We Have House!!

Note to my readers:  There is an explanation for this being my first post in a week.  I went to Omaha and had a procedure to remove skin cancer.  The trip there and back, plus recovery, took more out of me than I expected and therefore the lack of postings.  Good news--they got all of the cancer and it hadn't rooted.  I thank all of you for reading about my mission trip to Mexico.  Here's the latest installment:  

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Another morning!  Get ready for the final day at the construction site.

We know the drill by now.  Get up, get ready.  Have breakfast.  Load up the construction gear.  Everyone have their tool belts?  Head out!

Once we get to the site it’s stucco and drywall time.  Are you in or are you out?  

I choose in.  I’ve done some drywall for my own house so at least I’m familiar with this task.  It doesn’t hurt that our missionary has a very awesome device for the task.  It looks like a drill but it’s rigged to insert drywall screws faster than it takes to blink your eye.  Seriously.  

Geoana chooses out.  Later in the day she tells me she enjoys troweling stucco and likely will do it again next year.  

As with the previous two days, the family for whom we are building the house supply lunch.  Handmade tortillas with the bean or papas filling.  

Then we’re treated to lunch, version 2.  

Our family’s church pastor and his wife arrived with empandadas filled with a luscious meat and potato concoction.  Our leaders knew this couple as they constructed their casa a couple of years ago.  

Even south of the border it’s a small world.  And all of us on the team are happily stuffed.  Good thing too, as we didn’t realize at that time just how far we were from our goal.  

It’s mid-afternoon and I notice we (as a group) still have some work to accomplish.  The plan was to complete the construction and then have the house dedication.  

We get closer to evening and it’s obvious we won’t have the dedication today.  

Yet all of us solider on and we finally get the construction done shortly before the sun goes below the horizon.  

All told it was about a 12-hour work day.  

It wasn’t all nose-to-the-grindstone.  Between our teenagers interacting with the local children and the meals served we had plenty of pleasurable moments.  

As we were there well longer than expected the family had yet another surprise.  Early evening they brought out the largest cauldron I’ve ever seen.  Containing one of the best concoctions I’ve ever seen.  And tasted.  

My Spanish is sufficient enough that I talked with one of the women about the ingredients.  Carne de res, carne de puerco, salchicha, frijoles, cebolla, cilantro, and some other spices.  

Chowing down on this (again, with made-from-scratch flour tortillas) I was in culinary paradise.  It had a bit of a bite but wasn’t overly spicy.  

Plenty of fuel for the final stretch.  Darkness falls and the interior wiring is ready.  One of the family’s relatives (nice guy by the name of Manuel) connects the copper and let there be light!!  

Soon we’re picking up the last of our mess and packing the vehicles one final time.  Manuel’s moved to the house roof and is shining a large florescent light, illuminating the area better than our small flashlights ever could.  Us gringos are exhuasted and the family is ecstatic.  

Not only did we build them a house but thanks to the generous support of our church we had funds left over which some of our gals used to make a trip to Soriana.  We gave the family a futon, a bicycle for their 13-year-old son, and quite a few other housewarming regalos.  

A fine end to a hard-but-worth-it day.  

Then it’s back to the church where we’re lodging.  But before that, one final stop at Oxxo.  Nothing says wisdom like the youth pastor allowing teenagers to load up on soda and junk food when it’s approaching 10 at night.  I take a pass.  

Needless to say I barely could keep my eyes open when it came time for evening devotions.  I decided if I accidentally dropped off I could excuse my actions away by being “very deep in prayer.”  

I also feared a repeat of last night.  Yet the young folks clearly were as worn out as I and there was no need for a countdown from Kellie.  Sleep comes easy and I look forward to tomorrow.  House dedication and it’s back to Los Estados Unidos.  

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March Along, It's Coming Together!

The morning of Day Four dawns!  

Sleep quality?  Surprisingly good.  

For the first time this trip I was in a large room with just about everybody else.  The reason I chose church classrooms the previous two overnights was due to the old (and true) adage:  The loudest one to snore is always the first to fall asleep.  I’ve experienced this on men’s retreats and other group getaways in the past so the lack of peaceful sleep was one of my larger concerns for this journey.  

Yet last night the combination of being very tired and a white noise app on my iPhone combined to give me the rest I desired.  

Again I’m among the first to rise.  (There are but a few naturally early risers in this gang and this has a Newtonian effect later today.  More about that later.)   Coffee and breakfast go well.  

