Archive for Uncategorized
December 15, 2007 at 9:23 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
There are certain things which make Anza-Borrego a favorite place for us to visit. One is the weird dichotomy of civilized town and wild desert. In one there is knowledge and service, and in the other is the place where those things are needed if you are to understand what you are seeing and how to survive it.
Emma started off the day with a special ranger program for kids only (no parents allowed), where she learned about tarantulas. Led by the ranger, she went looking for some but unfortunately there weren’t any to be found. Oddly enough, Emma is scared of little spiders but not of tarantulas. It has been repeatedly proposed that we keep one as a pet in the trailer, but I have vetoed this idea. I can imagine the day we pull in after towing, only to find a broken glass aquarium and no pet inside. It would be a long sleepless night waiting for the furry legs to show up in bed.
When Emma returned from her talk/walk, she was sporting a new Junior Ranger badge that looks like a six-pointed sheriff’s star, for having completed the state park workbook. I’ve lost count of how many she has earned. When we get to our new home base, Eleanor plans to mount them on a giant board of some type.
Seeing Anza-Borrego really requires four-wheel drive. The drive to Font’s Point, for example, involves deep sand and ruts, but it gives you a terrific perspective on the badlands section of the park, which otherwise you’ll never see. You can see some of the badlands in the background of the picture above.
After Font’s Point we decided to do a little more exploring. The Nissan is pretty nimble on these roads, for its size. The roads run from mild and passable by a car, to unbelievably difficult even for dune buggies and jeeps. We stuck to the moderate roads. The little descent above was probably the toughest thing we encountered and it wasn’t really hard at all.
Tommy and Kathy are leaving tomorrow so we passed on further exploration, to get back to camp before sunset for some more jamming. This time we begged Eleanor to join us as vocal accompaniment. She’s pretty good at the Hawaiian tunes and it helped a lot, so I’m hoping she’ll stay involved as I practice.
To cap off the session, Tommy had Eleanor and I perform a song without his help (“White Sandy Beach” by Willie Dan) and it actually went pretty well. At the end he gave us both big hugs and raved about how far my playing has progressed in two weeks. Tommy’s a good teacher and he knows how to encourage people. We’re still not ready for prime time, but maybe with some practice we’ll be ready for a private showing by summertime.
December 14, 2007 at 8:43 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Am I a success at ukulele? Tommy says I’m doing well. I’ve learned a half dozen chords and can fumble into a few others. My strumming is coming along, although very basic. I can work my way through a few simple songs, and even sing along with myself.
But Eleanor got a report from a fellow camper that they changed sites today. Not knowing that Eleanor was complicit in our scheme to treat the campground to the sound of my practicing, they confessed to her that the ukulele music in the afternoon was bothering their cats.
Tommy and Rich work on a new routine to annoy cats
I spent the day from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. working in the Airstream, but broke away as the sun was setting to join Tommy by his Airstream again. We both donned our Hawaiian shirts for the occasion. Part of the fun of playing ukulele is getting to dress up, wear a lei if you want, and sing silly songs. What other hobby gives you such opportunities?
Emma got into it too. That little soprano uke is just right for her. She’s holding it much more confidently now, and has learned two chords, C and F. That’s all she needs to play a very basic tune. I hope we can keep her interested long enough to learn a little about music, because this will be our homeschooling music lesson. Any instrument that holds her attention will do, and right now she likes the uke because she can do it with Tommy and me.
For all the scenic beauty around us, it’s tough practicing right now. We’ve been getting peak temperatures in the upper 60s, but things change fast in the afternoon. Our window of opportunity is small. By 5:30 it was into the 50s and my fingers were too cold to play anymore, even with a little campfire nearby. Last night the campground hit a low of 32, which is pretty much as cold as it gets here in normal conditions. (I know none of you in other parts of the country are crying for us since you’re probably experiencing much colder temperatures and even s–w.)
Bill checked in today via email. Apparently inspired by the blog, he has agreed to dust off his mandolin for a little bluegrass strumming. He’ll be here on Thursday. I have no idea how a ukulele and a mandolin played by two rank amateurs will sound, but I am sure of one thing: the cats won’t like it.
December 10, 2007 at 11:45 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
Our visit with Brian and Leigh has been one of the most successful courtesy parking episodes ever. We set a record for driveway parking: six nights. Normally we’re gone in a day or two, but this time we had nowhere in particular to go and lots of reason to stay.
