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My Journal - December 1999 |
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We hiked White House Trail this morning and went all the way to the bottom of the Canyon and went to the ruins of White House that was on the far wall! Then we went on the North Rim to Massacre Cave and Mummy Cave! Then we drove and drove and drove all the way to the Grand Canyon! We stopped at Grandview Point and Lipan Point! Then we went to the Visitors Center. I got my Junior Ranger things and my stamp! We went to a place called Trailer Village and went to bed!
This morning we hiked 12 miles of the Grand Canyon in about 6 hours! We went all the way to Plateau Point and back! On the way to the trail- head we saw 3 mule deer and 1 rode-kill squirrel! When we did get on the trail it was easy! It only took us about 2 and a ½ hours to reach the bottom! When we had about a mile to go we saw exactly 9 deer! There were 2 yearlings, 6 does, females, and 1 buck with a good size rack! When we got to Plateau Point we could see the river clearly! We ate lunch there and had a very persistent visitor in a squirrel! The squirrel would go over to dad and try for free food! Dad of course kicked him but every time the stupid little thing came back! After lunch we started the exhausting climb up! When we had almost reached top we looked up and saw Two Mountain Goats right in the middle of the trail! Dad inched by first and the goat just stared at him so I went next but he didn’t do anything so mama went next and did fine so we went on out way! We finally finally got to the top but our day wasn’t done yet! Right after we found the car we took mama out to her birthday dinner! Dinner, which of course was great, was at the El Tovar Lodge, in Grand Canyon Village and was a nice place! After dinner at 7:30 mama and me went to a Ranger talk and learned a lot! 1.the Grand Canyon was only the Grand Canyon for 100 years, how? Well, people never thought the Canyon grand until the 19th century, but it was geological canyon for 2 billion years! There were 4 words he used to describe the Grand Canyon and here they are: enormous proportions, beautiful scenery! Then he explained there are three ways this canyon could have formed. 1.the Colorado River cuts thought the rock uncovering softer rock that falls in and around the river! 2.the river flows on top of the rocks which are not at their full height yet and the river cuts down a little bit and the rocks rise up around it uncovering softer rock which falls in and around the river! 3.the river flows on top of the rocks and they lift up and around the river, uncover softer rock that falls in and around the river! He also explained why the Grand Canyon has such flat walls and how unusual that is! See the rock to begin with is flat but it usually gets jostled around a bit and made jagged, but this canyon was lifted gently so it has flat walls! That was really interesting! He also gave us the recipe for the Grand Canyon, the right rocks 1 and 2, a desert climate 3, water 4, and time 5! Water, the Colorado River is one of the very very few major, desert, rivers! Also he asked us, why would want a desert climate when there’s a river involved you want lots of rain don’t you? Actually no. The Colorado River is fed by the southern Rockys! Also if you had lots of rain you would have lots of rock-covering trees and plants! If the river did cut through the rock at its peak where would all that rock that filled the hole that is now the Grand Canyon go? The Gulf of California used to be a whole lot bigger! The Colorado River empties into the Gulf so that’s where all the rock from the Grand Canyon went! See the Gulf used to be half way up the state of Arizona! So that’s what we did today, interesting isn’t it? After all that we went back to the Trailer Village. I finished my Junior Ranger sheet and went, of course to bed!
This morning we had a quick stop at the Visitors Center so I could get my badge and saw my pledge and then, we drove and drove and drove! Our goal was to get to the newest cave and state park in the U.S. by 4:30 but we got there by 4! We got there in time for the last tour of the day! The Cave was called Kartchner Caverns State Park! This park has the 2 longest soda straw in the world, is still alive, has a column about the size of a 5-story building, and is very warm and moist inside, the humidity of 98 0/0! These caves where created by water dissolving the limestone! We took the tour at 4:40 and went through, 1. The Rotunda Room that had a mud floor that was quite deep! Then we saw great stalactites, (the ones that hang from the ceiling, c for ceiling and in stalagmites g for ground!) then we went through the "Imaginary Passage" next to the "Throne Room" and saw a 17 ft soda straw and a 50 ft column also 5 story building! There we watched a light show with music to go with it! (That mama bought after the tour!) Then we had to exit but mama got a brochure with lots of interesting stuff in it including Columns, a formation that is formed by the joining of a stalactite and a stalagmite, or when stalactite meats the floor or a stalagmite reaches the ceiling! Stalactite, a formation that hangs from cave ceilings and forms as layers of calcite are deposited. This occurs when water flows over the outside of soda straws after hollow centers become partially plugged or plugged. Helictites, twisted formations projecting at all angles from the ceiling, walls and floors of caves. The overall formation seems to defy the laws of gravity. Soda Straws, a thin walled hollow tube formation about ¼ in diameter, Soda Straws grow from ceilings of caves as water runs down inside them and deposit rings of calcite at their tips! Stalagmites, a formation that rises from the cave floor and is often but not always formed by dripping water from stalactites above. Stalagmites are usually larger in diameter than stalactites and more rounded on top! Bacon, this formation forms when, over time, water flows down walls, over floors and/or other formations resulting in build-up of calcite! Flowstone, this formation is formed when, over a period of time, water flows down walls, over floors and other formations resulting in build-up of calcite! Then we got Owens present at the gift shop and went to Tombstone for sleep!
