This is definitely one of those cases when I have to take the good with the bad. There are some things that I simply do not like any longer……and birthdays are one of them. But, if I look at it another way, maybe I can say that my “birthday day” ranks pretty high among the days that I DO like. It means that I am still around to celebrate. And, there is something to be said for that, I suppose. In fact, I hope that I am around to celebrate a lot more of them.

The birthday gift I had this year…..aside from another year on this earth…..was the fact that Fayez came up from Wichita to celebrate the

two weeks….with me. No matter how old I am…..and I am seventy-six, just for the record…..Fayez always manages to make me feel younger when he is around. And, that is a great gift. When Fayez spends his college break time and his vacations here at the Ranch…..you can bet that there will be a celebration….wine, women, and song. Well…..actually, there were none of those! But, you get the idea. There is always something happening from the time we get up in the morning to the time when we fall asleep at night.

Fayez showed up on Monday morning, July 28…..that day that everybody will remember as the day the world received a wonderful gift……the birth of Beryl Darrah. Fayez came bearing a gift…..a gift in the form of a Dairy Queen ice-cream cake. In recent history, the only time I eat Dairy Queen is on my birthday…..so this was a special treat. The ice cream was on the verge to turning into a liquid by the time he arrived. But, that did not discourage me….the sight of Dairy Queen was too much to resist. We ate one piece…..and put the rest of it in the freezer so we could “celebrate” more later.

For the next week or ten days….when we were at home….and when we thought of it…..we would help ourselves to a piece of the cake. It took longer to cut a piece of cake than it did to eat it. By this time, the cake had frozen solid again…..rock hard. It almost required a chain saw just to cut it. But….looking back, this was probably a good thing. If I had been at home by myself……the entire cake would have been consumed in two days….at the very most. When it comes to food…..I have to admit, I do not have a lot of self-control. I solve this problem by simply not keeping any sort of junk food or otherwise unhealthy food in the house. At any rate, we managed to make the cake last for a respectable length of time.

We also did something else that I would never have considered doing if I had been home alone on my birthday. In the afternoon, while we   town, we stopped, and after I looked around to make sure nobody

was looking,  Fayez jumped out of the car and casually took a picture of my name, which was written on a store front window…..as casually he could manage to do something…..which sometimes is not too casually. Anyway, he got back into the car and we sped away….leaving the scene of the crime as quickly as possible.

We headed to T-town….Topeka….where I had a coupon for a free meal at Coyote Canyon. After over-eating, we sat in Terry’s Bar and Grill….our favorite bar in Topeka….and talked for the rest of the night.

                                             

And….thus, that was my birthday celebration! Another special thing I always enjoy and appreciate on my birthday is all the greetings which I receive from my Facebook friends….and from former students and guests. It makes me feel good to know that people still remember me….and care about me….at least, a little bit.

One of the first major projects of Fayez’s visit was the Crestview Community Center Topeka Big Shunga 8K Run……which was held on Saturday, August 2. He had entered the race, hoping to win first place in his age division. I attended, hoping to win first place as the best spectator….whatever that is.

Soon after arriving at my house, Fayez started training for the race. We drove to Topeka to Crestview Park Tuesday afternoon, so he could become familiar with the course….the terrain….all that kind of stuff. It was a warm, humid day. I was dressed in as few articles of clothing possible, and still not be arrested…….And Fayez….my little desert dweller…..went dressed in a pair of sweat pants and a long-sleeve K. U. pull-over…..attire that most Americans would wear in the mid-winter months.

“You are going to have a heat stroke,” I told him. I was hot just looking at him, in all that winter clothing. But, I suppose it is different when you are born and raised on the desert; where running in 100+ degree temperatures is common…..and running in 85 degree temperature must seem rather mild…..maybe even cool. At any rate, I was unable to convince him to remove any of this clothing.

So, off we went. He….running the approximately 5 miles course…….and me…..walking from Crestview Community Center to Gage Blvd and back…..a little bit over one mile. When I got back to the Community Center, I was hot, sweating…and very much in need of some shade so I could sit down and rest. I found a bench in the shade and sat down to rest and wait for Fayez to return……probably hot, sweating, worn out…..and probably wishing he had not worn so many clothing.

About ten minutes later…..here came Fayez, suffering no apparent ill-effects of the heat. In fact, when I caught up with him, he was barely out of breath….. I am going to take a wild guess and say that Fayez is probably in much better shape than I. And he had cut his time from an eight minute mile down to around a six minute mile. This was probably due to a combination of a couple factors: He is in better shape now; and he probably pushed himself just a bit more. At any rate, prospects for the Saturday race were looking good.

I can imagine that there was a time….way back in my ancient history….that I could have beaten…easily beaten…..Fayez in a one mile race. But….those days were in the distant past. Now I more or less live vicariously on Fayez’s success.

On Saturday morning, we arrived at the race site….the Crestview Community Center….. at around 7:00 A.M. It was a beautiful morning….plenty of blue sky and the sun had just been turned on….and was still warming up. The temperature was in the low seventies. Perfect weather for a race. I don’t know if Fayez was nervous or not. Even if he was, he probably wouldn’t have admitted it.

In my life time, I have been to hundreds of cross-country races. I wasn’t nervous….but I was certainly optimistic….and anticipating that Fayez would do well. We looked around….or at least I did…..and tried to assess his prospects. He would be running in the 19 – 26 age group….a difficult division, for sure. How many would be in his age group? Did they look like runners? Of course, it is difficult….if not somewhat impossible…..to know this kind of thing with any certainty. But, I was confident that Fayez would do well. And…..in a worse case scenario….even if he didn’t place, it was still all good. This was his first race; he would get some valuable experience; he would get a T-shirt; he would have fun participating; it would give him an incentive to work harder for other races.

While Fayez was off doing his race thing, I more or less drifted around…..just trying to make time go by fast. And….it did. The first runner arrived back at the finish line all by himself….all alone. Wow….this guy blew everybody away! He was a skinny, wiry runt….and probably didn’t weigh much over 100 lbs. But, he had powerful legs…..and apparently powerful lungs, too. It was at least thirty seconds…..probably more…..before the next runner appeared. After that, the slow trickle of runner steadily increased to a virtual stream of runners.

I tried to watch to see who the early finishers were. After a while, it became a rather impossible venture. And…of course, once the first runner came across the finish line, I started to anxiously survey the runners for Fayez…..especially when the time was approaching the 34 minutes mark. I knew that Fayez was probably going to run somewhere around a 7 minute mile…..and, of course, I was hoping for something better. Finally, in the distance I spotted Fayez….wearing the Valley Falls shirt that I had given to him….. He was in a tight race with two other runners…..until the last 40 yards or so. Then he had hit his peak……and the other two runners easily out-distanced him. But….in the long run, it made no difference. They were in a different age division.

Fayez was in pretty good shape when he finished……much better than I had envisioned. After explaining how to spell his name to the official time keeper…..well, actually he ended up typing his name for her…..he said, “Come on….let’s go.”

“No, let’s stick around the awards ceremony,” I said. And, I am glad that we did. The race director began calling off the winners…with their times. As soon as I heard him call the third place winner….with his time……I knew immediately that Fayez had placed….either second or first. Then the name of the second place winner was called…..it wasn’t Fayez. That could mean only one thing: Fayez had taken first place…in his age division. Then the race director called off another name…..It wasn’t FAYEZ….but it was close enough! Actually…..he was the only runner from Saudi Arabia there that day! Surprise….surprise. Fayez had won first place in his age division….with a time of 36 minutes 55 seconds.

So…..Fayez took first place in his age division in the very first race he had ever run. And…..this race wasn’t too shabby, either. There were at least 200 runners who participated.

                                                          

We celebrated by going to the Golden Corral to eat breakfast…..and then to the Farmers’ Market. It was the first time I had ever been to the Saturday morning market…..and probably the last time, too. Fayez thought it was rinky-dink….compared to the markets that are held in his home town in Saudi Arabia. And, I also thought it was rinky-dink…and I think it was the first Farmers’ Market I had been to.

