Our Vacation! October 2003

Day One - Friday, October 3rd We left the Moscow-Pullman area by 3:45 pm. We drove to the Spokane Airport, parked in long-term parking, and caught a shuttle and checked in at the airport. Our flight was delayed about 20 minutes and we finally took off for Seattle around 8:00pm. We had a long layover in Seattle...we took the time to stretch our legs, eat a little snack, and watch lots and lots of CNN on the airport TV's. Larry King Live had Stedman Graham (Oprah's boyfriend) as the guest...we watched that interview A LOT! We finally left Seattle and were pretty saddened around Midnight when we flew over Spokane and Moscow! (we'd been "traveling" since around 4:00 and by midnight we were right back to where we started...what a bummer!) hehe. We left the Moscow-Pullman area by 3:45 pm. We drove to the Spokane Airport, parked in long-term parking, and caught a shuttle and checked in at the airport. Our flight was delayed about 20 minutes and we finally took off for Seattle around 8:00pm. We had a long layover in Seattle...we took the time to stretch our legs, eat a little snack, and watch lots and lots of CNN on the airport TV's. Larry King Live had Stedman Graham (Oprah's boyfriend) as the guest...we watched that interview A LOT! We finally left Seattle and were pretty saddened around Midnight when we flew over Spokane and Moscow! (we'd been "traveling" since around 4:00 and by midnight we were right back to where we started...what a bummer!) hehe. Stedman Graham

Day Two - Saturday, October 4th We made it to Chicago around 5:15 on Saturday morning where we changed planes again. We had a little bit of a layover. Again, we walked around, used the restrooms, and tried to get our circulation flowing again. I have to say, the restrooms here were amazing! The toilets had plastic coverings on them and you pushed a button and the plastic covering moved to a new, clean section. It was awesome! I've never seen such a clean and nice restroom!!! While we were walking to our next plane we passed none other than Stedman Graham...the guy we'd been watching on TV all night! He looked just as tired as we were...he had taken the red-eye and had just arrived home to Chicago. He was talking on his cell phone and I was joking with Chad that he was calling Oprah to have her pick him up! After our celebrity sighting we got on our final plane for that part of the trip and headed to Maryland. We arrived in Baltimore about minutes early, at 9:25 or so! Kim was there to pick us up :-) We got our luggage (it all arrived safely) and headed home. We made it to Chicago around 5:15 on Saturday morning where we changed planes again. We had a little bit of a layover. Again, we walked around, used the restrooms, and tried to get our circulation flowing again. I have to say, the restrooms here were amazing! The toilets had plastic coverings on them and you pushed a button and the plastic covering moved to a new, clean section. It was awesome! I've never seen such a clean and nice restroom!!! While we were walking to our next plane we passed none other than Stedman Graham...the guy we'd been watching on TV all night! He looked just as tired as we were...he had taken the red-eye and had just arrived home to Chicago. He was talking on his cell phone and I was joking with Chad that he was calling Oprah to have her pick him up! After our celebrity sighting we got on our final plane for that part of the trip and headed to Maryland. We arrived in Baltimore about minutes early, at 9:25 or so! Kim was there to pick us up :-) We got our luggage (it all arrived safely) and headed home.

Day Two - Continued We watched the Virginia Tech-Rutgers football game on TV. Actually, I watched the first half, but Chad watched the whole thing with his dad. At half-time Kim and I went shopping for last minute food things for the next days party. The Hokies won Saturday night the street where Kim and Les live was having a Block Party, so we went with them to that. It was a pot-luck, so we had lots of yummy food and got to meet all of their neighbors. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn't realize we were having an outdoor Block Party and she decided to start with some rain and wind. Chad and I were pretty tired, and getting pretty cold, so we left about an hour earlier than everyone else. By about 10:00 Saturday night we were exhausted and headed to bed. We'd been awake for over 36 hours and boy could we feel it! :-) We watched the Virginia Tech-Rutgers football game on TV. Actually, I watched the first half, but Chad watched the whole thing with his dad. At half-time Kim and I went shopping for last minute food things for the next days party. The Hokies won Saturday night the street where Kim and Les live was having a Block Party, so we went with them to that. It was a pot-luck, so we had lots of yummy food and got to meet all of their neighbors. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn't realize we were having an outdoor Block Party and she decided to start with some rain and wind. Chad and I were pretty tired, and getting pretty cold, so we left about an hour earlier than everyone else. By about 10:00 Saturday night we were exhausted and headed to bed. We'd been awake for over 36 hours and boy could we feel it! :-)

