The ABCs of An EPIC Girls' Trip! May, 2019-Q is for: Quietly Sending this Trip Report off Into an Internet Sunset (8/25)

[Steppesister]

You think so?
I respectfully disagree

Why so?

Oh!
I didn't see that on my phone.
Hang on... gonna take a closer look now that I'm on my home 'puter...

I can see lettering... but not make out what it says.
(Yes, I googled... USNAVY... now I know.)

Actually saw something interesting yesterday.
I saw a car with a bumper sticker for Canadian Navy and Marines.
Which confused me since we don't have Marines.

Then the nickel dropped. It was a bilingual bumper sticker.
Royal Canadian Navy/Marine Royale Canadienne.

I had to zoom but could see it. Nevertheless, kinda cool!

I had no idea Canada didn't have a Marines. Is there a reason for that? Redundancy? No need? I'd be interested in the history of that and why the US has one to begin with.

But, as for the sticker being bilingual? LOL!! Yeah, I think I'd get a chuckle out of that too.

Nope! From years ago.

Har har. Is the story going to be told soon? Or, did you mean you told it years ago and I have to go back and hunt for it?

Things to do! Food to eat!

Oh sure, now see who's talking about food in WS and the reason to go there...

"Why is that bird squawking so much?" <Craaaacckkk!> "oops."

Interesting that they're both Atlantic coast islands.

Very. I could swear Nevada had some herds too. Wild mustangs? Lemme check on that...

Quick Google search sayyyyyyyyyyyys....


Wild horses are found in California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona and Texas. Nevada is home to more than half of thewild horse populations in North America. Oregon's wild horse populations increase 20 percent every year and are appreciated for their high quality and color.

 

[Steppesister]

I loved the Blue Angel fly over and all the wonderful pictures and the video is awesome!! It was a very unique experience for all of us!

I really do hope others enjoyed it. I felt kinda badly for asking for this diversion that ate up a bit of our time.

I didn’t even realize you had some breakfast and sat out of Soarin’ thank goodness for TR’s! Lol!

LOL! I think a lot went on unbeknownst to various groups those few days.

Thanks for the beautiful pictures of your home state! Loved those!

You're very welcome. It was certainly worth while trip for me and maybe someday, I'll head back to see more.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I enjoyed your pictures of the Oregon wetlands and birds. I was in Oregon many decades ago and loved the state. We stayed a few days in Coos Bay. I loved the rocky coast. We were mostly camping at the national parks, like Crater Lake and Mt Hood. Oregon is gorgeous and we need to get back there some day.

 

[Jenny Sanders]

Seeing the Blue Angels was so cool!

 

[tundra1]

🏕🏔 Thank you for this amazing trip report! I love the pictures from Oregon, and the Blue Angels flying over Spaceship Earth was spectacular!
🐿

 

[pkondz]

Quick! Hide! It's that lady who takes a squat everywhere she goes!

 

[pkondz]

Why so?

Because I've seen shots from both sides and... the side you were on was much better.

I had no idea Canada didn't have a Marines. Is there a reason for that? Redundancy? No need? I'd be interested in the history of that and why the US has one to begin with.

No idea other than... why do you have them? Maybe it's a population thing? Too many soldiers in one division making it unwieldy? No clue.

But, as for the sticker being bilingual? LOL!! Yeah, I think I'd get a chuckle out of that too.

Well, it has to be, being a federal/national group. But it sure did make me take a double look!

Har har. Is the story going to be told soon? Or, did you mean you told it years ago and I have to go back and hunt for it?

I'll try to remember to include it in my next update. Made a note.

Oh sure, now see who's talking about food in WS and the reason to go there...

Wild horses are found in California, Oregon, Utah, Nevada, Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, South Dakota, Arizona and Texas. Nevada is home to more than half of thewild horse populations in North America. Oregon's wild horse populations increase 20 percent every year and are appreciated for their high quality and color.

Thanks for that. I've been to California and didn't see any while I was in LA. How very odd.

 

[Steppesister]

I enjoyed your pictures of the Oregon wetlands and birds. I was in Oregon many decades ago and loved the state. We stayed a few days in Coos Bay. I loved the rocky coast. We were mostly camping at the national parks, like Crater Lake and Mt Hood. Oregon is gorgeous and we need to get back there some day.

Thank you so much!! Coos Bay is a lovely! The Central Coast is quite different from our North Coast in a some ways as well. I haven't been to Crater in a LONG time.... 30 years maybe. I've always wanted to go and photograph in the winter, but you have to time it right. If you wait too long, you have to snowshoe in, I think. They close that road pretty often.

