It's 9:30 PM and we are nearing home. After 17 days, 7 states and 3,340 miles we are almost finished with this amazing adventure.
We left Coeur d'Alene at 8 AM and went into Spokane to continue looking for a scissor lift for the company. Gary spent quite a bit of time going from place to place trying to find one, while Taryn and I enjoyed listening to a few James MacDonald messages on Walk in the Word. If you have never heard him teach the Word we would both highly recommend you do. http://www.walkintheword.com/
We were just on the road again when Taryn came down with another severe headache. No reason this time, but she went down flat. I gave her two Tylenol and told her to sleep if at all possible, but the pain was too great. I watched her for quite a while. Just when she would about be asleep a throb of pain in her head would come that I could physically see happen. Hard to watch her hurt so badly.
Our plan was to stop in Moses Lake and go to the water park there for a final fun stop, but that never happened. Instead we stopped at a park by the lake and sat there for four hours just trying to get her to a place where she could travel again. We finally got her to sleep for two hours and then slowly got back on the road.
It took till Seattle for her to start feeling better. So glad she is. We spent the last few hours of the drive watching episodes of I Love Lucy together. (Europe season 5 rocks!)
We are now on the Guide and just a few short minutes from home, I'm sure Wilson will be glad to see us. He gets so grumpy when we travel for more than a few days. Taryn had hoped to go to Emma tonite but that will have to wait till tomorrow.
Thankful is what I am feeling as we near home. I'm thankful for this trip - for my husband - for my children - for memories - for safety - for adventure - for creation - for America - oh, I could just go on and on. I am blessed. We are blessed. It's been an amazing ride. And hey, I even finished my blog this trip!
Monday, July 7, 2008
Montana's a Big State
Our Sunday was all about driving across Montana. My word, it is a big state! Took us most of the day.
When we got near Bozeman it occurred to me how close we were to some family we rarely see. I decided to call Mom and get a phone number to try and connect with them, but we had no cell service. So much for that.
We stopped in Butte for lunch, and then in Missoula to look for a scissor lift for the company. We were tempted at this point to stay there at a nice "resort", but ultimately decided to continue on.
Gary needed a break so I got to drive for the first time this trip. Taryn sat up front with me and Gary was able to get some rest.
Around 7:30 we got to the Coeur d'Alene area and took Taryn to the Wolf Lodge for dinner - a very unique place we discovered last fall when we were here with Ross and Taya.
After a delicious steak dinner we found our "resort". Get this, it had been a KOA but isn't any more. They just rearranged the letters and now call it the A OK. Sillyness!
Their store was closed but we managed to get the guy to sell us some firewood - at $7 a bundle, thank-you very much! All this so we could make s'mores for a treat on our last camping nite.
Taryn cut down and sharpened sticks for us and we had our last hurrah over our little fire. So fun.
There is a great crisis on 24 that we are in the middle of so had to watch another episode of that before bed. Sure glad Jack Bauer is handling it.
When we got near Bozeman it occurred to me how close we were to some family we rarely see. I decided to call Mom and get a phone number to try and connect with them, but we had no cell service. So much for that.
We stopped in Butte for lunch, and then in Missoula to look for a scissor lift for the company. We were tempted at this point to stay there at a nice "resort", but ultimately decided to continue on.
Gary needed a break so I got to drive for the first time this trip. Taryn sat up front with me and Gary was able to get some rest.
Around 7:30 we got to the Coeur d'Alene area and took Taryn to the Wolf Lodge for dinner - a very unique place we discovered last fall when we were here with Ross and Taya.
After a delicious steak dinner we found our "resort". Get this, it had been a KOA but isn't any more. They just rearranged the letters and now call it the A OK. Sillyness!
Their store was closed but we managed to get the guy to sell us some firewood - at $7 a bundle, thank-you very much! All this so we could make s'mores for a treat on our last camping nite.
Taryn cut down and sharpened sticks for us and we had our last hurrah over our little fire. So fun.
There is a great crisis on 24 that we are in the middle of so had to watch another episode of that before bed. Sure glad Jack Bauer is handling it.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Ya Gotta Love Yellowstone!
In '07 we entered Yellowstone from the East and exited thru the Roosevelt Arch to the North. This year we entered from the Tetons -South and will exit thru the West.
This will be a one day fly-by so we are limited on what we can see. While we would love to focus on animals we are here mid-day which is not prime animal watch time, however, we will be watching carefully to see all we can.
First stop is always a visitors center to speak with the ranger about where animals are located today, and also to help us find the mud pots - a favorite from last year. There we found out that Artists' Paint Pots, one of our favorites, is closed indefinitely.
Last year the three of us hiked there in the evening. I remember feeling strange that we were the only ones out there at dusk, but it was beautiful and a great hike. While hiking along the designated path the earth suddenly became warm under our feet. We all stopped and felt the ground and it was strangely and extremely warm. That was kinda eerie because you know what's below you - closer than you think??
Apparently this spring a woman was walking along that path and and her foot went down into a mud pot. She was burned badly according to the ranger and the paths are being reconfigured by geologists. Yikes!
Our first stop was the west Thumb Geyser Basin Trail. First thing we noticed is how high the water is in Yellowstone Lake compared to what is was last July.
There is something called the Fishing Cone just off shore. Mountain men tell of catching a fish in the lake, dipping it right on the line into the boiling water of Fishing Cone and their fish was cooked without even taking it off the line.
Last year the cone was very visibly protruding from the water. This year it is completely submerged and not quite as spectacular of a sight.
One funny incident was a Japanese man was standing next to us looking at the sign that said "Fishing Cone". In broken English he asked us "What this means "cone", so we explained the shape, and then Gary told him the fishing story. He smiled and nodded.
We walked on and pretty soon a small group was gathered around him and in Japanese he was telling them all about the fishing story and they seemed quite impressed - laughing and making fishing motions with their hands. How cute was that?
Next month Gary's sister Kathy will be traveling thru Yellowstone so we are trying to see Yellowstone thru her eyes -taking notes and gathering info here that will be helpful for her maneuvering thru here.
Next stop was Fishing Bridge where we heard you could see fish spawning. Again, the water was just too high and running too fast. Later we stopped at a pullout and walked over to some rapids. There we could see fish everywhere resting and then attempting to move upstream. Really something to watch!
Other stops:
Mud Volcano Trail: Here, next to the Mud Geyser, lay a very large Mr. buffalo. This must be a favorite spot for them - we see "evidence" everywhere. Last year a big male was also here but farther uphill. At this stop you can see it all - from mud pots, cauldron springs, fumaroles. Yes, it really stinks but the sights and sounds are unforgettable.
Canyon Village:
One of the best shopping and eating locations. Don't miss the diner in the gift store. There's just nothing like sitting on a round stool next to the counter (your only option) Great burgers, but most importantly they serve Coke!
Fountain Paint Pots:
Silex Springs is one of the most beautiful hot spring pools to see up close. Great paint pots. Best sound from a fumaroles. Red Spouter a must see. Best viewing of geysers - you can literally sit right next to them. We happened to be there while Fountain Geyser was erupting which was a wonderful experience. Since it only happens every 6 hrs we were very fortunate to be able to enjoy it.
Midway Geyser Basin:
This was closed last year so we really enjoyed seeing it. Here the boiling water flows right down into the river below. Amazing. Grand Prismatic Spring is a must see.
Old Faithful Area:
We saved the best for last. This is the best place for ice cream...and Honcoop's know their ice cream! Head straight for the Old Faithful Inn, grab a cone then go to the second floor balcony to watch the next eruption of Old Faithful.
There is an extensive hiking area here with tons of pools and geysers to see. Since we did all of this last year we stuck with the ice cream option.
One sight to see here is Morning Glory Pool. While it is a long walk I made Gary & Taryn do it with me last year because this is such a memory for me from a childhood visit I made here with my family.
As a child this pool looked like it went right down to the center of the whole earth. There was just a boardwalk back then with no railings around it and I was scared to death but completely fascinated by it's beauty. Sadly it is no longer as beautiful due to vandalism. It has cooled and looks to be dying.
After dinner at Old Faithful Lodge we headed out of the park. We did see several buffalo, many elk, and a coyote. Fly fishing was also a big event happening. They were in every stream.
We found a "resort" in West Yellowstone and spent the nite there. Busy place even late at nite.
This will be a one day fly-by so we are limited on what we can see. While we would love to focus on animals we are here mid-day which is not prime animal watch time, however, we will be watching carefully to see all we can.
First stop is always a visitors center to speak with the ranger about where animals are located today, and also to help us find the mud pots - a favorite from last year. There we found out that Artists' Paint Pots, one of our favorites, is closed indefinitely.
Last year the three of us hiked there in the evening. I remember feeling strange that we were the only ones out there at dusk, but it was beautiful and a great hike. While hiking along the designated path the earth suddenly became warm under our feet. We all stopped and felt the ground and it was strangely and extremely warm. That was kinda eerie because you know what's below you - closer than you think??
Apparently this spring a woman was walking along that path and and her foot went down into a mud pot. She was burned badly according to the ranger and the paths are being reconfigured by geologists. Yikes!
Our first stop was the west Thumb Geyser Basin Trail. First thing we noticed is how high the water is in Yellowstone Lake compared to what is was last July.
There is something called the Fishing Cone just off shore. Mountain men tell of catching a fish in the lake, dipping it right on the line into the boiling water of Fishing Cone and their fish was cooked without even taking it off the line.
Last year the cone was very visibly protruding from the water. This year it is completely submerged and not quite as spectacular of a sight.
One funny incident was a Japanese man was standing next to us looking at the sign that said "Fishing Cone". In broken English he asked us "What this means "cone", so we explained the shape, and then Gary told him the fishing story. He smiled and nodded.
We walked on and pretty soon a small group was gathered around him and in Japanese he was telling them all about the fishing story and they seemed quite impressed - laughing and making fishing motions with their hands. How cute was that?
Next month Gary's sister Kathy will be traveling thru Yellowstone so we are trying to see Yellowstone thru her eyes -taking notes and gathering info here that will be helpful for her maneuvering thru here.
Next stop was Fishing Bridge where we heard you could see fish spawning. Again, the water was just too high and running too fast. Later we stopped at a pullout and walked over to some rapids. There we could see fish everywhere resting and then attempting to move upstream. Really something to watch!
Other stops:
Mud Volcano Trail: Here, next to the Mud Geyser, lay a very large Mr. buffalo. This must be a favorite spot for them - we see "evidence" everywhere. Last year a big male was also here but farther uphill. At this stop you can see it all - from mud pots, cauldron springs, fumaroles. Yes, it really stinks but the sights and sounds are unforgettable.
Canyon Village:
One of the best shopping and eating locations. Don't miss the diner in the gift store. There's just nothing like sitting on a round stool next to the counter (your only option) Great burgers, but most importantly they serve Coke!
Fountain Paint Pots:
Silex Springs is one of the most beautiful hot spring pools to see up close. Great paint pots. Best sound from a fumaroles. Red Spouter a must see. Best viewing of geysers - you can literally sit right next to them. We happened to be there while Fountain Geyser was erupting which was a wonderful experience. Since it only happens every 6 hrs we were very fortunate to be able to enjoy it.
Midway Geyser Basin:
This was closed last year so we really enjoyed seeing it. Here the boiling water flows right down into the river below. Amazing. Grand Prismatic Spring is a must see.
Old Faithful Area:
We saved the best for last. This is the best place for ice cream...and Honcoop's know their ice cream! Head straight for the Old Faithful Inn, grab a cone then go to the second floor balcony to watch the next eruption of Old Faithful.
There is an extensive hiking area here with tons of pools and geysers to see. Since we did all of this last year we stuck with the ice cream option.
One sight to see here is Morning Glory Pool. While it is a long walk I made Gary & Taryn do it with me last year because this is such a memory for me from a childhood visit I made here with my family.
