Adventures in Vail

 Just sharing some pictures from a recent trip to Vail, Colorado. Definitely worth doing in the summer.

I take more pictures of forest trails than I should.

Something about not seeing what's around the bend is cool, I guess.

Obligatory mountain photo #1.

Obligatory mountain photo #2.

And another one!
Okay, obligatory mountain photo #3.

The Irvine Trail - Day 4

We started our day in Goodyear, Arizona. Luggage packed - check. Cats accounted for and loaded - check. Kids accounted for and loaded - check. (Is that backward?) Starbucks stop for Steph - check. Steph's phone - oops. After a short drive back to the hotel, we resolved that issue and set out for Irvine.

The Drive

Today's drive was notable in two ways. For one, we found out Californians like to name their ditches (much as the rest of the universe names rivers and creeks). Then there was the sandstorm. So, it wasn't nearly as bad as anything I'd experienced in Iraq, but it still made driving fun. The worst of it lasted about 30 minutes or so, so not too bad. Still, it brought out the psycho drivers the same way a little rain does in Texas, so it slowed us down a little. Otherwise, the drive was smooth sailing and through some beautiful parts of the country (if you're into deserts, mountains, and the like).

Irvine!

Blizzard Way!

I admit that picture is kind of hard to make out, but this is why we braved The Irvine Trail. We faced sandstorms, boredom, whiny cats (they actually weren't that bad), and a host of other trials, and still we arrived safely. We never even had to change a wagon wheel..

Our temporary housing is a short 20 minute walk from my new job, and I'm really looking forward to taking advantage of that fact as often as possible. We've already sort of scoped out what that will involve, but we're going to make the walk as a family tomorrow to see how it is firsthand.

The apartment itself is pretty cool, too. It has lots of amenities onsite - Starbucks, various restaurants, a market, swimming pools, hot tubs, parking garages, and so on. It feels a little bit like living in a commune, but we'll see how it goes over the next few days. Steph and I plan to go exploring in a bit to see what there is to see; should be fun.

What's Next?

Well, we have until Monday to explore the area. We'll probably spend a fair amount of that time looking for a more permanent place to live. Of course, let's not forget the beaches, or the mountains, or...pretty much all of the new stuff that surrounds us. ;) 

The Irvine Trail - Day 3

Our journey today took some interesting twists and turns. Instead of driving straight through to California, we opted to take our time and finish up the day in Phoenix, Arizona. We started around 8:30-9:00 after a decent hotel breakfast. After what seemed like just a few minutes on the road, we crossed into Arizona. Shortly after that, we started seeing signs for Tombstone!

Tombstone!

We had no idea that Tombstone was more or less along the route we'd chosen for getting to Irvine. Driving-wise, making the detour only amounted to about an extra 45 minutes. We ended up hanging out for awhile though, and we got to see some pretty cool stuff.

Lunch

After looking through a few shops, we realized we were both hungry and parched. The Longhorn restaurant did not disappoint. We dined on steak sandwiches, burgers, and barbecue, and I may or may not have had a shot to wash things down. (When in Tombstone, it seems only fitting..) Steph bought a couple of commemorative wine glasses, and we looked around for something to do next. 

The Silver Mine

Heading Into the Silver Mine

It just so happened we walked out of lunch just as a tour of the silver mine was beginning. It was purported to be the first silver mine ever in Tombstone, although I'm not exactly certain of how that could be verified. Nonetheless, it was pretty cool. 

We're fairly certain the tour guide was drinking something other than coffee in his coffee cup, but whatever it was, he did a good job of keeping the group entertained and keeping everyone moving. He talked us through a typical day for a silver miner of the time, and he even explained what the 'honey cart' was for. He showed everyone the different types of less valuable minerals left behind in the mine, part of which involved asking the kids to lick some rocks. Yeah...I didn't try it.

He told us it was his birthday, so we sort of wrapped up the tour by singing him happy birthday. I was left wondering if he tells every group it's his birthday. I doubt we'll ever know, but he did seem genuinely pleased that we sang for him.

