Category: Family

Test Flights from the Nest

Post author By TravisGood
Post date August 19, 2011
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Kelsey Old Rag — Lots of firsts in the lives of our young ladies. Kelsey climbed to the first plateau of Old Rag with Beth and then continued on her own to the peak. Their flights from the nest are more frequent, more daring and for longer periods

Summers used to be a time when our local swimming pools came into focus and where the girls would play, socialize and work. Now they’re where I go do laps while they galavant around the country. How things have changed!

Courtney spent the summer in Los Angeles working for Southern California Edison in their real estate department. Among other things, her group contracted for land rights to bring energy from remote renewable energy generation plants to the populations of SoCal. This meant learning about how wind, solar, and geothermal energy makes its way to the homes and businesses that consume it. Her experience was right in line with her interests and her degrees in Environmental Science and Economics. After living on the campuses of USC and UCLA she returned in August for her final semester before graduating.

Kelsey didn’t go work in a major city with warm days and sunny beaches. Quite to the contrary she went to the middle of nowhere into the cold mountains of Alaska for a month-long backpacking trip. Along with 14 other 16 and 17 year olds she arrived in Anchorage then disappeared into the wilderness with three NOLS instructors and with supplies on their backs. A month later they emerged with great stories to tell, new skills and maturity, and some deep-quality friendships. Now apparently she’s an “outdoor girl” as she enters her Senior year of high school and starts applying to colleges.

What do I think of all this? Well, I wouldn’t be honest if I didn’t admit that it causes me angst to see them flirting with leaving the nest. Courtney by most measures is gone already and Kelsey is champing at the bit to do the same. Not that they don’t love us; it’s natural to want to sample the world. They’re both adventurous girls who we’re immensely proud of but that doesn’t mean that it’s easy watching them go.

We will survive and there are always grandkids to look forward to. 🙂

Family Hike Mountain Travel

Courtney’s First Climb of Old Rag

Post author By TravisGood
Post date August 19, 2011
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Courtney's First Old Rag — No optical illusion here, Courtney was indeed jumping from one boulder to another across a large crevasse. It’s the sort of fun opportunity the rock scramble of Old Rag affords an adventurous hiker. Good fun!

I’ve not even attempted to hide my ambition that all my family experience the joy of hiking Old Rag Mountain in the Shenandoah National Park. For years I’ve hiked up this mountain’s 2,600 foot climb, scrambled across its rocky top and completed its nine mile loop. I love it and knew they would too if only I could get them to take the leap.

The first to accede was Kelsey in December of 2009 though originally I’d thought it would be Courtney. Kelsey has since climbed Old Rag many times much as I’d expected she would after learning the joys of it. If I could get the others to venture out then perhaps the same would be said of them.

For joy, upon Courtney’s return from Los Angeles after driving across the continent she announced that she wanted to go climb Old Rag with me! Early Friday morning we both dawned our bladder packs filled with munchies and headed out the door. Ninety minutes later we were parked and hiking.

Family Lake

Family Comes Calling

Paul On Trampoline — A more beautiful boy is hard to find. Paul is my nephew and when he visits our trampoline gets more of a workout than during all the rest of the year ... combined. He’s physically expressive and he obviously enjoys jumping. We’re always thrilled to have him come for a visit.

When does family predictably unite? At births, at weddings and at funerals. This time the reason was a wedding and more family than usual was in the area. My father was here. My uncle and aunt came. We even had the pleasure of my brother and his family being in the area. Happily they all made themselves available for an afternoon with us at home.

Thanks to them!

These spies hiding behind shades are Charlene and Cliff (aunt & uncle).

Here Geoff poses with Paul just before heading out on a kayak ride.

Others were present but not feeling camera-friendly … which was fine.

Family Lake Mountain River Road Summary Travel

One Great Adventure with Courtney

Post author By TravisGood
Post date March 13, 2011
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Court at the Grand Canyon — She’s almost 21 years old, almost finished with her undergraduate studies, and almost flown the coop but she’ll always be my first-born daughter, always a remarkable young lady, and someone I’ll love forever.

