tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72485991375583242462024-03-12T17:24:56.236-07:00Doing It On The RoadMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.comBlogger320125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-18971243058693953552010-08-11T05:50:00.001-07:002010-08-12T05:58:20.704-07:00Fruitland Mesa, Staying At George and Vals<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_NzsYWCwGYFPrErPuZH3fWItuWJA2unfQ9J98SLcCzWabjtlBaMl_M1RhwDoKwrpPCWFIpH9ti43gWhNPDZlnu7sReHyoa7wK_KOYhro8W-RwzUuJAhiqli8sxtr4Jri5BEgIgYwAiA/s1600/IMG_2187.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhL_NzsYWCwGYFPrErPuZH3fWItuWJA2unfQ9J98SLcCzWabjtlBaMl_M1RhwDoKwrpPCWFIpH9ti43gWhNPDZlnu7sReHyoa7wK_KOYhro8W-RwzUuJAhiqli8sxtr4Jri5BEgIgYwAiA/s200/IMG_2187.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504505910120013810" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUWWX-GD1d7jGsN_oBmb7-LQe0cv4wCKNIdn48BnodISV_jkBjA-2kmy6jBwnOUTdi9hKeEAscu8yRz0JB_onEgRaf_34ygawng6nTH2zJXi-9YswiL2IfrPa3fg57IbhaLsUNgN9Wvw/s1600/IMG_2177.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicUWWX-GD1d7jGsN_oBmb7-LQe0cv4wCKNIdn48BnodISV_jkBjA-2kmy6jBwnOUTdi9hKeEAscu8yRz0JB_onEgRaf_34ygawng6nTH2zJXi-9YswiL2IfrPa3fg57IbhaLsUNgN9Wvw/s200/IMG_2177.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504503925872369426" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT-0f6EEv5wUXJ_a0XE0zeKURUB4ckeOUJme58gRdt8PPyTPnvryfSQfC6rTRa8oK-pIoNvQOP-LSb3QgcIhP-5eoX90GK9Q33CF5PjcpmxI3mmpyS3indzTJxLuXvPh3oWt5EFsKteQ/s1600/IMG_2171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitT-0f6EEv5wUXJ_a0XE0zeKURUB4ckeOUJme58gRdt8PPyTPnvryfSQfC6rTRa8oK-pIoNvQOP-LSb3QgcIhP-5eoX90GK9Q33CF5PjcpmxI3mmpyS3indzTJxLuXvPh3oWt5EFsKteQ/s200/IMG_2171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504502883384034226" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8a_nja2lfF-oX26TGJRVz3awsNyg0aD7M-RDL0de450rE8at4VT7FgJqGdeaeyyUqbPLx3WWmgspkeb2n8WhKgKjPETLoY35UcQ5wDQ5PxIVPKl4jd82QQGpMDTJpQMMdUmR7kZsy4I/s1600/IMG_2151.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh8a_nja2lfF-oX26TGJRVz3awsNyg0aD7M-RDL0de450rE8at4VT7FgJqGdeaeyyUqbPLx3WWmgspkeb2n8WhKgKjPETLoY35UcQ5wDQ5PxIVPKl4jd82QQGpMDTJpQMMdUmR7kZsy4I/s200/IMG_2151.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504501530629447442" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpOF7nY3b-WpyvYrGVIZiOLissmossd5v3gK8OKDbQWNQ86VkkuNbDm370nj13edTDH-2YWKKCQ9JrMbBO6IlQWIwcuCn_FTb2_jccYWFxmEmLqNKgsL-B_itkciN9Zp20LOYmD1N5rk/s1600/IMG_2185.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOpOF7nY3b-WpyvYrGVIZiOLissmossd5v3gK8OKDbQWNQ86VkkuNbDm370nj13edTDH-2YWKKCQ9JrMbBO6IlQWIwcuCn_FTb2_jccYWFxmEmLqNKgsL-B_itkciN9Zp20LOYmD1N5rk/s200/IMG_2185.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504500142567246882" /></a><br />The sun hasn't yet risen over the West Elk Mountains when the mornings stillness is broken by a sound that is kind of like a train trying to blow its horn. It starts and stops and wheezes and starts again, finally ending in a series of resounding hehaws. Its Dulcemia, Vals donkey, waking eceryone up as it greets the morning sun.<br />As you step outside you see a herd of ten large mule deer bucks, grazing in one of Georges hayfields. Each one is in full velevet and one is a truely spectacular buck with a wide spread and with thick beams.<br />Its early but its time to get up for morning coffee and to plan the days schedule, today its a float down the Gunnison, yesterday was antiquing and then a four wheel drive ride in George's 1972 two tone Bronco. That was a ride along two deeply rutted tracks on Black Ridge. We bounced along and tried to spot wildlife but they were hiding from the sound of the engine.<br />Each day is full of surprises as we enjoy the area, truely a little known destination that is empty of all the tourists places we have been. Its kind of surprising that it hasn't been develpoped as beautiful as it is.<br />The rains have been heavy and the fields are green, which really isn't the usual case as the area gets less then ten inches of rain a year. The only occupations here are raising irrigated hay and trying to cash in on the fall hunting season as nonresidents flock to the area for its elk and deer.