Brrrrr......

We are in the grip of a serious cold spell.  Down around zero at night and only in the mid-teens during the day.  YIKES!  And lots of wind.  Gusts to almost 80 mph in Douglas last night.  And more of the same for the rest of the week.  Ugh...

At least there's a little snow on the ground now.  We have probably got 20 inches or so since I've been back from vacation - although the snow piles shrink every day in the cold and very dry air.  When it turns to rain this time it will take awhile to melt all the glaciation. 

To keep my mind off the weather I have been photoshopping my Hawaii pics.  And downloaded all my Flip videos.  It took three days of fiddling with this damn program to get my videos uploaded.  In fact, I'm still fiddling and just got an error message.  Damn!  Will try again.  Here goes... 

Well, sorry, only one ATV vid...the other one was better...more scenery...but still you should get the drift.  As a consolation prize, a couple of pics from the resort.

Sun going down at Kaanapali

Always lots of scenery on the beach

And watching people crash and burn in the surf is amusing...

In other news, took mom to the clinic early this morning for a cortisone injection in her back.  It took longer than I expected but she came through with flying colors.  She feels good this afternoon - the novocaine probably hasn't worn-off yet; but hopefully in 3-5 days the cortisone will work its magic.

Later gang. 

Ooops.  This just in from our friends at the National Weather Service.

...ANOTHER HIGH WIND EVENT SOUTHEAST ALASKA MID WEEK...

ANOTHER PERIOD OF VERY STRONG WIND IS LIKELY IN PARTS OF
SOUTHEAST ALASKA AROUND WEDNESDAY. EAST WIND GUSTS AS HIGH AS 90MPH ARE POSSIBLE AT SEA LEVEL BETWEEN EARLY WEDNESDAY MORNING ANDTHURSDAY MORNING. STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED OVER THE CENTRALAND NORTHERN PANHANDLE INCLUDING A TAKU WIND IN THE JUNEAU AREA.

THE WEATHER PATTERN THAT CAUSED FREQUENT WIND GUSTS OVER 50 MPH
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY FROM JUNEAU TO SKAGWAY AND THE CENTRAL OUTERCOAST IS GRADUALLY WEAKENING. THE HIGHEST MEASURED WIND GUST WAS150 MPH /130 KNOTS/ AT SHEEP MOUNTAIN SOUTH OF JUNEAU AT 3540FEET ELEVATION. HIGHEST WIND GUST AT SEA LEVEL WAS 103 MPH /90
KNOTS/ AT CAPE SPENCER IN CROSS SOUND.

A NEW STORM BREWING MONDAY HALF WAY BETWEEN SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND HAWAII WILL MOVE TO THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE BY WEDNESDAY. AFTER A BRIEF LULL IN WIND TUESDAY... STRONG EAST TO NORTHEAST WIND WILL DEVELOP TUESDAY NIGHT AS THE APPROACHING STORM CENTER NEARS DIXON ENTRANCE. SOME SNOW IS EXPECTED OVER THE SOUTHERN PANHANDLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY BUT THE REAL STORY WILL BE THE WINDS CAUSING LOCAL WHITEOUT CONDITIONS. STAY TUNED FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THIS DEVELOPING SITUATION.

Shit oh dear....

 

Home

Well, here I am back in good ol' Juneau.  It's been serious winter weather since I returned.  Guess we got 18 inches or so in a couple of snow episodes.  Now it's clear and cold and there's a high wind warning for downtown Juneau and Douglas.  In other words, it's typical February weather...

I have just started photo-shopping my vacation pics.  Nothing to share yet...most of the good pics have already been posted.  Still, a few calendar worthy shots will go into the archives.

All Juneau family and friends are OK.  Some medical stuff with mom this week starting out with an MRI yesterday on her back.  Arthritis.  We have a consultation in a couple of hours and MAYBE some follow-up treatment which I'm guessing will take the form of a cortisone injection.

In other news I note a winter Red Alert for Seattle with snow on the ground from yesterday and 2-4 inches predicted for later today.  Last evening my sources in Ballard issued the following weather bulletin:

Well, it's snowing in Ballard right now (5:30 pm PST) but melting when it hits the ground.  Most people would have left work early today, when the prospect of snow was announced.  Jaws set in grim determination, by now they have:

 

1.  chained up and started the arduous 2 mile journey home, which will take about 7 hours; or

 

2.  abandoned their vehicle in the middle lane of the freeway; or

 

3.  careened into a lightpole after realizing "four wheel drive" does not equate with "superior stopping ability on ice & snow".

