Mid-trip update

Howdy, or maybe "Aloha" would be a better greeting. Just wanted to say hi and give a quick update. Funny how vacation can be tiring, but we've been having a great time. Justin and I bought new snorkels and masks before we left, so we've been putting them to good use...both by snorkeling and our first scuba diving expedition. Both Billy and Laure have worked as scuba instructors for periods in their lives, so it was just like paying for a guide. Not to make is sound silly, but it truly is a whole different world down under that water! Luckily I didn't see any eels, but I did see all kinds of sea life. We went hiking yesterday in a state park, only got lost for a little while; did some shopping in Kona a few days ago; went to a graduation party of one of Billy's students and it was a true Hawaiian party...got to eat some traditional food, even whole fish that you had to pull off the bone. Of course many pictures are to follow for illustration after I get back and sort through them all.

Today we are packing up to do a sort of "around the island" driving trip and we will be camping somewhere down near the southern tip of the Big Island. I brought one large suitcase with us that was nothing but camping and snorkeling gear. Hope all is well with everyone and I'll catch up with ya'll when we get back.

The Rainbow State

Tomorrow Justin and I board a plane and fly to the Hawaiian Islands. I don't believe we'll have much, if any, interent connection while there so my communication to you will cease until we get back on June 3rd. Have a great week! Aloha!

Dirt bike riding in the Pinenuts

Since my blog is essentially Justin's blog too, I'm posting on an adventure I was not associated with at all. For those of you that don't know, Justin is an avid dirt bike rider...has been since he was a kid. A few of his fellow dirt bike riding friends came down to Carson last weekend and went riding in the Pinenut Mountains right behind my office. From what I hear, it's fantastic riding.

L: Bikes and trucks from the starting point...that's the bridge over the Carson River just below my office building R: Pit-stop along one of the trails, from L to R-friend of Skip's, Dirty Jimmy and Justin

All geared up. Notice the view of Carson Valley behind them.

Skating for graduation

Ok, got the camera, got the pictures. Now for a little catch-up. Last Monday (week ago yesterday) Justin and I went up to Reno to attend a roller-skating party that his friend, Jen, was hosting in celebration of her graduation from UNR the next weekend. Jen and Justin went to high school together down in Vegas and at that time roller skating was the thing to do (even St. Wendelin's elementary school that Rob and I attended had a once per month skate party at Skate Castle). Anyway, Jen and Justin are both very good skaters...do believe they both used to compete, and Justin's dance style reflects his days while upon 8 small wheels. I on the other hand just tried to keep myself on 8 wheels and just hoped there was always a wall ahead to stop me the hard way. Actually, I made some progress Monday night. My camera didn't work the best for action pics, but I did get a nice still one of Jen and Justin-->

In the mean time...

--I forgot my camera again, so I can't show you the pictures I've taken over the last week. It's on my list of things to pack tonight. Speaking of packing...4 days till Hawaii!!

--Just finished book 2 of the Harry Potter series. I'm reading all 6 over again in preparation of the 7th and final book being released on July 21st. Just in time for me to leave for a 2-week training in Denver. Perfect timing.

Willy

Just a couple pics of Willy from the last week or so.

L: Justin brought Willy a stuffed quail back from Death Valley and he loves it! It even makes noises like a real quail. R: We went hiking back to that artesian well we sampled last fall and let it run for a while before we took the sample. Willy got a little thirsty.

Kinda blurry, but it was an action shot. Justin and Willy were playing in the snow.

Justin's transformation

Justin had some fun with styling his beard this weekend. He had grown quite a beard over the last few weeks and Friday night he started to shape it. Take a look at the progression...

L: full beard M: crazy 70's guy R: Aron and Justin sporting the foomancho (sp?)

And finally to the clean face on Sunday!

Happy Mother's Day!

