Archive for May, 2011

31 May

Hoover Dam

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in Edgar Winter, National Parks, Places. Tagged: .

Hoover Dam is a testimony to a country’s ability to construct monolithic projects in the midst of adverse conditions. Built during the Depression; thousands of men and their families came to Black Canyon to tame the Colorado River. It took less than five years, in a harsh and barren land, to build the largest dam of its time. Now, years later, Hoover Dam still stands as a world-renowned structure. The Dam is a National Historic Landmark and has been rated by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of America’s Seven Modern Civil Engineering Wonders.

30 miles outside of Las Vegas the Hoover Dam is still one of the most visited attractions, even 70 years after its construction.

Edgar was not allowed in the parking areas or out of the car anywhere, or left alone in the car, so we drove over the dam and back and snapped a few pictures from the roadway above.

Cathy

27 May

Viva Las Vegas – Not!

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in On the Move, Places. Tagged: .

We rolled into Las Vegas on Friday night around 10:00.

I was going to break down and get a hotel room until they asked me for $250.00 plus tax and some kind of resort fee.  I made dozens of calls and decided to roll out of town.

Edgar and I set up our backpacking tent on BLM land outside of Vegas for FREE!!  Not far from the road and only for a few hours, but, got to stretch out and catch a few zzzz’s.

We rolled back into town in the morning for some Starbucks coffee and oatmeal, after dishing out $13.00 for my breakfast I decided Vegas was too rich for my pocketbook.  I took a few photos and we headed east, out of town.

Cathy

26 May

Old Town San Diego

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in Edgar Winter, National Parks, Places. Tagged: , .

Old Town San Diego, the birthplace of California.

You can spend a pleasant few hours shopping, dining and visiting historic sites in Old Town.  I was pleased that Edgar was allowed to stroll around in Old Town.  We stopped at a mexican restaurant, Casa de Reyes,  for some lunch.  They had only one “dog” table and it was occupied.  I asked the two ladies sitting there if they would mind changing tables and they were quick to say yes.  Thanks so much to sisters Kim and Beth. 

It is said that, Old Town San Diego serves more tequila than anywhere else in the world so there is plenty to choose from.  Blanco or plata is the most common type, considered “unaged” under 60 days old, and may be bottled fresh from distillation.  Reposado means rested and is aged in oak barrels from two months to a year.  This is where the better tequilas starts and the taste becomes richer and more complex.  Anejo or vintage is aged in government sealed barrels for at least a year and the color is darker and richer from the barrels.

See how much you learn when you go to historic sites!

Cathy


24 May

ASI Show

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in Places. Tagged: , , , .

The Advertising Specialties Institute trade show in San Diego is huge.  Thousands of distributors and hundreds of suppliers.  Education Classes, Wayne Brady Comedy Show and more trinket and bead samples than you could possibly carry.

I met Cheryl Dolsen, the new Account Executive at Clean Copy, and we took in the first day of education and the first night in the famous Gas Lamp District of San Diego.

The exhibit floor opens on the second day.  We both enjoyed visiting each of the different booths and learning about all the new promotional products.

We left the show, exhausted, around 2:00 and headed for the beach.

We spent a second night in the Gas Lamp and Edgar and I spent a second night in Cheryl’s room instead of driving.  Thanks Cheryl.

Friday morning and we finished the showroom floor and headed to Old Town San Diego for some culture before Cheryl had to catch her plane back to Portland.

Special thanks to Nora from Clean Copy for allowing me to attend the show on her industry trade number.

Cathy

22 May

San Diego is Dog Friendly

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in Edgar Winter, Places, State Parks. Tagged: , , .

Edgar and I traveled down to San Diego after watching my niece graduate from Scripps – way to go Victoria!

We made our way to Ocean Beach, one of several dog friendly beaches in San Diego.  We met Wilson.  Wilson is a giant, 190 lb., Dane/Mastiff who is a therapy dog and a Canine Good Citizen.  Edgar, only about the size of his head, loved him.

Edgar was also allowed to walk with me in Old Town San Diego and the Westfield Shopping Center in Downtown San Diego had a doggie drop off area.

Edgar gives San Diego two thumbs up!

Cathy

12 May

Karma

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in Edgar Winter, On the Move, Places. Tagged: , , .

If you name your boat Karma, you should be nice to others.

We are moving off Liberty today.  When you live aboard at a marina you have to tote all your stuff from the parking lot to the boat and back, the dock supplies little karts for toting heavier things.  There are only a few karts and as you can guess, they are in constant use.  I saw a nice looking couple taking a kart to the dock and asked them if they were going to be using it all day, they said they were moving off their boat and would.  As I hand lugged the stuff off my boat I noticed the kart in front of their boat, loaded, but not being used.  WTF!!!

I finally got Liberty empty and the kart still sat there, unused.

When the boat owner finally returned, hours later, I thanked him for his generosity in letting me use the public kart while he was otherwise occupied, he took offense 🙂

If you name your boat Karma you should remember it comes in two forms, bad and good.

Edgar is not doing so well, he has had 5 seizures per day for the last 3 days.  So far so good for today.  Please send all your good doggy karma his way.

Cathy

10 May

Greg Borrelli’s May Madness

Posted by offthegridwithcathyherman in How's the Car?, On the Move. Tagged: , , , .

A little late posting these photos.  I am in San Diego, in the RAIN.

Classic Car Parade and Rockin’ Street Dance in San Rafael.  Hundreds of classic autos, custom hotrods and vintage roadsters.  We must be getting close to summer.  Cathy

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