Today we finally hitched up and pulled out, with the general intent of cruising Route 93 south toward Needles. But first we headed up to North Las Vegas to get a wash at the Blue Beacon Truck Wash. The trailer has been desperately dirty for weeks, to the point that I hate to even walk near it. A light-brown film covers every surface, and streaks of brownish goo drip down the side when there’s condensation. This always seems to happen to us when we drive through the Los Angeles area.
This time we totally struck out on the truck wash. There was a line of 10 big rigs ahead of us at the wash, which meant a wait time of over an hour. We backed out into the street (Eleanor jumped out of the truck to help me back up without crashing into traffic) and headed south in the fast-waning sun. We didn’t exactly shine.
OK, when you hear of Needles, California, what do you think of? Be honest. Do you think of Spike, Snoopy’s brother who lived out in the desert near Needles? Do you think of that line in the song “Never Been To Spain” by Three Dog Night?
Well I never been to England
But I kinda like the Beatles
Well, I headed for Las Vegas
Only made it out to Needles
It’s one of those towns that has a vague identity for easterners, even though we’ve all heard of it. Historic Route 66 runs through town but there’s not a lot of impact from that. Needles isn’t close to much (except the gambling town of Laughlin, NV, on the other side of the Colorado River). It’s just a quiet spot along the Colorado River, a place to go waterskiing in the desert.
One thing is for sure, you don’t think of low gas prices here. As an outpost, it has exceptionally expensive fuel. Regular unleaded in town runs $3.85 for the cash-only place and $3.89-4.09 everywhere else. We bought ten gallons and will fill up completely in Palm Springs.
December 5, 2007 at 10:01 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
We are comfortably settled next to Brian and Leigh’s house. They’ve been making comments about how the Airstream looks like it belongs here … and since they are currently Airstream-less, this sounds very dangerous. The trailer does fit nicely next to the driveway. I know they are thinking about getting back on the road in the next two years. Will we cause them to accelerate their plans? I’d like to think so.
Emma has been struck down by a cold, probably the result of flying five hours across the Pacific just a couple of seats away from a couple that were sneezing. This is one of the things we really hate about flying. It seems like one of us always catches a cold after a flight. That’s one of the reasons I try especially hard to avoid flying in the winter. Emma has spent the day resting, reading, drinking fluids and eating Clementines, with occasional breaks to toss a ball for Curtis the dog. She was slated to do home schooling all day but we gave her the day off.
However, it was no day off for me. I set up in Brian and Leigh’s home office, and the three of us just put our heads down and worked all day. At the end of the day, they took a poker break and taught me a few things about the game.
Anyone who follows their blog knows that Leigh and Brian are consummate poker players. They are the kind of players I like, not flashy, but very consistent. They play an intellectual game, studying the nuances, and they work at it. As a result, they are very good. I felt privileged to play with them for an hour.
We’ve got much more work to do this week, so we’ll stay parked in the driveway at least one more night. There’s no rush to go especially now that Emma is a bit down, and I can certainly make us of the work time. If there’s extra time this week, and Emma is feeling better, we’ll try the Children’s Museum and maybe visit the 4-D “Polar Express” ride at the Excalibur.
December 1, 2007 at 11:15 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
It has been a relaxed, un-rushed week in Oahu, but with today being our last day we felt the pressure of the things left undone. One of the top items on our list was to have dim sum in Chinatown, since we may not be able to get to San Diego to have it with our friends Bill and Larry. I was also surprised to discover that Eleanor had only had dim sum once in her life, at the age of 19, which was (mathematically speaking) centuries ago. Finding a culinary experience that Eleanor has not had is a rare thing. The things you discover after 14 years of marriage …
Emma had a battle with the chopsticks. She has used them before, but dim sum put her to the test. To her credit, she was not defeated and resisted the offer of a fork.
Dim sum was a huge success with all. We had a delicious brunch at Mei Sum in Chinatown and I can highly recommend the place. For all three of us the total was only $20 and we walked out quite stuffed.
Another thing on our list was to drive the Pali Highway over the mountains and get a view from the highway overlook. The mountains were shrouded in clouds and the overlook was closed, but the drive was beautiful anyway. We ended up exploring a few state beaches on the windward side, until Eleanor spotted the Honolulu Nut and Ukulele Company in Waimanolo. (Strange combination, I know.)
There’s a backstory here. Years ago in Rockport ME I bought a cheap $30 uke and a songbook, and then never really got up to speed with the ukulele. When we sold our house, Eleanor insisted on taking it with us in the Airstream. It has ridden around with us for two years, virtually untouched. About two weeks ago I ran into Tommy Green at the Airstream rally near Los Olivos, and he cajoled me into trying again. Tommy, a fellow Airstreamer, has a collection of ukes and is pretty good with them.
