Arctic Thunder

The Airshow was in town this past weekend. "Artic Thunder" is held every two years at Elmendorf Air Force Base, and it is free to the public. This years two day event attracted over 175,000 people. This years main attraction was the Thunderbird precision flying team.

The weather was "ok", but the brief rain showers and cool temps didn't keep anyone from having a good time. We brought the stroller and prepared to walk the almost 3/4 of a mile of military and civilian aircraft displays.

In addition to the displays outside, the show had three huge hangers packed with even more things to see. One hanger had all sorts of things for kids to do; including face painting, a jumpy castle and flight simulators. Zach had to get his face painted, and I almost convinced Renee to have hers done. The hangers were also a great place to eat lunch and duck out of the occasional rain shower.

What is it about Geckos? Zach and his friend Jacob had to have their picture taken with "Geiko". The Z-man loves the Gecko from the Geiko tv adds.

Jacob and his Mom joined us for the event. It was fun seeing Zach hang out with his friend. I thought one kid had a lot of energy, two is like a mini dynamo. They just go, go, go. They ran around all day. I am sure that the sugar from the cotton candy helped fuel their antics.

Here is Zach in a Chinook helicopter. I got to fly in one of these back when I was a cameraman for Channel 11 news here in Anchorage. I was in one of 4 that flew up to the Denali basecamp on the Kahiltna Glacier. They are really cool to fly in.

The promoters of the show recommended hearing protection for all that attend, man, they were right. Even though we were not able to stay for the Thunderbirds, the other flight demonstrations were equally as loud. The F-22's were my favorite. They could fly slow enough to look like they are standing still, to a low level high speed fly-by that will rattle your fillings. It was really neat to see these aircraft up close, both on the ground and in the air.

It's a bird, it's a plane, its . . . its . . . yep, its a plane.

A plane full of a boat load of paratroopers. In addition to the traditional airshow flying, Artic Thunder had quite a few "simulated" air raids and paratrooper drops. A couple of the demonstrations even had huge explosions as planes "dropped bombs" on the runway. I didn't realize it, but the paratroopers with the round paratroops drop at a rate of 20 feet per second. They have to land a certain way, or risk injury.

Here is Zach and his friend looking into the cockpit of a F-16 Tomcat. Unfortunately, this is where my camera battery died, so I don't have anymore pictures to share. But I think that you get the general idea of what went on at the airshow. We certainly had a really good time. The airshow only happens every two years, so we'll be back in 2010. The Blue Angels are scheduled to fly at that show, so we'll be sure to bring our hearing protectors . . . and another camera battery.

Saturdays Project

I have to admit, I like Lowes and Home Depot. I spend a lot of money at these two stores. It is amazing how quickly you can be separated from your hard earned paycheck. I have often kidded about just having my check direct deposited at Lowes, it would save me time in the check out lane.
Now aside from just having a huge selection of tools, lumbar, hardware and anything else for the home, both Lowes and Home Depot have kids projects on Saturdays at 10. Now it is not every Saturday, but Lowes offers their programs for kids twice a month, and Home Depot the first Saturday of every month. These programs are totally free, and it gives the participant a chance to get familiar with tools, hardware building projects . . . yes, they are developing future customers. We usually do these projects during the winter months, but this Saturday seemed perfect for running over to Lowes to see what they had for us to build.

All of the projects look like this in the beginning. The projects are simple and fun to assemble. There is usually a little bit of sanding involves, a little dab of glue here, a nail there. Each one takes approximately 10-15 minutes. Zach is getting better with the projects. In the beginning, he could barely hold the hammer, let alone pound in a nail. Now, after I get the nail started, Zach bangs away until the nail is in properly, or bent and in need of replacement.

Here we are, working hard. I think that Zach has completed around 10 of these projects at Lowes, and around 18 at Home Depot. This weeks project was a baseball game. There are usually around 8 to 10 kids that show up while we are there. Everyone always seems to have a good time together building their project.