Then it’s everyone forming yet another bucket brigade and we get the pickup and trailer loaded with tools, accessories and lunches.  

A short drive to the job site and it’s time to resume construction!  The concrete has cured to the point we can walk on it (carefully) and everyone gets to the task of fastening the frame together.  

A short while later many folks get to work on installing the wall sheathing.  Afterward, it’s chicken wire time!  

I learn some new skills this day, not the least of which is the art of nailing in chicken wire (it serves as a base for the stucco).  It is very important to stretch it tight.  And tight means very very tight!  As Jason told us, if you get it pulled onto the nail with little effort, then it’s not tight enough.  

In the meantime some others are working inside cramming in the insulation.  And a third bunch is assembling the roof.  We’ve got it going!!

Workday is nearing an end and we’re prepared to drywall and stucco this casa tomorrow.  

Back to the church, again following a stopover at Oxxo.  Another very good supper and after cleanup then it’s back to the evening shower routine.  

Devotion time is rich, with some people sharing and all of us practicing our song (en espanol) we will perform at the dedication.  

Bedtime, but that doesn’t equate to rest and sleep for a lot of these young folks.  Lights out comes and goes yet all of us still bear audio witness to laughing, cutting up, talking and the like.  

Finally our youth pastor has had enough.  Kellie (with the loudest voice she can muster) tells all in earshot she will count down from ten, and during the count all are welcome to make whatever noises we wish, then when she’s done everyone is to quiet down.  

It works.  

No More March Madness, Now It's The Real Thing (a.k.a. Day Three)

It’s now the morning of Day Three.  I slept well and having a blanket made a world of difference.  

Again I’m one of the first ones up.  Again, there are no showers here but the men’s room at least is roomy and has a good-sized sink area.  I shave, as I don’t know when I’ll get the chance to do so again, and also wet down my hair in an attempt to make it presentable.  It still looks just a little more rough then yesterday.  

Then it’s time for coffee.  This church has a dedicated coffee bar area featuring three K-Cup brewers and plenty of varieties.  In scoping out this area last night one of the women in our group said “Wonder why we don’t have something like this at our church?”  

Good question.  

Since I had no chance to mess up the java by making it extra-strong this morning everyone enjoyed their wake-up hot bean juice.  And yes I threw a few dollars into the kitty.  

Another simple breakfast today.  We all go about our tasks quietly.  I think some are a bit nervous, as am I, since today we cross into Mexico and begin our entire reason for the journey.  

Our Casas Por Cristo missionary arrives about 7:30.  We do introductions and exchange the obligatory greetings and handshakes with Jason.  

Same routine as yesterday morning, pack the trailer and we’re out of here.  As we caravan toward the international bridge I’m getting more apprehensive by the moment.  

But about what?  I’m with a group of folks and we all have the same purpose.  Our leaders have been to Mexico on these house-construction projects over 30 different times.  We are with a well-trained missionary and for the next three days we are his sole responsibility.  Also in our group are a few students who did this exact same thing last year and many couldn’t wait for the opportunity to do so again.  

Looking back now, I think leaving my comfort zone was the largest cause of my anxiety.  Obviously anything involving the unknown is difficult for most people and I’m no exception.  Going into another country with a very different culture and different language is a bit daunting as well.  

While waiting at the toll booth I choose to direct my thoughts elsewhere.  I haven’t been through Del Rio in a vehicle since 1979.  Needless to say I don’t see or remember anything familiar.  My last jaunt through this city was in 1997, on a train.  This was a Christmastime trip from Tucson to San Antonio by way of Amtrak.  

I also think about the history of this place, one you won’t read about in high-school textbooks.  No, I’m referring to the border radio stations that existed from the 1930’s through the early 1980’s.  Around 1988 or so I bought a book titled (not surprisingly) Border Radio, published by Texas Monthly Press.  (And guess what?  It's still available.)  Del Rio and Ciudad Acuna played a major role.  Starting with Dr. Brinkley in the 1930’s and going through the Wolfman Jack era of the early ’60’s, I look out the window and wonder what it was like for the residents of that day to see the high-powered broadcast towers and the glow they must have given at night.  

Since this is a church-sponsored missions trip I left behind my radio and Macbook Air (with the ever-useful DTV stick).  I didn’t miss them except for last night.  How I would like to listen to the XERF of today and realize I’m hearing a station on the same frequency that was such a legend before I ever came into existence.  

