Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 40 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Bon Voyage, neutral observer
I dropped neutral observer off at the Columbia, SC airport this morning at 0420 (early flight out). She hooked up with the Herrings, and off they went for their Alaska adventure. The trip starts in Fairbanks and then hits the standard tourist places like Denali, Talkeetna, and Anchorage. In Anchorage, they board a Holland America cruise ship for a National Review Institute cruise, which hits visits the Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, Juneau, and Ketchikan on the way to Vancouver.
There are nine Ricochetti on the cruise, I’m told. Expect to see some posts (If not, I’ll nag send them reminders). Anyway, yours truly doesn’t fly, so I’ll be snuggling up in Aiken with my gaming computer and a cold beer (or two . . . or three . . . or more).
Because of the early flight, we decided to spend the night in Columbia. This allowed us to have dinner with our oldest daughter and her boyfriend. He rarely comes by our house because he’s deathly allergic to cats. Anyway, we had a super dinner at a Japanese steak house (my first visit to one). I’ll write a separate, members-only post about that later.
Published in General
How have you made it this far in life and this was your first trip to a Japanese steakhouse? Safe travels to all the Ricochetti. Look forward to the posts. Stad, don’t trash the house.
Go ahead and trash the house. Just hire a cleaning/disaster recovery service for the day before Neutral Observer returns.
uh oh. I’ll pray you both are safe during this period.
Yeah…. sure…. that’s the reason.
Safe travels to all. I hope they have a wonderful time. Enjoy the peace and quiet.
The three of us are in lively form. Neutral Observer is giving Bob rabbit ears. Getting our land legs back in LaGuardia as we tour the US. Next stop, Minneapolis Airport. Saw the Statue of Liberty!
We are currently sitting @ BWI waiting for our departure to Fairbanks via Chicago land. We connect with them in Fairbanks since we arrive about 40 minute before they do. Of course I am expecting ORD to be it’s typical late departure
hell holeterminal so we should all get there at the same time.Stad for a guy who has spent far more time in a negatively pressurized tube, at much greater levels I am amazed at your reluctance to get in a mildly pressurize one. There are far more survivors from airplane tubes incidents than submarine tubes incidents.
I thought that was her photo bombing you guys…
You’re there … alone … unsupervised …
I left when Hunter Biden showed up.
“Stad, Yer a madman. When You stole that cow, and Yer friend tried to make it with the cow. I want to party with you, cowboy.”
I moved the camera around until I could get all three of us.
Have fun. Amity Shales is one of my heroes.
We can ask for three dinner speaker tables the seven nights. I asked for her and Kevin Hassett
Neutral observer is my cleaning/diaster recovery service! Until she reads this comment, that is . . .
Actually, we pretty much tried to maintain normal atmospheric pressure. But man, if you snorkeled in rough seas and that intake valve went shut due to inleakage? The suction from the diesel would lower the pressure so fast your ears popped before you knew it . . .
[Stad turns and yells at the crowd] “Okay, which one of you posted a pic?”
Don’t know . . .
OTOH, it was quite an experience. Shoulda done it sooner . . .
I too am surprised that someone who already spent so much time in a cramped metal tube moving through a hostile high pressure environment would have trepidations about traveling in a cramped metal tube moving through a hostile low pressure environment.
Or is there concern that cruise ships operate on the surface, and you only deal with ocean cruising from under the surface? :)
We can ask for three dinner speaker tables the seven nights. I asked for her and Kevin Hassett
In his defense, at least when you need to pee on a submarine, you can.
Or I show it to her.
He cruises just fine. Drink package is better than the Navy’s and company is pretty good.
I can swim, but I can’t fly. Hehe . . .
Uh oh . . .
And we asked for Red to be our trip mother, so hopefully we get what she gets…
PS In Chicago now for 3 hours.
Ah, Stad the penguin?
Stad only took out three states?
I’m getting better … maybe this weekend?