We took this hike with 7 other people from Donna’s Women’s Welcome Club of El Paso. The hike was approximately 3-1/2 miles round trip.
Organ Mt. / Desert Peaks Hike – October 2018
Category: USA
This page contains pictures and information about camping trips and other travel within the US. It also includes visits that family members and others made to our area and home. It is arranged chronologically starting with the most recent trip/visit. Scroll down to see all the entries. One of my lifetime goals has been to visit all the national parks in the US. When Donna & I travel, we also go out of our way to visit national monuments, seashores, memorials, battlefields, preserves, parkways, recreation areas, rivers, scenic trails, lakeshores and national historic sites. So, you may wonder ‐ why have I chosen this as a goal? The answer is simple – as a citizen of this great country, I, like you, am one of the many owners of these national treasures. As such, I consider it a priority to go visit what I own and enjoy the scenic wonders, the incredible memorials, and the cherished wilderness that so many have fought and died to give us this privilege. Having said that, I dedicate this section of my website to my parents, my kids and grandkids; and the rest of my family, especially my wife, who have honored and participated in my traveling addiction over the last several decades.
Oceanside, CA Visit – August 2018
This was a Mannino Family reunion near Donna’s brother Carl’s house in Oceanside, CA. We rented an Airbnb home for us, Donna’s parents, Steve & Cheryl, Jan and Patti. We went deep sea fishing and visited the Channel Islands National Park, in addition to multiple meals, swimming and other good times between the Airbnb place and Carl’s house.
Rockport, TX (UPC Trip) – August 2018
There were 5 volunteers (Team #2) from the UPC Church who donated their time to help victims of the 2017 Hurricane Harvey storm. Donna & I joined the team with Larry McGinnes, Eva Matta & Maureen Keton for a 4 day trip from El Paso to Rockford, TX. We worked hard in the heat and humid conditions of the area, patchng a roof on one home, helping others move furniture from one place to another. All went well.
Habitat Conference – TX – July 2018
I went to this conference in Corpus Christi, TX; having been newly elected as Board Chair for Habitat for Humanity – El Paso (HFHEP). Dave Driscoll – Executive Director and John Venezuela – ReStore Manager also attended the conference.
Canada (Toronto), PA, Michigan – June 2018
This was an RV trip to attend the annual RVF rally in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. We took Donna’s parents with us, dropped them off at her brother Steve’s home, then drove to Toronto. After that we toured the Bruce Peninsula, including Flowerpot Island. We then drove north skirting the US/Canada border, arriving in Michigan, where we camped near the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. After that we drove back to PA, stopping at Cuyoga Valley National Park in Ohio. We returned home on the traditional route (Interstate 81, 40, 30, 20, 10). The total trip covered 7,000 miles over a 4-week period.
Russian RFE Visit – March 2018
A team of 9 Russian Rotarians visited El Paso in March. There were 5 host families for the event and the visit lasted 5 days. There were different activities each day, including visits to mfg plants, the Habitat ReStore, White Sands NM, the New Mexico Museum of Space History, Lanes Ranch and the home of our District Governor, Linda Woodward. The last day the team gave a presentation at the meeting of the Rotary Club of West El Paso and we finished the day with a farewell party at the home of Doug & Sally Borrett. Carey was the event organizer.
Florida Female Cousins Trip – February 2018
This was a trip that Donna took with her sister Jan to visit her cousin Patti in Naples, Florida. All the female Mannino cousin’s were invited and most showed up. Donna said she had a great time because it was her 60th birthday celebration as well.
Steve/Dana Family Visit – November 2017
We celebrated Thanksgiving with Steve, Dana, Kira, Laura, Anna, & Julia. They spent 5 days with us and we enjoyed playing ping pong, riding horses, hiking at Mt. Cristo Rey, doing fun things at Bob-O’s and eating a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner that Donna prepared for all of us, including Barb & Charlie.
Albuquerque Balloon Festival – October 2017
We co-hosted the RVF Rally at the 2017 Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta with Bob & Betty Traister & Bill & Linda Jo Hendron. What an incredible adventure – we witnessed the mass ascension of over 500 balloons on two separate days. We camped at the Enchanted Trails campground near the event and had great fellowship with our other 29 RVF campers.
Disneyworld (Keith/Lindsay) – October 2017
We took Keith & Lindsay and their two kids (Kade & Bexley) on a trip to Disneyworld in Florida. We spent 7 days at the Shades of Green resort and visited all 4 Disney parks within Disneyworld. We walked a lot, ate a lot and had a great time with the kids and grandkids on the rides at the parks, and swimming & hot tubbing at the resort.