As a child this pool looked like it went right down to the center of the whole earth. There was just a boardwalk back then with no railings around it and I was scared to death but completely fascinated by it's beauty. Sadly it is no longer as beautiful due to vandalism. It has cooled and looks to be dying.
After dinner at Old Faithful Lodge we headed out of the park. We did see several buffalo, many elk, and a coyote. Fly fishing was also a big event happening. They were in every stream.
We found a "resort" in West Yellowstone and spent the nite there. Busy place even late at nite.
Friday, July 4, 2008
Grand Teton National Park
Last year we heard many stories from others about the beauty of the Grand Tetons, but we just couldn't fit it in our trip. This year we were determined to see it.
After participating in the Afton parade (by accident - see prior post)we headed towards Jackson Hole. This was a shorter drive that I thot it would be. Again we traveled thru beautiful farm land and ranches.
Jackson Hole is a ski resort community with a cowboy twist. The architecture has a unique flare all its own. And guess what? ...they were having a parade too! But try as he might Gary could not find a way to get our bbow in this one.
As the parade ended we found a spot to park the bbow - right next to all the police horse trailers. Perfect. This gave us a chance to walk thru town a bit.
The square in the center of town has an arch on each corner made completely of elk antlers. The Boy Scouts had collected these antlers back in the 1960's. That's a lot of antlers!
We found a few fun things to buy and then grabbed lunch at Saddle Rock Family Saloon. This was actually a dinner theater and our lunch servers were some of the actors from the show. Every so often music would start and they would sing to us. My favorite song was "You Are My Sunshine" because my Daddy used to sing that with us and taught it to all my kids when they were little.
By the time we left town clouds has rolled in and it was quite windy. We drove to the park entrance closest to the ski village and as we entered there was a big sign saying bbows were not allowed. Say what??
Apparently this entrance has a section of road too narrow and windy for them to navigate. (Gary still thinks he and the bbow could have handled it) We had to drive back thru Jackson Hole to enter at the Moose Junction entrance. This brought us in the park close to the new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center - a impressive building to say the least.
We spent about an hour there and then entered the actual park at the Moose entry station. The nice part was we now knew what we wanted to see, where to go to see it, and that there were still RV sites available inside the park for tonite. One of the ranger presentations explained where all the animals could be seen, so armed with that information we had a great game plan.
The Grand Teton Range, while not all that long, is absolutely incredible to see. What makes it so magnificent is that there are no foothills to obstruct them, so they appear to rise straight up out of the Jackson Hole valley. The jagged peaks are still covered with snow and do have an Alps-like appearance.
It was important that we secure a place to camp tonite so we drove half way thru the park to get a site. On the way we spotted an elk and a bit later a prong horn.
Suddenly we saw vehicles pulled over everywhere and knew something big was happening, so we got as close as we could and Taryn jumped out to climb up on top of the bbow and see what everyone was looking at. It was actually two black bears playing in the scrub brush. We maneuvered to a better spot and could see them as they moved in and out of view. Then one began to head straight for the road. The ranger stopped vehicles in both directions and the bear actually came right out on to the road. He seemed to realize he was a photo op so he stopped, posed, turned, and went right back where he came from. The three of us watched this from the top of the bbow but the people on the ground ran up to get as close of a picture as the ranger would allow - which was actually quite close.
The best was a woman who missed the picture moment. A most kind Japanese man showed her his picture on his wide screen camera. She then took a picture of the bear off his picture of the bear...and it turned out! She was so happy.
We got a campsite, made a quick dinner, and then went out to look for animals again. Evening is the perfect time. And we were not disappointed. We saw herds of elk grazing in a valley, drove right thru a moving herd of buffalo and nourished some of the biggest mosquitoes we have seen this trip.
After participating in the Afton parade (by accident - see prior post)we headed towards Jackson Hole. This was a shorter drive that I thot it would be. Again we traveled thru beautiful farm land and ranches.
Jackson Hole is a ski resort community with a cowboy twist. The architecture has a unique flare all its own. And guess what? ...they were having a parade too! But try as he might Gary could not find a way to get our bbow in this one.
As the parade ended we found a spot to park the bbow - right next to all the police horse trailers. Perfect. This gave us a chance to walk thru town a bit.
The square in the center of town has an arch on each corner made completely of elk antlers. The Boy Scouts had collected these antlers back in the 1960's. That's a lot of antlers!
We found a few fun things to buy and then grabbed lunch at Saddle Rock Family Saloon. This was actually a dinner theater and our lunch servers were some of the actors from the show. Every so often music would start and they would sing to us. My favorite song was "You Are My Sunshine" because my Daddy used to sing that with us and taught it to all my kids when they were little.
By the time we left town clouds has rolled in and it was quite windy. We drove to the park entrance closest to the ski village and as we entered there was a big sign saying bbows were not allowed. Say what??
Apparently this entrance has a section of road too narrow and windy for them to navigate. (Gary still thinks he and the bbow could have handled it) We had to drive back thru Jackson Hole to enter at the Moose Junction entrance. This brought us in the park close to the new Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center - a impressive building to say the least.
We spent about an hour there and then entered the actual park at the Moose entry station. The nice part was we now knew what we wanted to see, where to go to see it, and that there were still RV sites available inside the park for tonite. One of the ranger presentations explained where all the animals could be seen, so armed with that information we had a great game plan.
The Grand Teton Range, while not all that long, is absolutely incredible to see. What makes it so magnificent is that there are no foothills to obstruct them, so they appear to rise straight up out of the Jackson Hole valley. The jagged peaks are still covered with snow and do have an Alps-like appearance.
It was important that we secure a place to camp tonite so we drove half way thru the park to get a site. On the way we spotted an elk and a bit later a prong horn.
Suddenly we saw vehicles pulled over everywhere and knew something big was happening, so we got as close as we could and Taryn jumped out to climb up on top of the bbow and see what everyone was looking at. It was actually two black bears playing in the scrub brush. We maneuvered to a better spot and could see them as they moved in and out of view. Then one began to head straight for the road. The ranger stopped vehicles in both directions and the bear actually came right out on to the road. He seemed to realize he was a photo op so he stopped, posed, turned, and went right back where he came from. The three of us watched this from the top of the bbow but the people on the ground ran up to get as close of a picture as the ranger would allow - which was actually quite close.
The best was a woman who missed the picture moment. A most kind Japanese man showed her his picture on his wide screen camera. She then took a picture of the bear off his picture of the bear...and it turned out! She was so happy.
We got a campsite, made a quick dinner, and then went out to look for animals again. Evening is the perfect time. And we were not disappointed. We saw herds of elk grazing in a valley, drove right thru a moving herd of buffalo and nourished some of the biggest mosquitoes we have seen this trip.
Our First Parade
Leaving Afton this morning we followed their main street thru town as they were just ready to begin their Fourth of July parade. The street was lined with lawn chairs filled with parade watchers and we got to drive in our bbow right past them all. Gary smiled and waved to everyone. Taryn was simply mortified and slumped down in her seat as far as she possibly could begging him to stop. So funny! Just had to share that. Happy 4th!
Happy Birthday America!
"The highest glory of the American Revolution was this; it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government and the principles of Christianity. From the day of the Declaration...they (the American people) were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the laws of the Gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledge as the rules of their conduct."
-- President John Quincy Adams, July 4, 1821
-- President John Quincy Adams, July 4, 1821
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Dinosaurland
The reason we headed to Vernal was to see the Dinosaur National Monument Quarry. Let's just say the Vernal embraces their dinosaur-ness. The have them everywhere. It's crazy.
At Dinosaur National Monument more than 1600 dinosaur bones are embedded in a sandstone wall. It is really quite impressive. Gary and Taryn went on an hour long fossil tour, but the Quarry Visitor Center itself is closed for repairs which was disappointing. They still enjoyed what they saw and learned.
We refueled, had lunch and then began a very long drive into Wyoming. Our goal is to get close to Jackson Hole.
We used as many back roads as possible to avoid the boring freeway driving. This took us thru Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
The Flaming Gorge Reservoir sits behind Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River, and I must say Gary showed great restraint by only stopping for a few pictures. He finds dams hard to resist - just ask any of our kids.
We followed Hwy 191 up to Rock Springs Wyoming, then took Hwy 30 to Afton. All thru this area we saw Haliburton trucks. They are drilling natural gas wells and laying pipe everywhere. Hot Tip: BUY STOCK NOW!
Again we are passing thru beautiful areas of farming country. One thing we notice, the closer we get to Jackson Hole the more amazing the homes and ranches are.
At Dinosaur National Monument more than 1600 dinosaur bones are embedded in a sandstone wall. It is really quite impressive. Gary and Taryn went on an hour long fossil tour, but the Quarry Visitor Center itself is closed for repairs which was disappointing. They still enjoyed what they saw and learned.
We refueled, had lunch and then began a very long drive into Wyoming. Our goal is to get close to Jackson Hole.
We used as many back roads as possible to avoid the boring freeway driving. This took us thru Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area.
The Flaming Gorge Reservoir sits behind Flaming Gorge Dam on the Green River, and I must say Gary showed great restraint by only stopping for a few pictures. He finds dams hard to resist - just ask any of our kids.
We followed Hwy 191 up to Rock Springs Wyoming, then took Hwy 30 to Afton. All thru this area we saw Haliburton trucks. They are drilling natural gas wells and laying pipe everywhere. Hot Tip: BUY STOCK NOW!
Again we are passing thru beautiful areas of farming country. One thing we notice, the closer we get to Jackson Hole the more amazing the homes and ranches are.
An Evening Drive
After our quad adventure we still had an eventful 5 hour drive from Moab Utah to Vernal Utah. To get there we had to travel into Colorado
What is striking about this drive is how the scenery changes. Gone are the red rock canyons I love so, into completely grey rock. It's like going from color telvision to black and white. Then just as suddenly green shrubs and tree appear and the land looks completely different again. I remember this drive well from last year.
Once in Colorado we turned North on Hwy 139 which took us on a new route over a high pass. On our drive over the pass we encountered open range land and saw beautiful completely back cows and calf's all along the road. Every once in a while a red one was thrown in there, to add color I guess. It was amazing the steep inclines they were grazing on.
We were also amazed at how high up we went. We watched our altitude rise to over 8200 feet. At the top we stopped for a picture and while we were there Taya called and it was so good to hear from her. Their trip home went well and Isaiah was so glad to see Ted his favorite friend who stayed behind so Beaver could travel on the houseboat with him. How cute is that!!
Sitting at the top of the pass a mule deer wandered out from the brush. (eat your heart out John Eide). But the best was seeing two large female elk grazing in an alpine meadow.
The drive down in the dark was a bit crazy. We met so many semi's on those windy, unfamiliar roads. Not my favorite scenario.
It was quite late when we again entered Utah but we were clearly in farm country and it all felt so much like home. Green and irrigation running everywhere. The only thing that seemed out of place was all the dinosaurs. They were everywhere!
What is striking about this drive is how the scenery changes. Gone are the red rock canyons I love so, into completely grey rock. It's like going from color telvision to black and white. Then just as suddenly green shrubs and tree appear and the land looks completely different again. I remember this drive well from last year.
Once in Colorado we turned North on Hwy 139 which took us on a new route over a high pass. On our drive over the pass we encountered open range land and saw beautiful completely back cows and calf's all along the road. Every once in a while a red one was thrown in there, to add color I guess. It was amazing the steep inclines they were grazing on.
We were also amazed at how high up we went. We watched our altitude rise to over 8200 feet. At the top we stopped for a picture and while we were there Taya called and it was so good to hear from her. Their trip home went well and Isaiah was so glad to see Ted his favorite friend who stayed behind so Beaver could travel on the houseboat with him. How cute is that!!
Sitting at the top of the pass a mule deer wandered out from the brush. (eat your heart out John Eide). But the best was seeing two large female elk grazing in an alpine meadow.
