Degreenifying plans for 2015

Spring!

Restarting this travel diary after over three months' neglect ...here's my rough travel outline for the year, written in beach sand. I expect changes.

• Hang gliding in New Hampshire, at least two weeks. I will be tent camping, channeling my father's Depression Era cheapskate approach to recreation.
• Cross country drive with Tess, Sean, and Cocoa in early June. This will likely be the most fun per resource unit I will have all year! Itinerary is theirs to control, I'm just along as #2 driver and supercargo.
• Two - three weeks as a guest of a generous couple, wandering Puget Sound's Olympic National Forest and letting my body adjust to high altitude climbing.
• Space-A flight from Travis AB to Yokota AB in Japan. Rambles will be guided by circumstance, when I get there, what I find, who I meet. Possibilities include visiting the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, the Gion Matsuri festival in Kyoto, and of course climb to Fuji-san's 3776 meter summit -- hopefully to see the sunrise! Core intent, though, is just renewing my acquaintance, relearning the courtesies and cultural norms of this fascinating culture.

 (For readers who do not waste their time following the artistic antics on Broadway -- "degreenifying" is the youthful Elphaba's wish in Wicked, and an allusion to what a rolling stone does not gather.)

Tennessee rocks

Interesting cuts noted from the freeway in central Tennessee.

Last post for this blog, thanks for reading!

Shenandoah

Overnight stay with the Dunns to admire once again grandson Sean's Lego® Ring Transporter, enjoy his new favorite game (Kerbal Space Program, very cool -- build a spaceship and launch it!), catch up on family matters.

The four legged animals also welcomed me cheerfully -- including the Best Wedding Present Ever, also known as Poptart.

Coco and Graysia

Poptart

Recovering in Round Hill, Virginia, from three hours' dancing with the truckers again, up the Shenandoah Valley on Interstate 81. Still trying not to think about the tanker truck with the "Liquified Chicken" label.

Could Tennessee what Arkansas? Sure hope not.

Final stretch of driving began today, running off nine hours of dancing with 18 wheelers through the construction on Interstates 35 and 40. In easier traffic, I would have enjoyed paying more attention to the layered construction processes visible over the jersey barriers, but ....

Terrie and Joe, my hosts in Dallas generously sat with their dogs last night to suppress a second a capella performance for the house guest. The dogs really are entertaining -- one marks the beat, one sings tenor, and the other two contribute more or less on-key.

Tonight, though, I will have to settle for the road noise from outside of a Motel 6 in Jackson, Tennessee, the home of railroad legend Casey Jones. Who knew?

Casey Jones Museum

Sunday night, I will be back in Virginia; Monday, heading north-northeast and dancing with more 18-wheelers.

Dallas

My hosts Terrie and Joe. Their four dogs were dismissed from the room on charges of overly rowdy behavior.

Next stop -- Jackson, Tennessee, halfway between Dallas and Pilot, on Saturday evening.

More Arizona and New Mexico rocks

Since I have a usable WiFi connection tonight -- here's some more photos. Enjoy!

Hasta que nos veamos de nuevo, Señor Saguaro

Mogollon Rim looking up

Mogollon Rim plateau

Mogollon Rim looking down

White sandstone?

Wind blown dunes of White Sand!

Many of us have this kind of morning

Albuquerque

Albuquerque,  New Mexico.  Forty three years ago, I flew in to this town for the ROTC induction records review and medical exam... A lot has changed since then.

Two sharp memories remain: going to a downtown   movie theater alone to see "Tora, Tora, Tora!",  and the interviewer asking if I knew that one of my references had written that I was not suitable for military service.  Vielen  Dank,  Herr Doktor  Flotow.

Hotel Wi-Fi is on its knees,  hope to have better luck uploading photos tomorrow.