Italy 2014

We are back from Italy, catching up on sleep and settling back into our routines. Overall it was an excellent trip with a lot packed in. Silas did very well. The flights went better than expected, but they were still tough, especially for the boy. If anyone asks, I can't in good conscious recommend to anyone that they go to Europe with an infant. However, looking back, I would do this trip again. We have been working on a lessons learned so if anyone ignores my advice not to travel to Europe with an infant and insists on doing so anyway feel free to ask about what went well, what didn't, and what to prepare for.

Note that we were using a new camera and didn't realize that the date stamp was on until we downloaded images at home.

Silas making faces in Parma:

Silas assessing parmigiano-reggiano cheese making operations:

Lots of cheese getting old. You see the end of each row that is about 40 feet long.

Walking practice with the stroller outside of the apartment in Venice:

Making sure clothes get clean:

Visiting friends in Feltre. The hay was windrowed while we were there. I am allergic to timothy grass in Italy, too.

Nap time, but only one kid seems to be sleeping:

Cicchietti at a bistro in Venice. Lots of cured meats. Silas likes cured meat, too.

Having a sit down before returning to the party:

Catholic wedding mass in Italian works for putting the boy to sleep:

Wedding reception at a villa in Treviso. Everyone had fun.

Relaxing in Lucca. We didn't take nearly as many pictures in Lucca (Rachel and I were tired):

Making important social arrangements in San Gimignano (the only day we saw rain
):

Saw this Lancia Fulvia in Imola (parked next to a Ford Sierra Cosworth):

Silas was tired, too. Luckily, he got first class treatment on the flight without even having to buy a ticket:

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NOAH

ELMS Imola

I had the opportunity to go to Imola for the European Le Mans Series race. Since time was tight and I was leaving from Venice, I only arrived just at the race start and headed back at the finish. The track is great and the town makes a very suitable trip for a weekend in a small Italian city mixed with some racing at a classic track. Walking around the track to experience the various vantage points did take the four hours of the race, but for much of it you can watch the cars. I forgot headphones so I had no Radio Lemans commentary, but did have live timing. Trackside commentary was in Italian, but with race control announcements in English. I am very glad I made the effort to see a race at this track. Here are some images I took from around the track at Imola.

Heading into Variante Alta:

From the main grandstand:

 Variante Villeneuve:

From the grandstands at Tossa:

Video from hour 3:

Daytona Race Info

between the Monaco Grand Prix, Indy 500 and Coke 600, check out the 14 hours of Daytona running from 8 am to 10 pm tomorrow. I will try to give some in race reports myself

for live timing, use this link.
http://chumpcar.com/endurance/livetiming-east.php

this link should take you to the Daytona 14 hour Chumpcar race, but there is also an event at Watkins Glen this weekend so not sure how they will divide the eastern region, if that is the case try looking for it at this link http://chumpcar.com/endurance/livetiming.php
or just going to https://www.race-monitor.com/Live and look for the Daytona Race.

Car number is 101 and team is Apex Racing.

For in race reports, check this forum thread http://forum.chumpcar.com/index.php?/topic/10553-daytona-14-hour/ also live incar streams could be posted here

Daytona

Early reminder that the greatest day in motorsports also includes the 14 Hours of Daytona. I will provide more links for how to follow the race as we get closer to the event (Sunday, May 25th at 8:00 am)

Aldo Leopold Bench

A bench for those that would rather sit than garden. I built this for mom.

It is fishing season in Stillwater. There were 42 vehicles in the parking lot late this afternoon when we returned from Old Forge.

Elliot took some pictures this weekend up at camp.

Happy Mother's Day.

11 months!

Somebody really, really wants to walk and gets frustrated with how difficult it is.

Oakland A's

According to Oliver Gavin's twitter he and the Corvette team went to an A's game today. Mags, Milner, Westbrook, and the Matador.

Trip to Kingston Ontario