The drive down in the dark was a bit crazy. We met so many semi's on those windy, unfamiliar roads. Not my favorite scenario.
It was quite late when we again entered Utah but we were clearly in farm country and it all felt so much like home. Green and irrigation running everywhere. The only thing that seemed out of place was all the dinosaurs. They were everywhere!
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Adventure Begins!
OK, I'm not quite sure how this all happened but somehow a bike trip became a quad trip. And before I knew it we had a 18' trailer behind the bbow loaded with two quads and we were on our way to Kane Springs Canyon. We were told where the road ends the adventure begins and it sure did.
Gary and Taryn drove a Polaris 800 with a jump seat. That was the last one of those they had today so I ended up driving a Yamaha 450 Rhino which is a two passenger side-by-side movin' machine. I called it the Mom-mobile. While no one rode with me I carried the sun screen, bug repellent and the all-important supply of water. I kept up with them no problem.
We had the most amazing experience and a whole lot of fun. Kane Creek road begins with a wide gravel road and is a great way to get used to your machine. Then it narrows into a more rocky path that heads up to Hurrah Pass which is 9.7 mi. from the pavement. It was a spectacular trip up that takes you thru Chicken Corners and the Lockhart Basin. We enjoyed the view at the top of Hurrah Pass at 4,780 ft. I must say I felt quite accomplished.
All along the way there are millions of trails to explore and we had a blast heading down various creek bed, sandy gulches ect. There are amazing formations of rocks and we even saw an Indian birthing stone with petroglyphics (look it up). Amazing!
Several hours later we were back at the bbow hot, sweaty, and completely covered with fine red dust. It was sick, but did we ever have a great adventure together. Every piece of our clothing had to be confined to a large plastic garbage bag and all of us needed to shower - thank you bbow for providing us with that.
After loading it was back to Moab to wash the bbow and the bikes, refuel and return them.
We are now extremely late and still have to drive 226 miles tonite. We will pass thru a part of Colorado and back in to Utah and still plan to stay in Vernal.
As I write we are in Loma CO heading North on Hwy 139 approx. 100 mi on our way. A great adventure - a great day!
Gary and Taryn drove a Polaris 800 with a jump seat. That was the last one of those they had today so I ended up driving a Yamaha 450 Rhino which is a two passenger side-by-side movin' machine. I called it the Mom-mobile. While no one rode with me I carried the sun screen, bug repellent and the all-important supply of water. I kept up with them no problem.
We had the most amazing experience and a whole lot of fun. Kane Creek road begins with a wide gravel road and is a great way to get used to your machine. Then it narrows into a more rocky path that heads up to Hurrah Pass which is 9.7 mi. from the pavement. It was a spectacular trip up that takes you thru Chicken Corners and the Lockhart Basin. We enjoyed the view at the top of Hurrah Pass at 4,780 ft. I must say I felt quite accomplished.
All along the way there are millions of trails to explore and we had a blast heading down various creek bed, sandy gulches ect. There are amazing formations of rocks and we even saw an Indian birthing stone with petroglyphics (look it up). Amazing!
Several hours later we were back at the bbow hot, sweaty, and completely covered with fine red dust. It was sick, but did we ever have a great adventure together. Every piece of our clothing had to be confined to a large plastic garbage bag and all of us needed to shower - thank you bbow for providing us with that.
After loading it was back to Moab to wash the bbow and the bikes, refuel and return them.
We are now extremely late and still have to drive 226 miles tonite. We will pass thru a part of Colorado and back in to Utah and still plan to stay in Vernal.
As I write we are in Loma CO heading North on Hwy 139 approx. 100 mi on our way. A great adventure - a great day!
Moab - Where Adventure Begins!
That's quite a tag for a town, but in this case it is true. Moab is an amazing place to play and your options are limitless.
We started our day at the KOA pancake breakfast which was great. They even made Grandma Likkel's syrup for us. How did they know???
Our first stop today was a wonderful walking bridge over the Colorado River. This is where the water we enjoyed in lake Powell last week came from. An amazing river to be sure. There are bikers everywhere and that is looking pretty fun to Taryn.
Next stop Arches National Park to get Taryn's National Park Passport stamped. On our way there we spotted a Colorado riverboat tour and decided to look in to it. It left at 8 AM so that was out. Taryn really wanted to ride bike so we picked up a few brochures to see what was available and then continued on to Arches.
We got her passport book stamped and then looked at the Park map and realized we had been thru most of this last year, and what we hadn't seen was a 6 mile hike. It is 98 degrees at 9:30 and we're just not in the right condition for that so we decided to seriously look into a bike trip...and you won't believe where we ended up today...
We started our day at the KOA pancake breakfast which was great. They even made Grandma Likkel's syrup for us. How did they know???
Our first stop today was a wonderful walking bridge over the Colorado River. This is where the water we enjoyed in lake Powell last week came from. An amazing river to be sure. There are bikers everywhere and that is looking pretty fun to Taryn.
Next stop Arches National Park to get Taryn's National Park Passport stamped. On our way there we spotted a Colorado riverboat tour and decided to look in to it. It left at 8 AM so that was out. Taryn really wanted to ride bike so we picked up a few brochures to see what was available and then continued on to Arches.
We got her passport book stamped and then looked at the Park map and realized we had been thru most of this last year, and what we hadn't seen was a 6 mile hike. It is 98 degrees at 9:30 and we're just not in the right condition for that so we decided to seriously look into a bike trip...and you won't believe where we ended up today...
9 is 6 Upside-down
We semi-woke up when the sun hit our eyes. For those of you who read last year's adventure in the bbow know that our back bedroom has a design flaw - a skylight right above our bed. This is a most obnoxious deterrent to sleeping in. Ridiculous!
Anyway, Gary looked at his watch and thot it said 9:00 AM and we were late. He woke me, got up, and started coffee. I told him we needed to get our boat towels from the laundry and pay the office for laundry services. When he got to the laundry room he found our boat towels folded and in a smart little plastic bag. Thank you laundry elves!
Back at the bbow he put eye drops in his eyes, which are really bothering him with this head cold, and then discovered it was really 6 AM. What a shock! He crawled back in bed and got another hour of sleep. We're not moving very fast this morning. Ya think??
We were all kinda loopy this morning but finally got on our way to Canyonlands National Park. We entered in the Needles District. Boy, did we ever make a good call last nite skipping that entrance to the south. Guess what - it's a dirt 4-wheel drive only road. The bbow would have been sadly out of its element. Good call!
Our first stop was the visitors center to get an idea of what we want to see and do here. Basically there are three sections of the park: Island in the Sky, The Maze and The Needles. These parts are divided by the confluence of the Colorado and Green River.
We also learned there are 5 typical rock formations found in the park: needles, fin, mushroom, pinnacle and arch. We saw examples of each as we drove.
We drove out to the fartherest stop first called Big Spring Canyon Overlook. Taryn used some of her pent up rock climbing energies here and there were some amazing views.
We hiked out onto some slick rock near Squaw Flat and got a great view of The Needles in the distance. Many of these areas are only accessible by 4-wheel drive. We didn't know this prior to getting here.
There is a viewpoint called The Wooden Shoe Overlook that looks out at an arch in the shape of a wooden shoe. No kidding! But a real highlight was stopping at the Roadside Ruins where we were able to see an actual ancient Indian grain storage ruin tucked up under a rock. That was incredible. It reminded me of a very large swallow's nest. I wouldn't be surprised if they used that as their design model.
We didn't realize that so much of the park is either 4-wheel drive access only or a significant hike. Gary is quite sick with a head cold and it is well over 100 degrees so we were not in any kind of condition to try much.
We decided to call it a day and move on to Moab for the nite. This is quite unusual for us since we tend to pack our days to the very limit, but that's where we're at.
On our way out of the park Taryn went down with a severe headache. She was miserable and we didn't quite know what to do beyond the Tylenol so we kept moving.
We did make a stop at Wilson Arch - a magnificent tribute to our cat and personal favorite of ours, but Taryn was too sick to even get up and look at it so we regrettably went on. So sad!
It was around 6 PM when we pulled into the Moab KOA. This is a "resort" that Taryn would love - pool, mini golf, game room, evening ice cream social - she missed them all. She was really sick and slept thru dinner till nearly 9 pm, but when she woke up her headache was gone and we were so thankful. I went to the KOA store and got her chicken soup and 7-up. She ate a lite dinner and we watched some 24 before bed.
Gary worked on our route quite a bit tonite and looks like we will be getting home a few days later than I thot. The plan is to start our day at Arches, cut into a piece of Colorado and then end back in Vernel Utah.
Anyway, Gary looked at his watch and thot it said 9:00 AM and we were late. He woke me, got up, and started coffee. I told him we needed to get our boat towels from the laundry and pay the office for laundry services. When he got to the laundry room he found our boat towels folded and in a smart little plastic bag. Thank you laundry elves!
Back at the bbow he put eye drops in his eyes, which are really bothering him with this head cold, and then discovered it was really 6 AM. What a shock! He crawled back in bed and got another hour of sleep. We're not moving very fast this morning. Ya think??
We were all kinda loopy this morning but finally got on our way to Canyonlands National Park. We entered in the Needles District. Boy, did we ever make a good call last nite skipping that entrance to the south. Guess what - it's a dirt 4-wheel drive only road. The bbow would have been sadly out of its element. Good call!
Our first stop was the visitors center to get an idea of what we want to see and do here. Basically there are three sections of the park: Island in the Sky, The Maze and The Needles. These parts are divided by the confluence of the Colorado and Green River.
We also learned there are 5 typical rock formations found in the park: needles, fin, mushroom, pinnacle and arch. We saw examples of each as we drove.
We drove out to the fartherest stop first called Big Spring Canyon Overlook. Taryn used some of her pent up rock climbing energies here and there were some amazing views.
We hiked out onto some slick rock near Squaw Flat and got a great view of The Needles in the distance. Many of these areas are only accessible by 4-wheel drive. We didn't know this prior to getting here.
There is a viewpoint called The Wooden Shoe Overlook that looks out at an arch in the shape of a wooden shoe. No kidding! But a real highlight was stopping at the Roadside Ruins where we were able to see an actual ancient Indian grain storage ruin tucked up under a rock. That was incredible. It reminded me of a very large swallow's nest. I wouldn't be surprised if they used that as their design model.
We didn't realize that so much of the park is either 4-wheel drive access only or a significant hike. Gary is quite sick with a head cold and it is well over 100 degrees so we were not in any kind of condition to try much.
We decided to call it a day and move on to Moab for the nite. This is quite unusual for us since we tend to pack our days to the very limit, but that's where we're at.
On our way out of the park Taryn went down with a severe headache. She was miserable and we didn't quite know what to do beyond the Tylenol so we kept moving.
We did make a stop at Wilson Arch - a magnificent tribute to our cat and personal favorite of ours, but Taryn was too sick to even get up and look at it so we regrettably went on. So sad!
It was around 6 PM when we pulled into the Moab KOA. This is a "resort" that Taryn would love - pool, mini golf, game room, evening ice cream social - she missed them all. She was really sick and slept thru dinner till nearly 9 pm, but when she woke up her headache was gone and we were so thankful. I went to the KOA store and got her chicken soup and 7-up. She ate a lite dinner and we watched some 24 before bed.
Gary worked on our route quite a bit tonite and looks like we will be getting home a few days later than I thot. The plan is to start our day at Arches, cut into a piece of Colorado and then end back in Vernel Utah.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
And Now the Hard Part
By 11 AM we were nearing the marina so Brandon and Gary got in the ski boat and went ahead to get it loaded for travel. The rest of us sorted, packed and cleaned so we could make the best time at getting off the boat.
