Whistler Mountain

After a VERY long day of traveling (I left Scott in Manhattan, KS, stopped in Kansas City, Mo, then Phoenix, AZ, and Las Vegas before landing finally), I arrived in the city of Vancouver where my gram lives. However before I could even drop my bags she had us on a bus up to the resort town of Whistler. This absolutely beautiful mountain village sits at the base of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. This area loaded with activities for any age as well as a multitude of shopping and eating. And even though Whistler was downright cold the first couple of days, I still loved it. Could it be that I am beginning to appreciate climates other than Florida's?
Whistler, along with Vancouver, will be the site of this winter's
2010 Olympics. The amount of construction and "improvements"
was intense. I used "improvements" because I think, and most Canadians I have heard agree, there is a serious concern over what will happen after the Olympics are gone. Many cities have experienced a serious economic downturn after they've invested so much to prepare for an Olympic Celebration in their city. Vancouver is taking a "sustainable" approach, and I keep my fingers crossed that they have made wise decisions. In any case, I saw the mountain bike track (photo), which will be used for snowboarding from what I understand, the construction of the pipes for the luge and other activities, and a great deal of housing and road construction. This town is going to be packed!!! The hotel we stayed at said that they are already 90% full with just press. Yikes!
On our way down the mountain, Gram and I rented a car instead of taking the bus. This was fantastic because we were able to stop at a couple of really spectacular waterfalls and a lookout at the Tantalus Mountain Range, which looked to have just had an avalanche. If you look closely, you can see the snow piled on itself down the mountain, such as when a spring avalanche occurs.

The bittersweet part of the summer.

There are no photos from this part of my trip. Scott and I left Bradenton on Thursday 2 July to drive to Ft. Riley, KS, where he will be stationed for the next three months. The drive was beautiful and while Scott drove, I read Bill Bryson's book, A Walk in the Woods, aloud. Really, if you have any interest in the out of doors, this book is a hoot! Backpacks and bears and the Appalacian Trail. What made it even better was that we travelled through some areas that could have been in the book at the time we were reading it. It was great. This drive took us through Chattanooga (choo-choo!), St. Louis (got to see the arch), and Kansas City. We spent the 4th of July celebrating in Junction City, KS, which advertised the biggest Independence Day celebration in Kansas. Umm, well, they did have Grand Funk Railroad as their big musical act...
We watched a pretty impressive display of fireworks (both from the festival and the parking lot of the Holiday Inn Express we were staying at-I was waiting for the boat in the parking lot to catch fire, there would've been some REAL fireworks!). Scott even took me on a tour of Ft. Riley, which is a very historical campus (I know that Scott is cringing but I don't know what else to call it!) with stone houses that the higher-ups and their families live in. We even took a tour of General Custer's old house (however the tour guide told us that they think Custer didn't even live in that house but another one down the street. Not quite sure why they couldn't keep that straight but whatever). Ft. Riley is beautiful and huge. It really does amaze me the length that the military goes to in making sure that almost everything is right on the base. But I don't think many Americans understand or are even aware of all that is expected of military service members and their families. The more I find out, I wish more of those expectations were placed on the general population. I think we would find a definite improvement in the level of pride and responsibility that our citizens take in the freedoms that they have.
So the 4th of July was also the time when I had to say goodbye to Scott as he reported in for training at Ft. Riley and I headed onto Vancouver, Canada. Yeah, I really don't need to say anything more about that.
When I left Junction City, I had travelled a total of 7,059 miles.

On the road again...