It was Beth’s idea that for Spring Break Courtney and I should do a road trip and after 26 years I’ve learned to listen to her. However, a college student is still of a mindset that spending time with Dad is far less enjoyable than romping on a beach with her buddies. Well, I can’t say she was wrong in her thinking but I told her I’d try really, really hard to not be boring. In the end and much to my excitement she accepted. The stage was set.

Family Travel

Family Time Around a Wedding

Post author By TravisGood
Post date February 9, 2011
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Mount Hood from The Dalles — As I drove away from Portland on a day with clear blue skies, I could see Mount Hood clearly in the distance. The picture above was taken from over 100 miles away. Great places loom large in our minds, and in this case, on the horizon as well.

Chris, my cousin who I had not seen since he was eight years old, got married to

a lovely lady named Amanda. I still don’t know her at all and oddly I don’t know him either but I plan to remedy this next time I’m in Portland. The wedding was remarkably tasteful and well done and provided an opportunity to see lots of family. Very nice.

The next day I attended a Superbowl party. “What? Travis Good watching a football game? What’s up with that?”

Family Historical Train Travel

A Wonderful Family Interlude

Post author By TravisGood
Post date September 6, 2010
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My sprints around the U.K. greatly benefit from visiting family. Going north I spent two days with Twila and Tracy and going south I visited another day. Given how intensely Tracy is working the final stages of his PHd program it was generous of them to take me in, especially the way they did. They’re going on four years in Leeds and their proud and knowledgable of their adopted English home. This came through when they gave me an intense and thorough tour of the city center where we walked everywhere, snuck into places, and visited museums. It was great and I really appreciated the personal touch.

From Leeds I headed to London for the last transition of this trip. My plan was to take in bits of London which I didn’t know already while mixing in a few day trips to places I’d previously visited but in awful weather. Dover and Canterbury in particular were high on my list. This was a wind down phase to another awesome U.K. trip.

Family Historical Museum Train Travel

Transition Time with Family

Post author By TravisGood
Post date August 23, 2010
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TnT — Good family: you can’t manufacture it, bottle it, sell it or beat it. Tracy and Twila are always so generous to allow me to visit and they make every effort to ensure I have a great time. Thank you!

I told you I’d try to squeeze in yet another visit to the Merseyside Maritime Museum at Prince Albert Dock and, after a leisurely cup of coffee, I was at the gates by the time the museum opened. Yes, I was first in. I only had two hours before I had to leave for the train station. I didn’t want any regrets and dang if I didn’t.

The stories of how the sinking of the Titanic, Lucitania, and Empress paralleled the decline in Liverpool’s shipping industry were fascinating. The coverage of Liverpool as the head of North Atlantic operations during World War II was eye-opening. Learning more about the slave trade, the port development, and British customs over the decades were all well presented and interesting. This really was an excellent museum and I really did need to hurry to catch my train!

Family Road Travel

Kelsey’s Personal Travel Essay

Post author By TravisGood
Post date May 21, 2010
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Every once in a while something magical happens. For a few years I’ve been traveling with Kelsey because we’re good travel companions and we have a good time. Those are reason enough, I figure. Then out of the blue she writes an essay which makes my heart soar. Read Kelsey Personal Travel Essay and then you’ll understand.

I am very proud of my girl!

Bridge Family Hike River Road Travel

Two States of the Gorge

Let me set the stage. Kelsey hadn’t been to Oregon since 1998 when she was six years old. She’s now 16. Most of my family lives in Oregon and after a 10-year gap they all had expectations of seeing her … in the 20 waking hours we had scheduled for Kelsey to be in the area. We had a LOT of ground to cover. Ready. Set. Go!

Bridge Family River Road Travel

12-hour Dash Through Canada

Post author By TravisGood
Post date April 2, 2010
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Hold on to your hat because the crazy-fast pace isn’t slowing yet! In the next twelve hours we entered Canada, ferried across two bodies of water, drove 180 miles, and toured two cities before reentering the U.S. Where we done then? No! We still had sixty miles to drive till we reached our hotel!

We awoke in Port Angeles very early to get in line for the 8:00AM ferry but thankfully I was able to get Starbucks coffee to help me pass the time in line. As we pulled away from the dock I looked back to see the town and rising quickly behind it the Olympic Mountains. An awesome site.