Day Three – Sunday, October 5th Kim and Les planned a party for this afternoon, so we spent all morning getting the house and food ready for everyone's arrival. Around 2:00 family and friends arrived. We ate lots of yummy food and got to see a lot of people we hadn't seen in over two years! By 6:00 everyone had headed back home and it was just the 4 of us again. We had a nice, relaxing evening at home. Kim and Les planned a party for this afternoon, so we spent all morning getting the house and food ready for everyone's arrival. Around 2:00 family and friends arrived. We ate lots of yummy food and got to see a lot of people we hadn't seen in over two years! By 6:00 everyone had headed back home and it was just the 4 of us again. We had a nice, relaxing evening at home.

Day Four – Monday, October 6th Our first day of no plans! Chad and I did our 4-mile run that we had been preparing for since June. It was wonderful. Running in a place that was several thousand feet lower in elevation than Moscow, with more moisture in the air, was fantastic! After we stretched and showered, and started to feel the effects of our run in our legs, we did a little driving around...we went to one of the malls and walked around a bit. Basically we did a whole lot of nothing on this day...it was great! We slept in, ate lots of leftovers from Sunday, and enjoyed being in Maryland with Kim and Les again. Our first day of no plans! Chad and I did our 4-mile run that we had been preparing for since June. It was wonderful. Running in a place that was several thousand feet lower in elevation than Moscow, with more moisture in the air, was fantastic! After we stretched and showered, and started to feel the effects of our run in our legs, we did a little driving around...we went to one of the malls and walked around a bit. Basically we did a whole lot of nothing on this day...it was great! We slept in, ate lots of leftovers from Sunday, and enjoyed being in Maryland with Kim and Les again.

Day Five – Tuesday, October 7th The 4 of us got up at 5:00 am and hit the road at 6:00 am. We headed north, through Delaware, New Jersey, and then to New York City. With all of the traffic jams that we hit we got to NYC around 12:00 or 12:30. I gotta tell ya, the Big Apple was absolutely incredible! We saw Ground Zero (where the Twin Towers used to be), The 4 of us got up at 5:00 am and hit the road at 6:00 am. We headed north, through Delaware, New Jersey, and then to New York City. With all of the traffic jams that we hit we got to NYC around 12:00 or 12:30. I gotta tell ya, the Big Apple was absolutely incredible! We saw Ground Zero (where the Twin Towers used to be),

Day Five – Continued Rockefeller Center, Rockefeller Center, Times Square, Times Square,

Day Five – Continued the Brooklyn Bridge, the Brooklyn Bridge,

Day Five – Continued Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty, just to name a few things. Central Park, and the Statue of Liberty, just to name a few things.

Day Five – Continued There were a million people, tons of cars (especially taxi's), and so much going on...I can definitely see why people say it's the city that never sleeps! I definitely want to go back and spend a whole weekend there! Our tour of NYC consisted of Les driving around, dropping us off at a corner so that we could get some photos...Les would drive around the block in circles until we were ready to get back in. We never stopped to park because parking was $7.50 per HALF HOUR (if you could even find a space in the first place)! After driving around for a few hours and really getting a feel for the city we got back on the interstate...we wanted to get out of there before rush hour! There were a million people, tons of cars (especially taxi's), and so much going on...I can definitely see why people say it's the city that never sleeps! I definitely want to go back and spend a whole weekend there! Our tour of NYC consisted of Les driving around, dropping us off at a corner so that we could get some photos...Les would drive around the block in circles until we were ready to get back in. We never stopped to park because parking was $7.50 per HALF HOUR (if you could even find a space in the first place)! After driving around for a few hours and really getting a feel for the city we got back on the interstate...we wanted to get out of there before rush hour!