    

Example: "But I have four wheel drive!"

Portland, too, is bracing for winter with 2-5 inches possible late today and tonight.

At a news conference late Tuesday outside Portland City Hall, city and state transportation officials said crews were standing by with snowplows, sand and de-icer in the event forecasts prove correct.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams warned residents not to be lulled into complacency by earlier snow forecasts that have been false alarms this winter.

"I do worry about the Chicken Little, sky-is-falling effect," said Adams, noting that more than 1,000 cars were abandoned during the gridlock that hit the city Dec. 29, 2009. "I'd rather people be overvigorous in their preparations."

Wow!  Are these people nuts, or what?

The Cow Says - Moooooooo

Well, it's about 8 AM and in a few minutes I must begin the sad task of packing my bags.  A 1 PM departure from Maui and an 8:10 PM arrival into PDX.  Overnight at the Red Lion near the airport and then on to Seattle and Juneau tomorrow morning.

Looks like winter is still firmly in the saddle in Juneau.  Clear, cold, and windy today.  Increasing clouds tomorrow and a winter storm watch for tomorrow night and Saturday.  I hope I get home before the snow begins to fly...

Yesterday I took an ATV excursion.  It was OK - but not nearly as much fun as the snorkeling and zipline attractions.  I ASSUMED the ATV gig was gonna be like free-form riding in the sand.  I was wrong.  It was a guided tour up in the mountains on an old sugar plantation on an ATV that looked very much like a maintenance vehicle one would typically see on a golf course.  We ride single file behind a leader up and down narrow rutted tracks which are essentially cow paths.  Indeed bovines were present during the tour.  And there was LOTS of really red and really fine dust.  We wore helmets goggles and bandannas in an ultimately futile attempt to keep the dust at bay.  And it was very warm.

Still, the scenery was quite lovely and the company was good.  I took a few pics for which I do not have high expectations and a little video which will give you the sense of the tour.  No time to upload this morning however.

I just got back from the beach where I was enjoying my morning latte.  A very good whale show close to shore in front of the hotel that included a baby humpback breaching along with mom.  Everyone on the beach was agog.  I did not have my camera of course...

It has been a very fine vacation.  And I needed the break.  However I have been pretty shocked by the prices for everything here.  I suspect on a daily rate basis I could take a cruise with a nice stateroom at considerably less than half the cost of staying at a resort on Maui.  And while I had several very good meals at restaurants in Lahaina, the food at the resort and elsewhere was generally mediocre yet hugely expensive.

But then there is the sun - the warm, radiant, glorious sun.  And the tropical breezes and the sand between your toes.  And tiki torches and dining alfresco.  Snorkeling, ziplines and frolicking whales.

In February?  Priceless.

Aloha!

Zippity-Doo-Dah

Zipline madness yesterday - and serious way cool fun.  Unfortunately, for safety reasons I could not take my still camera with me.  Too bulky and a recipe for a broken camera and/or a serious concussion.  But I did take my Flip video cam as you will see below.

The course is located north of Kananapali about 10 miles.  You check-in at the Ritz-Carlton and then a mini-van hauls you up the mountain to an elevation of about 2500 feet.  Then you cross a wobbly 200 foot suspension bridge by foot and board a WWII vintage half-track to climb another 500 feet to the first line.

We did 5 lines - two of which are about a half-mile long.  You zip over ravines and zip down canyons.  Over hill, over dale.  It was very exhilarating and the closest you're likely to feel to actually flying.

Here we go up the hill in the halftrack:

Sadly, my little video cam is not so hotsy-totsy for capturing someone riding a 1/2 mile zipline.  And the Blogger upload will no doubt further degrade the image.  Nevertheless, here is one of my zip compatriots on one of the more interesting lines.  You may not see anything for the first 3/4 of the vid - but you should get the gist of the thing at the end!

I got up to over 45 mph on this segment.  If you feel a need for speed you have to "pencil," i.e., lay back as far as you can in the sling and raise your legs to the horizontal to minimize wind resistance.  I liked the speed.

When you get near the end of the run the "receiver" staff puts his arms out which is your cue to sit-up straight, put your arms out to the horizontal and your legs down to maximize wind resistance and thereby slow you down.  Just before you hit the brake (a rubber coated coiled spring about 20 feet long) you need to grab the handle bars and lean back to you don't whack your noggin' upon deceleration.  BANG!  You come to a pretty abrupt stop.

So there you have it.

Aloha!