Another highlight of Fayez’s visit was our trip to Pleasanton to visit Sam….a friend of ours. Sam doesn’t actually live in Pleasanton……but he does own land there…..a farm, I suppose would be a proper name for it. Sam’s “farm” is not your ordinary run-of-the-mill farm. He doesn’t raise cattle or pigs or chickens…..or camels, for that matter……nor does he cultivate corn or soy beans. They certainly don’t call Kansas the Wheat State because of his farm. You are not going to find such mundane crops growing there.

Sam’s farm is basically devoted to growing pecans, chestnuts…..the kind you find at Christmas time….roasting on an open fire. I am certainly not an expert on chestnuts trees….or any kind of trees, for that matter. But, he has planted probably somewhere around two hundred little trees so far….with more yet to come. Some day, he will be able to harvest a lot of chestnuts. In the meantime, he spends a lot effort keeping them watered….and attempting to keep deer and other herbivorous predators from using them as a midnight snack.

Actually, I never knew anything about chestnuts until Sam started growing them…..other than the Christmas song I mentioned earlier. But, apparently when they first appear on the tree, they are encased in green outer layer covered with prickly little spikes. As they begin to ripen, the outer layer bursts open…..and the actual chestnut is revealed. And, the part about roasting them “on an open fire” is not merely poetic…..it is true. Before eating the chestnut, you must take a sharp knife and cut a slit in the shell…..put them into a heated place and wait for the shell to open. When I am by myself, I put them into the microwave for about a minute…take them out….remove the shell….and eat them. When Fayez is here, he puts them just inside the door of the wood stove and “roasts” them there. And, actually they taste better this way than they do putting them into the microwave. Of course, Fayez had more patience than I do, and he doesn’t mind getting a pair of tongs to carefully put them in……and then use the tongs and carefully take them out…..without getting burned. For me…..the microwave is the best….and simplest….option. Either way…..chestnuts could be described as an “acquired taste”. But….I like them.

It is rather strange. I want to attract deer to my property. One time I even set out salt blocks to entice them onto my property. Sam would probably do almost anything to keep the deer off his property. If it were possible, I would gladly bring all of them to my house. There is absolutely nothing they can destroy here……and maybe they would make good “lawn mowers”.

Sam’s farm is a combination of rolling hills, wooded land with a stream running through it, and some flat land, which is well suited for growing crops…..in this case: chestnuts and pecans….and other incidental crops. We took a short drive into a wooded area to look at some chestnut trees that he had grafted together…..joining one little branch onto a mature tree. I had never seen a freshly grafted tree before, and I must admit….it was somewhat different that I had visualized it. It is amazing to me how it works…..or that really does work at all. But, there was real-life evidence that is successful. Yeah…..I know, my explanation does not sound very scientific….and, of course, it isn’t. But, those people who know me would never expect a scientific account from me. And, in fact, they would be certain that I had plagiarized it if I had given one. But….if you ever have the opportunity…..check it out. It is interesting

The farm is a beautiful setting, and it would be an ideal place for building a rustic home, hidden away in the trees, with expansive green lawns with flowering shrubs and trees, a shady patio, some yard swings…..maybe a hammock strung between two trees. But…..someday, Fayez and I are going to buy it…..or something very similar….and turn in into a charming and delightful golf course. It has all of the necessary and desirable prerequisites…..flat land for fairways and greens, a pond and a stream as an ideal water hazard, and rolling hills and wooded areas to make it challenging. And, there is plenty of space to construct a comfortable club house…..all in a peaceful, graceful rural setting.

While we were there, we ate a delicious lunch which Sam had thoughtfully provided.  Indeed it was a mini-banquet served off the tail-gate of his pickup….and eaten while sitting on various upside down buckets and whatever else we could find to sit on. By the time we had finished eating all the food which was available, both of us were full and satisfied.

The time went by quickly….and all too soon it was time to leave. I had a doctor appointment to keep. Before we left, Sam gave us a sack filled with little pears that he picked from one of his trees. We know they were fresh….and we know they were from one of his trees….because he picked them while we were standing there!

I had already decided on the route that I wanted to follow going to Topeka. But, as usually happens, the GPS had a different idea…..and we ended up taking the exact route that I did not want to take…..the route passing through Kansas City. But, Fayez can handle it. And, we reached our destination with no problems.

For quite some time, Fayez had been bugging me to go to Manhattan with him….to see both the town and the college located there. It did little good to tell him that there is really nothing to see there. He was determined that he had to see it with his own eyes…. first hand. Last Christmas when he spend his winter break at my house, we had planned to drive over to take a look. But, bad weather intervened, and our trip had to be canceled. I was being overly optimistic when I thought he would forget about it.

This time, I was left with little choice but to take him to Manhattan. Actually, he drove his own car. I cautioned him that he would have to be careful while driving on the campus of the other college. There is always a danger to hitting a pig, running over a chicken, or having a door smash by a stray cow.

Nevertheless, we made the hour and half trip so Fayez could satisfy his curiosity. We did all the requisite things and visited all the obligatory places…..which, let’s face it, are few and far between. We walked into the nondescript place where they attempt to play basketball….took a quick glance at the football stadium…..and drove past the ubiquitous barns, silos and corrals. We drove down Poyntz Avenue, which I think is the main downtown street. We found the street to be virtually deserted. Not knowing what else to look at…..or if, indeed, there was anything else to look at, we decided to drive back to Topeka. I think that Fayez basically satisfied his curiosity…..and probably won’t be asking to go there again….at least, for a while.

Any time that Fayez comes to stay for a while, he is always more than eager to help me in any way he can. Me being such a weak, helpless old man. Generally, I resist asking him to help with major jobs. I prefer to use the time he is there to relax and have fun. I very much want to avoid using him as some sort of “servant” or “vassal”. But, on this visit, I made an exception…..one to which he readily and willingly agreed, I might add.

I wanted to make some major changes in my office. I had acquired an additional monitor and an additional keyboard….and I rather desperately needed to create some additional space for them. In my office, which is a converted extra bedroom, there is simply no extra space. But, that didn’t keep us from trying. We moved and partially reconstructed the computer desk….hoping to add some additional surface space. This was a heavy…..often dirty….job of moving items of furniture….disconnecting computers and printers and monitors. When we finished, I knew….although I did not want to admit it at the time…..that we had basically gained nothing! But, I tried to be optimistic and to conclude that our efforts had been successful. It would have been rather discouraging to say to Fayez, “Well, all that effort was for nothing. We wasted our time.” And, I must say…..it did help a little….although very little. But, nevertheless, I did appreciate the time and effort that Fayez spent helping with the failed attempt!

Our next project was a success. I switched back to burning wood a couple years ago, after a brief experiment with a wood pellet stove. During that two year period, I have struggled to find a dependable source of fire wood. I had been buying wood from almost anybody who would agree to sell some to me. Consequently, I had an odd hodgepodge of wood from three or four “suppliers”. Some of it was simply not suitable for burning in my wood stove. It was too big or oddly shaped or ….something. In addition, some of the wood was stacked on the front porch….with the remainder of being stacked…..or stored….or scattered…..in the garage. That is where the wood belongs….in the garage…. The problem was that the non-burnable wood was stacked in the place where the “good” wood belonged. That meant that the bad wood had to be moved before the other wood….the wood that was stacked on the front porch and various places in the garage….could be nearly stacked where it belonged. Let’s just say it required moving a LOT of wood.

OK…..this is where I needed help. And….this is where Fayez “volunteered” to help. Get rid of the bad wood…..and stack the good wood in its place. Not being able to give the wood away….which I would have gladly done……we decided that we could use this wood to burn in the fire ring on the patio. So…..with the help of a wheelbarrow, we loaded it up and stacked it outside. With this job completed, we brought the good wood inside and stacked neatly where it belonged. For the first time in more than a year, I now have enough room to drive my car into the garage…..which, I think…..is its intended purpose.

With those two projects completed, we devoted the remainder of the two weeks to fun and games…..and eating. We are always searching for good places to eat….and good bars where we can sit and talk at night. And, let’s face it…..Topeka is not the gastronomical capital of the world…..or the USA….or even Kansas. However, we did discover a home-owned Mexican restaurant in Topeka called Tacos El Mexicano. I am not very discriminating in my choice or expertise when it comes to food. But…..Fayez was impressed. He thought is was a good choice. And, if Fayez was satisfied and gave it his stamp of approval…..then so do I.

