Happy Birthday Dad

You are as cool as Route 66. You have some age, make interesting stops along the way and create many fun adventures. Here to to another year on the road less traveled.

Happy Birthday Dad!!

Tours

One of the fun things to do in Skagway is to take a bus tour into the Yukon. I know it is one of the fun things because my dad drives one of those buses. But he isn't the only one who drives those tours, so bright and early Mom and I get up to take his coworker Bryan's tour. We have been told it is very entertaining and dramatic. It is about a 2.5 hour tour up to the Summit (so you just cross over into Canada but don't get as far as customs. The tour is meant to see wildlife and hear the story of the 1898 Klondike Gold Rush and quite literally, put Skagway on the map.

Bryan gave us VIP seating

This is Bryan...and his bus. He is fun.

We have to wait for Bryan to pick up the rest of his passengers. Although we are VIPs, Bryan is actually waiting for a tour group off of one of the cruise ships. It turns out to be a group of Malaysians on vacation as a company! 200 people from the company are on the cruise and about 20 of them are on our tour. (I don't know the company or who is running it back in Malaysia. But they were a really fun group of people who liked to make fun of each other and to my benefit, spoke English, so we could all joke and have a good time. (These bus tours aren't as much fun if you need an interpreter to go along).

Panaramic view of Skagway (our trailer is on the far far left side, it is visible but hard to explain where it is)

This is the Malaysian group that was on the bus with us. They were a lot of fun.

Bryan was indeed dramatic and theatrical in his telling of the gold rush - it is a sad story where a majority of the "stampeders" die enroute to the gold fields because they were ill-prepared for the journey. They had to hike inland about 25 miles but the Canadian Mounties required each person to have 2000 pounds of gear to safely make the journey. Many brought horses to carry that load, but the trail was only a footpath and not big enough for the horses, so thousands of horses died falling (or being pushed by greedy prospectors) off the trail and consequently tens of thousands of prospectors died as well. And, turns out after 5 months on the trail to get 25 miles, by the time the prospectors from Skagway got to the gold fields (hundreds of miles further away, but travelled by boat quickly) all the claims had been staked and there was no more gold to be had. Still, Skagway became a boom town due to all the people heading up the trail.

Bryan was excellent and our tour group was fun too. Just as we returned to town Dad was taking a tour group up to Carcross for lunch and dog sled mushing. So Mom and I hopped on his tour too! The first couple hours of the trip are the same (there is only one road out of Skagway) but Dad doesn't discuss the gold rush on his tour, so he points out interesting sights along the way and describes why certain mountains, or islands got their names. This time we do go through British Columbia into Yukon to get up to Carcross. I get to use my passport and we get to lunch and dog mushing. I get to sit in the front of the dog sled (it is actually a wheeled cart for running through dirt paths but it was tons of fun.

Me in Canada by a lake - there are lots of them here. Water is everywhere!

I really like this picture of Mom and Dad, although, they are both looking at nothing - scanning for goats that aren't there

I am on a dog sled! (ok a 4-wheel version since there isn't snow)

You can't make up views like this. This is Emerald Lake.

On the way home we spot a man with his camera on the side of the road. Dad pulls up to him to ask if he sees an animal and he points about 8 feet away to a black bear in a berry bush (we decided a currant bush). We loved the opportunity to take pictures of it but what an idiot that guy was for being so close to a bear!! Sure the bear was really into eating berries, but he could just as easily decide to be really into eating a person.

This is how close we are to the bear (think of the guy on the side of the road - IDIOT!)

He could not care less that we are there

Perfection

All of us on Dad's tour! We are in Alaska

Sitting on a bus all day is tiring! We all get home and head over to a friend's house so he and mom and work out a tour for Friday (mom would be the guide, he would be the driver). The client doesn't answer her phone so we leave to borrow bikes from another friend and have dinner. Then we go out to the Eagles Club (reminds me of the American Legion) to watch some live music. The entertainment was great - what some people can do with a guitar and a loop machine is incredible!

Modes of transportation:5
Vacation days: 3
Wildlife count:8

Alaskan Vacation 2014!

I haven't been on an extended vacation in quite sometime, usually a long weekend is the best I get. But not this summer. This summer I get 10 days in Alaska! My parents are up here working for the season, as usual. OK, Mom is not working, she is playing, but Dad has to keep his day job driving tours into the Yukon. They invited me to come visit since they have been coming up here for 6 years and I had yet to come up too. My last excursion to Skagway was when I was 9 years old. The family came to Alaska for my parent's 25th anniversary.

Well, the day after their 44th anniversary we all set out to come to Alaska again! Mom and Dad have been up in Skagway already but came home for a week, so I flew back with them, and do not come home for a week and a half!

Saturday I drove my car, to Tucson, then took planes from Tucson to Salt Lake City to Seattle to Juneau. It was a looong day, but not without it's...charms surprises sights that can't be unseen.