<br />The Black Canyon of the Gunnsion is the one place really known outside the area but there are so many other places too enjoy. We have picked service berries at Kebler Pass, drove through the Crested Butte ski area, enjoyed the scenry of Blue Mesa and picniced along the North fork of the Gunnison.<br />Its been an really enjoyably week and I would write more but its coffee time at the ranch and time to plan the float trip. I am sure that will be another adventure worth writing so I need to go out for my morning chores,(which involves walking Molly and Dulcie). Its no wonder that George and Val love it here. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-40501650444177956052010-08-07T03:22:00.000-07:002010-08-07T04:48:27.450-07:00The North Rim of The Black Canyon of the Gunnison<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVwM3-dZM341fqJBCNRpuMVS90VfFeDmkEiYgunwvI88IOLM6f06m2EVSSdqUBFEs3lmiICoSGviERHoiJ-168dqYB8FxY5jqQAcnqAWxa8vYswfYNGegvR66tic5Q1LNzYoILIwhvys/s1600/IMG_2064.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIVwM3-dZM341fqJBCNRpuMVS90VfFeDmkEiYgunwvI88IOLM6f06m2EVSSdqUBFEs3lmiICoSGviERHoiJ-168dqYB8FxY5jqQAcnqAWxa8vYswfYNGegvR66tic5Q1LNzYoILIwhvys/s200/IMG_2064.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502632380006648114" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrklMDEpx3y-FIEQVj14Qd30bvJfJgLfUpg5Lm0cp7sQ_qLt0tTII3BwXs60CFvGxr8F8UhXr17VgV9h5njcjptC4wULtgpH3Dwz_3fkp5i2yykEOtxODwxGh0DqKNfHXel5YVon1YKY/s1600/IMG_2053.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrklMDEpx3y-FIEQVj14Qd30bvJfJgLfUpg5Lm0cp7sQ_qLt0tTII3BwXs60CFvGxr8F8UhXr17VgV9h5njcjptC4wULtgpH3Dwz_3fkp5i2yykEOtxODwxGh0DqKNfHXel5YVon1YKY/s200/IMG_2053.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502630938246528546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnBff45hdZ46rgB010nfmvhwUJebaREa9BbzVluEgesMSkycPUMc8kHw84d5f2br9tZ02QxGjV17WHfkpLsKO_ir2GvevFALrbgD_ZlLHD8lYZ4Gtwb5s1OItqctg8XGUo5Z_G9mo0Uc/s1600/IMG_2022.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQnBff45hdZ46rgB010nfmvhwUJebaREa9BbzVluEgesMSkycPUMc8kHw84d5f2br9tZ02QxGjV17WHfkpLsKO_ir2GvevFALrbgD_ZlLHD8lYZ4Gtwb5s1OItqctg8XGUo5Z_G9mo0Uc/s200/IMG_2022.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502628977868911698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtRxKZFQU_01LnruKiPio3KMwzHAngg348jO2iJ3wKaGPs6-qDfyF6hX0l-ldU9003is5o7vqNcuoi5puTBhPhWhSn7ZiT3OM6OGqqN_-9pDn6sUPXwELgKDq_gupQy6qjcZxSu85Rh8/s1600/IMG_2002.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUtRxKZFQU_01LnruKiPio3KMwzHAngg348jO2iJ3wKaGPs6-qDfyF6hX0l-ldU9003is5o7vqNcuoi5puTBhPhWhSn7ZiT3OM6OGqqN_-9pDn6sUPXwELgKDq_gupQy6qjcZxSu85Rh8/s200/IMG_2002.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502626240639766082" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UDsrj_uRKp0TdmXoYMZQQV6qO4CYbQNI4Cq75OYMdLy1T5yq231PZCSMSG1GEMSO6L1-50P8-Hkfjahv3QDneMD_3dzo0J0ip8yCjDLIwyIbYfVGKSFTWVGyH4FBGEGmFn2LwK-ZTmA/s1600/IMG_1980.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1UDsrj_uRKp0TdmXoYMZQQV6qO4CYbQNI4Cq75OYMdLy1T5yq231PZCSMSG1GEMSO6L1-50P8-Hkfjahv3QDneMD_3dzo0J0ip8yCjDLIwyIbYfVGKSFTWVGyH4FBGEGmFn2LwK-ZTmA/s200/IMG_1980.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502624487102807730" /></a><br />From a distance the Black Canyon of the Gunnison looks out of place. You see the green treeless landscape, and it is so green because of the unusual rains. Against it or really across it runs a obvious canyon with cliffs, but its only as you near the rim that you get any idea of its depth.