AZ 30

Moving day!!  (27 August 1986)

Today marks the 30th anniversary of the date upon which we moved from Roseville, Minnesota (St. Paul suburb) to Phoenix.  Though the Twin Cities metro area is pretty hard to beat, we've liked being here in Phoenix from the moment our plane landed that evening - immediately comfortable with the desert even though we'd never lived anywhere similar.  Only downside, and sometimes it's felt rather heavy, has been distance.

K wore herself out helping
load boxes, or something.

The move itself was quite an adventure - four children (ages 5, 4, 3 and Patrick at exactly four weeks old).  We wanted to (and did) get settled in AZ prior to Nicole starting kindergarten (with kids ready to start school, the timing seemed right).  After a few days at the Embassy Suites (Thomas Road version), we moved into our temporary residence in a townhouse at 42nd Street and Thunderbird.

One of the motivations for the move:  climate.  Between South Bend, Chicago and Minneapolis - the city in which we resided had broken its all-time snow record five times in the prior nine winters.  Several law school friends had located in Phoenix, and the recent history of winter-struggles definitely made us more receptive to their relocation pitches.  We also had a "go west" urge more generally for whatever reason, as once attempted per here.

Sure enough on our last day in Roseville, the wind went around to the north - as can happen in the last days of August in that part of the world - online I see that the temp dropped to 66 degrees with 18+ mph north winds at 4p when we would have been wrapping up with the packers and heading to the airport.  Doors were open for the movers and the house was getting to feel a little chilly after months of summer weather; all jackets packed away so we dressed the kids in adult polo shirts and the like.

One might have expected these three to be a little fatigued upon arrival in Phoenix - after all, it
was a long, and pretty action-packed, moving day.  But not these three.  (EPG, on the other hand . . . )

Jetway not used in those days as we landed in Phoenix at now-long-demolished Terminal 1 - instead, we walked down the stairs and across the tarmac with our little crew.  About 90 degrees when we landed, and PJ and I recall how good that felt.

On a much-more somber note, today also is the first anniversary of losing Mom.  Lots of nice remembrances via email etc. among the family members.

First exposure to swimming pool fun,
Phoenix-style

Stone, Round 3

Seemed like we had a pretty good trip visiting the Stone anniversary brewing reception in 2014, and then again in 2015 - so we went for round 3 on Friday, August 19.

Bros(?) + PJ @reception.

PJr drove to San Diego with PJ shotgun; CPG 'n me holding down backseat.  Nice and early start such that we made it for lunch by noon (despite too many stops enroute for some reason) at some BBQ joint ID'd by CPG.  POC (already in town with D'Backs), NOC and EPG (arrived Thursday via driving down from LA together) met us for lunch.  We heard that the three of them had an entertaining evening prior.

NOC hoping to be invited into photo.

Transportation up to U Cal San Marcos always requires a bit of planning; PJr and I score with Gaslight district Tahoe rental; PJ as always graciously DDs us back to San Diego after the event.

EPG's patented selfie technique.

The reception was, I think, the best yet for us.  Better organized as to food.  Better weather (the inland location sometimes can be a little hot).  EPG creates spot-on tasting-tracking sheet.  Beer is always good; I particularly like trying the casked versions.

Was it really "last call"  if a relief-pourer volunteers to fill the breach?  Love the "a lot more/big pour" compliments starting around 0:19 of this short (CPG-captured) clip (gratitude from patrons otherwise expecting their night was over):



Just a delightful evening.  In addition to our group:  Michael Cafiso for his third straight year of this, plus Chris Wagner - who puts up with, or promotes, our group's shenanigans and fits in seamlessly throughout.  POC finagles the night off from his D'backs duties to join, unexpectedly.  Nice.

NOC's Instagram compilation . . . 

After the reception - PJ and I get the Tahoe returned - then join the group at a Gaslight area bar - lots of D'backs folks, a nice finish to a fun day.

NOC had a fine idea for belated PJr b'day observance -
cupcakes from a fancy cupcake-vendor - but the evidence
suggests the cupcakes didn't quite survive Wednesday night.

Saturday: PJ and I (joined by EPG) go for coffee/breakfast.  Our entire group then gathers for lunch; we lose POC to work; lunch is followed by a Cafiso-sponsored afternoon of games/sipping/food at some Gaslamp place that worked quite nicely.  Back to hotel for game prep, where we do a little in-house tailgate (NC-style) courtesy of Chris W.  Petco Park - across the street - is quite lovely - we arrive in the 5th inning of a fast-moving game.  The stadium is its own beer-heaven.  D'backs win; we are able to make a bit of strategic racket at key late moments.  Fun.  Then we get a very late dinner - that's it for most of us, EPG/NOC/POC continue.