After the race, we ate breakfast at Coyote Canyon….something I have never done before. And. Something that I probably will not do again for a while. No, no….the food was great…..and plentiful. That is the problem! I do not need to frequently eat breakfast any place where the food is plentiful. But….it was a reward for Fayez for doing so well in the race. And for me? Well…..I am not sure what my excuse was…..aside from the fact that it sounded like a good idea at the time.

Of course, we ate at our old stand-bys: The Golden Corral and the Royal Buffet. On a Sunday afternoon we continued another tradition: We ate at the Alladin Cafe in Lawrence. The Alladin Cafe is a Lebanese restaurant that serves a buffet for Sunday lunch. Maybe you are starting to see a pattern here. Probably not a very healthy pattern either…..but one that will probably continue indefinitely. Yes…..these places are all-you-can-eat restaurants. We justify it by maintaining that they are obviously the best values….places where you get the most for the money.

 

 

Having patronized all of these restaurants……by far the best place to eat is at home. I will assert without any hesitation that Fayez prepares better food than any and all of these places. It is really too bad he aspires to be a doctor…..because he would make a terrific chef.

The bar scene in Topeka…..in my judgment…..is dismal. I admit that I am looking for something different in a bar than most people. A lot of people, I suppose, like bars with loud blaring music. Maybe it adds to the illusion of excitement or the adventure of being inside a bar. Maybe the loud music and the noise helps a person to relax and forget about their problem. I am sure that the noise and clamor certainly would help drown them out……or it drives them temporarily insane causing them to forget almost everything.

As for me…..I like a bar that is…first of all….safe. Yes….I have often thought it might be exciting….or at least interesting…..to be inside a bar during a fight. I saw plenty of them when I was living in South Vietnam. The Australians….and the South Koreans…..seemingly had adopted bar room fighting as one of their favorite past times. But, now, in my old age, I want to go to a place where there is no drama….and no bloodshed.

Second…..the bar must be relatively quiet. Quiet enough to carry on a conversation without shouting. Don’t get me wrong. Background music is good. It not only helps drown out extraneous noise, but it makes it possible to talk without the conversation being heard by everybody present. In other words…..some background music creates a shield of privacy. I really do not care what other people are talking about….and it nobody’s business what I am talking about.

Third….give me a bar where the prices are fair and reasonable.

And fourth…..it certainly doesn’t hurt to have some TV screens which telecast K. U. football and basketball games.

Through a process of elimination, Fayez and I have come to agree that the only bar in Topeka that meets all of these criteria is Terry’s Bar and Grill. It is a friendly neighborhood bar, with a regular clientele of mature people. It is a comfortable place to merely go and sit and talk.

On this visit, however, we decided to check out the Brass Rail Bar and Grill….and investigate its possibilities. I think we simply went there on a bad night. It was karaoke night….. And what can be worse that loud recorded music? Yes…..you guessed it. Karaoke. The Brass Rail is undoubtedly a neighborhood bar in the classic sense of the word. It was obvious that everybody in the bar knew each other…..everybody, but us, that is. And…..this is good. We were warmly welcomed…..no doubt about it. And, if that would have been the extent of it……it may have become one of our staple bars. But….Oh! The karaoke.

Everybody in the bar was welcome to perform. They even asked us…..
Fayez and me. No way! But, many of the patrons did perform…..or attempt to perform….over and over and over….. The bad thing was….to us at least….was that most of them couldn’t sing! And, the performers, sadly, were completely unaware of this fact. In fact, the opposite appeared to be true. Most, if not all, of them seemed convinced that they were, indeed, Emmy Award singers. As we sat there, we hoped that the impromptu performances would soon come to an end. But, if anything…..it picked up momentum as time went by. In all fairness, however, let me say that Fayez enjoyed it much more than I did. I am not sure why. Maybe it is because he doesn’t know how to sing, either. Or maybe it reminded him of the sounds that camels make back in his native Saudi Arabia. We will give the Brass Rail another chance, though……and maybe find it on a night when there is no karaoke.

We did two other noteworthy things while Fayez was here. One was go to a movie. Fayez had never been inside a real movie theater….ever. And, it has been many years….probably fifteen years….since I last attended a movie in the USA. So…..it seemed like a constructive way to spend a couple hours. We looked online to see what was playing at the West Ridge Theater. None of the movies sounded very promising…..to me, at least. However, we settled on a movie called “The Neighbors”. At least, I think that was the name of it. It was billed as a comedy….about the only kind of movie I would consider watching these days.

We arrived late…..so they let us in free. And, this, it turned out, was the only bright spot in the incident. We quickly figured out the plot once we had settled in our seats. Really….we could have arrived at any point in the movie and immediately figured out the plot…..because it actually had no plot. The entire movie turned out to be a simple-minded piece of trash, not even worthy for a dim witted moron to watch. We sat and watched the movie for perhaps thirty minutes……then we both decided that we had suffered….or had our intelligence insulted…..enough. We got up and walked out. Now, I think I realize more than ever why I haven’t gone to a movie in the past fifteen years…..and probably won’t go for another fifteen years. If I want to have my intelligence insulted……I can simply turn on Fox News.

The other major action that we took was to visit the newly renovated State Capitol Building in Topeka. This was a “first” for both Fayez and me. It was the first time he had been inside the State Capitol Building…..ever. And, it was the first time I had been inside the building since a major renovation project began about a million years ago. Actually, I think the work started ten years ago…..and was finished only earlier this year.

During this time the building was….well, a visual mess. And, it was basically closed to public viewing. For about ten years, the grounds were covered with scaffolding, barriers, construction equipment, piles of building materials, mounds of earth….and all the other ugly stuff associated with rebuilding and remodeling. Most of the sidewalks leading to the building were closed….as were most of the doors. While it was possible to walk around the building…..it was impossible to walk to the building….especially on the north, east and west sides. For all practical purposes, we had lost access to our Capitol Building.

The project cost somewhere around three hundred twenty million dollars. Yes, that is $320,000,000….more than a third of a billion dollars. Major changes were made to the building, including a new underground parking garage…..for legislators and employees only; significant restoration to both the House and Senate Chambers; the addition of a new visitors’ center on the bottom floor; replacing the copper dome….as well as other technical and modernization upgrades. The original estimated cost of the plan was $108.5 million…..but that figure was lost in the dust long before the project was completed.

Fayez and I entered the Capitol Building through the entrance to the new visitor’s center, which is located on the ground floor on the north side of the building.. Upon entering, visitors must pass through a security check point……much like the one found in airports. Fayez…an Arab….sailed quickly through. No Problem! But….I…..the American, the Kansas tax payer who is paying for the entire project….was stopped by the flashing red light and the alarm on the first attempt….and on the second attempt. Wow! Who is this guy attempting to infiltrate the security of the Kansas Capitol Building? Was it my wrist watch? Take if off. Try again. No….the alarm sounded for a second time. Surely these past-their-prime guards could look at me and tell that this old man with the kindly face, the white beard and winning smile was not a risk to any living thing. “Check your pockets again,” they suggested. Ah….the keys. Yes….they are made out of metal. They smiled and let me pass…..although Fayez raised his eye brows and was still looking at me suspiciously.

We spent an hour or so looking at the exhibits in the newly added visitors center which were prepared by the Kansas Historical Society. We took the elevator up to the main floor to scrutinize the famous murals which are painted on the walls. They are impressive in size and scope……and fairly self explanatory to long-time residents of Kansas. Well, at least to most of us…..if we have ever opened a book to read, paid attention in our school classes or just taken a look around while we were outside. Most of murals were obvious to Fayez….even though there are no camels or deserts in the pictures. Agriculture…oil….tornadoes….cattle…..wheat. Probably the only one that he really did not grasp was the picture of John Brown….the famous or infamous anti-slavery crusader. Just by looking at the mural, I think he got the general idea that the guy was probably somewhat radical….if not just a little bit crazy.