Britt and Shana will actually fly out of Salt Lake City late today so they have a big day and will need to be the first to leave. Britt figured out all the modes of transportation he will experience in this one day and it is impressive: houseboat, rental car, airplane, shuttle, SUV & pick up. That's a big day.
Before returning your houseboat it must be refueled. You radio ahead when you are near and then are granted permission to dock. Britt pulled that big houseboat right up to the refueling dock perfectly. The fueler even said "in all my years working here that is the best customer docking I've ever seen". He has a gift with vehicles.
After refueling we waited for a docking pilot to come on board and bring our houseboat in. Once we were docked everyone scrambled to load and go. It was at least 100 degrees so it was miserable work. Thankfully we were still able to use their four wheeler and trailer to bring everything to our vehicles. Still, the effort of dividing and sorting everything was monumental.
Britt and Shana did a load and go, so they were the first two on the road. Brandon and Greta helped us sort and pack everything that will go with them back to Lynden in the boat and pick-up. All the rest was thrown into the bbow to go with us. This was all just a big mess and I was completely overwhelmed by it.
Finally it was time to say good bye to Ross, Taya and Isaiah who will be traveling with Brandon and Greta to Salt Lake City tonite and then flying home tomorrow. This was pretty hard on me and I lost it big time. Suddenly it was all over and it just felt so cruel. I was not prepared for how deeply I would feel this. It was depressing. Here I was sitting in this big mess that I couldn't seem to make any sense or order out of. I literally began to stick stuff away to get it out of sight. I just couldn't deal with it.
Our plan is to take a ferry to the other side of the lake and travel from there over towards Canyonlands National Park. We were told the ferry left every other hour from this side but were given the wrong hour. Suddenly we saw it loading (on the wrong hour) We tried but couldn't make it down there on time so had to sit there two hours. Nothing seemed to be going right.
We have no idea where we'll be staying tonite, all our clothes and towels are filthy dirty and Gary has a major head cold. A this point I was second guessing our plans.
Gary decided to lay down while we waited in line for the ferry - a nice bonus traveling in the bbow. It was actually I who drove the bbow onto the ferry. I was pretty proud of myself!
This drive is pretty secluded but interesting and beautiful. We are seeing country we haven't seen before so that is always something we enjoy.
There is a wonderful cure for depression. The two components are thankfulness and worship. I made myself recount everything I was thankful for and then ended that process with a few worship cd's and I was lifted out of the negative pit I had allowed in my heart. It felt like a new day.
There were storm clouds all around us and we got to an area where there had recently been significant rain. In fact the road was still wet. We are also passing thru grazing land and soon we spotted random cattle beside the road. Taryn and Gary saw a monster jack rabbit and quite larger lizard scurry across the road.
We made the decision to skip this entrance to Canyonlands and find an "resort" in a more inhabited location. We have some significant laundry that needs our attention, so we headed on to Blanding Utah. We were way ready for dinner by the time we got there. Not many choices but we did get a good burger and then drove on to Monticello where we stayed at a small but adequate resort.
Gary isn't feeling well and climbed right into bed. Taryn and I played games while waiting for our five loads of laundry to wash and dry. There were four dryers. One had some random mans clothes in it that I didn't want to touch, two barely worked, and the one that worked was so noisy it sounded like a bag of large rocks was in it.
Finally at 11:10 I decided enough is enough. I took out that mans clothes and put our final load of boat towels in it and went to the bbow. We can get those tomorrow.
Tired but not quite ready to sleep I crawled in Taryn's bunk and she read to me while I bandaged up my hands. A week of water and dishes has been hard on my hands and they need some attention. It was blissful to crawl in bed.
Britt and Shana will actually fly out of Salt Lake City late today so they have a big day and will need to be the first to leave. Britt figured out all the modes of transportation he will experience in this one day and it is impressive: houseboat, rental car, airplane, shuttle, SUV & pick up. That's a big day.
Before returning your houseboat it must be refueled. You radio ahead when you are near and then are granted permission to dock. Britt pulled that big houseboat right up to the refueling dock perfectly. The fueler even said "in all my years working here that is the best customer docking I've ever seen". He has a gift with vehicles.
After refueling we waited for a docking pilot to come on board and bring our houseboat in. Once we were docked everyone scrambled to load and go. It was at least 100 degrees so it was miserable work. Thankfully we were still able to use their four wheeler and trailer to bring everything to our vehicles. Still, the effort of dividing and sorting everything was monumental.
Britt and Shana did a load and go, so they were the first two on the road. Brandon and Greta helped us sort and pack everything that will go with them back to Lynden in the boat and pick-up. All the rest was thrown into the bbow to go with us. This was all just a big mess and I was completely overwhelmed by it.
Finally it was time to say good bye to Ross, Taya and Isaiah who will be traveling with Brandon and Greta to Salt Lake City tonite and then flying home tomorrow. This was pretty hard on me and I lost it big time. Suddenly it was all over and it just felt so cruel. I was not prepared for how deeply I would feel this. It was depressing. Here I was sitting in this big mess that I couldn't seem to make any sense or order out of. I literally began to stick stuff away to get it out of sight. I just couldn't deal with it.
Our plan is to take a ferry to the other side of the lake and travel from there over towards Canyonlands National Park. We were told the ferry left every other hour from this side but were given the wrong hour. Suddenly we saw it loading (on the wrong hour) We tried but couldn't make it down there on time so had to sit there two hours. Nothing seemed to be going right.
We have no idea where we'll be staying tonite, all our clothes and towels are filthy dirty and Gary has a major head cold. A this point I was second guessing our plans.
Gary decided to lay down while we waited in line for the ferry - a nice bonus traveling in the bbow. It was actually I who drove the bbow onto the ferry. I was pretty proud of myself!
This drive is pretty secluded but interesting and beautiful. We are seeing country we haven't seen before so that is always something we enjoy.
There is a wonderful cure for depression. The two components are thankfulness and worship. I made myself recount everything I was thankful for and then ended that process with a few worship cd's and I was lifted out of the negative pit I had allowed in my heart. It felt like a new day.
There were storm clouds all around us and we got to an area where there had recently been significant rain. In fact the road was still wet. We are also passing thru grazing land and soon we spotted random cattle beside the road. Taryn and Gary saw a monster jack rabbit and quite larger lizard scurry across the road.
We made the decision to skip this entrance to Canyonlands and find an "resort" in a more inhabited location. We have some significant laundry that needs our attention, so we headed on to Blanding Utah. We were way ready for dinner by the time we got there. Not many choices but we did get a good burger and then drove on to Monticello where we stayed at a small but adequate resort.
Gary isn't feeling well and climbed right into bed. Taryn and I played games while waiting for our five loads of laundry to wash and dry. There were four dryers. One had some random mans clothes in it that I didn't want to touch, two barely worked, and the one that worked was so noisy it sounded like a bag of large rocks was in it.
Finally at 11:10 I decided enough is enough. I took out that mans clothes and put our final load of boat towels in it and went to the bbow. We can get those tomorrow.
Tired but not quite ready to sleep I crawled in Taryn's bunk and she read to me while I bandaged up my hands. A week of water and dishes has been hard on my hands and they need some attention. It was blissful to crawl in bed.
A Bible and a Bee
The guys were all up at 5:20 AM to launch the Houseboat. This is quite a process but with all of them working together it goes really well. The goal was to be moving by 6 AM which we were.
Once on our way it is actually a very leisurely excursion, and since we chose to do the trip all in one day it will be a 5 1/2 hour ride. Two pots of coffee had been set to brew the nite before so we were ready.
Shana and I got up with the guys and it was beautiful to see the lake and canyons as the sun came up. Britt got a few amazing pictures. It is a very peaceful and pleasant ride.
Ross was alone on the top deck with his Bible having devotions. An incredibly large bee decided to join him and got a little too close for comfort. All we heard below was a tussle happening on the deck above us. Then Shana who was near a window witnessed a rather large splash in the water next to the houseboat.
Moments later Ross came down the steps and a said that a large bee was being quite aggressive. It wouldn't leave so he got up and tried to get away from it. It continued to follow him so he took a swipe at it with his Bible which then propelled accidentally out of his hand and went overboard.
We had such a great laugh over that...but at the same time felt incredibly bad about the loss of his Bible. Thankfully it wasn't his regular Bible but a loss just the same.
Once on our way it is actually a very leisurely excursion, and since we chose to do the trip all in one day it will be a 5 1/2 hour ride. Two pots of coffee had been set to brew the nite before so we were ready.
Shana and I got up with the guys and it was beautiful to see the lake and canyons as the sun came up. Britt got a few amazing pictures. It is a very peaceful and pleasant ride.
Ross was alone on the top deck with his Bible having devotions. An incredibly large bee decided to join him and got a little too close for comfort. All we heard below was a tussle happening on the deck above us. Then Shana who was near a window witnessed a rather large splash in the water next to the houseboat.
Moments later Ross came down the steps and a said that a large bee was being quite aggressive. It wouldn't leave so he got up and tried to get away from it. It continued to follow him so he took a swipe at it with his Bible which then propelled accidentally out of his hand and went overboard.
We had such a great laugh over that...but at the same time felt incredibly bad about the loss of his Bible. Thankfully it wasn't his regular Bible but a loss just the same.
Happy Birthday Brandon!
Wow. It's Sunday, and did we ever sleep in...except for Isaiah who had his Mom and Dad up at 6:40. They usually go out to the front deck and hang there till the rest of us show up and today it was extra late. I guess world domination takes a lot out of ya!
It's Sunday and Brandon's 24th birthday. First things first we all sang Happy Birthday to him. Isaiah loves birthdays! Over the years Brandon has celebrated several birthdays on vacation, but this one is especially sweet because we are all here together, and that will not happen very often anymore.
Poor Greta got a terrible sunburn yesterday so she is staying inside today. After breakfast several went out on the ski boat to explore a few neighboring canyons while Taya, Isaiah, Shana, Taryn and I went out to Isaiah's Lagoon. There was debris that had floated in, and mysteriously some of the logs had shifted so Taryn repaired that while Taya worked on debris reduction. We actually made an alternate lagoon for him as well. This is working so great.
Right now it's all about relaxation, swimming, sun and being together. It doesn't get much better than this.
After dinner we did the actual birthday celebration with gifts and the wonderful cake Greta made.
Tomorrow we bring the houseboat back and everyone departs. It will be a very early morning and then a several hour cruise back to Bullfrog Marina. During that time we will all clean and pack to our off-load can go as smooth as possible. We will need a good sleep. Can't believe our week is over.
It's Sunday and Brandon's 24th birthday. First things first we all sang Happy Birthday to him. Isaiah loves birthdays! Over the years Brandon has celebrated several birthdays on vacation, but this one is especially sweet because we are all here together, and that will not happen very often anymore.
Poor Greta got a terrible sunburn yesterday so she is staying inside today. After breakfast several went out on the ski boat to explore a few neighboring canyons while Taya, Isaiah, Shana, Taryn and I went out to Isaiah's Lagoon. There was debris that had floated in, and mysteriously some of the logs had shifted so Taryn repaired that while Taya worked on debris reduction. We actually made an alternate lagoon for him as well. This is working so great.
Right now it's all about relaxation, swimming, sun and being together. It doesn't get much better than this.
After dinner we did the actual birthday celebration with gifts and the wonderful cake Greta made.
Tomorrow we bring the houseboat back and everyone departs. It will be a very early morning and then a several hour cruise back to Bullfrog Marina. During that time we will all clean and pack to our off-load can go as smooth as possible. We will need a good sleep. Can't believe our week is over.
Monday, June 30, 2008
The Perfect Place
We got to the new sight around 10:30 AM. It has a perfect place for Isaiah to play in the water. After getting the houseboat secured to shore we used the gang plank for the very first time and everyone went on shore to explore.
