk67OI4mjwyNIY7uDhTnjIoxk1SOiXd80HYfgo3_f/s739/DSC08722.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="739" data-original-width="554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghAQQIAQGn2TDyd6ed0pGZpQhtVsZ4YKiP4XoLSg8CctZVzrAkkc5UrmL-ItYTPdBomNYeB_JlsKak6nWx6bR4uJX5HtOgd4EzEKL--7d7YY30EdseSEtP946GyqKxWn8w2yafLnkRy5_Vk67OI4mjwyNIY7uDhTnjIoxk1SOiXd80HYfgo3_f/s200/DSC08722.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90dLWJJFN5oAxW79ZD4wfrEwaqazfNZmqi3Eas7e3-EUWhvdGeq0edU5i1jPMXZ5A67KAC9FRwbOKMZRbga1JoeMqMQFpjjldTZddfXZjd1rlXueDcoYEMS9zsUvbk8_berAN_ydrqZcrw6nOcLYVNmlPyPSdapweTcRTLrJ5mCosxLvf_C74/s2592/DSC08731.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg90dLWJJFN5oAxW79ZD4wfrEwaqazfNZmqi3Eas7e3-EUWhvdGeq0edU5i1jPMXZ5A67KAC9FRwbOKMZRbga1JoeMqMQFpjjldTZddfXZjd1rlXueDcoYEMS9zsUvbk8_berAN_ydrqZcrw6nOcLYVNmlPyPSdapweTcRTLrJ5mCosxLvf_C74/s200/DSC08731.jpg"/></a>
<br>Another classic Georgian Bay passage - with distinctive lighthouses and some local cottage humor to entertain</center>
<p>Again, we poked our way very carefully and slowly into the poorly charted bay. Luckily there was no one else there, so after doing a circuit to check the depths, we dropped anchor right in the middle. The small bay is gorgeous. I think it's the prettiest one we have seen this season. The whole area is ringed with bare granite shores, topped with mosses and spruce trees. Just inside the entrance is a cliff that, in addition to adding some nice elevation to the view, also looks like a perfect place to high-jump into the water, although not before making sure the water is plenty deep below.
<p>Since the wind was due to reverse direction in the middle of the night, we backed down on the anchor the wrong way, into the wind, and then let it blow us to the opposite side for the time being. Since the bay is small, my initial plan was to back down to set the anchor and then pull in some chain to reduce our swinging circle. Once we were done, it looked like we had enough room, so we left the original scope for security.
<p>The south wind was forecast to die to nothing for a couple of hours before the building north wind came in to replace it. Then we would blow back to where we were when we had set the anchor.
<p>That's not how it happened. Instead, the wind kept blowing hard as it gradually veered clockwise from south to north. Instead of going roughly in a straight line from the north end of our singing circle to the south end, we swung an arc along the perimeter.
<p>Remember all that scope I mentioned? Well, it turned out to be too much. I first became aware of that when Maryanne woke me out of a very deep sleep by exclaiming in the breathy voice of alarm, "That's a rock!"
<p>By the time she finished her short sentence, she already had one foot out of bed. I turned to listen to her, but she was already gone. I could tell by her tone that something was wrong so I fell in behind her up the stairs to the cabin. Then I felt a bang and knew what was happening. We were grounding on granite!
<p>She flung the cockpit door open and headed for the fuel valves to open them while I started the engines. The night was cloudy and the moon wasn't up yet, making it almost completely dark. There are no cottages ashore, so the only lights we could see for orientation were the red aviation markers on a wind turbine farm to the north. Begonia was pointed roughly that direction. I could feel us bumping into rocks, but couldn't even tell which side they were on. I put both engines in forward. The engines kept running, so neither propeller was being blocked, but I quickly put them back in neutral when I realized I didn't know if it was better to be in forward or reverse.
<p>This all happened in the space of about two seconds. Then Maryanne showed up with a spotlight to try to figure out what was going on. She did a lap of the deck and concluded that the shallowest rocks were by our starboard rudder. The rocky shore was about three meters behind us. "Try forward," she said.
<p>We moved about an inch and then stopped. Reverse did the same thing, but we liked that a lot less because that moved us an inch closer to the shore. We tried various combinations of forward and reverse in opposition to pivot the boat, but she just wouldn't move.
<p>Maryanne wondered aloud what exactly we were going to do in the event that we <i>did</i> get free. This whole area is a minefield of hidden boulders, we had to find our way into the anchorage visually in the first place and daylight wasn't starting for another eight hours.
<p>"Uh, we'll have to deal with that when it happens."
<p>The next thing on our list to try was kedging off with the anchor. Maryanne wasn't sure it was holding well – after all, that may be why we are in this predicament in the first place. If trying to pull it in makes it completely break free, then propeller thrust may be all we have to keep us off the rocks. Since our next step would probably be for me to go into the cold, cold water to see exactly what is going on down there, I suggested we give it a try anyway.
<p>As she wound in the chain, the bow pulled away from the shore. There was a few seconds of unpleasant scraping noises, then we slid silently toward the middle of the bay.
<p>It turned out we hadn't dragged. The anchor was well-buried and holding like a champ. Our problem had been just a little too much scope. We shouldn't have left the extra bit out after all. Maryanne pulled in ten meters, reattached the bridle, and then I backed down hard with the engines to make sure we were holding. We were still closer to the offending shore than we would like to see from the cockpit, but we knew the chain wasn't long enough anymore to allow us to get there. We stayed up another hour or so until the veering wind started to slowly swing us into deeper water and then we went back to bed for a surprisingly restful sleep.