Other Attractions

We missed the recreation of the 'Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.' We also opted out of the photo shoot (I'm not that into the whole idea of stuffing my head through a hole for a picture). We did see some historical landmarks, such as a sign declaring the site of Morgan Earp's assassination as well as the shooting of the sheriff. Allegedly, we walked across the same floor that Doc Holliday and Wyatt Earp crossed as they headed out for the shootout. Also allegedly, we purchased some souvenirs from the counter where Wyatt and Doc had their last shots prior to that incident. After awhile, though, we realized we needed to get back on the road, so we set out for Phoenix.

Phoenix Bound

The first few hours of the drive to Phoenix were great. Then we found ourselves in rush hour traffic in downtown Phoenix. That was less awesome. Note to self - avoid downtown Phoenix during rush hour at all costs. I know, I know, California traffic is supposed to be worse. (We'll see..)

After surviving that madness, though, we were rewarded by two awesome discoveries. We found an excellent New York style pizza place (Gus's?) and what was probably the largest wine/spirits store we've ever seen. The pizza was amazing, and we had some tasty beverages for washing everything down.

Tomorrow, we have about a five hour drive before making it to Irvine. We can't check-in to our temporary housing until 4:00, so the master plan at the moment is to eat more pizza watch some movies (maybe Tombstone), and stay up well past our bedtime. Good night!

The Irvine Trail - Day 2

We've survived day 2, which took us from Sweetwater, Texas to Lordsburg, New Mexico. No oxen were lost. No wagon wheels were broken. As far as we know, no snakes were encountered and nobody succumbed to a life-threatening illness. That's not to say everything has gone perfectly. Also, Achievement Unlocked - River Fording! We've crossed so many rivers and creeks since leaving Fort Worth that we have every confidence we'll have no problems for the rest of the trip (okay...the bridges help).

What Happens When Everything Won't Fit in the Wagons (err, the car)

When we were preparing to pack the car, we quickly realized we wouldn't be able to fit nearly as much stuff as we'd hoped. No problem, we thought, we'll just arrange for some of our goods to be shipped ahead with a trader's caravan (also known as Fedex). Computers, monitors, mice, keyboards, and basically everything that wouldn't fit in the car went into boxes and were left in the capable hands of (I think her name was Lily). Or so we thought...

Well, the long and short of it is, Steph doesn't have any pants. I don't have a coat (it's 34 degrees here at the moment). We might be short on socks. We're hoping to find a local merchant in the next major town we come across that we can barter with for these essential items (you know, like Target). To further compound the long-term situation, though, our boxes were expected to arrive on Friday but now won't be there until Monday. So, we'll definitely be buying new clothes for everyone before the work week starts.

One Last Chance for Good Barbecue

We came to the realization this morning that it could be eons before we would have tasty Texas barbecue again. Our solution - find the best barbecue joint in Odessa. The 'BBQ Barn' did not disappoint (thanks Misty!). Yes, it even sort of looked like a barn. The boys each had sliced brisket sandwiches, and Steph and I tried an interesting twist on brisket tacos. The tacos were basically a tortilla with melted cheese and a giant (single) piece of brisket. 'Pico' was optional. Nonetheless, they were delicious and served as a good reminder of what we'd be missing out on in sunny California.

...and Then There was Dinner

Meat burrito, anyone?

Okay, dinner was actually pretty good. We all tried something different. However, we all unequivocally steered clear of the 'meat burrito' on the menu. Steph and Ryan washed their dinner down with some blackberry cobbler, while Thomas and I tried hot fudge sundaes. Who would have ever thought we'd find this kind of food along The Irvine Trail?

Tomorrow, our journey will take us through Arizona, and we just might keep going straight to California. We plan to stop in Tucson to do some shopping (you know, for a coat and pants). Otherwise, we're just taking our time and will see how far we make it. Wish us luck!