Road Trip: Day Five (goodbye hole, hello Gutierrez)

July 19th we left the Grand Canyon area and drove to New Mexico.  It was time to drop off my three nieces with my sister (and brother in law) and end the summer romance for two of them.  We would become a much smaller party of eight soon.

Early that morning there was a Cowboy Show that some of us were motivated enough to wake up for. Those who did attend enjoyed it. It was a pretty funny show and once it was over you got a chance to have your picture taken with the cast. Here's Nicole and Patrick with the sheriff.

After the cast pictures were taken Nicole and Patrick then found their way to the horses. There was a request for horseback riding from day one and we'd been trying hard to make it happen. Spending $50 a person for a guided tour or something was NOT something we were ready to splurge on but certainly we must know someone!

After the show I took a quick one-hour nap while everyone else watched an hour or so of TV before heading back to the road. We stopped only once on the way to New Mexico and that was to grab a meal at the Golden Corral.

But then it was back in the car. The weather was turning from painfully hot to occasionally raining. It made for a pretty rainbow a few times.

But mostly we were just starting to get stir-crazy from the road.

It was a great relief to get to the Gutierrez' place where there was plenty enough room for everyone to spread out and get into their own things.

They also have a bunch of animals that helped to entertain those who were sort of "done" with people but not really ready for an independent brain game either.

Road Trip: Day Four (from Lights to Holes)

We were back on the road before noon. This time though it was slightly more lively in the car. Oh yeah, we really rocked things up this day. SOME of the time I didn't have the view of my parents' van in front of me. SOME of the time I had the view of my parents' van in the rearview mirror.

It was pointed out that perhaps I was not being entirely safe there taking a picture of my rearview mirror while driving. So I handed off the camera and allowed for them to snap some pics. Here's just one of the 30 or so shots like these.

Our next destination was a big hole in the ground. It was so big in fact that some might call it "grand".

I gotta say though... all together... our group is pretty darn grand as well. See... all together we pretty much overshadow the canyon.

So speaking of shadows... I did find a way to snap us AND the canyon...

We took a walk seeing some other views of the canyon. For those who haven't been there before the ledges certainly have safety railings and such but when you take a little mile or so walk to an information center you'll pass all sorts of ledges that you can climb down on. I let some students go exploring a bit to really get a feel for the energy of this place. They were safe. GIving one another space and keeping their distance from the real "edges". In fact the only one who really got scared was a my mom. Who screamed wildly for them to come back a few separate times. Admittedly it did look a bit dramatic from far away.

In the end we found it best to just sort of split up and walk at our own pace enjoying the scenery. I was alone some of the time. And other times I caught up to one or two of them finding their own personal favorite spots there.

Road Trip: Day Three (Vegas again)

We were still in Vegas the next day. We did some shopping and purchased some poker chips with our faces on them. There on the strip I got a call from Anita Creamer a newspaper columnist in Sacramento and was able to set up some interview time. But other than that... it was pretty mellow. It was the day I found time to post some blog updates while they hung at the pool.

And then, that evening, we went to a magic show. Not just any magic show of course... it was rather the World's Greatest Magic Show. I know that because that was it's title. The Teens loved it. Magic is pretty cool in general but to these teens it's the end all of awesomeness. I am really glad we were able to provide them with an appropriate Vegas Show.

So yeah... Vegas wasn't a total wash. Magic and buffets were enjoyed by all.

We were back on the road the following morning.

Road Trip: Day Two (Vegas)

So... here's the thing about Vegas.  It hate it.  I try to like it.  My mom loves it.  But me... I just am not a fan.  I think the only way I could like Vegas less was if I were still under 21.  But since I AM 21 I was able to do the real fun stuff like wait in line in a casino rather than wait on a couch in a casino. Look at their happy faces. Don't they just look THRILLED with Vegas?

And then later... I got to stand in a line to get a casino-card (cheaper admit into a buffet) while they again got a wait on a couch. See the smiles this time? It's cause they took to wrestling for space there on the couch prior to the photo being snapped. I did spend some time telling them to behave more appropriately in Vegas. But the truth is... I would have been bored out of my gourd and looking for some wrestling entertainment myself if I were them.

We ate at a buffet and I went and played a little Texas Hold 'Em (up 6 bucks at the end of a hour or so) before walking the strip. It was late. It was hot. And their legs were a little out of practice. So when we stopped for sodas there was a bit of a meltdown. This picture was luckily taken before the commotion.

Some more "waiting" occurred and then we decided to head over to Freemont Street to just get all this touristy Vegas stuff done in one horrible night. Freemont Street has a big light show every hour on the hour. The "hour" that we attended was not really geared towards kids. So the lit-up, sultry, stripper show (not flesh but in "lights") paired with the full frontal ads we saw for escorts-in-your-room here and there around town made for a real desire act as kindergardeners. So that's just what they did, post light-show, outside the casinos, there on Freemont Street. There was some anti-boy sentiments and then jumping an cheering and holding hands. It was the kind of play that can't really be captured in a photo but here's a taste of it.

