2019 Travels Are Over (Well, Almost)

Above, J. D. Lees and Armand at G-FEST. Photo by Reagan Lees.

With the exception of the fall clampout of the Lost Dutchman Chapter of the Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus near Oatman, Arizona in late September and a Christmas trip to my cousin's, my travels for this year are over. (Of course, that could always change if something interesting should come up.).

It seems like I spent most of July away from New Mexico.

Above, catching up with Jessica Tseang at G-FEST. Photo by Steve Ryfle.

First, I spent a couple of days in Albuquerque to get a haircut and get a few things done, including a visit to Cabela's.

Then, a few days later, I headed to the outskirts of Chicago, Illinois for the first G-FEST I've attended in ten years. I was amazed, but not surprised, at how the convention had grown. In years past, the average attendance was somewhere around 1,500. Today, that had multiplied to around 3,000 to 4,000. It is now a tight squeeze at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Rosemont, Illinois (near O'Hare International Airport). It was good seeing a lot of people at G-FEST that I haven't seen in a while. I was out-of-town for the convention for four days. Getting there was painless, getting back home was anything but. I have decided that I shall avoid flying on American Airlines, if I can, in the future.

Then, after a little over a week's respite, I headed on the road for Buhl, Idaho and Jackson, Wyoming in The Beast with Mitch Geriminsky. We were going to the Wells Fun Run car show and rally in Wells Nevada, but one of our friends, Bill Wilson, has a life-threatening illness and couldn't go, so we and many others headed to his home in Buhl instead. The gathering seemed to give Bill a boost. I've known Mitch and Bill since junior high school.

Above, Mitch Geriminsky, Bill Wilson and Armand in Buhl, Idaho. Photo by Linda Wilson.

From there, Mitch and I headed to Jackson, Wyoming for a few days and rode the Jackson Hole Aerial Tram and I did some whitewater rafting on the Snake River (great fun!). We also explored Grand Teton National Park and took a drive through southern Yellowstone National Park up to Old Faithful Geyser. I wasn't planning on going to Yellowstone due to the hordes of people there. But we ended up going.

Above, rafting the Snake River in Wyoming.

I got home last Saturday. The trip ended up being a 12-day trip. By the time I got home, I was ready to be home. This was my longest trip since the Great American Eclipse trip two years ago.

So now, I am settling back into a normal homebody routine.