A week ago I experienced my first earthquake. That was exciting. I was at work and the building was rumbling quite a bit. In case you don't know, Charlottesville is only about 35 miles from where the epicenter was. But even though I had an armchair and coffee table precariously set upside down on my couch to make way for the carpet cleaners, they didn't fall off or anything. I also woke up a couple nights later to an aftershock.
Then a hurricane headed for Virginia. I went to Richmond on Saturday to visit with my family, which meant I headed closer to the hurricane. After lunch we lost power at my grandparents' house, which we were pretty sure was going to happen eventually anyway, and it was then that it finally dawned on my aunt and myself that maybe Grandma and Grandpa shouldn't be stuck in a house with no power. So with wind and rain and branches thrashing the windows, we frantically ran around the house packing up food and clothes and bedding and loaded up the van. Then we all headed through the storm to my apartment in Charlottesville, where it was only lightly raining. Five of us and Danny the pug spent two cozy nights in my one-bedroom apartment, and while it wasn't ideal, it wasn't so bad either. They got their power back Monday morning and didn't waste time getting back home.
After the crowed cleared out I had a little time to straighten out my apartment, join Josh for lunch, and then head up to Fairfax for my first night of classes. I'm taking seven credits this semester instead of the four I took each semester last year, so I'll be keeping busy. I sure enjoyed my summer break, but I'm also ready to get back at it.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Arizona was pretty great, too.
So Wednesday (the 10th) we arrived in Flagstaff around 7:30 or so. We stopped by Ryan's house, which was fun to see, and then drove on to Sedona. He works at a resort there, where Josh and I stayed. After checking in the three of us had some dinner, but then we had to drive back to Flagstaff (45 minutes and over 2000 feet up in elevation away). That was so we could drop Ryan off but keep his truck. That also meant I had to drive back to Sedona on a windy mountain road and through a canyon in the dark in Ryan's giant truck that I don't recall every driving before. So that was scary, but we lived.
The next day we used his truck to drive to the Grand Canyon. That was pretty exciting. And first things first, we had a pistachio sighting!
We also hiked down about a mile and a half.
While hiking we saw two California Condors, and a big horned sheep. Plus lots of greedy and bold squirrels.
After the Grand Canyon we drove to Flagstaff for dinner. Then it was back to Sedona. Ryan was working, which was lucky for us because when a group of javelinas ran through the grounds of the resort, he called us so we could run out and see them. Those things are big!
Other than wild javelinas running around, the resort was really nice. Friday morning we had breakfast sitting down by the creek.
After breakfast we explored Sedona a little. But then we got roped into going to a timeshare sales talk, which was not so exciting. (And don't worry, we didn't buy.) On the way back from the timeshare talk we stopped to take some pictures of Sedona's red rocks.
As our reward for enduring the timeshare ordeal, we got a free jeep ride!
We did that Saturday morning. It was lots of fun and our guide was great. The views were amazing.
After the jeep tour we had lunch with Ryan. Then we used his truck to drive back up past Flagstaff to...Bearizona! At Bearizona you drive around like a safari looking at western animals.
After driving you get out and there is a small zoo with the baby animals. Look at these adorable bear cubs.
They also have a petting zoo.
Saturday night we had dinner back at the resort in Sedona and played a little Scrabble. We also said goodbye to Ryan when he got off work that night. Sunday morning we caught a 7:15 shuttle to the airport in Pheonix, and spent the rest of the day traveling back home.
This trip out West was really really great. We saw lots of stuff, and I got to spend time with my family. An excellent vacation, I would say.
The next day we used his truck to drive to the Grand Canyon. That was pretty exciting. And first things first, we had a pistachio sighting!
We also hiked down about a mile and a half.
While hiking we saw two California Condors, and a big horned sheep. Plus lots of greedy and bold squirrels.
After the Grand Canyon we drove to Flagstaff for dinner. Then it was back to Sedona. Ryan was working, which was lucky for us because when a group of javelinas ran through the grounds of the resort, he called us so we could run out and see them. Those things are big!
Other than wild javelinas running around, the resort was really nice. Friday morning we had breakfast sitting down by the creek.
After breakfast we explored Sedona a little. But then we got roped into going to a timeshare sales talk, which was not so exciting. (And don't worry, we didn't buy.) On the way back from the timeshare talk we stopped to take some pictures of Sedona's red rocks.
As our reward for enduring the timeshare ordeal, we got a free jeep ride!
We did that Saturday morning. It was lots of fun and our guide was great. The views were amazing.
After the jeep tour we had lunch with Ryan. Then we used his truck to drive back up past Flagstaff to...Bearizona! At Bearizona you drive around like a safari looking at western animals.
After driving you get out and there is a small zoo with the baby animals. Look at these adorable bear cubs.
They also have a petting zoo.
Saturday night we had dinner back at the resort in Sedona and played a little Scrabble. We also said goodbye to Ryan when he got off work that night. Sunday morning we caught a 7:15 shuttle to the airport in Pheonix, and spent the rest of the day traveling back home.
This trip out West was really really great. We saw lots of stuff, and I got to spend time with my family. An excellent vacation, I would say.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
then we went to Durango
Now for more trip updates. Let's see, Monday morning Josh and I had breakfast at the Chocolate Maven, then went downtown. He bought himself a knife made out of dinosaur fossil, which is pretty awesome, and we looked at art on Canyon Road. We also ate green chili burgers for lunch.
Monday afternoon we all drove to Durango, Colorado. That included my parents, Ryan, Josh, and me. It took about 4.5 hours, so we got there in time to check into our hotel and then head downtown for dinner. After dinner we walked around a little bit and got dessert at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Then Josh and I hit the swimming pool back at the hotel for a few minutes before it closed.