Today we spent all morning in Tombstone! We got our pictures taken dressed up as women of the 1880’s! We went into a museum called the Historama and watched a movie about the history of the town and why it was founded and all that! We also went to the cemetery and saw that 1882 and the early ‘80’s where not a good time to be in Tombstone! One reason was there was no law and order as there is today, if you didn’t like the man you killed him or he killed you! And the other reason was the year of 1882 was the year of the big gun fight in the O.K. Corrals when the Earps and their enemies, the Clantons and the Mclaurys and the Earps friend, Doc Holliday where in the corrals with a couple of horses and mules. Now the Earps where law people like lawyers sort of. See, Virgil Earp and one of his brothers, Wyatt Earp were the police of the town and their brother Morgan Earp well he was a hot head and he wanted a good fight and Doc Holliday was a hot head too so historians think it was one of them that made the first shot. Now there were 5 cowboys and 4 law men but Wyatt Earp was the second fastest gun in the west so the cowboys didn’t stand much of a chance any way the actual fight lasted about 30 seconds and 3 cowboys where died and 2 more had fled at the beginning of the fight! Now the lawmen had only injury no one was killed but Morgan had taken a bullet though his right shoulder and out his left! Doc Holliday had had a bullet scrap his side and it must have hurt real bad cause he through up his arms and cried, "I’ve been shot clean through!" Virgil took a bullet right under his knee and Wyatt didn’t get hurt and lived to be 82! Anyway then we drove and drove and drove some more all the way to White Sands National Monument in New Mexico and stayed at Holloman AFB for the night!
Today at 10:00 we went to Visitors Center and I got my Junior Ranger things and we went off to the Big Dune Trailhead! Mama and me went on the 1 mile hike while dad messed around with the computer! We had a great time! I took off my shoes to walk in the sand bear foot and man it was cold! We got to crashed down the steep side of it and everything! Then we went to Alkali Trailhead and had the best time of my life there we have to go again! We crashed down slope after slope and the sand was warmer to! Dad came along this time and we had an absolutly wonderful time! Of course we had to leave to soon but were coming back! We went back to the Visitors Center so I could get my badge and saw yet another pledge! Then we were off for Carlsban which we reached in an hour or so! We found a campground just outside Carlsban which has a bunch of caverns like Karchner caverns and tomorrow we’re going to see the difference between the two! Good bye for now!
This morning dad took the computer in the lobby to check our E-mail while I helped put up a Christmas tree in the lobby! Mama came in to check on her E-mail and after that we left, to ho look at Carlsban Caverns! I my stamp, and we got CD players with head sets and set of for the cave! One definate difference was this cave was a whole lot bigger than Kartchner! It was also less colorful and very deep! It also had was more died then alive where as Kartchner was more alive than died! It was about a 3 mile self-guided tour that had elavators for the steep climb up! When that was dome we drove to a place called Fort Davis, State Park campground! I did homework and went, after making a new plan, went to bed!
