Wahines on Tour - Hawaii and peek at Aulani! LAST DAY IN THE SUNSHINE UPDATE 8/6

[pkondz]

So Points total so far:

Ellen – 4
PKonz – 3
Drea- 3
Marv – 2
Glenn-2
Cynthia-2
Dan - 2

I'm coming up on the inside! Woot!

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

i would love to swim with the dolphins some day sounds like alot of fun, even if the people you go with dont have any pictures.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

i would love to swim with the dolphins some day sounds like alot of fun, even if the people you go with dont have any pictures.

Well you know it's so much more fun to imagine what it was like, right?

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Sorry, I can't resist - I love my Ducks!

We had an amazing day on Saturday at Autzen Stadium, where it never rains, BTW! It was time for the Spring Game, food drive and military appreciation day. Admission to the game was canned goods, and various military members were invited to attend the game in dress uniform, be honored and take part in some special activities, including trading a commemorative coin for a jersey! It was the perfect send off for Jim, as he has been a season ticket holder, and we are moving - we will miss our Ducks. Our oldest DS, Ryan, is also in the Air Guard here, and he was a part of it to!

We traveled the 3 hours up to Eugene from our town on Friday night. We actually stayed at Comfort Inn in Creswell, about 10 mi. south of the stadium because the marathon was in town and all the rooms were booked. It was a great place to stay, and I would choose it again in a heartbeat! I haven't had a non-Disney hotel staff treat us so well in a Loooong time!

Ryan was there on assignment along with some co-workers. They were to set up a display of F-15 weapons for the public to view, and do a little PR work for possible recruits. So Jim left by 6:30 am to go down for breakfast and travel to the stadium with "the boys." He wasn't on official duty, so he didn't help (just in case) He just went along for the ride, and the cheerleaders. LOL! He acts like he doesn't care, but he has the pic on his phone

Anyway, here is Ryan on duty:

The official Duck transportation

At the start of every home game, our mascot "The Duck" rides out of the tunnel on the back of this cycle. Oh, and UofO is the only school with a Disney character for it's official mascot!!!

Then it was time to line up in the tunnel and wait for the team!

So cool! Jim got a pic of Drew Howell, long snapper here - he would later be matched up with Jim on the field, but he didn't know when he took the pic!

DDIL Dana and I came just before the game with DGS4 Mason and DGS1 Evan, along with another wife, Dena and her little guy Cameron. Here is what we were doing while waiting anxiously for our guys to come out - the family on the right is mine!

The moment was almost here:

To be Continued:

 

[MAGICFOR2]

The moment was here -when the team was announced, each military member took the field with a player next to them

And lined up for the National Anthem

Jim came up to sit with us, and oh yes, there was a football scrimmage too- the Fighting Ducks played Mighty Oregon! Mighty Oregon won - which had more Freshmen on it, so it should be an interesting season next Fall

Ryan was finally able to join us with his co-workers - they got the guns put away and changed to their blues. We took the boys up to the snack bar for some popcorn and pretzels. Evan is Papa's boy! (I don't know why this pic won't post correctly - I edited it, and it copied to FB okay)

Soon, it was time for "the boys" to go back to the tunnel and wait for the game to end and the next event

My handsome son

The military members filed out in a line and stood on the yard markers, the players lined up on the opposite side of the field, in random order - then they walked toward each other

They met up and the military members handed a coin to the player, who took the game jersey off his back and gave it to the military member

Some of the players made our boys look really small! When Jim was walking out with Drew, he was waving at me, and told Drew I was his wife - he said, "I'll wave at her!" And he waved really big toward me! Nice Kid!


Then they walked together back to the locker room. The players were so excited to be a part of it and to have the coin! The new friends went to the lockers, and the players were excited to give more items out - Jim got a brand new pair of game gloves, which were boxed up and had a message and autograph from Coach Chip Kelly on it. Drew autographed the number on the Jersey for Jim.. It has patches on it which were put on special for that game

The Gloves make the signature O when you hold your hands correctly:

Jim got to meet Chip Kelly

He also met Tony Dungy former coach of the Colts - his son is playing for the Ducks now - he declined pics as it would make his day too long

The Duck players had just gotten their shiny new Conference Champion and Rose Bowl Champion rings - they were showing them off - Ryan even got to try on the Rose Bowl ring!

