DanAndLiddy

Sorry for the break...

2009-02-01T20:29:00.003-08:00

Stupid trip to Mount Doom took forever.

Latest Project-"Uplifting" or "Rising"?

2008-09-08T22:44:00.000-07:00

I admit, I had very little to do with the latest addition to the middle school campus. I have no aptitude for painting, and I'm not a fan of working outdoors in 104 degree heat. However, Jeff would not be deterred. He forced me to endure a little of both. His goal was to create art that would remind students to rise above the status quo. He has also been on a "wing" kick since returning from Italy.

The clouds are whiteboard cut-outs. Provided the messages remain encouraging and positive, we expect that students will be allowed to make contributions throughout the year. Here's "El Jefe".

Wildlife Week

2008-09-01T18:54:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy week in our courtyard. We don't have sharks, bears, or cormorants...but we do have wild dogs and mid-sized feral pigs. Happily, the coyote snacked on some ground squirrels.

Welcome back...

2008-08-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

Prior to the start of school, I decided to do a bit of cleaning in my classroom. I found these guys hanging out underneath a bookshelf.

Remember kids, always wear leather gloves!

Yes, tonight I think I'll have...

2008-08-12T20:22:00.000-07:00

the Fuuuusion. Thank you.

Hold on to yer hats...

2008-07-23T20:52:00.000-07:00

Real live video...that's right--movin', breathin' action shots. Liddy girded her loins (ewwww) and plucked up the courage to do some water-skiing. With the proper coaching from her father, nephew, and husband she managed this...

She wasn't done, however. Oh, no. This two-time DCHS Athlete of the Year wasn't going to let something like "sore muscles" or "inexperience" stop her.

Boo ya.

Magic Dancing

2008-07-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Every summer we take our drive around the Leelanau peninsula. We usually start the day with the donuts from the Crescent Bakery in downtown Frankfort.

The really amazing part of the day was when Liddy did the legendary "Feather Dance". We were touring around the Grand Traverse lighthouse and, out of nowhere, a magical feather fell in front of Liddy. She seized the opportunity to perform the sacred ritual.

To really appreciate this beautiful event, you really have to scroll through the pictures quickly. Enjoy.

Movie Night

2008-07-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

Pita, goat cheese, popcorn (buttered and caramel), and Mr. Bean. Rock on, party people.

A good time was had by all...

2008-07-08T10:41:00.000-07:00

Being a good father and uncle--Dave and I decided to take the kids out for a short trip around Portage Lake. Things started well.
Kate was excited.

Ben was content with his refreshing beverage.

Nick had been bribed with the prospect of ice cream.

Dave made plans for pirate attacks.

We left the marina--the sun on our faces, the wind in our hair, and the sails were full. Well, perhaps there was a bit too much wind in the hair...Kate took a moment to thoughtfully consider her circumstances.

Ultimately, she decided she was not a big fan of the conditions...or sailing.

Perhaps next summer will go better.

Sadly, no 4x4 on the Civic

2008-07-04T21:07:00.000-07:00

We've both arrived in Michigan and made our way north. Unfortunately, our road condition report was a bit inaccurate. This used to be the 'back way' to travel between Pentwater and Onekama. Stupid rain.

Wait a minute...

2008-06-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

So, I was supposed to help my father-in-law do some packing early this morning. I went out to the truck at 7:15-unlocked the driver door...and said,"This doesn't look right..."

So, I checked the other side and sure enough...something wasn't quite right.

Then, I figured out what was wrong with the truck...

There was a 35 pound rock inside. So, I started to look around the truck because I didn't really think that a 35 pound rock could conceive of the idea to steal the truck all on its own. Then, I found the rock's accomplice.

Bastard...bastard in ecco shoes. Aren't those "old-man shoes". Ha, the loser has reeeallly bad taste in footwear.

We have a new home.

2008-06-18T14:08:00.001-07:00

We finally did it. We needed a summer cottage. A nice little place of respite that could calm our souls and renew our energy. So, we finally bought one.

What's that you say--"just a door"? Au contraire!

That is our new little best friend. A 6500 btu Frigidaire. We now have a new living/dinning/bedroom to decorate.

