Day 6 - Part 3

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These two pictures were taken from a vantage point high above Moro Rock. KJ took the first one with his camera. The second one was taken with Kent's Canon digital SLR. The winding turns you see in KJ's picture were the actual road we took to get up to the forest!!! Not for the faint of heart, mind you!
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Day 6 - Part 2

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Here are just a small sampling of the views we saw today. The sequoia trees are majestic and beautiful to witness.
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 6

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He smiled for the camera!
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This was taken with an extremely high powered zoom lens!!!
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The best thing about nature is that you can enjoy it when you can see it readily. Not the case with this one... (Arrow points to the head...the tail is above and to the right of the exclamation points!!!)
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Just a bug on the van.

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Day 5 - Part 2

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No words can describe today with enough emotion to convey what we felt and saw! It was spectacular!!! There are two sets to today's pics. Ten in all. (Every picture on this blog will enlarge to full screen if you click on it.)
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 5

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A picture painted a thousand words today...let's just see, shall we...?
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Day 4 - Part 2

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Just to let you all know, if you put your cursor over any of the words that are a different color, it will take you to a web site related to the word(s).

K

PS I'm waiting here at 1 am for the clothes in the dryer. Someone went into the laundry area and opened our door and the jeans sat for at least 15 minutes not drying and using up our quarters...(makes Karen nutso)!!!!!
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 4

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Okay, today was All About Karen Day!!! I have been looking forward to this day for a long time. Napa Valley of California is a place I've only heard about for years. And I saw the movie "Sideways" which made me want to go even more. We took the Napa Valley Wine Train Tour which was a 3 hour lunch tour through Napa Valley and many of the wineries. We could see rows and rows of grape vines for miles on the rolling hills and ridges. Some were almost close enough to touch! We didn't get off of the train at all but we did return by car to visit the two favorite White Zin makers of mine! First was the furthest out...Beringer. We went to the wine tasting room for samples of some interesting varieties. I had the less dry, white/blush samples. Kent mixed some reds with a blush. All were tasty (but I already knew that!) My favorite was the Sparkling White Zinfandel.
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The other winery I was anticipating was Sutter Home. We got there 7 minutes before they closed! We tasted a Reserve White Zin and a White Merlot and White Cabernet. All were delicious. That's why I prefer them at home. I'm never disappointed.
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On the wine train, the kids sat across from us so we took some pictures of them. They had an "okay" time. I think they were being nice. It wasn't something that they were interested in, though. And the food was a gourmet style that they weren't used to. They couldn't wait to get their hands on some "real" food....McDonald's for dinner!!!!! (We were happy about that, too!)
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Karl goofing around.
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A picture of a random vineyard from the train. There weren't any fences around these vineyards. Trustworthy place to live?
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Tomorrow will bring the most spectacular pictures of the trip...PHC from San Francisco to Big Sur. And over to Visalia for two nights to visit the Sequoia and King's Canyon National Park.
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Day 3 - Part 2

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Now, comes the good stuff!!! Our picture of the day was in front of Ghirardelli Square. It is the old building where they used to make this decadent chocolate. It has since moved and this location is becoming another tourist mecca. We were going to enjoy a famous Ghirardelli Hot Fudge Sundae experience but since we ate dinner late and it was a Sunday night, the shoppe was closed. So, tomorrow is another day!!!!!
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After taking the pic of the day, we walked around GS for a bit and then sat down for breakfast (or lunch, for the guys) at a place called Lori's Diner. There were several in the downtown area, as well. KJ purchased a book the day we went to Alcatraz and reads it every sitting moment that he has. (see that Kimmy - summer reading!!!)
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After eating, it was a short walk to the cable car starting point. We purchased our souvenir tickets/postcards and waited about 15 minutes for our turn to ride one of the coolest modes of transportation in the world. Run on an underground cable, this thing goes up and down steep hills, and safely, I might add!!! Our conductor was a hoot. He even let me ring the very nostalgic bell-I was in heaven!!!!! (Rice-a-roni...)
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The kids were hanging on the outside on the way back to the hotel. They really had a great time!
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Ah, yes, no trip is complete without a stop at T & Co.!!! LOL Karl told Teagan she wouldn't be getting anything there because she was with him and the T gifts were only for when he went away somewhere without her!!! She pouted, to say the least!!!! (Just for a second, though!)
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Dinner was the low of the day...very expensive and not so good. We won't return and I let the manager on duty know why!!!