They observed a team meeting and got a tour of the facility - very nice! Thank you, Nike!

Us girls and kiddos were making our way out to the parking lot - this little cutie wanted to pose with the xxx's and ooo's that are out front

Us girls made our way back to the hotel while they were having this adventure, and then we put the kids down for naps and headed over to Olive Garden for dinner We had an hour wait for two tables close to each other - there was no way they were giving us a table for 10 tonight! We had stopped at Toys R US and got little transformers to keep the boys busy - Mason and Cameron are besties!

We finally got seated and ordered. Evan was having chocolate milk for the first time ever - he started drinking really fast, apparently worried someone would notice he was having a treat and took it away! (It was especially funny to us, because his Daddy did the same thing the first time he got Easter candy!)

We had a wonderful dinner, and then the men and boys went back to the hotel for swimming and bed, and us girls went shopping at the mall and at Target, which we do not have at home

Sunday we had a nice comp breakfast together, then headed over to Costco because we don't have that here, either. We had a good drive home, and we all felt blessed to be a part of such an awesome event!

 

[anewmac]

aww I love military appriciation days! Makes me proud to be an american! They did a great one too, passing coins is such a big thing now. And to trade it for a jersey how awesome! Im not a ducks fan but those gloves were pretty cool, even E (who bleed Texas burnt orange) said those were nice!

You have 2 very handsom men also (and Im not just saying that cuz Im partial to men in uniform ) So neat they got to partake in the on field festivities! So are you guys originally from Oregon? Or just transplanted thanks to the Air Force?

No Target where your at.. oh man you poor deprived women! Yet Im sure E wishes we lived where there wasnt one. LOL.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

aww I love military appriciation days! Makes me proud to be an american! They did a great one too, passing coins is such a big thing now. And to trade it for a jersey how awesome! Im not a ducks fan but those gloves were pretty cool, even E (who bleed Texas burnt orange) said those were nice!

You have 2 very handsom men also (and Im not just saying that cuz Im partial to men in uniform ) So neat they got to partake in the on field festivities! So are you guys originally from Oregon? Or just transplanted thanks to the Air Force?

No Target where your at.. oh man you poor deprived women! Yet Im sure E wishes we lived where there wasnt one. LOL.

Our son in Texas, who also sports the orange thought it was cool too!:goodvibe:

Thanks! Jim was so happy he and Ryan got to experience it together!
Jim's roots are here, but he was a Navy brat and moved here in High School.
My roots are in MN, but my dad liked to move every 3 years - I moved here in HS too. We've been here for 21 years now.

I think Jim is pretty worried about moving to a place where shopping is abundant!

 

[karajeboo]

That papa's boy pic is PRECIOUS!!!!! I just love that!

My Buckeye's have the glove thing too, so it's an "O" (for OHIO!!!!). It's fun to follow your team from afar. We are still Buckeyes from 500 miles away, and you'll find your Duck fans in AZ, too.....

 

[glennbo123]

The spring game -- love it! They're so much fun.

They met up and the military members handed a coin to the player, who took the game jersey off his back and gave it to the military member

What a great idea!

They observed a team meeting and got a tour of the facility - very nice! Thank you, Nike!

Since this is a football post and you mention Nike, I'll post this clip of Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, who's my new hero.

 

[FauntleroyFAN07]

sounds like an awesome day, and very cool he got a jersey, they always have the best jerseys out there.

 

[lovegrumpy]

That's like you guys had fun. Dungy son playing is just another reason to watch the ducks play. I grew up in Coos Bay so I've been a Ducks fan forever.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

That papa's boy pic is PRECIOUS!!!!! I just love that!