Road Trip: Day One

July 15th...a road.

A car full of peeps.

A van in front of us.

This happened...

And this...

The participants of both of those two events though have requested that their names not be released onto this blog. Anyone who knows a Jr. Higher would expect both of those "events" to occur. There is just something about this age. It gets the hormones a jumping. Jumping together. Jumping apart. And all that jumping gets a person tired.

Not that you would see that at the end of the day. We checked into a hotel in Needles. It was pretty basic. The Teens swam while the adults relaxed. I picked up some Del Taco for dinner.
And then some of them stayed up watching movies on my computer. It was a pretty mellow day followed by a pretty mellow night. I went to sleep long before they did.

Uh... not much to report.

So much time has passed since I last blogged.  I am currently in Fairbanks, sitting in a chair at the public library alone.  I get on a plane tomorrow morning and I will be back in the village around 6:00pm I figure.

So let's see... July 13th was San Francisco and July 15th we began the road tip.  So... July 14 we did very little.  We went to a movie... uh... Hancock.  They LOVED Hancock.  I thought it was better than I was expecting.  Interesting twists.  Enough of a movie to talk about afterwards.  A good popcorn flick.  

... and then we met my parents for a Chinese food buffet.  This was their first buffet and they enjoyed it immensely.  Little did they know they were on their way to Vegas where there would be many more buffets to come.

On a roll... can't stop now...

After spending the night at my Uncle's house in San Jose we drove to the Exploratorium in San Francisco.

I never feel like there is enough time for the Exploratorium so this trip I made sure to have it be our first stop in San Francisco. There is just so much to see... and do... and play with. This first photo was one taken on one of their displays on perceptions. Patrick (who took the picture) could not bring himself to drink out of the water fountain toilet. As you can see, I was less hesitant.

As was the case in Santa Cruz the day before, everyone just spread out allowing themselves to really enjoy everything around them without the wait for their friends. I tried to snap photos while exploring myself, but in the end I handed the camera off to Patrick and he took the following few shots.


Every so often a couple of people would meet up and do come of the partner displays together but then they would separate again allowing for individuals to move at their own pace. About two and a half hours after we got there a group started to form around me requesting food.

I made some purchases at the gift shop since I will teach Life Science for the first time next year. I'll miss Earth Science. With the change in school the year before last I was able to teach the same curriculum for two years in a row!

After the Expolatorium we drove Lombard St. and then drove to the Pier 39 parking garage. We ate a late lunch at Jonny Rockets and enjoyed the nickel songs on the jukebox. It never ceases to amaze me how some music makes it to the minds of people born 20 years later. And in Bush Alaska now too?!!

Keeping up with the whole "dated" entertainment theme we then walked to the old-school arcade found at the end of Fisherman's Wharf. The arcade is full of older dime-operated type games. Of course now they cost a quarter or two to play but the attractions are still the same. There were palm-reader machines like Zoltar from the movie "Big," a claw machine that dispenses plastic-ring trinkets, arm-wrestling machines, etc.

There were also more modern-ish machines. Like Pole Position. I love me some Pole Position. "Prepare to qualify. Beep. Beep. Beep. Beeeeeeeeeep" brings an eager smile to my face. The biggest draw for them though was... Foosball. We got downright loud playing it.

It started as a game with me versus my mom and my uncle. Then Patrick joined my side. As it got louder and louder Issa and Arianna (a cousin of mine) took over the "seats" of my mom and uncle. Can you tell from this shot who the victors of the shot were?

Yeah, we're not so subtle winners.

After the arcade we walked over to Pier 39. There they strolled lazily down the Pier stopping at a variety of shops. Their favorite, by far, was the magic shop. Several of them walked out with bags of tricks and a couple of select boys were taken into a back room to learn how to perform their newly purchased trick.

Once we got to the end of the Pier I booked a table for ten at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. Restaurant. We had purposely eaten prior to this visit because Bubba Gump is sort of ridiculously expensive.

Here we let the teens all partake in a couple of pounds of peel an' eat shrimp and fancy flavored lemonaides with light up keepsake cups.

As you can see they didn't seem to miss the company of the adults.

"There out there having fun, in the warm California sun"

Today started off with the always-longer-than-I-remember drive to Santa Cruz.

We had planned to be on the beach at noon. We got there at 2:00. Blah blah it's hot blah blah we made stops for sandwiches and gas blah blah traffic blah blah.

I love Santa Cruz. The rides. The beach. The boardwalk. The cooler breeze. The corn on the cob and funnel cakes. Truly, once you're there, wants not to love about Santa Cruz?

We planned to meet my uncle and his family and well as my friend Michelle and her fiance Marc there on the beach. Do you know how hard it is to coordinate a group of 17? I don't particularly recommend it. But once we found a couple of tables and created a "base" it made for a really enjoyable day.