Tucson Sidewinders

2008-05-31T10:09:00.001-07:00

Minor league baseball on a Thursday night? Staying out past 9 pm? Well...the school year must be over! We watched the Tucson Sidewinders out-hustle, out-play, and out-class the Las Vegas 51s in a 4-1 stomping.

Our friends, Heather and Noah, couldn't resist the siren song of AAA baseball.

Disclaimer: Liddy hates the last photo. I'm posting it despite strong protest at home.

Hmmm

2008-05-31T10:09:00.000-07:00

Liddy doesn't think this is worth posting...or she thought posting it would make me look crazy. These feet were next to us during the ball game. Seriously...look at the disparity in toe length! The tip of the pinky toe compared to the others?! I'm not crazy....I don't have a weird fetish...how could someone not notice those toes?

How could I forget?

2008-05-31T10:07:00.000-07:00

Office Depot had a booth outside the ballpark with the Guinness World Record holding rubber band ball. We passed on the opportunity to have our picture taken with it. I'll live with regret for the rest of my life. However, as a consolation, the good folks of Office Depot passed around small rubber band balls to just about everyone in attendance.

Liddy was pretty excited.

Noah? Not so much.

Update on the mosaics

2008-05-12T22:31:00.001-07:00

We've finished the grout work on our mosaic/planter. Well, we actually finished slopping the grout all over the tile. The work of actually buffing all the excess off of the surface isn't quite "there" yet. But, not too bad for a bunch of seventh graders.

I swear this thing jumped at me!@!1!!!!!

2008-05-08T21:45:00.000-07:00

I hate spiders. Hate hate hate with the burning passion of a million suns. Hate hate hate. I discovered this horror while grading essays at the kitchen table. It was on the wall across from me. After taking the photos I went to swat it with a flip-flop. I would have used a 16 foot 2x4 if one had been available. Anyway, when the sandal was about an inch over this monster it JUMPED (NOT "FELL"--LITERALLY JUMPED!!!!!!) off the wall in an attempt to evade death. I have no doubt that it was a last ditch attempt to jump on my face and kill me. Hate hate hate

Rome Day

2008-05-04T16:53:00.000-07:00

Not much news to report, but I'm trying to stay in a routine. So, I'm forced to report on events at school. Not too exciting.
We (the Latin and History classes) celebrated Rome Day last week to commemorate the 2,761st birthday of Rome's founding by Romulus. In celebration, my students planted a Roman garden near the Latin and History classrooms. Also, they covered a concrete planter with mosaics. Here's the progress:

Here's Acestes the archer and the wolfhead. Below are the mosaics of the Colosseum and Trojan Horse.

At long last

2008-04-24T14:43:00.000-07:00

Our sabbatical from blogging must end. When an obsessive-compulsive culinary epicurean (who happens to moonlight as a pediatrician and mother of three) begins to mock the dearth of postings on Danandliddy, something needs to change. We'll have to start with something light and easy. Our new laptop has a built-in camera. What could be easier than a self-portrait?

Happy now, cupcake lady?

Lone Rock

2007-04-08T20:32:00.000-07:00

Now, I'm sure there are some people in the desert Southwest who think a drought is a bad thing. Not me. No, I'm an eternal optimist. Go ahead, give me your lemons. Lake Powell's lowered water levels have made kayaking a real treat. Mmmm, sweet lemonade. The "Lone Rock" gives a pretty clear picture of the lowered water level. See if you can find me in the picture.

More Lake Powell

2007-04-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

Our beloved truck. The only thing it needs is an Irish wolfhound.
Dinner...beans, tortillas, and gnats

Picturesque night photo

Lake Powell

2007-04-03T16:50:00.000-07:00

It's rare to see the landscape that graced the cover of National Geographic. We had that chance while visiting Lake Powell. These pictures don't show the actual photograph used in the magazine; we saw that view from highway 89. However, these are the same eeevviiiilllll smokestacks that threaten Lake Powell. I feel that I should mention how much I appreciated the running water, electric lights, and refrigerated beverages at the gas station. Thank you, Evil Smokestacks!!