But before I know it we’re over the Rio Grande and going through the checkpoint in Acuna.  The official is kind and doesn’t make us wait very long.  Then my iPhone starts dinging with text messages.  “Welcome to Mexico.  Here are details on the Verizon Wireless international plan.  Blah blah blah.”  I’ll worry about this later. 

We go to the warehouse in which Casas Por Cristo keeps their construction equipment.  The high schoolers and us adults form a bucket brigade and in just a few minutes we have Jason’s truck loaded with everything from power saws to stucco-mixing equipment to numerous hand tools.  

Then it’s over to the church where we will spend the next three nights.  Unload all the luggage and food, make sure we have our tools, hats, and other items.  Take one last bathroom break and we’re on our way to the job site.  

I’ve been into Mexico a few times.  Matamoros in 1976, Juarez in 1986-87-88, Las Palomas in 1992, Nogales in 1996, a cruise to the Mexican Riviera in 1997 (Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan) and Puerto Penasco (“Rocky Point” to Arizonans) in 2006.  Yet today it’s different for obvious reasons.  While Acuna is on the border this isn’t a day-trip border town shopping excursion.  The up-side?  All of us get a chance to experience true Mexican culture.  Despite my feelings indicated earlier I’m eager to get exposure to everyone and everything we will encounter.  Besides, now that we’re here the excitement begins to kick in for yours truly.  

We meet the family for whom we are building:  Juan, Emma and their progeny.  

Then it’s time to get to work!  Folks are divided into two groups:  the cut crew and the concrete crew.  (How’s that for alliteration?)  Geoana and I both wind up on the cut crew and that’s fine with us.  We set about cutting the 2x4s for framing while the concrete gang gets the site ready for, well, concrete.  The cement truck shows up on schedule and the forms are in place!  

As the day moves along the concrete pad is complete and the framework comes together well.  I, together with many others, swing a hammer hundreds of times and sometimes even drive a nail in straight on the first try!  

We’re done for the day.  Head to Oxxo (Mexico’s version of 7-11) and splurge on junk food.  To my delight they also sell Coca-Cola in glass bottles.  The kind made with cane sugar.  The good stuff.  Head back to the church and again form a bucket brigade as we need to unload EVERYTHING and store it indoors.  Sigh.  

Supper, then everyone takes turns using the showers.  No real water pressure here and trying to mix the hot and cold faucets into a tolerable stream of water takes longer than it should.  Just make your choice.  In the words of the teenagers:  either it’s lava hot or Antarctic cold.  

Builds character!  For me it’s light-years different than staying in the luxury condo in Puerto Penasco!!  Once everyone is somewhat clean then it’s time for devotions and then lights-out.  

What does tomorrow hold?  I think I’ll just worry about that tomorrow.   

Marching Into Madness, Part Deux

When we last saw our hero (sorry, watching too much “Batman” TV series reruns on Me-TV), he inflated his air mattress and bedded down for the night.  

But with the promised bedding lurking in a suitcase far into the van’s trailer I (yes, switching back to first-person) elected to do what guys often do:  make the best of what I have.  

I picked one of the church’s classrooms to set up my mattress (hey, they said it was OK) but the room got a bit too chilly a bit too quick.  I already had on a t-shirt and sweatpants so I flung my jacket over my legs and used my sweatshirt for the upper blanket.  

No sound sleep I am sorry to report.  My makeshift linens didn’t quite measure up to the job.  

Around 5:15 a.m. I decide to stop fighting it and get up and prepare for another day.  No showers available so I wash my face and brush some water through my hair in order to appear at least somewhat presentable.  

Then I head to the kitchen to get some coffee going.  

I haven’t measured out regular canned coffee in many years so I make my best guess when scooping out the Maxwell House.  

My best guess resulted in coffee that was just a few drops short of pure tar.  Fortunately the other coffee drinkers in the bunch didn’t mind a whole lot.  One shared his philosophy that “strong coffee can always be watered down, weak coffee can’t be made stronger.”  

Breakfast wasn’t much, just muffins and breakfast bars one might find at a low-end hotel.  That was no issue however as I suggested since we would be going through Sweetwater we might as well stop at McDonald’s.  No problem getting others to jump on that bandwagon.  

However once we got to Mickey D’s (after just over 30 minutes on the road) my stomach was jumping around to the extent I skipped ordering anything and just sipped regular ol’ water.   Don’t recall whether it was sweet.  