<p>In the morning, even though it was cold, rainy and windy, I braced myself and then dove in to survey the damage. It wasn't bad. We had some deep scratches in both keels, particularly the starboard one, plus the starboard rudder. None of the damage went through the gelcoat, so the only repair necessary will be to sand, coat with epoxy and then reapply antifouling. We haven't had any fouling problems since being in fresh water anyway, so I doubt it will affect our performance.
<p>I also had a look at the anchor. It was deeply buried in thick clay. Then I found the offending rock. The paint marks gave it away. It was just the perfect size to fit between the keel and rudder. It was all by itself. Had it not been there, we might not have touched at all, although we would have had a frightening shock had we poked our heads outside right at the closest pass.
<p>Well, since we can't do anything else about it now, we might as well try to put it out of our minds and go back to enjoying such a beautiful anchorage. We went out in the kayak the next morning for a good look around. Since most of the land in the area is public, we were able to extend our kayaking range with periodic walks ashore to break things up.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWdJzxL3z0bh5wAyfBka79qWUw_jiV8XlpqO1PTTlp4qIjUUYsF-2VerDyGUss5MIf9tcHrtmQe-XAqPYL7fJ9HDEm2pJR3LWuwQWOMTMCEaVnpNeP8dXeyayxUegcMg78cAkwlRMslE_qR44-Mg8My0NlijCbRUbnGsmT2U_OJWHhaz5rcKF/s836/DSC08738.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="627" data-original-width="836" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLWdJzxL3z0bh5wAyfBka79qWUw_jiV8XlpqO1PTTlp4qIjUUYsF-2VerDyGUss5MIf9tcHrtmQe-XAqPYL7fJ9HDEm2pJR3LWuwQWOMTMCEaVnpNeP8dXeyayxUegcMg78cAkwlRMslE_qR44-Mg8My0NlijCbRUbnGsmT2U_OJWHhaz5rcKF/s200/DSC08738.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMzObbbgCDEhhOdljGCEWvY_DslvN2eBwPFD_mTt_YKy0j1LhwYQJ0rGQBi07ZL9RPFPh63qmss3hO627FhgijHUCtjpP4vLOcLL9RYhx3YFVvzhnvDJC1OMe7g3qDC_MP0Z9buRSVQBrW6eIQoqnbjABKnpGlJRNONZ2Mn638MtTt50iye-0/s4032/IMG_6011.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcMzObbbgCDEhhOdljGCEWvY_DslvN2eBwPFD_mTt_YKy0j1LhwYQJ0rGQBi07ZL9RPFPh63qmss3hO627FhgijHUCtjpP4vLOcLL9RYhx3YFVvzhnvDJC1OMe7g3qDC_MP0Z9buRSVQBrW6eIQoqnbjABKnpGlJRNONZ2Mn638MtTt50iye-0/s200/IMG_6011.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO94sQnDP3ELBeYCY2-3TFcPjoar6p2lBShOiQ3UZpi2GfnP4rXGA-rLcGodjcP37ynGVqnCJUUCGxoV9LfxTs-6ZhKlOu75fGGUCzQiNYDNF7RVx7FWX8CboVfsQeP8YU-s_5TpTK58vfCiEPGr2Un7dX-EyT82iHWbMce19suVEhHQ0H9Cr/s2894/IMG_7154.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2171" data-original-width="2894" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOO94sQnDP3ELBeYCY2-3TFcPjoar6p2lBShOiQ3UZpi2GfnP4rXGA-rLcGodjcP37ynGVqnCJUUCGxoV9LfxTs-6ZhKlOu75fGGUCzQiNYDNF7RVx7FWX8CboVfsQeP8YU-s_5TpTK58vfCiEPGr2Un7dX-EyT82iHWbMce19suVEhHQ0H9Cr/s200/IMG_7154.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxEBfdU4RUHVwFn0anCY3EsedtlXCXAQ0E-Jgkdnl7baaRKZNQBCiRZp4TjbrQVXAO9Coz0NZDnPPjco1S28aJ77uS0Q2DPwDZjcVKvIXuO-qJNG-KeYvt1ioaNJBqA3bHszUpEGv0GcCrCvkmsFlvb9ZGUFLeieBeX9CHxT_RMMPInbNgxgR/s4032/IMG_7155.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZxEBfdU4RUHVwFn0anCY3EsedtlXCXAQ0E-Jgkdnl7baaRKZNQBCiRZp4TjbrQVXAO9Coz0NZDnPPjco1S28aJ77uS0Q2DPwDZjcVKvIXuO-qJNG-KeYvt1ioaNJBqA3bHszUpEGv0GcCrCvkmsFlvb9ZGUFLeieBeX9CHxT_RMMPInbNgxgR/s200/IMG_7155.jpg"/></a>
<br>More natural beauties</center>