 

[Steppesister]

Seeing the Blue Angels was so cool!

I am glad you liked it, Jenny. I felt a little guilty at taking some time out of the day by asking.

 

[Steppesister]

🏕🏔 Thank you for this amazing trip report! I love the pictures from Oregon, and the Blue Angels flying over Spaceship Earth was spectacular!
🐿

Thanks, Tundra!! It looks like not only are you new to the Trip Report, but also new to the DIS in general! So a very big to you!!! I'm really glad you are here and that you are enjoying the report so far. I am super hoping to finish it all up in the next weeks so I can focus on packing and preparing for my much longer trip in Sept. 10 short weeks! I hope you'll comment often and join in the, at times, silly banter and have fun right along with us.

 

[Steppesister]

Because I've seen shots from both sides and... the side you were on was much better.

Shots, yes, but the video I thought was super cool when it panned from the front side over TO the WS side. Especially showing that trailing lone plane. sigh.... I need to go to an airshow. ....

No idea other than... why do you have them? Maybe it's a population thing? Too many soldiers in one division making it unwieldy? No clue.

An equally relevant question. One I might actually look into....

Well, it has to be, being a federal/national group. But it sure did make me take a double look!

Makes sense. And I'm sure!

I'll try to remember to include it in my next update. Made a note.

Thank you!

Thanks for that. I've been to California and didn't see any while I was in LA. How very odd.

But I'll bet you saw some wild *********.

 

[docsoliday1]

When the VIP Tour was being arranged the original plan was too begin in DHS and then move to EPCOT. Honestly, the tour was such a special thing that I went so far as to add 2 days to my trip so I didn't miss it. That's sayin' something!

I didn't know you added extra days for that, but still amazed someone gifted that to y'all. Not an inexpensive gift, by any stretch of the imagination.

However, a few days? weeks? after those plans were more solid for the Tour agenda itself, it was announced that the US Navy's Blue Angels, a precision flying squadron, would be doing a flyover at EPCOT.

I was in the Air Force, so I like the thunderbirds better, but the blue angels are okay!

Some of you know that I have a dream of becoming a pilot someday and have gotten to the point of passing my Written FAA exam for single engine private pilot.

My brother is in the process of becoming a CFI and told me I would be able to take lessons with him for just the cost of the plane and fuel, so this is hopefully something I'll be working on next year (or starting late this year).

Nevertheless, I love flight, aircraft, etc... and when I saw that the Angels were going to fly over Spaceship Earth, I really wanted to see that. I PMd Su-Lynn and told her I'd happily meet up with the Tour once they got to EPCOT, but also asked if the Tour was flexible enough that it could begin there; perhaps, being a kind of once in a lifetime event, others would want to see it too. ???

I love flight and aircraft...why I joined the Air Force. I still think it's cool they were able to switch it up and still a bit envious. On the other hand, being wishful or envious won't get me anywhere, so I'm mostly happy y'all got the opportunity.

Maybe the MK parade staff could learn a trick or two.

It would be nice. It would also be nice if they would keep the wood bridge walkway between the parade route and water in frontierland from people using it as a viewing area. Yesterday, a family with a double wide stroller had it all but blocked. I would call them tourons, but I think that would be too complimentary of them.

My comments will be brief on this one. In short, it was nothing short of loud, beautiful, awesome, and totally worth it in my book! Some of my shots, of course, are better than others. Here are the few I got.

I don't care how good you are, some will be better than others...just the way it works.

Nice

Very nice.

Okay...I just came to the realization I couldn't comment how good each one was, so I just decided to let you know they're all good and same some typing.

I'll pick up what happened after this in another update at some point. Lots of ground to still cover on this trip, and I'm running out of weeks to get 'er done! I leave again for the Big Kahuna Trip with my kiddos in 10 short weeks!

Wow...10 weeks! Let me know when you'll be here and if you want to get together. I know you'll be with your kids, so if you want to keep it just you and the kids, I understand and respect that.

 

[Steppesister]

I think you read and posted just as I was editing to add the correction you'd pointed out for me!

I didn't know you added extra days for that, but still amazed someone gifted that to y'all. Not an inexpensive gift, by any stretch of the imagination.

I wasn't going to ask certainly, so just gratefully received the gift with a smile on my face.

I was in the Air Force, so I like the thunderbirds better, but the blue angels are okay!

And believe it or not, the airshows that I did get to go to, mostly at Miramar, would have the Thunderbirds, so am familiar with them too. Doesn't look like they perform there anymore thouugh.

