Backpacking Bill

Later this month I will be traveling to the White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, to participate in the Bataan Memorial Death March. Tina will come with me as well as her cousin Sharon and Sharon’s husband Bruce.

The Genesis of this adventure is my High School (The New Mexico Military Institute) alumni association. They send a group to the march every year. Although the official march is quite a challenge (run a marathon with a 35 pound pack on a course that includes loose sand), I am planning to do a less challenging activity. I will walk a 15 mile section of the course with no 35 pound pack. That will be quite enough challenge for me. Also, I plan to walk with Bruce not my high school team. Hopefully Tina and her cousin will find a place to enjoy margaritas while Bruce and I walk.

I did participate in the marathon (but walking) a  few years ago during Covid. I was able to participate in a virtual mode with a tracking app. I have recently learned that some 5000 people will be participating in the event at White Sands this year, mostly military. So, Bruce and I will have a lot of company.

I found out recently that the reason my alumni association participates is because there were a number of graduates in the original march in the Philippines.

I am trying to get ready for this adventure by walking and, alternately, working out at the gym. Yesterday I did 8+ miles. The gym director has suggested a number of exercises to get me ready. I have a way to go but little time to get in shape. We leave for New Mexico on the 18th.

I have not been diligent in my Christmas blog. Now back in South Carolina, I will do a little catch up. One of the highlights was a dinner we had at a country inn called Tavern at GrayBarn. The manager is a friend of Jim. Great service great food great evening.

And we could not leave the area without going to Colony Pizza

Well, we packed up and headed south. Emma James and Noodle went to New Haven to catch a flight.

Tina and I went to MD to visit her cousin for New Year celebration. Got to meet some new additions to their extended family. A wonderful time with wonderful hosts.

When we left Connecticut Jim was coming down with a flu. Then Tina came down with it. Although we were planning to take two days for the drive from Maryland to South Carolina, we elected to do it in one. That was due to my coming down with the same thing.

This evening we went to a pizza place. Don’t know why but, Connecticut has the best pizza.

On the way back to the VRBO we stopped at Stu Leonard’s. Shared an ice cream cone dipped in butter. It was actually good, who could have guessed?

After shopping in Westport, we went to an Irish Pub to watch Manchester United.

Then we were treated to a snowy New England evening.

The entire family is here.

We had a great Christmas morning but, I didn’t take any photos.

As usual we are eating well.

A walk on the beach.

Although I did not take a lot of photos, this was a great Christmas.

We were reinforced in our decision to move south to a warmer climate.

Yesterday was a truly beautiful mid December day here in the Low Country of South Carolina, temperature in the mid 70’s. I point this out as I am preparing to travel to New England for a Christmas holiday.

Leaving in the morning. Car is serviced, cleaned and packed But today is another great day in the Low Country. The weather should be cooperative for the trip. Plan is to have a loose schedule, stopping wherever we want.

We have one more party to attend this evening. We have found there to be a great community here.

Travel

Made it to New England with one short stop in Virginia.

Encounter some weather when we got here.

Haven’t seen one of these in a while

There were some mighty fine cars on display at the show. I will let the cars speak for themselves.

It was a fun outing, got to talk with a number of friends. And, met some new people.

It has been months since I made a post. It speaks to the mundane life I am living these past few months. That is not to say that things have not been happening:

• We are in the middle of a bathroom remodel. We’ve moved upstairs and left the bedroom and master bathroom to demo guys, plumbers, tilers and electricians.
• Tina is getting a new knee. Hopefully the bathroom project will be completed and she will not have to stay in the Carolina Room. With a new knee, we hope to finally do the Camino in Spain.

But, I am going to post about something that is not nearly as momentous as bathroom renovations, new knee or Camino. It is time for the annual Hampton Hall Car Show. I have been cleaning and polishing the Jeep. It looks pretty good, considering. So, weather permitting, I will post some HHCC photos.

The head of the Car Club encourages me to enter it. It is considered a classic due to its age, built in 2000. It has a fun story and a long history in our family. I believe the lineup is interesting: Mercedes, Porsche, Porsche, Jeep, Ferrari. I can take comfort in the fact that, unlike some of my Corvette friends, I can actually get into and out of my fun car.

I will supply photos during the show.

The head Car Club guy also wanted me to enter the Hilton Head concourse  d’elegance for which our club has some spaces this year. Not ready for that league.

We decided to spend our last full day instead of Calgary, our departure point. It turned out to be a good idea. Calgary is just another large city with its airport outside of town.

The shuttle driver from our hotel to the airport was Spanish from Galicia in northern Spain. He once owned a local restaurant featuring Spanish dishes from Galicia. Taxes and regulations put him out of business. I did learn the proper way to prepare octopus, pulpo in Spanish. And I learned the difference between the Atlantic and Pacific octopus. Unfortunately most of the Spanish population in the Calgary area has returned to Spain. Moved due to lack of opportunities and a government that is just as oppressive as Spain. It’s better to endure it with friends and family.

Returning on WestJet, a Delta affiliate. This is the first plane I have been on in years that doesn’t have video entertainment.

Delay, delay, delay. Spending a lot of time in the Atlanta airport due to delays of our flight. Found out why by checking local news in Savannah. Evidently there was a bomb threat and they cleared the airport.

Getting back to Savannah is turning into an adventure. A bomb threat shut down the Savannah Airport. This delayed our flight. Weather delayed the flights into and out of Atlanta. We boarded the plane and were number 28 for takeoff. The crew timed out on their regulated time to fly. The saga continues.

They let some people off the plane without their stuff. Now they have to deplane all the passengers with all their stuff, have security check the plane then board everyone again.

They got a new pilot. Now that flight attendants have timed out. We are waiting for the new attendants before we can board the plane.

Good thing we don’t have someone waiting to pick us up.

Rolled into the garage at about 2:30 am.

Some good photos Tina sent me of our last day in Banff

Starting the day at a real Canadian place, Tooloulou’s Cajun Kitchen. The breakfast was great.

Next was a hike to Banff Falls.

Before we leave the area we wanted to take the gondola. Neither Tina nor I love heights so this was a challenge.

Lunch at the top was unexpectedly good.

We are both ready to get home