Podcast #2: Grand Canyon to the Midwest

Facing a long push to Springfield, Ohio, we recorded this second podcast as we worked our way through historic small towns in southern Illinois.

Enjoy,

Tim

Leo and Lucy Go Camping

In addition to happy, frolicking dogs, this video shows a nice 360* of our camp site on the north rim of the Grand Canyon. -k8-

Pictures from GART12, Week One

As promised in the previous post, here are a few pictures that accompany some of the tales we told in our premier podcast.

Kate was born in the house that formally stood here at 207 Mill St, Eugene OR. They erected this Memorial Parking Lot in her honor.

Footloose & fancy free!

Car kid

Route 99 is Route 66 turned upside down.

Swimming at the Yuba River in Nevada City, CA.

Chris Flat Campground in the Toiyabe Natl Forest, just off hwy 395 in central CA.

Lucy awaits whatever Kate's grilling.

The full buck moon! (I know this because of Megan.)

Bearing witness to our shameful history.

227 Japanese Americans from Bainbridge Island, WA, lived in block 3.

Cemetery

Route 66 is Route 99 turned upside down!

Hott!

My own, personal library... finally!

The nerve!

Gramps teaches Rowan how to drive a golf cart (the Purple People Mover), just like Pop taught me when I was about R's age.

Gramps took us to a historic saloon for some sarsaparilla!

Oh, you wacky Arizonans...

Tim shows us proper leopard spotting, proving you can get good pizza in Prescott, AZ.

Beep beep!

All great journeys begin with the first steps...

In our premier podcast, Tim, Kate and Rowan discuss the highlights of the first week of our 5-week road trip.

Pictures will follow soon to accompany this podcast. It bears noting that we are posting this from a picnic location on a peak, watching the sun go down over the Grand Canyon on our last of 4 nights here. -k8-

On the Road Again

Without meaning to suddenly stop, four years have passed since my last blog entry. But today, it lives again!

We're on day 6 of a five week cross country road trip and need somewhere to collect our stories and pictures. I've just given author rights to Tim and Rowan so they can also post entries.

Look for updates on our zany adventures as we take the Great American Road Trip 2012!  -k8

drama queen

You probably already read about it in the trades, but anyway, here are some shots from Ballard High's production of Guys and Dolls. The curtain rose and fell over six sold out performances in April.

This was Larkin's first time auditioning for the school musical and she landed a small part as Irish immigrant Martha, one of the Mission girls. They would usually take the stage en masse, a sea of red piety, with Larkin leading the way carrying various signs.

There was much singing.

And dancing.

And a big finish!

It was an impressive production. The kids were obviously giving it their all, and having a lot of fun. Doesn't get better than that!
-k8-

Vantucky

One of the many things I did over the past month+ since falling into blog oblivion was to attend a library conference in Vancouver. That's Washington's Vancouver, not the highly desirable, very cosmo, soul-enchanting city in British Columbia. Our own Vancouver is directly across the Columbia River from Portland, OR, and serves as its less popular big sister who keeps getting passed up for the dance. I have to tell you that I found her to have a lovely personality, a strong back, and a good sense of rhythm.

Being that close to Portland made it a prime op to dine with my favorite brother in the whole entire world. Here he is doing his thing. Looks a lot like my thing, doesn't it?













Unfortunately, I took a whole lot of extremely boring conference pictures. Lucky for you, I will not be sharing any of those. Instead, I'll tell you about going in search of a really old apple tree. I mean a Really Old apple tree.

I heard tell there was this tree, see, somewhere along the Mighty Columbia, and it was considered the oldest known tree from Washington's earliest apple-growing roots. Who wouldn't want to see that?!

I would have been helpless in finding this fabled tree, what with all the other trees distracting me, if it weren't for a most fortuitous sign.
















Following the arrow, I went under a rail overpass & voilà! Pommier! In bloom, no less.

















And nearby was this Official Rock, proclaiming:














So it was all true about the Really Old apple tree. That made my entire conference experience 10 times better.

Upon my return home, the oddities continued with Eartha greeting me enthusiastically.



















And the day finished with yet another freak snow occurrence! Check out these chilly buds. -k8-

walking the walk

With spring so busy springing around here, I haven't made the time to sit down and tap out a proper entry. But then I received a CD of pictures that made it impossible for me not to make the time.

The disk was compliments of Dave "Longshot" Lonergan, the official photographer for Team Laugh. For those not in the know, Team Laugh is the MS Walk team that I co-captain with my sister, Sarah. Check out a few of these top notch shots from Dave...

First this one of Team Laugh before starting out. Back row, L to R, is Dave, Emerich, the space where Tim & Martin would be if they weren't busy gabbing, Max, and Rob. Middle row is Pam in the red scarf, Nick, Emma, Maya, Larkin, Jen, Malila, Sandra, and Tom. Bringing up the front is Kate, Eamon, Rowan, Sarah, and honorary team member Chas, who actually walks with his sister's team.














Most everyone either dressed for the "laugh" theme, or were willing to wear some of the festive props Sarah brought. None was more willing than my zany nephew, Max. Only the foolish fell for his "smell my flower" trick!



















With over 4000 walkers, it would have been easy to lose each other, so we had an official team beacon I kept tied to my backpack. It bobbed above the masses and I hear it was easy for my teammates to spot from anywhere.












Rowan's BFF, Eamon, was on hand for the event. He dedicated his walk to his dad, Andy, who's learning to live with ALS.



























My pal, Tina, captains her own team, RIBS (Roosevelt Icy Beverage Society).













Everyone who was anyone was there, including these Storm Troopers, who briefly took some of our gals captive.













It truly warmed my heart every time I walked behind a group of my teammates and saw those signs on their backs! (This is the one picture I took, not Dave.)














Martin and Emerich enjoy a water break.














Everyone had big smiles on their faces as they crossed the finish line. Sarah, Pam, and Sandra collect their high fives from the welcoming committee.



















Despite the sore feet, Malila and Larkin keep smiling.




















Once everyone reassembled, it was off to a fabulous brunch at the Eastside Grill, with the owner hosting us in the private dining room that overlooks Lake Union. They even picked up half our tab! Be sure to patronize their fine establishments...and tell them "Library Kate" sent you!

For our first year as Team Laugh, I was overwhelmed with what we accomplished. With 20+ walkers, we raised over $1500 in donations toward MS research and programs. Thank you so much! But just as surprising was how fun it was. There was a real sense of team spirit, and that we were doing something that collectively counted for more than the sum of its parts.

I hope even more folks can join us next year. And this time, bring a friend!
-k8-