A 40-50 year old woman (it is hard to tell when you try to look so young) wearing an altogether inappropriate outfit, both in the items themselves and the fashion rules about strips/polka dots/animal print

 We got to Juneau and had about 8 hours to before we had to be up and ready for the ferry to Skagway. Luckily that is just enough time to get some sleep.  (if you are keeping up, I have taken a car, plane, and now boat to get to my destination. I have goals of adding bus, train, and helicopter to my modes of transportation while on vacation)

The ferry ride was about 6 hours (with an hour long pit stop in Haines).  I took lots of pictures of the countryside as we passed. Of course it never looks as good in a photo. We also saw a couple bald eagles, some dahl/dall porpoises (proper spelling is up in the air and I can't be bothered to Google it right now), and Dad saw a bear through the binoculars. I saw a dark speck but will take his word for it.  So my current wildlife count is at 7. At one point I decided to read instead (it is kind of my thing when traveling in Alaska) and my parents were having none of it, as evidenced by Mom engaging me in conversation so as not to let me get into my book, and Dad coming up and telling me I had to stop reading and look out the window. So instead I took more pictures as we approached Skagway.

a glacier

a lighthouse

Mom wanted this picture so I could showcase that I was not on an Alaskan cruise. So this is a picture of me in front of a boat while on a different boat :)

Skagway!

This map shows where we started on the ferry (Juneau) and Haines and Skagway. It also shows Carcross and Whitehorse which I may or may not get to this trip. (Carcross yes - on a bus - Whitehorse, no. But Mom and Dad go there often enough it is nice to see where it is on a map)

Also, I have been in more rain the last 24 hours than probably all year in AZ. But it is light drizzle mostly. until it isn't and you need a hood. Good thing mom had an extra rain jacket for me!

 We got to Skagway before 2pm and got to our trailer and got situated. I am sure Dad will discuss our first "adventure" in his blog (see side panel of my blog for link to his) when we got to the trailer. I got to meet some of their friends, and Heath even had a staff barbeque at his house, so I met most of Dad's coworkers too. After that we had dinner with more of their friends at the Brew Co. We will be back at the Brew Co for a cribbage tournament on Wednesday. (It is nice to know I can still be nerdy and competitive even in a different city). Mom already has my cribbage partner lined up so I am pretty excited.

Skagway at 6 pm on a no-ship day

 Oh, and Mom and Dad say hi too!

Mom and Dad proving that you walk in the middle of the street in Skagway
 

Vacation Days Count: 2
Wildlife Count: 7

Happy Father's Day!

I clearly don't post often, but it is Father's Day so what better post to make than wishing my blogging father a happy happy day!

Everett's Quilt

My mom is very good at making baby quilts for family and friends. My cousins' kids have quilts, Ariana and Julian have quilts, even Margot has a quilt. So it made sense that Everett would get one too. Since the quilt is for my best friend's baby I get to help make the quilt. Basically, I can be trusted (with only minor mishaps and minimal seam-ripping) to make straight stitches on a sewing machine to attach borders to the center patch of the quilt, and then to press the seams flat. This is my own estimations of my abilities. My mother would love for me to become a sewing/quilting phenom, but it is unlikely (although if I am lucky I will inherit the $200 fabric stash in my mom's studio).

We were on a bit of a time crunch to make this quilt since my parents are in Alaska all summer and then visiting grand kids right before Everett was born. During Christmas break my mom and I pieced the quilt and then, knowing I would be visiting in February, my mom worked tirelessly to get the quilting and binding done in time for me to watch Michaela open the quilt this week. Michaela knew a quilt was coming but of course did not know what to expect.

I think it is pretty perfect.

Everett seems to like it :)

More Baby Time

Not all people would consider spending a week with children/babies of various ages a "relaxing vacation" but then again, most people do not get to hang out with these cuties!

Clockwise from Left: Margot, Everett, Ariana, Julian

I got to Michaela's house and Margot was "so happy" I was here. I saw her about 7 months ago, but in that time she has really learned how to talk. To give you an example, in a 10 minute conversation we discussed: My gold hair ("I want gold, sparkly hair too. Let's make that happen Aunt Casey!"), how I got my gold hair (hairdresser), where Margot gets her hair cut (Arizona, apparently); Could we go to the beach, did I pack a swim suit, no we can't go to the beach because there is snow at the beach; Could we go to Egypt instead ("What do you want to do in Egypt, Margot?" "We can see the pyramids and the Great Spinx [sic]. What is inside the Spinx, Aunt Casey?" "um...nothing. It is a statue" "oh yeah"); My white socks which Margot thinks are just beautiful; Can we have hot chocolate (Margot: "that is a great idea!"), well not right now.... And so on. I barely have to be there for the conversation except she asks questions and has "great ideas" all the time.

