Our 2012 Christmas Letter Pictures: (in progress)
Our 11 week, 11,000 mile driving trip:
Katie and Pete on our first night of our 11 Week, 11,000 driving trip. You can see the guy doing the live entertainment at the Marriott in the background. If you look carefully you can see the reflection of the fire pit in Pete's glasses. 2/13/12
Ann and Dave's dog when we visited them in their Arizona house. 2/14/2012
Dave at the piano and Ann looks on 2/14/12
Pete at the Titan Missle Silo (reflection is the plastic cover that allows seeing into the silo) If you look carefully you can see the dummy missle inside. There are several safeguards that verify that this site is deactivated and can be seen from the sky. 2/14/2012
The Control Room at the Titan base. Our guide in the white hat was going through a simulated launch, including having a couple of our fellow tour people turn the arming keys. 2-15-2012
Pete and Katie about to tour the giant open pit Copper mine in Arizona, after a mandetory visit to an Indian Casino. Note the bird's nest access near the top. 2-15-2012
Pete checking out one of the giant trucks that retired from the open pit mining operation. Picture especially taken for grandson Trevor. 2-15-2012
Visiting with Linda (old friend of Pete's from Santa Barbara) and husband Ray in El Paso, Texas. 2-17-2012
The entrance to Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Pete's third visit, Katie's first! A long hike down to the bottom. 2/18/2012
Katie in Carlsbad Caverns - she was a real trooper it is a good long downhill hike. There is an elevator for the return trip. I value my life, so not showing Katie's face or hands. 2/18/2012
The entrance to South Fork Ranch in Dallas, Texas. 2/21/2012
Some of the cattle sculptures in downtown Dallas. 2/21/12
Bob mowing his lawn in Cuero, TX. He and wife Charlotte have since moved to Lake Havasu, AZ. 2/24/2012
The Coast Guard escorting our cruise ship out of the Galvaston Harbor on our way for a seven day cruise. Note the 50 caliber being manned on the bow. 2/26/2012
Pete and Katie on one of the cruise's formal nights (you can tell because only on formal nights does Pete wear a tie!). 2/27/2012
The upper deck excercise area, note the overhead rope ladder area (complete with safety ropes). 3/2/2012
A view down the Atrium of the ship, long way down, with glass elevators on the right. 3/3/2012
Katie after our tour at one of the old Antebellum houses in Natchez, MS. 3/6/2012
Katie checking out the entrance to the Coke attraction in the middle of Atlanta, GA. 3/8/2012
We were greeted by this guy at the Coke place. 3/8/2012
Katie and Martha at her and husband Gary's (N1GC!) farm in North Carolina. 3/10/2012
This woman in period costume was describing to us the court procedures in Williamsburg, VA. Very interesting presentation. 3/12/2012
This was Martha Washington greeting us in Williamsburg after she arrived by carriage. 3/12/2012
Charleston, SC, horse drawn (oops, Mule drawn) tour passing the house we were touring. We were on the second floor and learned that many of the Southern houses were built with the main entertaining floor on the second floor since "Mosquitos don't fly that high". 3/17/2012
Boat docking for tour of Fort Sumter. famous Civil War location, in Charleston's harbor. 3/17/2012
Pete and Lee relaxing by the pool while the girls swim, at Hilton Head, SC. 3/19/2012
(Self portrait by Pete)
Rose Ann and Katie swimming at Hilton Head, SC. 3/19/2012
Champagne waterfall in ship's atrium, during our second cruise of the trip. 3/27/2012
National Cathedral, Washington DC, on Easter Day, we went to a very fancy 4 PM service. 4/8/2012
Pete in front of the Vietnam Memorial wall. 4/9/2012
Lunch at the Anapolis Harbor at an outdoor restaurant, 1 block from the Naval Academy. 4/10/2012
Katie waiting for Pete to finish the boat inspection. We were looking at a possible purchase for Bob (had to park right next to it and use the car for a ladder. 4/10/2012
Gettysburg battlefield. No we didn't get to the FCC office, darn. 4/12/2012
Hershey's Chocolate World (in Hershey, PA) 4/12/2012
Amish country, PA, girl plowing the field (don't know if she was part of the show or not). 4/12/2012
Abby and Emma at diner at a great Italian restaurant that Judy took us to. 4/14/2012
Our view from the Marriott on the Canada side of Niagra Falls. 4/15/2012
One of our modes of transportation at Greenfield Village, Dearborn, Michigan. 4/17/2012
We try out another form of transportation at Greenfield Village, a model "T", we bought the unlimited transportation passes (see Katie's left arm) that allowed us to use the horse-drawn, cars and trains an unlimited number of times, well worth it. 4/17/2012
Pete was in one of Edison's labs at Greenfield Village and saw several stacks of these on both the top and bottom floors. Just had to ask what they were, turns out they are early Capacitors (or Condensers as they were called then). Didn't get a chance to find out the capacity of each box. 4/17/2012
During our stop in Nebraska got a bird's eye view of Pete's shop and his very new tractors (one on the right has an auger attached). 4/20/2012
Pete during our "guided lawn tractor tour" of his property, this is the North East corner. 4/20/2012
Tracy Hinkle when we surprised him and his family at their church near Denver, Colorado. 4/22/2012
Our seven great Grandkids:
Four year old Payton and Taylor listening to a story being read by grandma. 1/10/2012
Six year old Trevor working on Mom, Liberty's. computer 1/10/2012
Eight year old Kaitlyn checking out the rain. 1/21/2012
Three year old Alexander. 2/1/2012
Four year old Ethan at the Santa Barbara Zoo on his mom's birthday. 5/25/2012
Not pictured: 12 year old Austin (JT)
Sea Doo trips:
Katie near Davis Dam, lake Mojave. 9/10/2012
Katie doing a rescue (these guys had broken down just outside the harbor) by towing the runabout into the launch ramp (155 horses do a good job). 9/12/2012
Pete (self portrait) during our last trip of the season to the river. 10/23/2012