And so it began. I left Stuart on 11 June, relieved to have a break from the bureaucracy of the education system. There was a great deal of trepidation surrounding the end of the school year and I sincerely hope that the summer will help to relax everyone, including me.
I began my journey by flying to Barstow, CA to help Scott pack up his life and leave Ft. Irwin, where he had been stationed (okay, so really I mostly watched the movers, hung out by the pool, read, and asked if I could be useful while shuffling to get out of the way, so more often than not I offered moral support and beer). We began the long journey back to Bradenton, FL, which is on the west coast between Sarasota to the south, and St. Petersburg to the north. The photo on the left is us driving away from Ft. Irwin for the first (for me anyway) and last time. Or so we thought-but that's a story for another blog.
We hauled (using a GMC hybrid truck I might add) 14,000 pounds of stuff, including us. This included the GMC truck with us and a Harley Davidson in the back, pulling a U-Haul trailer and Betsy (the Jeep that doesn't like me), who was loaded to the hilt with Scott's stuff that he thought he would need. The rest of his apartment was thankfully put into storage although I had to laugh because we hauled more stuff after the movers took away the apartment stuff than I even own!!!
Alright. What you see in the photo are tree bushes. I have deemed them "tree bushes" because they are too big to be bushes but haven't grown up to be trees yet. I think deep down they aspire to be trees, but just haven't made it yet. I sent them lots of positive growing vibes. These tree bushes were everywhere. After Arizona anyway.
We took Route 40 which also happens to follow historic Route 66. I had no idea that people were so sentimental about a road but reminders of Route 66 in its heyday were everywhere. I think we may have even spotted some people who were around when the road originally came to be. We reached Flagstaff, AZ on the first day and I loved every minute of that drive. It was an absolutely beautiful state and I hope to be able to go back someday and spend more time. Day two brought us through New Mexico and almost through Texas. I would really have liked to skip Texas altogether and they are NOT kidding when they say that Texas is like its own country. I don't know who "they" are, but I'm sure "they" had something to do with the Texas flag having a single star. I think "they" are trying to tell the rest of us something. We spent the second night in Shamrock, TX, which was about the only thing to be considered a town after we left Amarillo. I ate McDonald's that night. Yeah, yeah, yeah I ate a salad, but it was McDonald's. The only saving grace was that if Paul Newman can put his face in McDonald's, I can survive one meal there (a salad of course). Shamrock was also the place where we discovered the Holiday Inn Express, which would be our hotel of choice for the rest of our travels. I think Scott even earned a free night since we stayed so much (we couldn't pass up joining the Priority Club since we were frequent fliers). So I guess Shamrock wasn't all that bad but for a place that sounds very Irish, I don't think I saw any green other than in the hotel lobby carpet. The landscape was flat and brown. Maybe they named the town Shamrock hoping for some of that emerald green from the mother land....
Alright, enough ranting about Texas. Day three brought us over the mighty Mississippi River (never seen that before!) and into Vicksburg, MS. Scott and I remembered that there had been an important Civil War battle but didn't know much about it so I pulled out the holy iPhone and searched it out. And while we drove out of Vicksburg the next morning (after of course staying at a Holiday Inn Express), I read Scott the entire account of the battle. Just a quick cliff note, the battle was in favor of the South.
We finally hit Florida on day four. We made fairly decent time considering that we had to stay below 70 mph for most of the trip or the trailer would fishtail around and you really don't want a heavy trailer like that flailing. I actually drove us for awhile through construction that felt like we were running a gauntlet with very little room on either side of the trailer. I didn't like it very much. I don't think I would make a very good truck driver. We stayed that final night in Madison, FL, east of Tallahassee, and I will just say that there isn't really much to say about Madison.
So we finally made it to Bradenton, FL, where Scott's parents live. They are now the proud guardians of a Harley Davidson (I'll bet they are nothing short of thrilled to have that thing hangin' out in their garage for the next year). Scott made mention that he was thinking of selling it before he left and of course, as any perceptive mother would, Mrs. Massmann provided ample encouragement that selling it would be the absolute best idea. It didn't work. In the end it came down to boys and their toys. And this one doesn't like to part with his. In any case, Scott's family was fabulous. They were so kind and accommodating to me and Col. Massmann even let me tag allow with the boys when they went fishing (I survived gale force...okay maybe not gale but they were darn forceful winds and waves and still out fished 'em-ha!). All and all the Massmann family and their circle of friends are wonderful and I hope to see them again soon :)
At this point, I have traveled 5,624 miles (this included a trip across the state to Stuart so I could repack for the rest of my summer). I know that I haven't included many photos of my trip across the country but there really were a lot of tree bushes and rolling hills. Also, I introduced Scott to playing the "punchbug" game (you know, the one where you punch the person next to you if you see a Volkswagen Beetle) and it turns out that he is very good at it so I kept trying to make an effort to pay attention to catch up. I wasn't very good at it.

