We went up to celebrate Kristi's graduating from her long journey thru college, and she did good! God Bless Ya Sweetheart!!! When KC and Kristi chose their education path it led them to University Nevada Reno UNR so it was off to Reno, again!
Unbeknown to KC and Kristi, Mike, Nisel, Samshel and Wyatt were coming in from Tillamook, Or too! Kristi's folks Tina and Dan also, as was Tina's father Sam and cousin Mark.
Nice gathering and my entire family visiting. As you get older that happens less... sigh.
So we met out at KC and Kristi's place in Sparks for a snack (snicker.. more to follow) and here is Dan kicking back.
Tina's dad Sam is looking great for 80!!! Hope I look as well "when" I get there!! GBG
KC and Kristi stirring it up, We have cooks in the kitchen!!!
Dan's pasta and salad plate... 1... GBG
Here is some of our "snack"!
Ya hafta have a salad.
How could you go hungry?
So we left early, ahem, late you know... 2000, 8 PM for you civies, and Amy and I went back to the hotel room and mom went out to the Reno airport get Mike and family for the BIG surprise next day! And they were!!!
Well here we are at UNR for the second time in 2 years, KC graduated last year with a MS and we will be back here again for KC's Dr degree.
The folks with the back ribbons mean something special, they have ways to ID folks with many decorations....
The "dignitaries" going on stage to start the event.
The stage floor, rear section, in the middle is where Kristi is! CONGRATS!!!!
Another shot...
Here's Wyatt heading out...
And There She Is!!! The Graduate!!! Great on Ya!!! ... now get to work!!! GBG
Wyatt, Nisel Mike, Samshel, Amy and Kristi chatting.....
Mike, Amy, Kristi and KC... My family, and a darn great one! Mike recently graduated from Ore State Police Academy and is a Trooper in Tillamook, Or.
Folks think about Tillamook cheese... if you go there, for your sake, go to the factory and taste their ICE CREAM!!!!!!!!!!! It is FANTASTIC!!! Some of the best ever and it's cheap!!! And they have fudge that will blow your socks off! That was my lunch!!! Whew!
Samshel playing around...
Dan, Mark, Tina and KC gabbing...
Kristi, mom and Mark....
OK, I had to do a double shoot, this one was KC's best.....
Kristi's best....
Samshel in front then Dan, Kristi, Tina and KC.
Afterward we went to Chili's.. never been there.. I was impressed with the service and the menu was DEEP, lots of stuff and it was good.. er, not for us dieters... but good.....
Nisel, Mike and Wyatt, caught him in a smile, kinda...
It's a VROC thing, you have to take food pics! GBG
After lunch we all broke up and relaxed a bit... Mike and family had a joining room with us and Amy took Dan and Tina's room that they decided not to use as their family came along and stayed elsewhere...
Mike watching the tube...
KC and Dan, think KC was looking at his shoe... GBG
Dan and Tina for a Xmas shot.
I love this one, Kristi was rubbing and patting KC's head... if you look at the eyes... they say it all!!! LMAOROTF!!!! (laugh my ass off rolling on the floor!!)
Wyatt need a slow down.. he'd been great all day and was over tired....
We have a budding hairdresser! Samshel working on Kristi!!!
KC, Amy and Mike in the "computer room" Mike printing out a boarding pass....
Samshel still trying to get it right....
Here's the entire family! It's great when we can all get together!! God Love Ya as much as I do! L-R Amy, Casey and Kristi, Samshel on my lap, Donna, Wyatt, Nisel and Mike.
This is another pic, but Mile got a clip.......
Dan and Tina's turn..... L-R KC, Kristi, Tina and Dan.....
Mike's family turn! Lookin' great! Mike, Wyatt, Samshel and Nisel.
So we had breakfast on Sunday, our get out of town day..... practice shot....
This is the one the waitress took... sigh... I didn't look at it close enough... blurred... sigh.... sigh.... it is what I have... a great pic of my family!!!
So Sunday we head out... the only way from Reno to San Jose is 80, the only route available in winter.. you can do 50 or 88 but didn't want to try it. I knew snow was coming big time... a lot of folks decided to try and kill themselves at the summit... hope they are OK... but we set there for hours... and you can see it coming in.....
I got to a point that the overhead signs said "80 closed! All traffic must exit"!!! I cheated and took a CHP emergency U turn and headed down the road.. and even that was not easy. It was really coming down!!!!!
So we had some late lunch at a place that had a Kokopelli theme! This is for my friend Sherm...
Had some floor markings too.... Well we went out to KC's and it really snowed... and that was after one more effort to go over the hill... got stopped again... back to KC's...
Here we are going back to our room in Reno...
Reno got a "Snow Job"!!!! So I called the local weather lady and said.."That is not what I asked you for!!!!" GBG
Next day... Reno does NOT see snow like this!!! 6" inches of snow!!!! And still coming down hard!
Hope no one needs the courtesy van,.,,,
KC did a search and on Monday and said 80 was open with chains... looked bad to me, but Amy and Mom had to get home... alto the deal we had on the room at $25 a nite and the weather would be clear Tuesday... I was hesitant... but they insisted.....
Down to the garage and we put cables on... glad all 3 of us tried putting them on in our driveway under MUCH better conditions... and I'll say doing it in the garage -vs- in a snow bank was much preferred!!!!!!
Poor Blue out yonder, third from left, got 'er gassed.. again... and off we went with empty bladder and snacks.. this time!!!
So out we head.... snow everywhere and still coming down... did I say I was a tad concerned??? We had to go thru 8+" of snow just to get to 80! But then it got better due to traffic and conditioning....
As Amy was often to say... snow.... snow.... snow... She was loving it! It was pretty... just not from the drivers seat...
Stalled and parked trucks.. not going anywhere....
Ok, some trucks were moving, and we saw many more... and one cost about one hour sitting with stopped traffic while the tow trucks pulled it straight again...
We talked to a trucker... they can do fine with chains... but if you stop them on a steep hill and snow... they can't get moving again... so one of them slipped back and jackknifed on the road closing all lanes..
The Chp chose to stop traffic on a level spot... good choice!
I have to say, I was impressed with the Rogue and cables... I went thru snow that was scrapping the under carriage and it handled fine and just ate it up... Quite pleased...
I also got to learn what the anti traction felt like under braking and acceleration, the old braking systems would go bang...bang...bang... These were a hummmmm just a vibration and felt great!
The other pics were in the valley where they don't normally get snow... now we're in the upper elevations and real snow!!!
Our trucker buddy was not impressed with the trains.. He said they take our business... but he did allow they have a place in transportation...
Repeat Amy's line.... snow...snow....snow..... Did I mention that on the way up on Friday that there was NO SNOW!!!!!!!! $#%"*&#@%*#!$ We'da made it but for them unfortunate folks that shut 80 down....
While we were stalled for at least an hour... the snow stopped... whew... and the snow on the trees started to cascade down like white dust, quite pretty!
THE SUN!!! THE SUN!!!!!!!!!
Whoo Whoo!!!!!
Over the hill and down to our house we go!!!!!!! WHEW!!!!!! WHEW!!!!!!!
Ok, we made it! It was pretty tho... in after thought... none of that snow was there on the way up! It HAD to be the snow of the century.... 'cause WE was IN IT!!! GBG
Have to say it was a great weekend! The family got together and a great event happened and it was fabulous!
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