Gary's Run X, a Great Circle

Last week we had a great trip to visit family and to participate in Gary's Run, the tenth anniversary edition in British Columbia.  We traveled over 1800 miles in our 1958 ZB Magnette.  We visited the Horne's in Duvall, WA near Seattle and then went to Jim and Becky's in Sidney.  We had good visits in both places. In Washington we had a day trip to Snoqualmie Falls and North Bend. The Falls and tourist train ride were fun for the kids. In Sidney we saw Jim and Beck's new RV and were able to have dinner with Julie one night and then with Jay Nicole and Dane the next.  Dane is a sharp little boy, into cars and hockey.  He is looking forward to becoming the "face of Boston Pizza" in Canada when their ad debuts soon. He had a family celebration, after scoring his first hockey goal, at Boston Pizza. His video appearance in the ad resulted from that.

Audrey in Snoqualmie Falls Park

Amos, five years old.

Waiting at the train station

Our private coach.

Maggie liked the window.

Through the railing overlooking the Falls

Wardie and Cindy

Observers

The Sidney Shavers:

Jay's basement electric drums.

Cindy, Julie and Rodger at Romeo's.

Dane's giant bear with Becky and Cindy

In Jim's Sidney driveway.

Gary's Run started for us on Friday when we met Alida Lloyd and Earl in Sidney for a drive to the Nanaimo Ferry and then on to Squamish.  We met the others there, a total of 23 MGs (and one Prius).  On Saturday, from Squamish we drove through Whistler, Pemberton, and to lunch at a BC Hydro picnic spot near Lillooet.  After lunch we went through Logan Lake and Kamloops on the way to Sun Peaks resort.  Beautiful lakes and mountains with some Mountain sheep.  On Sunday, we headed home with a long but enjoyable run to Baker City, OR.  We then finished the last two hours on Monday in time for some family activities on Memorial Day.

Lead car on the Departure Bay Ferry.

Alida and Earl on the ferry.

Cindy on the ferry deck.

BC Hydro park on Lillooet Lake

Stop to re-group.

Levi's Birthday

On May 6th Levi had his 4th birthday.  He chose Panda Express for dinner, which was good. We then had present opening and cake at home.  He received an action figure of Nephi and two missionaries on bikes.  The bikes broke the next day, but Nephi and his Stripling Warrior are holding up well.

Liz replaced some of her carpet, as we did in our end of the house.  The irrigation pump intake pipe was a bit silted in, so I had to pump out the mush with a trash pump, it seems to have worked just fine. Spring is a time of new plants, and for the discovery of things that need to be fixed.  The output pipe of the irrigation pipe had developed a big crack, not a hard fix in the end but a headache on irrigation turn day.

Levi was excited on the way to
Panda Express.

Carrie, Josh, Allison, Levi and Cindy at the Panda

Allison, Levi, Cindy, Liz and Morgan.

Birthday boy and Mom

Spiderman bike was a hit.

Cleaning out the pipe for the irrigation pump. 

The new living room carpet.

The Piano guys

We had planned with Meg to go to a concert with her this spring, she works for Center Stage, the BYU-Idaho group that puts on the shows and concerts on campus.  The Piano Guys were our choice, so we drove over Thursday for their concert.  We have had fun seeing Megs apartment and some of her friends.  Yesterday, Friday, we tagged along for her work setting up for the crew and artists, arranging lunch and dinner. The concert was a lot of fun, very upbeat and high energy, with a fusion of pop/rock and classical music.

On the way over on one stop we saw the ruts of the Oregon Trail,
above the Snake River.

Meg and Cindy in the Idaho Center

Underneath the Kimball Building in the Center Stage storage area.

Welcome sign in the "green room", where the talent hangs out
backstage. We set it up with lunch and drinks.

After the set up we waited for the truck and crew to arrive.

It was a smooth operation, even moving the grand piano. On its
side in a huge case.

About ten minutes total and they were playing it, the tuner came
each day because the tune could change with the dry air compared to
the usual humid place it lives.

Meg warming up the crowd and ready to introduce the Piano Guys. It was a great concert.