end of Alaska trip and getting ready for a new semester

Wednesday was another fine day as I took Dave out for a late breakfast, then we went kayaking in the harbor, then I took my 11 mile bike ride, then I treated him to dinner at a fancy restaurant, 333, that was very good. We watched the Yankees lose in extra innings and then it was time for bed. I got up early, anxious to get going, but I instead did my yoga, went for a bike ride, and then took a nap. I was watching TV when Dave got up around 9:30 and I told him I had to get going and we bid one another goodbye for another year. I drove up 76, then got on I-15 north, then 215 north and finally reached I-40 at where I stopped and played the Marine Logistics course at Barstow. I played from the white (over 3200 yards) and I needed one very good putt on nine and one absolutely amazing chip on eight to break 50. The chip was in the thick rough but fairly high up and there was a mound between me and the pin and the pin was within 10 feet of the mound and downhill so I really had no chance to get close. I was hoping to get within eight or ten feet but my chip just cleared the mound, dropped on the fringe and rolled ever so slowly to within five inches of the cup. After that I drove on and took my bike ride. I drove on to Seligman and had a late dinner and some writing at the Roadkill café. I stayed at a gas station RV park and it was fine although I didn’t sleep very well and got on the road just after dawn. I decided to try to do a lot of driving on Friday and I did, ending up with over 400 miles (which means I’m about 1600 miles from home) but though I took a nice bike ride in Petrified Forest National park (not as interesting as the badlands), I was pretty bored until I got through Albuquerque and saw signs for the Sandia Crest and I gave up my 500 miles plan for a hike up on the crest and a stay in a local RV park. It was impossible to sleep (the altitude and a humming noise) so at 4:30 I got on the road and made some decent time until dawn. I stopped in Gallup for some lunch at the highly recommended Jerry’s café, an outstanding Mexican place. I stopped in Oklahoma City and rode my bike around the downtown area on Sunday morning. It was a pleasant ride and I stopped at the Memorial to the OKC bombing and that was pretty powerful. Monday was another drive day and I ended up doing over 380 miles so I am within easy reach of home tomorrow. I stayed at a combination RV park and Catfish farm, a fairly unusual mix. I couldn’t sleep very well because of the heat but I drove hard on Tuesday and arrived home in the afternoon. My 44 day trip is over and it was a good one. I got a little tired of driving a few times, but I saw some amazing things. It is Tuesday the 20th and I had a fun day playing 18 holes at Draper with Craig (I won the match; he won the stroke). I then went home and did my yoga and rode my stationary bike, although I must have pulled my left shoulder since I could hardly move it. I had a nice late lunch with Emily yesterday and I will have dinner with Rhonda on Thursday. I will be at the meetings on Thursday and then I will help the students move in on Friday and then meet with Kate to discuss my novel. The summer is almost over and I have few complaints.