Arches National Park on December 31, 2011.

A sampling of photos from Canyonlands National Park.

We just got back from a big trip:  4000 miles, 14 states, 13 days.  We drove through Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming on the way out to Utah.  We spent the first night in western Kansas with my Aunt Stephanie.  The next night was in Fort Collins at my cousin Katie's house with her and my Aunt Georjean.  Katie came with us to Utah where we spent five and a half days in suburban Salt Lake City with Michael's family over Christmas.  After our visit in northern Utah, I dropped Katie off at the SLC airport so she could visit her boyfriend in Texas, and Michael, Pika, Nacho and I headed down to Moab.  We did some sightseeing and spent a night in Moab, and then drove through southern Utah and Colorado to Santa Fe where we stayed with my Uncle Jack and celebrated the new year.  On the way back to Alabama, we drove through eastern New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Mississippi.

The trip highlights for me are as follows:

(1)  Katie's safe return from Afghanistan on December 20 and getting to spend six days with her.

(2)  Skiing at Alta and hiking in Millcreek Canyon with Michael, Katie, and Michaels' dad (and of course Pika and Nacho!).

(3)  Seeing southern Utah for the first time and touring through Canyonlands and Arches National Parks.

(4)  Green chile in Santa Fe on New Year's Eve.

A few more photos from our AT backpacking trip in October!  The top three photos, taken by me, are from our campsite.  The bottom gnarly tree, taken by Michael, is from the second day of hiking.

We went backpacking with Brian and Erica a couple weekends ago and had such a great time!  The weather was exactly right, the fall colors were beautiful, the dogs did great - it was perfect.  More pictures to come.

The first photo is from Salt Lake City to Chicago, and the second photo is from Chicago to Huntsville.

We took a short hike in the mountains with Michael's dad while we were in Utah.  I especially like the bottom photo of Michael and his dad on the trail.

We travelled to Salt Lake City two weeks ago to celebrate the life and mourn the passing of Michael's grandfather, Poppy.  From The Salt Lake Tribune:

Ralph E. Christenson
9/20/1922 ~ 9/19/2011

I was born in Salt Lake City on September 20, 1922 to Walter G. and Elizabeth Puls Christenson. Other than the four years I proudly served in the U.S. Navyduring World War II in the Pacific theater, I lived my life in Salt Lake City. I worked many years for and retired from Amoco Oil.

I am survived by my four children Gregory (Connie) Christenson, Marilyn (Jim, deceased) Poulsen, Leslie (Brad) Campbell, Brad (Tara) Christenson, seven grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, brother Frank (Wanda) and brother Grant (deceased). 

I bid a very fond adieu to all of my loved ones and friends. At my request there will be no service. 

Note from family: We love you and will miss your sense of humor Poppy. 

We spent a rejuvenating, reinvigorating, and relaxing (if those three things are possible all at once!)  weekend in North Carolina with friends on the Green Narrows.  This was my first time on the Narrows and Michael's third.  It was just the life-affirming, confidence-inspring experience that we needed - and so much fun!  The photos above show my run in three parts at Zwick's Backender, one of the more challenging rapids on the river.   

Michael took this photo today while he was swimming with whale sharks off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula.  I can't wait to hear all about his adventures when he gets home tomorrow!

Photos from Coeur d'Alene, Idaho.

Our heelers were such good sports about the 37 hours in the car during our trip from Alabama to New Mexico and back!  Michael was also a good sport about taking most of the really awful driving shifts in the late night / early morning hours - I'm a lucky girl to have him!

We got home at 3:15 this morning from a whirlwind road trip to my family's ranch in New Mexico for a family reunion.  The trip was great - just the change of pace and scenery I needed!

Photo from Katie (in route from Wyoming to Mississippi via C-130):  Flooded Mississippi River, just south of Memphis.

A few photos today from our trip to Little River Canyon (specifically, Upper Bear and Teddy Bear Creek).

Just got back from Glenn Research Center after several days of test planning meetings.  The photos above were taken in a lab I walked around during one of our breaks.  The top image is of the end of a large (~22' diameter) vacuum chamber, and the bottom two images are of solar thermal hardware.  

Back to Alabama...

Whoa - it's cold!  My eyeballs felt like they were about to just give up functioning.  My dear cousin Katie and I toured houses/condos all day.  We didn't come across anything super impressive except for a condominium in River Rock Commons, a co-housing community about a quarter mile away from downtown Fort Collins.  I had never heard of co-housing before, but the concept seems like a really good idea from both a community and a resource management perspective!  I'm back to Huntsville tomorrow; I can't wait to see Michael and the pups!

Hello from Cheyenne, Wyoming!  It is currently 0 degrees Fahrenheit and snowing sideways.  My dearest cousin is checking in with her new Air Force unit while I cruise around downtown.  I visited The Plains Hotel and chatted with the band Atomic Tom, who were on there way from New York to the west coast for their first cross-country tour.  Now I'm taking advantage of the free wireless internet at the Cheyenne Depot, or "The most beautiful railroad station between Omaha and Sacramento".  Check out the picture above; impressive, yes?