And…..maybe what I find to be so amazing is that he had no idea of who Dwight D. Eisenhower was. To most Kansans he is probably considered to be our “national hero”….certainly our state hero. But, on the other hand, I can imagine that there are many Kansans under the age or 30 or 40 who probably don’t know who he is, either.

We looked inside both the House of Representatives chamber…..on the west side of the capitol….and inside the Senate chambers on the east side. Both of these ornate meeting rooms have been restored. And, in the process of renovation, many of the original features, that had been long-hidden by coats of paint and other disguises, were discovered and returned to their initial, authentic state.

The House of Representatives chamber was open to the public….and apparently visitors were free to walk about and examine the room. Fayez, surrendering to his urge for power, wandered down to the front and sat in the chair of the Speaker of the House. He looked quite natural in this seat of leadership and prestige. As for me…..I was content to take his picture…..and suppress my own delusion of power. The Senate chamber was roped off, preventing people from entering the room. We had to be content with looking it from the doorway.

On the way out of the building, I stopped for an interesting chat with the guards and the volunteer hosts. They gladly explained the history of the restoration project….probably more than I really wanted to know at the time. I am sure they would have gladly talked for another half hour, if I would have had the time. What they had to say was definitely fascinating…..and as a tax payer, very informative. But, I am sure it was much more than Fayez wanted to know. He was impatiently pacing around…..waiting for us to leave and head toward the Mexican restaurant to eat supper.

Only one part of the two weeks met in complete, outright failure. In fact, I feel like I have deprived the PGA….and indeed mankind….of a world of a world-class golfer. I had high hopes that Fayez would ultimately become the first Saudi Arabian golfer to join the PGS tour. And, I was confident that after reaching such a high status, Fayez would give me full credit as the person who first got him started…..his mentor, his adviser, his inspiration. But…..it was not to be. Despite my best efforts to teach him the game, he rejected it….turned away from it. Who knows why? Maybe he simply was not interested in the game; or maybe it was the fact that he was simply no good at it! I am sure that it could not have been the outstanding, expert instruction he received. But….let’s be honest: Some people have what it takes to be a good golfer….and some people do not! 

 

 

 

When Fayez comes to spend his break and vacation time, there is rarely a minute when we are not involved in some sort of interesting activity or enterprise. Whether it is celebrating another in a long string of birthdays with an ice-cream cake….driving down to Sam’s farm…or working out at the “Y”…..or sitting in a bar talking….of fixing supper outside in the fire ring….or getting a hair cut……waiting for Fayez outside his mosque…..or wasting some time looking around the campus of another state university…..or running in a cross-country race……life it always refreshing and invigorating.

Now it is time for settle back into a normal routine…..and get back on a more reasonable diet that will keep my doctors happy…..and my weight down.

                                                          

 

 

Our brief visit to “Sin City. Jr……Reno….. ended…..and now we are headed across the desert to the city without (any obvious) sin…..Salt Lake City.

We left fairly early on Tuesday morning. The trip across the Nevada desert can seem like a long one. About 520 miles, to be exact. And, the meaning of the word “desert” is relative, I suppose, depending upon one’s perception and experience. To me, the desert that blankets the state of Nevada is about as barren as I have seen. Several hundred miles of barren wasteland…virtually uninhabited, except for a few dilapidated, decaying small towns along the Interstate.

There are a few bright spots….oases in the desert….Winnemucca and Elko come most readily to mind. They are irrigated, green spots which offer a sense of relief and normalcy from endless stretches of desolate landscape that envelope most of the state. And, also off the beaten path of I-80 are fields of green crop land…..also irrigated by life-sustaining water which lies far beneath of the surface of the desert. But, for the most part, it is a journey that must be endured in order to travel from the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. People often say that Kansas is merely on obstacle to be tolerated to reach the state of Colorado. These people obviously have not experienced the desert that encompasses the state of Nevada.

But, like I said…..the term “desert” is relative in meaning to one’s experience. I can well imagine that this would appear to be fertile land to Fayez….maybe even like his front yard. I can just imagine…..Fayez relaxing in a comfortable lawn chair, admiring the cactus, watching the rattlesnakes play……

The desert was no obstacle to Fayez and me, though. To us it was another interrupted opportunity to continue talking and discussing…..and to watching the dust devils as they danced across the desert. The time passed quickly….and before we knew it….seven hours later….we drove into the parking lot of the Howard Johnson Motel in the heart of Salt Lake City.

But first, we stopped to take a look at the only attraction between Reno and Salt Lake City…..the Great Salt Desert. Before stopping there, however, we paused briefly in Wendover…..the last town before entering Utah. Wendover is not only the last town in Nevada before crossing into Utah. But, it is also the last town in Utah before crossing into the state of Nevada. How can that be? It sits directly on the border separating those two states…..half the town in Utah and half the town in Nevada. And, there is a line drawn across Main Street. On the west side of the lines lies Nevada, and on the east side of the line is Utah. And, the differences can be striking. On the Nevada side, almost anything goes….liquor stores, casinos….and other more physical pleasures. On the Utah side? Well, you have entered Utah…..and you are lucky you can buy a cup of coffee.

The Great Salt Desert says it all. It is a desert composed entirely of a layer of salt. This salt is the left over residue from an ancient inland sea which over the centuries evaporated down to the present Great Salt Lake. This desert is almost perfectly flat….flat enough that it is used as a major testing site in attempting to set world speed records for various land based vehicles. Of course, it is white….as white as a vast snow field…..just like salt is white. And, if don’t believe that it is really salt, go ahead and rub your finger over the surface and then lick your finger.

The Great Salt Lake, several miles east toward Salt Lake City, is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world. Walk out into the lake…..and

you will have to walk quite a distance under normal conditions, because the lake is quite shallow….learn backwards……and relax! The buoyancy of the water, caused by the heavy concentration of salt, will support your body….and it is probably next to impossible to drown. Even for a non-swimmer like me.

 

It was relatively early when we arrived in Salt Lake City. Soon after we got settled in our motel room, only a few blocks from Temple Square, Fayez took off and went for a run. In the meantime, I got my laptop set up and checked my e-mail and Facebook page. Then is was nap time….a necessity for an old man of my advanced age. After Fayez returned, he also took a nap….so we would both be rested for the evening ahead of us.

There are some Middle Eastern restaurants in Salt Lake City, and we planned to eat our evening meal in one of them that night. We did a quick check on the restaurants, and to our surprise found that none of the Middle Eastern restaurants stayed open beyond seven or eight o’clock in the evening. And most them closed even earlier. Wow….what’s going on here? That’s a little early, isn’t it? It was already after seven o’clock….too late to locate them….drive to them….and order a meal. So….we went to my old stand-by favorite….Chuck-A-Rama Buffet. I had already been to this restaurant several times in past year….so I knew we couldn’t wrong eating there. It is a good choice: crowded, popular, hundreds of food options. It was a good choice. But….this will give you an idea of the amount and quality of night life in Salt Lake City.

Our night life was less than exciting. Night life in Topeka is wild and lively compared to that of Salt Lake City. Considering all that I already knew about Salt Lake City, we didn’t even attempt to go to a bar and sit…..although we would have liked to. Instead we walked the few blocks to Temple Square, only to find that it had also closed for the night. With nothing better to do, we walked back to our motel room and spent the remainder of the evening talking…..and planning our agenda for the following day.

Our only full day in Salt Lake City….a Wednesday…..centered around a few of the major landmarks of the city. We started our day with a visit to the state capitol building. It is located on the near north side of the city…..and sits in a prominent position on what could be the highest point in the city. Since Salt Lake City is seemingly built on a land that is more flat than the State of Kansas….this is not much of a distinction. But, it is high enough that it can be seen from most parts of the city. And, from the front steps of the capital building, one can get an excellent panoramic view of the city.

Like most state capitol buildings, it houses the governor’s office, along with both houses of the state legislature. The interior of the building is very simple in design….actually almost stark. But the highly polished marble gives it an almost castle-like atmosphere. The wide, barren public spaces give the illusion of being in the midst of a magnificent cavern….where voices and footsteps echo off the towering walls.