Day Five – Continued By 4:00 we had crossed over the river and were back in Jersey. We headed north and went to West Point, New York...home of the United States Military Academy (Army). We got a hotel and spent the evening in this fairly small town. By 4:00 we had crossed over the river and were back in Jersey. We headed north and went to West Point, New York...home of the United States Military Academy (Army). We got a hotel and spent the evening in this fairly small town.

We woke up to a very dense fog. After checking out of our rooms we went to the West Point campus and walked through their visitor center. We didn't want to pay $7 a person to take the tour to actually go on their campus, so after walking through the Visitor Center and watching a 15 minute movie about West Point we got back on the road. On our way home we made a pit stop in Hershey, Pennsylvania...home of the Hershey chocolate factory. We went to Chocolate World (their visitor's center and gift shop), went on their ride through a simulated factory where you learn how they make chocolate, and then we got some yummy chocolate to eat. You can't visit Chocolate Town USA without eating a little bit of chocolate, right? Right! While we were in Hershey there was a HUGE car show going on in Hershey Park. You can't believe how many people and venders there were in this little town. It was incredible! After feeding our chocolate cravings we headed back to Severna Park. We ate a yummy spaghetti dinner at home and chilled. We headed to bed fairly early...tired out, once again, by traveling! We woke up to a very dense fog. After checking out of our rooms we went to the West Point campus and walked through their visitor center. We didn't want to pay $7 a person to take the tour to actually go on their campus, so after walking through the Visitor Center and watching a 15 minute movie about West Point we got back on the road. On our way home we made a pit stop in Hershey, Pennsylvania...home of the Hershey chocolate factory. We went to Chocolate World (their visitor's center and gift shop), went on their ride through a simulated factory where you learn how they make chocolate, and then we got some yummy chocolate to eat. You can't visit Chocolate Town USA without eating a little bit of chocolate, right? Right! While we were in Hershey there was a HUGE car show going on in Hershey Park. You can't believe how many people and venders there were in this little town. It was incredible! After feeding our chocolate cravings we headed back to Severna Park. We ate a yummy spaghetti dinner at home and chilled. We headed to bed fairly early...tired out, once again, by traveling! Day Six – Wednesday, October 8th

Our second day of rest for this trip! Another fantastic day of doing very little. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Our second day of rest for this trip! Another fantastic day of doing very little. We thoroughly enjoyed it! Day Seven – Thursday, October 9th

Day Eight – Friday, October 10th We woke up and hit the road...this time headed for Blacksburg, Virginia...the home of our alma mater! We got into town around lunch time and went to our favorite restaurant in the area...Macado's. It was heavenly. This was the one restaurant we had been craving, and missing, here in Idaho! We walked around campus, drove around town, and felt completely at home. The colors were starting to appear on the trees and it was absolutely wonderful. We visited some friends on campus and soaked up the scenery. We had hotel rooms south of Blacksburg in Dublin, Virginia. It's about a minute drive. We spent a quiet evening in our hotel rooms. We woke up and hit the road...this time headed for Blacksburg, Virginia...the home of our alma mater! We got into town around lunch time and went to our favorite restaurant in the area...Macado's. It was heavenly. This was the one restaurant we had been craving, and missing, here in Idaho! We walked around campus, drove around town, and felt completely at home. The colors were starting to appear on the trees and it was absolutely wonderful. We visited some friends on campus and soaked up the scenery. We had hotel rooms south of Blacksburg in Dublin, Virginia. It's about a minute drive. We spent a quiet evening in our hotel rooms.

Game Day! We got up and headed back to Blacksburg. On the road we came upon the Virginia Tech Football Team as they headed to town, too. Their two buses had police escorts the whole way! A lot of fanfare for this team, that's for sure! The team always stays out of town for football games, even home games...it gets them away from the football craziness and helps them get in the zone! Game Day! We got up and headed back to Blacksburg. On the road we came upon the Virginia Tech Football Team as they headed to town, too. Their two buses had police escorts the whole way! A lot of fanfare for this team, that's for sure! The team always stays out of town for football games, even home games...it gets them away from the football craziness and helps them get in the zone! Day Nine – Saturday, October 11th

Day Nine – Continued We parked on campus and walked to the stadium. It was neat finally seeing the changes to the stadium in person...it looks great now! We parked on campus and walked to the stadium. It was neat finally seeing the changes to the stadium in person...it looks great now!

