GOODBYE 2011

The years continue to roll by, and this past year seems to have come and gone in a blur. 2011 was a year that we stayed closer to home, not traveling as many miles in our motor home, but were still able to experience many new things.

The biggest change for us was a summer of work at the Grand Canyon National Park. We hadn't taken seasonal jobs for 2 years, so there were mixed feelings as we parked the motor home at the south rim in mid May. My job as one of approx. 50 transit bus drivers for the free shuttle bus system at the park, turned out to be challenging but one that I'm looking forward to going back to this coming summer. Patty's job in the General store also turned out to have some challenges, as she had to learn a complicated point of sale computer program, and became a grocery checker for part of her work hours. The length of time for our jobs was just about right at approx. 3 1/2 months. All of our national parks are uniquely beautiful, and we've visited many of them. We both agreed that the Grand Canyon is something very special, and living there for the entire summer was an experience that we hope to repeat again in the future.

We planned and coordinated an RV rally in Carson City, NV. for our Golden Spike RV Chapter that we became a part of in 2010. The late September event came on the heels of our working summer at the Grand Canyon, and most everything went as planned. We all had a good time, with the central theme of the rally being a ride on the newly restored Virginia & Truckee tourist railroad.

We ended the year with a Cruise, where we were able to take 2 or our 3 boys and their families on a week long journey to the Western Caribbean. This family cruise has been in the works for a few years, and I think it's safe to say that we all had a great time. I'm sure there will be another family adventure, and we'll make sure that all the boys can make the adjustments in their work schedules for a future trip.

Tomorrow will start a brand new year, and our expectations for 2012 are as high as ever. Patty has become quite the world traveler in the last couple of years, having taken trips to China with her brother & to Greece with her son. Her brother Michael is taking her on a two week trip to Paris this coming May, as she continues to log many thousands of air miles. I love to travel, but not in cramped airplanes. Give me an open road, put me behind the wheel of the motor home, or behind the handlebars of the Harley, and I'm a happy camper.

Tonight, we have a few friends coming over for dinner, and a New Years Eve party. Since our drinking days are long gone, I suspect that this party will not end at midnight with the singing of Old Ange Zyne, but conversely, the end will be much earlier with a simple good night, and a happy new year.

HOME IN HAVASU

The drive from Tucson to Lake Havasu yesterday was pretty routine, and with a lot less traffic than when we drove to Tucson 2 days before Christmas. Marc stopped by the fairgrounds on his way to work, and it was nice to see him again before we left.

The distance from the Pima County Fairgrounds to our home is just under 350 miles, and it usually takes us the better part of a day to make the drive. Our only stop was at the ZIP travel center on Interstate 10 @ Vicksburg Rd. (Exit 45). The diesel prices all along I10 at the truck stops like Flying J & Pilot were $3.82 - $3.84 a gallon. At the ZIP (huge American Flag), it was $3.75 ($3.77 for trucks) and has been a regular stop for us, not only for diesel, but for propane. I suspect due to the low fuel prices, it's always a busy place, and a wait is sometimes necessary.

When we arrived back at the house, our routine of emptying the fridge, & unpacking everything else is a process that we have down to a science. In 30 minutes or so, all of the stuff that needs to come out of the motor home is in the house, and after a day behind the wheel, I was ready to catch up on some of the TV shows that had been recorded. What in the heck did we ever do without a DVR?

Patty has an appointment with the eye Doc today for her 1 week checkup. The redo of her right eye went well as far as the surgery, but the vision improvement is still questionable. As she puts it, "it may just be as good as it gets". It can take up to 3 weeks for the full effect of cataract surgery to be implemented, so perhaps there will still be improvement in the next couple of weeks.

A LAZY MORNING & 5 GUYS

Laila, Gracie, & Grandma spending part of the morning all cozy in the recliner.

Our Granddaughter Laila, spent the night with us in the motor home, and yesterday, when we were all up and moving, she found a spot in the recliner with Grandma. Gracie also decided that was a good place to be, so when she jumped into Patty's lap, it created a "Kodak moment". All 3 stayed in the recliner while Laila watched some cartoons, Grandma read her Kindle, and Gracie decided she would grace the two with her presence.