The design of the capitol building is in the traditional, classic design of most state capitol buildings….patterned after the Capitol of our nation in Washington, D.C. High in the center of the stately, imposing dome hangs what is probably the most ornate feature of the building: an elegant, sparkling chandelier. The sides around the dome are decorated with exquisite murals…..depicting the history of Utah….I suppose. In many of the long hallways there are informative displays also illustrating and interpreting the evolution of the state and its people and industries. Fayez and I voted, and our consensus was that Kansas has a far more attractive capitol building.

 

Foremost in the history and culture of the state of Utah is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints…..the Mormon Church. Indeed, the entire city of Salt Lake City was planned around Temple Square, the ten acre walled complex which is the headquarters of the

Mormon Church. This where we spent most of our day.

Temple Square has four entrances….North, South, East and West. No matter which entrance you choose, you will be greeted by a friendly greeter. Although most of these greeters are more mature people…..not very many seconds will pass before you are approached by a pair of sunny, smiling young women. They are “missionaries”, and they are devoting eighteen months of their life to representing the Mormon Church and spreading its message. They are ubiquitous…..everywhere. You can’t escape them….so don’t even try. But, do not worry, these young ladies…..”sisters”, as they call themselves, are very low-key and are eager to make your visit to Temple Square as interesting and pleasant as possible. They are nothing to be afraid of……or to avoid. They are going to engage you in some friendly conversation: “Where are you from?” “What is your name?” “What all have you seen on your trip?” “Where are you headed?”

It is all quite innocuous….and it can even be interesting. It is often fascinating to hear where these girls are from……and they come from all over the world…..and to hear about their lives in their home country. They are also quite useful. If you need information about Temple Square or even about the Mormon Church, they are more than willing to assist you. If you want a guided tour, they will personally escort you around the compound….or they will find somebody who will. They are never “pushy” or “preachy” with their religion. They are always low-key and unpretentious. So…..expect them. They are everywhere.

There are several buildings within the walled compound. And, all of them are worth a visit…..if only a brief one. The two visitor’s centers….the north center and the south center…..have a series of on-going high-tech audio-visual presentations on the doctrines and beliefs of the Mormon Church. Even if you are not a Mormon…..and I certainly am not….nor is Fayez….they are interesting, well produced, and presented with good taste and high class. You not going to find any fire and brimstone sermons or any pulpit pounding preachers around here.

The central building in Temple Square is the Salt Lake City Temple. This is the only building you cannot visit. You must be a certified card-carrying Mormon to enter this stately building. There are, however, many exhibits in the visitor’s centers displaying intricate models of the building, with pictures of each room….along with an explanation of its purpose.

The guides will tell you that on any given day, there will be as many as forty to fifty wedding ceremonies performed in the Temple. There is a special significance to being married in the Temple….but I am not the person to explain it to you. Take a trip out to Salt Lake City and find out for yourself. They do not, however, furnish the girls for you to marry….. You have to bring your own! Much to Fayez’s disappointment.

The most famous and popular building in Temple Square is the Mormon Tabernacle. It is world-renowned for many things. Not the least of which is its shape. It is shaped like a sort of dome….egg-shaped, almost. The building is built with no internal supports….leaving the interior of the Tabernacle a vast open space with unobstructed views from all parts of the building. The Tabernacle seats approximately 8000 people…each seat with a clear and open view to the front of the Tabernacle. With the domed roof and the absence of any obstructions, the audio acoustics are nearly perfect.

One of the highlights of the tour is an acoustics demonstration. The tourists are seated in the very back of the auditorium. The guide stands in front on the stage and drops a pin onto the podium. You can hear the sound of the pin clearly. The guide will also tear a sheet of paper. Again, you can hear the paper tearing just as clearly as you could if he or she was standing beside you. And…..all of this is done without the microphone or other amplifying assistance.

For me, the main attraction of the Mormon Tabernacle…..and of the entire Temple Square…..is the huge pipe organ that encompasses the entire front of the Tabernacle. This magnificent organ has five keyboards…..and thousands of individual pipes. It is one of the largest and most acclaimed organs in the world……not to mention having a brilliant and powerful sound. Each week day…..Monday through Saturday….there is a thirty minute organ recital at the stoke of Noon. On Sunday, these recitals are at  2:30 P. M. These recital are performed by one of the four staff organists at the Tabernacle…..and by prominent guest organists. Their purpose is not only to entertain….but to demonstrate the wide range of sound and the versatility of the organ. Always included in the recital is the official hymn of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints…..”Come, Come, Ye Saints”.

As you enter the door to be seated for the recital, the guides ask you to please turn off all cell phones….and all electronic equipment. Before the organist begin the recital, he, again asks people to be considerate and turn off their cell phones…..to please not record the recital. He (and there is also one “she” on the staff) will ask you to hold all applause until the end of the program…..and if you want to leave, leave during a pause after the first selection has been completed.

These all seem like reasonable requests. They make it possible for the people to sit and enjoy the music without interruption. But…..it is absolutely amazing how many clods, jerks, yayhoos and low-lifes come to visit these recitals…..and decide halfway through the program to pack up their stuff and leave…..crowding in front of people as they push their way to the aisle, usually muttering to each other as they leave. Remember…..this building has almost perfect acoustics…..and the sound carries over the entire auditorium. One has to wonder if this is the first time they have been off the farm…..or if this is the first time they have come out of their cave! I can imagine that most of the people who are trying to enjoy the concert are not having very Christian-like thoughts about them. I know I didn’t!

As I sit and listen to the recital….and even after I leave at the end of the recital….I often wish that I had taken my piano lessons more seriously when I was young….and that I wish that I would have stuck with them. If I had…..maybe I would be sitting in front of that great organ performing for thousands of people each year. But….no chance of that. I would have had to become a Mormon. You can also attend the choir rehearsal on Thursday evening—and also the nationally telecast program, “Music and the Spoken Word” on Sunday morning.

In the afternoon, we visited the Conference Center….directly across the street from Temple Square. This is a mammoth building which was built to accommodate visitors and delegates from the Mormon Church around the world who attend the semi-annual church conference. The main auditorium seats 18,000 people….. And, again, the chamber is constructed with no internal obstructions or barriers. A virtual masterpiece of architectural design and engineering. At the front of the Conference Center stands another colossal pipe organ…..every bit as powerful and expressive as the organ across the street in the Tabernacle.

 

 

 

 

Fayez and I were fortunate enough to have a personal guided tour through the buidling. Our knowledgeable guide…a woman who volunteers her time…showed us the major attractions of the building…..and then took us to the rooftop which covers close to a city block….and is the scene of a charming garden….complete with grass,

trees, flowers…..and a fountain. Here on the rooftop, it was quite peaceful and serene. Except for the cityscape in the background…..it has an almost rural feeling.

Our guide also showed us many works of Mormon art….again depicting important events and landmarks in the history of the church. All of the art work was original…and undoubtedly very valuable. Fayez liked the artwork much more than I did…..mostly because my taste in art favors more abstract painting.

Both Fayez and I enjoyed the time we spent at Temple Square. Neither of are Mormons….and neither of us have any plans of becoming Mormons….although the prospect of multiple wives did appeal to Fayez! However, the day was informative, interesting and enlightening….and it gave Fayez another insight into a phase of Western culture.

In the late afternoon we drove to the campus of the University of Utah. By the time we arrived, the building on the campus were closed. However, we were free to drive through the campus and look at the building that housed the science and math departments…..was well as part of the medical school. The campus does not compare in size or scale to the University of Kansas. It is much smaller. It is an attractive campus, set in area of shady trees and wide expanses of green lawn.

In the evening we ate our supper in a restaurant serving food from Nepal…..and appropriately named the Katmandu Restaurant. It was not quite a Middle Eastern restaurant…..but it was exotic enough to satisfy for culinary tastes at the time. Actually, I do not remember a lot about it, except we had to wait an extraordinary length of time for our food…..probably because they had to special order it from Katmandu.

Throughout the time we spent in Salt Lake City, we did quite a lot of driving in various parts of the city. I am always impressed by the cleanliness and orderliness of the city. Of course, Brigham Young laid out the city in a very logical fashion….making Temple Square the center of the city. All streets are numbered from that reference point. If you ever get lost, simply find one of the four Temple avenues, and eventually you will find your way back to the center of the city.