<p>This area, like most of the others in the region, is just achingly beautiful. The slight differences in size, shape, and arrangement of the various hillocks and rocky outcrops made it feel like we were experiencing the whole landscape anew every time the next vista emerged. It's hard to convey how mesmerizing it all is. Each bend of a tree trunk or curve in the striations of the rock become even more interesting the closer you look. Then you zoom out to be reminded that you are surrounded on all sides by more examples than you can count, all arrayed in an aesthetic of perfect tranquility, as if we were in the world's biggest Zen Garden.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyVO9O36tyQIzlsWtl0eZfd10J3jIbFrA8DAdTdEcAfLwhTf_P40BCQj7QjfQW5jg8zdm3Xix10E7p2ME8crpX28XN1YXvW68hDEhPLLTETfRkk_vD67Ulkpzz70fB-Muf3xkvHY7ZQIw5H5qyDoMNZwrCr-Gzu1e2zSt1F7hCkgH42yZAmAJ/s10690/IMG_7165.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="400" data-original-height="3776" data-original-width="10690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNyVO9O36tyQIzlsWtl0eZfd10J3jIbFrA8DAdTdEcAfLwhTf_P40BCQj7QjfQW5jg8zdm3Xix10E7p2ME8crpX28XN1YXvW68hDEhPLLTETfRkk_vD67Ulkpzz70fB-Muf3xkvHY7ZQIw5H5qyDoMNZwrCr-Gzu1e2zSt1F7hCkgH42yZAmAJ/s400/IMG_7165.jpg"/></a>
<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU18AZOayRpVLxq7xFuJbtoRoPFvYJinJfi2K6XYo6aiWUeU59blLwfPrSZbNeJcSllB2wV4T7cAlRhKw58NEOdSLG6GP5U9l4P680CFNS3Yftpx2GtuzQTaDJAimtKXAfRQiQhfyGKWtn65o20hzbzQf-MF97YS4FJ-RI_p1e9AAZD5W6xWQ/s4032/IMG_5982.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioU18AZOayRpVLxq7xFuJbtoRoPFvYJinJfi2K6XYo6aiWUeU59blLwfPrSZbNeJcSllB2wV4T7cAlRhKw58NEOdSLG6GP5U9l4P680CFNS3Yftpx2GtuzQTaDJAimtKXAfRQiQhfyGKWtn65o20hzbzQf-MF97YS4FJ-RI_p1e9AAZD5W6xWQ/s200/IMG_5982.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2q4QV5hnfbDkvSbd02vNg6AhH_D_FAbm-INAg79OTgswp6xuu1e4Tp9Ssp5tbmZ6Rk_njKgqCYgOOyYYk7d8sYYDV6-oHBF-aLUQuYXI2CTb-4-CkQh4Ablwzs_haNdgOAy-gENpfFYS2wLFxcbn_TKtYBAX4YGU_pCwYOoASirZbA9n1XNDE/s4032/IMG_6014.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2q4QV5hnfbDkvSbd02vNg6AhH_D_FAbm-INAg79OTgswp6xuu1e4Tp9Ssp5tbmZ6Rk_njKgqCYgOOyYYk7d8sYYDV6-oHBF-aLUQuYXI2CTb-4-CkQh4Ablwzs_haNdgOAy-gENpfFYS2wLFxcbn_TKtYBAX4YGU_pCwYOoASirZbA9n1XNDE/s200/IMG_6014.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBmEWO8RRFVOVXELMPXW1zrpAUhYAmAxuIgqeoIAobkvMLsTuYxWBFwmbZkTE3zsrBVGKiiaGKl4JhIqscKZpOD8cRqMrXqxA-Qy2pgzXgQ1IBmWK6zvWM-XuAw7Qa6c82jDXz5GBcaUjbP2TF7J4VEmg0RefcHvNv85LOjp0aFBioGXTWnuO/s4032/IMG_6028.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilBmEWO8RRFVOVXELMPXW1zrpAUhYAmAxuIgqeoIAobkvMLsTuYxWBFwmbZkTE3zsrBVGKiiaGKl4JhIqscKZpOD8cRqMrXqxA-Qy2pgzXgQ1IBmWK6zvWM-XuAw7Qa6c82jDXz5GBcaUjbP2TF7J4VEmg0RefcHvNv85LOjp0aFBioGXTWnuO/s200/IMG_6028.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvW1p-L6iUrhng7dB4WLd-5iwyLq5stpKqdfwcTb4RRlUl_-Yn7ETQ3hZc0iMSAgQpldnJUPsTTdBMSXJy9HPxnLSwrj10mVOyEsGnlm3EhXK3kpxRbgEs5L9psBZaG6sLz5OmHqSgzrHlf5r5r0rS0chHxheRWiYONRLbomGUkqJiVcgGw_j/s4032/IMG_6051.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBvW1p-L6iUrhng7dB4WLd-5iwyLq5stpKqdfwcTb4RRlUl_-Yn7ETQ3hZc0iMSAgQpldnJUPsTTdBMSXJy9HPxnLSwrj10mVOyEsGnlm3EhXK3kpxRbgEs5L9psBZaG6sLz5OmHqSgzrHlf5r5r0rS0chHxheRWiYONRLbomGUkqJiVcgGw_j/s200/IMG_6051.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseSBkAZSV8he0Y0nvI7Y13D2fYChYVB9HOMUBvqF6E07D8666lEa7ZgdLp5B3Zxn-xeKbKIqJIUJt_Qa_1BlnkQBCX8XUE8nI3zROd3Ib39onz8d--i3ilS78EvKgwWRARoVFEvAtfbNBEsF3uIxKq0e3k192IOMwgZMDHTq1aQX4wH39j0iS/s4032/IMG_6072.