UMTravels

While Jameson was off at work, I was off at play, sampling some of the local wineries. Stop number one was Sextant, who has a branch tasting room and deli in the Edna Valley. Having not had breakfast, I needed food before wine: Was getting grounded after a little food, but did chat a little […]

Last month I tried to visit SLO, and Amtrak failed me by cancelling two days’ worth of trains. My goal was to see Jameson before he and Carolynn get married next month since I know the wedding will be crazy and I’m betting I barely get to see his brother as well. Alaska does a […]

Two blocks from my house is the Duwamish River (with kayak launch for those that do those sorts of things in the park, and a boat launch for bigger things), and this is now the view across the river: If you go up the bridge – this is the view: From the middle of the […]

The main reason for the trip was the tour of the Nevada National Security Site, but you have to eat and hang out as well! After the tour, we actually went out for a nice dinner – a rarity for us since we all are good cooks, but someone (Jonathan) was in the mood for […]

There is more to do in Vegas other than gambling – if I’m going to throw my money away, I’d rather drink it away. If you want to gamble, you can even gamble in the grocery store! That said, there are LOTS of things to do without hitting the strip. Like tour a chocolate factory […]

Better known as the Atomic Testing Grounds north of Las Vegas. The tale of this trip starts last June when I’m on the NNSS site trying to get a tour (http://www.nnss.gov/pages/PublicAffairsOutreach/NNSStours.html) which book up about nine months out as they are thirty people, once a month. Upside is that it is free. We finally got […]

Before I get to the Dark Matter, let’s cover lunch which is connected to Dark Matter, though I had the fish: That’s my crazy buddy, Seth, and, yes, we are having cocktails our lunch at Mamma Melina near U Village: I like to call this the “Tuesday Trifecta”. I get to see Seth, I get […]

Grabbed a ride with Rache to the airport – it was an hour earlier, than even I, the early arriver, arrives. Maybe I should have waited…since this was what I looked like in the lounge: No upgrade to First this time, I was number 8 on the list for only 12 seats since it was […]

The plan was to visit Jameson (and fiancée) in San Luis Obispo this week on the Amtrak Coast Starlight. This is what the overnight journey should have looked like: But I got this note at 6:50am Monday morning for my 9:45am departure: We wanted to let you know that train #11, the Coast Starlight, from […]