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Cool Things Done &
Things Yet To Do

• Traveled to all four corners of the United States in 30 days, on Honeymoon
  (Gasoline had jumped from $.32/Gal to $.45-.55/Gallon and it was killing our budget!)
• Visited Ross Allen's Serpenterium near Silver Springs, Florida. Terry touched a live snake, a very long Boa Constrictor, on the head. Dennis, then, had the timing and reflexes to capture a picture of a Rattlesnake striking a balloon on a Kodak Instamatic camera, that itself has a shutter speed of 1/125th of a Second (The entire event was over in about 3/125ths of a Second).
• Visited all 50 US States - Favorite spot (then, 1974), Goshen Pass, VA (spent the night by ourselves in a creek side Adirondack, fixed pancakes over a warm campfire for a lazy breakfast in a beautiful surreal morning fog along with nature's mystical musings, the Adirondack no longer exists)
• Visited the oldest continuous European settlement in the US,
  St Augustine, Florida (founded 1559, refounded 1565 - Contrary to popular belief, the first settlement is not Plymouth Rock, nor is it English, it's Spanish) and have also visited Plymouth Rock (1620), Jamestown (1607), and Williamsburg (1607)
• Attended Expo 86, Vancouver, Canada
• Rode both an Ocean and River hydrofoil
• Rode an Elephant and a Camel
• Drove a van over a minute's duration inside a tightly packed herd of over 200 running white tail deer
• Twice bicycled over a 12,000 Ft pass together (~3,600 M), from valley floor to valley floor and several times for over 10,000 Ft (~3,000 M)
• Hiked upstate New York's Finger Lakes and Watkins Glenn in the Fall
• Paid our respects at Mission San Antonio de Valero, otherwise known as the Alamo (BTW, means Cottonwood), San Antonio, TX
• Toured Kennedy Space Center and Houston Space Center
• Seen a Killer Whale pod within 30 feet (in the ocean)
• Found the site of Sand Creek [Indian Massacre], CO, in 1975 with Terry's father's help, before the site and access became the political mess that it is today
• Bicycled to the top of Mount Kekesteto, Hungary (tallest mountain)
• Both, independently visited the DMZ in Korea: Terry, to teach a classroom of American GI's, all on one second standby, armed and toting Grenades on body armor; Dennis, by air. Later, Dennis would participate in a little tree cutting ceremony, him and the US Army's 2nd Infantry Division and the 4/7 US Cavalry Squadron - See Helicopter Types Flown by Dennis, (Operation Paul Bunyan - Garyowen Sir! - My little role)
• Seen Paris in the Fall and been to the top of the Eiffel Tower
• Physically stood in the States of Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, and Utah all at the same time
• Seen the Mona Lisa in the Louvre
• Walked the Left Bank of the Seine
• Drank Burgundy in Burgundy (Pinot Noir in Bourgogne) and drank Chablis in Chablis (Chardonais)
• Had a Maori tribal party have us for Dinner
• Seen a Penguin, Kangaroo, and Koala in the wild within a 24 hour period
• Learned how to throw a boomerang, in Australia, that actually returned within 5 feet. True boomerangs, not the trade stuff sold to tourists, actually have very sophisticated aerodynamics and airfoil designed characteristics that predate European and American first flight. There are left turn and right turn boomerangs.
• Rode bicycles from Midnight to Four AM in and out of the Garden of the Gods, Colorado
• Given our respects at the USS Arizona Monument, not a dry eye in the memorial, half Japanese
• Saw a lot of snow at the top of the mountain of the Island of Hawaii (aka, the Big Island)!
• Seen Gloworms in a Cave (NZ) - really cool, like a star filled mini Universe
• Stayed up late to watch Leonid Meteor shower
• Seen a sunrise from a white sand beach in Florida
• Stood center in the Ring of Brogar, Orkney
• Paid our respects at Culloden, Scotland
• Caught Kings on Alaska's Kenai River and went to Homer just for the Halibut
