Archive for September, 2010

Day Hike – Milner Pass to Bear Lake Continental Divide Traverse

Sunday, September 26th, 2010

Clare Summit Mt. Julian (12,928 ft) Guns & Pizza on the Continental Divide
When Dennis & I were forced to retreat off the summit ramp of Mt. Ida a couple summers ago, I vowed to return and claim victory. Boy, did I ever!
Dominique Scouting From Summit of Mt. Ida (12,880 ft)
Lucky for me, intrepid CMC trip leader, Dominique, came up with a marvelous scheme: Hike from Milner Pass to Bear Lake bagging peaks along the way. What a brilliant concept, with even greater execution!
Topo Map of Milner Pass to Bear Lake Continental Divide Traverse
Total Distance: 17.4 miles
Total Time: 15 Hours
Gain: 6,077 ft
Loss: 7,355 ft
Peaks Bagged: 6
Elevation Profile Milner Pass to Bear Lake Continental Divide Traverse
Start at Milner Pass (10,758 ft): 6:15am
Mt. Ida (12,880 ft): 9:10am
Chief Cheyley (12,804 ft): 10am
Cracktop (12,760 ft): 10:50am
Mt. Julian (12,928 ft): 12:35pm
Sprague Mountain (12,713 ft): 4:15pm
Flattop (12,324 ft): 6:50pm
Finish at Bear Lake (9,475 ft): 9:10pm

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Uncle Chet Memorial

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

A Nice Visit with Aunt Shirley & Uncle Chet
Aunt Shirley & Memorial Flowers
We heard sad news today that Uncle Chet passed away. I’m not sure his age at passing, but he had a long life and was devoted to Aunt Shirley. We had a chance to visit with them about a year ago, and it was really nice. Uncle Chet loved to tell stories, and boy did he have some good ones! He also loved watching movies and he had quite the collection.

Memorial to Grandma Pat

Monday, September 20th, 2010

Dennis & Grandma
Clare & Grandma
Pictures of Dennis & I with Grandma on Easter, 2006

Born Pauline Patricia McClintock on Dec 17, 1931, my beloved Grandma Pat passed away Sep 20, 2010.

What sad news! She suffered a stroke a little over a year ago; which confined her to the use of a walker, slurred her speech, and took away her ability to care for herself.

Over the past year her mental and physical health slowly deteriorated. She broke her hip and her shoulder from trying to walk without assistance. She had further respiratory complications due to emphyzema from years of smoking. I believe at the end of her life, she was not in pain, as she was in a hospice and they are generally experts at pain management.

Prior to the stroke, she lived an active life and was involved in many social circles (Church, Bingo, Politics). She was the life the party and was a great hostess. She knew a lot about entertaining! There were always people stopping by for a visit and I never saw her turn anybody away.

Furthermore, Grandma was constantly thinking about what to “do” next with home decor. It was impeccably designed; it had to live up to all the latest trends. Often, I called her for advice about home projects.

Grandma was a fiesty lady with a lead foot. She routinely drove her Dodge Stratus at mach speeds down the highway and she didn’t care about the consequences. She loved to gamble with her “fun” money and we had a great time at the casinos in Las Vegas. She was ***super*** fun.

We miss her more than words can describe.

The Lions vs The Eagles

Sunday, September 19th, 2010

Dennis & Clare at Ford Field Joe & Brenda at Lions Game
Joe & Brenda treated Dennis & I to see the Lions Season Opener vs The Eagles at Ford Field. This was almost a dream come true for Dennis. The only improvement on the day would have been if the Lions could have pulled off a win. They were very close.

The game was just about as exciting as a seasoned fan could handle. It was a veritable roller coaster of emotion. One that I was happy to share with Dennis, Brenda, and Joe.

Clare & Dennis at Comerica Park Dennis & Clare Season Opener at Ford Field

The Lions vs. The Eagles Clare & Dennis at Ford Field

Darren’s Bonfire

Saturday, September 18th, 2010

Klecha, Reda, Oben Families

On Saturday, we flew from Chicago to Detroit to spend the day with Dennis’s family. His cousin Darren invited us over to his yearly bonfire, so of course, I was ***Very*** excited! (more…)