Off we go, into the wild blue yonder.....

I don't know what other adjective would best describe my trip to Death Valley National Park other than perfect. I started my trip to the desert in Barstow, CA, which is on the historic Route 66. I must say that it is not a very impressive place and if you have ever seen the movie "Cars", you will have a pretty accurate picture of what it is like now. They do have a Starbucks however, which makes it okay to visit in my book.
Barstow was my start point because my friend and traveling companion Scott lives there. He has an old Jeep Scrambler (which looks fabulous thanks to his TLC) that we loaded our gear into and headed off into the wild blue yonder with. And before we go any further, I must plug Scott for being such a good sport. You know what a wicked dork I can be so in honor of Easter, Scott and I coloured Easter eggs, planted them all over Death Valley, and took photos of them. Can you find the eggs?




Death Valley National Park is a phenomenal place. It holds the lowest point in the United States (284 ft below sea level) and within a couple of miles there are mountain peaks that top 4,000 ft. The rock formations are spectacular and you witness millions of years of weathering, erosion, plate collisions, and all sorts of different types of rock with your own eyes. I was also told that there is more biodiversity here (meaning different kinds of animal and plant species) than in the rain forests. I'm not sure if that's true but I certainly saw many things that I had never seen before. Nature truly is a magnificent and powerful force. Being in the midst of this natural wonder was mighty humbling.


Sooooo.....What Else Did I Do in Death Valley? CAMPING!!

Alright people, so when Scott asked if I wanted to camp in Death Valley my initial response was, "Why? Aren't there any hotels around?" However after a little persuasion from Scott I thought that camping might be fun...for a night anyway. So off we went to check out the campgrounds in the park. Oh my goodness people, it was like one big outdoor dormitory! There were no trees or bushes or anything between tents and I'll bet you could hear EVERYONE snore... Nope, not for us. Seeing that we had the oh so convenient 4x4 (now fondly named Betsy), we left the touristy crowd to climb where no man has ever gone before! Okay, not really but we did go farther up the four wheel trail than anybody else for our campsite. And let me tell you it was so very lucky that Scott had me with him because not only am I proficient at setting up camp, I introduced him to the quintisential camping experience. Yes my friends, Scott, a Captain in our country's fine Armed Forces, had never had a s'more (I have got to wonder what the heck they are teaching in the Army these days...). I am happy to report that Scott is now prepared for anything he could possibly experience out there in the war world (He is going to Afghanistan in October. Maybe if he teaches them about s'mores, everybody will be so happy that they won't want to fight anymore. I mean really, how can you NOT be happy with a s'more in your hands??). I plan on making sure that he has plenty of provisions towards that peace-making goal (just doing my part).
I think that one of the best parts of the whole camping thing was that the sky was so clear that night. We watched the stars for hours (we know it was hours because the almost full moon kept creeping across the sky) and fell asleep just before dawn. That was the only bummer, since we fell asleep and missed what had to have been a spectacular sunrise. So here is our simple campsite and the view we had as the sun went down. Just as a side bar, as the sun went down the mountains turned a beautiful shade of purple. It was then, for the first time in my life, that I understood the phrase "purple mountains majesty".



Can You Do This Anywhere Else........

