Thanksgiving at Manka's in a wonderful inn near Point Reyes. Our favorite room, with it's four poster bed and hugh pillows now has an outdoor shower with a view of Tomales Bay and the hills beyond. The shower head is so hugh that it feels like a wonderfully warm waterfall. We manged two monster hikes, one up to the top and one across to the ocean. We are going back in mid-April for more reading by the fire and hiking the trails which should be full of wild flowers.
The week before Christmas we visited Kate in Florence. Our room, hugh with a view of the moon rising above domed cathedrals, overlooked David, or at least the back of the museum where he lives. While the skies were mostly grey, there was little rain and we walked miles and miles of streets and museum galleries. Kate joined us for dinner most nights, sometimes alone, sometimes with a friend or two and once with a large group. It was wonderful to see her so happy and among many new friends. After 4 days in Florence, we drove with Kate and her roommate, Lisa to Venice for two nights. Venice in winter is mysterious, almost haunting. Dusk comes early and people scurry by, heads down against the cold coming off the water. Kate and Lisa took the train back to school and we went off to Milan for one night and a vist to La Scalla. A visit to the house empty is a memorable experience, but the performance of Armide we experienced was a once in a lifetime experience. Breathtaking singing and setss - we were awestruck.
We have been very busy! Judy's birthday found her enjoying a sunny afternoon at Skywalker Ranch - lunch and then a tour of the main house and the tech center. Then off to Pelican Cove to a wonderful Bed & Breakfast, dinner at The Pelican Inn with our friends Elise and Joe (a surprise!) a starry night overlooking the Pacific.
The next morning we hiked around the cliffs and then enjoyed a picnic lunch high up on Mt Tam, watching the Blue Angels and the ships come in to the Bay for Fleet Week. We were told that the Stealth Bomber made an appearance, but we didn't see it. If we had, I quess it wouldn't have been the Stealth would it! Then, into the city for dinner and the last performance of "Damm Yankees" with Jerry Lewis. You gotta love the man, but he sure didn't worry about acting. The audience loved him just for showing up and walking through his lines - with the occasional Jerry Lewis whine.
Sunday we boarded the Jeremiah O'Brien for a day on the Bay. Wonderful tour, but no Blue Angels this day, too foggy! The J O'B is the last Liberty Ship and, with a lot of original Liberty Ship crew from World War II sailed to Normandy two years ago for D-Day celebrations. A few of them were on the ship as docents for our trip around the Bay. Judy was in seventh heaven!
The next weekend, in connection with a Judy business trip to Salt Lake we spent a day at Sundance - fall colors and waking up to a snowy landscape on Sunday morning. Wonderful food, wonderful place to stay - quiet woods.
The next weekend (getting tired yet?) in connection with a Bob trip, we went to Boulders Resort in Carefree Az. Wow, so this is where the rich play golf. Not being golfers, we took a Hummer ride into the desert.
Pu'u 'ula'ula means Red Hill but Bob's cheeks were barely red when he crested the top of Mt. Haleakala in mid August. Starting at sea level, and with Judy keeping track of his water bottles, Bob made it to the top with wind to spare. During the ride up, Bob looked like a salmon swimming upstream, hundreds of helmeted and jacketed cyclists passed him as they undertook the not-so-strenuous downhill version. Bob left them gaping. No great explorer or adventurer (Hilary or Livingston) was more warmly greeted by the massive crowd which urged him on. A ticker tape parade awaited him upon his triumphant return to sea level. Dr. Chovan monitoring his vital signs along his route was overhead as saying "Mr. Stavers is in peak condition - his heart rate barely broke 140."
On 10 August 1996, Bob and his friend, Larry, rode 80 miles from Hana to Napili in record time. They rode the scenic Hana coastline with nary a stop except to look at one large elegant spider. Urged on by their loved ones (Judy, Nancy, and Sarah) who stopped for a smoothie and a bit of shopping in Paia, they rode gamely into a 15 mph headwind.
This is a picture of Bob "in training" for Haleakala - at the 90 mile mark on the Solvang Century, March '96.