Meanwhile, behind the recliner, Grandpa worked on the blog, and did some other computer stuff. Yesterday was the 2nd day of the 12-5 Horse Camp, so we did the lazy thing in the morning, which included Laila's favorite breakfast of pancakes, with a piece of bacon. Around 11am, we left on the 20 mile drive to the ranch, arriving a little before noon.

Three lazy bums together in the recliner.

After dropping Laila at the camp, we decided to spend the afternoon doing some shopping in stores that we don't have in Lake Havasu. Lunch was the first order of business however, and we just happened to drive by a Five Guys Burgers. For a year or so, I've been hearing from friends that Five Guys has the best burgers, some even saying that they are better than IN N OUT. Well, here was the perfect opportunity to check these guys out for the first time, so in we went.

As we walked in the door, Patty remarked that I had on one of my IN N OUT T-shirts, and that I was suddenly the competition in enemy territory. Once we were inside this very crowded burger joint, I began to notice that a lot of folks were staring at me. When we were sitting down, a lady came up to us and said "do you know you have an IN N OUT shirt on"? I didn't say anything, and Patty politely said "yes, he knows that". What was next? People yelling at me, or perhaps even worse - a flying chair at this miscreant who had the audacity to wear the competition's shirt behind enemy lines!

While we ate, we both kept an eye out for any Five Guys radicals, who might have chosen to make an example out of an IN N OUT guy. We were able to eat our burgers without any insults, or french fries being thrown at us, but it was touch and go there for awhile. Seriously, the burgers were excellent, and this burger connoisseur now has a second best behind the undisputed king - IN N OUT. I'm sorry Wendy, you're burgers are now relegated to third place.

Here I am in Five Guys Burgers, with my IN N OUT shirt in plain sight. Notice the worried look on my face, as the hostility from the crowd is noticeable.

We escaped from Five Guys with our arms & limbs intact, and the rest of the afternoon was tension free. We picked up Laila at 5, and when we took her home, we discovered that Chandra was sick with a head cold. I guess better now, than a few days ago on the cruise. Marc took Laila & us out to dinner, and we brought back a take out for Chandra. We said our good byes, and this morning, we'll be driving back to Lake Havasu. Thanks kids for a wonderful Christmas Holiday!

HORSE CAMP

The day after Christmas, and the first day of Horse Camp. The first picture of Laila is at home, dressed in her new riding breeches, and boots. She is about to depart for the first of 5 days of horse camp, and the anticipation level is high. With a 6 year old, you never know for sure what the reaction will be, and with riding a horse for the first time, I think the anxiety level with the parents and grandparents was much higher than Laila's.

Chandra, Patty & Laila left the house at about 11am, and made their way across town to the ranch where the camp was located. Marc & I stayed at the house, and finished the second air conditioner concrete slab.

At 5 pm, we all arrived back at the camp, where I took the rest of the pictures. Laila told us she got to ride "Rock Star", a Shetland pony, and that it was a lot of fun. After hearing that she had a good experience, we were all relieved that the next 4 days would most likely be fun filled, and a great learning experience.

These pictures were taken while the kids were feeding one of the Ranch steers.

"Yep, I'm just one of the ranch hands, doing my job".

Laila spent the night with us in the motor home, and after a "Grandpa Breakfast", we'll take her to her second day of horse camp. Tomorrow, it's back to Lake Havasu City.

CHRISTMAS DAY

One concrete foundation done, and one to go.

These pictures show Marc's project of replacing the plastic foundations under the two air conditioning units at their home in Tucson. On Christmas Eve day, we replaced the first plastic support with concrete, and today, we'll do the same with the second unit. Why any home builder, particularly one in Arizona, would use plastic to support anything in the brutal heat and direct sunlight, is beyond me. To keep the units level, Marc had been placing wooden blocks underneath where the plastic was cracking and warping. The new concrete will eliminate that problem.

Yesterday morning, we arrived at Marc, Chandra, & Laila's around 10am, and quickly discovered what Santa brought the night before. The flash on my camera has decided not to work, so no pictures of the new stuff. Laila was in charge of distributing the packages, and before long the living room was a sea of wrapping paper, ribbon, and empty boxes. I won't get into describing all of the gifts, lets just say that between Mom & Dad, Grandparents, and all of the other relatives, Laila ended up with a pile of new goodies. One of her presents from Mom, Dad, Grandma & Grandpa was a one week horse camp that starts today. Hopefully this morning, I'll get some pictures of Laila in her new riding outfit before she heads off to camp.