I say that because in the course of 24 short hours, I was able to do the following:

1. Visit the desert (me, Scott and the Easter eggs crossed the border into Nevada just so I could say that I've been there)


2. Head south about two hours (just me this time, Scott had to actually go to work) into Angeles National Forest to see snow covered mountains...and I did it with the top down and the heat blasting!


3. Drove out to the Pacific ocean and walked on Huntington Beach in my sherbet swimsuit (no photos here, sorry).

I think that I traveled well over 750 miles total during the course of the five days I spent in California, not including the airplane ride across the country. It was well worth it. I love California (except for the freeways) and those people who are part of my life and live there (A Big Thank You to Uncle Steve and family, Linda and Steve, Grandma and Grandpa Johnson and of course Scott for putting me up and putting up with me :)
TTFN!

Spring in Florida....

This is definitely not my favorite time of the year at school. Stress levels are at their highest as we get ready to go through the state assessment, the FCAT, and also as we look at the possible areas to cut money because we have to cut somewhere between $30-70 million from our district alone. It is a scary prospect, especially since I have looked through the district budget and the hard decisions that need to be made are not being done so by the people who will have to carry out those decisions. I will say that the district has asked for input from the community and from the staff and faculty and I am hoping that some positive suggestions have come through (I know that I put my two cents in!). I wonder how much consideration will go towards decisions that will be in the best interest of the students and how much will be about politics.
There are so many things that are frustrating about the public school
system and lately I have been letting them affect me negatively.

So I had to recharge.

The pictures you are looking at are of my beach and the kayak trail that I travel to get there. The beach is fabulous because it cannot be reached by car or bigger boat because the waterway is so shallow. This place is my refuge, my peace and serenity. I go there to recharge and to find my inner peace. To bring the positive back to my passion. I hope everyone has a place like this :)

Turning onto the kayak trail is like entering another world. The
mangroves are thick on either side, but if you are quiet and careful,
you can catch sight of the blue herons, the ospreys, and even the crabs basking on an exposed limb. The water flows like syrup through the channel and the surface reflects the environment around it like a glass mirror. I feel like nothing bad could ever happen to me in this place. I can be free in this place.

My boat is the vehicle to transport me away from the daily events that can push my positive passion to the dark side. I glide down the waterways, trying to glimpse the jellyfish or eel that might be lurking in the mud. Sometimes I will stir up the bottom to see what fish might be hiding from the sun or burrowing down. I make a conscious effort to put aside those issues driving my negative
responses (a very challenging proposition in itself!) and focus on the here and now. The beauty and serenity of what the world has to offer. And I breathe again.....

Winter in NH

Well, it has been quite some time since I have posted and mostly that is because I have been back at school. Between teaching (I love my kids!!) and going to school to finish classes for my own certification, there isn't much time left. I do however manage to teach for the Red Cross once a month, sit on the advisory board for Martin County Parks and Recreation, and have taken up hip-hop dance classes.

So. At this moment I am sitting in Gilmanton Ironworks, New Hampshire. This is the VERY rural home of my brother Nick, his wife Jennifer, and their eight dogs. No folks, that is not a typo. I did say eight. Snoopy, Misty, Cindy, Kita, and Stitch are all adult Siberian Huskies. They are beautiful. And then there are the new additions-Trigger, Nutzi, and Bella. I don't know if you noticed, but there seems to be a bit of Disney/cartoony theme going on here. I really wanted to name one of the pups, but was told that "Woof" wouldn't be an acceptable name. Boo. I suppose that if "Woof" became a lead dog, it would be pretty funny for Jen to be calling that as the dogs mushed along. And they do race, at least the adults do right now. Nick and Jen are waiting patiently (ok, maybe not so patiently, but really, what can you do about Mother Nature?) for the cold weather and snow to stick around so they can take the dogs out on the sled.