For those who know me it should come as no surprise at all that I insisted that first ride be "the Giant Dipper". Here we are (minus the non-wristband members of our group) in in-line for out first coaster for the day... the first coaster ever for Issa and Anissum. Note the mostly smiles met with some nervous skepticism.
This next photo is just after the ride was over. You'll notice my lack of sunglasses and the lack of Sabrina. Well... most of us made it through alive. The ride, as experienced by the two that have never been on a roller coaster before, was said to be "so cool" and "so scary, I almost fell out". One participant, Nicole, admitted she didn't open her eyes for a second of it.

So... okay... roller coasters are not for everyone. I get that. Kind of. What I don't get is how a person can walk out of lines half way to the front due to nerves and yet ride the skytram 23 million times. The skytram makes ME nervous. At least the first part does. When you are rising in those slippery non-restraining seats.

After that first ride it was just Rissa and Nick who went off just the two of them, while the the larger groups stayed together. They chose rides based on what my nieces (who have seasoned experience on the Boardwalk) enjoyed. After not too long though the roller-coaster apprehensive went off on their own and by the end of the night I think everyone had ridden at least one ride by themselves. Some prided themselves on riding most of the rides alone.

It was quite a different feeling than when we started out the first few days needed to huddle together in one specific area of swimming pools. But then again that is usually the case each time I have brought my LKSD students here. It's a lot to take in... much more than I can even imagine, despite having shared this experience three times now.

The fact is the Rural Alaska kids come to CA fearful of getting lost. But by the end of the vacation they are flat-out specifically try to get lost... just to experience the being able to find their way found again.

It was a bit of a chore getting everyone gathered up for lazar tag at 10:30pm but we did it. Our wristbands allowed for some free games and we were even able to talk my Uncle and Aunt into it. Sadly, my parents remain lazar tag virgins. We left the park around midnight. Pure satisfaction.

Awesome artists' art everywhere the eye can explore...

Sorry I have gotten WAY behind. It's now Thursday and I am in a hotel room in Las Vegas while five teens are swimming at the Circus Circus pool and the other three (don't you just hate growing from a girl to a young woman?) are visiting the Ethel M candy factory. I hope to get several posts done in one day here.

So... I last left off on Friday, July 11th. Friday gets to be remembered for being the day when we spent the least amount of money. At least that's how I think the adults will remember it. I think the under 20-year-olds (the had requested I NOT call them kids) will remember it for all of the beautiful indoor and outdoor art.

After I send the Oscarville students home, I will be heading to Juneau for a week-long art class. I have heard really great things about the immediately applicable projects that are presented here from other teachers with LKSD who have gone. Recently, I received an email from an instructor attempting to get to know the people who will be taking her class in Juneau. I replied with my blog address and an apology for not really having a whole lot of extra time right now. As it turns the guest instructor for the program, Sue Anne Foster, is a resident of Sacramento County. What a coincidence!

After some email-tag and switching around of our itinerary (it's been too hot for a day at the Capitol and Old Town Sacramento) we decided to get together for a potluck dinner at her beautiful home. Additionally she mentioned an artist friend of hers who lives in Citrus Heights that we could visit.

So we started off the day with a visit to Ann Bowns's home and backyard art studio. Water lovers that they are of course, the students were particularly interested in her koi pond.

Ann Bowns took some time showing us some of the media she has been experimenting with lately. The students loved her demonstration of the vibrant colors she uses and her ability to make and fix mistakes. She gave them each a free postcard with her work and the kids have been found pulling it out and admiring it in these days that followed the visit.

After we left we went back home and allowed for some much needed downtime.

I took Issa and Rissa to buy some swimming suits at Marshall's and then we met up with the whole group again for some make-your-own-lunch (mostly left over burritos fixings and cup of noodles). Issa got to try out her swimsuit right away when my dad took the group to Tempo Pool.

While they swam I was able to pick up a few things for the potluck dinner including some wonton skins that my mom then turned into wonton cookies. She did this cooking while I selfishly took a nap upstairs for an hour or so. Mom had been feeling pretty sick and had been dropping out of events here and there to save her energy for the larger upcoming events. The making of these cookies along with the dishes and laundry were enough to put her down for the night.

Now a party of ten, we went to Sue and Gary Foster's home for a nice outdoor dinner. Sue has several things in her home that appealed to our group. They asked me repeatedly if they could stay the night there. It seems labyrinths in gardens, assorted musical instruments, indoor starred ceilings, player pianos, tiki torch lamps, and exotic fish and birds far surpass air hockey tables and a wii with this group.

I think it was nice getting to have Sue Anne meet my students. Spending the evening with her certainly has made me look forward that much more to the class. At one point she expressed some frustrations about not being able to pack everything (sample of art, materials, etc) to Alaska for the class. All the AK Bush teacher-readers can certainly relate to that!