I also cannot escape noticing another rather obvious aspect of the city: the lack of ethnic and national and racial groups. Maybe it is better than it once was, however. I recall a trip that I made with some friends back in the mid-seventies. We were walking in the downtown area when one of my friends turned to me and remarked, “Have you noticed something strange about this town?”

“No,” I replied. “What is it”

“We haven’t seen even one Black person since we got here.”

Today seventy-five percent of the population is White. Two and seventh tenths percent (2.7%) is Black. However, approximately twenty-five percent of the population is Hispanic or Latino. So, there is some diversity of population in the city today. Although Utah has the seventh lowest crime rate in the nation, Salt Lake City still has a serious problem with gangs. And we drove through areas where we would not want to be walking after the sun goes down…..like most other American cities, I suppose.

 

OK…..it is Thursday…..we have our stuff packed….and we are ready to set off for our last scenic, vacation stop….Grand Lake, Colorado. We enjoyed our short sojourn in Salt Lake City. It was another of those cities that Fayez decided would be a good place to live. I think it was the academic life that abounds there….plus the fact that the city is orderly, manageable, full of educational, recreational and cultural activities. Since Fayez derives most of his pleasure from studying….the lack of social late night opportunities would not be an obstacle for him. And, also we have to consider its setting: an oasis in the middle of the desert.

There isn’t much to say about the trip from Salt Lake City to Grand Lake. More desert; more sage brush; more little towns dotting the highway. In fact, our stops between the two destinations were few. We stopped in Kremmling, Colorado, to buy a couple bottles of energy drink to keep us awake for the last few minutes of our drive….and then proceeded on to our final destination: the Elk Creek Campground, located just a few hundred feet outside the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I had stayed in this campground the previous year, and I was already more or less acquainted with the woman who owns the place. She remembered me…..and also the cabin we had stayed in the previous autumn. On this trip she “upgraded” our cabin to the one nearest the showers….a thoughtful gesture, I thought. An additional advantage to having this particular cabin was the fact that it was near enough to the office that we actually had Internet access……something we did not have in the former cabin.

Because it was still early in the season, we had no campground neighbors. This gave us the freedom to behave normally….talking and laughing…..without worrying about disturbing our fellow campers. And, this was rather important because we tend to sit in front of our campfire rather late at night and talk. We always try to be considerate campers……and Do Unto Others as We Would Have Them Do to Us. With no nearby neighbors, this objective became much easier.

Following our established routine…..Fayez went for a run on some of the mountain roads, while I set up my laptop to check my e-mail…followed by a restful nap. Upon his return, Fayez took a shower…and then slept for a few minutes himself. We drove the short distance to the village of Grand Lake to buy some wood for our campfire. Then we retraced our route back south along Grand Lake, down the highway to the forlorn little tourist town of Granby. We needed to buy food for our evening meal. I have been to Granby on other trips, and I thought I was fairly familiar with the little town. But the grocery store was not where I remembered it….and I have a long memory. More than a little bit frustrated, we stopped in a souvenir shop to inquire what had happened to it. The owner of the store told us that with the development of a new mall about a mile south of town, the grocery store, along with other small stores, had been forced out of business. There are usually bad consequences when big business moves in….but what can I say? Is this the price we pay for “progress”? For his help….maybe because we felt just a little sorry for him…..Fayez bought some post cards before we left.

When we returned to the campground, we discovered that we still needed one item for our supper….and I have forgotten what it was. Anyways, I went back to the campground office….which also serves as a little store with some very basic items…..to buy it. While I was there, the lady owner told me quite proudly that they had bought two new chairs and had put them on the front porch of our cabin for us to use. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that we had brought our own camping chairs…..and that they were quite comfortable….and that we intended to use them. But, it was nevertheless a kind and thoughtful gesture.

At night, we enjoyed our last campfire of the trip; we enjoyed the last feast that Fayez would prepare; and we enjoyed the last opportunity to sit and talk late into the night.

Bright and early the following morning…..a Friday….we packed our belongings for the last time and headed for home. Elk Creek Campground will always be one of my destinations when I am traveling in the Rocky Mountain area.

Fortunately for us, the highway through Rocky Mountain National Park was open. And, with my valuable senior citizens pass, we began our last sightseeing adventure of the trip. This was my first trip through Rocky Mountain National Park in the “winter” season…..even though it was the last of May. It was certainly a different environment than the summer season. The green forests were replaced by a snow-covered landscape. There were no wild flowers growing in the fields and on the mountain slopes. There were no little chipmunks eagerly begging for food. And, of course, the traffic was sparse…which may have been the main attraction of the Park that day.

There was a kind of grandeur, however, of the snow-covered mountains that towered above the landscape. The day was cloudy…..overcast skies with thick dark clouds hanging in the sky and creating an illusion of an impending storm….a storm that never came, but still produced a dark, ominous, mysterious atmosphere. The popular gift shop at the summit of the Park had not opened for the

season yet, and the parking lot was still covered with the winter’s snow. But, that was OK……the rest rooms were open….and that was what was really important. We were in a hurry, so we continued our descent into Estes Park……and then somehow the GPS found the correct highway that would whisk us south to good old I-70…..and an almost straight short toward home.

Our vacation ended….sixteen days after it started….after driving almost 4500 miles…..to Paradise and back. It was an awesome sixteen days. Vacations are measured not only for the sights we see…..and, in our case, we saw an abundance spectacular, informative, and awe-inspiring sights. But, for me, they are also judged by the quality and quantity of time I spend with somebody I like and respect. When I consider these two criteria together…..this vacation would definitely be awarded an A+.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is Saturday morning. Our five nights on the Oregon Coast….in Paradise….have come to an end. It is time to pack the car and bid a sad farewell to the Pacific Ocean, as we slowly wind our way down highway US 101….the Oregon Coast Highway….toward our next destination. On this part of the journey, we didn’t stop much…..but kept a steady pace toward the California border…..and subsequently to Eureka, where we would camp for the night.

US 101 pretty much follows the coastline the entire way to Brookings, the last town in Oregon. We took one last look at the Pacific Ocean as we drove along…..sad that we had to bid Farewell to Paradise…..but happy for the fun and the relaxation we had while we were there…..and thankful for the pleasant memories we were taking with us.

Let me be honest: I have seen what I came to see. The rest of the trip is sort of down hill from now until the time we pull into our driveway again. Don’t get me wrong. I am still looking forward to the places we will see; the things we will do. And, also remember, this is the first time Fayez has seen any of this….so we still have a lot of trip to enjoy yet. And, I am always curious and happy to see his reaction to all the new places…..and all of the new experiences. And, there are plenty more to come.

Stopping at the California border, we performed our usual ritual of taking pictures of the border sign. Continuing on to the south, our attention was drawn to the gradual appearance of the giant Redwood trees that lined the highway. These giant trees would stay with us for the next twenty-four hours….and become a source of fascination.

Our destination was Eureka, California, where we had reserved a camping spot for the night, again in a KOA Campground. Again, we put our trust and hope in the little GPS wizard. And…..it almost failed us! This time, I admit, as much as I don’t want to, that it was not the fault of the GPS. For some unknown reason the campground had posted the wrong address on their web site. The poor little GPS was confused. It didn’t know any differently; it was just doing its job. As comforting as that sounds…..it didn’t do us any good. I suppose it is more or less like a teacher telling a student that 2 + 2 = 5…..and then counting it wrong when he puts it on a test! We finally stopped and looked up the correct address. We did eventually find the campground. The bright side of this story is that we got to see a great deal of Eureka, California….probably more than we wanted to see. On the negative side…..I am surprised that KOA has any customers, if they all use the same web site as we did.  The next time you invite somebody to your house…..but really don’t want them to come…..just give them the wrong address.

The Redwoods are truly awe-inspiring. These trees are the largest and tallest trees in the world….and they exist only in parts of Northern California….and to a lesser extent, along the southern Oregon Coast. The tallest of the Redwood trees can reach a height of 350 feet….or more. Put in other words, that is as tall as a 35 story building…..and considerable higher than a football field is long! Just one redwood tree can supply enough lumber to build several houses. And, maybe this is good news because redwood is very insect resistant…thus you would not have to worry about your house being destroyed by termites.