In two weeks we will meet Tommy and Kathy Green in the California desert and I expect to get two or three days of uke lessons. I want to make them count and actually come out strumming. So I went into the Hawaiian Nuts and Ukulele Company and bought a tuner and a beginner’s guide. All was well until I decided to try some of the better quality ukes to see what the difference was between a $30 cheapie and a … um. … somewhat more expensive model.
You can see where this is going, can’t you?
Well, I really liked the tenor ukulele made of mango wood for its big sound and comfortable feel, and of course to take it home I needed a case. Now I have a very nice tenor uke — my Christmas present from Eleanor — and Emma has a $30 soprano uke waiting for her under the bed in our Airstream, in like-new condition. While I was in the store, the staff taught me three chords and I can actually play them fairly well already. With a little more practice I’ll be ready for Tommy’s tutelage, and if I’m lucky Emma may come right along with me.
A little further south along the windward coast is Makapuu Point, and a state wayside where you can hike a paved trail about a mile up to a high point with panoramic views. There’s a cute little lighthouse visible from the trail, but the best part is the view toward Makapuu Beach State Park and the bird sanctuary islands of Kaohikaipu and Manana. The reef areas off the beach are clearly visible with polarized sunglasses. If we had another day I would certainly return for some snorkeling.
All over the island at beaches and waysides there are warnings not to leave valuables in your car. Sadly, break-ins are common. While we were parking at Makapuu State Wayside the police showed up to take a report from some sad tourists whose car was broken into in the middle of the day. The parking lot was busy with people coming and going but apparently the thieves just waited for a quiet minute. That’s all they need to conduct a simple “smash and grab” theft. You really can’t take chances here with valuables in a car.
My friend Bill Reilly called while we were on the hike up the point. He’s decided to build an Airstream coffee shop, and is looking for an Argosy 20 shell. The Argosy is essentially a “painted Airstream” that was built in the 1970s. Anyone who knows of a short one available for a reasonable price in the southeast US, let me know.
So with those things and another round of Bento boxes for dinner, we’ve wrapped up our Hawaiian vacation. Sunday we fly back to California and resume the Airstream life. It has been fun here but I’m looking forward to getting home. I have found I sleep better in the Airstream, and I can work more efficiently, and we only have a few precious weeks left before we have to return to home base for a while. We’re going to try to make the most of them.
November 30, 2007 at 11:30 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
When planning our trip to Oahu we wanted to avoid Waikiki Beach as much as possible. So we only booked three nights here, and we were right to do so. It’s not a bad place but it is so crowded and built-up that it feels like a mix of Miami, New Orleans, and Manhattan. It doesn’t feel like the Hawaii we are used to, probably because we usually seek out the quiet spots, and Waikiki is a traffic-bound tourist trap.
Even the beach isn’t that great. It’s busy, and in some places the towering hotels are right up against the ocean with only a tiny strip of sand for the hordes to occupy. Strange, because just a short drive away by car (or bus ride) are some truly spectacular beaches.
But if you like to shop, Waikiki is great. The main drag is dominated by malls and knick-knack shops. On the Ewa side are all those hoity-toity brands for people who have more money than they know what to do with, and for the average Joe there’s an ABC Store on every block extending for a mile toward Diamond Head. If you can’t find an ATM, a McDonald’s, an ABC Store, or a sushi place in Waikiki Beach, you’re not looking.
There are so many restaurants catering to Japanese tourists here that it feels like we are in Japan at times. Hawaii has had a significant Japanese population since before it was a state, and today it is like an outpost of Japan. Our hotel is Japanese-owned, and all the staff are Japanese. Signs everywhere are bilingual. Our dinners have been udon noodle soups and Bento boxes. It’s fun — we like the food and I like imagining I’m in Japan. Someday we hope to go there for real.
Since the weather today was too cloudy for good snorkeling and occasionally too rainy for sightseeing, we spent the day on foot exploring Waikiki Beach and buying a few Christmas gifts for family. But enough of that. We have had too much of the tourist machine already.
At one point we hopped a free shuttle bus and found ourselves on a one-way trip to Hilo Hattie’s “flagship store” on the other side of downtown Honolulu. Not only could we not escape, but we spent an hour in purgatory on the bus, trapped in dense Friday afternoon traffic (to go six miles). Once we arrived at Hilo Hattie’s there was just enough time for Eleanor to buy the particular brand of Kona coffee she likes, and hop back on the bus again to fight our way back to Waikiki.
