Month: July 2015

CZECH-AMERICAN ADVENTURE. BEEP-BEEP

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image Our friends from the Czech Republic decided to come to the U.S. to see some places which are iconic to them.  Mark and I left from ND and traveled to Wyoming through South Dakota and past this place those of us who studied Western History learned about, the famous Independence Rock where pioneers, usually the Mormons scratched their names into this landmark.  Independence Rock is at the confluence of the Mormon Trail, the Oregon Trail, and the California Trail.  It was pretty cool to walk around it and read the faded names written so long ago to mark a historic passage.  Outside Sundance, Wyoming we again ran into rain and at this point a sensor for the suspension system started to beep.  Mark was able to stop it occasionally, but not permanently.image image We picked up Vlasta, Dana, Sarka, and Daniela in Salt Lake City.  They had rented a car and made a two day dash to Yellowstone and back so when we picked them up they already understood that an inch on the map is way more than a few miles.  Off we went on the the trail to Moab.  Since our car only holds five, Mark and I took turns showing them the sights.  I took them to Arches National Park where we saw the symbol, Delicate Arch, which is on the Utah license plate.  Beep-beep.

 

imageimageMark took the group to Dead Horse Point State Park and Canyonlands National Park.  The variety and expanse of this area pretty much stupefied our guests who really were now getting the feel for our vast land!  Beep-beep.

imageNext up was a trip to Monument Valley.  By now Sarka understood why I chuckled when she asked if we couldn’t  just walk through it.  We took a tour with a Native guide who showed us many wonderful things. Beep-beep.

imagePetroglyphs!

imageVistas!

 

imageSpires!

 

image And God’s earimageand God’s eye!!  Beep-beep.

 

Onward we went to Page AZ and a trip to Glen Canyon Dam.  When we arrived in Page, Dana and the girls went out for a walk.  Dana tripped over a board in the road and fell.  A doctor who looked younger than Doogie Howser sewed up her forehead with 15 stitched but missed the broken elbow.  yeesh!!  Beep-beep.

image imageThis year we went on a tour of the dam and were allowed to go to the bottom where 2 acres of grass is kept green with water which seeps from the concrete of the dam.  Our Czech friends got us these great tee shirts which we were very proud to wear! Beep-beep.image

 

Next we we went to Antelope Canyon, place of incredible photos. I call this chapter, “Don’t Mess with Irene”  beep-beep.

 

image This is Irene.  She is about 4’8″ and can take on The Rock!  She hustled us into the slot canyon and showed us where to stand to take the best pictures.  After about enough frustration in watching me take snaps, she grabbed my camera, changed all the settings, and took all the pictures herself!  image

 

imageThis is an example of my pictures.  Beep-beep.

 

imageHere are how hers turned out!  Beep-beep.

 

imageShe took pictures of waves, desert sunrises, canyon sunsets, Geronimo, Lincoln, Jefferson, bears, hearts, pillars, fires, and much more!  Beep-beep.

 

imageI can’t even compete with that!  Beep-beep.

Next we went to the Grand Canyon  where Mark had the pleasure of escorting our guests to what apparently is Mecca when coming to the U.S.  Beep-beep.

image image imageThe South Rim was a great experience for them and Mark and they will have enough to tell their friends about for a long time!  Beep-beep.

At this point we were about as sick and tired as you are of the constant sensor beeping.  Not knowing how serious it really was we opted at this point for Mark to return with the motorhome to Arizona and I would continue to Las Vegas with the Czechs so that they could catch their plane home.  Mission accomplished with only the loss of luggage in Chicago, Dana’s fall, a six hour delay on the way back to the Czech Republic, and everlasting memories for us all!!

 

 

 

 

MANDAN, WHERE THE FUN BEGINS!!

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image Back at good old Mandan High School with many old friends.  Of the 213 class members, 37 had died and all but about 30 came to the 50 year reunion!image image These guys are known as the “Mandan Mafia.”   We have left to right, Al, George, Mark, and Butch.image This is the decked out bus the Class of ’65 rode in the Fourth of July parade.  As an outsider I can tell you we had a great time.  Mark’s classmates were very accepting and inclusive.  Mark reconnected with so many old pals and I finally was able to connect names and faces to stories I’d heard over the years.  We found out that quite a few fellow classmates have also migrated to Arizona.  No one can stand those ND winters!

imageAnd the next event was Amber’s annual Fourth of July Bash.  Our niece surely knows how to put on one fine party!  She and her friend, Tara prepared the games, prizes, and food for about 50 people.  The kids were entertained with a movie on the lawn at night, the adults with adult beverages, and all with a scrumptious buffet presided over by Amber’s mom, Karen.  She made Indian fry bread for tacos and made salads, beans, deserts, and so much more.  The residents of Marina Bay had a fireworks display thar went on long after midnight.  Best of all, our girls, Kallie and Ariel were there to share it with us!

imageWe took Lilly to the zoo.  She took us on the tour, because, as she said, she’d been there about 500 times with her school.

imageMark and his mom, Ann visiting Mark’s Uncle Johnny, brother to Mark’s dad, Don.  It was a great visit with Uncle Johnny conversant and happy to see some of his extended family.

imageOn the same day, June 30th, both Doug and Susie retired!  Here is their whole family at a party given by the Bis-Man Chamber of Commerce for Susie.  Left to right are Bryan, Jennifer, Susie, Doug, and Matt.  Congrats to both Doug and Susie and we’ll see you in AZ soon!!

imageOne afternoon the skies clouded up and a torrential rain fell accompanied by 80 mph winds.  After it was over we were treated to this wonderful double rainbow that made a perfect arch across the sky.  We were also treated to all the shingles of a motel behind which we were camped being blown off causing dents and scrapes to the motorhome.  Mark was quite calm over the whole thing, just glad it wasn’t really that bad.  Amazing!

Overall, our ND adventure was stellar.  It really is a beautiful state in the summer.  We’ll be back!