Month: December 2018

Yesterday I went back from L.A. to Jenna and Braden’s in Indio. We didn’t depart for Montrose.
Then today, in the morning, we departed. We drove across the Mojave Desert, taking a non-interstate highway shortcut between Indio and I-15 just south of Primm, Nevada. There was snow falling in the high desert.

Later we had lunch in Las Vegas, and we drove north on I-15. It went from 50 degrees (10C) in Las Vegas to 15 degrees (-10C) where we stopped for the evening in a motel. Much colder.

[daily log: walking, 2km; driving, 750km]

This morning, my dad, my brother and I went on a hike up the Arroyo Seco canyon, which stretches up into the San Gabriel mountains above Pasadena from the NASA-JPL campus on the north western end of the city.
Here is JPL.

Here we are, setting out. A rather low-quality selfie. I’m looking pretty scraggly, these days: my new Alaskan look, I guess.

Here are some pictures from along the trail.




We hiked about 6 miles, up and back down.
Later, we met James and Leia and we had a brunch at the Red Hen Cafe, a somewhat historic location in Altadena.
In the afternoon, I walked around Pasadena some. I like Pasadena. I lived here for about half a year, in 1992. But it was my dad’s birthtown, and where my grandparents lived when I was small, so we visited here often. Here is Pasadena’s iconic city hall.

[daily log: walking, 10km] 

We left Phoenix and arrived at Jenna’s in Indio, California, around noon.
It was nice to see everyone here. This is where we will spend Christmas.
I took a picture of Arthur with a cat.

Juli and I took a walk (as we often do when we see each other) and I saw a roadrunner in park.

We walked up a hill and I took this picture of the Coachella Valley. It’s notable that the valley is below sea level.

We had a big pasta dinner with everyone who is here.

[daily log: walking, 4km; driving 400km]

We drove past many rocks, on our way from Tucumcari, New Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona.
Here is a very traditional-looking hilltop village in western New Mexico.

Here is the Salt River Canyon, coming down an alternate route (avoiding interstate highway) from Holbrook, Arizona through Show Low and Globe to Phoenix.

[daily log: walking, 2km; driving, 900km]

A day of driving.
A picture: cows and windmill – somewhere in eastern New Mexico.

Before leaving Dean and Pam’s I took a portrait of the three of them.

[daily log: walking, 2km; driving, 900km]

“Lotsa horizon around here.” – Arthur.
We visited people today. First, extended family of Dean and Pam’s up in Crescent, Oklahoma, on a farm. We had venison chili for lunch and later Arthur and I took a walk down the road.






Then later, we had dinner with my uncle Miles, his wife, along with my cousin Niki and her family. Clockwise, you see Ella, Abby, Niki, Jeremy, Kaitlyn, me, Arthur, Miles, and Nancy.

Then we drove to Clayton, where Dean and Pam have their farm.
[daily log: walking, 4km; driving, 300km]

I have arrived safely in Oklahoma City. I’m tired.
Rather than meet with Arthur and his friends Dean and Pam at their home in Clayton, Oklahoma, they contacted me as I drove down and suggested meeting in Oklahoma City, instead. This will enable an easier meet-up with other people tomorrow – a member of their family, on one hand, and a member of Arthur’s family (my uncle Miles), on the other hand.
So I drove to OKC (as Okhahoma City is universally abbreviated) and we are at a motel here. We’ll meet up with various people tomorrow.
Here are some pictures from driving down.




[daily log: walking, 1km; driving, 1350km]