New pictures

2007-04-03T16:43:00.000-07:00

We just returned from Lake Powell. We'll be posting pictures (and some wicked awesome video) for the next couple days. Here's a sample...

Trying something a little new

2007-03-10T21:38:00.000-08:00

We took Mom and Dad up to Sabino Canyon. We also discovered that our camera can also take video. So, here's our first try.

High Hopes

2007-01-22T18:50:00.000-08:00

Unfortunately, we didn't get our full day off of school. We had to settle for a late start on Monday and Tuesday. I'm not complaining...a nice early morning nap is a pleasant thought.

Two Hour Delay!!!

2007-01-22T05:48:00.001-08:00

Fingers crossed for a full day

A dry heat

2007-01-21T18:56:00.000-08:00

Picture Perfect

2007-01-01T16:10:00.000-08:00

Can you find the differences from these two photos of our backyard view? Pretend you're reading Highlights magazine and enjoy the game.

We're Back

2006-12-31T15:32:00.000-08:00

We finally have our digital camera and we're back in action.

Big News.

2006-09-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

Well, we broke the 1,000 visit mark recently. I know, milestone...not quite a quagmire, not quite a grim milestone...just a milestone. So,if you were recently visiting from St. Paul, Minnesota...thanks for padding our stats. I know it's been kinda boring lately, but we're trying. I'll try to get arrested so I can post my mugshot. That should be exciting.

Numero Dos

2006-09-08T13:16:00.000-07:00

Make that two...

shucks

2006-08-26T23:21:00.000-07:00

Well, we had to relinquish the digital camera. That means our blog will be without pictures for a while. Or, we'll just recycle old photographs. This does not mean that those of you on probation are off the hook. Perhaps I could just start googling images of people named danandliddy and post those. We'll just have to see.

'Zona

2006-08-18T16:15:00.000-07:00

We came back to a complete mess. The roof over our bedroom had leaked and the resulting water damage totalled our mattress set and our bedroom chest. The bathroom toilet (circa 1952) needed to be replaced. The cooler had to be cleaned. The roof had to be repaired. Meanwhile, we had to spend time shopping for replacement furniture and prepare for the upcoming school meetings. Well, the stress got to me and, unfortunately, I had to take it out on someone...or something. Here you see me dancing a victory jig over the carcass of a dead pack rat. He took up residence in our washing machine; and after a thorough cleansing I realized I had to kill the monster. And, yes, I did it all in my boxers.

Coolest Billboard Ever

2006-08-03T07:47:00.000-07:00

You should silently say "Boogaboogabooga" in your head.

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind, The answer is blowin' in the wind

2006-07-18T06:55:00.000-07:00

85(!?) mph winds came through Oceana county yesterday (according to WZZM 13). Here are a few shots of Pentwater.

My aunt and uncle's home...very little serious damage.

The Candlewyck House Bed and Breakfast.

Down the street

A trailer near my sister's home

Michigan

2006-07-14T17:52:00.000-07:00

After our "near-death" experience with the misplaced fabric swatch, our summer has slowed down considerably. There's a backlog of pics to share and I'll try to share the superspecial ones. But, no promises...I'm not going to let you dictate my schedule. I'm on vacation.

Uneventful trip...

2006-07-03T13:58:00.000-07:00

Q: Besides surgeons, what professionals need to count their tools to insure that nothing was left inside the patient?

A: Mechanics

Before

After

No camera tricks, folks. The "after" photograph is an oil rag that hitched a ride to Michigan. I had just arrived at my sisters house and was inside enjoying the air conditioning. I looked out at the truck and noticed a puff of white smoke leaving the engine compartment. When I popped the hood a big puff of white smoke escaped. It was our little friend up there. I popped it out with a stick and it burst into flames.

Kicking around Tucson...Three trips to Show Low...2100 miles to Michigan...perfect timing.

Other neighbors...

2006-06-22T00:24:00.000-07:00

This guy also showed up on our porch...not so cute. But, I'm no anti-reptite.

Meg, want to start a new theme for Bryn's room?

Adios, Show Low

2006-06-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

We finished up the graduate class in Show Low last weekend. As we drove through the Salt River Canyon for the final time we noticed quite a few cars pulled over looking down. So, we stopped and looked down.