Previous guests had built a fire circle with driftwood seating around it which was kind of cool. Taryn found an interesting forked branch that she set upright, and at the base she secured it with large rocks and decorated them with sea shells. Yes, there are small clam-shaped shells all over the shore here. It is a real mystery to us what they exactly are and we sure wish we could Google it and find out. She plans to make a nice camp sign to attach to it later today.
We also put together the beginnings of a driftwood tepee - something we found on our houseboat adventure on Lake Shasta several years ago. We have sweet pictures of Taryn and Bria in it and now want to make one for Taryn and Isaiah to have pictures in. We will add to it tomorrow but got a start today.
There is a gentle slope of smooth rock, almost like shelves of rocks that terrace into the water. One of the first things Ross did was to build a barrier out of wood that had washed up on shore to define a safe water area for Isaiah. He secured the wood with large rocks on the back side and it makes a perfect spot for Isaiah to play with trucks, cars, various cups and water bottles. He loved it immediately.
It wasn't long till everyone had suits on and were swimming. We spent most of our day right here. The intertubes came out again and made wonderful floating tanning beds. It's incredibly hot and the ground is too hot for your feet to handle.
We went thru tons of water and soda, sun screen and towels. We even broke out our Hawaii snorkel gear and that was a big hit. This is a much more secluded location and we're enjoying that a lot.
Taryn made a great sign designating this to be the official Honcoop-Black houseboat site.
We seem to have a lot of fruit so I decided to make some desserts: apple crisp, nectarine crisp and a chocolate banana cream pie. For dinner Gary tried his hand at making ribs. On the upper deck of the houseboat there is a indirect heat bbq that we've used for chicken, and it worked perfectly for the ribs. They were incredible.
This was also the nite slated for a Stock Market game. Brandon was very pleased to win this one - big time!
Previous guests had built a fire circle with driftwood seating around it which was kind of cool. Taryn found an interesting forked branch that she set upright, and at the base she secured it with large rocks and decorated them with sea shells. Yes, there are small clam-shaped shells all over the shore here. It is a real mystery to us what they exactly are and we sure wish we could Google it and find out. She plans to make a nice camp sign to attach to it later today.
We also put together the beginnings of a driftwood tepee - something we found on our houseboat adventure on Lake Shasta several years ago. We have sweet pictures of Taryn and Bria in it and now want to make one for Taryn and Isaiah to have pictures in. We will add to it tomorrow but got a start today.
There is a gentle slope of smooth rock, almost like shelves of rocks that terrace into the water. One of the first things Ross did was to build a barrier out of wood that had washed up on shore to define a safe water area for Isaiah. He secured the wood with large rocks on the back side and it makes a perfect spot for Isaiah to play with trucks, cars, various cups and water bottles. He loved it immediately.
It wasn't long till everyone had suits on and were swimming. We spent most of our day right here. The intertubes came out again and made wonderful floating tanning beds. It's incredibly hot and the ground is too hot for your feet to handle.
We went thru tons of water and soda, sun screen and towels. We even broke out our Hawaii snorkel gear and that was a big hit. This is a much more secluded location and we're enjoying that a lot.
Taryn made a great sign designating this to be the official Honcoop-Black houseboat site.
We seem to have a lot of fruit so I decided to make some desserts: apple crisp, nectarine crisp and a chocolate banana cream pie. For dinner Gary tried his hand at making ribs. On the upper deck of the houseboat there is a indirect heat bbq that we've used for chicken, and it worked perfectly for the ribs. They were incredible.
This was also the nite slated for a Stock Market game. Brandon was very pleased to win this one - big time!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
A Morning View from the Top Deck
We cast off before 7 AM and are on our way to a new adventure in the spot we found yesterday. I'm blogging this from the top deck of the houseboat with a mug of fresh coffee next to me. Have I told you yet what a beautiful day it is. Creation shouts God's name. Praise to Him!
Blessings to each one of you!
Blessings to each one of you!
A Perfect Way to Spend a Friday
We all slept in today, including Isaiah! Decided to go low key on breakfast which was good. Britt suggested that we make this a 14 day trip because our week is simply going way too fast.
Everyone wanted to swim and explore so there were various trip taken with the ski boat to explore, ski and swim. Everyone got to go into the canyon next to where we are staying, but too many guests boats were in there to actually get to the waterfall, at least during the few attempts we made. Even Isaiah got his first ride in the ski boat and loved it.
Later Gary, Britt, Shana and I took the boat out to explore for a new landing site tomorrow. We know which direction we'll be heading but need to scout for a new spot to stay. We soon found one that would be perfect for us and includes an area for Isaiah to safely play in the water - something we haven't yet had. There was a houseboat there and Britt suggested we stop and chat with them. Amazingly they will be leaving early in the morning which works perfect for us. Our plan is to leave before 7 Am so we can be the first to snag that sight.
The rest of our afternoon was spent swimming, skiing and cliff jumping. OK, perhaps "cliff" is a bit of and exaggeration but it was quite the experience I was told by those who tried it: Shana, Greta, Taryn, Ross & Brandon.
Britt and Shana made us a great dinner of his special marinaded chicken with baby reds and a refreshing salad bar that was a big hit.
After dinner Gary and I took out the ski boat and did some evening exploring. He especially wanted to see "Hole in the Rock" which is part of the Mormon Trail. In 1880 they had to maneuver thru this incredibly steep and dangerous passageway with 80 wagons, horses, mules and all their supplies. While we were out in the main channel I had enough internet to get my e-mail which included Grandma's Thursday letter and as a special family request I read it out loud to everyone.
And it was S'more Bar nite - one of our family camping traditions - and let's just say we indulged and enjoyed. We've given up even trying to put it in a pan. We just all eat right from the bowl. The guys made an early travel plan for the morning so all coffee pots are full and stand ready.
Everyone wanted to swim and explore so there were various trip taken with the ski boat to explore, ski and swim. Everyone got to go into the canyon next to where we are staying, but too many guests boats were in there to actually get to the waterfall, at least during the few attempts we made. Even Isaiah got his first ride in the ski boat and loved it.
Later Gary, Britt, Shana and I took the boat out to explore for a new landing site tomorrow. We know which direction we'll be heading but need to scout for a new spot to stay. We soon found one that would be perfect for us and includes an area for Isaiah to safely play in the water - something we haven't yet had. There was a houseboat there and Britt suggested we stop and chat with them. Amazingly they will be leaving early in the morning which works perfect for us. Our plan is to leave before 7 Am so we can be the first to snag that sight.
The rest of our afternoon was spent swimming, skiing and cliff jumping. OK, perhaps "cliff" is a bit of and exaggeration but it was quite the experience I was told by those who tried it: Shana, Greta, Taryn, Ross & Brandon.
Britt and Shana made us a great dinner of his special marinaded chicken with baby reds and a refreshing salad bar that was a big hit.
After dinner Gary and I took out the ski boat and did some evening exploring. He especially wanted to see "Hole in the Rock" which is part of the Mormon Trail. In 1880 they had to maneuver thru this incredibly steep and dangerous passageway with 80 wagons, horses, mules and all their supplies. While we were out in the main channel I had enough internet to get my e-mail which included Grandma's Thursday letter and as a special family request I read it out loud to everyone.
And it was S'more Bar nite - one of our family camping traditions - and let's just say we indulged and enjoyed. We've given up even trying to put it in a pan. We just all eat right from the bowl. The guys made an early travel plan for the morning so all coffee pots are full and stand ready.
Hidden Wonders and World Domination
The place we landed the houseboat has us sitting on a large sheer rock, and right around the corner from us is an amazing hidden wonder.
It's hard to describe but you think the canyon ends and it doesn't. It's an allusion, and there is much more canyon that weaves itself just behind what your eye can see. The first time we noticed it here, a boat was floating under the dome-shaped rock and I thot that was where this canyon ended. What I couldn't see is that there is a small water pathway that winds way back into the canyon just to the right of the boat. It's like finding a secret doorway to a great adventure. As you navigate this narrow water path often the rock over head closes in. It is a pretty amazing sight. The ski boat has to be taken thru this very slowly and it can kinda feel like a ride at Disneyland. In fact someone started to hum "It's a small world". (that would be me) At the very end there was a rope to help you climb up to a small waterfall, and next to that is a path that takes you to a larger waterfall. Several want to try that later.
Our houseboat is right outside this canyon which is quite a popular one so we see lots of boats coming and going. Depending on their etiquette their wakes can really make our houseboat rock.
It was steak & Greta's fettuccini alfredo for dinner which was so good. After dinner the guys finally got to teach Gary to play RIsk, and my word, it was an intense game of world domination between Ross, Brandon and Gary (who was coached thru the first half of the game by Greta, and at one point he nearly won!). The rest of us opted for a battle of Phase 10. Greta also made an amazing raspberry cream cheese pie for dessert. We are eating very well.
It was also time to rework the ice chests so Britt did a great job of going thru them and making sense of what was chaos.
World domination took a bit longer than anticipated and there was no going to bed early this nite. Praying Isaiah let's Ross and Taya sleep in a bit in the morning. What a great day.
It's hard to describe but you think the canyon ends and it doesn't. It's an allusion, and there is much more canyon that weaves itself just behind what your eye can see. The first time we noticed it here, a boat was floating under the dome-shaped rock and I thot that was where this canyon ended. What I couldn't see is that there is a small water pathway that winds way back into the canyon just to the right of the boat. It's like finding a secret doorway to a great adventure. As you navigate this narrow water path often the rock over head closes in. It is a pretty amazing sight. The ski boat has to be taken thru this very slowly and it can kinda feel like a ride at Disneyland. In fact someone started to hum "It's a small world". (that would be me) At the very end there was a rope to help you climb up to a small waterfall, and next to that is a path that takes you to a larger waterfall. Several want to try that later.
Our houseboat is right outside this canyon which is quite a popular one so we see lots of boats coming and going. Depending on their etiquette their wakes can really make our houseboat rock.
It was steak & Greta's fettuccini alfredo for dinner which was so good. After dinner the guys finally got to teach Gary to play RIsk, and my word, it was an intense game of world domination between Ross, Brandon and Gary (who was coached thru the first half of the game by Greta, and at one point he nearly won!). The rest of us opted for a battle of Phase 10. Greta also made an amazing raspberry cream cheese pie for dessert. We are eating very well.
It was also time to rework the ice chests so Britt did a great job of going thru them and making sense of what was chaos.
World domination took a bit longer than anticipated and there was no going to bed early this nite. Praying Isaiah let's Ross and Taya sleep in a bit in the morning. What a great day.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Habanero Thursday with a Banana Chaser
I told everyone last nite that today is the day we open the Dorito Fiery Habanero chips. Can't wait! Also there is a stack of browning banana's on the counter so it is the duty of all to consume at least one today...or we'll put them in their omlettes tomorrow.
Did I tell you we slept good?? Well, we all slept good and after breakfast the guys cast off the houseboat anchor lines and we are now on the next leg of our houseboat journey. The rock surrounding us changes constantly - the size, shape, color...
Ross and Gary are scouting for us in the Princess. We have seen some amazing rock walls. There are areas that appear to be half domes carved out in the rock wall. They even took the boat inside one. We are looking for a landing sight. Gary wanted to stay near there but Britt thot we should go on farther.
The girls took advantage of the opportunity and broke out the water balloons. When Ross and Gary came beside us in the Princess they were fired upon. On their next pass they unleashed the water canon on the girls. The war is on.
Did I tell you we slept good?? Well, we all slept good and after breakfast the guys cast off the houseboat anchor lines and we are now on the next leg of our houseboat journey. The rock surrounding us changes constantly - the size, shape, color...
Ross and Gary are scouting for us in the Princess. We have seen some amazing rock walls. There are areas that appear to be half domes carved out in the rock wall. They even took the boat inside one. We are looking for a landing sight. Gary wanted to stay near there but Britt thot we should go on farther.