For each project the kids complete, you get a patch (Lowes) or a pin (Home Depot), to put on your apron. Sometimes I think that Zach enjoys putting the pin on his apron more than the project itself. We got ours done this time in around 15 minutes. The baseball game is fun (sort of), and we took plenty of pictures to document the event. We'll see you next weekend at Home Depot, don't forget your apron!

Summer Solstice

Summer Solstice is June 21st, the longest day of the year.

To celebrate this year, I decided to come up with a new family tradition. From this day forward the solstice (summer and winter) shall be spent in a tent!

We started out slow for this solstice. Tent "camp" in the living room. We'll see on the winter one too. The tent may have the same spot reserved for solstice in December. The nice thing about living room camping is that we found a nice flat spot with no pine cones, we didn't have to drive anywhere and no bears! Although, I did hear the faint cries of the Saminator throughout the night.

Zach had a good time "camping". I can't think of a better way to celebrate the longest day of the year. Summer at last!

Back to Colorado!

Well, the departure was a little more reasonable than the arrival. I got Mom & Dad to the airport around 8:00 pm. It wasn't too crowded and we were able to park right in front of the door.

Here is everyone saying their goodbyes. Zach had more trouble than the rest of us. He had a really good time with "Papa".

There go the world travelers. Mom & Dad reported back after landing in Denver. Despite an almost full flight, they were able to get the middle seat open between them in their row. The flight went smoothly. They got all of their luggage in the end, and even having a few delays, were able to make the 8 am shuttle to Estes Park. I love it when a plan comes together!

Thanks again for coming up for a visit. We sure had fun. You are welcome anytime, we'll leave a light on for ya!

Time flies when you're having fun.

Well the two weeks went by way to fast. Mom and Dad had a great time here, and we of course had a great time hosting them. Here are a few pictures from their Alaskan side trips.



Mom & Dad took a glacier cruise out of Whittier. Prince William Sound is at its best when viewed from a boat.
Here is Dad taking in the scenery. The weather for the trip was cool and slightly overcast, but the good news was that the seas were calm. Overall a very good day to sight see.

Here is Mom in front of a "bergy bit" in Portage. Portage Glacier is the most visited attraction in Alaska. About 50 years ago, this picture would have looked a lot different, as the glacier was a whole lot closer. Warmer temperates have forced the glacier to recede up the valley. But it is still a fun place to visit, hike around and learn more about the glacier in the visitors center.

Here are the parents at my work. I had to show them how "rough" State employees have it. Of course I got no sympathy.

Whittier Train! Whittier Train! Just another cute shot of "Grandma" and Zach in front of the train.

Here is the gang, braving mosquito's to find a Geocache. I am not sure how many Mom & Dad ended up finding while they were here. I'm guessing it was around 10. I do know that they have 200+ geocaches under their belt. The Alaskan caches definitely help them reach their 200 mark.

What would a trip to Alaska be, with out a visit to the "world's largest chocolate falls"? Mom & Dad are holding a 10 lb chocolate bar, one of the many needed to fill the chocolate falls with around 3000 lbs of chocolate.

It was a fun two weeks. We look forward to visiting with you in Florida in September!

When I'm 64 . . .

Well Dad is turning the big 6 4. It reminded me of the Beatles song "When I'm 64". Renee, Zach and I put together his cake and prepared to celebrate. Very festive!

Dad was born June 22, 1944. A lot has changed since then.

Top Song: Swinging On a Star by Bing Crosby
President: Franklin D. Roosevelt
Bread: $0.09/loaf
Milk: $0.62/gal
Car: $1,225
Gas: $0.21/gal
House: $8,649
Stamps: $0.03
Avg Income: $2,675/year
Min Wage: $0.30/hr


Here is the Birthday boy. Superstar!

I thought that this card was funny. I think Dad did too?

Here is Dad's #1 fan. Zach was eager to help "Papa" blow out the candles on the cake. He also reminded us that "pretty soon he is going to be 5", yeah, only 330 days to go! It was nice spending time with Dad on his Birthday. Sadly we are not able to do this often. That's what happens when you live 5 timezones away from someone. So we enjoyed the time while we had it. We all ate way to much cake. Thanks again for sharing your fun day. Happy Birthday!

It's finally Summer?

