Happy Trails

Some years ago my parents bought into the Thousand Trails campgrounds system.  After the upfront cost, and annual dues, they could stay at any campground nationwide for no charge.

When my folks would come up for a visit we would sometimes visit or stay with them at Cape Kiwanda, or other locations on the Oregon Coast.  On other random trips we stayed at these campgrounds, such as Comdex at Las Vegas one year, and several overnights during our 1998 trip back east.  The first photo is our nice cabin in Virginia, the next the not as nice trailer in Illinois.

Since 1996 each year I have stayed a few days at the Thousand Trails near Palm Springs while attending the tennis tournament in Indian Wells in March.  Usually I stay in a tent while my folks stay in their trailer or RV.  Others come, too, and we have family mini-reunions.

In recent years we kids have had a benefit where we could book sites at Thousand Trails and stay, without our parents having to come along.  Our family has stayed a number of times at our favorite site at Cape Kiwanda, near Pacific City, OR.

We have also camped at Sunriver Thousand Trails near Bend, OR, a few times.

We are glad our parents have been able to share their membership with us, as we have really enjoyed staying at these campgrounds.  The facilities and activities are nice, and locations compelling.  Thanks Mom and Dad!

Autumn Beauty

Both spring and fall have such interesting colors all around--I love it.  Fall colors are often accompanied by a still, muted, soothing environment--overcast, damp, windless, even foggy.

To follow up on my earlier posts about the ideal camera, I did end up upgrading to the Sony NEX-6 camera.  I decided against replacing my DSLR, and went the mirrorless approach instead, essentially merging my two cameras into one (I sold my NEX-3 on craigslist for a good price).

Here are a few random photos just from my yard which I took on Thanksgiving and Saturday.

My Work Commute

I commute to work on my bicycle year round.  I drive a car on an exception basis, such as when there is a bad storm, or ice, or I have other errands to do during the day.  My commute is 8 miles each way, and takes me about 35 minutes, on average.  Driving a car with no traffic might be 15 or 20 minutes--other days up to 30 minutes.

My motivations are saving fuel and other car expenses, saving the environment, good physical exercise, and mental health (feeling of accomplishment, and time to think or listen to an audio book).

Commuting by bicycle has its roots for me when I rode to school, perhaps some in 2nd grade, but certainly 6th through 9th grades.  On my mission in Germany my favorite mode of transportation was bicycle (only in my last city, otherwise trams and buses).  At BYU I rode my bike to school, and often to work at NWC in China Lake, CA.  I didn't in Meridian at HP--narrow, high speed roads, for one thing.  But at Sequent I did quite often, and again at RLX.

When I started at Intel I was a little intimidated by the longer commute (8 miles), but within a few months of starting there I had determined it wasn't a bad commute at all, and set a goal to average twice per week.  I've done much better than that these past 7+ years.  I've even kept a calendar log of days I have ridden my bike to work.

Earlier this week I brought a camera to document my route.  It was a rather rainy day, but I was dressed for it with my booties, rain pants, waterproof jacket, and waterproof gloves.

I start out on a short, uphill stretch before turning soon into quiet neighborhoods.

About three miles in I take a path under the freeway to emerge on Evergreen Parkway.  After heavy rains this path will sometimes flood, necessitating my detour around a longer route.

This day the flooding was as bad as I've ever seen it.  Sometimes I can ride through it, but not when this deep.

The past month they have been doing construction on the path, requiring an inconvenient detour.

I ride on Evergreen Parkway about four miles.  It is a major street, but with a substantial bike lane.

Evergreen curves around the Hillsboro Airport runway, then I turn left just ahead.  I was glad when they changed the strict, dedicated left turn signal to a blinking yellow (effectively a yield, and a boon to cyclists who don't trip the sensor to change the light).

This last stretch is a rare narrow road on my commute, but doesn't last long before I turn left into the parking lot.

I lock my bike to a covered rack just outside my building lobby (Jones Farm #5).  It is usually crowded with locked bikes, but not on this rainy day.

And there you have it.  The incremental added time required vs. driving a car is, I think, very well spent.

Thanksgivings past and present

I recall Thanksgivings from my youth with cousins, aunts, uncles, and grandparents.  And watching football on TV and playing it in the yard.  As a freshman at BYU I got a ride home to Riverside, CA, unexpectedly, and enjoyed a warm holiday.  As a missionary in Germany we Americans cooked up our own feast at the church.  As a sophomore at BYU I stayed in Provo for a quiet Thanksgiving and snowstorm.

I have scattered memories of Thanksgivings with our young family. 

 
In 1979 we hosted Barry's family in Meridian, and there was a snowstorm on the day they drove back to Utah.

I used to borrow from work an HP desktop computer to play games on during the extended Thanksgiving weekend (1982).

Glade visited us from BYU once or twice (1982).

Kevin visited us just prior to leaving for Japan on his mission (1983, or early 1984, not sure this was actually at Thanksgiving).

We hosted the Juhasz family in 1983 (and in a subsequent year we drove from Oregon to Idaho and visited them).

Here we are in 1987.

Our family began to grow with grandkids arriving (2003, 2005, 2008).

In 2009 Suzanne had just had a foot operation, so we had a low key Thanksgiving.  Two years ago we hosted Ken's family from Eugene.

This year the Blairs are busy moving into their new house, and they will eat at the Jordans.  Bridget and family are in the UAE, Teresa and girls in Idaho, Steven and Kristi in Provo.  So it is just Daniel, Suzanne, and me.

Such pleasant memories.  And Happy Thanksgiving to all!