The girls took advantage of the opportunity and broke out the water balloons. When Ross and Gary came beside us in the Princess they were fired upon. On their next pass they unleashed the water canon on the girls. The war is on.
Wonderful Wednesday
It's a new day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it!
There has never in my life been a day when I was as thankful to see the sun come up. The color on the canyon walls literally changed by the minute as the sun rose. Incredible!
Beauty surrounds us, and despite everything everyone was a trouper. Good attitudes abounded and we had tons of fun making a pancake breakfast together.
The plan is to stay here today with the houseboat, but the ski boat will head back to the marina for help with the issues this houseboat still has. Gary, Britt and Brandon took off in the Princess and the rest of us stayed behind to play.
We are in a small arm of the lake and can actually swim across the water to the rock shore on the other side. These are great climbing rocks and it has become a favorite for the swimmer in our group. That would be Ross, Taryn and Gary. There is also a slide off the top level of the houseboat and that is a blast too. Greta went from sun tanning to water sliding. A nice cooling transition.
We secured a great arsenal of water weaponry onboard and there has been countless battles. The best was teaching Isaiah to squirt his first squirt nug. This was a bit new to him and the first time he had it pointed right at himself. Was he ever surprised to be the one to get wet. That was so funny.
We are being a bit cautious with the sun. Our skin hasn't seen any yet this summer so we are fanatical about sunscreen. So far so good.
The guys got back bearing gifts and the info we needed to get the frig to work. Everyone is so excited to be here and having such a good time. We played in the water for hours. Ross took a jump from the rocks which was just a bit scary to watch.
Isaiah made his own water fun on the top deck and spent hours tranfering water from one container to the next with everything you can imagine. He had a blast. We haven't gotten him in the lake yet. That may or may not happen but it is most important that we don't scare him.
Brandon made chicken for dinner. He has a secret rub recipe that is so good. Meals are usually eaten late and is quite a process taking several hours, but everything tastes so good.
After dinner we watched a few episodes of The Office and called it a night before midnite. We DID opt for air conditioning.
There has never in my life been a day when I was as thankful to see the sun come up. The color on the canyon walls literally changed by the minute as the sun rose. Incredible!
Beauty surrounds us, and despite everything everyone was a trouper. Good attitudes abounded and we had tons of fun making a pancake breakfast together.
The plan is to stay here today with the houseboat, but the ski boat will head back to the marina for help with the issues this houseboat still has. Gary, Britt and Brandon took off in the Princess and the rest of us stayed behind to play.
We are in a small arm of the lake and can actually swim across the water to the rock shore on the other side. These are great climbing rocks and it has become a favorite for the swimmer in our group. That would be Ross, Taryn and Gary. There is also a slide off the top level of the houseboat and that is a blast too. Greta went from sun tanning to water sliding. A nice cooling transition.
We secured a great arsenal of water weaponry onboard and there has been countless battles. The best was teaching Isaiah to squirt his first squirt nug. This was a bit new to him and the first time he had it pointed right at himself. Was he ever surprised to be the one to get wet. That was so funny.
We are being a bit cautious with the sun. Our skin hasn't seen any yet this summer so we are fanatical about sunscreen. So far so good.
The guys got back bearing gifts and the info we needed to get the frig to work. Everyone is so excited to be here and having such a good time. We played in the water for hours. Ross took a jump from the rocks which was just a bit scary to watch.
Isaiah made his own water fun on the top deck and spent hours tranfering water from one container to the next with everything you can imagine. He had a blast. We haven't gotten him in the lake yet. That may or may not happen but it is most important that we don't scare him.
Brandon made chicken for dinner. He has a secret rub recipe that is so good. Meals are usually eaten late and is quite a process taking several hours, but everything tastes so good.
After dinner we watched a few episodes of The Office and called it a night before midnite. We DID opt for air conditioning.
Disclaimer
Please note I have but short moments of internet and am posting things without much time to edit or spellcheck. Please excuse errors.
Tuesday - All Aboad!
It's not going to be very easy to describe this day - ya kinda had to be there but I'll try. The boys went down to do paperwork on the boat while the rest of us kept packing. they were informed that our houseboat was in repair because the previous renters had fried the inverter. They rewiring it attempting to get it going for us. There were no other boat options so this one had to work. It was frustrating.
There was also a mad dash to get the last supplies - gas cans, milk, boat bumpers etc. Loading the boat was less dramatice. They provide these nice four wheelers pulling small trailers. We loaded everything into the first set and that was it. The girls actually got it all unloaded but didn't quite dare put anything away till we were sure this boat would be fixed. There were maintainance people on board with us working at the same time.
There were a few unreal moments where I was wondering if this would all just be a cruel joke and we wouldn't even get out on a houseboat, but they pulled it together and we were able to launch, and it was then that the real drama began.
It quickly became apparent that the frig was not working and even in our icechests the ice was melting rapidly in 100-plus degree temps.
The ride itself is beyond spectaclular. You can't begin to describe or even capture what you are seeing. Boating thru these red rock canyons is unbelievable. There was a certain ammount of stress hanging in the air as somethings were still not working on the boat.
The first leg of our travels took about 3 1/2 hours which did give us time to unwind and settle in a bit. When we go to the area Gary had mapped out we began to look for a place to beach the houseboat. There were a few places that looked good but a lot of junk in the water so we went a bit further and found a spot at the base of a 750 foot roock wall. Amazing.
The guys secured the boat to shore and then the intenseness of the heat sunk in big time. It is hot out here! We also had to start dealing with the frig/food situation. This was a tough one but we all worked together to do what we could.
The dinner menu for the nite became what was simple. It's a lot of work to prepare and clean up after meals conserving both water and fuel.
We spent the evening playing games and laying out on the top deck enjoying the nite sky, watching shooting stars, spotting satlelites...that is, until the albino bat appeared and we girls retreated back to the game floor.
I'm not going to write anything about this nite except to say please note that I do not use the word "sleep" when referencing it. We were not given the option of any air conditioning. Enough said. The rest I chose to wipe from my memory.
There was also a mad dash to get the last supplies - gas cans, milk, boat bumpers etc. Loading the boat was less dramatice. They provide these nice four wheelers pulling small trailers. We loaded everything into the first set and that was it. The girls actually got it all unloaded but didn't quite dare put anything away till we were sure this boat would be fixed. There were maintainance people on board with us working at the same time.
There were a few unreal moments where I was wondering if this would all just be a cruel joke and we wouldn't even get out on a houseboat, but they pulled it together and we were able to launch, and it was then that the real drama began.
It quickly became apparent that the frig was not working and even in our icechests the ice was melting rapidly in 100-plus degree temps.
The ride itself is beyond spectaclular. You can't begin to describe or even capture what you are seeing. Boating thru these red rock canyons is unbelievable. There was a certain ammount of stress hanging in the air as somethings were still not working on the boat.
The first leg of our travels took about 3 1/2 hours which did give us time to unwind and settle in a bit. When we go to the area Gary had mapped out we began to look for a place to beach the houseboat. There were a few places that looked good but a lot of junk in the water so we went a bit further and found a spot at the base of a 750 foot roock wall. Amazing.
The guys secured the boat to shore and then the intenseness of the heat sunk in big time. It is hot out here! We also had to start dealing with the frig/food situation. This was a tough one but we all worked together to do what we could.
The dinner menu for the nite became what was simple. It's a lot of work to prepare and clean up after meals conserving both water and fuel.
We spent the evening playing games and laying out on the top deck enjoying the nite sky, watching shooting stars, spotting satlelites...that is, until the albino bat appeared and we girls retreated back to the game floor.
I'm not going to write anything about this nite except to say please note that I do not use the word "sleep" when referencing it. We were not given the option of any air conditioning. Enough said. The rest I chose to wipe from my memory.
Monday Madness
Today it's all about the food. I had spent several hours gathering everyone's food wants, and then compiled a series of lists to help navigate thru the process of gathering all the food -10 people for 7 days. My final product was three semi- organized lists - one for the guys and two for the girls.
It cracked me up to watch eight shopping carts head in to Wal Mart so completely on a mission. I made them all stop so we could get a picture, and then it was every cart for himself.
It was hysterical to run into each other and compare carts, or desperately try to find someone to ask a question or get advice. And then there was the "don't catch me" maneuver when you would surprise someone who didn't want you to see what they had, and they would mysteriously slip quickly around the corner to avoid you. Gary once caught Britt with something in his hand looking both ways to see if anyone was watching and then quickly sticking it in his cart.
Two hours later we convened at the checkout. Gary asked me to watch to see if there were any duplicate items, or if I thot we had over purchased on something. That was hard to do because each item meant something to someone. In the end I pulled out a duplicate on soda and two small cans of sliced olives. I'm not the best food police.
It took between 30 - 45 minutes to completely check out. All the while we were guessing the total. The checker was getting quite a kick out of all of us. I asked her how often she she checked big order like this. Since this is the last grocery stop before this part of Lake Powell I thot she must do this quite often and imagined she would say something like two days. She told me she has never checked out this many carts of groceries before and she has worked there nearly a year. Britt guessed the closest to the final amount - within $6 of the total. Any guesses out there??
Now packing all this food in a way that makes it transportable for a 170 miles at 100 plus degrees is quite a challenge. We had two monster ice chests and the bbow but there were more perishable foods that the ice chests could hold. Gary had to purchase another as we were all in the Wal Mart parking lot. We were quite a spectacle and even the Wal Mart greeters came out to chat with us and offer assistance.
Now Honcoop men are notoriously good packers and it was amazing how they made it happen. Incredibly the sky had filled with threatening clouds as we shopped and it was obvious a storm was all around us but it never sputtered rain till we were completely loaded. This was an amazing blessing.
We tried to grab a quick bite at the Sonic there, but they must have not gotten the "quick" memo cause they were not. They didn't get the "correct" memo cause our order came wrong. In fact, they didn't get the "fresh" memo either cause half our food was cold. Gary and I LOVE Sonics and this was definitely a fluke.
We drove in a caravan: Brandon & Greta pulling the boat, Britt & Shana in the Mustang, and Ross & Taya with us in the bbow. Isaiah was able to take his nap in the back and that was nice.
This road was incredibly straight and we made one stop in Hanksville to top off fuel before we got to the marina. The convenience store of the gas station was completely built into a the rock. There was just a single door in the side of the rock and everyone had to go in and investigate.
It was nearly 8 pm when we got to our launch site at the Bullfrog Marina so we tried to visually catalog what stores were available for the morning. We needed a few boating items and all our milk for the week. We had Motel rooms for all the kids and we were able to get dinner there before putting Isaiah down for the nite. I gathered laundry and was brot over to the staff laundry facility while the boys ran around getting everything ready for the morning.
We have a block of time assigned to us to board the houseboat, get our safety training and launch. Our block is from 9 - 12. We read the 5-day weather report at dinner which said HOT with temps ranging from 102 - 107 degrees. We were thankful for a morning slot.
Back at the bbow I was furiously going thru all our stuff deciding what comes on the boat and what doesn't wanting as much to be ready as possible. It's gonna be a huge day. Loading in no small or easy task, but we can't wait!
It cracked me up to watch eight shopping carts head in to Wal Mart so completely on a mission. I made them all stop so we could get a picture, and then it was every cart for himself.
It was hysterical to run into each other and compare carts, or desperately try to find someone to ask a question or get advice. And then there was the "don't catch me" maneuver when you would surprise someone who didn't want you to see what they had, and they would mysteriously slip quickly around the corner to avoid you. Gary once caught Britt with something in his hand looking both ways to see if anyone was watching and then quickly sticking it in his cart.
Two hours later we convened at the checkout. Gary asked me to watch to see if there were any duplicate items, or if I thot we had over purchased on something. That was hard to do because each item meant something to someone. In the end I pulled out a duplicate on soda and two small cans of sliced olives. I'm not the best food police.