There was one bright spot to that adventure. The driver, desperate to avoid the traffic, invented a highly creative route to get us back. This involved driving through a shopping mall parking garage, and at one point, turning down a narrow alley marked “Construction Traffic Only.” As we passed the construction machines in the early evening darkness, an announcement came over the buses P.A. system: “OK … We didn’t go here, and you didn’t see this.” Nope, we didn’t — and we don’t plan to see it again, either.
November 29, 2007 at 11:38 pm · Filed under Uncategorized
We’ve moved from the leeward side of the island over to the classically tourist downtown of Honolulu, known as Waikiki Beach. Here things are much different, with high-rise hotels and lots of prosperity. The tent cities and depressed areas further west seem very distant.
Yesterday afternoon the sun came out again and we went down to Ko Olina, an area of timeshare resorts on the leeward side where four man-made lagoons have been carved out of the wavy seashore. A book I’d read suggested that the lagoons would be good for snorkeling, but they weren’t. That’s what happens when non-snorkelers write tips on snorkeling.
Lagoons tend to collect murk, which kills the visibility. Also, since these were man-made, they have sandy bottoms with no reef or rocks, thus they are unattractive to reef fish. We saw a couple of angelfish and that was about it. But the lagoons are wonderful places to swim, even on a wavy day, because they are well sheltered.
Emma has been clamoring for more snorkeling so we decided to visit Hanauma Bay State Park a few miles east of Waikiki Beach. I was expecting an overcrowded beach and more murky conditions caused by clueless swimmers stirring up the sand and stepping on the delicate reef, but Hanauma was a pleasant surprise.
Formed by a flooded ancient crater, Hanauma Bay is reputedly the most beautiful state park in Hawaii, and I can believe it. Popular since the 1950s, it was a bit abused for a while. People overfished it, they trampled the delicate coral (thus killing it), and the first transpacific undersea cable between Hawaii and California was laid right in the middle of the bay. (They did this by blasting a 200-foot wide channel with dynamite, which has since been filled in by sand.)
But lately Hanauma Bay been very well cared for by a volunteer group. Now, just to enter the park you must first watch an educational video about how to protect the reef and the sea life. There’s also a very good visitor center with information about the coral, fish, and other sea life. Admission is $5 per person (kids free), and parking is a buck. With all these barriers in place, people seem to really respect the park, and I heard a lot of people talking about the care they were taking to avoid stepping on the living coral, steering clear of the sea turtles, etc. That’s a real contrast to what I have seen around reefs in the Florida Keys.
Near the shore the water was predictably murky with perhaps 8-10 feet of visibility. Still, Emma was thrilled to spot a moray eel almost immediately (his mouthful of teeth scared her a little), and numerous colorful reef fish. Visibility improved about 100 feet offshore, and with the educational video still fresh in her mind, Emma was extremely careful not to step down or touch the coral.
While she was on the shore resting, I went out past the wave break, maybe 200 yards offshore, and found slightly clearer water and a wider variety of fish. I also spotted a small Green Sea Turtle (called honu by Hawaiians) and watched him eat algae off the coral for a few minutes. Of course Emma couldn’t pass up on this, so I took her out to the deeper water and we spotted another, slightly larger sea turtle. By all accounts, it was a very successful couple of hours of snorkeling.
I read a Dave Barry essay once where he described visiting the ocean and not going underwater as being like going to the circus and just watching the outside of the Big Top. It’s true. Under the sea is the real show, full of incredible creatures and tiny dramas. I watched a school of Convict fish swarming coral areas for food, while a solitary little brown fish bravely attacked them one at a time to drive them away from his territory. I watched a moray eel swim slowly in and out of his little cave, baring his menacing teeth. Little yellow tangs swam timidly below me, while a green sea turtle placidly bounced from one coral outcrop to another. There were strange things buried in the sand and deep in coral caves that we only spotted because they moved. And yet from the shore it was just another beautiful Hawaiian beach.
We get looks from people because we snorkel in our shorty wetsuits. Nobody else does. Most people don’t bring their own gear, either, preferring to rent it from Snorkel Bob’s or (in this case) right at the beach. So we stand out when we arrive bearing all our stuff, but I don’t mind. Wearing the wetsuits gives added protection against scrapes or possible stings, plus protection against the sun, plus added flotation, plus we can stay in the water much longer.
The water is warm enough to snorkel or swim without a wetsuit, certainly. It’s running around 75-80 degrees right now, and even warmer next to the shore. But far out, past the break, I could reach down and find my hand on the cold side of a thermocline, which felt about 10 degrees colder. Very few people other than me ventured out there, and they didn’t stay long. But that’s where we found the sea turtles. Sometimes a little extra effort gets you a big bonus.
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