At the base of the tree, the redwood can measure up to 20 feet in diameter. Believe me….try as hard as you can, and you can’t put your arms around one! Standing beside a redwood tree, both Fayez and I looked very small and insignificant. And, also consider the fact that many of these trees are as much as 2000 years old….the average being around 500 – 700 years old. That is even older than I am! Although there are certain people from Saudi Arabia who do not believe this!

There are about 1.75 million acres of redwood trees in California….and about 450,000 acres are in parks or other protected public lands. Fayez and I drove the route called Avenue of the Giants…..probably the most popular of the redwood viewing areas. The drive through the redwood forest is a cool, shady drive….the road protected from the sunlight by the towering branches. The drive is soothing and leisurely as the road winds through the majestic trees. The giant trees grow only inches from the highway…..so it is not a fast trip. If a car would ever smash into a redwood tree…..I can, with 100% certainty, tell you who the winner in that contest will be…..and it is not going to be you.

A person cannot fully appreciate these magnificent forests by merely driving through them. You must stop and see them up close and personally…..just like Fayez and I did.   We stopped in several places along the highway to take a first hand look. Don’t worry, there are plenty of pull-in places where you can park well off the road with no danger of being struck by another vehicle.

As you walk through the forest, it good to remember that for all practical purposes, you are walking among trees that were there when this continent was first discovered…..and the leaves, twigs, and branches lying on the ground have also been lying there for perhaps hundreds of years. It is difficult for many of us to imagine back beyond our own brief years here on this earth. But, our lifespan is relatively insignificant compared to the history of these trees.

There is a saying that you cannot see forest because of the trees. In the case of the redwoods, it would be more accurate to say you cannot see the trees because of the forest. It is very difficult to get a good perspective on individual trees. There are so many of them…..and they are all so big! The only things you have to compare them with…..are themselves. If there were some elm trees or some oak trees or some apple trees…..any kind of tree…..you would have a reference point. But….all you can see are redwood trees.

We came across several trees that were lying on the ground…..for one unknown reason or another. I stood at one end of the fallen tree, and Fayez stood at the opposite end. It was like I was standing on the home team goal line….and Fayez was the opponent’s goal line…..one hundred yards away. When I took a picture……there was a lot of tree trunk between him and me. Definitely a lot more tree trunk than Fayez!

It is difficult to get a good picture of the trees no matter where you are in the forest. Yes…you can take pictures of the bottoms of the trees…..and that is impressive because the bases of the trees are huge. But…..how do you get a good pictures of the entire tree…its towering height? That is the puzzle. In past years, I used to lie down on the ground and point the camera straight up. Even this does not make a very good picture….it just does not capture the dramatic length and breadth of the stately trees. Well, this is one problem that Fayez does not have back home on the desert!

I have a word of caution for anybody who plans to hike very far into the forest. Make sure you know how to get back to your car. This is not as obvious as it sounds….. Once you get deep into the forest…everything looks the same. Literally. It is difficult to distinguish one tree from another. This tree looks like that tree…looks like that tree…..etc. No…..they are not painted different colors….nor do they have names on them…nor do they come in different architectural designs. They are all just trees. If the sun is not shining…..you will not even have the sun to guide you….if you even know how. I can imagine that it is analogous to being in the middle of an ocean….water, water everywhere. Or….in the middle of the Saudi Arabian desert. All the sand is brown! So, make sure you know how to get back to your vehicle safely…..or you may live the rest of your life hunting for nuts and berries……and sleeping under a blanket of leaves.

You can learn a lot by stopping and taking a look at the exhibits which you will find along the Avenue of the Giants…..assuming that you actually want to learn some more about the redwoods. Even if you don’t want to learn any additional information, you can browse through some of the gift shops and look at some of the “authentic” trinkets and souvenirs….that were no doubt manufactured in India or China. And…of course, take this opportunity to use the rest rooms.

Our final stop on our trip through the redwoods was the picturesque village of Myers Flat. This little town is at about the half-way point on the Avenue of Giants, and by this time we had an excellent opportunity to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of the redwoods. If our schedule had permitted it, we would have gladly continued on to the end of the highway where it meets up with US 101 again.

Myers Flat is the location of the Shrine Drive-Through Tree. It will cost a small amount of money….but it was worth paying the cash in order to take pictures of Fayez driving our car through the tree. There are always cars waiting to drive through….and it is often a rather slow process. Some people are not content with a simple picture or two. They feel they have to have pictures of every member of the family “driving” the car…. Could most of these people be Japanese? And many of them want pictures of all the occupants of the vehicle standing in front of the car. Not just a couple pictures…..but pictures from every angle. Sounds like the Japanese again. Fayez and I were not so demanding, though. I got out…..walked around to the front of the tree while Fayez made the ceremonial stop about four-fifth the way through the tree. A couple or three pictures…..and we were satisfied. Time for the next car! There are also some interesting exhibits here that are worth a quick glance. And, of course…..a gift shop.

OK…..that was an interesting, relaxing and inspiring experience. One of those mysteries of nature.

We have seen the “big trees”. Now let’s continue on to “big money”…..Reno, Nevada. But, first, we had to make a short trip to Shingle town, California, where we would spend the night.

Now we were faced with a choice: Should we rely on my expert knowledge of reading and following a map? ……a skill that I have developed and perfected over many long years of experience. Or….Should we follow the directions of the fickle little GPS device….and see where it leads us?

I…..always….or usually…..or sometimes….being the nice guy….and wanting to avoid conflict….resigned myself to the option of following the route the GPS had mandated.

As with many things that are unknown…..the trip from the redwoods to Shingletown started out normally and routinely. A good blacktop highway…..or so we thought. We were in a good mood. We had just finished a stimulating visit to the giant redwoods, a miracle of nature and a marvel of creation…..and now we were headed toward Reno…..and in one more day we would find ourselves in a completely frivolous, artificial, hedonistic creation of man! It would be a radical change of pace for us. But, we were anticipating it…..and eager to arrive and start enjoying the glitz and glamor that we might discover there. But…..first there was the matter of the short trip to the KOA in Shingletown.

As we drove along, we ascended higher and higher into the mountains with breath taking scenery surrounding us on all sides. We were happy as we gazed with appreciation and delight at the mountains, the forests and the valleys. And, of course, we talked…laughed….joked…. as we always do while we are driving along.

After a while, we….or at least I, began to notice something rather strange. The “highway” was becoming more and more narrow. On-coming traffic was sparse….actually non-existent. How far are we from the next town? There were no highway signs….no billboards…. Oh well……maybe the state of California doesn’t do a very good job in caring for its mountain highways.

We continued to press onward. Soon, the blacktop became sporadic….and gradually morphed from a paved “highway” into a gravel road…..a narrow gravel road, at that.
We kept winding our way higher and higher into the mountains. Still no traffic, no signs, no billboards. The GPS. What does the GPS say? Where are we? How far to the next town? If the GPS knew…..it wasn’t telling us.

I began to become somewhat concerned. “Shingletown, Oh Shingletown, Where art thou, fair Shingletown?” Fayez kept plowing on, somewhat oblivious to any danger we might be in. The gas gauge registered about one fourth tank. Not very comforting. Where are we? Where are we going? Even the GPS doesn’t know where the next town is located. This can’t be good. “We should have followed the route on the map,” I was thinking…..or I probably said it aloud. At least, if we got lost….we would know where we were lost. What if we ran out of gas? What would we do? Would anybody ever find us? Would we be forced to become mountain men and never see our families again? Why didn’t we use our cell phones? Are you joking? There was no cell phone signal where we were.

What choice did we have? It was too late to turn back. So we kept moving forward. You can bet that the happy conversation came to an end…..and an air of uneasiness prevailed….and maybe a degree of anxiety, too. Finally, we came upon the first farm house we had seen in many miles. Ahh….a ray of hope. Maybe a civilization existed, after all. Tension relaxed…..a little bit, at least. As we continued our eastward drive, we encountered more and more houses. We could always stop and ask for directions now.