Chandra & Patty fixed a wonderful Christmas dinner, and we all celebrated the day with gratitude that we were together as a family, in good health, and able to provide a child with all the magic of Christmas.

Today, Marc and I will finish the concrete project, as Chandra & Patty take Laila to her horse camp. Laila will spend tonight with us in the motor home, and Grandma & Grandpa will take her to her 12-5 camp tomorrow. We have to leave Wednesday, in order to get back home for an eye Doc appointment for Patty on Thursday.

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Today is the day that millions of people around the world will celebrate a holiday that is based on Christian principles, but is also celebrated by other religions. For small children of all faiths, religion takes a back seat to the big guy with a white beard, and a red suit. Our precious Grand Child Laila is 6 years old, and still believes that Santa Claus came to her house last night, and delivered something very special. For parents, grandparents, and family members, a childs belief in Santa Claus is to be treasured for as long as it lasts. This morning, we'll head over to Marc, Chandra, and Laila's home to discover what Santa Claus brought to Laila last night, and share in the joy of a child on Christmas morning.

Yesterday, Marc and I tackled the job of raising one of two outside A/C units up off the ground, and pouring a concrete slab underneath. When their house was built about 10 years ago, the contractor placed these air conditioner condensers on plastic foundations, and 8 years was probably their lifespan. The job went well, and we'll pour the second slab tomorrow.

In the afternoon, we attended a nice service at Marc & Chandra's church, then had a Christmas Eve dinner at a local restaurant. After dinner, we drove to an area here in Tucson, where a large neighborhood decorates their homes with lights, many of which were animated, and one that included a choreographed sound system with shooting fountains of water. The "Festival of Lights" is a 50 year Tucson tradition, and is a pretty big deal, with closure of the streets for pedestrian use only. By the time we had walked through the entire neighborhood, which included several streets, it was time to call it a day.

Merry Christmas to all!

TRAVELIN TO TUCSON

Our path from Lake Havasu City to Tucson is one that we have traveled on many occasions, and yesterday's journey wasn't much different. We pulled away from the house at about 10am, and made the trip in about 6 hours, arriving at the Pima County Fairgrounds a little after 4pm. Instead of taking the shorter route on Hwy 72 through Bouse, we detoured through Quartzsite in order to stop at the Root Farms Tent, and pick up a supply of raw almonds. Although the activity in Quartzsite was pretty quiet, many of the street side vendors are set up and open for business. Next month, the same scene will look like a beehive, with people substituted for insects.

While I was getting the motor home parked at the Fairgrounds, Marc stopped by on his way home from work, and we were surprised that he had Laila with him. Chandra was braving the shopping crowds for most of the day, so Laila went to work with Dad. We kept Laila for an hour or so, then took her home, where Chandra had prepared a delicious pot roast for dinner. We called it an early evening, as Patty needed to get some rest, not having slept very well the night after having cataract surgery on her right eye for the second time. Today is Christmas Eve, and we'll be spending most of the afternoon at Marc, Chandra, & Laila's, with several activities being planned.

HOUDINI IS HOME

Everyone loves a happy ending, right? After 5+ days of anguish & worry, not to mention the lack of sleep, our friends Bob & Diana Rush have their beloved Black Lab "Buddy" back home!

As I mentioned in yesterdays blog, Buddy was able to crawl under the backyard fence last Saturday, right after Bob let him out early in the morning. From that point in time, he completely disappeared. Our friends went through all of the motions, like contacting the Humane Society everyday, posting flyer's around the neighborhood, and spending countless hours walking and driving around, searching for their dog.

We got a phone call from Diana this morning, with the wonderful news that they had found Buddy! The short story is that only a few blocks away, a guy named Rick went into his backyard to investigate why his little dog was barking and raising quite a fuss. On the outside of his chain link fence, in one of the many washes that work their way down to the lake, he saw Buddy laying in some weeds. He was able to approach the dog, and keep him from running away, while he called the number on Buddy's collar tag. Needless to say, Bob & Diana were there in a heartbeat, and the four legged kid was reunited with his happy parents.