All in all, another wonderful day!!!!
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 3

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Okay, before I show the picture of the day, I have to show you the actual first pictures that we took today! Just by chance. Today happened to be the Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon!!! Why anyone would subject themselves to this torture is well beyond my capacity! However, in their defense, they will probably outlive me!!! LOL

The first pic is of a group we saw near the water doing their final run. The second picture, well, you can see for yourself, she must be missing a few brain cells!!! What are these people thinking?!!! I froze just watching them! Anyway, we ate lunch at a nearby restaurant and one of the senior participants came in with his family. He had finished 6th in his age group (just under 3 hours) and was happy to just finish!


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Day 2 - Part 2

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My observations about San Francisco that are different:

(1) People seem much nicer here. (Especially Kimmy's people! LOL)

(2) There are more homeless people here than anywhere I have ever seen. Every street we are on, they are there sitting on the ground, against a tree or on a bench with their shopping carts or bags. Many of them have dogs, too. We even saw a homeless person sitting at an outside table in front of Starbucks (yesterday morning around 9 am). He had a half full bottle of Vodka on the ground in front of him and (this is the really gross part), vomit down his pant legs and on the ground in front of him. YUCK!!! And there were 3 or 4 others within the same block. Most of them don't interact but one or two asked for something or tried to get our attention. There was even one that had a sign he held up and turned it from front to back. On both sides, it read "Why lie, I need a beer"!!! He had a airline bottle of something that looked empty sitting on the ground in front of him. What a site this is to see!

(3) The cable cars are a fun way to get around. And the only ones in use in the US. I love the bell ringing. I sing the Rice-a-roni song. ;O)

(4) Tourists are everywhere!!! Most of them came unprepared, like we did...about 2/3 of the people are wearing the same fleeced jackets we bought!!!

(5) This should be called the Windy City, not Chicago!

(6) I can now associate with all the chase scenes from "Streets of San Francisco"!

(7) Alcatraz had the most interesting audio tour. We learned so much about it. One of which was that the guards who worked there had families that lived there since the guards had to be ready for any escape attempt. So, there were kids who stayed on that island 24/7 and could see the inmates up close. (That would have been so spooky.)

(8) It is much drier here than in FL. I will probably have to buy another tube of Chapstick while on vacation.

(9) No Coke with Splenda makes Karen a very unhappy girl! :O(

(10) Sometimes you can't tell if the person waiting on you is the same gender as they were born!

(11) Pictures can be worth a thousand words....
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 2

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Today was a great day for fun, adventure and sore feet! We walked just about everywhere. Alcatraz Island was fabulous. I would recommend it to anyone. The weather wasn't too warm but after purchasing some fleece-lined jackets from an outdoor vendor ($17.99 each-a bargain!), Kent and I were ready to go. (The kids didn't want any further layers.) The temp was overcast and 61 degrees for a high, with strong winds...especially on the island.

Alcatraz is something everyone should witness. It was entertaining and educational. One of the best audio guided tours I have ever taken. The walk up from the dock was equivalent of 13 floors in a bldg! And the view of San Francisco from the island is spectacular. It's one of those things where a picture doesn't quite cut it. You really have to see it for yourself to get the full effect. Yesterday's pic was of Alcatraz from the city. Today's pic was of the city from Alcatraz. Either view is amazing. I could relocate here in a heartbeat...(hence, the lament I will be singing when we return home...."I Left My Heart..."!)

After spending half the day on the island, we returned back to the dock and decided to walk. We ended up at Pier 39 where there was a tourist mecca much like the Gatlinburg, TN main drag. People everywhere and street performers as well. Singing, playing instruments, juggling, walking a tight rope, balloon sculptors, living statues, you name it. Plus, every type of food you could think of. Mostly seafood at the restaurants but we were able to eat at a place called "Wipe Out". It was much like Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville. Good food and a great atmosphere.

