Going to a birthday party for my friend's 70th today. This year my closest and oldest friends all hit 70. All of us, friends from high school mostly, have known each other for over fifty years.

I think now of those close friends who are gone, Tim and Andy. When Tim and I played golf, we would drink and talk for a couple hours after the others had gone. When we were in high school, Andy and I played chess and listened to Coltrane, usually in silence. Andy named one of his sons after me.

When I turned sixty, family and friends threw "surprise" parties (I was never surprised) for me. This year I will avoid these kinds of celebrations and spend a quiet evening with my kids. We may not have much time left.


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It's worth it. All that scenery from those old westerns channeling John Wayne and John Ford. The place we stayed (which is about the only place to stay out there) was Gouldings Lodge. They had the John Wayne cabin on the property. The John Wayne cabin was his home in the movie "She Wore a Yellow Ribbon".

The whole thing is on Navajo land otherwise it would easily be a National Park. But it only cost $8 per person to enter and National Parks cost $35 per car so it is a deal. But when I turned 62 I got my lifetime Senior National Park pass for 10 bucks which is an incredible bargain. Not its up to $80 I think which is still a deal if you ever plan on going to more than a couple of National Parks.

Those John Ford westerns have made me want to visit. For Once Upon a Time in the West, Sergio Leone sent a crew to shoot one very short scene in Monument Valley, probably at considerable expense given the rest of the film was shot in Spain.

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Monument Valley is really nice, as mrb showed. That whole area is worth a visit. Bring water.

Not only John Ford, but that's where Forrest quit running, IIRC.

The Maine Black Bears are going to the regionals. They open on Friday against Miami in Miami.

very cool, Mr. B.

Maynard of the band Tool has a winery in one of the nicer areas of Az. iirc you could hit up next time

Mr. B,

Read your Vegas Trip Report. After not traveling due to Covid, I'm a bit jealous of both of your trips and reports. I wish others would start posting trip reports here. Maybe Zeno will post another in which he insults everyone he runs into. (Joking, Zeno.)

I should have written up my recent trip to Hilton Head for a week of golf, but since I have gone from an 8 handicap to not being able to break 100, I can only judge a great round by how few balls I lose.

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…….snip…. I can only judge a great round by how few balls I lose.

[/QUOTE]

Not the best way to end a paragraph old buddy! Were you talking about golf…or that other activity that gets a bit more difficult as you age?!

Plan to start heading your way a week from Sunday or Monday, John. Generally pretty good about keeping a TR going, it's over in the Travel forum if you or anyone else is interested.

In other news, after nearly three years of testing, I've establsihed that not working most of the time >>>>>> being paid for holidays.

Golddog,

Oh I'm still getting paid throughout the summer, but I'm not working. Tough job being a professor. (Last summer as dean I worked 50 hours a week, so I do value the time off.)

Where are you heading?

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Not having sex isn't any more difficult than it used to be.

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john,

Following highway 6 to the Cape, then up into Maine/SE Canada etc. Just kinda poking along the back roads, seeing what's out there. No particular destination except following my weird cartographic fixation.

Have noted a few things along the way I will probably check into, but no "must see" stuff. Maybe even play some cards along the way as I happen across a casino. Just a plain ol' camping/road trip to see the countryside.

Of course, I may get tired of being on the road earlier and turn back.

On the Cape, stop by the Highland lighthouse in North Truro. Next to the lighthouse is one of the only true golf links course in the US. It's only nine holes but offers great views.

I have been to Maine many times, and although it's a slow ride, traveling all the way through Maine, at least to Acadia National Park, on Rt. 1 offers much more than I-95. In Camden you will hit the only stop sign on Rt.1 from Maine to Florida. Mount Desert Island, part of Acadia, is a great spot. The Bar Harbor area was the summer home to the rich and famous and it's beautiful.

(My mom's cousin was the captain of Vanderbilt's yacht for 25 years, and my grandfather was the chauffeur for the last woman to own the Hope Diamond, so I have a special affection for that area.)

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Screw that bring beer! The only disappointing thing about Monument Valley was the fact that being in Utah the only restuarant didn't have alcohol and the convienince store attached to the Chevron didn't have beer. Didn't have that problem when we were in Moab a couple of years ago?

I thought it was just me.

Of course, this is good advice too. Utah's relaxed their rules somewhat due to the Olympics, but still pretty backward.

I remember several years ago I stopped in Aneth (SE Utah) for the night after four corners. Asking the hotel clerk where I could go to get a beer, she said there was a gas station down the road.

Apparently it was located just outside the town limits, and thus could be not dry.

Another time, I stopped in Green River and went to the tavern down the road. In Utah lingo, at the time, 'tavern' meant they could sell beer, but nothing harder (IIRC). Had an early evening beer, and the place was starting to fill up for the dinner crowd.

Only wanting to drink, I thought I'd free up a seat for diners there and go to the place across the street. Go in there, ask for a beer, and the person asks me if I am a member.

"A member of what?" This was back in the days where you had a be a member to go in a club with alcohol. Hmm, no.

Fortunately, I'd learned to keep a cooler with beer/soda/water on my road trips, so went back to the motel. Shipped an online tournament while having a few beers. That was an ok night.

Yeah, I brought a travel cooler along but didn't have the foresight to throw a few beers in it before crossing into Utah. But when I visited Moab, Bryce and Zion I never had a problem a getting a beer with dinner or out of a convience store.

I was down to a 6 handicap about ten years ago...now, I'm happy to break 90

Quitting playing for over 20 years did me in. That and age.

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I was never able to break 100. I really haven't lost anything.

Not the best way to end a paragraph old buddy! Were you talking about golf…or that other activity that gets a bit more difficult as you age?![/QUOTE]

we talking table tennis or pickleball?

golf is fun

Coral Gables Regional hosted by Miami (FL)
#1 Miami (FL) (40-19) vs. #4 Maine (32-19), 7 p.m., ESPN+

an away game against a top ten team
i know who i'm rootin' for

'Maine Black Bears' is a fantastically graphic assemblage of place and mascot.

i wonder at a later date if i'll askya bout you'reso major state of consternation with the polarising location of the stars in their lineup.

what do you say we flag that topic and take a big dip into it sometime in the future?

Near and dear to my heart, and I know for some others on this forum too, so let's do it.

btw, always liked Maine. Back in the days before they restricted the numbers of games, they always rolled thru Austin in Feb or March and played really well.

Attended my granddaughter's induction into the junior national honor society last night. And spending today with the granddaughter while my daughter and son-in-law go to see the Red Sox tonight.

I'm showing her examples of exphrastic poetry because what 7th grader doesn't need that sort of education?

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