• White water rafted Colorado's Arkansas River, Colorado River, and others
• Dennis' greatest flight achievement: Flew Terry in a US Army Helicopter up to 10,000 Ft (~3,000 M) from 1,000 Ft (as a guest member of the US Army Parachute Club) - She rode the helicopter back down, everyone else bailed out
• Caught Rainbow Trout on Colorado's South Platt River on a tiny dry fly
• Stood on Hadrian's Wall, England
• Spent the night in Castle Stuart (as guests of the Stuarts)
• Stayed at Waldorf Astoria, NY, NY, to see New England in the Fall (and a Broadway Show called 'Cats')
• Bicycled the Border's hills from England to Scotland at Carter's Bar and Listened to the Border Piper
• Stopped a lightning caused forest fire. The ground was smoldering and was just about to erupt into flame. There was a fist sized glowing ember in the ground. We only discovered it because we beached our boat with Terry's family to relieve our bladders and it was Phil who actually discovered the fire ball. God works in Mysterious Ways.
• Been to the top of the St. Louis Gateway Arch
• Been to the top of the Pike's Peak, Colorado, 14,110 Feet (4,300 Meters)
• Continue to serve as volunteers in our local Slash Program (Debris Removal to reduce Wild Forest Fires)
• Seen Aspen Trees in the Fall
• Been to the top of the Washington Monument
• Seen the Lincoln Memorial & Jefferson Memorial
• Been in the White House in Washington, DC. Had to hold up the mini-tour group in a hallway with doors opened to prevent our viewing down the hallway so that one of the occupants could go to another room without being impeded - tours are no longer open to the public
• Drank freshly melted Glacier water right off a Glacier
• Crossed the Equator and International Dateline at almost the same time
• Snow shoed across mountains and frozen lakes, including Lake Louise, Banff, Canada
• Dined in Space Needle, Seattle, seen Fish Mongers throw fish in Pikes Market, Seattle
• Visited San Sabastian del Oeste, Jalisco, Mexico, and met Señora Abuela who is the last person alive to have been born in Mexico from a pure Spanish Blood line. She said that the reasoning for the bloodline is not important. San Sabastian is to the Mexican Sierras as Cripple Creek is to the US Rocky Mountains.
• Seen Blue Agave (Agave Tequilana) converted into Tequila (Verano, Jalisco, Mexico), yum!
• Paid our respects at "Amache," Japanese Internment Camp (called Japanese Relocation Center, 1942-1945), located near Granada, Colorado. Interestingly, Camp Amache was named after the Native American wife of John Prowers (felt to be Southern Cheyenne). Amache and John were placed under house arrest to prevent them from warning the Indians at Sand Creek of an impending raid by a self proclaimed and misguided militia force. Prowers and the Bent brothers, as in Bents Fort, were acquaintances.
• Been to Bent's Fort, before and after restoration
• Have seen Viking Runes in a cave, south of Lamar, Colorado
• Visited Bunker Hill, Breed Hill, and drank (taxed) Tea at 'Boston Harbour'
• Drove a Segway around downtown Annapolis, Maryland
• Drove a Sled (Snowmobile) around Turquoise Lake, Leadville, Colorado.
  We have bicycled around Turquoise Lake, Leadville, Colorado
• Drank Port in Porto, Drank Dão in the Dão Region, and Drank Douro Red (Vermelho) and White (Branco) next to the Douro River
• Paid our Respects at Manassas, Bull Run and Cub Run
• Stayed in Knights Templar road house Lodging.
• Watched Native Americans mine and craft pipestone (catlinite) at Pipestone, Minnesota
• Bicycled up the hill climb of Erice and Segesta, Sicily, in the same day
• Drank Marsala in Marsala
• Seen the Pikes Peak Hill Climb (car race)
• Made our own boat and motored to and from Lake Washington, Seattle, through the Ballard Locks, and fished in the Strait of Juan De Fuca and Dungeness Spit, caught salmon and dog fish, seen wild sea lions in the open water, made beach side camp fires and cooked ocean oysters in their own buttered half shell.