Sunday:  coffee/breakfast for PJ 'n me (joined by PJr).  Meet with the group and recap recent doings; then we go to lunch (a Greek place, really good); EPG napping in Audi as we hit the road for Phoenix.  NOC joins us rather than waiting for team plane, which we like!  Fun ride back, fun weekend . . .

We spent hours here on Saturday afternoon.  Pleasant hours.

Thanks for the tix, POC (per usual).  Lovely Saturday evening, fun game, D'backs win.

some Virginia doings

Exciting news keeps emerging from Virginia!

observing EPG's 30th

EPG was hitting a milestone birthday - #30, believe it or no - so we all (except Europe-touring PJr and NRG - who will visit SF separately and soon) gathered to make sure the event was celebrated properly.  I'm pretty sure we succeeded.

Closing stages of "opening night" for the weekend - EPG apartment (Wednesday)

Sacramento stop-off:  "Cielito Lindo" - b'day cake caps epic lunch. (Thursday)

PJ and I flew into SFO on Wednesday, July 27 - easy trip in late afternoon after abbreviated workday, Uber up to the Corwin Street apartment; CPG and NOC already there with EPG; also got to see Shane; dinner at Zuni (of course PJ and I reprise the roast chicken), where Kerry and Luis joined us direct from the airport.  FUN.  Sing the HB song to EPG (round one).  Eventually back to the apartment where we enjoyed a nice bottle of champagne (even though at least one of our group somewhat discreetly mused about whether it might be just a little late to bust it open).  PJ and I were done for the night at this point; others did a little scrambling to establish sleeping spots.

Cielito Lindo  photo #2 - just before onset of food comas

Views from the deck of the rental home - nobody wanted to leave.

Some of us were up for coffee and breakfast on Thursday, July 28; back to apartment for final prep; picked up a cleverly-sized U-Haul trailer and the seven of us headed toward the Lake Tahoe area in a single vehicle-with-trailer.  EPG drove the entire way.  Pulling the trailer slowed us down a bit, which the passengers (especially the veterans of KHG's 30th b'day trip to Ireland) agreed was just fine.  Quite a bit of traffic at various points, but things moved quite nicely.  There is a new game called "Pokemon Go" which is wildly popular - some of our passengers found it an amusing way to pass the time.

View of Emerald Bay from trailhead (taken right after our hike) (Friday) . . .

. . . beginning of hike . . .heading down toward Emerald Bay . . .

. . . random spot along trail, enroute to "Viking House"  . . . 

Quite a bit of time in the Sacramento area - but it was well spent.  CPG's usual and thorough Yelp research had identified "Cielito Lindo" as a lunch target - we drive up to a nondescript building and some (esp. me) wish to just drive right by - fortunately, we enter.  Personable waiter, interesting food that also tasted really good.  Fun.  Then a very long stopover at Costco.  Then a stop for CPG to grab some SmartWater for certain thirsty travelers.  Then a longish slog through increasingly lovely (mountains, streams etc) country, and we're into Tahoe.  Another long stop at a supermarket and then, finally and properly supplied, we advance to the rental property identified by EPG.  This place was an absolute winner - don't think it could have been  nicer.  Unpack, settle in.  Food coma induced by Cielito Lindo eventually eases, and we move onto a very nice dinner - featuring grilled salmon - nice work all weekend by the cook-and-clean folks (pretty much all are useful 'cept me).

. . . trail comes complete with fancy waterfall (naturally) . . .

. . . me 'n NOC at hike's end - lovely - 

Onto Friday, July 29 - fun day, lots of action.  Coffee and some breakfast on patio overlooking the lake (and enjoying perfect weather).  We head out for a hike - EPG wisely selects Emerald Bay area, including lovely waterfall, stream, Viking house, etc.  Warmish day but beautiful conditions throughout (once we found parking).  Back to town for lunch at a brew-pub - good but not great.  We relax back at the house for a bit; then drive over to the staging area for a boat cruise on Lake Tahoe - the lake really is quite gorgeous - much larger than I knew - we actually (surprisingly) enjoyed hearing the boat operator's spiel about size of lake etc.  Smallish boat and very nice; converted from 3M corporate use and POC speculates that his grandfather probably was on board way back when for a corporate event or two (which is an amazing small-world story if you think about it).

B'day honoree possibly recreating a scene during Tahoe cruise.
Water was SO BLUE (not really shown here due to backlighting).

Boaters.