Other people’s stomach’s filled, we again return to the highway and head south to San Angelo.  It’s been well over a quarter century since I’ve been to this part of the Lone Star State and it’s just as desolate as I remember.  Still, I’m looking forward to the morning destination as I’ve never been to San Angelo itself.  

Our first lengthy stop is at Southgate Church of Christ.  Since it’s Sunday morning and we’re a church group this makes since, even if we’re a different denomination.  

Our teens are welcomed into the youth Sunday School class.  The service is quite good and I have no issue with a capella singing.  Fortunately there’s enough people around me to drown me out.  Sermon also is a plus.  

Time for lunch.  Out youth pastor hoped for Chick-Fil-A but they don’t do business on Sunday.  

No problem.  There’s always Chicken Express.  

Once we’ve loaded up on fried chicken and unhealthy side dishes we’re ready to roll again.  It’s a short jaunt through Eldorado into Sonora, a town with which I’m familiar due to my several Interstate 10 trips between Arizona and South Texas.  Top off the tank and we head south on U.S. 277.  

Through a whole lot of nothing.  But at least it’s a somewhat attractive nothing.  Rolling hills with short green trees for the better part of 90 miles.  

Then we’re at our destination for today:  Del Rio.  

But no time to rest and relax.  One of the leaders divides us up into teams of two.  A guy named Cale and I are paired with the assignment to pick up tortillas (both corn and flour), oranges, apples, bananas, grapes.  

During this task I find Geoana and her shopping partner, they too have picked up their list items and my kiddo and I set out to find blankets and a few other essentials.  

Did I mention all of us only had 30 minutes to shop?  We meet everyone else at the register and pity the poor cashier who rings up our team’s several carts’ worth of food and bottled water, sufficient to feed a small army for three days in Old Mexico.  

Then it’s our last stop of the day.  The day that is gradually turning into night.  

Another Church of Christ.  This evening it’s Central Church of Christ.  

And we’re surprised.  The youth pastor and his wife have not only enough food for their gang, they generously provided more than enough for our crew!  Pizza, baked chicken, tamales and, to my delight, abundant green salad.  I might not have had my appetite at breakfast but I make up for it at this meal.  

Same as last night, I choose a quiet room and again inflate the Coleman air mattress.  This time I’m fortunate to have a light blanket.  

Would our hero sleep well this night?  Tune in tomorrow, same bat-time, same bat-channel!!  

Our Own Version of March Madness, Part One

Another road trip blog entry?  

Yes, but this one has a twist.  

I’m part of a group in this one.  Plus this isn’t a luxury, vacation-esque getaway.  

I joined 7 other adults and 12 teenagers on a missions trip to Old Mexico.  Our task?  To build a  house (in three days) for a family that doesn’t have and cannot afford one.  All in the name of Jesus Christ.  

The expedition begins on Saturday morning (March 19) with us gathering at the church for a breakfast send-off.  

Geoana (yes, she went too) and I get our van assignment and shortly after 7 a.m. we’re off!

Destination for today is Hamlin, Texas.  Our morning was uneventful and right around the lunch hour we leave western Oklahoma to enter the Texas panhandle.  Canadian is the town where we take a lunch break.  Dairy Queen (aka Texas Stop Sign).  Since we’re in the Lone Star State the DQ burgers have different names then the rest of the country.  A single hamburger is labeled the “Hunger Buster” and the double has the “Beltbuster” moniker.  

Years ago when my family journeyed from Arizona to south Texas I typically got the Beltbuster at the DQ in Kerrville.  I do the same in Canadian.  Why mess with tradition?

Following lunch our caravan heads south on U.S. 83.  For quite a few miles.  We go through Shamrock (just happened to be hosting a St. Patrick’s Day weekend blast which appeared to be well-attended) then make our next potty and gas break in Childress.  At the convenience store I get another reminder that I’m in Texas.  Mrs. Baird’s fried pies.  (I grew up with Mrs. Baird’s-brand bread.)  

Geoana and I both indulge.  I stay with the tried-and-true apple while the child gets the lemon version.  She told me later she made a good choice.    

Finally we get to Hamlin as the day grows short.  Our host is the Church of Christ.  As a group we unpack and begin to enjoy moving about after spending many hours in the vans.  