• Walked about 8 kilometers on the Great Wall (of China).
• Touched the Liberty Bell
• Visited the Tower of Belém
• Rode a Funicular in Lisbão (pronounced Lisbon)
• Seen ancient rock work at Foz Côa which is probably older than the cave paintings at the Lascaux Cave
• Been to the Daddy of them All, 'Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo' and watched 'George Strait'
• Been onboard the USS Constitution (Old Ironsides)

• Given our respects at Medicine Wheel, Wyoming
• Have visited Garyowen, WY - Dennis was in the 7th US Cavalry (as well as the 10th US Cavalry - Buffalo Soldier). The term Garyowen comes from an Irish drinking song and dancing quick step that General Custer endorsed as an unofficial 7th Cavalry song. Garyowen is a town just outside of Limerick, Ireland. Garyowen is the theme music played in the background of every US Cavalry movie made in Hollywood - it is a very lively drinking song!
• Seen the Blue Danube, in Vienna (by bridge, river walk, hydrofoil, and from the air)

• Walked across a chain bridge from Buda to Pest
• Been Scout Leaders and helped Scouts earn awards from Tenderfoot to Eagle and have issued four Eagle Scout Awards (contrary to popular belief, Eagle Scout is an award, not a rank)
• Went to Vail, Colorado, while Dennis was Fly Fishing Terry went to look at Wild Flowers and saw a wild Mountain Lion run across her path, fifteen feet in front of her, on Lionshead Peak
• Swam with Dolphins in Florida Keys before the idea became a tourist thing

• Seen the Terracotta Soldiers of Xian, China.
• Rode a bicycle all the way around the top of the city wall of Xian (16 k)
• Drank Bullsblood in Eger, Hungary
• Drank Rhine Wine in the Rhine Valley
• Paid our respects at Sachsenhausen (lesser known Concentration Camp, taken over by and further used by the Soviet Communists in what was known as East Germany)
• Visited Schloss Neuschwanstein and biked around Schwan Lake
• Paid our respects at the Berlin Wall

• Been to Check Point Charlie and Panmunjon
• Teased Nephews and Nieces Unmercifully, upholding our Aunt and Uncle Responsibilities (to include feeding them Bugs [for real] in cookies, clear lollypops with Real Larvae inside, and Kitty Litter Poop [melted tootsie rolls] - Yum!).
• Have seen Seattle's Underground City (where 'Night Stalker' was filmed and where the New Bloods of the 'Twilight' series hangout)
• Bicycled and Hiked in Ray and Letizia's home town of Lana in South Tyrol, Italy. We climbed and viewed 'Knottnkino' and we have seen the Meran/Merano baths/resorts (famous and popular back from Roman Empire times till now).

• Summited Pike's Peak, 14,110'/4300m, 3rd attempt, by daVinci Tandem Bicycle; from Manitou Springs; 7882' Total Elevation Gain; 25.0 Miles Total Distance; 8:44 Total Time (of all attempts).
• Seen three foot long Sea Tortoises in the water off of a Black Sand Beach in Hawaii
• Seen the Vasa (Wasa), double row canon deck warship, built in 1628, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Have eaten Peking Duck in Peking (Beijing, China).

• Walked on all levels of the Coliseum (Flavian Amphitheatre), Roma, Italia.
• Have eaten dinner in the Blå Hallen (Blue Hall) of Stockholm's Stadhus (City Hall) where the Nobel Prize Dinners takes place - the Blue Hall is NOT Blue (long story).
• Have eaten Swedish Meatballs and Lingonberries in Sweden.
• Drank Scotch in Scotland [just called Whiskey there].
• Visited the Grand Canyon.
• Ridden a Gondola in Venice.

• Toured the Vatican and its Museum.
• Walked up the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• Toured the Uffizi Gallery, Florence/Firenze, over the Fiume Arno.
• Seen the Berlin Wall, Check Point Charlie, Brandenburg Tor.
• Seen Neuschwanstein (idea source for Cinderella's Castle, Disneyland).
• Visite Celtic Ruins.
• Seen one or more Elephants, Lions, Hippo's, Giraffe's in the wild (Kruger).
• Visited the Mezquita Mosque (Córdoba) and Alhambra (Granada).
• .
• .