My Buckeye's have the glove thing too, so it's an "O" (for OHIO!!!!). It's fun to follow your team from afar. We are still Buckeyes from 500 miles away, and you'll find your Duck fans in AZ, too.....

That is a precious one. We have one like that with his older brother at about the same age with Jim in Mexico - I need to frame the pair, I think.

Oh! the O is so cool! Thanks for the reminder. We did see a few fans there - and they come to AZ. Drew emailed Jim today and said when they come he will get us tickets!!!

The spring game -- love it! They're so much fun.

I wish we would have gone before this year - it was great! And sunny and warm, too!

What a great idea!



Since this is a football post and you mention Nike, I'll post this clip of Phil Knight, CEO of Nike, who's my new hero.

Thanks so much for posting that Glenn! I hadn't seen it before. Phil Knight is a class act, and not afraid to speak his mind. He has been critized alot for his support of the Ducks - he went to O of U, was friends with Prefontayne (?) invented the Nike running shoe - I guess he gets to call the shots - Jim says he emaile me a video about it - I'll post it next. Thanks so much for contributing.

sounds like an awesome day, and very cool he got a jersey, they always have the best jerseys out there.

Thanks Dan! I always love to see the new "styles" each year!

That's like you guys had fun. Dungy son playing is just another reason to watch the ducks play. I grew up in Coos Bay so I've been a Ducks fan forever.

GO DUCKS! Thanks for reading!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, Jim sent home this link, and I have to share. There are two videos - one is clips of the day - you can see Jim walking in at the end - just for a second - under the play clock with the 25 on it.

The second is the fly over from the F-15's at our base - I forgot to mention.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/ncaaf...-054509445.html;_ylt=A2KJjajFlaBPWH8A9NJNbK5_

Glenn, I guess Phil Knight is mentioned in the link to the tour of the locker room - might make the other schools jealous.

Thanks for indulging me, guys. I promise I will bring us back to Hawaii - we have a Huki Lau to get ready for!

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Okay, back to the Island! Today was Thursday, the day that gave us the name for the TR. Tabby, the Major's wife had done some research and found this tour taking off from the base and made ressies for us Wahines and Jesse! Remember the MWR? (Morale, Welfare and Recreation) Well, this tour was sponsored by them. We left on a shuttle bus at 0830 , meeting up at 0815. This was an all day tour of the Island and included lunch!

We met our driver, Jerry - You'll meet him soon! We loaded up along with about 20 other people and headed out, heading East and then North to the Windward side. (can't escape it. )

Somewhere in downtown Waikiki, we passed the marina from the opening to Gilligan's Island - I didn't snap fast enough - and Fisherman's Wharf!

Nearing Diamond Head, we stopped at a little park, and saw this tribute to Amelia Erhard - The first person to fly solo from Hawaii to North America - 1935.

We drove along the Coast, and Jerry, who came to Oahu while in the Air Force and never left - kind of an aging hippie type - gave us a rolling monologue about different celebrities who lived here or there or used to live here or there. I should have written some of them down, but I got some pretty shots

We drove in to the Diamond Head park, and got out for pics, but didn't hike it - actually the mountain trail was closed due to high winds

This is where they filmed the beach scene in Here to Eternity - the famous rolling in the surf kissing pic It sure looks bigger on the movie!

We stopped at an area famous for "the Blowhole" It even has a little parking lot so you can pull of the winding coastal highway

The Blow Hole is right over there!

The water sometimes comes through it

WAit for it...

The spray comes up the hole and looks like steam or a whale's blowhole!

Just in case we forgot where we were:

Up Next: The Spectacular Hanauma Bay

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Hanauma Bay

Next we head to the Golf Course for lunch, and a very strange Mai Tai!

 

[MEK]

Tammie -

I had no idea this TR was happening, but I found it this morning and have read all but the last couple updates.

WOW - you are off to a wonderful start of a trip. I really love reading non-traditional TRs, so this is very fun.

