Palm Springs -- Rancho Mirage
Mini-Reunion III
Feb 8-10, 2013
Our third Mini-Reunion in the Southern California desert was again expertly co-hosted by Joe & Peggy Schluchter and Greg & Ruth Gazda and was another rousing success. The 26 attendees included 15 classmates (11 with spouses):
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Can't recognize someone? Put your cursor over the guy's face, and his name should "fly out".
As with the guys, put your mouse over the lady's face, and her name should "fly out".
The Trip to Palm Springs (for some)
"Air Duch" departs Midway in Chicago ...
... with an enroute stop in Emporia, KS, to pickup Ken and Judy Calhoun
Mary Bridges, Craig Duchossois, Howard Bridges, Doug Neumann
Judy Calhoun, Craig Duchossois, Jay Owen
Gee, Craig ... all these gorgeous women giving you lap dances...
Judy and Ken Calhoun
Ken Calhoun and Buzz Eisenberg
Tricia Fox, the better half of Buzz Eisenberg
Background, on the right: Craig and Jay
Although it was not totally planned, the Hilton Garden Inn on Hwy 111 in Rancho Mirage became our de facto headquarters hotel.
A pleasant enough hotel. Unfortunately, its bar closed at 9 PM (!) ... much to the consternation of several classmates.
Friday Evening
The Mini began with us all gathering at the Las Casuelas Nuevas restaurant in Rancho Mirage for outstanding Mexican food and margaritas.
Doug Neumann and Pac Wildman
John Davis and Lou Desenberg
Jay Owen, Craig Duchossois, Doug Neumann, Buzz Eisenberg, Judy Calhoun, Ken Calhoun
Lou and Cathy (mostly hidden by Lou) Desenberg, Carole Wright, Phil Wright, Raymond Dewey, Linda Dewey, Ruth Gazda (back to camera), Greg Gazda
Peggy & Joe Schluchter, Mary & Howard Bridges, Pac Wildman, Tricia Fox
Mary Bridges and Peggy Schluchter
Saturday Morning
A cool (for Palm Springs) morning made it a perfect day for a hike though the Indian Canyons, expertly led by Greg Gazda.
Greg's outstanding planning provided us with ample water and snacks. John Davis' "Fibit One" claimed that the altitude changes during the hike were the equivalent of climbing over 40 flights of stairs!
Some rock formations
A grove in the second canyon we visited
The hikers: Put your cursor over a hiker's face to have their name "fly out"
You think Phil Wright (on the far left) looks a bit odd? Good eye. That's because his image was very clumsily pasted into the picture that he took.
Didn't want to leave anyone out of the group photo!
Saturday Afternoon -- Golf
Joe Schluchter, Ken Calhoun, Doug Neumann,
Jay Owen
Craig Duchossois …
... a man out standing in his field of dreams
The space between "out" and "standing" is intentional LOL!
Joe Schluchter and Craig Duchossois
Lou Desenberg, Greg Gazda, and Pac Wildman
Saturday Afternoon -- Sunnylands
Several of us who were too embarrassed to show up on the golf course elected to visit the Sunnylands Center and Gardens, located on the estate of the late Walter and Leonore Annenberg, Ambassador to the Court of St. James (Britain) and host to Presidents, Supreme Court Justices, etc. A 20-minute movie gave us a great background on the history and current use of the estate and its golf course.
While we were not able to get reservations for touring the house on Saturday, the Gardens and Center were open ... and beautiful ... and free.
Mr. Annenberg appears to have been as much of a duffer as the rest of us
One of his most prominent successes
Saturday Evening
We began the evening with delicious appetizers and drinks at Joe and Peggy Schluchter's home at The Springs.
Greg Gazda, Pac Wildman (back to camera), Raymond and Linda Dewey, Marian Johns, Peggy Schluchter (Judy Calhoun with back to camera)
Betsy Davis, Carol Wright (back to camera), Mary Bridges, Connie Malcolm, Joe Schluchter, Craig Duchossios
Phil Wright and Lou Desenberg
Ken Calhoun and Howie Bridges
... and in the "would you believe" category ...
Connie Malcolm and Doug Neumann
"Endy Melcum" and "Dug Newman" (a/k/a Andy Malcolm and Doug Neumann)
The socializing at the Schluchter's was followed by dinner at The Springs Clubhouse.
Clockwise from lower left: Judy and Ken Calhoun, Peggy & Joe Schluchter, Andy Malcolm (standing), Ruth and Greg Gazda, Connie Malcolm
Clockwise from lower left: Betsy Davis (back to her husband's camera), Pac Wildman, Linda and Raymond Dewey, Phil and Carol Wright, Howard and Mary Bridges
Clockwise from lower left: Tricia Fox (back to camera), Buzz Eisenberg, Doug Neumann, Marian & Frank Johns, Jay Owen, Cathy Desenberg (back to camera; Lou is out of frame, to the right)
Your Class Presidents (Past and Current): Craig Duchossois and John Davis
Sunday Morning
The morning began with an informal breakfast at the Hilton Garden Inn. After which most everyone headed out to fly back home ... with plenty of wonderful memories of yet another superb Mini Reunion. Sorry ... no pix from the departures.
Thanks again to the Schluchters and the Gazdas for putting together another spectacular Mini-Reunion in the desert.
Joe and Peggy -- March 2013