Still Kicking and more to come . . .

Helping Terry's Father make and drink wine, Yum!

A.K.A. "The Bucket List"

[x] Bicycle the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) from Canada to Mexico

[ ] Stonehenge (Salisbury, Willshire, England) 
[ ] Bath (England) 
[x] Coliseum (Rome) 
[x] Leaning Tower of Pisa (Toscana, Italy) 
[x] Roman Aqueducts (Italy) 
[x] Venice (Venizia), Genoa (Genova)
[ ] Northern Lights, Midnight Sun, Noon Moon (Alaska, Canada)
[ ] Stand on Equator, Tropic Lines, & Circle Lines.
[x] Total Solar Eclipse
[ ] Skywalk of Grand Canyon (Westside, Arizona) 
[ ] Sand Stone Rock Stream Bed (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah) 
    The Wave:
    http://www.blm.gov/az/asfo/paria/coyote_buttes/plan.htm
    http://zionnational-park.com/map-paria/map-paria-canyon.html <interim/interesting pg
    http://www.zionnational-park.com/zion-national-park-map.htm
    http://www.zionnational-park.com/map-paria-canyon.htm 
    OR Antelope Canyon, Arizona, near Page, AZ
[ ] Zion NP & Bryce Canyon NP (Utah) 
    Zion means "holy land" for both Judiac and Mormon religions
    (the last major US Parks that we have not seen)
[ ] Empire State Building 
[ ] New Years at Times Square
[x] Niagara Falls 
[ ] Statue of Liberty 
[ ] Watch Space Shuttle Take Off or NASA Rocket Launch (we were scheduled to see the 
    Valentine's Day Launch of 2009 but it was delayed and we had to return home)
[ ] Native American: Serpent Mound (near Peebles, Ohio), 
    Hopewell Mound (Chillicothe - Scioto Valley, OH), 
    Trepper Mound (near Hopewell, OH), Fort Ancient (Oregonia, OH),
    p36, America' Fascinating Indian Heritage, 1978, Readers Digest
    Incidentally, according to National Geographic, the British
    Investment companies called native peoples "Naturals"
[ ] Visual Warp Place?, Mystery Spot, Santa Cruz, California
    http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/physics/General/roll-uphill.html
[ ] Hiroshima Ground Zero Dome or Nagasaki     
[ ] Ride Bullet Train 
[ ] Cave Paintings, Montignac-Lascaux, France 
    (Lascaux Cave prime or alt,) 
[x] Machu Picchu (Peru)
[x] Incan Temples
[x] Nasca Lines
[ ] Mayan and Aztec Temples 
[ ] Rio de Janeiro, Harbor & Statue Views 
[ ] Mt Olympus (Acropolis, Parthenon) 
[ ] Hagia Sophia / Aya Sophia, Blue Mosque (Istanbul) 
[ ] Great Pyramids (Giza, Egypt) 
[ ] Abu Simbel (Egypt) maybe Petra Khazneh (Wadi Araba Desert, Jordan) 
[ ] Christian/Jewish/Muslim Holy Lands (can also tie with Petra visit)
[ ] Potala Palace, Lhasa, Tibet (see Jokhang Temple with statue of 
    Buddha Jiangba, and other local temples)
    http://www.regenttour.com/chinaplanner/lxa/lxa-glance.htm
    {possibly Kathmandu, Nepal - Note near northern India too}
[ ] Taj Mahal (Agra, India)    
[x] Great Wall (China) 
[ ] Uluru (sometimes Ulura, aka Ayers Rock, Alice Springs, NT, Australia)
[ ] Suez Canal (Egypt) and 
[ ] Panama Canal(s)
[ ] Visit the Home of Monarch Butterflies in Mexico where there is a low pitch hum
    from the beat of all of the butterfly wings
  

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