Tuesday everyone but Mom rode the narrow gauge train to Silverton. It took 3.5 hours to travel about 45 miles, but it was a lot of fun. Here we are waiting to leave from the station.
And here is the cute station.
There were lots of great views from the train, including steep drops into a canyon with a roaring river.
The train takes you up to Silverton, an old mining town that is now just a tourist stop for people riding the train.
Mom drove up to meet us there, and we all had lunch. Then I bought some shoes.
Instead of taking another 3.5 hours to get back to Durango, we just rode back with Mom. It took about an hour. We stopped on the way at Honeyville and bought some honey. Ryan even got a bag with 100 flavored honey sticks. When we got to Durango we had a little bit of time to kill, so we walked around downtown again and made sure to drink caffeine. Because next up was the chuckwagon!
Josh and I wore our boots for the occasion.
At the chuckwagon you eat outside off of tin plates and listen to a western stage show. My favorite song was "Old Matt Palmer had a misfit farm."
The next day we headed to Durango Mountain Resort to ride the alpine slide. Here we are at the top.
And here Dad is at the bottom.
After that we went back to downtown Durango for lunch, and then Ryan, Josh, and I hit the road for Arizona while Mom and Dad stayed another night in Durango before going back home. It was a 6 hour drive from Durango to Flagstaff, and we made sure to stop at the Four Corners Monument.
Josh wanted to run around the four states, so we did that, too.
As we continued on the drive we saw this ominous western rock formation. Pretty cool.
Stay tuned for the Arizona portion of the trip!
Monday afternoon we all drove to Durango, Colorado. That included my parents, Ryan, Josh, and me. It took about 4.5 hours, so we got there in time to check into our hotel and then head downtown for dinner. After dinner we walked around a little bit and got dessert at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory. Then Josh and I hit the swimming pool back at the hotel for a few minutes before it closed.
Tuesday everyone but Mom rode the narrow gauge train to Silverton. It took 3.5 hours to travel about 45 miles, but it was a lot of fun. Here we are waiting to leave from the station.
And here is the cute station.
There were lots of great views from the train, including steep drops into a canyon with a roaring river.
The train takes you up to Silverton, an old mining town that is now just a tourist stop for people riding the train.
Mom drove up to meet us there, and we all had lunch. Then I bought some shoes.
Instead of taking another 3.5 hours to get back to Durango, we just rode back with Mom. It took about an hour. We stopped on the way at Honeyville and bought some honey. Ryan even got a bag with 100 flavored honey sticks. When we got to Durango we had a little bit of time to kill, so we walked around downtown again and made sure to drink caffeine. Because next up was the chuckwagon!
Josh and I wore our boots for the occasion.
At the chuckwagon you eat outside off of tin plates and listen to a western stage show. My favorite song was "Old Matt Palmer had a misfit farm."
The next day we headed to Durango Mountain Resort to ride the alpine slide. Here we are at the top.
And here Dad is at the bottom.
After that we went back to downtown Durango for lunch, and then Ryan, Josh, and I hit the road for Arizona while Mom and Dad stayed another night in Durango before going back home. It was a 6 hour drive from Durango to Flagstaff, and we made sure to stop at the Four Corners Monument.
Josh wanted to run around the four states, so we did that, too.
As we continued on the drive we saw this ominous western rock formation. Pretty cool.
Stay tuned for the Arizona portion of the trip!
Sunday, August 07, 2011
we got to Santa Fe
Saturday was our travel day. First there was the drive to Richmond, then the flight to Dallas, and then the flight to Denver. We had a long layover in Denver, so my Colorado friends Katie and Andrew came to the airport to hang out and eat a meal, which was very nice of them. We also stepped outside of the airport to look at mountains and take this photo.
After Denver was the flight to Albuquerque, where my dad picked us up at the airport and took us to dinner near UNM. Finally there was the drive up to Santa Fe, where we arrived about midnight and went straight to bed.
This morning Josh and I got up and went for a run. Only running at 7,000 feet when you're not used to it is pretty hard. We did at least three miles though, and Josh even threw in some other exercises because he is more hard core. After getting cleaned up we (including Ryan, who drove in from Flagstaff the night before and got in at 3am) met up with dad at church. After church we had a Mexican lunch with my grandparents, which left me stuffed for the rest of the day. This afternoon we walked around downtown for a while and visited shops and the Basilica. We also stopped for this photo at Burro Alley.
The evening was spent at my grandparents house, eating dessert and visiting with family on the back patio.
This is a super short trip to Santa Fe for me (I guess my shortest ever), because tomorrow we all head to Durango!
After Denver was the flight to Albuquerque, where my dad picked us up at the airport and took us to dinner near UNM. Finally there was the drive up to Santa Fe, where we arrived about midnight and went straight to bed.
This morning Josh and I got up and went for a run. Only running at 7,000 feet when you're not used to it is pretty hard. We did at least three miles though, and Josh even threw in some other exercises because he is more hard core. After getting cleaned up we (including Ryan, who drove in from Flagstaff the night before and got in at 3am) met up with dad at church. After church we had a Mexican lunch with my grandparents, which left me stuffed for the rest of the day. This afternoon we walked around downtown for a while and visited shops and the Basilica. We also stopped for this photo at Burro Alley.
The evening was spent at my grandparents house, eating dessert and visiting with family on the back patio.
This is a super short trip to Santa Fe for me (I guess my shortest ever), because tomorrow we all head to Durango!
Friday, August 05, 2011
headed west
Josh and I are headed west tomorrow for a nine day vacation. I'm pretty excited. We'll spend time in Santa Fe, Durango, and Sedona. Lots of sights will be seen, and we'll get to hang out with my family. Stay tuned for updates and pictures!
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