Another 800 Miles on the Odometer

We're back with another 800 miles on the odometer and a possibly fried hard drive on my laptop. Oh well. I hope you enjoyed the few pictures I was able to post while we were away.

The past five weekends have been one long drive after another. The first weekend we did a two-day 1,100 mile trip to Rohnert Park, the second weekend a one-day 250 mile round trip to Santa Paula, the third weekend a three-day 600 mile round trip to Las Vegas, on the fourth weekend we rested, and this weekend a three-day 800 mile round trip to Monterey. All-in-all we traveled 2,750 miles without a single car problem, accident or speeding ticket. Thank the Lord for all of that (and for my sixth sense when it comes to spotting CHP cruisers before they can nab me).

Our ride for all these trips is pictured here at Asilomar State Beach in Pacific Grove:

The purpose for this weekend's trip was the Monterey Jazz Festival where our son and the Mission Viejo High School Jazz Ensemble would be playing. Here they are:
This is our third trip to the Festival (twice in high school and once in junior high) and there were bands from all over the west coast, and even one from Australia and the Czech Republic. Unfortunately, this may be the last time we get to go because if the Governtor's budget cuts go into effect as currently planned, the Assistant Music Director for the school, who also teaches the jazz program, will be cut. I've written some other thoughts about the importance of school music programs here. We're really hoping things will change in the May revision.

After the performance we took the 17-mile drive through the Del Monte Forest and the Pebble Beach area. The scenery was, as usual, spectacular, and we stopped at The Lodge at the Pebble Beach Golf Club to relax for a few minutes. I took this shot of the Mrs. in The Lodge with the 18th green in the background.

This morning we took one more drive along Oceanfront Blvd. through Pacific Grove and stopped at Lover's Point where I took this shot looking back at the waterfront homes:

There is just so much to see up there that everywhere you look there's a spectacular sight of some kind.

Well, we're back now so I'll try to get back to regular blogging on this old piece of junk desktop that I have to use until I either get a new laptop or get the old one fixed (I'm waiting for the estimate to see which way I'll go).