Speaking of moving about, the youth pastor has the bright idea to take all the young people to the nearby high school and have them play a game of whiffle-ball baseball.  I go along and use the opportunity to walk the perimeter of the field.  Great for stretching out my back.  I later learned that some of the kids jokingly referred to me as “the security guy” based on my walking pattern.

The grounds of this school’s athletic fields feature not only the usual sports-related trappings but also housed something uniquely Texas.  

I don’t know about all secondary schools in the great state of Texas but our high schools in NW Kansas don’t come with meat smokers.  

Then it’s back to the church and time to settle down.  Devotions, prayer time, then hit the sack.  

We were promised bedding, but it’s packed away deep into the trailer.  Will it be chilly tonight?  Stay tuned for the next installment…

Keeping Alive Two Saturday Traditions

Yesterday Geogal and I had the pleasure of attending one of Geoana's forensic competitions.  

It was our first one.  The child takes after her father in that she doesn't care to have family observe her in action.  At least not until she's perfected her craft.  

Afterward we all headed home after brief stopovers at J.C. Penney and Home Depot (gotta take advantage of being in civilization).  Shopping complete we hit the highway for home.  

Since I was driving I had final say over which channel we listen to on the satellite radio.  Sun was setting and I needed something to keep my brain engaged so I chose "Radio Classics."

About halfway into our trip home their normal Saturday night show began.  "Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar."  Radio Classics plays all five episodes of one storyline to close out the week.  

We first heard this when we were heading home from a BB Gun shoot on the other side of the state, this would be around 2 years ago.  While writing this I asked the female members of my household if I was accurate on my recollection.  

I was.  They refreshed my memory well about our several-hours-long road trip including the necessity of listening to "Johnny Dollar" to keep us alert when the Saturday became Sunday.  And to keep an eye out for the deer that like to frequent the highway after dark.  

Then the following year we again were treated to this program when heading to Sioux City, Iowa after a very long day in Minnesota.  I wrote about it in this entry.  

Last night we only caught the first two segments before arriving home.  So I guess we'll never know who was trying to off ol' Johnny in the Massachusetts fishing village.  

But since we were home it was time (after unloading the food and non-food items) to sit in front of the idiot box and catch Me-TV's Saturday broadcast of Star Trek.  

"The Devil In The Dark."  Worth the watch.  

Might as well keep two traditions going.  Too bad we weren't home early enough to watch "Batman."  

Leap Day

Gotta post today, right?

The warm temps continue.  So warm in fact that this past Saturday I worked outside and enjoyed sporting a pair of cargo shorts.

Weird February.  Hard to believe the month began with a blizzard.

The late-spring climate also had the result of melting all that snow.  Today you're lucky to find a patch of nieve that just refuses to go gently into that good night.  Been so warm even the squishy boggy-type yard I feared from all the snowmelt just gone and dried up.

Be interesting to see how this area greens up come May.

But first there's March, perhaps the most notorious month of the year for weather conditions.  Then April, which teases but we now know better than to put the jackets and sweaters away before the month draws to a close.

I remember what someone once told me about the four seasons here:  cold and windy, dirty and windy, hot and windy, cool and windy.

Still beats where I came from which only had two seasons:  hot and really really hot.

Or as I heard the other day, the two seasons in the desert are: snowbirds and snakes.

Wonder if we'll get a repeat of the 70-something temps we had on Saturday?  Maybe I can get a suntan....

The Cure For February Doldrums

I've never much liked the second month of the year.  The holidays are long over, football season is nearly gone (it's hard for me to have much enthusiasm about the Super Bowl), I'm not the biggest fan of college hoops and the NBA holds zero interest for me.  

Plus it's cold.  Still the bitter cold of winter, not the easier, albeit still unpleasant, chill of late November or early April.  

So, how does one deal with the shortest month?  I think I stumbled upon the solution.  

Stay real busy.  

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The month began with me in Colorado Springs.  Yes, it was business-related (who would go to the Springs in the dead of winter for pleasure?).  I've been to this shindig before but the past two times my much-better half was with me, and in 2010 the Geohouse went there as a family.  

Not so this time.  Just me and some colleagues.  All of the professional goo took place within the hotel so getting to things posed no problem.  

On previous trips we've seen some of the white stuff in the Springs but it was never any amount to cause concern.  

Yet the forecast not only for The Centennial State but also for our home area in NW Kansas was troubling.  Snow.  Not just a few inches here and there.  Lots of snow.  Blizzard warnings around home with the brunt happening the second day of my trip.  

