Thanks for the tips Lodo. I am a take it easy and play it by ear kind of guy. I do need to buy a new hammock and good sun hats for the kids.
I already found out that swimming in the Great Salt Lake is not really fun. Too much salt, wading and brine shrimp flys.
We will probably skip Grand Canyon as it is too far out of the way. And Death Vally is probably too hot and risky for a car breakdown.
We did Yosemite a few years ago and it was a zoo. I can only imagine what Yellowstone is like during the tourist season.
If you ever want to visit a nice National Park - try Olympic NP in Washington. Lots of great backpacking in the mountains and along the wild coast line. Another dandy I backpacked a couple trips in is Denali in Alaska - No trails as it is mostly tundra and minor brush along rivers. I encountered all of the big 5 while backpacking there (Moose, Grizzley, Caribou, Dahl Sheep, and Wolf).
Good choices. Yosemite isn't always a zoo - depends on where you go. The east entrance by Mono lake isn't bad. The hike up to June Lake S of Lee Vining is nice and totally doable by kids.
I highly recommend Markleeville area - highway 4 up to the summit is amazing!
thanks for the suggestions for Washington - I don't have much experience in Northwest but would like to go. I have a conference in Vancouver this fall.
Awesome trip - I am thinking I might want to do some sort of road trip this summer, but I can't decide what to do. I have a week off right after July 4th so hopefully there will be a post-holiday lull in terms of crowds. Suggestions?
About the party - I don't think I could go if I were in your shoes. I also don't get why she would invite you both. Maybe she assumed you wouldn't come, but is conflicted about the sitch enough to give you an invite anyway.
Me45 W35 M6 T8 D16 SD11 D0 Dec 07: Bomb July 08: Busted! Thread
2 votes to go to the party. Be brave and make sure OM sees you give W a big birthday hug and kiss too!
My suspicous side thinks that W expects you NOT to go, OM will be there, soon after that they will coincidentally start being seen together, the explanation will be that they 'clicked' at her birthday party and things just took off for them. How convenient!
Live your life while you are still living. Riding the trail less traveled.
I'm not going to go. Knowing W, I think she invited me as part of her "friends, right?" campaign. Now that I'm out of the picture, I don't think she's using OM as a means of escape anymore, so I bet that R isn't really going anywhere though she still may be deluding herself with EA feelings for him.
Bottom line - if I go she'll still be enjoying my company and friendship, which is something she said she missed a few days ago. If I don't go, don't give her a gift, don't go out of my way to communicate other than for the business of D matters, she's going to face the fact that she can't count on my friendship and trying to start a new R is going to not be as great as she thought either.
As evidenced by that email I saw, she's starting to realize this is stuff she brings to a R as well. Now she needs to see that her Rs are always going to end in failure unless she takes steps to counteract her willful independence. IMO.
Who said you have to be friends with her at the party?
I think you should go, be distant as hell from her, but the life of the party to everyone else. Be alpha male, unafraid of OM, and let HIM be uncomfortable.
2 votes to go to the party. Be brave and make sure OM sees you give W a big birthday hug and kiss too!
My suspicous side thinks that W expects you NOT to go, OM will be there, soon after that they will coincidentally start being seen together, the explanation will be that they 'clicked' at her birthday party and things just took off for them. How convenient!
Alright, I'll think about it. I just can't imagine being at a party at my house, with my wife, and my friends and have OM there. And having everyone knowing W and I are Ding.
What are your thoughts on giving her a gift? She gave me a book for my birthday.