We dropped by Bob & Diana's around noon, to share in the happiness of what you might call a Christmas Miracle. Buddy looked no worse for his 5 days of being A.W.O.L., and it was so nice to see a happy outcome to what had been a devastating event.

Patty had her right eye redone this afternoon, with a second cataract surgery. After the procedure was finished, and a followup checkup at the Optometrist, everything seemed to have gone well. She will be able to take the eye patch off tomorrow, and will be able to evaluate the amount of improvement over the first operation. We're both optimistic that the correct lens was implanted this time, and her vision will be much improved.

If everything is OK tomorrow morning, we'll be back on the road, and Travel By Chance in the motor home will once again be a happening thing. Tucson is the destination, and we're looking forward to spending Christmas with Marc, Chandra, and Laila.

GETTING READY

We've only been home from our Caribbean Cruise for about 36 hours, and we're in the process of getting the motor home ready for a trip to Tucson. We're leaving day after tomorrow, to spend the Christmas Holiday with Marc, Chandra, and Laila.

Before we leave however, Patty is scheduled to have a "do over" on her right eye, and that surgery is mid day tomorrow. When she had cataract surgery on both eyes in late October, there were mixed results. The vision in her left eye improved dramatically, but the procedure on her right eye wasn't as successful. We're keeping our fingers crossed that this second go around will take care of the problem. If everything is OK, we'll be in Tucson for about a week, then back home for a follow up appointment with Patty's eye Doc.

The term "hitch itch" is one that many RV'ers reference when they are anxious to get back on the road. Even though we have made the trip from Lake Havasu to Tucson many times in the last few years, I'm always ready to get back behind the wheel of the motor home. It's wheels haven't turned for about 2 1/2 months, and except for when we've been work kamping, I think that has to be a record. During the winter months, we're usually never home for more than a month, without traveling somewhere in the house on wheels.

Yesterday afternoon, we took a break from our unpacking, and repacking, to go over and visit with our buddies, Bob & Diana Rush, who arrived at their new winter home a few days ago. Diana's Daughter Lisa, her husband Phil, and the grand kids are visiting for the holidays. We were saddened to learn that their black lab "Buddie" found a way under their backyard fence soon after their arrival in Havasu, and has been missing for several days now. We're keeping our fingers crossed that he will turn up.

BACK TO REALITY

Where does the time go when you're having fun, especially when it's with family? These past 10 days have flown by, as we jetted from one end of the country to the other, then cruised through the Western Caribbean on the Carnival Cruise Ship Glory.

When I originally started thinking about this trip a few years ago, it was with the idea of getting our immediate family together, a family reunion of sorts on a cruise ship. The trip was everything I had hoped for, with only one exception. Patty's son, David wasn't able to take the time off from work, and there were many times during the past week when one of us voiced the thought that it would have been really nice if he were with us. Next time, we'll make sure all 3 boys are able to make it, where ever that "it" is.

After leaving the ship on Sunday, when we had cleared Customs, the limo picked us up for the ride back to the Mariott in Fort Lauderdale. We spent Sunday night at the hotel, finding a Dave & Busters close by for dinner. We dined in the arcade area, and the noise level from the games and activities was literally through the roof! For me, carrying on a conversation was next to impossible without yelling. But, after dinner, we all bought our game cards, and started accumulating tickets from the various arcade games we played. Laila really got into the skee ball, and with Grandpa's help, her bucket of tickets started to over flow. When she cashed in her tickets, she was able to walk away with a dragon stuffed animal.

The boys & their families had an early Monday morning flight to Atlanta. From there, Marc, Chandra, & Laila caught a flight back to Tucson, and Mike & Amy changed to a flight back to their home in Augusta. Our flight was a couple of hours later, so after some sad good byes the night before, we all headed back to our homes and to reality.

LAST CRUISE DAY

This was the sunrise yesterday morning, somewhere off the coast of Cuba.

As they say, "all good things must come to an end", and we spent our last day at sea yesterday. This last leg of the trip was from Grand Cayman Island to Miami, and it took about 36 hours. We spent most of the day doing what we've been doing best - eating, eating, and more eating.

Grandma and Laila were the only adventuresome ones, as they changed into their bathing suits, and climbed up to the top of the water slide. Due to windy conditions, they were the last ones down the slide before it was closed. Laila had been on it with Grandpa, & with Dad, but this was the one and only trip down the twisting water slide for Grandma. Both wanted to go again, but it remained closed for the rest of the day.