Winter Storm Warning

A winter storm warning for Juneau today with lots of the white stuff.  To be followed by decreasing clouds, increasing Taku winds and plummeting temperatures.

Looking out my hotel window in Maui it is presently mostly clear.  I can see humpback whales cavorting offshore.  The high today should be in the low 80's.

Heh.  Heh.

Yesterday was a pool day although I did drive down to Kihei in the afternoon just to look around.  Then supper on the beach in Lahaina.  Very relaxing.

This afternoon I have booked a 2 1/2 hour zipline adventure.  Another pool day tomorrow followed by a half-day ATV extravaganza on Wednesday.  Should get some decent pics.

In the meantime, here are a few snap shots from the recent snorkeling/whale watch cruise.

Kaanapali astern as we motor to the snorkeling grounds

Abeam Lahaina

Snorkel folk congregate over the turtle cleaning stations

 

 Our sister ship

The Captain and I had a spirited discussion about the residency of humpback whales.  It was my position that they are Alaskan whales that winter in Hawaii.  He was adamant that they are Hawaiian whales that summer in Alaska.

 We were in the midst of a pod of four

 Whales, whales everywhere

 I had hoped to see a newborn or two; but it was not to be...

 Wait for a break in the surf...

...then up on the beach.  Quite fun.

Well, time for the daily workout...  Later gang.

There's a Fine Line Between Terror and Fun

Big time fun (and not a little trepidation) on the vacation front yesterday.

Signed-up for the four-hour snorkeling and whale watching cruise that departs from right in front of the hotel.  It was a beautiful day and we motored on down the coast 10 miles or so to a sheltered cove that sports a fine reef for diving and snorkeling.

Those of you who know me well are aware of my congenital failure as a swimmer.  Several years ago I attempted to rectify this defect by taking lessons at the pool in Juneau.  It was not a raging success.  After six lessons Elmo had learned how to float - sort of - while the five to ten year olds in my class had substantially mastered the black art and were cavorting in the water like demented dolphins.  At that point I decided to move on to other endeavors.

So it was with some trepidation yesterday that I prepared to go snorkeling in the mighty Pacific.

It was obvious to me from the outset that I would be outclassed by all my shipmates.  Indeed, when Dave, the snorkel-master, inquired if anyone needed any instruction there was only one hand raised - mine.

"So you need a little refresher?" Dave inquired.

"What's this for?"  I replied, holding up my snorkel and mask.  "I can't swim."

I was assured that being unable to swim was absolutely no bar to enjoying the wonders of the reef.  The water was very salty aiding buoyancy, I would have a flotation ring around my waist, and I would have a boogie board to thrust out in front of myself thereby assuring absolutely perfect snorkeling form.

"You'll be just fine," Dave assured me.

"You bet, Dave!" I croaked.

As it turned out, Dave was more-or-less correct.  I did not instantly crash dive to a watery grave.  Instead, I bobbed along on the surface, furiously kicking-up a wake to rival that of a nuclear aircraft carrier, and surging forward at a stately pace of a quarter of a knot or so.

And lo and behold, there were critters under the water.  Fish of all colors.  And sea turtles - having their shells cleaned by schools of fish.  Amazing.

After a half-hour or so of snorkeling fun, I thrashed my way back to the boat and although I was certainly not the last person back on board I was not the first either.  I arrived just in time for the opening of the bar - for some reason alcoholic beverages are not provided BEFORE snorkeling - the only ship's policy that I question...

A fair lunch was provided and then we motored out into the middle of Lahaina Roads in search of humpback whales which we quickly found.  Lots of tail pounding and fluke slapping.  Whales breaching in the mid-distance - unfortunately not close enough for real good pics.  Nothing particularly dramatic for me, of course, but the majority of the ship's company were duly thrilled.

We then continued back to Kaanapali where the surf had risen signifcantly.  After several aborted attempts to put the bows of the catamaran on the beach we backed-off and were run ashore by zodiak in groups of six.  And run ashore is exactly the right phrase as illustrated in the following video.

I have a number of still pics from this adventure as well.  But the wifi here is quite slow so I will save them for another post.

Aloha!

Hello/Goodbye

The relaxation continues.  Yesterday afternoon I signed-up for an activity - all this relaxing is beginning to become fatiguing.  So...at 10:30 AM I will report to the beach to board a catamaran for a four hour whale watching, snorkeling, picnic, booze cruise gig.  I have my sunblock at the ready...

The humpback whale show has been pretty spectacular even from the beach.  They are engaged in what my daughter, Leah, refers to from her days catering the whale watching boats in Juneau as "hot, whale-on-whale action."  It's always cool when they breach and some of these guys are catching serious air.  Also lots of fluke and tail pounding.  One suspects that cetacean love is in the air...

