So far our Virgin Islands trip is going fantastic!
We've had good weather, some sun, some clouds, fun snorkeling, beautiful 8 knot sailing with low swell, good food and great company.

Pics to follow, but at $20/hour for super-slow internet, I just can't stomach uploading them yet.

Off to see more beauty!

Labels: sailing, vacation

About two weeks ago we celebrated the 95th birthday of my maternal grandmother.
Ninety five. That's three 32-year old lifetimes (close enough!). Whoa.

It was a beautiful day and nearly everyone in the family was able to attend. I flew up rather last-minute (no minute like that last minute) and am so happy that I was able to attend, see most of my family and enjoy the pleasure on my Grandmother's face. She was delighted at all the attention.

I enjoyed some great spring weather in California, which I surely miss sometimes, and also the company of my family. The visit was too short, as usual, and Jocelyn couldn't break away from work as she had just returned from Atlanta full of jewelry orders.
I spent the day before the birthday sailing on San Francisco Bay in PERFECT conditions with my brother, then enjoyed a great dinner with his family. I also got a chance to visit my sister's place near Reno, Nevada on Sunday night. Then spent the following week wandering around through Utah. I'll post pics shortly, it was a beautiful trip!

Now I'm back safe n sound in Tamarindo, enjoying the beginning of the rainy season and trying to get our yard ready for what promises to be a very wet "winter" indeed.

Labels: california, nevada, sailing, utah, vacation

For back info you can go back to all the Moab trip posts or each installment: Day 1-3, Day 4, Day 5,
Day 6.

Day 7 started out in the border town of Tonopah, NV. I'm not a big fan of border towns in general- they tend towards a certain ramshackle, get 'em while you can construction quality with an inordinately high number of cheap places to sleep vs. businesses and residences. Tonopah did little to dispel my preconceptions.

We pointed generally West and covered some serious miles. Southwestern USA does not lack for excellent highways with spreading vistas. That's for certain.

Tonopah Station. It was cold, they take dogs. Other than that, I don't have much to endorse.	Tonopah proper has some older buildings that I liked	More old buildings in Tonopah	And old cars. There is plenty of "old" there.
...and a CREEPY "clown motel". I'm afraid of clowns, a little, and this place looks to me to be straight out of a Stephen King novel. I *almost* wish we had stayed there. Just to say we did. (note freaky 2/3-size painted guy on wall)	More old. More Tonopah. Pretty mountains	On the road again... with great, big, fluffy clouds	Nevada desert dropping into Eastern California desert
I wish that I had noticed the highway marker before clicking the shutter	Doggy break. Sage.	I have no idea why I took this picture, hope you enjoy it.	Probably an awesome trout stream. Owens Valley, California (and no, we didn't have rods nor licenses, dangit)
First of several hot springs with some hippy-dippy self-appointed caretaker who turned out to be a real peice of work. The best description I can offer is that he was a burnt-out surf goat type who was feeling territorial about "his" mungy little hot spring in the middle of almost-nowhere and sent us looking for a "better" one...	...which lead us down some well-maintained fire roads with towering trees	also soaring vistas -the Eastern Sierra in California is pretty. Go there.	We finally found the "super secret" springs that the Goat had described. So secret that they had posted signs, and were entirely concreted in and no camping allowed.
At least the setting remained spectacular, but we decided to press onward	Soop. Surveying the Scenery serenely.	A lousy picture of a pretty building	Now *this* is more like what we were looking for!
Natural hot spring cascading down into a natural pool formed by naturally(?) stacking rocks in a rough pattern.	Complete with wildflowers	And more wildflowers	and more wildflowers!
Majestic trees, seen from our campsite	We even needed a little 4wd to get to our site	After a soak in the springs, we built a firepit and enjoyed a tasty dinner.	Our site
I like the progress of my insulation when everyone else stayed pretty much the same. Left to right: Steve, Annette, Seth, Soop	Soop put on a different hat, I'm sporting down jacket. The tropis will do that to you.	Campfire beats Casino 10/10 (but isn't as warm).

Labels: 4wd, 4x4, california, camping, day trip, dog, expedition, land cruiser, moab, nevada