More of our Interests ..........
The Isle of Man morning train departs one cool rainy day in June.
Trains 'r us ! ...... We love them all
- old and new ......
We love using the trains when we go on holidays. In the summer of 1996 we went to Disneyland. We caught the Amtrak Talgo train Vancouver and travelled to Seattle, changed to the Coast Starlight all the way to Los Angeles and then caught the San Diegan to Anaheim. The kids loved it, we had a super relaxing holiday and we didn't have to worry about a thing other than to choose which delicious items on the menu we would eat. There is no doubt that the Coast Starlight's reputation as the best long distance train in North America is well deserved.
As you can see from the picture at the top we like old trains too. The picture is of one of the old steamers which still run every day on the Isle of Man. It's leaving the station on one of those truly miserable British summer days - rainy and windy and cold. We've travelled on the Mount Hood Railroad in Oregon recently too, and seek out different trips when we get the opportunity.
We partied for four days at Mardi Gras (why did we book a room at US$400 per night ???). It was an experience of a lifetime - we can't wait to go back again.
Certainly the best way to enjoy the mayhem of Mardi Gras is to go with an open mind, prepared to "When in Rome ....." and just go with the flow. Judge and be not judged is a concept hard to avoid with all the temptations, catcalls and fun in the air - we enjoyed the experience immensely.
Tired and throughly immersed in a culture which we certainly want to re-experience, we boarded the "Sunset Limited" and headed west to Los Angeles. From there (on Valentine's Day) we rolled north on the "Coast Starlight" with red roses and See's chocolates in our room. After an enjoyable night in Portland it was back on the train for a short haul to Spokane and home.
Other things we like to do ............
Camping, boating, motor-cycling and as much travel as we can manage are our favourite recreations. Whether it is with the kids, or sneaking away for a couple of romantic days together, the love of new places, people and food, always gives us a lift and reinforces the joy of being alive.
We both enjoy our days out on our Kawasaki Concours, or in our Ford Explorer. Hopping on the bike for an afternoon or evening ride in the sun is just great. We have fond memories of trips (including our honeymoon) to Washington and Oregon as well as short trips to Gallagher Lake for supper at the pub or Tickleberry's in Okanagan Falls for ice cream.
Having had the opportunity to live in and visit many different countries, we feel privileged to be able to live in the Okanagan Valley with its mountains, streams and lakes. Couple that with a great climate and it is definately a "place to live forever". Our home ............
Motorcycling ............
We love the opportunity to get away for a week, or even just an evening on our trusty steed. This year Victor sold 1998 805 cc Suzuki Marauder and bought an new 2001 Kawasaki Concours.
I found this picture on a site devoted to Suzuki Marauder and Intruder bikes and thought it gave the right character to my old "baby". In cream and red it was a real head turner and has attracted as many nice comments than any of the many other bikes I have owned. It's going to have nice memories attached to it as Christina and I have enjoyed at least holiday on it every year since we bought it.
There's enough power in the Concours to haul both of us and all our gear on extended trips and holidays. Visiting quaint bed & Breakfasts and exploring back roads is a great way to spend a day, a week or a ...........! There's many times when we are out on the road that we would just love to keep going. With the sun on our faces and wind in our hair you just can't beat a motorcycle for sheer pleasure.
Camping ............
When we got the bikes organized with the correct towing gear we had some great summer weekends to venture into the woods in comfort! At the end of the summer we even managed a week in Washington State and Idaho visiting such interesting sites as the Stonehenge war memorial in the Columbia valley.
A Thought to Ponder ............
In the workplace of the future there will only be two employees - a man and a dog. The man will be there to feed the dog, and the dog will be there to prevent the man from touching the machinery.
1. Internot 2. Digitally homeless and 3. Offliners
We'd like to hear from you ! You can e-mail us here at vince@vip.net
Our fruit trees are prolific and although it takes quite a bit of work pruning and so on, the rewards of fresh apricots, apples, peaches and cherries make the work very worthwhile. Fall brings a mad rush preparing preserves like applesauce, pie-fillings and more. For the winter we can recall the bounty of our garden from our cupboards and freezers.
