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40 years in 4 days

Trying to cram a 40 year reunion into four days of visiting may have aged me.

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Left the fall beauty of the North Rim Wednesday before noon.

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Then drove to Las Vegas to catch a flight to Chicago.

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After landing at 6am, I picked up the rental car and headed to the suburbs.  Of course I drove by the old homestead.

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Felt a little lost most of the time as old landmarks had disappeared. Most of the street names seemed familiar.  It was more like visiting a new place than going home.  Yet my schoolmate and hostess Sandee made me feel right at home in her beautiful house where I had my own room with a most comfortable bed.

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Before going to the first reunion function Thursday night I filled a food craving at Portillo’s, Italian Beef.  Only authentic in Chicago.

There’s so much more to tell.

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Arizona, Illinois, travel 19 Comments

Packing for two journeys

On my way to Las Vegas, and the Chicago area, and Toroweap.  The weather is different everywhere.  There’s a dress up event for the 40th reunion (not too fancy), hiking at Starve Rock, and camping after I return.  So I’m packing for totally different activities.  Thank goodness I can leave the camp gear behind.

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It’s a five hour drive to Vegas.  I’m taking my brother and wife out to dinner.  Then fly out at 1am.  What was I thinking to take the red-eye?

I’m fighting a cold which I have to believe is on its way out.  I believe knock-out pills would be in order for the four hour flight.  When I land at 6:30am Central time my body will be at 4:30am Arizona time.  First order will be a quadruple-almond-mocha-latte on the way to the car rental.

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On the way to my friend’s house where I’ll be staying, about 70 miles out of the city, I’ll wander thru the old suburban neighborhoods.  If I can recognize them, or even find them, as I see on Maps a whole lot of new freeways and tollroads.  Note to self:  carry small bills.

Taking the netbook, and cameras of course, so am hoping to post along the way.

travel 11 Comments

Completing the Johnson Canyon Road loop

After shaking the sand out of our boots from walking the dunes at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park we continued our drive north on State Route 89 to Glendale in search of the Glendale Bench Road, also known as Johnson Canyon Road.
We drove through Glendale, about five blocks long, twice looking for this elusive road then stopped in at the Post Office and asked directions.  We were told where to turn, that the pavement ends on top and, NOT to turn off the road so we wouldn’t get lost.
Once “on top” of the bench views spread northward to the Pink Cliffs at the southern edge of Bryce Canyon National Park… 
…and east towards the Grand Staircase Escalante.
  After about 15-20 miles of gravel… 
…we rejoined the pavement where we’d turned around before.
Then drove back through the Navajo Sandstone that flanks Johnson Canyon.
   We saw a few cars parked by the old movie set, behind locked gate, and noticed a hangin’ goin’ on.
And Mike spotted the Eagle Arch which we couldn’t find on the last drive.  Probably because it was marked on the wrong side of the road on the map.
We’ve just about exhausted the options of things to do and places to see around Kanab and my truck should be out of the shop Monday by close of business.  Which means, I’m on the road again and heading for Flagstaff.
Johnson Canyon, road trip, travel, Utah 7 Comments

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