some April - May - June wanderings

PJ and I had some fine wanderings recently.

To Flagstaff in late April for a Gregory Alan Isakov concert.  Stopped in Sedona on the way up to try out a new trail (a loop on the "Hogs" trails) - lovely as always in Sedona though this particular route won't go top of our list.  PJ and I had a great dinner at Brix in Flagstaff.  CPG, PJr and Pat Herrera joined for concert - fun day - including some phone time as CPG and Dharma wheel and deal on house purchase.  Dark Sky Brewery impresses.  But Isakov has lost his way, at least in our view.  Hiked on Mt. Elden as well.

McMillan's (Flagstaff)

Not much photography, here's a Sedona trail look:


via GIPHY

Dark Sky Brewery was a success; better-than-expected dinner at some new Italian place (Flagstaff).

Cooperative weather allowed us another trip up to Spur Cross on May 7 - and this time we did the full Elephant Mountain loop.  A favorite place.  Cloudy/cool conditions.  Epic brunch follows at Richardson's - green chili pork eggs benedict, yes!  Pairs well with Sculpin-on-tap.

Elephant Mountain - Spur Cross Nature Conservancy

We get out to the Superstitions on May 16 and hike the Peralta Trail for the first time in several years.  Supremely cooperative weather.  We agreed that this trail is even nicer than we recalled it.  Mid-week hiking kept the crowds down and simplified parking.  Amazing place.  Followed by lunch at another amazing place - Arizona Wilderness brewery.  My little designated driver was quite helpful (not to mention a fine hiking companion).  Here's Weaver's Needle:


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Superstitions + AZ Wilderness = strong combination.

Unusually fine atmospheric conditions in the Superstitions.  We need to get out there more regularly.

Celebrated wedding anniversary #37 with a road trip to our favorite Laguna Beach hotel - three nights, great weather, we walk the town relentlessly but offsetting calorie intake not a problem for me.  Meals at our usual favorite spots.  Shopping trip at the outlet malls on the way home.  Another delightful trip.


via GIPHY

So many meals at Nick's . . . 

A short staycation at FoundRe hotel in downtown Phoenix over 10 June weekend.  The usual:  wandering, eating; weather warm but manageable.  Much enjoyed our walk (and visit) to the Phoenix Art Museum, then light rail to Arrogant Butcher for a surprisingly good lunch.  Our favorite dinner was at Breadfruit.  Had a tour of the Cafiso's construction site - pretty fine location (and basically next door to our hotel).  Fun getaway.

Top - Match restaurant (in the hotel).  Bottom - life on the rails.

36th wedding anniversary (Winslow/Flagstaff)

PJ and I repeated one of our favorite trips in observance of our 36th wedding anniversary - probably the third time we've done pretty much this exact loop?  It will be repeated.  Here's what we did:

"waterfall" atop Tonto Natural Bridge

Hit the road after breakfast on Saturday, May 28; quite a bit of traffic in and around Payson as it is Memorial Day weekend.  We proceed up to the Tonto Natural Bridge state park - lovely weather - we wander beneath the waterfall, scramble over all the slippery rocks, hike all the way through the creek area per usual (my ageless wife doing fine throughout) - a unique spot.  We drive onto That Brewery up in Pine - the place is packed but we end up with very fine outdoor seating and enjoy the food and beverages.

Where else would one wander in Winslow?  (Saturday afternoon)

Onto Winslow and we check into Mary Colter's marvelous La Posada Hotel.  Got our same room looking over the railroad tracks to the south.  We are rather obsessed with this hotel, and if anything we liked it more than previously.  We wander around town a bit but mostly relax; loved our dinner at the Turquoise Room.

Pretty sure we won't find "Piki Bread" elsewhere.

Endless whimsical touches; these two brayers are among my favorites.

Sunday, May 29 - three amazing meals at the Turquoise Room - not to be missed, they do a great job with all three menus.  After late/leisurely breakfast we drive up to the Hopi Reservation - we love the look of this countryside - ran into a guy in a shop that we think will be a useful contact point for future trips there.  Made it back for late lunch - one of our favorite meals of all.  Again did quite a bit of walking around the area before dinner.

One of the lovely common areas at La Posada.

Meteor Crater is a big hole in the ground.

Monday, May 30 - breakfast at the Turquoise Room, we were sorry it was our last meal there for this trip.  Eventually we check out.  Weather continuing favorable - not all that hot and not windy at all - so we take a flyer on "Meteor Crater" - which we've managed to drive past dozens of times without any strong inkling of stopping.  But it's right off I-40.  Interesting enough, but I'd say one visit will be plenty.  On into Flagstaff; early check-in; lunch at McMillan.  We wander around town per usual; stop at Historic; back to hotel eventually.  Dinner at Tinderbox.

This shot gives a little better perspective on the hole. [Meteor Crater postscript below.]

Tuesday, May 31 - breakfast - amazing - at Martanne's.  Perfect weather.  Which we take advantage of via a quite-nice hike south of town - nice, and overdue, to get out of town a bit.  Back for lunch at Criollo; then return to Phoenix where we have dinner later on.

Flagstaff-area hiking speaks for itself.

Hard to beat this stuff, another excellent anniversary observance with my pal.

Breakfast at Martanne's ( as always)

Flying Phoenix - Minneapolis 17 days after visiting Meteor Crater
(first time seeing it from ground level, now from the air).

35th anniversary

[As always:  click any photo to enlarge all.]

For me:  35 years married to PJ.  It seems beyond impossible that so many years have flowed by, but here we are. In a life filled with ridiculously good luck - I don't think anything can beat that I ran into the right person at the right time.  Which I definitely did.