Day Nine – Continued Kim and Les walked around campus and watched the game in the Student Union Building while we went to the game. Our seats were on the yard line....absolutely fabulous! The game was outstanding, the Hokies played great, and we won 51-7! After the game we hung out with our friend Brad (who was also the best man in our wedding!), we ordered pizza from our favorite pizza place, and then we headed back to the hotel to eat. Another yummy meal and relaxing evening! Kim and Les walked around campus and watched the game in the Student Union Building while we went to the game. Our seats were on the yard line....absolutely fabulous! The game was outstanding, the Hokies played great, and we won 51-7! After the game we hung out with our friend Brad (who was also the best man in our wedding!), we ordered pizza from our favorite pizza place, and then we headed back to the hotel to eat. Another yummy meal and relaxing evening!

We packed up, checked out of our rooms, and went back to Blacksburg for one last visit. We drove around town, bought a few things from our old grocery store, and then grabbed some lunch. We were then on our way, once again, headed back to Severna Park. We ran into a couple of traffic jams, and finally made it home around 7:30 or so that evening. We packed up, checked out of our rooms, and went back to Blacksburg for one last visit. We drove around town, bought a few things from our old grocery store, and then grabbed some lunch. We were then on our way, once again, headed back to Severna Park. We ran into a couple of traffic jams, and finally made it home around 7:30 or so that evening. Day Ten – Sunday, October 12th

Our third, and final, day of rest for this vacation! We visited a few more people and enjoyed the area. By this time we had seen everyone we could and did everything that we had hoped to do. It was a nice, relaxing day. Our third, and final, day of rest for this vacation! We visited a few more people and enjoyed the area. By this time we had seen everyone we could and did everything that we had hoped to do. It was a nice, relaxing day. Day Eleven – Monday, October 13th

Day Twelve Tuesday, October 14th We slept in and enjoyed a relaxing morning with Kim...Les went to work and was gone early in the morning. After we got everything packed up and ready to go we went for a walk in a nearby neighborhood to loosen our legs up before our flights. We ate lunch and then headed to BWI. Our plane ended up leaving 15 minutes late, around 3:00. We flew to Denver and had 5 minutes to get to our connecting flight. We ran through the airport and made it just in time! Whew! Our flight from Denver to Spokane went well. We were going straight into a strong wind, so our flight took a little longer than anticipated. Luckily we arrived safe and sound by 6:30 pm. All of our luggage arrived, too...we were a little worried that it wouldn't make it onto our plane. We got our luggage, took a shuttle back to our car, and got on the road heading home. Even though we hadn't eaten a real meal since lunch we weren't really hungry, so we drove straight home. We got everything taken into our apartment, had a quick snack, and were in bed by 9:20. Traveling had tired us out so minutes after we were in bed we were sound asleep. I don't think either of us moved all night until our alarm went off this morning! We slept in and enjoyed a relaxing morning with Kim...Les went to work and was gone early in the morning. After we got everything packed up and ready to go we went for a walk in a nearby neighborhood to loosen our legs up before our flights. We ate lunch and then headed to BWI. Our plane ended up leaving 15 minutes late, around 3:00. We flew to Denver and had 5 minutes to get to our connecting flight. We ran through the airport and made it just in time! Whew! Our flight from Denver to Spokane went well. We were going straight into a strong wind, so our flight took a little longer than anticipated. Luckily we arrived safe and sound by 6:30 pm. All of our luggage arrived, too...we were a little worried that it wouldn't make it onto our plane. We got our luggage, took a shuttle back to our car, and got on the road heading home. Even though we hadn't eaten a real meal since lunch we weren't really hungry, so we drove straight home. We got everything taken into our apartment, had a quick snack, and were in bed by 9:20. Traveling had tired us out so minutes after we were in bed we were sound asleep. I don't think either of us moved all night until our alarm went off this morning!

The End October