My Adventures and Travels

My friend Julia and I long ago decided that you get a "birthday week"-because one day just isn't enough! Last weekend I had a wonderful "birthday weekend" up in Estes Park. Toni joined me and we spent Saturday wandering through shops and eating! (It was too rainy to get terribly ambitious) I was just beside myself to find a sock store (only socks! nothing else!!) and Toni was a good sport as I exclaimed repeatedly about how amazing this place was. "Look! Socks with crabs on them!!" We also watched the Olympics and I tried some creative drinks from the Estes Park Microbrewery-among them, blueberry wheat beer and apricot mead! (Admittedly weird, but fun) On Sunday, the skies cleared, sort of, and we went for a walk in Rocky Mountain National Park at the Alluvial Fan. (Which is what all the rocks and debris are called after they flood out of a canyon, it turns out). During brunch it started raining again. By the time we got back to the Denver area, it ha...

(This picture is the roof (ceiling?) inside the tea house. It was beautiful!) If I had a bit more time, I could probably do at least 5 posts from the last week! I don't have the time. Here's the rundown! Last weekend, Toni and I headed up to Sterling for the Logan County Fair. This entailed a parade (while the whole family ran amok with water guns!), a Karg-style feast, and then, of course, the actual fair. Wow, it was so small-town fair-ish! I don't think a thing there has changed in at least 50 years! Monday I got together with friends Chris and Rene, and we went on Rene's first hike since her knee surgery at Mt. Galbraith . Getting home, Chris and I fixed my hot water heater, with some phone tech support from Toni! Then I went to fencing and realized my legs were *really* tired. That night, went up to my mom's to check in on things, and Chris and Rene joined me there too...they had just gotten back from 8 days in Mexico so I guess we missed each other. Perseod Me...

Maybe it's the end of our record-breaking 90's streak, but today I was in the mood for 1. a bike ride and 2. a stir fry-two things I rarely do! They were both successful endeavors! Seriously, I think I've had a wok for years (some sort of hand-me-down) and I've never used it! I even had something called "Wok Oil"-who knew?? I found a recipe online that I modified (because I was too lazy to go to the grocery store) and wallah! Dinner!

This was written by my friend, John Blanco. Link to your right. Too funny to keep to myself. John McCain Definitely Senile posted by John Blanco @ 9:45 AM John McCain has had a lot of problems with "misremembering" during this campaign season. Many times, he's insisted he didn't say things that he did say. But, this one takes the cake: On Friday, McCain attacked Obama's record on the environment during a campaign stop in the Florida Everglades. "Sen. Obama has no record of being involved in this issue that I know of," he said. "I will stick by my record and my commitment of many years to reduce greenhouse gas emissions." McCain seems to have forgotten the *cough* The Obama-McCain Climate Change Reduction Bill . Dear God.

Devoted Readers, I guess the rest of my summer has been so exciting, I just haven't had much to blog about since getting home. No new pictures. But boy my house is clean! I did have a poker night/party last weekend. Otherwise, I've just been taking it easy, other than a couple classes last week. Reading books, hanging out with Toni, and trying not to think about the inevitable return to school! As local readers will know, it has been HOT HOT HOT here lately, so unfortunately, I've been staying inside a lot too (when what I really should do is go to the mountains and get in a few hikes!). Rockies are out of town. I took July off from fencing, but will return tomorrow. Hopefully I'll have a bit more to report on next time-but for now, chilling out is good, too!

This ad has been getting a lot of air time here lately....Here are some facts. According to-oh-John McCain- "Our dangerous dependence on foreign oil has been thirty years in the making, and was caused by the failure of politicians in Washington to think long term about the future of the country. By 2030, America's demand for energy will rise by nearly 20 percent. Our jobs, our way of life, and our security depend on the next president beginning to solve this challenge." (Source: John McCain campaign Web site .) No. Obama didn't create high gas prices. We are already drilling for oil in Alaska-1 million barrels a day. Just not in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. In fact, 95% of Alaska's North Slope is open for drilling (Source: San Francisco Chronicle ). The ANWR was set aside in 1960 by the Eisenhower administration and was described as "one of the world's great wildlife areas. The great diversity of vegetation and topography in this compact area, to...

The original plan was this: get up early and take an early ferry over to Vancouver Island, drive around, see the sights, and possibly take a late ferry back to the Seattle area. Ahh, the best laid plans. After first leaving my cell phone in the Vancouver hostel, necessitating a 15 mile trip back to get it, and then discovering a flat tire, which turned into buying 4 new tires (I really needed them anyway)...I was considerably delayed! So, while waiting for the ferry, I called a hostel in Victoria. They had beds available, so the plan was made to stay there. When my ferry arrived, I detoured to see a small winery, where I ended up buying a bottle of rhubarb wine-because where else will I find that?! Then I checked into my hostel and walked around Victoria, stopping in Chinatown for a tasty meal. But, after my "Tired" post, I napped from about 7 to 10 before getting up to read, check email, and go back to sleep. The next morning was another one of plans not working out! I woke...

After Vancouver, my car and I got on a ferry and headed toward Vancouver Island, and the city of Victoria.

Remember that quirky problem I was having with the vertical pictures? Well, it's been resolved, so here are some more pictures from the Canadian Rockies!

