Month: October 2006

I’m A Tigers Fan

Although baseball season ended for me in the middle of September when the FRS were eliminated from post season play, I still keep my eye on the playoffs. I didn’t even need Tommy Lasorda and his little girl organist to come to my house to convince me to watch. It is kind of fun to watch this year with the Red Sox not in it, because it is good pressure packed baseball in which I have no gut wrenching emotional attachment to.

If you live anywhere near a place were there is heated rivalry in professional or college sports you have no doubt seen the bumper sticker that reads: “I root for two teams. My team and anyone who is playing my teams rival.” I don’t have one of those stickers, but when it comes to baseball playoffs I’m definitely rooting for whoever is playing the Yankees. The Red Sox fan in me won’t let me do this too openly, but believe me when I say I’ve been sitting on my couch silently cheering on the Detroit Tigers.

Today I got a treat when those Tigers eliminated the Yankees from the 2006 playoffs. I may go out and buy a baseball cap with an Old English ‘D’ on it to wear into work on Monday.

Started down, still down.
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Northwest Photos

I took 124 photos on our trip to Washington and Oregon and I weeded them down to 44 for posting in a new web gallery for your viewing pleasure here (and always available from the “Northwest Trip 2006” link on the sidebar.) I’ve got titles on them, but it will take a while for me to add some captioning.

I really had a hard time weeding out the big rock photos, I’m sure some will think I left in too many, but they were just so alien and curious looking to me that I couldn’t help myself. On Monday in Oregon we went for a 1-1/4 each way hike in Ecola State Park and I only managed a few pictures before the camera battery died. I did get one really interesting photo of a giant woodpecker:

West Vs. East

Its a whole ‘nother culture out there.

  1. There was one of those little drive-thru coffee/expresso huts every 1/4 mile or so out there (there are 2 in all of Aiken.)
  2. They are right proud of their gasoline because they think it is worth about 70¢ more than here.
  3. Nobody was in a hurry. I drive the limit +5MPH and around here I’m a road hazard, out there I passed more people than passed me.
  4. Not a lot of trash can sized chrome “mufflers” disturbing the peace. Come to think of it, there was not a lot of trunk rattling hip-hop being played either.
  5. I could understand people without having to turn on the southern to english translator machine.

I think it has to do with the lower temperatures and humidity, it calms people. I admit I probably need a bigger sample and might want to go back in February after it has rained every day for 2 straight months.

Started down, still down.
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Two Posts In One

Port of TacomaThis is yesterday’s and today’s all wrapped in one because we got in at 12:30 last night (which is technically today) and it was too late to do anything but fall into bed at 1:00 AM (although it could be argued it was only 10:00PM west cost time.)

After breakfast on Wednesday we took a short walk along Tacoma’s waterfront (where today’s picture was taken) before hopping in the car to do some last minute sightseeing. We started out at Point Defiance Park and it’s views of the lower Puget Sound. We could have visited Fort Nisqually, a living history museum based on the Hudson’s Bay Company fur trading outpost built in 1833, but it didn’t open until 11:00 AM (it was only 9.) Or we could have visited the Camp 6 Logging Museum, set up to look and feel like a logging operation with an operating railroad, but it didn’t open until 10:00 AM. So we just drove the 5 mile loop through the part and headed towards the Glass Museum. As we battled the mid morning traffic a decision was made to table the Glass museum and just head for the airport, we did take the scenic route instead of I-5 and we ended up dropping off the rental at 11:30 with just an hour to go before we started boarding our plane home. Good thing we left that much time too, because security at SeaTac took a whole heck of a lot longer than at Charlotte. We did still have time to buy a couple books and wolf down a small pizza from Pallino Pastaria (it was actually quite good.)

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
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The flight home was not nearly as pleasant as the one out. We had already seen the movie, The Break-Up, and screaming babies echoed through out, including the 3-year old behind Donna who threw, basically, a 4-1/2 hour tantrum. We will be petitioning the airline to consider that all children under 7 be treated as animals, ie. caged and kept in the baggage compartment.

When we got to Charlotte we were treated to temperatures in the 70s (it was lucky to get to the middle 60s out west) and some humidity (which I never thought I’d miss) to go along with a nearly full moon for the drive home.

Today was sleep in, grocery shop, wash clothes, wash the car and one last big meal out (it was the MMC monthly meeting and we met at Olive Oils, a very nice Italian place here in town.)

I took a hundred and twenty-four pictures and I’ll be separating the wheat from the chaff this weekend and try and get a gallery of about 30 photos online.

Started up, went down, back up, back down, still down.
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Being On Vacation Is Hard Work

Room With A ViewThis the view out of our window tonight in the Silver Cloud Inn Tacoma. We almost stayed at the one in Mukilteo, but opted for the B & B instead. Tonight was the Inn’s weekly hosted wine & cheese reception, so Donna and I went down and noshed with some other guests before walking over to the Harbor Lights restaurant for dinner. If you ever find yourself in Tacoma’s Old Town section don’t bother eating there. Service was not that good and the food was just OK, definitely not worth what we paid.

The drive up from Cannon Beach was not as interesting as the drive down, even though we managed to get on a dead end road and had to back track again. It was a cloud and misty day, so when we stopped at the Mt. St. Helen’s Visitor’s Center I didn’t even take a picture of the famous volcano as it looked a lot like any other mountain off in the mist. Getting just about tired of driving, we also opted out of driving the 47 miles (one way) to get to a closer vantage point.

Tomorrow, the thought is to try and see the Museum of Glass on the way to the airport, but they don’t open until 10:00 AM and with our flight leaving at 1:00 PM it might be cutting it close. We may just drive to the airport and wait on a plane and that would be a shame, but missing the flight would be a bigger one (unless the Oregon or Washington lottery tickets hit on Wednesday night.)

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
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Its Not The Cold, Its The No Humidity

Misty CoastWe are right on the beach and the surf is a constant at 6-8 feet. When you look around you you can’t see it, but look north or south along the beach and you see a mist. We went for a hike along the coast in Ecola State Park and everything was a lush green with sections of the spruce trees covered in moss. Yet my lips are parched and my skin is dry. How can we be surrounded by all this water and there still be no humidity?

If you ever find yourself in Cannon Beach, Oregon you cannot go wrong (with one exception, the ribs) with a meal at Warren House Pub. The available micro brewed beers are great and the atmosphere is just right. For lunch, Pizza ? fetta is worth your time and money, but bring a sense of humor. When Donna asked for the restroom she was pointed to a door labeled “Office” and told it was up the stairs and the second door on the left. We she opened the door she was of course entering right into the rest room.

Started up, went down, back up, still up.
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Title With A Four In It

Ocean LodgeI just noticed I inadvertently had a streak going and in a lame attempt to keep it going…

Nice drive from Mukilteo to Cannon Beach. We took a side trip that resulted in running into a sign that said “No Outlet” on the Kitsap Peninsula, but did result in a great breakfast at Auntie Barb’s Cafe in Seabeck. I didn’t get to further test out my Moon=Good Food theory in Astoria, OR because the Wombat Moon Cafe was closed on Sunday. We ended up at the Silver Salmon instead and while it was not bad, it isn’t worth a special trip. After lunch we climbed the 164 spiral steps of the Astoria Column for great views of the mouth of the Columbia River area.

We actually made it to our home for the next two days, The Ocean Lodge (the photo above), in time for an afternoon nap. We did manage to wake up in time for a nice little sunset behind Haystack Rock and “The Needles.”

Started up, went down, back up, back down, up again, down again, up again, still up.
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