Monterey
Lesley and I just got back from a great trip to the central California coast. It wasn’t a flying trip — I did a Norcal trip via plane the week before last. But more on that later. Those of you who know me know I don’t like driving long distances in cars. I mean, isn’t that why God created the airplane? But nevertheless, the trip was great fun. Even the driving was low stress. On Saturday the 3rd, we rumbled into Solvang, where the local time was holy cow it’s a bazillion degrees here. You could’ve cooked an egg on the sidewalk. In fact, maybe we did. The heat was so intense that I might not remember it. So we got our pastry and got the hell out of there. The next stop was La Purissima, one of the original California...
Read More…Down Mexico Way
I’m back from Mexico and can report that no animals were harmed in the making of this dive trip. No non-human animals, at least. Er… well, we did catch quite a few trigger fish during the surface intervals, but I don’t count those because they make for such tasty ceviche. I’ve got quite a few pictures to post in the photo gallery, but I’ll whet your appetite with some highlights. The new Schulz house in San Carlos is really something to behold. I’d estimate the size to be more than 3,000 square feet. Newly constructed on the side of a hill overlooking the bay, this pad is equipped with a home theatre, high speed internet access, a gourmet kitchen, and is furnished so smartly that it looks like something out of a Pottery Barn...
Read MoreSouth of the Border…
It’s that time of year again. The annual dive trip to Mexico! Most of the guys are driving down to San Carlos this time. Personally, I think it’s crazy to spend 16 hours driving across the featureless desert when America West offers daily (though spotty) service to nearby Guaymas. And right out of John Wayne, too! No getting up at 3 am. No fighting the congestion at LAX. No overloaded flights. I don’t even have to lug my dive gear around. The guys were kind enough to stop by on their way out of town and schlep it down there with them, just as a precaution. None of us has forgotten how America West lost all our dive gear a couple of years ago. Despite the hassles of air travel, I’m glad to be going this way. It figures that the only two...
Read MoreLa Paz Recap
I’ve been back from Mexico for a bit, but haven’t had the time to really post anything about the trip until now. Since a picture is worth a thousand words, you can get the gist of things by checking out the photos. The trip started with an easy non-stop flight from LAX to La Paz. Normally I wouldn’t take note of the flight, but this was a pleasant change from last year’s fiasco in which all our dive gear was lost when we changed planes in Phoenix. America West eventually found the gear and got it to us in San Carlos, but since they only have one flight per day into Guaymas, we had to do our first day of diving with equipment we cobbled together from spare parts floating around the house and boat. We dove in two shifts, which worked well...
Read MoreDiving in La Paz
Well, I’ve got the scuba gear packed, the regulator overhauled, the books picked out, and the passport in my pocket. I’m outta here — on my way to La Paz, Mexico. This should be a fun trip. Traditionally the group I dive with alternates between Cozumel and San Carlos since we have good connections in both places, but this year we’re branching out. La Paz might be a bit more subjet to storms since it’s so far south, but hopefully the weather will hold. Some new sites were just added to my (admittedly paltry) links list, so you can do a little branching out yourself while I’m gone. Ciao!
Read MoreConverting to WordPress
Hello again. It’s just me, your friendly neighborhood housekeeper, sweeping six weeks worth of cobwebs from the House of Rapp. Six weeks. I guess I really can walk away from the keyboard, eh? I’m not addicted. Really. I suppose I should have written something when I returned from vacation. It was lovely, by the way. There are about 100 photos from the trip over here. I’d love to write more about it–maybe I’ll backdate some entries from the trip journal Lesley and I kept. Anyway, among the 1.3 million emails, phone message, faxes, letters, telegrams (okay, maybe not telegrams) waiting patiently for my return was the news that Movable Type was going down the drain. And quickly. So, faced with the need to switch to something...
Read MoreNorthern California, Here I Come
I’m outta here. We’re leaving on a ten day road trip to Auburn, San Francisco, Napa, Monterey, and San Simeon, returning on May 9th. I haven’t made a road trip of this length in a long time. It’ll be weird sitting in a car for eight hours on the way up to Auburn. My body’s going to be saying “Auburn? Isn’t that like two hours from L.A.??” Spoiled by flying, that’s all it is. This is a perfect time of year to make a trip of this type. Schools are still in session and the summer travel season doesn’t start for another three or four weeks, so hopefully we’ll have nice weather without all the crowds.
Read MoreGod Bless the Bellagio
Lesley and I just returned from Las Vegas. It’s such an interesting place. I’ve experienced Vegas so many different ways. I’ve been a resident there. A student there. A bachelor party attendee there. It’s been an Angel Flight destination for me as a pilot. And so on. Vegas can be the most fun you’ll ever have. It can also be a truly unpleasant experience. For the occasional visitor, the two biggest factors that affect your enjoyment of Sin City are a) your hotel, and b) the time of week you visit. In this case, we really did it right. We spent three days and two nights at the Bellagio. Now, the last time I was in Vegas it was for my friend Rich’s bachelor party. We stayed at the Imperial Palace, which is just about as polar...
Read MoreTravel Prep
That TNT flick (“Pirates of Silicon Valley”) was pretty good! Although I wouldn’t have tried so hard to clear my schedule if I had known they were going to re-play it again. Immediately afterward, no less. And again after that. What kind of station plays the exact same movie three times in a row? Not even the premium channels like HBO or Cinemax do that. Or perhaps I’ve just been living in a cave. Like I said yesterday, I don’t watch too much television. Today was nuts. I kept getting calls from one client after the other wanting something done before I leave for Europe, which means I have all of 24 hours to get it finished. And I still haven’t packed. Just how do you pack for a three week backpacking vacation across Europe...
Read MoreThree Days To Go
It’s T-minus 3 days until departure for Europe, and there’s still a ton of stuff left to do. Some Europe related, and some work related. But it’ll all get done. It always does. The flight to London is not something I’d normally look forward to because of how long it is and how little leg room you’re given. Commercial air travel can be miserable, can’t it? I mean, it takes a lot to make me unhappy in the air. But! I’m going over on a new Boeing 777, a plane I’ve never been on or even seen up close. I’m hoping I’ll somehow finagle my way into visiting the cockpit. That’s now prohibited on U.S. airlines because of terrorists, but we’re flying British Airways, and on long international flights...
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