Night before last I had a superb supper at a French restaurant, Gerrard's.  The eight course fixed price offering was excellent although I was a tad disappointed with the rack-of-lamb which garnered great online reviews but I thought was simply good as opposed to great.  After the lamb I did rally for dessert - the millefeuille, a Napoleon filled with lemon curd, strawberry jam and fresh berries was spectacular.  The wine steward thoughtfully composed a wine flight for the meal.

Indeed, although I have been working out every day, it is possible that I have put on a pound or two - or perhaps these shorts have shrunk.  Yeah, that's it.  The shorts have shrunk.

Finally, I close with a couple of pics of the local hotel inhabitants - parrots who reside just off the main lobby by the lagoon.  Each bird seems to have a vocabulary of one word.  One of them says "hello" and the other one says "goodbye."  This works great when traveling from east to west - one is greeted with "hello" and shortly thereafter with "goodbye."  It is a mite confusing when traveling in the other direction however.

Hello Polly

Goodbye Polly

Right Ho, Jeeves!

Well...another warm and sunny morning.  Imagine that.

My tropical mental health break continues at a delightfully languid pace.  I've wandered into Lahaina the past couple of mornings - after a decent workout in the gym - and enjoyed a meal and strolling along Front Street.  Then, tuckered out from the exertion, I have beached myself by the pool for some reading and relaxation.  Followed by cocktails and supper of course.  I may rally for more vigorous activities in the next day or so...or then again I may not.

While in Portland I made a sortie to Powell's Books for appropriate vacation reading material.  Mr. Milnes has been urging me to have a go at some serious reading on the basis of our ongoing discussion of materialism versus spiritualism.  I dutifully marched-up to the extensive Philosophy section; but after a half hour or so of thumbing through the musty tomes I found myself somewhat groggy. I repaired to the coffee shop for a double latte.  Sorry, Tim - but it was a good faith effort.

Upon reviving, I finally selected an assortment of books appropriate for the vacation at hand.  I have since completed the New York Times bestseller "You Suck" by Christopher Moore - a mildly comedic yarn about two young vampires in love in San Francisco.  Not up to Carl Hiaasen's standards.

I then moved upscale to a couple of P.G. Wodehouse stories in the Wooster and Jeeves series "Stiff Upper Lip, Jeeves" and "Right Ho, Jeeves" - the following from the front jacket of the latter.

Gussie Fink-Nottle's knowledge of the common newt is unparalleled.  Drop him in a pond of newts and his behaviour will be exemplary, but introduce him to a girls and watch him turn pink, yammer, and suddenly stampede for the wide open spaces.  Even with Madeline Bassett, who feels that the stars are God's daisy chain, his tongue is tied in reef-knots.  And his chum Tuppy Glossop isn't getting on much better with Madeline's delectable friend, Angela.

With so many broken hearts lying about him, Bertie Wooster can't sit idly by.  The happiness of a pal - two pals, in fact - is at stake.  But somehow Bertie's best-laid plans land everyone in the soup, and so it's just as well that Jeeves is ever at hand to apply his bulging brains to the problems of young love.

Yesterday, I disposed of the last of Jeeves and am now 100 pages into "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck, a classic that I somehow overlooked in high school.  My English teacher, Mr. Farrell, would be proud...

I seem to be getting the hang of this beach thing...

Well, time for a workout and then to the pool.  I leave you with a couple of pics from paradise.

The massive and old banyan tree near the harbor in Lahaina

All you would ever want to know about said tree - if you can make it out through the bird droppings

Just another day in paradise at Kanaapali

Don't Be Koi

Ah, the Sandwich Isles. Tropical breezes.  Tropical sunsets.  Tropical drinks.

A very uneventful flight from PDX direct to Maui.  We arrived 45 minutes early and I was at the Westin Maui Resort and Spa in time for the second half of the Super Bowl.  I am not a particularly ardent fan; but the spectacle was as all consuming here as on the mainland.  With every significant play the resort echoed with huzzahs and yippees with a background note of sighs and moans. 

In the end I perceived a clear majority approving of the final result.  This may, in part, be explained by the presence of many guests from the mid-west who are cavorting at the resort this week under the banner of some group called "Howards Feeds."  This outfit, I presume, to be engaged in the business of producing and/or distributing livestock feed in the heartland.  Although it is possible I have got this entirely wrong and and Howards Feeds represents the bride and groom family names of the couple who were joined in holy matrimony by the adult pool and tiki lounge on Sunday evening. 