Then we hang around the dock area for a bit, mostly haphazardly tossing "the pigskin" around.  Decide to order carry-out pizza - which required a little delay so we hung around a shopping plaza area - nice but sort of standard-issue ski village feel - the pizza was really good however (downed back at the house).  Feeling a little tired after a lot of time out in the sun.  We play games for a while; K makes some chocolate chip cookies; we take a break to sing "I sing my song" at midnight, and then to chat for a while; then we resume the games (Five Crowns); wrap up maybe around 2a?  I slept well.

More boaters.

Billiards expertise shining through . . . 

And now it's the official birthday (Saturday, July 30) - made a pot of coffee and lingered on that amazing patio again, wow.  Patrick drives to boating area to try to retrieve a lost backpack (which later turns up in POC/NOC room!); his retrieval mission of course fails but we get McD's b'fast out of it.  Then we decide to take the gondola ride to top of mountain and do the various activities up there.  This turned out quite fun indeed.  Gondola ride portion is much steeper/longer than I would have guessed looking from bottom - great view of Lake Tahoe and the town (though a bit obscured via smoke from a distant fire).  Spent a fair amount of time in line, as one would expect on a lovely Sunday afternoon in prime season - but with this group, even that (non)activity is really fun.  Ropes course and the downhill/sled ride - whatever it's called - both entertaining.  Lunch place came up with surprisingly good stuff - BBQ/smoked pork was excellent, also good beer.  Nice!

Celebrating triumph over the ropes course . . .

. . .  while others are still navigating. 

Back to town where PJ and I ditch the youngsters in front of the casinos and the two of us go to grocery store to pick up stuff for dinner.  Then we drive to the rental house - weather was a bit cooler and the place was of course incredibly quiet with just us there - opened all the windows and doors, listened to the wind move through the trees, all that kind of thing.  We worked on food prep (I mean PJ did, I just cleaned up some sweet corn).  Then our gamblers returned, though without riches, or even their opening stakes (I heard they had a cooler with).  We spend delightful time on the patio as evening sets in; some are working on food prep; POC had a interesting+ Stone stout that MOC had identified, nice; eventually the table is set.  Food prep was a huge success - a mixed grill of tuna, chicken, steak; grilled vegetables; etc.; everything just right.  EPG brings a red and a white wine - souvenirs from trips with his visitors (including Viansa on this trip) - nice.  Then we go 'round the table and discuss the birthday honoree - not surprisingly, folks had a lot to say - nice.  Singing; dessert.

This guy's 30th birthday!!

The clean-up crew does its thing with high efficiency (POC's time to shine!)  I had spliced together some video clips from EPG's younger days - which I truly loved watching-repeatedly-while-editing - the group watched this, plus various other videos that are sitting on youtube (including Emma Jahns).

Already rather late by now; PJ gives up; I end up at the pool table.  Round 1 is a game newly-invented by NOC and KHG - certain never to be played again - balls are set in middle of table, two teams of two line up on opposite ends of the table and go for the balls on count of three; then the teams return to their respective ends, with the goal being to fire the balls into the corner pockets on the other end of the table (and defend your own corner pockets).  Luis was The Natural (and my teammate), and therefore he and I won.  With only minor bruising and no lost digits.  POC takes shoulder hit from a reckless player.

After that:  normal pool games (CPG, me, Luis) for a long time, followed by normal pool games for a long time (CPG, me).  Dart players (POC + KHG v. NOC + EPG) in continuous action throughout, though eventually that advances, or degrades, to POC v. EPG with feats of skill.  I'm done around 2a and don't really know how long the rest continued.  Fun b'day observance night.

 

Sunday, July 31 - lingered on that patio again for coffee etc. for as long as we could possibly get away with it before it was time to pack up the place, organize our trailer, and hit the road.  Which we were sorry to do.  POC heads to Reno airport, the rest of us re-create our long road trip from Thursday.  CPG Yelp-finds "Crystal Basin Cellars" (Camino, CA) where we have a fine lunch.  Some Pokes are captured.  Slowish traffic at various points but lovely scenery throughout.  Return the trailer.  EPG, PJ and I take a trip in EPG's new, and fine, Audi (his 2003 Kia having expired, finally) to "The Spice Jar" for carry-out Chinese.  Played some games but most or all were pretty exhausted after several days of continuous action.



Now it's Monday, August 1 - EPG and Luis make a coffee run; the rest of us are in travel-prep mode for return flights.  We go to Nopalita's - lunch was just excellent, plus we got another chance to sing to the birthday boy.  They drive Kerry, PJ, CPG and me to the airport where we say our goodbyes.  We hear K has a smooth return flight; after some uncertainty, our Frontier flight to Phoenix works out just fine as well.  Luis and Nicole staying in town a bit longer for business, or monkey business, or both.

Nopalita!

Great travel companions; excellent planning by EPG; a group excited to celebrate EPG's #30, and this aspect definitely showed throughout.  Fun/memorable!