California

Weren't we just here? Reports of more cold and possibly lots of snow sent us south. We considered Reno or Elko, but aimed for Redding instead, then continued out the Trinity River to the coast. Patrick's Point was beautiful, as was the southern Oregon coast, but Friday D came down with the flu as we climbed the hill past Sea Lion Caves and Heceta Head. We retreated to a Florence motel where we spent an unpleasant night, before abandoning the coast and heading home on Saturday. Disappointing way to end the trip, but we covered 1600 of miles, I got a much-needed fix of the open road (and I learned lots of interesting football statistics, too). I listened to some of the stuff on his ipod (TuPac); he listened to some of the stuff on mine (Springsteen).

Bend

This was the first spring break road trip for D&I since 3rd grade. They got pushed aside for chess tournaments, but this year Nationals came early and we had the week free (well, sort of free, given work and a weekend that attempted to include secular seders and equally secular easter eggs).

We headed out Monday morning, not sure of our route or even our destination. We turned right on I-5, and despite an early plan to turn left on 90, we waited until we hit 84 in Portland to head east. Turned right again at the Dalles and made it to Bend by late afternoon. Pulled into LaPine Campground (our old home base) as the snow began to fall.

We didn't get up to Bachelor, but we had a good bike ride west of town, had breakfast (only once) at the Victorian Cafe, and commuted several times back and forth between Bend and LaPine.

Some trips are marked by dinosaurs, some by chess, but this one will be remembered as the football trip.

Hard Rock Cafe

This year's tournament is over. The Three Musketeers all did well, though not as well as they had probably hoped, and not well enough to delay dinner in order to stay around for awards ceremony. Which also meant E could hang around a bit longer, since he's got to get back to San Francisco and school tomorrow morning! The boys wouldn't consider Joe's Crab Shack (our last night in Louisville last year) so we wound up at the Hard Rock Cafe. Milk shakes and big desserts for D & E. P was much more restrained. They wound up playing chess out on the patio before we dragged them back to pick up trophies (P&D got WMS 22nd place, despite only two on their team) and to send E and his mom on their way back to SF. P&D were up until 1AM playing in the lobby.

Old Sacramento

D was playing chess (and wouldn't have leapt at chance to go to a museum, anyway) and M had to catch her shuttle to the airport, so I walked down to Old Sacramento on my own. D and I swung through the train museum on one of our spring break junkets (first grade?), but didn't stay long because his main interest in trains was as climbing toys - which this place tempts, but doesn't encourage.

Critters

The new Federal Court House is an impressive building at the west end of downtown, near Old Sacramento. Its court yard is maintained by these whimsical characters - definitely a California theme and a humorous counterpoint to the building's seriousness.

Wildlife

The last round is underway and I'm off for more coffee and sightseeing. The canine is walking fast between the convention center and the theatre. I think the feline was guarding a bank.

Sunday Morning

Beautiful morning in Sacramento. Round Six got off at 9, with kids still running in after the clocks started. Some of them, like P, played until 11 last night, though this morning the players didn't look as wiped out as they have in some past years. Maybe its because unlike some years, we didn't have to set clocks ahead Saturday night. One more round to go, this afternoon, and then awards and 1000 kids heading for airport to go back to school in Phoenix, Tampa, the Bronx, and Deer Isle-Stonington (Maine). Not to mention Seattle.

I'm settled in at the Temple on 10th - free WiFi, good coffee, and a little less overwhelming than the Starbucks at the Convention Center.