Oops. That's all that's left of a tractor-trailer...or semi-truck, if you will.

Show Low camping

2006-06-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are. We've spent the last two weekends at this campground. Rather nice. We were next to a family with two children who disguised themselves as monsters for the weekend. The 11 year old boy lost his purple ball over the cliff and went into hysterics. After stomping his foot and kicking a nearby boulder, he stomped his way into his camper. Nice. We retrieved it for him. Self-sufficiency was a new idea for him.

Among other reasons...

2006-06-10T09:44:00.000-07:00

During our weekend touring around Show Low we found another reason to stay in the truck while taking photographs.

"If you can show low, you win"

2006-06-10T08:38:00.000-07:00

We've been attending a weekend class in Show Low, Arizona for the past two weekends. This quaint mountain village (think Hillsdale in the mountains) received its name from a card game between two settlers. In any case, the drive to Show Low takes us through the Salt River Canyon. Most of the photos are taken from the truck because its too darn hot to get out of the air conditioning...among other reasons.

Babysittin'

2006-06-06T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well, we had the niece over for an afternoon of watchfulness. I want to draw your (all you who have yet to visit) attention to how "child-safe" the Fort really is. No glass shards, poisonous arachnids, or swords...almost as safe as a union shop. Anyway, she ran around being cute. That's all you can really do at her age...run and be cute. Someday I'll teach her how to run and be really, really, ridiculously good looking, but she just isn't ready for that yet.

New Neighbors (No, "youknowwho" hasn't moved)

2006-06-03T22:07:00.000-07:00

Well, here are our new neighbors. They're quiet, polite, and don't expect us to act like their personal assistant. We aren't sure when the itty-bitty babies were born, but they have been crapping all over the place. As you can see from the last picture, one of the chicks didn't appreciate the paparazzi. He was pretty angry at the world...or just me.

In Praise of Creosote

2006-06-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

I love rain, and in a region that receives less than 3 inches a year, rainfall is an event that moves desert-dwellers into complete revelry. Such a spectacle occurred late this afternoon. And so I sat on the porch with a silly grin on my face as the rain moved in a sheet across the desert sky, pounding the dusty, crusty earth. Rain smells especially good in the desert because of the creosote bush -- the ugly stepsister to Michigan shrubbery. A helpful online nursery described it as:

"a very drought tolerant desert shrub . . . . This bush has a delightful fragrance. The air is filled with a clean pine scent after a summer rain. A group of these plants are now believed to be the oldest living things, 11,700 years old . . . . Many people believe the leaf to have curing properties . . . . "

And there you have it.

2006-05-02T21:01:00.000-07:00

Well, we don't have a digital camera, so we can't always put the latest and greatest events on the blooog. So, I'm adding a few more from Rome. This setting may look familiar because it appeared on the Hutchinson's bloooooog. It was a nice place to see.

Just a note: If your name is Megan or Ryan then you need to post a few more photos of your new house and your growing children. Get on it. Now.

Getting ahead of ourselves (yes, I mean you...)

2006-04-16T18:06:00.000-07:00

After a few phone calls it seems that various family members think we need to start planning our next trip. I'm still going to post a few shots we took while in Rome, so the forward thinking readers of this blog need to learn to enjoy the recent past.

This delightful fellow was in front of us waiting for the Vatican Museum. It's mind-boggling, isn't it? Is it real? Did he pay money to the stylist? This wasn't the greatest sight in Rome, but it has to be in the top 5.

Wanderlust

2006-04-14T15:53:00.000-07:00

Our recent trip to Rome lead me back to our photo archives, which in turn, leave me itching to camp, hike, drive, and sightsee our way through an upcoming trip. We're open to ideas and eager for recommendations . . . any of our friends out there feel like joining us around a smoky campfire? (this entry is a good excuse to share some of my favorite photos from the past year of travel)

Muncho Lake, British Columbia

Jasper National Park, Canada

Lassen National Forest, N. California

Kenai Kayaking

Homer flight tour, Kenai penninsula

Mount Denali

Pirates..in kayaks

Homer Spit (mmm...donuts...)

