Lots of travel ---- Calgary, Portland, Atlanta

Young face-painters fans of Atlanta Falcons at Falcons-Saints game

I'm afraid my traveling of late is cutting into my outdoors blogging.
In three consecutive weekends I've been in Calgary, Portland and Atlanta;  some for fun, some on business.
Add those trips to forays to Minneapolis and Fresno, CA since Labor Day and you'll understand why I haven't been as faithful at blogging.
I know that I'm going to settle down now and if we ever get sufficient snow you'll see plenty of posts.  I'm hoping this winter holds lots of trips to the Front now that Teton Pass Ski Area will reopen in a week.

The trip to Calgary three weeks ago was to see the Calgary Opera Company's "Otello" by Verdi.  This was a quick two day journey.  The opera was excellent and it is always great to see Calgary as it changes dramatically because it is growing so quickly.  We noticed that light rail is being built into the northwest side of town and the Deerfoot expressway construction work is completed.  We had a wonderful Thai meal not far from where we stayed in the motel village (all within walking distance of the Jubilee Auditorium where the opera was held).

The trees were still in color in Portland over  Thanksgiving

We turned around quickly and it was off to Portland, OR to visit my daughter, a sister and her family and a brother who flew in from Naples, FL for Thanksgiving.
The Portland area was experiencing waves of rain storms, which meant the mountain passes were getting snow.
We had a hairy time over Rogers Pass, but drove easily across Lookout and Fourth of July Passes coming and going.
Thanksgiving was rain-free, but we got drenched on Black Friday while we watched the Macy's Day Parade downtown.
It was strictly family time on this trip and that was lovely.
I worked a couple more days and then it was off to Atlanta for the annual Association for Career and Technical Education convention where teachers from Great Falls and Helena presented to national audience on our project to infuse rigorous math into construction classes.  Our teachers did a great job.
In my free time I wandered around this lovely southern city, impressed with its architecture and economic vitality.
We went to an NFL football game between the Falcons and Saints (Falcons won), and then I toured CNN center, the Coke Museum and the state Capitol building.  I enjoyed the fans at the Falcons game as much as the game itself.  The whole football culture is quite an American phenomenon that was worth participating in --- once.  Besides pro football the city was abuzz in anticipation of the Georgia-Alabama SEC championship college game two days later.

The Coke Museum in Atlanta was decked out for Christmas

At the Capitol I noticed that there was a press conference going on and that media mogul Ted Turner was presenting a check to feed hungry kids.
I took the opportunity afterward to introduce myself.
He asked about the Ulm Pishkun, to which he had donated land.
I was impressed.