It took between 30 - 45 minutes to completely check out. All the while we were guessing the total. The checker was getting quite a kick out of all of us. I asked her how often she she checked big order like this. Since this is the last grocery stop before this part of Lake Powell I thot she must do this quite often and imagined she would say something like two days. She told me she has never checked out this many carts of groceries before and she has worked there nearly a year. Britt guessed the closest to the final amount - within $6 of the total. Any guesses out there??
Now packing all this food in a way that makes it transportable for a 170 miles at 100 plus degrees is quite a challenge. We had two monster ice chests and the bbow but there were more perishable foods that the ice chests could hold. Gary had to purchase another as we were all in the Wal Mart parking lot. We were quite a spectacle and even the Wal Mart greeters came out to chat with us and offer assistance.
Now Honcoop men are notoriously good packers and it was amazing how they made it happen. Incredibly the sky had filled with threatening clouds as we shopped and it was obvious a storm was all around us but it never sputtered rain till we were completely loaded. This was an amazing blessing.
We tried to grab a quick bite at the Sonic there, but they must have not gotten the "quick" memo cause they were not. They didn't get the "correct" memo cause our order came wrong. In fact, they didn't get the "fresh" memo either cause half our food was cold. Gary and I LOVE Sonics and this was definitely a fluke.
We drove in a caravan: Brandon & Greta pulling the boat, Britt & Shana in the Mustang, and Ross & Taya with us in the bbow. Isaiah was able to take his nap in the back and that was nice.
This road was incredibly straight and we made one stop in Hanksville to top off fuel before we got to the marina. The convenience store of the gas station was completely built into a the rock. There was just a single door in the side of the rock and everyone had to go in and investigate.
It was nearly 8 pm when we got to our launch site at the Bullfrog Marina so we tried to visually catalog what stores were available for the morning. We needed a few boating items and all our milk for the week. We had Motel rooms for all the kids and we were able to get dinner there before putting Isaiah down for the nite. I gathered laundry and was brot over to the staff laundry facility while the boys ran around getting everything ready for the morning.
We have a block of time assigned to us to board the houseboat, get our safety training and launch. Our block is from 9 - 12. We read the 5-day weather report at dinner which said HOT with temps ranging from 102 - 107 degrees. We were thankful for a morning slot.
Back at the bbow I was furiously going thru all our stuff deciding what comes on the boat and what doesn't wanting as much to be ready as possible. It's gonna be a huge day. Loading in no small or easy task, but we can't wait!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Sunday
Today was full. Britt and Shana flew in this morning, rented a car and saw some Salt Lake City sights on their own. Ross, Taya and Isaiah will fly in just after noon. We will pick them up and head 120 miles SE to Price, Utah.
Since we had a bit of time in the morning we decided to drive up to the copper mine. This is something we saw with the kids on our '92 US tour. After 9/11 they closed the visitor center, but last year they reopened it in a new location.
The drive there was pleasant until we got to the access road and saw it was being oiled for chip seal. It is one of Gary's greatest banes to drive on that. We talked to the flagger and were told to drive on the far right where it was not down. She assured us we would not have to drive on oil, and since we so badly wanted to see the mine we did.
It is very hard to describe the sight of this open mine. It is beyond any word I know to describe big.
A few quick facts:
• Bingham Canyon Mine is the largest copper mine in the world - 2-1/2 miles across at the top and 3/4 of a mile deep.
• has produced more copper than any mine in history - about 17 million tons.
• giant electric shovels in the mine can scoop up as much as 98 tons in a single bite -- about the weight of 50 cars.
• each shovel cost $8 million and weigh 2.5 million pounds.
• The trucks that haul the ore are larger than many houses and weigh more than a jumbo jet. Standing over 23 feet tall and can carry from 255 to 360 tons of rock.
• The truck driver rides about 18 feet above the ground -- nearly two stories high.
It is really something you have to see to appreciate. The trucks crawl along the switchback roads methodically working. They look like small toys against the massive size of the mine. So glad we saw it. Later that day Britt took Shana up there as well.
On our way out we discovered that the access road had now been completely covered with that evil chip seal oil, and we had no choice but to drive on it in 90 degree heat. Aughhhhh! That is all I will say about that.
Gary and I took the pick-up and went to the airport to pick up Ross, Taya and Isaiah. It was so fun to see him so excited that we were there. He has grown in the two months since we last saw him. I think he talked the entire ride to the "resort", and couldn't wait to see the bbow.
As soon as we could we were on the road to Price. As soon as we left I-15 on to Hwy 6 it turned to two lane road. I don't do well on narrow, winding roads in oversized vehicles. Parts of this trip were stressful, especially when Gary start's enjoying the scenery. Poor Isaiah tried to sleep thru this. We came upon a working coal mine that was quite amazing. You could see the vein of coal running in the side of the mountain. If we had time I would have loved to have stopped and looked a bit.
We arrived in Price around 4:30, found the kids hotel, found the Wal-Mart Supercenter - our stop for tomorrow - and got everyone settled. Gary and I found quite a "resort" for the bbow - right next to train tracks.
We found a place to eat and then hung out with the kids at the hotel. Taryn found a letter in the Gideon Bible in Brandon and Greta's room. It was two pages long written in Dutch. Greta decided we should translate it, so for the next hour we all worked on it thru Google Translate - didn't know there was such a thing, but Greta works with it often in her work. It was written by a woman who was traveling with her husband in the area. She marveled at the size of the US compared to the Netherlands, the beauty and blessing of America which points to God, yet the despair we also see in the world. I was not able to stay to complete the translation but it appeared to Greta that she was Seventh Day Adventist. That was a fun experience.
We left the kids to get a good rest before our big day tomorrow
Since we had a bit of time in the morning we decided to drive up to the copper mine. This is something we saw with the kids on our '92 US tour. After 9/11 they closed the visitor center, but last year they reopened it in a new location.
The drive there was pleasant until we got to the access road and saw it was being oiled for chip seal. It is one of Gary's greatest banes to drive on that. We talked to the flagger and were told to drive on the far right where it was not down. She assured us we would not have to drive on oil, and since we so badly wanted to see the mine we did.
It is very hard to describe the sight of this open mine. It is beyond any word I know to describe big.
A few quick facts:
• Bingham Canyon Mine is the largest copper mine in the world - 2-1/2 miles across at the top and 3/4 of a mile deep.
• has produced more copper than any mine in history - about 17 million tons.
• giant electric shovels in the mine can scoop up as much as 98 tons in a single bite -- about the weight of 50 cars.
• each shovel cost $8 million and weigh 2.5 million pounds.
• The trucks that haul the ore are larger than many houses and weigh more than a jumbo jet. Standing over 23 feet tall and can carry from 255 to 360 tons of rock.
• The truck driver rides about 18 feet above the ground -- nearly two stories high.
It is really something you have to see to appreciate. The trucks crawl along the switchback roads methodically working. They look like small toys against the massive size of the mine. So glad we saw it. Later that day Britt took Shana up there as well.
On our way out we discovered that the access road had now been completely covered with that evil chip seal oil, and we had no choice but to drive on it in 90 degree heat. Aughhhhh! That is all I will say about that.
Gary and I took the pick-up and went to the airport to pick up Ross, Taya and Isaiah. It was so fun to see him so excited that we were there. He has grown in the two months since we last saw him. I think he talked the entire ride to the "resort", and couldn't wait to see the bbow.
As soon as we could we were on the road to Price. As soon as we left I-15 on to Hwy 6 it turned to two lane road. I don't do well on narrow, winding roads in oversized vehicles. Parts of this trip were stressful, especially when Gary start's enjoying the scenery. Poor Isaiah tried to sleep thru this. We came upon a working coal mine that was quite amazing. You could see the vein of coal running in the side of the mountain. If we had time I would have loved to have stopped and looked a bit.
We arrived in Price around 4:30, found the kids hotel, found the Wal-Mart Supercenter - our stop for tomorrow - and got everyone settled. Gary and I found quite a "resort" for the bbow - right next to train tracks.
We found a place to eat and then hung out with the kids at the hotel. Taryn found a letter in the Gideon Bible in Brandon and Greta's room. It was two pages long written in Dutch. Greta decided we should translate it, so for the next hour we all worked on it thru Google Translate - didn't know there was such a thing, but Greta works with it often in her work. It was written by a woman who was traveling with her husband in the area. She marveled at the size of the US compared to the Netherlands, the beauty and blessing of America which points to God, yet the despair we also see in the world. I was not able to stay to complete the translation but it appeared to Greta that she was Seventh Day Adventist. That was a fun experience.
We left the kids to get a good rest before our big day tomorrow
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Twin Falls
It was after 3 PM when we crossed the bridge into Twin Falls. You simply have to stop and check the view. We even watched a few base jumpers take the leap off the bridge.
Greta says she would try it in a heartbeat. You go girl. Someday I would like to take a jet boat up the Snake River.
We actually drove to one of the falls and ate lunch there before heading on to Salt Lake. This drive is long but it is incredible to watch the landscape change. I road this part with Brandon and Greta which was fun.
I made reservations at a "resort" while we drove. Again, we saw God provide the right "resort" at the exact location we needed...and it is a very nice one I would highly recommend. We made diner and Brandon & Greta went off in the pick up to explore.
Since or time here is short Taryn had to do it all: swim, roller blade and meet the world. You know, everyone is a potential friend just waiting to happen!
It's a gorgeous, warm evening so Gary and I walked the "resort" and admired all the rv's. We have an amazing one right next to our bbow. It seems twice as long and twice as tall.
Tomorrow the rest of the fam arrive and we can't wait!
Now an episode or two of 24 before bed. Not exactly relaxing, as any 24 watcher will tell you!
Greta says she would try it in a heartbeat. You go girl. Someday I would like to take a jet boat up the Snake River.
We actually drove to one of the falls and ate lunch there before heading on to Salt Lake. This drive is long but it is incredible to watch the landscape change. I road this part with Brandon and Greta which was fun.
I made reservations at a "resort" while we drove. Again, we saw God provide the right "resort" at the exact location we needed...and it is a very nice one I would highly recommend. We made diner and Brandon & Greta went off in the pick up to explore.
Since or time here is short Taryn had to do it all: swim, roller blade and meet the world. You know, everyone is a potential friend just waiting to happen!
It's a gorgeous, warm evening so Gary and I walked the "resort" and admired all the rv's. We have an amazing one right next to our bbow. It seems twice as long and twice as tall.
Tomorrow the rest of the fam arrive and we can't wait!
Now an episode or two of 24 before bed. Not exactly relaxing, as any 24 watcher will tell you!
"I Can't Believe Britt Was Right"
Those were Gary's words as we pulled off the freeway with a flat tire on the boat trailer. Britt advised his Dad not to travel without a spare for the boat trailer - but we did.
Thankfully we were able to get off the freeway in a small town of Wendell Idaho. Brandon made it to a gas station just in time to watch a car park right in front of the air hose he was desperately trying to get to. He jumped out of the pick-up and asked them to quickly move their car.
By the way, whose dumb idea was it to charge for air anyway?
While Brandon & Greta kept feeding quarters in the air machine we took the bbow to the nearest tire shop...which closed at noon. It was 1 PM. The next one was also closed but Gary tried calling them for an after hours number. He was standing outside the door listening to the phone ringing inside. Nothing.
Gary and Brandon took off the tire and we prepared to head on to the next town for a tire when suddenly a tire man appeared inside the store. Yeah tire man! Not only was he there but he had the exact tires Gary wanted: two Trail America 15" D series.
Britt was right!
Thankfully we were able to get off the freeway in a small town of Wendell Idaho. Brandon made it to a gas station just in time to watch a car park right in front of the air hose he was desperately trying to get to. He jumped out of the pick-up and asked them to quickly move their car.
By the way, whose dumb idea was it to charge for air anyway?