After walking about an hour more after we ate, we decided to head back to the hotel, drop off our bags and return out for more walking and dinner. We bought many souvenirs, ate pizza and now, we are dozing from the excitement of the days' events. Tomorrow will add more excitement to the blog as we cross the Golden Gate Bridge, take the cable car around the city, shop in Union Square, eat chocolate in Ghirardelli Square (mmmm), see the Victorian row houses and drive to Berkeley. Until then.....
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Word of the day....awesome!!!
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Day 1 - Part 4

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Still waiting...so, here is the evening's activity. Teagan's first MLB game.
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Day 1 - Part 3

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Okay, I'm waiting for everyone to get up and out the door so here are more pics. This was neat! A group of people came around the corner and quickly "segwayed" past us...we might do this, if we have time!!!
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This one is of all of us standing in the middle of the street with Alcatraz in the background. I never realized how close everything is. The word for the day was (okay, two words) "Oh, wow"!
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Day 1 - Part 2

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Last night was a blur. I was so tired, I could barely see the keys to type. Here is another picture or two. We drove for 2 hours after a lunch at a burger joint called "In N Out". (Karl had eaten at one in NYC last month.) The streets are up and down hills. Very cool. San Francisco is a rather large city with a great downtown area. Lombard Street, views of Alcatraz, The Golden Gate Bridge were all great locations for pictures. Lombard street was especially interesting because there was a line of people across the street below trying to stand in the middle of the street to take their pictures....which we did after driving down the treacherous stretch! The last thing we did was to see the Oakland A's play the Minnesota Twins at the McAfee Stadium. We left in the top of the 10th but heard the rest of the game on the way back to San Francisco....the A's lost 3-2 after 10 innings.

Today is the Alcatraz Tour and Fisherman's Wharf. We can walk there from the hotel!!! (The Pier, not Alcatraz!!!)
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PCH Tour 2007 Day 1

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Day 1 Leaving OIA Orlando, FL 6 am for a 7:10 am flight. The flight was 5 hours and 45 minutes. We have gained 3 hours and are still feeling it. Great plane flight...with a lot of turbulence. A busy day with lots to share. Have to sleep now and catch up. More pics of day 1 in am.....

Sunrise, Sunset...

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Here is the sunset on April, 3, 2007. Not as dramatic as the sunrise but the actual image was, oh, so much more. I hope that you take the time for these occurrences.

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Here comes the sun...

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One of my close friends heard that I took some pictures of the sun rising in Oviedo a couple of weeks ago as I drove my son to high school. Here are the views I had going east on Broadway after leaving Oviedo High School. The bottom one is the earliest and then the others follow. The first being the latest picture I took. (Don't ask me about whether I was driving at the time! LOL)
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Good Gracious!!! Snake's Alive!!!

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Okay, when you go out to get a nice picture for your blog, and I mean "outside" out, do you expect to be greeted (or scared out of your wits) by a snake?!!! Well, that's exactly what happened to me this morning. After the guys all left for work/school, I went out the screen door - pool equipment side. As I rounded the corner by the white Bird Of Paradise, a fairly large black with RED rings snake came at me and darted to the other side of the BOP at the last second. Did I scream and run?!!! NO! I stood there, like a statue, quietly screaming inside!!! Then, I stood there deciding whether to (A)run to the only open door...the one that the snake was in the direction of...or to do what I set out to do...(B)take pictures. Hmm...let's see...run like hell, screaming to get into the pool area or take the %$#%$# pictures I wanted to take....I decided to take the pictures!!! Mind you, I had propped open the screen door because that side's door locks after it closes no matter whether you want it to or not! (Trust me on that one, it's by experience that I found out...and while having a call of nature!!! Kent had run to Home Depot and locked all the other doors while KJ and I were out back pulling weeds last year! I was yellow by the time he got back home!!!)
I turned on the camera, peeling my eyes for anything that moved. I took a dozen pics and turned to decide my fate. Should I run like a bat outta hell or walk nonchalantly, as if nothing had ever been seen. I chose the latter, but with extreme caution. As I approached the door, I was looking in front of me, behind me, all around me, as I unlatched it and slammed it shut. Then I walked briskly to the door hoping that it didn't slither into the pool area. I didn't see anything further and the two eyeful cats were just peering out the screen door to the house as if nothing was seen. (They go nuts when they see reptiles moving in the pool area!)
So, here are my pictures of the rubber trees which were chopped down on Saturday (by yours truly) and which Kent and KJ replanted carefully, using Linda Wellman's replanting techniques - for which I am grateful. Gracias Linda!
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