Still going

2006-04-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

Here are a few more photos from Rome. These pics are from the day trip Eric and I took to Ostia, and you can see that I took pictures of lots of old stuff. My only regret is that I didn't get a photograph of the splendid picnic we enjoyed among the ruins. It was splendid, just splendid...aside from the malarial mosquitoes.

This mosaic was one of many that is just hangin' out in Ostia. However, this mosaic was in Technicolor, unlike the rest. Since I was touring with an ethical classicist I was nervous about taking a chunk of artifact...so I waited until he walked away. Geez, this mosaic looks great in our livingroom. Ancient Rome and Old Tucson...match made in heaven...

Ancient toilets...no walls, no privacy...just guys (firemen, I think) enjoying each other's company.

Another extraordinary mosaic. This photo was taken from a second story observatory. Huge...the public bathroom firemen really like mosaics.

to the "dopest" peeps out there

2006-04-09T15:42:00.000-07:00

Thank you, Hutchinsons! We love ya, love ya, love ya, love ya.

"Brown paper packages tied up with string"

2006-04-09T10:17:00.000-07:00

Some of our favorites from the Roman holiday:

Scruffy looking mammals . . .

Glitzy ad campaigns . . .

building code violations . . .

mmm . . . "like angels crying in my mouth"

Old stuff . . .

Papists . . .

The only pics that matter

2006-04-05T22:03:00.000-07:00

We're back from Rome and trying to catch up on all the work we ignored. The trip began on an auspicious note as you can see from the accompanying photos. Yes, we are sitting in the first class lounge. Not among the unwashed masses, not among those teeming hordes of pretzel munching squish 'ems, oh no, we were in the "lounge".

Why...yes...

2005-12-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

Yes, that is a .45 ACP cartridge. Why do you ask?

The Day after...

2005-12-26T15:26:00.000-08:00

Well, our Christmas decorations have been taken down and the two-week process of removing all the pine needles has begun. We (well, actually it was liddy) began the process of redecorating the house with some of the new household goods. I spent the day after Christmas redecorating in an entirely different manner, but that is for a later post. Here are a few shots of the new mirror that Liddy had her eye on...

Christmas Morn!!

2005-12-25T16:34:00.000-08:00

Well, we spent Christmas Eve overnight at the In-laws and enjoyed the nostalgia of being children at the mercy of parents on Christmas morning. We then made our way over to the Sister and Brother-in-law's to witness the chaos (thoroughly enjoyable, of course) created by placing young children in close proximity to mountains of gifts. Just look at these two...chaos I tell ya!!

The Festivities

2005-12-25T16:22:00.000-08:00

More from Christmas Eve. First we have "Beautiful Kate". That is her real name. I guess that her parents have legally changed it to "Beautiful Kate". Mom and Grandma enjoying the strange antics of their daughters' husbands. This Christmas I found out from Brother-in-law Dave that I play "War" incorrectly. I guess he learned how to play at a casino and such a learning environment is beyond question. In any case, I still beat my 4 year old nephew and can maintain the title of "Master of War". And, finally, Benjamin the First Grader.

Christmas Eve

2005-12-25T13:02:00.000-08:00

The Verplank/Brooks/Bizak/Young clan gathered at The Fort for a Christmas Eve dinner and celebration. Before dinner, Liddy took the parents and grandparents up to San Pedro Chapel for a view of the mountains and foothills.

Lost opportunity

2005-12-24T15:33:00.000-08:00

A while back we invited the Young parents to visit Tucson during Christmas. We were rebuffed. So, to get back at them we have redesigned (can you redesign an empty room?) the spare bedroom. This blog is also acting as Elizabeth's portfolio...should she ever move into decorating.

Merry Christmas!

2005-12-24T15:25:00.000-08:00

Our Tree. You can't tell from the picture, but it's a conflagration waiting to happen. It's like living with the little girl from "Fire Starter"...you're afraid of turning your back on it (the tree) because you know that it's just waiting for the chance to burst into flames. Sometimes, I'm sure that it's watching me.

"google" + "dan young"=FUN!!!