My brother is in the process of becoming a CFI and told me I would be able to take lessons with him for just the cost of the plane and fuel, so this is hopefully something I'll be working on next year (or starting late this year).

OH wow!! DO IT!! That is a phenomenal opportunity.

I love flight and aircraft...why I joined the Air Force. I still think it's cool they were able to switch it up and still a bit envious. On the other hand, being wishful or envious won't get me anywhere, so I'm mostly happy y'all got the opportunity.

No, being envious only breeds coventousness. Slippery slope. Best to just be happy about others' opportunities and work harder to make your own dreams come true.

It would be nice. It would also be nice if they would keep the wood bridge walkway between the parade route and water in frontierland from people using it as a viewing area. Yesterday, a family with a double wide stroller had it all but blocked. I would call them tourons, but I think that would be too complimentary of them.

OY! Don't even get me started.... It was open the last parade I happened by in that area (where I got my cool dragon shot) but maybe that was a fluke.

I don't care how good you are, some will be better than others...just the way it works.

Always!!

Okay...I just came to the realization I couldn't comment how good each one was, so I just decided to let you know they're all good and same some typing.

LOL!!! Works for me!

Wow...10 weeks! Let me know when you'll be here and if you want to get together. I know you'll be with your kids, so if you want to keep it just you and the kids, I understand and respect that.

It might work for a quick hello, but there are other dynamics going on that will make it so that I really need to focus on them and our family. Kinda a "healing trip" in a lot of ways.

 

[docsoliday1]

This was a particularly phenomenal find as it's a bit of a rare one: A juvenile Long-eared owl. Notice its pupils. I don't know if that is due to differing sunlight amounts hitting them, or if they have vision that allows for differing focal points.

I'd wager on the differing amounts of light. Same way our pupils work.

Another highlight of the trip for me was seeing the very remote Mickey Hot Springs- they literally bubble, hiss and geyser in the middle of nowhere:

Here's a short video I shot:

Interesting. I wonder if the proximity is such that the same system that powers old faithful is seen here on a lesser level.

A few snakes: (this one had sadly met his demise on the road )

I'm not scared of snakes, but I'm of the mindset the only good snake is a dead snake, so I'm not sad about its demise.

And a gigantic jackrabbit. No lie, that sucker was about 2 feet tall.

At least it wasn't a jackalope.
Some of those rabbits are huge!

 

[Steppesister]

I'd wager on the differing amounts of light. Same way our pupils work.

Probably so; the other is a theory someone else brought up.

Interesting. I wonder if the proximity is such that the same system that powers old faithful is seen here on a lesser level.

Maybe? This is "basin and range" terrain and is due to fault systems making the "cracks" that the geothermics develop in. (wow! Does that bring back memories of studying for my minor in Earth Sciences at Northern Arizona!)

I'm not scared of snakes, but I'm of the mindset the only good snake is a dead snake, so I'm not sad about its demise.

OH no! Snakes are awesome!! So cool to watch.

At least it wasn't a jackalope.
Some of those rabbits are huge!

LOL!!! Nasty things, those.

 

[Lifelong_Dreamer]

My comments will be brief on this one. In short, it was nothing short of loud, beautiful, awesome, and totally worth it in my book!

So glad that you were able to see this and how nice of you to keep Kari company since she wasn't feeling up to the group activity.

 

[Steppesister]

So glad that you were able to see this and how nice of you to keep Kari company since she wasn't feeling up to the group activity.

It really was!

I was happy to sit that one out and just spend some time with her. She's a real sweetie-pie!

 

[pkondz]

Shots, yes, but the video I thought was super cool when it panned from the front side over TO the WS side. Especially showing that trailing lone plane. sigh.... I need to go to an airshow. ....

I need to go too. There's a guy at work who seems to schedule a lot of his vacation days to enable him to go see some.

An equally relevant question. One I might actually look into....

But I'll bet you saw some wild *********.

 

[Steppesister]

I need to go too. There's a guy at work who seems to schedule a lot of his vacation days to enable him to go see some.

There is a major one about 25 minutes away... sadly, it's happening smack dab in the middle of my Sept trip. Ah well, next year! I hope the Red Arrows come back again!

 

[franandaj]

There's usually a + sign at the bottom if there are more than a few. Or you can click on the album to see them all. But, I will put a few up here of the better ones.

I get that but since I have so little computer time for fun stuff (I have to steal TR updating while Fran is asleep.) I can't look at FB stuff unless it's from my phone, and my phone doesn't like posts with more than say 5 pics.