<br />The canyon ranges in depths from 1700 feet at the narrows, to 2700 feet at Warner Point, over half a mile. It seems deceiving as you look down it, you have nothing for scale, so you have to compare it to something you know well. For me Devils Tower was the obvious choice. <br />The narrows is three times as deep as the vertical height of Devils Tower and four and a half times the height at its deepest. As I looked down into the depths, I felt the desire to feel the rock, the same feeling I got at Yosemite. There were many vertical lines and one that sat in a dihedral looked like such a clean and beautiful route. <br />I am nearing sixty years of age and yet I still feel the same as when I was younger and climbed the hard rock, pounding iron into cracks. I suppose the desire and longing for the rocks touch and the need to dance on a vertical rock dance floor, will never cease, never leave. Or at least I hope it never does.<br />Looking down we went from place to place, the Narrows, The Leaning Camel, Balancing Rock. The river far below was a series of whitewater pools and George told me how he had heard that it was full of big trout that had rarely seen a fly.<br />Across the gorge the south rim was busier, and we only shared the north rim with another couple, oh and a coyote. He seemed unconcerned with our presence and even trotted right past us, as close to a wild coyote as we have ever been. Stopping, he lapped water from a puddle on the granites surface. What could taste better or be cleaner then fresh rainwater on hard rock, high on the Colorado Plateau?<br />We both enjoyed the north rim and its solitude. It was so nice to share with our friends George and Val as they guided us to a place only 15 minutes from their ranch. Fifteen minutes and yet so far back in time then most of the tourist places we have been.<br />I thought again of the rock and the gorge and how hard it would be to climb out. The verticality of the rock still causes me to pause as I think of the gorges sheer walls and stunning depth. However such an attempt will have to wait for another time as this journey is really one in which we are merely sampling the area, and the area and its beauty is definitely a do over. Climb on, oh and Clear skies!MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-2852822699875393632010-08-06T04:45:00.000-07:002010-08-06T05:52:26.736-07:00Crossing the Unitas and Douglas Pass on Colorado 139, OH MY<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlBW5z3Eq0Z9QeV1x7R_9nO68vKj5v8VX33CGkgNmVSCT56cIqfgEvdmo4lLjPjMCMqvGKBZIltlT6VxNSgNx9Yg3oYyBPdPn9TBgXKp9BYuBb55Dw5hle8e7Ibf_ZMgKOo48L9-vdUg/s1600/IMG_1934.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNlBW5z3Eq0Z9QeV1x7R_9nO68vKj5v8VX33CGkgNmVSCT56cIqfgEvdmo4lLjPjMCMqvGKBZIltlT6VxNSgNx9Yg3oYyBPdPn9TBgXKp9BYuBb55Dw5hle8e7Ibf_ZMgKOo48L9-vdUg/s200/IMG_1934.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502277842632646354" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwGY1gi0jdxbIEMQ3JPMf6MIEUXniwmasXaZv8Mm7ZnBrq8xDtjpj2_kp-2QZElrlNchwEi773pU_0myFUd_rHOt9ULVuJ3VdgMfPdvr01KGVzDlg3o3Tzg72YeIXO0s2fm_2-Yhpek4/s1600/IMG_1904.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmwGY1gi0jdxbIEMQ3JPMf6MIEUXniwmasXaZv8Mm7ZnBrq8xDtjpj2_kp-2QZElrlNchwEi773pU_0myFUd_rHOt9ULVuJ3VdgMfPdvr01KGVzDlg3o3Tzg72YeIXO0s2fm_2-Yhpek4/s200/IMG_1904.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502276608908880354" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF8DoHYl3WcPLptI5R-K8mfcVFPXl605zPmcqmoT1DN0zgVqUForVXjjVctTqE_aHipncQJbrOQx3FP7GvYaFk3smRDpkKztlxx-8TOVXc0zMAPvnArAPc1-mxhNlPG_X_QIxPMlt4nw/s1600/IMG_1859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF8DoHYl3WcPLptI5R-K8mfcVFPXl605zPmcqmoT1DN0zgVqUForVXjjVctTqE_aHipncQJbrOQx3FP7GvYaFk3smRDpkKztlxx-8TOVXc0zMAPvnArAPc1-mxhNlPG_X_QIxPMlt4nw/s200/IMG_1859.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502275540372500066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZCHoCiHJmgGBUBx9HkaljhZA2iGh8yuZxCvYt9D50n6Ki-q4YyYHpC-26-UKS983kPwbLVa6lRLiWfHLX2iVwZMfUee57OQ08SQ7xAXuxT76ZkhtAYrDgCLLxyQ0hfxWiBztEEH0v0o/s1600/IMG_1853.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLZCHoCiHJmgGBUBx9HkaljhZA2iGh8yuZxCvYt9D50n6Ki-q4YyYHpC-26-UKS983kPwbLVa6lRLiWfHLX2iVwZMfUee57OQ08SQ7xAXuxT76ZkhtAYrDgCLLxyQ0hfxWiBztEEH0v0o/s200/IMG_1853.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502274662255028818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2bgRTE94JA4WrY_HOBpT6nsvmdPvmPbwwwHZ6MJGStdkrcTDQeSMM4rSqqA-zQPBmljRyZaxoZBch7FsjP25qhL-obxObNM5LA69A2vjTiSopeiPmGyeiyLJoxHi0xAHyQmG7No6iNk/s1600/IMG_1841.