2005-12-21T14:00:00.000-08:00

More thanksgiving

2005-12-20T20:33:00.000-08:00

The day just isn't complete without a picture of a baby sleeping in a position usually occupied by a dog, a ruined cup of coffee, a picked nose, and cousin Peter. I'll let you figure which description goes with each picture. Personally, I usually end my day with a picture of a pastrami sandwich, but that's just me.

A very late Thanksgiving post

2005-11-24T20:20:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving day with the Verplank/Bizak/Young group. Cousin Peter Verplank joined in on the fun.

slow night...

2005-11-13T19:27:00.000-08:00

I'm reading a political blog, liddy is sleeping...and I'm a big nerd

Entish

To which race of Middle Earth do you belong?
brought to you by Quizilla

Safety First

2005-10-15T19:35:00.000-07:00

Well, yasee, I'd help set up the tent but someone has to stay near the truck to keep a hand on the "fire stick" in case any bears come huntin'...safety first.

Calvinist work ethic

2005-10-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Still working...really hard. It's hot, there are bugs, this is a two person tent....what gives?

Oak Creek set up

2005-10-15T19:15:00.000-07:00

Well, it's our Yom Kippur holiday and we left Tucson to get some cooler clime. We aren't that original or clever, so we did what we usually do...Oak Creek. Liz works...

Bedroom

2005-09-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Here are some shots of the bedroom and the view that greets us each morning.

2005-09-09T14:47:00.000-07:00

This is the standard by which all houses are measured. Elizabeth and I can now say that we live in a "house". Why? Well, because we have a HALLWAY!!!!

Excuse me, but adulthood beckons.

2005-09-09T14:20:00.001-07:00

Here are some of the photos of our new place. These are just some of the shots we took of our back porch. The interior shots are taken from our living room.

weekend fun brought to us by the Hutchinsons

2005-08-10T08:56:00.000-07:00

Flowers and poop and good lookin' ladies and handsome men. And beer. Don't forget the beer. Hutch's, this was a fabulous weekend.

2005-06-14T18:27:00.000-07:00

We had been warned. Anchorage=Los Angeles. Actually, I would rather spend a month in L.A. than in Anchorage...okay, I'm overreacting. We rolled into town trying to find a hotel before spiriting off to the Kenai penninsula...not going to happen. Trashy dives were charging 130 for one night. So, this sign is the summation of our Anchorage experiencce.

Day 2-Alaska

2005-06-13T00:40:00.000-07:00

After our wonderful experience with Western plumbing we set out for Fairbanks. Why? Beats me. So, we drove the 3 hours to Fairbanks to find...not much. This, of course, brought about the brilliant question "At what point was this trip to Alaska focused on the urban areas?" Well, don't come to alaska to be awed by the brilliance of the urban planning. We spend the night (rainy) at a city park that was conveiniently located at the foot of the Fairbanks International Airport. Around 3 a.m. I found myself frantically praying that the inbound Alaska Air 747 would miraculously miss the forest green Toyota Tacoma parked in site 40. God heard my prayers...unfortunately, the neighboring Holiday Rambler and Airstream offered their 4 inhabitants to final reckoning. There was one fun discovery and that was that our campground hosts were from Tucson, AZ. They have hosted this same campground for the past 3 years. Appearantly they are hard of hearing and don't notice the jets. We set out in the morning for Anchorage. Yes, we still were stupid...heading for another urban area. Actually, we had been warned...our hosts refered to Anchorage as "Little L.A."...amazing how astute an observation that was...

Noah!!! Another Bear!!!

2005-06-10T01:35:00.000-07:00

It was while we were our first stop, the Border RV park, when we began to experience the Alaskan wildlife. We were driving in our truck and we saw, not one, but TWO bears in less than 3 minutes. They were just next to the road...they didn't even move...they just stayed there watching us...Noah, can you believe it?

4000 miles later...

2005-06-10T01:26:00.000-07:00

alaska border 2
Originally uploaded by Dwyoung.

We made it! We crossed the border around 9:30 or 10 at night..yeah, this photo is taken that late at night. We thought we'd send a copy of this shot to the gentleman who sold us the truck...he said it would get us here and he was right. However, he did not mention the Customs Officers...they were anxiously awaiting Liddy just a few miles down the road....