But I digress. 

I had a very decent supper on Sunday at a oceanfront joint just down the beach.  Dining alfresco in February is always a serious morale booster.  Yesterday was a pool day...got familiar with the resort and read by the pool.  The resort is quite nice with multiple pools, faux lagoons, waterfalls and the like.  And a fair expanse of real beach on the Pacific with sufficient surf to amuse the children and frighten the parents.

The main lagoon features a small flock of pink flamingos, a large, loud, and obnoxious parrot and a host of various types of small birds on the mooch for crumbs from the outdoor dining facilities.  There are many pools - some interconnected - and a water slide of decent drop and length.  I would put the average age of the adult guest at 40 with many children in the toddler and pre-teen age groups. 

My room is reasonably spacious and decently appointed.  It has a "terrace" view which is to say it overlooks the parking lot.  I have committed additional coin to move to an ocean view on Friday. 

It is my intention to go into Lahaina today; but it was also my intention to go into Lahaina yesterday so we shall see...  I am not a sunbathing devotee; but I did find yesterday's activities (or lack thereof) entirely satisfactory.

I leave you with a few pics from the hotel grounds:

 The flamingos seem perfectly at ease

Poolside

Ker-

Splash!

Lots of Koi

Sokol-Blosser Excursion

Drove down to Leah's duty station yesterday afternoon - the Sokol-Blosser winery.  Kinda a gray day; but once again the company more than made up for any deficiencies weather wise.  However I have resolved to revisit the winery on a bright sunshine filled spring or summer day.  They have a very nice deck with a panoramic view that I need to study for a few hours.

So...without further ado...a couple of pics from yesterday...

"I also recommend this impertinent little Pinot Gris..."

  Seventy Five Acres of Juicy Goodness

 Daniel, Leah, Amanda & Jane on maneuvers

Cellar Rats

 Felt a little peckish last evening - had a mediocre supper at the Thai restaurant here at the hotel and turned-in early.  Unfortunately, this morning I feel like I may be coming down with a cold.  Gonna hole-up and hope it goes away.

Next post dateline Mauii.  So there you have it...

Pig-Out in Portlandia

All's well in the City of Roses.  I got in mid-afternoon on Wednesday after a very bumpy ride down from Juneau.  It was blowing about 40 in Ketchikan and the cloud tops for most of the way to Seattle were at about 37,000 feet.  We pounded our way down the coast - the captain kept the fasten seat belt sign on the whole way.

Seattle was  quite nice however and so was Portland.  It clouded up yesterday and is overcast again this morning; but no rain yet.  Wednesday night Leah, Amanda, Daniel and I went to a seafood joint downtown.  I have already forgotten the name of the place and will soon forget everything else about it too - except for the excellent company, of course.

Last night more than made up for the night before however.  We dined at Castagna and it was superb. The joint features a fixed price menu with four courses and four or five offerings for each course.  The menu is quite interesting in its descriptions of the dishes - pretty daunting in some cases - but EVERYTHING was yummy.  We all ordered different stuff and shared - so it was kinda like a massive tapas meal.  Way fun.

A few of my favourites:

• Black Cod cured in hay with a variety of radishes in different shapes and textures;
• Black truffles with wild apples, cress and celery root cooked in ash;
• Steelhead smoked over alder with beet charcoal, buttermilk ash and grapefruit;
• Duck with roasted salsify, wild licorice, bourbon and spiced milk; and
• Chamomile ice cream with crystalized honey, sweet and sour citrus.

A couple of bottles of excellent Italian red accompanied the meal.  And with dessert I braved a glass of slivovitz - which I believe is the Polish national drink - and which Daniel accurately characterized as a "tribute to grain alcohol and hard-living."  Actually I believe the beverage is distilled from plums.  But it is potent stuff.  OOFTA!

Yesterday Amanda and I visited the Chinese garden downtown.  It was the Chinese New Year and very festive.  I was amazed at the number of things that are in bud and will soon be blooming.  The place will be a riot of color in a few weeks.  We had tea and watched a dragon dance.  

Today it's off to Sokol-Blosser winery where Leah will give Jane, Amanda, Daniel and yours truly a tour and no doubt a sampling.  I will take my camera so will have some photographic evidence to share.

Tomorrow night I'm off to A Cena - one of my favourite Italian joints located near Jane's and John's place in Sellwood.  We hope to be joined my my old college pals Rich and Irene McConaghy.

I just love this place...