Fortunately, the GPS woke up from its slumber and pointed the way to a highway. By happy chance, luck or fortune was with us. It was the right highway…..the highway we would have been on…..if we had followed the route on the map. And…..as usually happens…..once the crisis has past, we laughed about it….joked about it….and tried to pretend that it never happened. And, in cases like this, I always quote Shakespeare: “All is well that ends well.”

Both of the nights we spent in California were part of the Memorial Day weekend….and both of the campgrounds were the busiest that we stayed in. And both of them, by far, had the most young people and children… Normal, since all the schools were closed for the long holiday weekend. As with most campgrounds, the people here were family people…..law abiding and quiet. And, again, we were the only people sitting in front of a campfire after the sun went down. True campers…..

The distance from the campground into Reno was only a couple hours’ drive. We quickly found Harrah’s Hotel and Casino….located in the heart of downtown Reno….and bordering on Virginia Avenue, the main drag or “strip” of Reno. This would be our home for the night. Harrah’s is undoubtedly the largest hotel that I have stayed in. And, of course, it is not only a hotel but a gambling resort, also. Although it bordered on Virginia Avenue, our entrance was a block away off a street whose name I don’t recall.

The check-in procedures are very streamlined, and in a short time we had found our room…..on the 11th floor….and were settling in for the afternoon and night. Like most other hotels in Reno and Las Vegas, the windows are covered with “blackout” drapes, intended to keep the room dark during the daylight hours so casino patrons can sleep during the day……and stay up gambling at night.

It was still early in the afternoon, and among the first things we did was to look for the hotel’s fitness center so Fayez could spend some time working out. While he was working out, I took advantage of the blackout drapes and took a nap. Upon his return to the room, Fayez also took a nap, so we would be rested for our night on the town.

During the daytime, Reno looks pretty much like any other mid-size city. There really isn’t anything special about it….visually, at least. During the daylight, it actually appears to be a rather shabby town…..at least the downtown “strip” does. Where there are not casinos and hotels…..there are souvenir shops, liquor stores, tattoo parlors, bars…..and pawn shops. Yes…..lots of pawn shops. In all reality, it is sort of a pathetic town. Sad to think that the pawn shop industry appears to be among thriving businesses. Sad to think that people are so desperate for money that they resort to hocking their possessions to get their hands on a little bit of money to flush down the drain at the poker tables, the black jack tables and the slot machines. One of the more noticeable phenomenons of downtown Reno is the number of boarded up casinos and other businesses that have obviously fallen victim to the recent recession of 2008 and before. They are ugly eye sores, and do nothing to enhance the appearance of the downtown district.

Fayez and I spent a good deal of the afternoon walking around the downtown area, just looking at the buildings, into the windows of the souvenir shops, and into the open-front gambling casinos. But, perhaps we spent most of our time people-watching. There was never a lack of human “drama” being played out on the streets and sidewalks of Reno. There were a remarkable number of strange people milling around the streets….even in the afternoon. This probably has no special meaning…..and I am not attaching any hidden meaning to it….but the vast majority of these people were not white, Caucasian people.

Most of the disputes or controversies or misunderstandings seem to be related to either a domestic problem…..a lover’s triangle…..or money. I say this only from general appearances and from hearing passages of comments as we passed by…..usually on the other side of the sidewalk!

If Fayez would have….and could have….had his way, we would have stopped and watched each individual fight! And probably would have taken pictures. And asked for autographs! Yeah….I suppose I was also just a little bit curious and intrigued about what the disagreements were about. But over the years, I have learned it is not a good idea to get involved in other people’s personal problems, especially domestic problems. And, I have learned that just because they are using a busy public sidewalk at the theater to act out their melodrama, they usually do not want an audience! It is better….and safer….and wiser…..more judicious…..to merely ignore situations like these…..and continue on our merry way. Or at least, to casually and discreetly watch from a safe distance. Actually, I had no desire to spend the remainder of our vacation in the hospital.

After walking up and down Virginia Avenue on both sides, we decided to return to our hotel room and wait until it was time to eat supper. A little relaxation never hurt anybody. It must have been 6:00 or so when we headed out in search of a place to eat. Actually, we had already made this decision…..even before we started out on our trip. We headed to Circus-Circus, where they have one of the most fantastic all-you-can-eat buffets that I have had the pleasure to experience. Wow…..there are more choices than one could sample in a week. So….when filling your plate, it is best be discriminating in what you choose. You simply cannot eat everything…..no matter how inviting all the food looks. And, sooner or later even the most determined glutton is going to reach his limit…..and there is still going to be food beckoning to be eaten. But….it is an affordable feast that should be experienced at least on rare occasions.

By the time we emerged from Circus-Circus…..full and satisfied….the sun was starting to set….and the lights along Virginia Avenue were starting to twinkle in the emerging darkness. Reno takes on a totally different aura at night. This is when the glitz and sparkle come to life….outshining and overshadowing the drabness of the daylight hours. The most traditional of the Reno landmarks is the sign arching across Virginia Avenue proclaiming “Reno….the Biggest Little City in the World.”

Despite all of its bright lights, there is little for the non-gambler to do except to look. And, in the downtown area, at least, gambling is the only game in town. Many of the cassino offer various forms of entertainment. But most of the “stars” are unheard of entertainers…..at least, not in the mainstream of today’s popularity. And….they are expensive.

After wandering the downtown streets I was puzzled by the scarcity of the traditional Reno “sex shops”. In times past……the far past…..15 or more years ago….these “sin” shops were among the most thriving businesses in the downtown area. As we walked up and down the blocks, it was immediately apparent that this was no longer the case. I had already told Fayez to expect to encounter a lot of such stores. Coming from Saudi Arabia, this was a totally foreign and alien concept to him. In fact, I think he simply did not believe me when I told him they existed. And, he was becoming more and more convinced of this when we didn’t pass any of them as we walked around.

I was baffled. I was almost certain that they still must exist. But…where? No, no, no….don’t get the idea that we intended to buy anything from these stores! Not a chance. But, I considered this to be a “cultural” learning opportunity for Fayez. Definitely something he would never find in his home country. In order to prove my point….and to prove that I was actually telling the truth….we resorted to the all-knowing Internet. We found ONE shop on Virginia Avenue (there were others, but not in the downtown area), and even this one was located a few blocks from the main casino sector.

Like I said….this was certainly not a shopping opportunity……but rather it was an educational….a cultural….a scholarly…..experience. As we entered the store, I could Fayez’s eyes get wider and wider! “Now just walk in and act normal…..just like you belong here,” I had told him. “Try not to act nervous!”

The friendly clerk greeted us cheerily and asked if he could help us find something. “No, we are just going to take look around.”

Fayez was eying he merchandise with both curiosity and amazement. “Just take it easy…… Act natural.”

Fayez started giggling. “No….no….don’t do that! I don’t want to get kicked out.”

I think Fayez understood fairly well the purpose and function of most of the various toys and “implements”. But…..please….don’t giggle! This is a “serious” place. Other customers were examining the merchandise with a critical eye…..no doubt considering and debating the pros and cons of each product. I was hoping that Fayez would NOT pick anything up! Let alone examine it critically.

Everybody in the store seems very comfortable and at ease…..except for Fayez and me. The friendly clerk asked us a couple more times if he could help us. Maybe we should have faked some interest in something…..but we didn’t. Or maybe I should have said, “I don’t need any help…..but way don’t you ask the Saudi Arabian guy! I think he wants to buy something.” But….I didn’t. We spent what I considered to be a “respectable” amount of time…..and then we said Goodbye to the clerk and left. No…..I didn’t buy anything; I left empty-handed. Sorry. But…..let me tell you about Fayez! No….he left empty-handed, too.

Outside, Fayez burst into laughter. But…..now he knew that I was telling him the truth…..that such stores actually do exist! But Alas! The Internet has almost destroyed another booming Reno business.

Upon conclusion of this exciting evening, we ended our brief sojourn in Reno….. And now we were ready to move from the land of “big money” to the land of “big families”……Salt Lake City…..Mormon country.