Well, the weather finally turned nice enough to start thinking about camping. That and I finally have all of the projects on the camper done. So I hooked up the camper to the 4-wheeler and pulled the camper out of the garage and onto the driveway for the season.

The 4-wheeler did an excellent job of moving the camper. It sure beat hooking up the truck to it, or trying to push it out by hand. The 4-wheeler has a 700cc engine, 4 wheel disc brakes and is rated to pull 1250lbs. While the camper weighs more than that (not much more), I was only pulling it 25 feet in the driveway. This was the first time I have pulled anything with the 4-wheeler (except for my buddy Dustin's Honda 4-wheeler), so I was a bit apprehensive. It really pulled well, I barely knew it was back there. The 4-wheeler has power steering so turning was a breeze. I think that it took all of 5 minutes to move.

Now the camper is a 2000 Burro camper. It measures 14 feet long and weighs around 2000 pounds. Renee and I bought it in Texas in 06, and pulled it behind the Jeep on our move back to Alaska. Since buying the camper, I have re-worked or replaced almost everything on/in it. My latest projects were the awning(the box on the side of the camper), rock shield(black stuff on the front, think Rhino liner) and I installed an electric water pump. The camper is now tricked out and ready for the great outdoors. You will probably see a lot more of this camper in future posts.

Dad was a good spotter for the camper extraction maneuver. Dad actually drove up to Alaska with Zach and I for the last leg of the Alaska move, so he knows the camper well. He helped me with the sink project and re-shimming the awning. It's official, we are now ready for summer!

Whittier Train

Well, what is there to do in Alaska anyway? Well, how about a train ride to Whittier? The Alaska Railroad offers passenger trips all over Alaska. From Anchorage you can go south all the way to Seward, or how about a trip to Denali? The Alaska Railroad provides an excellent way to see the real Alaska from the comfort of its rail coaches. All Aboard!

The trip from Anchorage to Whittier takes about an hour. The train barrels through Anchorage on its way south. Along the trip, you'll hug the edge of the Chugach mountains passing along scenic Turnagain Arm and the small towns of Indian Valley, Bird Creek and Girdwood. The train eventually winds it's way back to the Whittier Tunnel where it proceeds through the mountain. This is way better than driving, as the train has huge windows, comfortable seating, a dining car and someone to do the driving for you.

Here are some relaxed travelers having a snack in the dining car. Mom & Dad took advantage of some one on one time with Zach and perfect weather. (I'll talk more about the weather later).

Zach loves the train. This is his second trip to Whittier on the train. The route going south to Whittier and then eventually Seward, passes by our house as it leaves Anchorage for Turnagain Arm. Even though the tracks are almost a mile and a half from the house, every time Zach hears a train whistle from the house he screams, "Whittier train! Whittier train! Did you hear that?, It's the Whittier Train!!!" The kid has good hearing and the notion that EVERY train going south is indeed the Whittier train.

What a view. Perfect weather. Now, great weather on THIS side of the mountains is no indicator that the weather will be great in Whittier. Today was no exception. Although the weather was pleasant in Whittier, It was amazing to see the difference between one side of the tunnel and the other. The mountain that the tunnel bores through is a huge barrier often keeping the bad weather confined to Prince William Sound. It was literally sunny, 70 degrees and no wind on the Portage side of the tunnel, and overcast, 50 degrees and a steady breeze of 10 kts. from the south in Whittier.

Despite the cooler temps, we had a wonderful picnic lunch at the pavilion in Whittier. Renee and I drove the truck to Whittier to meet up with the train. You can sign up for a round trip on the train if you don't have a car, but the round trip requires a 5-6 hour layover in Whittier before heading back to Anchorage. Now, I like Whittier as much as the next guy, but 5-6 hours there could be a bit challenging. Renee and here Dad did this ONCE. They had a pretty good time, but would not recommend this for the faint of heart, especially if the weather is less than ideal. Now, the picture above was taken in the same area we had lunch after the Tunnel Walk a week earlier. By our account, Mom and Dad went back and fourth through the tunnel three times. I think that they took every legal mode of transportation through; walking, bus, car, truck and train! The only thing left is motorcycle, boat and hover craft.