Today we had a leisurely morning till 11! At 11 we went up to the Mcdonald Observatory for a tour! (we had crossed the border the night before!) we learned all about Sun spots before we went up to the 435 inch wide telescope! We didn’t get to look throught it but we did get to look at it! then we went over to a mirror like thing called the HET telescope with 91 meter mirrors to make it! We learned a little bit about helium, hydrogen, oxygen and more! then we went back to our campsite to eat and then we drove up to an ovservation point overlooking Fort Davis, Texas! We hiked down to see the historic fort! From just above we saw ruins of the first fort facing true north and whole houses facing magnetic north! We went to the two open houses and then we went to the visetors center, I got my stamp and we looked at some cool displays. Then we went to the building right next door and found an amazingly real Barracks for unwed soldiers! We went to the hospital next and saw all kinds of sick, and storage rooms! We climbed back up to our RV and took off for our cam0site where of which we made a fire and ate dimmer outside! We went back to the Mcdonald Observatory at 7:30 and stayed till 9:00 looking at constalashens, planets, and other galaxies was really really fun! We even got to see Saturn’s rings! Then we went to bed!
This morning we got at the awful hour of 6! We took showers and hit the road! I went to sleep in the for a while and that was resting! Then we drove and drove and drove and drove some more! We had lunch near a cotton field and got DQ ice cream at a place near Brownwood and camped near Glen Rose, Texas at Dinosaur Valley State Park! Mama and me went on a walk past really cool dino tracks and 2 herds of deer! We had another fire and ate outside again inspite of threatening rain! At 10:00 o’clock or so we went to sleep! But at 3 in the morning we had a awesome lightening storm! It was absolutely pounding us with rain!
This morning we hiked and found more dinosaur tracks that where in really clear water less than a foot deep! We left at about one and drove to Arlington were my first preschool was and met the women at the desk who happened to be the only one in the intire building who was there when I went to school there! She said she remembers me too! We had to leave early so we drove to Desoto where we had lived for 2 years! Then we drove to Waxahachie where we went poking around the Victorian houses and parked in the Walmart parking lot for the night. We got to bed at 10:00!
This morning we made two more trips to Walmart before we went to Palistine (its pronounced Palistene!) where Jerry Sue Hammett lives! We went to a book talk about Texas history proticularly the book Goliad Survivkor! We left to go have dinner and go to sleep! But first… Isaac of the Texan side was in line to be massacured and spoted a low spot in the fence! He shot through it, but he got shot in the leg before he could escape! He met a few others from his side but in the end the others went on without him and that was the last he saw of them! He crowled toward a little wooden boat that would take him to the next town! When he got there he met a mexican man! He calapsed at his feet thinking the man was the enemy! The man was not enemy nor friend he turned Isaac in to the mexican army who worked him hard! One day he took a fast horse from the meadow where he was sopost to be herding cattle, and escaped! Anyway the books worth 75 bucks in its original print! Good Night!
Today we went on a Christmas Train in the afternoon for 2 hours! We had a lot of live music and of course Santa and even Scrooge! We had a lot of fun too! Everyone, since everyone could see his bald spot, would comment about it! like, "your not even cold?" ‘cause it was pretty chilly in there! We had another thunder storm that night as we where going to bed!
We just hung out this morning! Then we put up Sue’s tree and I decorated all the bedrooms and stuff with all kinds of stuff! I had a lot of fun! Then we went to bed!
Today we went to the Dollar store and got a whole lot of great stuff for only a dollar! We hung out for the rest of the day watching music videos and twirling in Sue’s computer chair until 12:00 then we went to bed!
Today we went to a Tea Party at one old women’s house who was in the Acorn Club that Sue’s in and arrived just in time for refreshments right after the production on Scotland which was 10 pages long and Sue said the women can’t read and it was very very boring! When we got home after going all around the neighbor hood and looking at all the Victorian houses which was fun! When we did get home dad came out and informed us we had left him! Then at about 1:00 we went to bed!
Today we took Rosey and we all went out to Linda, Sue’s cousins ranch! We met a lamb with a sock on! (a coat like thing!) and some horses! Tipsey, Linda’s huge guard dog and little fat Rosey who was older and the boss, had a blast! Everyone else talked about stuff until dark. Then we left to bed!
Today me and Sue went with Linda on a beanie expidition! We went all the way to Buffalo for beanies! First we went to the hospital and I got a really cute bear! Then we went to Buffalo and I got a Rover the red dog to $7,00 and it was marked 25! We then went back to Sue’s house and painted! That was really really fun! I painted a plate and a glass bowl! Then we went to bed!
Today we drove al the way to San Antonio and parked in a truck stop!