My Mom sent this picture to me, so I'm going to take the liberty to post it on my blog. This is Mom modeling the t-shirt I got her and the flowers Rob, Melissa and Luke sent her. Hope you had a great Mother's Day Mom!!

Normal week

This was was pretty normal. Nothing much to report...haha but I did get put as 1st author on an upcoming USGS report and I'm working on a proposal for a project that may get funded...with the help of Justin and the State Engineer's Office. Oh, I started riding my bike to work. Fun, but the afternoon winds make progress slow.

Desert golfing

Well, driving really. Sunday evening Justin and I went to the Eagle Valley golf course to hit a few balls. I've only done this once in my life back in Wisconsin. Oh, and attempted to play 9 holes once with the Girl Scouts. :o) Surprisingly, golfing is a big thing out here. I find this strange since a golf course requires grass, and grass doesn't grow out here without water. Carson City, a town of about 55,000-58,000 people, there are at least 3 golf courses and they are all irrigated with treated waste water. And we wonder why there's high nitrates in the shallow ground water...

Justin's pretty good...something I didn't know about him!

It was fun, although I was quite poor at it through the first 15-20 balls. If you follow this progression of pictures, you'll see that despite beautiful form, I didn't connect with the ball!

I did connect a few times! Justin said I did really well for the first time out.

Word to my readers

I just wanted to let those of you that are loyal readers of my blog know, if you didn't already, that you can click on any of the pictures I put up and a larger image will be displayed. They are really tiny on the page so that I can fit them in, but they can be viewed and downloaded once clicked upon.

Desk upgrade

Yesterday, Justin was on a roll cleaning out/organizing his garage. One thing he was going to get rid of was the desktop attachment to his office desk that has all the compartments for storing/filing things. I rescued it from going to the dump and had Justin help me install it on my desk at the office. I really like it...check it out!

Sooz...crazy biker girl

So...my friend Sooz (really Susan) is doing this road bike ride from San Fransisco to Los Angeles (total of 545 miles) as a fundraiser for AIDS/LifeCycle 6. She's asking for donations to meet her minimum requirement...so I'm soliciting, not something I usually do, but this is a special case. Here's her picture (and my other friend Joy) and her message below.

Hello Friends! From June 3-9, 2007 I (Sooz; pictured on right) will be riding my road bicycle 545 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles as a participant in the AIDS/LifeCycle 6 (ALC 6) ride. This week-long ride benefits AIDS research, as well as programs that support those living with AIDS and HIV in the U.S.

When I committed to riding my bicycle 545 miles in one week, I also committed to meeting a minimum fundraising goal of $2500 by May 31st. This is where you, my friends and family, play a huge role. I am asking you to please help support me by making a contribution to my fundraising efforts. Any amount you can contribute will help!

Please just take a moment to click on the link below and make a donation. I would really appreciate it! If you would like to contribute, but you would rather not do so online, you can send a check to AIDS LifeCycle before May 18. All donations after May 18 must be made online.
Thank you so much for your support! I have been training hard for this ride, but I only get to go if I raise the $$$! Thanks! ~Sooz DeYoung cyclist #4404
Make a donation now on my personal page:https://www.aidslifecycle.org/donate/4404

Hot snow

Sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it? Not the case last Saturday. Justin and I did some of his snow sampling up at Tahoe and then sat on a Tahoe beach. Pictures will help.

The day started out warm enough to hike in a t-shirt. Notice my snowshoes and Justin's technique to keep snow out of his boots. :o)

But by the afternoon, it was dang warm out here!! I think I'll start a new fad...bikini top and snowshoes! Willy really likes laying on the warm dirt.

And we ended the day on the beach. Quite warm, even for being at about 6,200 ft above sea level!

Family Texas photos

I will finally bring the posting on the TX trip to a close with some family photos that were mostly taken by Josh toward the end of Luke's birthday party.

L: Siblings; M: Sister-in-laws; R: Daughter & Mother

L: Adult Texas Green's; R: All Texas Green's