Get to Colorado on Sunday with no problems.  The serious snow begins falling Monday evening and by Tuesday a.m. the whole area was under many inches of winter wonderland.  Most things closed.  People not being able to get out of their driveways, much less their neighborhoods.  

I'm more concerned with road conditions back on the homefront.  Conference is scheduled to end on Wednesday and I'd like to sleep in my own bed that night.  I'd rather not be delayed by closed roads.  

Using our modern technology I learn back home is getting hit hard.  Not only is there a significant amount of winter storm, but the wind makes a very bad situation worse.  Geogal texts me photos of the drifts just outside the front door.  

Not good.  

When Wednesday arrives, here's what our neighborhood looked like:






Thank you, city road crews!  

But still, I'm not sure about getting home.  Several of the roads I need are listed by KDOT as still closed.  

But that was the morning.  By midday everything was open, although slushy and snowcapped in places.  

Good thing my colleague and I snagged the only company vehicle that has 4WD capability.  

We leave just a little after noon.  Once we clear the Colo Springs metro area the clouds break and we're treated to bright sunshine.  Yet with the heavy snow and the often-treeless terrain of the eastern Colorado prairie if one looks in the right place you'd almost swear you were in the Arctic.  

We cross over into Kansas and the state crews have done their job well.  Roads in great condition!  

Make it home just a little after dark.  Despite the photos and written descriptions it's still shocking to see the extent of the blizzard.  Including our streets being one-lane, at best.  

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Mid-month it's time for Snow Ball.  

The high school's semi-formal dance, open to all students.  (Prom is restricted to juniors and seniors.)  

Prior to that Saturday dance I was joking about hiding out in my camper.  You see, Geoana planned to have two friends over to get ready.  I wasn't about to hang around for that.  

First girl arrives.  Geoana looks straight at me and kindly requests I repair to my camper.  My joking was not forgotten.  

Turns out that banishment wasn't too bad.  Click on the furnace in the travel trailer, bring my MacBook Air, iPhone, K-cup brewer, some bottles of water, a good book and I'm ready to go.  

Then I get a text:  "Need you in here to make the mashed potatoes."  

All the young people in this particular group decided to have a meal at someone's house.  Parents divided up the victual responsibilities.  Us?  Mashed spuds and sweet corn.  

Turns out a good time was had by all.  Not only that, I think I put a good scare into my daughter's date.  Keep your hands to yourself, buster.  

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And if that's not enough, how about two non-work, community-oriented endeavors?  Both requiring preparation.  Both needing a lot of teamwork.  Both giving me a high level of stress.  

Both occurring on the same weekend?  

One Friday evening, one Sunday afternoon.  

If you think I'm describing this past weekend, you're right.  

Sunday evening saw me relaxing at home, drinking something fermented.  

And now February is nearly outta here!!

Taking It Outside

I had a dream Saturday night (actually it was more likely very early Sunday morning).  

I went to the state park and enjoyed the winter wonderland it provided, courtesy of the blizzard which fell here Monday and Tuesday.  Total boreal pleasure.  Long line of vehicle to get in, to boot.  Very glad I had the yearly pass sticker on my windshield.

So I decided to head out to the real thing yesterday afternoon.  But in reality it wasn't the white playground of my dreams.  

For starters it was deserted.  No real surprise considering the time of year.  It also wasn't as snowy as I dreamt, with all drifts matched by bare patches.  Shoot, my own neighborhood looks like it got hit with Old Man Winter's fury much more so than the expanse of public land.  

I did take a picture of the lake, figured the water would contrast well with the sky and snow-covered dam.  

    

Too bad I wasn't here at sunset.  I continued to drive through the park and marveled at how different this place appears when it's not the temperate camping and fishing season.  This RV dump station looks almost forlorn, as if it knows it won't see any use for many more weeks.  



That, plus the desolate campsites had me longing for April when I can once again take out my camper and use it as God intended.  Patience, Geoguy.  

January--Gone to Minnesota

The reason there were no January entries here was twofold.  First we paid a visit to Mayo Clinic, which during the warmer months is an enjoyable sojourn.  However in the dead of winter things are a bit different.  Also my workplace had a much more busy January than usual so much of my energy was focused on my day job.  Writing is a hobby for me and most evenings I came home with almost nothing in my creative tank.  

Here then is a summary of our week going to a place many people don't want to visit, and certainly not when Old Man Winter is wreaking havoc.  