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgseSBkAZSV8he0Y0nvI7Y13D2fYChYVB9HOMUBvqF6E07D8666lEa7ZgdLp5B3Zxn-xeKbKIqJIUJt_Qa_1BlnkQBCX8XUE8nI3zROd3Ib39onz8d--i3ilS78EvKgwWRARoVFEvAtfbNBEsF3uIxKq0e3k192IOMwgZMDHTq1aQX4wH39j0iS/s200/IMG_6072.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlfBALkhWOzQF8GU6zAduyJzLtmXiaVzyqUebJwl0xgykFZP00ItVHIhn686rXT8jWP4gk4IxZ4Psrv3ZU801QgI2ecdB42d-EyZd1BRq6QGFPB_JusFSAXPB6xi3IZ6W7eb4glT8riwFtW4T681nIyouJt-L-06m2Xcy7r7YrThVLrbA7UU9/s4032/IMG_6121.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlfBALkhWOzQF8GU6zAduyJzLtmXiaVzyqUebJwl0xgykFZP00ItVHIhn686rXT8jWP4gk4IxZ4Psrv3ZU801QgI2ecdB42d-EyZd1BRq6QGFPB_JusFSAXPB6xi3IZ6W7eb4glT8riwFtW4T681nIyouJt-L-06m2Xcy7r7YrThVLrbA7UU9/s200/IMG_6121.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynB5TwgXiO7V31n2tn18wSYXcystmhrt-GpVFOsxNQnhRGBeLNi6-Sw0v1MHWWXlfXa1IG9lSSSsxmAP2FzYM5SVDvOgFIoLJa8Wz9I11nYzbKxGHPIvaBx8BoH8AfjRCbX_6D7adyKoTDOqc1w5WkzWj8MCsoCfgwdDg6ctFi4GK8xEfa3JY/s4013/IMG_7166.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3010" data-original-width="4013" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhynB5TwgXiO7V31n2tn18wSYXcystmhrt-GpVFOsxNQnhRGBeLNi6-Sw0v1MHWWXlfXa1IG9lSSSsxmAP2FzYM5SVDvOgFIoLJa8Wz9I11nYzbKxGHPIvaBx8BoH8AfjRCbX_6D7adyKoTDOqc1w5WkzWj8MCsoCfgwdDg6ctFi4GK8xEfa3JY/s200/IMG_7166.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesAwje9no4FQFcd0mLWtkUdqJoZ1Z9QnhEmeEA6BD0dSYTsbS6AlI7mXfZ7T0Rn9j3U2fs2Gs9iBo59uqMhMQLviyvAW5c0GKV8bFuL_tjbN5fibQ8NwzAOgiYMThnQMapoQJKeIGw3dZqknLuOBq8YVBRQY9QZ4X5QnKJhk2YWpHeNUdffpH/s4032/IMG_7175.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiesAwje9no4FQFcd0mLWtkUdqJoZ1Z9QnhEmeEA6BD0dSYTsbS6AlI7mXfZ7T0Rn9j3U2fs2Gs9iBo59uqMhMQLviyvAW5c0GKV8bFuL_tjbN5fibQ8NwzAOgiYMThnQMapoQJKeIGw3dZqknLuOBq8YVBRQY9QZ4X5QnKJhk2YWpHeNUdffpH/s200/IMG_7175.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DhYwYc63bunjpa6bay1Y0nch6xpWqH7obik-Y2fPmKMh7CSTZ8wg0SVKFWs9E_LOzceWu9zkSgp9q_0W7GpUvJWzTvDOfXckjEy14d1tt5wPHSlIEIOrfwqKIqliBOcXE_eFtHFL7Bb3EIMh0WOc8CjF1cMt8E6G8jaCxFyfYpnewff48Dwz/s4032/IMG_7198.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7DhYwYc63bunjpa6bay1Y0nch6xpWqH7obik-Y2fPmKMh7CSTZ8wg0SVKFWs9E_LOzceWu9zkSgp9q_0W7GpUvJWzTvDOfXckjEy14d1tt5wPHSlIEIOrfwqKIqliBOcXE_eFtHFL7Bb3EIMh0WOc8CjF1cMt8E6G8jaCxFyfYpnewff48Dwz/s200/IMG_7198.jpg"/></a>
<br>More Georgian Bay scenery</center>
<p>After getting back to the boat that afternoon, feeling flush with great views and fresh air, we were winding down while dinner simmered on the stove. I was sitting there thinking about how lucky we were to have such a lovely garden when I spotted a dark shape on the hillside behind us.
<p>Those of you who know Maryanne will not be surprised to learn that she has a list – actually, many lists, some written down formally, some living only in the capacious filing cabinet in her head. From my many interactions with her, I've pieced together her "Things I Want to See in Georgian Bay" list:
<UL>
<LI>Interesting rocks
<LI>Interesting plants
<LI>Examples of every bird species in the area, preferably doing something adorable
<LI>The entire contents of every museum in every town in which we stop
<LI>The Aurora Borealis
<LI>Cute animals, all the way from tiny frogs to the solitary and elusive…
<LI>{Maryanne:Kyle forgot to add any church that I can go inside of - I love the architechture and general beauty and peace.}
</UL>
<p>"Bear! Bear!" I shouted in a whisper.