Yeah, far behind

2005-06-10T01:25:00.000-07:00

Well, the internet being what it is, and Canada being what it is (remote) we have skipped a few steps and are now enjoying the land of midnight sun. I guess that's actually a reference to Scandanavia, but I'm borrowing it. We officially crossed the border into Alaska on Friday night. Actually, we were intially detained at the border because Liddy was acting suspiciously (sp?) terrorist like...you know the signs...standing outside the vehicle, rustling through bags frantically searching for a purse...all very threatening. So, once she had the purse (and I almost ran over her) she returned to the truck and was promptly berated by the customs officer for acting suspicious. We were only saved from further haranguing by the plague of mosquitoes that were plunging him...God Bless the USA. So, we spent the first night at the Border City Motel and RV park. Camping was unexceptional...however, the bathrooms were wonderfully American. The faucet was well set, the sink was stationary...it was everything we have become accustomed to. Hmmm, hot showers.

Close enough to smell him

2005-06-10T01:03:00.000-07:00

grizzly close up
Originally uploaded by Daniel Wade Young.

Our first bear!!! We pulled off the road near Kluane Lake to take a closer look. Liddy wanted a better shot, so she sliced up an apple and ran out and fed it to the bear. Kidding. She made me promise to keep a lookout on the treeline to ensure that it wasn't a sneak attack...

What is this on the horizon?

2005-06-10T01:02:00.000-07:00

grizzly scenic approach
Originally uploaded by Daniel Wade Young.

As we neared the end of the Yukon territory we finally saw what we had been watching for the entire trip (well, maybe not in Las Vegas, but it sure would have made the stupid city worthwhile).

Yukon's Finest

2005-06-10T01:01:00.000-07:00

Yukon's Finest
Originally uploaded by Dwyoung.

This was one of the last Motels available in the Yukon Territory. Liz and I were tempted...but ultimately decided to push on to Alaska. There was also some strange banjo music playing in the background...

Emerald lake

2005-06-08T02:16:00.000-07:00

Emerald lake
Originally uploaded by Daniel Wade Young.

This is actually out of order, but after we crossed the Canadian border we missed our exit and accidentally took a much longer way through southern British Columbia. However, we have been wrestling with the horrifying notion that the terrain we saw in S.B.C has been the most dazzling so far. Here is Emerald Lake near the Marble Canyon Provincial Park. It was an 7 hour drive through mountain passes to get here...and we only made it 250 miles from the Canadian Border...but it was worth it.

Breakin the Law!

2005-06-06T02:59:00.000-07:00

Rebel
Originally uploaded by Dwyoung.

While freezing our little behinds off in Mammoth we also found time to break some laws. What Liddy is doing is the equivilent of 'cow-tipping' in Walkerville.

Hoover Dam

2005-06-06T02:58:00.000-07:00

HooverLiz
Originally uploaded by Dwyoung.

Our first stop out of Vegas was the Hoover Dam...subject of a very interesting docu on PBS shortly before we left AZ. Curious fact..the first man to die in the construction of the dam and the last man to die in its construction were father and son.

Day 2-Vegas to Mammoth Lake

2005-06-06T02:25:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday we started out from Vegas and made our way through Death Valley (-282 ft elevation). We passed by the Sierra Nevada mountain range and ended the day at the Shady Rest campground in the Inyo National Forest in Mammoth Lake, CA. It was somewhere around 8000 feet above sea level. We froze. We were in bear country. We had to deal with elevation. We were lucky to escape.

Egyptian Experience...

2005-06-06T02:21:00.000-07:00

EgyptTrip
Originally uploaded by Dwyoung.

Our first night was spent in Las Vegas and we enjoyed the hospitality of the Luxor Hotel and Casino. Not much like the television show. We spent 20 bucks on the slots...big losers. We considered blackjack...but $10 dollars a round was a bit steep. We were so addled by the experience in the gross city that we only managed one photo...what you see here.

Portland, Oregon

2005-06-06T00:52:00.000-07:00

We've made it this far, and I'm just now getting this thing running. Here's hoping I can get the pictures to work.