Later in the afternoon, Marc, Laila, and I went up to the very top deck for a round of miniature golf. We weren't keeping score, but Grandpa was the only one to get a hole in one. The fact that there's room for miniature golf, basketball, volleyball, a water slide, and a running track, gives you an idea how big this ship really is. This was our 6th cruise, and the largest ship we've ever been on, holding approx. 3,000 passengers.

Laila and Dad posing on the golf course.

This trip with 3 generations of the Chance Klan was memorable on so many levels that it's hard to describe in a few simple words. Because we are spread out across the country, whenever we can get together for a few days, especially on a cruise ship for a week, the memories will last forever! Even though our thoughts about this family trip will never go away, tomorrow morning we will all be on jet airplanes, heading back to our homes, and back to reality.

Tomorrow will be a long travel day, so it's unlikely that I will post anything on the blog. I'll probably pick back up in a couple of days.

We had this family picture taken on the 2nd night of the cruise.

GRAND CAYMAN

The last stop on our Caribbean trip was Grand Cayman Island yesterday. Our family split up, as Marc, Chandra, Laila, and Patty went off on a shore excursion called Turtles, Turtles, & more Turtles. They were bused to a location away from the downtown area where they swam & snorkled with sea turtles of all sizes. When they got back, everyone said it was a great adventure, and Laila took to snorkling for the first time, like a duck to water.

Mike, Amy, and I took one of the shuttle tenders into the middle of the shopping district, and walked toward Margaritaville, which was visible from the dock. Just past Jimmy's place, we stopped at the Hard Rock Cafe, where we had some beverages, and bought a few T-shirts. Next door was Grand Cayman Harley-Davidson, so being Harley owners, we had to check it out. There is no actual dealership on Grand Cayman, but someone has a license from the motor company for an apparel business. I didn't purchase anything, but Mike got a nice button up shirt that had the Grand Cayman name on it.

Amy has momentarily become a pirate!

After spending an hour or so in the shopping district, I headed back to the ship, while Mike & Amy did some more shopping. Just before I left, Amy took this picture of Father & Son, with the ship in the background.

Our dinner last night was the 2nd dress up night, and even though everyone forgot their cameras, the ships ever present photographers came around to our table for a few pictures.
Laila spent her third night with us, while the two brothers and their wives went out on the town, I mean ship.

This morning, we woke up to a calm seas, and as I write this, we're rounding the western tip of Cuba, heading toward Miami. Tomorrow morning, we'll awaken where we started, and the this wonderful time with family will almost be over.

GRANDPARENTS DAY

Laila stayed in our cabin again last night as the ship moved from Isla Roatan, off the coast of Honduras, to the Cayman Islands. Yesterday was our day to have Laila, and when we tied up at the dock in Mahogany Bay, Roatan, we were ready to hit the beautiful beach. This cruise stop was created for the Carnival Ships which include Princess and Holland America. The blend of a few shops and mostly a beach atmosphere, with the required beach bar & grill was almost perfect. Patty commented more than once, this was her kind of place.

Riding the Magic chairlift from the dock to the beach.

The beach was about 2 football fields long, and the water was warm and inviting.

With our ship in the background, we're standing on Mahogany Beach.

"Oh No, help Grandpa, I'm being eaten by a crocodile!

Laila and Grandma spent over an hour on the beach, mostly searching for shells and other treasures. By the end of the afternoon, Laila's beach attire was more wet than dry.

After a day on the beach, we all got cleaned up, and had an incredible dinner in the Ship's Steakhouse. I payed extra for all 7 of us to have this alternative dining experience, but it was worth it, as the steaks, the lobster, the soups, the salads, and the cheesecake desert were all really good! It took us about 2 hours for the complete dinner, and to say that we were full would be an understatement!

This morning, we tied up in the harbor at Grand Cayman Island, and Marc, Chandra, Laila, and Grandma were off on a shore excursion called Turtles, Turtles, & more Turtles. Mike, Amy, and I took one of the tenders into town. Tomorrow is a day at sea, then this wonderful experience with family will be over all too soon.

As the ship pulled out of Mahogany Bay, the was the scene of our day on the beach.