<p>When Maryanne went to the doorway to look where I was pointing, the bear looked up at the noise, even though we were over a hundred meters away, and started heading for cover behind some nearby trees. Maryanne swiped the camera off the cabin table and managed to get a couple wide-angle shots of it before it was gone. She hadn't had time to zoom in, but she still had a big smile on her face because she had seen the one thing we both thought we were least likely to see. For the next day or so, as she was doing something else, she would occasionally stop mid-task, her eyes would light up, and she would exclaim in an excited schoolgirl voice, "We saw a bear!"
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySN2f7GCnKdWNfrS6BG8qb9DnA54jCvWoOPVupr6W8-PGLbjL36dtx0lexFVX7n5tS-BmI-zaRe_0-4gCzupUBPqciD-lHa97Sj9gYXtO-C5sSJ7yNvQxy95wlEurl4pi4-IYbOJLuWBmGQsyd2-H38xwMyW5jolUbooXAYrUXiX8yhMlVcVx/s397/DSC08741.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="298" data-original-width="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhySN2f7GCnKdWNfrS6BG8qb9DnA54jCvWoOPVupr6W8-PGLbjL36dtx0lexFVX7n5tS-BmI-zaRe_0-4gCzupUBPqciD-lHa97Sj9gYXtO-C5sSJ7yNvQxy95wlEurl4pi4-IYbOJLuWBmGQsyd2-H38xwMyW5jolUbooXAYrUXiX8yhMlVcVx/s200/DSC08741.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5Ny3Lkn-efZhv217B1X2U6F7xJJeCoRs5rf-JMHS0x1yVQkeN56nh6O2Nq7Es4COGewQOU1ioooMxzwfGRp93rmBhwm14zWfKz6bfS2mR0MjmH5JElD25rPloQjLroogqcelWEAAqDOHtZJm0RhnclNfjkADXRYT4rmiBvYxkit5NDhbtYvr/s2592/DSC08743.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiK5Ny3Lkn-efZhv217B1X2U6F7xJJeCoRs5rf-JMHS0x1yVQkeN56nh6O2Nq7Es4COGewQOU1ioooMxzwfGRp93rmBhwm14zWfKz6bfS2mR0MjmH5JElD25rPloQjLroogqcelWEAAqDOHtZJm0RhnclNfjkADXRYT4rmiBvYxkit5NDhbtYvr/s200/DSC08743.jpg"/></a>
<br>We finally spot a bear (black bear) - very briefly</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51OBvDE0P6JIAjm38Wsj304_BYGeLsb2wICse0yXnktfRk1L9jaugYdjOZeIiEQgrtYZWje3kzTKRmlDvYznxv6kMZ4Xa7FotpyvN5F_IXgGm1YLttj7KXtS37S8HKwoaNxFDN2PgyIGQUEQri0wMaDNy5m86Kq8qO9VfzFsRisHwMkxyfSJm/s4840/IMG_7207.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="320" data-original-height="4840" data-original-width="3886" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi51OBvDE0P6JIAjm38Wsj304_BYGeLsb2wICse0yXnktfRk1L9jaugYdjOZeIiEQgrtYZWje3kzTKRmlDvYznxv6kMZ4Xa7FotpyvN5F_IXgGm1YLttj7KXtS37S8HKwoaNxFDN2PgyIGQUEQri0wMaDNy5m86Kq8qO9VfzFsRisHwMkxyfSJm/s320/IMG_7207.jpg"/></a>
<br></center>
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.8042,-080.6806" source="_blank">On google maps</a> SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0Unorganized Centre Parry Sound District, ON, Canada45.873808 -80.303292917.563574163821151 -115.4595429 74.184041836178835 -45.1470429tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36756953.post-396244417966825912023-09-06T22:00:00.043-04:002023-09-22T11:13:46.807-04:00Raft Island (Georgian Bay)[Kyle]We had another no-wind departure from Nares Inlet. We skipped the really scary part of the Hangdog Channel by going out the way we had come and back into open water. There was not much to see out there, but that didn't mean we could relax. The water depth varies between about eight meters and just under two. It's all granite down there, so the jump from the deep parts to the shallow ones often registers almost instantly as we pass over a boulder. The channel, which is not very wide, is the only place that has been verified by surveys of not having any surprise depths below five feet (1.6 meters). The poor guy at the helm was anxious the whole time.