While Brandon & Greta kept feeding quarters in the air machine we took the bbow to the nearest tire shop...which closed at noon. It was 1 PM. The next one was also closed but Gary tried calling them for an after hours number. He was standing outside the door listening to the phone ringing inside. Nothing.
Gary and Brandon took off the tire and we prepared to head on to the next town for a tire when suddenly a tire man appeared inside the store. Yeah tire man! Not only was he there but he had the exact tires Gary wanted: two Trail America 15" D series.
Britt was right!
A Cinnamon Roll Blessing
So on Thursday my Mom asks me what she could do for us...could she make anything? Cinnamon rolls are our favorite and really a trip tradition. She had them ready for me Thursday evening - two dozen.
That's a lot of cinnamon rolls for 5 people - NOT! I imagined us having some for Ross and Taya who haven't tasted Grandma's cinnamon rolls for a long time. Thankfully I never told them to expect them - they are going FAST.
I didn't anticipate eating them for lunch yesterday, and they made a wonderful breakfast for us this morning. We are now into dozen number two. We'll have to see how many will make it to tomorrow. I really will try to save some for them.
More than a delicious tradition my Mom's cinnamon rolls are a loving blessing my Mom send us off with.
Thanks Mom!
That's a lot of cinnamon rolls for 5 people - NOT! I imagined us having some for Ross and Taya who haven't tasted Grandma's cinnamon rolls for a long time. Thankfully I never told them to expect them - they are going FAST.
I didn't anticipate eating them for lunch yesterday, and they made a wonderful breakfast for us this morning. We are now into dozen number two. We'll have to see how many will make it to tomorrow. I really will try to save some for them.
More than a delicious tradition my Mom's cinnamon rolls are a loving blessing my Mom send us off with.
Thanks Mom!
Know that the Lord is God
I would call this morning a gentle morning. No rush. No worries. The wind shifted so for now the pungent onion odor is gone. The sun is shining and it actually feels like summer for the first time this summer. We are incredibly blessed and giving thanks to God for this day.
Psalm 100 is on my heart. I guess because yesterday I wrote out some thots about it in my journal.
It's a joyful Psalm. An invitation to come and worship God with shouts of joy, holding nothing back. And it invites the whole earth to join in.
The more I travel the more I see this to be true - creation shouts God! The earth gives a standing ovation to Him.
Know that the Lord is God, and creation calls!
Psalm 100 is on my heart. I guess because yesterday I wrote out some thots about it in my journal.
It's a joyful Psalm. An invitation to come and worship God with shouts of joy, holding nothing back. And it invites the whole earth to join in.
The more I travel the more I see this to be true - creation shouts God! The earth gives a standing ovation to Him.
Know that the Lord is God, and creation calls!
Boys & Toys
Last years trip was navigated by computer with Microsoft's Streets and Trip, which is great when it works. Unfortunately for most of our US Tour it didn't, and this was a constant source of aggravation.
This Christmas Gary got a Garmin and, you guessed it, we are now using both for this trip. I had to take a picture of this man with his two nav systems running which I'll try to post later.
This Christmas Gary got a Garmin and, you guessed it, we are now using both for this trip. I had to take a picture of this man with his two nav systems running which I'll try to post later.
Partners in Travel
It is way fun to travel together with someone, and we are really enjoying Brandon and Greta traveling with us. The guys have rigged a communication system between vehicles and this is a great outlet for Gary's verbal energy. He can point things out to his hearts content!
We planned to go over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg, but for some reason Gary changed his mind right as we got to the Stevens Pass exit near Everett. Say what?
Greta had never been to Leavenworth and enjoyed a quick glimpse of the town. Blewitt Pass is a beautiful drive which we enjoyed, but we couldn't wait to get to Ellensburg.
We were all starving but Gary insisted we wait to eat there at The Red Horse Diner, a fun and funky must-eat-at-when-you're-there place. Amazing Burgers and shakes.
We then headed thru the wine region of Washington's Yakima Valley. It's been a long time since I have been thru here. Do you know some of the wineries actually have "resorts"? ["resorts" are the new code word for campgrounds as we learned during last years travels]
We made our first stop for gas in Prosser, WA. We're gonna take quite a hit on gas/diesel this trip - ya think?
Our travel goal for today was Pendleton, OR, but by the time we got there we were in no way ready to stop, so we kept driving and set a new goal of Ontario.
Gary does't particularly like traveling at nite cause he can't see anything, but we were running on adrenalin and had to keep going.
Ontario sits on the border with Idaho, and we actually passed a huge Ore-Ida fectory as we came into town. Makes perfect sense
We made it there by 12:30 and began to look for the WKOA [WalMart Kampgrounds of America according to Brandon] where we planned to catch a few hours of sleep.
Note to self: Ontario must grow or process a significant ammount of onions and the smell came wafting uninvited into our bbow. Beyond wrong! We had no option but to stick it out and hope the direction of the wind changed. It didn't.
We planned to go over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg, but for some reason Gary changed his mind right as we got to the Stevens Pass exit near Everett. Say what?
Greta had never been to Leavenworth and enjoyed a quick glimpse of the town. Blewitt Pass is a beautiful drive which we enjoyed, but we couldn't wait to get to Ellensburg.
We were all starving but Gary insisted we wait to eat there at The Red Horse Diner, a fun and funky must-eat-at-when-you're-there place. Amazing Burgers and shakes.
We then headed thru the wine region of Washington's Yakima Valley. It's been a long time since I have been thru here. Do you know some of the wineries actually have "resorts"? ["resorts" are the new code word for campgrounds as we learned during last years travels]
We made our first stop for gas in Prosser, WA. We're gonna take quite a hit on gas/diesel this trip - ya think?
Our travel goal for today was Pendleton, OR, but by the time we got there we were in no way ready to stop, so we kept driving and set a new goal of Ontario.
Gary does't particularly like traveling at nite cause he can't see anything, but we were running on adrenalin and had to keep going.
Ontario sits on the border with Idaho, and we actually passed a huge Ore-Ida fectory as we came into town. Makes perfect sense
We made it there by 12:30 and began to look for the WKOA [WalMart Kampgrounds of America according to Brandon] where we planned to catch a few hours of sleep.
Note to self: Ontario must grow or process a significant ammount of onions and the smell came wafting uninvited into our bbow. Beyond wrong! We had no option but to stick it out and hope the direction of the wind changed. It didn't.
A Dream Comes True
For years Gary has dreamed of taking a houseboat trip on Lake Powell in Arizona, and for five years now he has tried to make this trip happen but just couldn't pull it off for a variety of reasons.
Well, this is the year to make his dream come true, and we are now on our way to Lake Powell. All of our kids will be there and we will enjoy our first significant family vacation in nine years. We are so excited.
We are driving there in our bbow ["big box on wheels" which is what we affectionately call our Tioga motor home, for those of you who missed our '07 US Tour]
Brandon and Greta are traveling with us driving Gary's pick-up and pulling the "Princess", our ski boat.
Britt and Shana are building a new home this summer so to save some travel time they are flying to meet us on Sunday in Salt Lake City, and Ross, Taya, and Isaiah will also be flying in from Little Rock.
We are so excited to be together. And what a place to meet! Lake Powell is a new adventure to all of us and we can't wait to explore it.
Located on the Colorado River right above the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell is formed by the Glen Canyon Dam. It has more shoreline than the entire West Coast of the United States. Tucked in amazing red rock canyons the scenery looks to be spectacular.
I am so blessed to have a husband who not only dreams big dreams but actually makes them happen.
Well, this is the year to make his dream come true, and we are now on our way to Lake Powell. All of our kids will be there and we will enjoy our first significant family vacation in nine years. We are so excited.
We are driving there in our bbow ["big box on wheels" which is what we affectionately call our Tioga motor home, for those of you who missed our '07 US Tour]
Brandon and Greta are traveling with us driving Gary's pick-up and pulling the "Princess", our ski boat.
Britt and Shana are building a new home this summer so to save some travel time they are flying to meet us on Sunday in Salt Lake City, and Ross, Taya, and Isaiah will also be flying in from Little Rock.
We are so excited to be together. And what a place to meet! Lake Powell is a new adventure to all of us and we can't wait to explore it.
Located on the Colorado River right above the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell is formed by the Glen Canyon Dam. It has more shoreline than the entire West Coast of the United States. Tucked in amazing red rock canyons the scenery looks to be spectacular.
I am so blessed to have a husband who not only dreams big dreams but actually makes them happen.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Twenty Minutes Early...Or Fourty Minutes Late
OK, this happens every time we leave on a trip. You know, the "when do we plan to leave" conversation. I specifically asked this question and the answer was "12 noon". Now I interpreted that to mean "12 noon".
I will admit to being an aggressive obsessive-compulsive procrastinating over-packer. What can I say, I like my options...and perhaps I ponder them a bit too much. In fact this may explain the size of our bbow.
All I can say is next time I'm getting our departure time in writing, because I was especially proud to be leaving our driveway at 11:40. Yeah me! Oh...but no. We had just left when my dear husband lamented we were 40 minutes late. Say what??? Apparently, 12 noon in "Honcoop" time meant we were actually shooting for 11 AM. I was never given that important piece of information.
This just proves how depressing being on time can be.
I will admit to being an aggressive obsessive-compulsive procrastinating over-packer. What can I say, I like my options...and perhaps I ponder them a bit too much. In fact this may explain the size of our bbow.
All I can say is next time I'm getting our departure time in writing, because I was especially proud to be leaving our driveway at 11:40. Yeah me! Oh...but no. We had just left when my dear husband lamented we were 40 minutes late. Say what??? Apparently, 12 noon in "Honcoop" time meant we were actually shooting for 11 AM. I was never given that important piece of information.
This just proves how depressing being on time can be.
On the Road...Again!
Hey, guess what? I'm back on this blog...and we're back on the road in our bbow! How cool is that?? Yes, I know it's now 2008 and I never finished posting the last 10 days of our amazing US tour last year. There was a reason - I regrettably got quite sick and actually needed medical attention by the time we arrived home. It's a long, stupid story but all my energy had to go into making it thru the day and being strong enough to complete the trip.
Here's a quick synopsis: We saw the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, ate pancakes at the KOA in Rapid City made by the same cowboy who made them for us back in '92, visited the Wild Bill Cody museum in, you guessed it, Cody Wyoming, had an amazing two days in Yellowstone, and enjoyed a wonderful rest day in Idaho before heading North into Canada and making our way back to Lynden. What a trip.
We got back very late on July 27 and parked in the driveway of my brother Ryan's home so that when his three boys woke up we were there! They had no idea and it was great fun to see their faces. Everyone who could showed up for breakfast and we had a wonderful reunion with them all. This was cut a bit short by my need to see a doctor.
Anyway, now it's 2008 and we're back on the road on another great adventure. So where are we heading this time?? You'll have to read the next post to find out. How's that for a cliff hanger?? Not so much. I know, I'm a bit rusty at this but anxious to share the ride.
Let me know if you're out there reading this!
Here's a quick synopsis: We saw the Badlands, Mt. Rushmore, ate pancakes at the KOA in Rapid City made by the same cowboy who made them for us back in '92, visited the Wild Bill Cody museum in, you guessed it, Cody Wyoming, had an amazing two days in Yellowstone, and enjoyed a wonderful rest day in Idaho before heading North into Canada and making our way back to Lynden. What a trip.
We got back very late on July 27 and parked in the driveway of my brother Ryan's home so that when his three boys woke up we were there! They had no idea and it was great fun to see their faces. Everyone who could showed up for breakfast and we had a wonderful reunion with them all. This was cut a bit short by my need to see a doctor.
Anyway, now it's 2008 and we're back on the road on another great adventure. So where are we heading this time?? You'll have to read the next post to find out. How's that for a cliff hanger?? Not so much. I know, I'm a bit rusty at this but anxious to share the ride.
Let me know if you're out there reading this!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