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Day One—Saturday, January 9

Preparation for previous out-of-town ventures appeared to give us experience, as loading up and heading out posed no problem.  Temp was in the high 20’s.  We want to grab Subway for breakfast but our local one hasn’t opened for the day yet.  

But less than a half-hour later we find that the Subway in Alma is open, and serves breakfast.  We enjoy the first meal of the day and soon are back on the road.  

Driving north on highway 183 we are greeted with two harbingers of what is to come.  Higher wind from the north and dropping temps.  By the time we meet up with I-80 the thermometer is down in the teens.  

Head east, then keep heading east.  York, Nebraska is our first gas and empty-the-bladder stop.  I bundle up and add gas to the vehicle while all the time trying to think warm thoughts.  The temperature reading when we got to York was 6 degrees above zero but I know the wind chill has things well below the goose egg.  

Geogal takes over the driving and we all decide to do lunch at Cabela’s in Omaha.  Elk burgers for all!  I’m also well-behaved here.  No venturing over to the retail area and checking out outdoor gear/guns/ammo.  Besides, given the brisk driving conditions my thoughts are occupied.  (A recurring theme for the week to come.)  

Lunch out of the way, we’re on the road again.  (No Willie Nelson crooning now, too danged cold.)  We cross the Missouri River and enter Iowa, the third state of the day.  Continue east on 80 with Des Moines as our destination for overnighting.  We reach the Hilton Garden Inn in Urbandale and brave the strong winds carrying very cold temps.  

Check-in is quick and soon we’ve unpacked as much (really as little) as we would do for a quick overnight stop.  Given anything we leave in the vehicle will be subject to very low temps we bring in much more stuff than if we were doing this trip in May.  In the room I set up the DTV stick on my Macbook Air however not all of the local stations come in well.  One of us also turns on the room TV only to find many of the stations are either not coming in at all or are badly pixellated.  (The next morning we learn that was the fault of the local cable provider and not, as I guessed, too much snow on a dish or the winds blowing a dish off-position.)  However the front desk was understanding and offered to comp breakfast for us the next morning.  Awesome!  Saved us about 33 dollars, tax not included.  

Then comes the always-big and difficult-to-answer question:  Where to eat?  After looking over the nearby options we choose to repast at Hy-Vee.  Yes, the grocery store.  

It might be one of the best-kept secrets for folks on the road, but Hy-Vee, in some locations, has a very good restaurant just off the deli area of the main store.  You can either order off their menu or just go to the deli and have them make you a plate of vittles.  Tonight Geogal and I have Chinese food while the child gets fried chicken.  We eaten at H-V’s before, in Omaha and in Worthington, Minnesota and did well for ourselves.  The prices aren’t half-bad either.  

Back into the cold-with-a-capital-C and drive back to the hotel.  Continue to be frustrated with the TV offerings.  The next day I comment that if we had a room with a north-facing window the DTV stick and antenna likely would receive all of Des Moines’ stations, including the one with the Me-TV subchannel.  Since it was Saturday night the three of us could have enjoyed our Saturday night TV ritual.  “Batman” at 6 and 6:30, then “Star Trek” (the original series) at 8.   Both of my gals indicated “we would have loved that!”  

Oh, well.  

Day Two—Sunday, January 10

We enjoy our free, and quite delicious, breakfast.  No cheap continental offering here.  Instead we have our choice of eggs, plus bacon, sausage, waffles, home fries, and nearly every other breakfast amenity there is.  Nice to load up with a heavy meal before heading out into the still-brutal combination of cold and wind.  

It’s clear today, not a cloud in the sky.  The Nitro starts right up and I let her get good and warm before driving to the main door for luggage loading.  That task done, it’s time to gas up.  

Fueling the vehicle in wind chill that is still well below zero is yet another character-building experience.  By the time it’s done I am nearly a human popsicle despite my layers of protection via outerwear.  

Get to I-35 and turn north, toward The North Star State.  It’s windy but fortunately I’m not driving straight into it.  The cloudless sky remains that way for the entire journey today.  I wonder to myself what the AM radio band must be like right now, given the clear conditions, the lack of solar interference due to the season, and the ground conductivity.  Yet I don’t change the audio from our Sirius XM to ancient modulation.  Partly because I’m enjoying the programming and partly because the regular radio antenna was snapped off in a garage door mishap.  