This visit has been a lot of fun. I actually went skiing the other day! It has been at least 10 years since I have strapped some wood to my feet but this time I tried out parabolic skis and loved them! For those of you not versed in "ski", parabolic skis are hour-glass shaped and they give you much better control on the snow. They aren't for racing, but for those of us who fly uncontrollably down the mountain without the need for faster skis, the parabolics are fabulous!

We also made what is becoming a traditional trip down to the Black Brimmer in Manchester. The inside of this place is a converted theatre and they have great live music. Aside from Nick being aggrevated that I was constantly text messaging (I am a texting junkie these days) the night was fantastic. Jen loves to dance as much as I do so we busted up the floor!! The band was "Never in Vegas" and I hear that they will be in Key West in February. Hmmm, do I feel a road trip comin' on?

Well, here are some puppy pictures and one of Jen with the adult dogs during a race. Isn't she cute?

The Festival of San Fermin

So let me just start by saying that I was COMPLETELY unprepared for what I saw(and smelled) in Pamplona. I realized a lot about myself over the course of this trip and one of the things I realized was that I am ready to take a step out of some of the excitement that I have been filling my days and nights with. I am not taking advantage of the fabulous things that even Florida has to offer. Just as an example, I have only taken my kayak out once in the past six months! Ok, that trip was a little traumatic because I got bumped by a gator and lost Bruce's fishing rod, but still. I am ready to maybe slow down just a tad (I really can't see myself actually slowing per say, but finding some more positive activities might be a better way to say it).

Having realized all of that, I reached Pamplona on the 7th evening of a 9-day, 24 hour frat party. I met my new friend Richard and we dropped our stuff and went to get something to eat. We had to walk through the city of Pamplona where, no lie, the city goes from 200,000 to 2 million for this 9-day festival.

So here is a little history of the festival of San Fermin. San Fermin was actually a priest who was beheaded for his religious preachings. Because he was from Pamplona and because he was beheaded while preaching the gospel, he was made a saint and a festival was held annually to celebrate his life. Later on the bulls came. The running of the bulls was originally held to bring the bulls from the pasture to the squirrel(the bull ring), where the bulls were slaughtered. Somewhere along the way some guys decided it would be fun to run with or try to outrun the bulls on their way through the streets of Pamplona. It wasn't until Ernest Hemmingway wrote The Sun Also Rises, that the festival became popular to Americans.

These days, the festival lasts 9-days and begins each morning at 8am with 6 bulls and many people-almost all of them men, running through the streets of Pamplona to the squirrel, where they are tormented at 6pm by fancy dressed matadors who torture and kill the bulls while drunk people cheer them on. In the photos you see almost everyone wearing white and red. Those who run wear clean white clothes and red sashes, although I am really not sure why although I think that it is to be clean when the bull's blood gets on you? No idea really. I do know that the red is Pamplona's colour. Oh and by the way, the party lasts all day and all night. I almost vomited when I walked through the streets that first night. The smell of urine (people freely urinate in the streets and I was so thankful that it had rained earlier!!), wine(ok, everyone was drinking wine and cokes, mixed. YUCK!!), and vomit was overwhelming. Richard ended up going to the concert in the Plaza (the center of the city) at midnight. It was Chuck Berry-how funny! I however, wanted nothing more than a hot shower and sleep. I did have full intentions of getting up on Sunday to watch the bulls run because we were only a street away, but I ended up sleeping until 11am and watched the recap on the tele, which is akin to watching the commentary on Sportscenter. A bit funny for a 2 minute event where the biggest excitement comes from the bulls running people down on the slippery stone streets.

I was glad that we walked around that Sunday afternoon because more of the family aspect of the festival was visible. Big headed puppets and street musicians were all over, but you couldn't help but notice all of the formally drunk, now extremely hung over people asleep on the streets and staggering around aimlessly. We left later on Sunday afternoon for Richard's apartment about 15 minutes outside of Pamplona. Ah peace and quiet and no ferrel smelling people!!!