<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVmPRXkTvCd8d85fQidL_pTSDNPPSwyxz4nQl8DSksa8XycrL_LKgqkaa1LXy-TIQtWMbGgyS5rpf7Xm8PIEhq4sP_6yGVQoV_v_6F8FBoMa1AHbzGtCTBe4Ew7sT2JcJn6D9fbVtKKRIcm6sgtlEPTbJc2XEns9hbH6fftbF_yh0ML5CYbj0/s200/IMG_7113.jpg" style="display:none;">
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9q88NLDPaebywlQXyj06bGu6qZfm3vYO-5NZUOhP2xq4g4J02eDASbxgrmOYYXraWG2TlwAPdXml28Jhy4-NpquN8Eg9PM6zeQ-U9Qvd6Y0gO6Npe8rRJ7YHHF3uAS87nXsMctKtZmNSpHR2sJ6YQXjeeHGLHuImwxQ2zV_iobSyak6camio/s2526/DSC08669.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1895" data-original-width="2526" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy9q88NLDPaebywlQXyj06bGu6qZfm3vYO-5NZUOhP2xq4g4J02eDASbxgrmOYYXraWG2TlwAPdXml28Jhy4-NpquN8Eg9PM6zeQ-U9Qvd6Y0gO6Npe8rRJ7YHHF3uAS87nXsMctKtZmNSpHR2sJ6YQXjeeHGLHuImwxQ2zV_iobSyak6camio/s200/DSC08669.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5JUXbpha5Yp1PQ-BOF3QZ2hjYTUP1i779f_gRpVPax_mC1ZSAE2swW9PfefKmuUyMIu6Uz4HZnilvy75KgWDraOf9cACVzAPu84epyLsPPBPeb1peABKApLEZy_oA1F757ovzA8cGB4Seiz4Rboy3j89PC3yUSloycfAobDJ_gosfz-4sLip/s4032/IMG_5886.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB5JUXbpha5Yp1PQ-BOF3QZ2hjYTUP1i779f_gRpVPax_mC1ZSAE2swW9PfefKmuUyMIu6Uz4HZnilvy75KgWDraOf9cACVzAPu84epyLsPPBPeb1peABKApLEZy_oA1F757ovzA8cGB4Seiz4Rboy3j89PC3yUSloycfAobDJ_gosfz-4sLip/s200/IMG_5886.jpg"/></a>
<br>Most of the cottages we see on route are picturesque, discrete wood structures, but some are of a more modern architecture. Mostly though our passage is just natural scenery</center>
<p>After Passing Hangdog Point, we re-entered the Hangdog Channel for the leg up to Bayfield Inlet. Since Bayfield Inlet is a populated area with plenty of stores, etc., it is a popular stop for boats making their way along the Small Craft Route. Begonia is well-provisioned through the rest of the season, so we didn't stop there. Our main reason for going that way was because it's the scenic route and that's the whole reason we are here on the first place.
<p>This part of the Hangdog Channel did a pretty good job living up to its reputation. While most of it was reasonably deep and comfortably wide, the shallow parts that squeeze between boulders really were a tight fit for us. For the smallest two, we inched our way through at idle with Maryanne on the bow spotting hazards. In clear, tropical waters, she can usually estimate depth within ten percent, but here all she could see was the light-colored tops of rocks within half a meter of the surface. We both had to take a deep breath and hope that staying dead-center would do the trick. I can see why it is unnerving to narrower, but slightly deeper trawlers. Having an eye height that's three times as far above the water as ours must make the gaps look that much narrower.
<p>The leg back to open water from Bayfield Inlet was much more straightforward, allowing us to relax a bit and enjoy the beautiful scenery along the way. From there it was another shallow run to Raft Island, at the entrance to Norgate Inlet.
<p>Norgate Inlet is shallow and has no officially marked navigation routes. There are a few cottages within, so the locals all know the way, but any navigation aids are informal ones like sticks, painted rocks or floating drink bottles. It was with much trepidation that we slowed down and left the safety of the Small Craft Route, hoping that the widely-spaced soundings on the chart would correlate with reality.