On the way we do turn to the NFL channel and listen to the pregame and first quarter of the Vikings versus the Seahawks.  Game is in Minneapolis.  Temperature there is no better than what we’re experiencing now.  Again and again I tell the gals, “Better for us to be in a warm vehicle than be sitting in that stadium where the temperature at kickoff is (at best) zero degrees.”  

They agree.  

This stretch of 35 is long and tedious.  It’s great to get to Clear Lake as that is the Pavlov bell that we are finally within striking distance of Minnesota.  We cross the state line and decide to stop at Petro in Albert Lea. Bathroom break, plus coffee for me and other warm beverages for the females.  No need for any lunch, though.  Let’s hear it for a big breakfast!  

About 45 minutes later we’re in Rochester.  Feels like familiar territory.  Because it is.   

Settle into our home for the next few days, a.k.a. a suite at one of the newest places in town.  Tonight’s dining is Whiskey Creek.  Steaks are great and the locals aren’t too dismayed over the Vikings’ loss.  

Day Three—Monday, January 11 

Still cold.  Warm up vehicle and head back in for coffee and breakfast.  Then it’s into the parking garage at Mayo’s main area downtown.  We don’t know it at the time but we’re in for a lengthy day of appointments and consults.  

Finally leave at 5:15 p.m.  It’s already dark and the streets, while maintained, are still slushy and slippery.  We stop at Hy-Vee but this time just get a rotisserie chicken and the appropriate sides for supper.  

Day Four—Tuesday, January 12

Temps are still very very very very cold.  Even for Minnesota the overnight wind chill warnings are fearsome.  Here's what I saw in the hotel lobby: 

Back to downtown, more appointments.  But in contrast to yesterday, we have the afternoon free.  Time for some recreation!  

For us, it was seeing “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”  

It did show in our town but we decided to wait until this trip.  Might as well enjoy it in a large theatre with the good Dolby sound quality and stadium seats.  

Warning:  If any of you still have not seen the flick (and by now you really have no excuse) just ship ahead to the next day.  

Geoana, as sometimes happens when she goes to the movies, orders a soda going in which results in her bladder nearly exploding by the end of the movie.  When we left the cinema she said, “I nearly peed my pants just to see her offering Luke Skywalker his old lightsaber?”  

Day Five—Wednesday, January 13

This morning we do the smart thing and take the hotel shuttle to the clinic.  It’s yet another full day seeing medical providers.  

No movies today.  

Day Six—Thursday, January 14

Good news:  Just a few things to wrap up at Mayo and we are done for this trip.  

Bad news:  We finish up past the hotel check-out time so we can’t get on the road early and at least knock out some of the home journey.  

Pretty good:  We order Famous Dave’s BBQ for hotel delivery.  Nice tasty relaxing supper.  

Day Seven—Friday, January 15

Get up early.  Temps aren’t quite so low as they were on the trip here but it still isn’t exactly tropical, either.  And unlike our arrival the sky is gray and the winds are blowing already-fallen snow across the interstate.  We turn south at Albert Lea, my original plan to go home via Worthington and Sioux City thwarted by uncertain weather conditions in that vicinity.  

While our drive through Iowa north on I-35 a few days ago was sunny, today it is gray and getting oddly darker.  I soon find out why.  More snow is falling, although it’s not a significant amount and not in itself causing any problem on the roads.  However, the snowfall combined with the wind together with the aforementioned blowing snow from the ground makes for rough driving between Clear Lake and Ames.  For about a 15-minute period we were in near-whiteout mode.  I later learned Geogal was engaged in a lot of silent prayer for that stretch.  

Get to Ames, time to top off the tank and get some refreshment.  The weather is improving and it looks like we might hit our goal to make it home by this evening.  Geogal takes over behind the wheel and we muster on ahead, past Des Moines and then westward in the direction of Omaha.  

We enjoy a late lunch at Cracker Barrel.  More gasoline, then I’m back in the driver’s seat.  I flip the Sirius XM radio over to Paul Finebaum which keeps me well-occupied during this portion.  Not only are the clouds breaking up and Old Sol pops through, but I notice after Lincoln the outdoor temperature slowly begins taking an upward direction.  

One more stop, in Kearney for the purpose of restroom and chocolate.  Just about in the homestretch!

And then we are home.  We unload quickly, not due to frostbite-inducing wind chill (which isn’t even present here, in comparison to all other segments of our trip) but rather just a desire for all of us to get the task done and call this trip over.  

I sleep well this night.