Postcards from summer travels

Several family members have traveled far and wide this summer, and while we don't have much information about their trips, we have collected some photos they posted on Facebook.

In August, Kathy visited Switzerland:

Chermignon d'en Bas

Feeding 6-month-old calves

Hiking above the tree line, 6,200 feet

In late July, Genevieve, John and five-month-old Beatrice vacationed on Nantucket:

At Dionis Beach

In June, Vivien and CJ were in England's Cotswolds:

The Roman Baths in Bath, England

Whatley Manor

What are we missing? Tell us about your travels or other summer activities!

Travel report: Four fun days in Vegas

Shanna is "back to reality" after a trip last week to Las Vegas. Here's her report:

Two of my best friends (whom I have known since I was 13) and I traveled to Las Vegas from April 11-14th. We stayed at the Monte Carlo, right on the strip. We crammed a lot into four days and enjoyed every second, exploring the area and checking out the attractions.

We saw the Titanic exhibit at the Luxor Hotel, which was really interesting especially since we were there during the 100-year anniversary of the ship's voyage.

We also saw Siegfried and Roy's dolphin, tiger and lion exhibit, which was fun.

We checked out Freemont Street and explored so many of the different hotels.

One of my favorite moments was going to the top of the Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel, which is 1/2 the scale of the real one in Paris. We saw the fountains at the Bellagio hotel, which were gorgeous.

The Bellagio fountains as seen from the 'Eiffel Tower'

We were also able to see several shows, including the Cirque Du Soleil Beatles show, which was amazing. We also saw the Jabbawockeez, who were winners on the MTV show, "Americas Best Dance Crew." That was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed seeing their act.

Overall we had a fantastic trip. It was the first time that we had all been to Vegas, and we already want to go back.

Vacation in Vegas

Shanna and two friends are on a long-planned visit to Las Vegas.

Of course we know that what happens in Vegas, blah blah blah. But we also know Shanna makes her own rules. So she shared a couple of photos via Facebook -- the view from the "Eiffel Tower" at the Paris Hotel.

UPDATE from Shanna Saturday night 4/14: "Back in New York after a great time in Vegas!"

Doug & Lisa returning from the West

Doug and Lisa spent one more weekend hiking in the West, visiting Coyote Buttes, Monument Valley, Natural Bridges and Arches on Dec. 3-4-5. They're scheduled to return to Maryland on Dec. 19. Doug has wrapped up his work on a design-build highway project near Las Vegas. His next assignment may be in Florida.

Comings and goings as summer winds down

Soon many of our clan will be returning to school. In the meantime, summer jobs are wrapping up, and some are getting in some travel before the new term.

Your humble scribe would love to get direct reports, but here's what he has gleaned from facebook and other sources:

Vivien has finished her internship at the Hillstone Restaurant Group's "Houston's" restaurant in Los Angeles. She'll soon be heading back to Cornell for her final year at the university's School of Hotel Management.

Shanna soon will be resuming her studies toward a masters in childhood and early childhood education, after spending the summer working with 5-year-olds as a camp counselor.

Dan got himself an apartment near the San Jose State University campus so he can walk to school this fall. He's about to start his final semester toward his B.A. in communications.

Liz is visiting her parents, Doug and Lisa, in Las Vegas and taking a trip to California before heading back to Rensselear Polytechnic Institute for her senior year.

Who else is traveling/finishing a summer activity/starting something new this fall? Please fill us in. Keep in touch!

Travel report: Cathy's visit to Vegas

Cathy reports on her visit to Las Vegas and vicinity at the beginning of July:

Overall it was HOT!! Temps were over 100 degrees every day which is normal. At least it’s typically not as humid as most folks from the Mid-Atlantic are accustomed to.

While only there for a couple of days I managed to pack in as many sights as time would allow. First Lisa and I visited Valley of Fire State Park located about a half hour north east of Las Vegas. The rock formations there are spectacular.

Had the weather been more agreeable we could have explored much more outdoors. I was able to take many pictures from the car and occasionally jump out to take some more while Lisa kept the air conditioning running in the car.

On Friday evening Doug and Lisa took me to Fremont Street on the Strip. This is a 2- to 3-block enclosed and covered street accessible to many casinos, shops, restaurants and clubs. It is literally a huge street party. The roof over the street is actually a giant screen upon which they periodically show videos. There are numerous street performers, stages where bands perform and places to purchase adult beverages everywhere. I was able to do a bit of souvenir shopping while were there. Quite an experience!