<p>For the most part, they did, with all the errors we found on the deep side during our short trip to the first place affording protection at anchor. Even though we were anchored in the middle of a wide spot in “the channel,” we didn't see too much traffic. Most of the land around Norgate Inlet is federal land, with only a handful of private cottages, so we only saw maybe five or six boats per day going by. Almost all of them passed well clear and a few even slowed down to keep from throwing a wake at us.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehQwpDqM85VyqI7PTqLVpO-lhWy33BdXDrnJXkFravHqO8dH76nowjxEoesYAjOlPyqWFJNq-CyLdBiZxC8xEjmfpWXBwGxKBjAIVHjbT7ABUUCOHa5EM1gsjigFq8U24lmrLt283CnmAUP0jE8FJw4h_IRQJSIDyp1n0ar6swCYaUTRcyr2g/s2592/DSC08684.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiehQwpDqM85VyqI7PTqLVpO-lhWy33BdXDrnJXkFravHqO8dH76nowjxEoesYAjOlPyqWFJNq-CyLdBiZxC8xEjmfpWXBwGxKBjAIVHjbT7ABUUCOHa5EM1gsjigFq8U24lmrLt283CnmAUP0jE8FJw4h_IRQJSIDyp1n0ar6swCYaUTRcyr2g/s200/DSC08684.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFcy94Rpe8n0YSh2rqKGQ85_SNWoGgq7s5Ij20_cVXL8PiOiw5veo7OUEF18yKVxMVZb5N7sm48W44scs8MmIK8_uGRBW4D_BH0EJo7e0D6ysJqPjyOFI11I1Za2-K3ILb8HoeGF1PVpNU8a14Qf-kAMlEXDwsoyAHIcIzKDwU4IO2DFt2Baj/s1481/IMG_5911.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="1481" data-original-width="1111" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwFcy94Rpe8n0YSh2rqKGQ85_SNWoGgq7s5Ij20_cVXL8PiOiw5veo7OUEF18yKVxMVZb5N7sm48W44scs8MmIK8_uGRBW4D_BH0EJo7e0D6ysJqPjyOFI11I1Za2-K3ILb8HoeGF1PVpNU8a14Qf-kAMlEXDwsoyAHIcIzKDwU4IO2DFt2Baj/s200/IMG_5911.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZaSL3NE4xfM8-RdGGqsC6__5qG39yJ0FFhR9FsvFvTvooOi-jFkxvTrPsQUAvHk9h6G5Ztkpj_by-EhksJiCGISnvHrfYEwg2OFjTsnDPDBU1bSuTu-H2Dh6U0ZGi9HK11T_xooYW-vn2ST3rH1AolK5cQD7zBYSyG6oW633S6JnuTXAjwxW/s4032/IMG_5935.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" height="200" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEZaSL3NE4xfM8-RdGGqsC6__5qG39yJ0FFhR9FsvFvTvooOi-jFkxvTrPsQUAvHk9h6G5Ztkpj_by-EhksJiCGISnvHrfYEwg2OFjTsnDPDBU1bSuTu-H2Dh6U0ZGi9HK11T_xooYW-vn2ST3rH1AolK5cQD7zBYSyG6oW633S6JnuTXAjwxW/s200/IMG_5935.jpg"/></a>
<br>Snippets of our exploring</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_i1aDDqF0dxrq2jCuU9gt82xNdk7sxDg4Xi34WjadzRpzBEa5h4rg_RparoWjUTNwfga0WUoJT6d9ehHLUo_B3pV8BPsL3YmtRwwjo_GiZgI50jACiBpktb6KYNJvlXOzcEdn2IQrziL6Y01Pa7XrdlU6HYD2GCmIEjaWg8WA78VjOFfEHFD/s2592/DSC08716.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih_i1aDDqF0dxrq2jCuU9gt82xNdk7sxDg4Xi34WjadzRpzBEa5h4rg_RparoWjUTNwfga0WUoJT6d9ehHLUo_B3pV8BPsL3YmtRwwjo_GiZgI50jACiBpktb6KYNJvlXOzcEdn2IQrziL6Y01Pa7XrdlU6HYD2GCmIEjaWg8WA78VjOFfEHFD/s200/DSC08716.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFhHmzPodPr93yirwGiVOWSiL5VI1zYNNK-UIzwWcBFwmv1tKZm9HAU7sn4A_tiHLAZp8afSitqvKrSFOb3I_XvRVJzo7mp2tNAqfJMJqm2bJkrQRieyZQtDiz8cYoTukyNKhTgKE2F0q0CuFouR0LkXB8VpiORZIVhyy7o_APvpnJrUsxIs3/s2592/DSC08708.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvFhHmzPodPr93yirwGiVOWSiL5VI1zYNNK-UIzwWcBFwmv1tKZm9HAU7sn4A_tiHLAZp8afSitqvKrSFOb3I_XvRVJzo7mp2tNAqfJMJqm2bJkrQRieyZQtDiz8cYoTukyNKhTgKE2F0q0CuFouR0LkXB8VpiORZIVhyy7o_APvpnJrUsxIs3/s200/DSC08708.jpg"/></a>
<br>Snakes and frogs abound</center>
<p>The overwhelming presence of federal land meant that for the first time in a while, we could feel free to break up our usual kayak tour with lots of shore breaks for variety. We found pine stands, rock balds and frog ponds. Maryanne even located a dinner-table-sized bog that was filled with soft moss and wild cranberries. Unprocessed and slightly under-ripe, they taste like tiny apples.
<p>We slept in the next morning, with a plan to spend another day exploring the area's labyrinth of narrow channels and rocky outcrops. After checking the weather, I told Maryanne we would have to be leaving first thing in the morning in order to avoid the worst of a northerly (the general direction we were going) wind shift. She suggested we go today instead, while we still have light tailwinds to help with our speed. That's fine, the next place is supposed to be better protected anyway.