Having unexpectedly enjoyed a short campus visit a couple years back, we determined to spend anniversary #35 where it all started - at the Notre Dame campus.  It was a good choice.  The venerable Morris Inn was just emerging from a significant re-do, so we thought we'd stay there.  That also was a good choice (though the main restaurant was undergoing renovations, so we missed out on testing it).

We sat quite a while outside the Log Chapel.  Recalling.  (5/23/15)

Reception line  outside Log Chapel (5/24/80).  Steven Rodgers (GP professor) greeting PJ.

With Mom & Dad outside Log Chapel (reception line, 5/24/80)

Perhaps it's the passage of quite a few years.  Perhaps it has something to do with the still relatively fresh news that my mother is dying of cancer. Maybe the years simply permit us to get a bit wiser, or at least more appreciative.  Maybe some sort of grace is involved.  Certainly it made a difference that we were in exactly the same geography at exactly the same day of the year as we were married.  Whatever the combination of factors - as we sat near the Log Chapel and tried to be as still as possible - the sensation of 5/24/80, and those that were there with us - and particularly those no longer with us - the presence of the ghosts, let's say - was strong, and somehow nigh-tangible, and deeply appreciated.  Sweet/bittersweet.

One last visit by the Log Chapel on night before departure; moon glow on lake.  (5/26/15)

NDGC shows up (part of the contingent here outside Log Chapel:  Dave Kollar, John Jacobs,
Joe Donovan, Brian Shappell (with Andrea); Alice Vitacco and Monk in back. (5/24/80)

Among others in reception line outside Log Chapel (5/24/80):  Joe, Margaret, Ann, 
Kathy Gales; Cecilia and Mary Gales.

We asked a great deal of folks in May 1980 - as circumstances played out, we gave about 12 days notice of the wedding.  Yet the photos from the big day show dozens of folks who interrupted their lives to travel hundreds of miles (in most cases) to be with us.  I thought about all that, sitting there in front of the Log Chapel.  It was kind of overwhelming.  What a great day; what a wonderful journey was launched.

Ernest J. Gales and Monk with us; standing immediately left of Log Chapel. (5/24/80)

From Chicago-land (part of the contingent):  Voe, Nancy, Pat, Rita, Jan, Patrick O'Donnell  (5/24/80)

From Iowa/Minnesota (immediate family):  EMG, Charlie, HSG, Steve (me and PJ), Dolores,
Therese, Mary, Carol, Cecilia  (5/24/80)

I wasn't planning to include interior shots in this discussion of "outside the 
Log Chapel" - but I just love this photo.  

Memorial Day weekend was very quiet on campus, and in South Bend proper.  We hadn't really anticipated this.  It was a big plus.  For folks who have been away from campus for a while - there's nothing more evocative than the opportunity to walk around a deserted campus - yes, it permits imagination and remembrance to bloom.

I like this shot - looking west on South Quad.  We wandered here countless times in the late '70s.

This is the kind of view one gets wandering around the lakes.

ND #1 landmark.

Lit a candle for Grandma.

The church (now basilica) is very fancy indeed.

Taken in a stairwell in O'Shaughnessy Hall - where liberal arts classes were held  in the late '70s.  PJ and I
met in a Great Books Seminar in January 1977 (junior year).  Class was held mid-afternoon
on Mondays and Wednesdays.  We hit it off right away; as the semester progressed, we'd sit on the 
ledges here and chat for an hour or so after class before heading our separate ways (fencing practice for her, 
NDGC for me).  This is where a big part of the "getting to know each other" process happened.

PJ and I had our first date here - 5/5/77.  Much enjoyed, even if I dozed off a while.  Hey, I was comfortable with her.

Some things that happened in our 2015 visit:

1. Benefiting from slow season - the hotel upgraded us into a really nice suite.  Fun.
2. The hotel location - right on campus - is unbeatable.  Step out the door into immediate immersion.  Which is what we were looking for.
3. South Bend restaurant scene has really picked up.  Wonderful dinners at Cafe Navarre and at the LaSalle Grill.  O'Rourke's - in Eddy Commons - was our go-to stopping place.  Evil Czech Brewery in Mishawaka is doing fine things.
4. We walked, and walked, and walked - all 'round campus.  And around the lakes.  And over to St. Mary's.  This never gets tiring for us.
5. We also drove around town a bit - visited a number of the places where we (and, eventually, N and C) lived - fun recollections.
6. Very enjoyable visit with Bill Seetch and his wife and son - they have a lovely house near campus - it was great to catch up with Bill, and to meet them.
7. Caught up with John Conley - every bit as enjoyable.
8. Seasonal weather throughout - occasionally rainy/humid, but quite excellent for the most part.  We much enjoy the change of weather.

Most of all - we enjoyed spending the time together,and remembering, and appreciating.  It was a great trip.  I'm lucky.

629 S. Carroll Street.  We had the apartment on this corner, first floor.  Located in a bit of a scramble
after returning from Stanford (described here).  I was a second-year law student.  Nicole joined us on 5/5/81.

University Village apartments (married student housing).  PJ, Nicole, and I lived here during my
third year of law school.  We were on top floor, immediately to right of the entrance.
Chris joined us 4/9/82.

As always - enjoyed catching up with John Conley. 

Another favorite photo . . . 5/24/80 . . .  

34th anniversary

Celebrated #34 with a weekend at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel in Tempe, Arizona.  The place worked well for an in-town stay.  We became light rail experts, taking a couple trips to downtown Phoenix.  Typically fine eating at House of Tricks.  Even took our first hike up "A" mountain.  Our first visit to the hotel since the place served so well as base camp for Nicole-POC wedding a few years back.

34 excellent years is a pretty fine thing.

My little wife scrambling to the top of A mountain.  In flip flops.

View to the E/NE.

At La Boca (May 24, 2014)