Spring hiking

I have failed you, blog readers, as Cindi reminded me. I have been neglecting to keep the updates up-to-date. Yes, indeed, Ed did make it back home. His plane had to fly extra high to get over the ash cloud, but he arrived on time and per schedule. He had a great visit to the US. He went to a coin show in Seattle, visited relatives and friends in Phoenix, and dropped in to visit son Neal in New Jersey. Next is my turn! I don't have time to hit Seattle, but I'll be in Phoenix for my 40th high school reunion (41 years after graduation, but we've always been a little on the slow side) and then in New Jersey. This is our first separate summer vacation ever, but the coin show was too far from the reunion to put both into one trip.

I hate to go to Arizona right now, in the midst of the boycotts, but I will anyway, since I really want to see everyone. Can you believe the stupid laws going down in Arizona? Okay, this is a travel blog, so I won't go down that road. Instead, I'll go up the road to hikes in Norway.

Our WesternGeco hiking club hiked the last two Sundays. The 2nd of May, we covered familiar ground, going up Sandviksfjellet and over to Rundemann, then down Floyen. It started out so warm I had my jacket around my waist, yet it snowed on us at the top. Aah, spring!

All the mountains are dotted with these small houses. They are called hyttes, and are often owned by groups, but some are public and some are owned by families.

The next weekend, we stayed low. This hike was at sea level between two fjords, and involved kids, dogs, and a hot-dog grill. The place? Kvalvågneset (Whale harbor), up near where we work. Incidentally, it's a stone's throw from where our friend Ron's ancestors lived.

These are the remains of a house from the early 1900's. The map says this is a camping area. In Norway, you can camp just about anywhere, as long as you're a few hundred yards away from anyone's house.

This is the borrowed hiking dog. One of us is a true dog lover, but can't have one. So for this day, he brought along a spaniel, who LOVED chasing sticks into the water.

It did not snow on this hike. The next day, Mondday, Ed and I woke up, looked out the window, and th ere was a snow flurry! Today is Thursday, we have all the windows open and the sun is streaming in. Aah, spring!