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmafaMXL9tGf44IY6dy8WVJwUF7pg7pJI_JbMn4HIC13rI9s5ITMDNQz0caMO8naBbbVWeIjRBVHdXhTZXvcGnCGqxVslAYlfLWYZB1Qpr1wj0l44PtYKLt3QpkE6CsTXwwf-eOMKD8k9YebgCVVXoQgy_CbQAWc2tn_YiS_lSMGPC0fLkcWxF/s2592/DSC08690.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmafaMXL9tGf44IY6dy8WVJwUF7pg7pJI_JbMn4HIC13rI9s5ITMDNQz0caMO8naBbbVWeIjRBVHdXhTZXvcGnCGqxVslAYlfLWYZB1Qpr1wj0l44PtYKLt3QpkE6CsTXwwf-eOMKD8k9YebgCVVXoQgy_CbQAWc2tn_YiS_lSMGPC0fLkcWxF/s200/DSC08690.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxyp0OIPkngjhae9g0E-JMTzTQ9gGyvdGgqpdry1uKnRC-qVmlssReLHV2ulx2EX7yqc3AI3bHXVXmvL-AjEUFy4UelLnECtxT-MOSUq2xbHLyLhsDldRfEX8vPGQa7M8mQyzi3EvUeqjIzh_u0zUX84W_J1zCG6kucAFk3Kj4DihsZCuYI9b/s2592/DSC08701.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="1944" data-original-width="2592" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxyp0OIPkngjhae9g0E-JMTzTQ9gGyvdGgqpdry1uKnRC-qVmlssReLHV2ulx2EX7yqc3AI3bHXVXmvL-AjEUFy4UelLnECtxT-MOSUq2xbHLyLhsDldRfEX8vPGQa7M8mQyzi3EvUeqjIzh_u0zUX84W_J1zCG6kucAFk3Kj4DihsZCuYI9b/s200/DSC08701.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5L6Vv8emSAxYl3IpcMW2Dp4bamHCpMDcQDlfEZqEwCJNK9l1KoU5FQssLHz6qpX7fJ-RYQpnLidBA-jF8v6IM0z-XEyGA45SFBzKoqU8isKQXH0UjiUvxjWNwObPv9jv5D6tJzy7FN0lxXPIPgWPXQrlAiYKP54mfnLEjzr7B5zGY_zT5Jir/s3986/IMG_5939.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2989" data-original-width="3986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP5L6Vv8emSAxYl3IpcMW2Dp4bamHCpMDcQDlfEZqEwCJNK9l1KoU5FQssLHz6qpX7fJ-RYQpnLidBA-jF8v6IM0z-XEyGA45SFBzKoqU8isKQXH0UjiUvxjWNwObPv9jv5D6tJzy7FN0lxXPIPgWPXQrlAiYKP54mfnLEjzr7B5zGY_zT5Jir/s200/IMG_5939.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNJsXOpa2r9aBpvMfiWLSnZWKJhcY5CiGihNZyFQP3PJ9vBjvSHQnJKLkHKe9K2FXUQrJgP8EcdBrxCY1HJvjxWVjgLW64iTdjPwO9LEj8HDY0H4cRzTt4OoGp-qO65JQvyxf9wkuKhbJgmgNyCTKKQAmb0d05U2FvqJiSdYg24kKCoqT6aEc/s4032/IMG_5962.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNNJsXOpa2r9aBpvMfiWLSnZWKJhcY5CiGihNZyFQP3PJ9vBjvSHQnJKLkHKe9K2FXUQrJgP8EcdBrxCY1HJvjxWVjgLW64iTdjPwO9LEj8HDY0H4cRzTt4OoGp-qO65JQvyxf9wkuKhbJgmgNyCTKKQAmb0d05U2FvqJiSdYg24kKCoqT6aEc/s200/IMG_5962.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVmPRXkTvCd8d85fQidL_pTSDNPPSwyxz4nQl8DSksa8XycrL_LKgqkaa1LXy-TIQtWMbGgyS5rpf7Xm8PIEhq4sP_6yGVQoV_v_6F8FBoMa1AHbzGtCTBe4Ew7sT2JcJn6D9fbVtKKRIcm6sgtlEPTbJc2XEns9hbH6fftbF_yh0ML5CYbj0/s3960/IMG_7113.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="2970" data-original-width="3960" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijVmPRXkTvCd8d85fQidL_pTSDNPPSwyxz4nQl8DSksa8XycrL_LKgqkaa1LXy-TIQtWMbGgyS5rpf7Xm8PIEhq4sP_6yGVQoV_v_6F8FBoMa1AHbzGtCTBe4Ew7sT2JcJn6D9fbVtKKRIcm6sgtlEPTbJc2XEns9hbH6fftbF_yh0ML5CYbj0/s200/IMG_7113.jpg"/></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ51izO4kwqdXiiv8IHA3skpIddEXnuLtbm_q-3LDYyO2sYOoGcR5F-w4c65dcVvoJPWjx0ELc7c9i62FHsaRcmYDiHsk3tqVwT6Q71ZTORPddzxunZroEn0cCjs00IOaOd8Mi3mMSMIXJxGeW-hOxArMUhN1enUvm1F6IlzBXBQrfbAT4ug5x/s4032/IMG_7117.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ51izO4kwqdXiiv8IHA3skpIddEXnuLtbm_q-3LDYyO2sYOoGcR5F-w4c65dcVvoJPWjx0ELc7c9i62FHsaRcmYDiHsk3tqVwT6Q71ZTORPddzxunZroEn0cCjs00IOaOd8Mi3mMSMIXJxGeW-hOxArMUhN1enUvm1F6IlzBXBQrfbAT4ug5x/s200/IMG_7117.jpg"/></a>
<br>More amazing scenery - and how I wish I'd retained my geology studies knowledge a bit better!</center>
<p><center><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhfBSupjy9vEa_JIYgpHYESHmWiG494Xlw00mWuui2kKeiz2y8sA0c17TDvOmZgOWiB6ALXA9tkE2j7aZIOgUUZ83Gzco4Fj_kv0txWkskTlHgUBh4aRbmiyyDZrAppth-1hvhJbsuZmfRi0wN--_9NokCYCNZ67HsVZ1hu-MEpo3QmLMoXdR/s4032/IMG_5948.jpg" ><img alt="" border="0" width="200" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihhfBSupjy9vEa_JIYgpHYESHmWiG494Xlw00mWuui2kKeiz2y8sA0c17TDvOmZgOWiB6ALXA9tkE2j7aZIOgUUZ83Gzco4Fj_kv0txWkskTlHgUBh4aRbmiyyDZrAppth-1hvhJbsuZmfRi0wN--_9NokCYCNZ67HsVZ1hu-MEpo3QmLMoXdR/s200/IMG_5948.jpg"/></a>
<br>We are starting to notice cranberry bushes/bogs among the many plants</center>
<p>
<hr>
<p>Anchorage location <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/45.7019,-080.6394" source="_blank">On google maps</a>
SV-Footprinthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05580604213296592771noreply@blogger.com0