I love the pictures of Aulani. What an absolutely gorgeous place. I hope I get the chance to stay there someday. It looks amazing!!!!!!! Thanks for posting all the pics.

The dolphin swim also looks wonderful. I know the "dead battery" phenomenon all too well.

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Tammie -

I had no idea this TR was happening, but I found it this morning and have read all but the last couple updates.

WOW - you are off to a wonderful start of a trip. I really love reading non-traditional TRs, so this is very fun.

I love the pictures of Aulani. What an absolutely gorgeous place. I hope I get the chance to stay there someday. It looks amazing!!!!!!! Thanks for posting all the pics.

The dolphin swim also looks wonderful. I know the "dead battery" phenomenon all too well.

Hey Mary Ellen! I'm so glad you found me!

Thanks so much for reading - I'm glad you are enjoying it. It is a little different to be sure. I do hope you plan to visit Aulani really soon! I have met some "Hawaii snobs" who say they would never vacation on Oahu, but I think Aulani is reason enough to do so! (not to mention the cheap military digs)

I'm glad someone else is "battery challenged"

 

[karajeboo]

Is that REALLY where they filmed the opening to Gilligan's Island??? Way cool!

Although I think tour guides make stuff up cause when I was in Hawaii a loooooong time ago, we were told that the scene in From Here to Eternity was filmed on Hanalei Bay on Kauai......

 

[MAGICFOR2]

Is that REALLY where they filmed the opening to Gilligan's Island??? Way cool!

Although I think tour guides make stuff up cause when I was in Hawaii a loooooong time ago, we were told that the scene in From Here to Eternity was filmed on Hanalei Bay on Kauai......

I missed the pic of the boats in the little harbor, but it sure looked the same! And they had a big sign offering 3 Hour Tours! J/K

That could be - maybe it makes for good tour guide conversation And maybe he believes it - it could be a rumor that just got passed around until people think it's true!

 

[pkondz]

Okay, back to the Island!

Remember the MWR?

Yup! Moping, Whining and Remorse, right? Do I win a prize??

(Morale, Welfare and Recreation)

Oh. I was real close, though.

Well, this tour was sponsored by them. We left on a shuttle bus at 0830 , meeting up at 0815. This was an all day tour of the Island and included lunch!

An all day tour...
The weather kept on staying rough,
the tiny bus was tossed

oh never mind.

We met our driver, Jerry - You'll meet him soon! We loaded up along with about 20 other people and headed out, heading East and then North to the Windward side. (can't escape it. )

I hear ya! Beautiful over there, isn't it?

Somewhere in downtown Waikiki, we passed the marina from the opening to Gilligan's Island - I didn't snap fast enough - and Fisherman's Wharf!

Hmmm... not sure about that. I got this from wiki:

"The rock jetties at the entrance of Newport Bay can be seen during the opening theme during the line "A 3-Hour Tour" as the Minnow heads out to sea. Also, the marina shown in the opening shot is the Alamitos Bay Marina in Long Beach, California."

But Coconut island off the windward side was Gilligan's island, though.

Nearing Diamond Head, we stopped at a little park, and saw this tribute to Amelia Erhard - The first person to fly solo from Hawaii to North America - 1935.

That's really cool! Wish I'd seen that.

We drove in to the Diamond Head park, and got out for pics, but didn't hike it - actually the mountain trail was closed due to high winds

I have a (sort of) similar story coming up later in my TR.

This is where they filmed the beach scene in Here to Eternity - the famous rolling in the surf kissing pic It sure looks bigger on the movie!

It does! That's pretty cool too!

We stopped at an area famous for "the Blowhole" It even has a little parking lot so you can pull of the winding coastal highway

That was one spot I wanted to see but never got to. Now I get to see it through your eyes, so thanks!

Up Next: The Spectacular Hanauma Bay

We did go there. Did you go down to the beach?

Next we head to the Golf Course for lunch, and a very strange Mai Tai!

Hmmm... that sounds interesting. Thanks for the update!