I have had a lot of fun while here. We haven't gone and done much (did I mention it is COLD here?) but we hang out and Joe and Margot and I played Candy Land. I have been teaching Margot how to play Memory (she is very good at it already) and Everett is a pretty chill baby most of the time, reserving his crying for actual needs. He does smile...just not when I take a picture. Grrr! Sometimes all you need to do is snuggle

I don't always ride the train, but when I do I expect it to run like clockwork

After a whirlwind weekend in New York, it was time to head down to Philadelphia to see my best friend, Michaela and her family (and meet Everett, her 2 month old baby).

Although getting to Greg's house had taken four hours from the airport, it was very orderly. There were signs directing me to the right places to go, easy to purchase tickets to the trains and subway, and once at Grand Central, I bought my ticket and then asked a staff person which track I needed to go to - and he knew a half hour before the train even left. I should mention that Grand Central Terminal has over 100 tracks, but I became accustomed to everything being a well-oiled machine.

Cut to getting from Grand Central Terminal this Monday, to Penn Station (by subway) to hop on the NJ Transit and the experience wasn't quite the same. I had to go to a ticket window to purchase my ticket from a person, not a machine (I am not complaining about that) and then asked the ticket agent which train I was getting on (I had a transfer in Trenton). He pointed to three trains on the screen and said I could get on any of them when they arrived. Each train had a projected arrival time (ranging from 5 - 40 minutes from the current time I purchased my ticket) but none of them had been assigned a track. Turns out with NJ Transit you stand around glued to the arrival timetables and wait for a track to be assigned. This assignment generally occurs at or slightly after the listed arrival time, and 60 people all rush/herd towards the arrival gate. How are these trains not more closely timed and planned for? I will say several trains were delayed or cancelled (due to the snow from the night before) but you would think with so many daily trains they could at least reliably predict the track a train would arrive on - especially when most of the tracks seem empty most of the time.

I stepped above ground for a moment at Penn Station and what do you know, I was at 34th street. Had I not had my suitcase perhaps I would have gone shopping.

Once I got on my train, it was smooth sailing..er...riding. I got to Philadelphia around 12:30 pm and Michaela picked me up from the train station and headed back to her house in New Jersey.

Ariana is 6!

Ariana turned 6 on February 7 and her party was on the 9th. The day before she went to a classmate's birthday party at a gymnastics studio with about 10 other girls. But Ariana's party was special because there were going to be boys there! She invited her entire kindergarten class and all the boys were invited. Sadly her favorite boy was unable to attend.

Her party was held at Bounce U, a bounce house haven. It has two rooms of blow up slides, obstacle courses, bounce houses, and even a blow up mountain you have to climb with velco. Just picture 18 kids bouncing off the walls (literally and figuratively) in a room of bounce houses for half an hour, then going into another room of new bounce houses for another thirty minutes and then getting pizza and cake for the last half hour! It was awesome and stress free because the staff wrangle the children, move them from room to room, feed them, and clean up!

This is the first bounce room

This slide requires kids to climb up elastic-band floors. Pretty hard to do the first time.

Caged children (specifically Ariana)

Ariana isn't really running away in terror, she is just trying to get up while her BFF Maya is on her way down.

When Ariana was describing the location and activities for her party she was most excited for the Queen's throne she got to sit in while all the other kids sat along the table. It is great to be the center of attention, but it is better to be the center of the room!

Different from when I was a kid, everyone brings a gift and the birthday kid opens them all when they get home, not in front of the other children. It makes sense because these kids barely had enough attention to sing happy birthday, much less watch Ariana open 18 gifts, but it still seems like a new phenomenon.

It started to snow as we left the party but the roads were already clear when Greg and I left for the train station the next day.

You are going where in February? On Vacation?!

Time for another Casey Trip. This time to New York and New Jersey. Everyone said I was crazy to travel to the East Coast during one of the coldest, snowiest winters in a decade, but I am from Arizona. Our winter has consisted of 70 degree weather for 2 months. What could happen?

Well, This could happen

Those are icicles above Greg's front door

Icicles on the holly bush

Greg shoveling the walkway a few hours before it started snowing again.

Turns out it is COLD here. like not getting about 26 degrees cold. For the amount of time it takes to get to the car it isn't that bad but any longer than that is practically suicidal.

I got to New York on a red-eye Saturday morning. It left at midnight AZ time and landed 5:30 AM NY time. That is 3:30 AM AZ time (that is also an hour earlier than it was scheduled to land). Needless to say, I had been looking forward to 4 hours of sleep not 2:30-3 hours. C'est la vie. I then proceeded to take the air train to the subway to the shuttle to the train to get to Greg's house at 9 AM. Yep, another 4 hours after I landed I finally got to my destination - I could have flown back to AZ in that amount of time. Which is maybe what I should have done (did I mention it is COLD here?). Even the Subway was advertising Scottsdale

But who could go back when you have a niece and nephew with birthdays to celebrate?

This is as happy as Julian got with me. He wasn't so sure about this new lady staying at the house

He much preferred playing with papa (learning to mimic)

More posts to come as my photos load. I went to Ariana's birthday party, then traveled by train, subway, train to New Jersey to visit Michaela and family.