Will Travel For Organs

Pipe Organ Camp.

That's what is sending us on the Oregon Trail.  I've been up all night packing the Conestoga.  OK, so really just packing carry on luggage, but Oregon Trail was my first, and probably my favorite computer game.

Seamus was awarded a scholarship to waive the tuition to the American Theatre Organ Society's Summer Youth Adventure in Portland, Oregon.

Here's the description:

"The Summer Youth Adventure (SYA) is a week-long event designed for young theatre
organ enthusiasts who are interested in learning, developing, or refining their skills with the
theatre organ. During the week, students will attend a variety of instructional sessions, master
classes, and open console time designed to improve their theatre organ knowledge and skills.
In addition to the invaluable instruction and learning opportunities, students will forge lifelong
friendships with other young enthusiasts who share their passion for the theatre organ."

Tomorrow, Seamus, Keagan, and I journey west to San Diego.

The big reason for this particular destination is this:

The Spreckels Organ.  It is the second largest outdoor installation in the world.  The largest is in Austria.

We plan to go here:

 And here:

Holla!  The shores of La Jolla.

I'm hoping we can do a bit of snorkeling.

Isn't it cute!  Leopard sharks!

So what can go wrong?  Everything.  But time will tell.

We will land in San Diego at 1:30 AM Friday (10:30 PM local time) if all goes well.

In the meantime, if you want, feel free to read my blogs from travels to Japan in 2013, or to Dresden, Germany and Barcelona, Spain in 2011.

Security

It always starts smoothly. Keagan was given and "expedited" tag with no explanation. 

We clumsily put our stuff in bins. We're out of practice. We had it down to a science last summer. 

I realized that my fitbit, hooked to my bra, needed to be removed. I was as covert and casual as I could be, reaching gracefull into my shirt. 

Up ahead, Keagan was told his baggage needed a further check and that because he was "expedited", he didn't need to take off his shoes. Although they were already off. 

I was pulled aside because I had a $20 bill that had been laundered with my pants. So, I hadn't actually emptied my pockets.  I remembered the fitbit, but still had my pockets patted down. And my armpits, for good measure. 

Then, she put a cotton square in some sort of contraption and pulled me over a machine. She swabbed my hand saying, "This is why everything means everything out of your pockets."  She declared me free of explosive dust. 

Keagan was still standing looking stressed at his luggage. 

I left my personal tsa agent to go see about Keagan. 

But "Wait, Ma'am!"  Seamus was standing there, mortified and mystified. "We need an adult to witness his pat down."  She again asked Seamus if he was wearing a chain. She ran her hands over his front and back and was declared clean. 

Back to Keagan. We had to stand opposite our baggage with a low partition separating us. 

 "Ahhh, here it is!"  The agent triumphantly held up a jar of peanut butter. Keagan didn't even know I had packed it. The agent was sympathetic and asked if we wanted to give it to a returning traveler.   I declined. At this point, we were all embarrassed. 

Off to a fabulous start. We board in 20 minutes.