By the time we ate lunch and walked the docks in the marina, we still had 45 minutes to spare. We took this opportunity to find a few more Geocaches in Whittier. All told we found four. The one pictured above was by far the most entertaining. I wasn't aware of the WWII bunkers (4 of them) right outside of town. They are old and decrepit now, but they certainly help form a good mental image of Whittier as a secret submarine base back in WWII.

It's Movie Time!

It was a bit overcast today, so we all decided it would be a good idea to go and see a movie. Horton hears a Who! was decided on as the movie of choice. The Bear Tooth was decided upon as the theatre of choice.

The movie; Horton Hears a Who!, was pretty good. I enjoyed the animation and the story was pretty funny too. The best part was just watching Zach react to the movie. Some of the scenes were fall down funny for him. That's the best part about any kids movie really, is just watching Zach laugh.

Now the best part of the outing was not really even about the movie. It was about the theatre. The Bear Tooth is a theatre pub. http://www.beartooththeatre.net/ I love theatre pubs! We had one in Houston too! We went all of the time. I really don't like seeing a movie any other way. It's almost like watching a movie in your living room, only better.

I think that the main thing that makes the Bear Tooth so successful is their food. The Bear Tooth is owned by the same people that own the Moose's Tooth. The Moose's Tooth has to be one of the most popular places in town. You could go there on a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of winter and STILL not be able to find a parking spot. While the Moose's Tooth specializes in pizza, the Bear's Tooth has more of a diverse menu. They have pizza too, but they also have wraps, halibut burritos and fish taco's. Did I mention that they brew their own beer?

Here is the set-up at the Bear's Tooth. It is typical for a theatre pub. They take out every other row of seats, put in long tables and the waiters come in and bring your food. There is a bar at the back with beer and wine. The food is out front. At the Bear's Tooth, you order before you go in. They give you a cone with a number on it. Then during the coming attractions for the movie, your food arrives. It is a great system. AND you can get beer anytime you want. You just have to go to the back of the theatre and order. It's inside the theatre, so you never miss a minute of the action!

Another great thing about the Bear Tooth is that you can reserve a booth. The booth for us makes it easier to coral the kids. Plus it is a little bit of a sound buffer if Zach gets really into the movie. Here is the gang sitting at the booth, waiting for our food. Sammy slept for the whole movie, and the theatre was not packed, so he sat in the row in front of us. We was quiet, but he missed a good movie, and more importantly a good time at the Bear Tooth.

Reindeer anyone?

Well I had time on Thursday to share an Alaskan tradition with Mom & Dad, Reindeer dogs in downtown Anchorage!

We were fortunate today to have both good weather and the Army band playing for the Music in the Park series. We enjoyed the music as we waited in line for our reindeer dogs. One of the main guys in the band played clarinet and sang. This guy was very lively for a clarinet player. He went out into the audience, snuck up behind people and started playing. He was really into the music. He also had a singing voice like Louie Armstrong.

Here is the band. Their music made for a memorable afternoon in the park.

The dogs were good! Now a bit on the reindeer dog stands. Every summer starting around May 15th, the reindeer dog carts come out of the woodwork and grace the Anchorage sidewalks around lunchtime. Some are better than others and they all basically serve the same things, reindeer dogs. Now, some of you are undoubtedly thinking, eewwww, I'm not eating reindeer. Well, reindeer is basically caribou, which in turn is pretty much a big deer. The meat is very lean, and I am sure that they mix it with something to give it a little fat. I think that it tastes like a bratwurst. I got a spicy one this go around, and would recommend it highly. The only thing about the reindeer, is every now and then you get a red blinking nose, or a jingle bell mixed in with your dog. Aside from that they are very tasty.

The lady in blue is the cook de jour for this hot dog/reindeer dog stand. She had a system. Every dog was shuffled through the grill in a timely manner and cooked to perfection. The big seller with the dogs is the onions carmalized in Coke. I don't like onions, but I hear they are delicious.

Here are two happy customers. It was a great day to meet for lunch. We will be lucky if the rest of Mom & Dads visit has weather as good as todays.