Today to start with we went to the Witte Museum! We had a lot of fun at the Tree House! We went to Alamo next! That was really fun and we learned a lot! First of all 200 Texans survived 13 days of siege by 6,000 Mexicans! they all died in the end though! We watched a movie of it and walked around the courtyards for a while! Then we went to the River Walk! We walked to Market Square and got a few things then we went up and down the walk until dark! Then we found an Italian restaurant and had dinner there! then we went to TCBY and got frozen yogurt for desert! Then we found our RV and went to Lackland AFB then we went to sleep!
Today we went to Fredricksburgh to look at a Garden of Peace given to one of the Admirals in World War 2 by the japanese! Then me and mama went to the downtown area of town and shopped! I got 2 beanies that I didn’t have and one of the was worth about 100 dollars and I got him for 10! Then we drove out to Enchanted Rock State Park and climbed the pink granite rock to the top where dad nearly broke his phone when it fell of a huge rock into a crevis really far down! I crowled under a couple of rocks and then back up them! We had the best time! We went back down to our RV and took off for Johns place just out of Kervil! We got there before he did! We waited a little while and had dinner! They came home late and so the kids where very happy to be ou of the car and very hyper! There was a 3 year old and a 1 year old! I intertaned the 3 year old and dad intertioned the 1 year old! I brought in Dogo for them to play with and they had a good time! Then we went to sleep!
December, Monday 20, '99Today we went on a roller coaster like ride around the ranch and looked at deer feeders and things like that! We went back to the house and looked at the humming bird nest, which was tiny! At 10:00 we drove all the way to New Orleans, Louisiana! W got there about 9:00 and went to a friend of dads house for the night! We talked till midnight and then I died so we went to sleep!
A Florida Christmas Essay
Introduction
From Kerville TX to Tampa FL took two days and 1200 miles! We got in to Tampa at 11:30 on December, Tuesday 22,'99.
Trip to Tampa
Kerville, TX to New Orleans, LA
The night before we had stayed at mama's friends John Knight's ranch. That morning he took us for a tour of the ranch we got on the road at 10:00am and arrived in pelting rain at Richard Hebert's house, a friend of my dad's. Richard's architect company designs zoos!
New Orleans, LA to Tampa, FL
Goodbye to Richard and hello to another 600 mile day! More hard rain fell as we went by the unique New Orleans cemetery, it's unique because it's above ground and constructed like a city! Forward to Seaside, FL where we stopped for an hour. On to Tampa and arriving at 11:30.
Family Christmas
Hotel with Peg
The day we got there my Aunt Peg (who was already there) invited me to sleep with her and my cousin Owen at the Tahitian Inn! A few days later my other cousin Evan moved in too! Christmas morning Santa came to the hotel. (Cousin Owen made shore he came) on the day we got there I had my first bath in 3 months!
First of all there where 30 people at the huge party Bill and Susan (my grandma and grandpa) threw! Half of them from Susan's side of the family where like getting new cousins, aunts, and uncles! Even though I'd met them when I was 3 I don't remember that! At the end of the party we kids got to open some presents not all though!
Susan's son who was named John had a wife and two sons whose names are Melissa, Jack and Joe! Jack's 9 and Joe's 7 so I was the oldest. We went over to there house for brunch, (after which Melissa's mother fell on two steps and broke her hip while carrying in some dishes!) Christmas morning dad gave me rollerblades for Christmas! Aunt Sue and her friend (Aunt Sue lives in Seattle and her friend lives in Oregon) sent me a couple of beanies and gift cards and all kinds of other stuff! Everyone opened what was left of the presents that night!
Only Us
Activities
We rollerblade daily (mama got some rollerblades from dad too and dad got some for himself) and swam every single day and day before we left we took our bikes to the repair shop. Mama's was in horrible condition with a front wheel crooked and the seat needed repair so we pitched it! My bike only needed a tune-up so we left it to pick up later! When I had left the car I had locked the keys in the car so that took a while!
For the New Year's Fireworks we went over to Mr. and Mrs. Rice's house right by the major highway call Bayshore that runs all along Tampa Bay which was closed for the fireworks! (The road was closed not the bay) the fireworks where the best I have ever seen! Fantastic! They where amazing!
University of Tampa
The Tampa U looked a lot like Old Russian structures and used to be a hotel! This building was built in the 1880's and cost 3 million dollars! 3 million is like 16 million nowadays! That is a lot of money! It was built by a rail road millionaire called Henry Plant!
The End