In Jasper Park, Alberta (which borders on Banff NP), I may have mentioned some certain rain. Here are a few pics from that evening and morning. Camping in the rain necessities: wine and fire starter....in that order. ;)

Okay, I still want to see Seattle and Crater Lake...but I think it's about time to go home! I'm tired! Driving, a flat tire today, living out of a suitcase or tent, more driving, getting lost, feeling guilty if I am "not seeing/doing enough"....can you tell I'm exhausted?! Despite my flat tire and leaving my cell phone at the hostel in Vancouver (which I remembered 15 miles out), I did eventually make it to Victoria, Vancouver Island. Took a giant ferry over here with my car. It's beautiful and all...but is 6:30 p.m. too early to go to bed? =)

Vancouver has the nicest people I have ever met. That's a pretty strong statement, and I've been known to do a little traveling! Here's my evidence: 1. They do not try to run you down when you cross the street. You could jump in front of a moving car here and they'd apologize for not stopping soon enough (not that I've tried). Honestly, though, you can stand on the side alk and look at the street, as though you're thinking you might like to cross it sometime, and people will stop. 2. Monica and I were taking photos of each other at Stanley Park and a woman said, "let me take one of you together. I bet you've got loads of pictures of each other, but not many of you both! 3. We were consulting our map, making sure we were walking the right direction to return the bike and roller blades, and a man stopped and asked us if he could help offer directions. Usually you have to flag people down to get them to take a picture or directions, and here they are just ...

This morning, much to my delight, my "dorm mate" Monica, who's from Columbia, asked if I'd like to go to Stanley Park with her! Since that was on my "to do" list, I immediately agreed, glad to have someone to hang out with. We took a bus down and then she had the brilliant idea of renting bikes (a bike for me, rollerblades for her) to explore the park, so we did that. Vancouver is very proud of it's park-boasting that it's the size of Central Park, but with more attractions and the ocean. We agreed that it is a pretty nice place. And I'm really glad we rented wheels, because it was an 11km loop! Around the edge, there are ponds, boatyards, totem poles, an aquariam, a kids water park, and a big swimming pool-it is quite the place! On top of that it was a beautiful day and perfect weather, and it was so nice to get some exercise after so much time spent sitting in a car. Unfortunately, Monica had to leave for a job she's starting with YMCA, but...

(Catch-up post) On Sunday (oh, that's why it was so crowded) I took the scenic Icefields Parkway from Banff to Jasper--known as one of the most scenic drives in the world, according to my travel book. I took a side trip to Moraine Lake, which was stunning. More of that wild emerald green water, with the stunning Rockies as a backdrop. Goofy side note: still using the hostel's computers, and for some reason after I save my pictures onto my USB drive, I can't rotate them. So about 2/3 of my pictures would be sideways, and I've only used the "right side up" ones....maybe when I get home I can get some of these suckers rotated and uploaded, because there are some good ones! :) Top two: Moraine Lake. Bottom: Lake Louise

This is gonna be a short(ish) post, I'll definitely add more info and pics later! The bad news: My computer crashed. So, without unlimited free wireless, I don't have as much time to upload pictures and do lots of blog entries. Here is the overview: 2 days ago: drove through Banff and Jasper NPs on the Icefields Parkway. Long drive but beautiful. Camped in Pocohontas campsite, near hot springs. Visited Lake Louise and some really beautiful other lake on the way. Hung out in hot springs. camped. Yesterday: Woke up to pouring rain. Inside of tent stayed dry but everything else was wet, and stayed wet. It was a big pain trying to dry everything off enough to pack (can't dry it on the picnic table or car when both are wet!) Also it was chilly and damp and the tall trees block the sun. So anyway, I finally decided things were good enough and started driving. Ended up near Kamloops in a tiny town called Barriere and camped there. Guess what? It rained AGAIN! Anyway, now I'm i...

I was trying to build up the suspense in my post below, but the pictures kept on posting on top of each other. Anyway, here are some views from the top. I might have stayed up all day if I hadn't been so hungry! Pretty stunning!

I have to say, my hike today was probably one of the prettiest I've ever been on! And doesn't it sound impressive when I tell you it was 12 km? (Way more than 6 or so miles!) I took almost 70 pictures so you might have to visit my facebook page for the whole album....but here are some highlights. First, there are t he waterfalls... Then, there are the "Ink Pots"-col orful pools of mineral water! Finally, there is the view of the mountains.

Okay, no one has said "eh" yet...but the national parks lady said "bonjour" to me so that was pretty special. Got through border crossing just fine...they didn't even ASK me about carrots or firewood, though I'd gotten rid of both. Phew! Today was another driving day but I can't complain. I've been following these Rocky Mountains through 3 states and 2 provinces and maybe 1400 miles? It was a beautiful drive and a beautiful day! Admittedly, several of my pictures were taken while driving....but I kept my eyes on the road and deleted the ones that were totally off! :) I am at the cutest hostel here in Banff, too, I'll probably stay a few days. It also is only 4 beds (2 bunk beds) in my room instead of the 5 bunk beds + mattresses on the floor that I encountered in Nicaragua, so maybe that will facilitate better sleep! First pic: Kootenay National Park which I drove through to get to Banff-I guess a big fire burned there a few years back, it was p...

I can't do the driving through the whole dang park, pulling off to take pictures thing! This morning, went on a short hike to a waterfall on the way through! Lovely...AND my ankle is holding up well! Yay! Yes, I just took a picture of the water... but would you check out that shade of green??