You Can't Get Lost

With a title like that, there are a ton of political jokes I could tell, but I'm not going there.  The way I drive, I need to take the "High Road".   But I didn't quite tell the truth at the end of the last blog.  It was true then, but not now.   I've been planning since December that I would head out to Portland sometime in March.  Originally, I thought I might go to the Mountain West Basketball Tournament in Las Vegas again and then head up through eastern California (to visit the National Parks) to Portland to spend some time with Liz.   Finally, I decided not to go to the tournament this year like I did last year and just do a straight shot out to Portland.  I was working on trip details (route, campgrounds, sightseeing, etc.) and called Liz to check on where and when she would be.  She has been spending most of January and February in Lincoln City getting her AirBnB ready.  As we talked, she said, "Dad, I would love for you to come, sometime, but I'v

Hopefully, you can guess from the title that I'm home again, safe and sound.  It was a fun five days with Erik and Eliza and friends.   Thursday, after the hot tub that I showed in the last blog, we went to the Mahogany Ridge Brewery and Grill.  We had three great meals, Eliza had Yellowfin Tuna, Erik had a Rack of Lamb and I had Baby Back Ribs.  I don't know why, but when I see ribs on a menus, I'm always drawn to it.  I think to compare it to mine, see if there is something I can tweak mine with, and I'm usually disappointed.  I make Texas style ribs, which are dry (no BBQ sauce on it while cooking) and a spice shake that I make.  What most people think of are Kansas City ribs which have a red sticky sauce on them.  These were KC ribs and, surprisingly,  I really liked them.  They had good texture, a little hot zip, just a little grab on the bone and it seemed like more than a half rack.  I was really impressed.  I may have to try making them.   We also had mussels fo

Duh!  Head slap!  😱🤪 So, I’m in Steamboat for a couple of days with Erik and Eliza.  They work “from home” in the morning and then ski in the afternoon.  And that works great for me.  I can sleep in late and pad around in the morning and not talk and bother them, so it’s just like any other morning for me.  Then we can catch up a bit during lunch before they head out and I’ve got the afternoon to do stuff like write in the blog and work on travel plans for Spring Summer and Fall.  And other writing that I need to do.   I’ve got a lot to write about over the last week and a half, but I’m going to jump to yesterday.  E and E got in on Tuesday, Valentine’s, and I came up yesterday.  I had the pickup all packed and ready to go.  I had an appointment with my urologist (third year since since my prostate treatments, wow!) at 1:20 and took off from there.  All good news from him and “see you in a year.”  😀 There was light snow in Laramie (<2”) but nothing significant.  The road reports

Yikes!  That's a big picture!  What can I say about WESS?   The Wyoming Engineering and Surveying Society is, to anyone's knowledge, the only organization in the country in which engineers and surveyors get together for education and relaxation.  It is so unique that several national organizations have it on their calendars to send officers (usually their presidents) to this meeting in someplace Wyoming.  Societies like the National Society of Professional Engineers, the National Society of Professional Surveyors, the American Council of Engineering Consultants, the American Society of Civil Engineers, and so on.  Its pretty incredible that so many national leaders come to this three day meeting.   What is so unique about WES/WESS?    [About the WES/WESS thing.  The society has been known as the Wyoming Engineering Society (WES)  for over 100 years (1918-present). Last year (2022), to show our support of the surveyors who have been full members and officers in the society durin

"...a wind so strong there are whitecaps in the outhouses." This is a busy week for me.  I was teaching a workshop on Monday through Wednesday noon on Zoom, but I'm in Laramie.  The Wyoming Engineering and Surveying Society (WESS) meeting starts at noon on Wednesday (today) through Friday noon in Casper, WY.  They don't overlap, but they are back to back.  And I've got two important meetings on Thursday and I really wanted to be there for the Wednesday noon lunch.  My last workshop session on Tuesday was over at 2:00 and then there is a tutorial session at 6:30 that night before the exams on Wednesday morning which I proctor.  That would give me enough time to drive the 3 hours to Casper.  But.....  Khalid Ksaibati, a transportation professor and director of the T2 Transportation Center, and I teach a workshop for Highway Technicians dealing with testing of Soils and Aggregates used for embankments, concrete and asphalt.  We've taught it three times a year for