The following day Doug and I went to see Red Rocks Canyon. He and Lisa have toured there plenty of times so he was very knowledgeable with all aspects of the mountains. They have climbed and hiked most of the area in the time they’ve been living there. Again it was much too hot to do any hiking, however the views were impressive.

Later that day Lisa and I returned to the Strip so that I could watch the fountains at the Bellagio. We even did a little bit of gambling and I can report that I actually WON some money (not much since it was only the penny slots!).

Saturday night I went to see Kenny Chesney perform. Being a die-hard fan I just couldn’t go an entire summer without one of his concerts!

He put on a great show as always.

I flew back home the next day happy that I was able to make this trip. It was wonderful to spend some time with Doug and Lisa and to visit some sights around Las Vegas as well. I highly recommend going there once so you can say you’ve done it – just maybe not in the middle of summer.

Here are links to my facebook albums of pictures from the trip:

Vegas - around town / Valley of Fire / Red Rock Canyon

Kenny Chesney concert

Spectacular caverns in northern Arizona

Lisa called it "one of the prettiest places I've ever been." These amazing photos are from Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon, near Page, Arizona. The red rock is carved by both water and wind erosion.


For a much better look, double-click this slideshow to see the photos on Picasa.

Doug and Lisa explored the caves on the first week in May. It's one of many natural wonders they've visited in the mountains and deserts of Nevada and neighboring states in recent months. The couple is living in the Las Vegas area while Doug's engineering firm works on the widening of Interstate 15.

See more spectacular photos in earlier posts.

Natural sculptures in the Nevada desert

Doug and Lisa continue to explore the natural beauty of the desert landscapes in and around Nevada. They took these photos on a trip along the Gold Buttes Back Country Byway.

Spectacular shapes

"The Griffin"

Doug photographing arches

As Lisa describes it: "God's natural art sculpture."

Hugh & Dolores visit Doug & Lisa & Nevada

Hugh and Dolores paid a birthday-week visit to their son Doug and his wife Lisa in Las Vegas and took in some of the nearby natural wonders.

Their visit to Vegas followed their annual trip to Kansas City for the National Academy of Needlearts Assembly, where Dolores was a teacher and judge. Read Hugh's full account of their trip.Here they are at Calico Hills in the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, west of Las Vegas. Click below for more photos from there and Valley of Fire State Park, northeast of the city.

Get all the details - Read Hugh's full account of their trip

A break from the cold, a hike in the desert

On a break from her studies at Rochester Institute of Technology in snowy upstate New York, Becky is visiting her parents in Nevada. Here are a couple of photos Lisa posted of a hike in Valley of Fire State Park.

Photos to warm up the rest of us back here in the chilly Northeast!

Visit to Vegas and Valley

Liz is heading back to school at RPI in Troy after visiting her parents in Las Vegas, where she toured both man-made sights and natural wonders.

Below (snagged from Liz's Facebook page) are a couple of views of Death Valley, a few hours' drive from Vegas in California.

Doug and Lisa explore Death Valley

Continuing to make the most of their residency in Nevada, Doug and Lisa took a trip into Death Valley and brought back some great photos.

Darwin Falls

Mt. McKinley as seen through a natural arch at Alabama Hills, near Lone Pines, Calif.

Doug peers through an arch

Nevada's great outdoors

Doug and Lisa are settling into their new surroundings near Las Vegas... and they've been out and about exploring Nevada's great outdoors. Here are a few photos by Lisa from their visit to Cathedral Gorge and Kershaw Ryan state parks, a few hours drive out of the city.





Look closely at this next one: Where's Doug?

Doug and Lisa pick a Vegas condo

Now that Doug will be working in the Las Vegas area for the next couple of years, he and Lisa have found a place to live. After a bit of shopping they picked a nice 2-bedroom condo. This is the view of the complex from their balcony.


Doug is moved in, and Lisa plans to join him in the fall once Becky heads to college at Rochester Institute of Technology.

Doug's firm wins Nevada highway contract

Review-Journal photo

Doug will be working in Las Vegas for the next couple of years as a group including his firm, Jacobs Engineering, has won the contract for a design-build project to widen Interstate 15 to the south of the city.

Read the reports in the Las Vegas Sun and the Review-Journal

Doug has already spent must of the last several months in Nevada working on the contract bid. He'll head back out on Monday. Lisa plans to join him there in September once Becky begins college at Rochester Institute of Technology.

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