SNORKLING & SHOPPING

Yesterday was all about Grandma & Grandpa. After the ship anchored off Belize City, we headed down to bottom deck. Yep, we left the kids at 8am, and boarded our snorkle boat for a 20 minute ride to the barrier reef. We're told that this reef off Central America is the 2nd largest in the world, and only the Great Barrier Reef in Australia is larger.

We were among the first in the water, and for the next hour, we snorkled in crystal clear water.
We saw everything from sting rays to small, multi colored fish. After the hour flew by, our boat took us to a small, white sandy beach island, where there was of course a bar, serving tropical drinks like rum punch. Almost made us both wish we still drank, but not quite. We were there another hour or so, then it was a short ride back to the ship.

Bannister Island just off the coast of Belize City

White sandy beach with warm tropical weather and water.

When we got back to the ship around 1pm, we quickly put away a few things in our room, and scurried back down to the bottom deck, where we boarded a tender for a ride into Belize City.
Patty was on a mission to find a white windbreaker, and after finding it, bargained the price from $25 down to $20. By the time we got back to the ship, it was late afternoon, and everyone reconnected in our adjoining room cabins.

The only patriarch rule on this cruise is that we all join for dinner at 6 pm in the dining room. This picture below is what awaits us every evening, and the food and service is excellent. By the time we're finished with dinner, most of us are stuffed, and I can't speak for the kids, but Grandpa and Grandma don't last very late into the evening. Lets just say that we're not up in the disco until late into the night.

As I write this, we just pulled into Isla Roatan, an island off the coast of Honduras, and we'll be here until about 3pm. We can see a beach from the ship, and since Laila spent the night in our cabin, and we have her for most of the day, that beach just might be our destination later today.

SWIMMING WITH DOLPHINS

Yesterday morning, we all left the ship for an adventure with Dolphins. Only Patty had done this before, in Cabo San Lucas, while we were on a Panama Canal Cruise a few years ago. Cameras weren't allowed while we were in the pool with the Dolphins, and the one of Laila was one that Mom & Dad purchased.

We spent just under an hour in the water with "our" Dolphin, whose name was Atlas. To be able to touch and interact with this amazing creature, was indeed an experience that will never be forgotten. Atlas gave all of us an individual ride across the pool, and even Laila was able to hang on by herself. When my turn came, and Atlas took off, my swim trunks were a little loose, and by the time we had made our way to the other side of the pool, my trunks were down around my ankles! Fortunately, the photographer didn't get that shot.

Grandma and Laila in front of the Dolphin facility.

In this shot, we're waiting for the van to take us to the Dolphins.

After our swim with Atlas, lunch was part of the package deal, and this picture shows us eating fajitas. After returning to the dock, the girls did the shopping thing for a couple of hours before returning to the ship. At 5pm, our ship, and the Carnival Triumph which was docked alongside, set sail from Cozumel.

The Carnival Glory (our ship on the right), and the Carnival Triumph are docked together in Cozumel.

At a little before 5pm, there's a pretty good line waiting to get back on the ship.

This Royal Caribbean Ship was docking with an incredible full rainbow in view.

FIRST DAY AT SEA

Our first day at sea was mostly about just taking it easy, and getting used to navigating our way around this huge ship. Grandpa and Laila were the only ones to tackle the water slide, but everyone else at least got into one of the pools. The temps were in the upper 70's, and we couldn't have asked for better weather.

Since all of our rooms are adjacent to one another, Laila has been room hoping, and ended up in our room for much of yesterday morning. In this picture, she and Grandma are lounging on the balcony in their jamies. We took our time getting up on the top decks, and enjoyed having Laila with us while we drank our coffee.

Two generations of the Chance Boys, Marc, Dad, and Mike

Last night was the first dress up dinner, and we had some photos taken by the ship's photographer, which we'll pick up this evening. It was another great dinner, and the most popular entree was Lobster. We've already learned that the portions are on the small side, so, it's now 2 of everything. Two salads, two lobsters, and two cherries jubilee. Yep, we were all stuffed by the time the desert was finished.

This morning, we just docked in Cozumel, and we're all headed to swim with the dolphins at 9:45.
Patty has done this before, but it will be the first time for the rest of us. Can't wait to see the expression on Laila's face when she first touches a dolphin.

Enjoying food and beverage on the Lido Deck.