Roll Tide!

We recently traveled to the University of Alabama to deliver my step-daughter to cheerleader camp. While there I had the privilege to visit their college football museum which is dedicated to one of the most storied programs in the history of American sport. Even if you aren't the biggest college football fan in the world this is still a great museum filled with lots of interesting exhibits and photos pertaining to that Southern cultural phenomenon known as the Crimson Tide.

ROLL TIDE!

Football from their first win against Auburn!


Portrait of Paul "Bear" Bryant


1935 Rose Bowl trophy


1963 Orange Bowl trophy


A fan's cheering stick


Alabama practice field


Cheerleaders in training


The road home

Out West

As promised I have gathered together for display a few of the nearly 500 pictures I took while working in Utah from late May through early July. It was great to see old friends and visit former haunts that carry many happy memories.

The Colorado Rockies from 35,000 feet


Canyonlands National Park, Utah


Springdale, Utah


Genevieve

Dinner at Larry's


Cactus flowers


Carlos and Christopher with their dog Taco


Bryce Canyon National Park


Black-headed Grosbeak


Me fossil hunting in the House Range of western Utah.


A lonely road in the Ferguson Desert
Utah


Doe and two fawns in Zion National Park


Band night at the Bit & Spur
Springdale, Utah


Watchman Trail
Zion N.P.


Bill's apricot tree
Springdale, Utah

Home at Last

Finally made my way back across the country to Florida where I loaded up the van and headed to Tennessee. My wife picked out a very nice house for us to live in and I'm very grateful for her tireless efforts on our behalf while I was away working in Utah. This is going to be a great place to live.

Home sweet home

There will be a recap of my western adventures coming soon, so stay tuned kids. Right now I just need to keep unpacking and also go out on the porch and see how the grilled chicken is coming along. I'll see y'all later.

Breaking in the brand new grill.

View from the back porch.

New digs on the bluff

As of today my new home address is Chattanooga, Tennessee (I move in next week). We have a cute little house atop the river bluff in what is known as the North Shore section of town. We can walk to many things of interest including the local minor league ball yard. Yeee-hawww!!!

I sure am missing my girls back home, especially of late, and am glad the tours in Utah are about to come to an end. 

I had one great adventure with an old friend in the wild and wooly West Desert where we we stalked Paleozoic fossils and camped on rumpled stony lumpiness in exchange for silence under a blanket of stars. We drove down roads we had very little business driving on but did so anyway. Hurray for middle-age rebellion (however lame). Keep swinging that rock hammer dude. Nerds rule!

Cambrian trilobite from the Wheeler Shale

House Range, Utah

540 million years old