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM2bgRTE94JA4WrY_HOBpT6nsvmdPvmPbwwwHZ6MJGStdkrcTDQeSMM4rSqqA-zQPBmljRyZaxoZBch7FsjP25qhL-obxObNM5LA69A2vjTiSopeiPmGyeiyLJoxHi0xAHyQmG7No6iNk/s200/IMG_1841.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5502273414519866002" /></a><br />It was time to go to Colorado and visit our friends George and Val. They have a hay ranch on Fruitland Mesa, near Crawford, Colorado and it looked like an easy drive with a mountain pass or two but no problem, right? After all the truckers atlas showed the route aa a truckers route and it had some squiggles on the map but still no problemo.<br />However the first pass on US 191 wasn't quite the pass I expected and when we saw the sign stating ten switchbacks and an eight to nine percent downgrade I started to wonder about my wisdom.<br />I shifted into low gear and prepared ourselves for the descent. After all we had been over lots of passes before and this couldn't be too bad, right? Notice my second use of the word right.<br />The pass was so steep that I actually had to use our brakes more then the usual two or three times as the truck kept wanting to pick up speed down the pass, The state of Utah had actually put up signs at each switchback telling drivers how many remained.<br />I wasn't quite as careful as I should have been and the transmission heated up. I actually had to pull over, luckily there was a place big enough for our rig, and let it cool down for awhile. It was something I hadn't done in quite a while the last time during our first year on the road when I misjudged our speed going down South Pass in the Wyoming Wind Rivers.<br />We finally made the last switchback and everything was cool so I relaxed as we arrived in Vernal Utah. From there we turned east on 40 and then south onto Colorado 139. We both relaxed, whew.<br />A sign appeared that said open range and we braked to keep some cows from causing permanent damage to our rig. Soon the narrow road started to gain in elevation as we took the first switchback and then another and another. Rocks lay strewn alongside the road as we passed signs warning of rock fall and in one place huge towers of sandstone stood ready to end someones journey, or at least block the road.<br />Renita keep telling me how beautiful it was as I kept my eyes glued to the road. Theres nothing more disgusting then your navigator telling about the beautiful scenry as you use all your wit and skill to keep your rig from hurtling over a thousand foot drop. Its not a road for flatlanders or first time mountain drivers and I took hairpin after hairpin, some as slow as fifteen miles per hour, the posted speed!<br />Trucks passed, all going in the opposite way, and so we knew the road was ok for us as if a truck can travel it we can and so we finally reached the top of Douglas Pass and started down the other side towards Grand Junction, Colorado.<br />The road snaked down the mountainside, reminding me of our drive as we crossed the Sierras and drove to Yosemite Valley. Switchback after switchback after switchback, some so sharp that I watched trucks go wide to miss the rocks and keep from wiping out another vehicle going the other way.<br />Again I babied our rig down the mountain and we soon gave up any attempt to count the number of switchbacks. I felt pretty good about it all as I kept the temperature down enough so we didn't have to stop for cooling and we finally reached the bottom of the pass and then Grand Junction.<br />The rest of the drive to George and Vals was uneventful. I told myself that any pass I would see in the future couldn't possible be any more fun to drive then Douglas Pass. It was a beautiful drive through gorgeous scenery but it definitely is not for the faint of heart. Would I take it again? To that I would probably say yes, but not this year as we will find another way to head back to the Bighorns, our next goal. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-40921242169102215552010-08-03T06:00:00.000-07:002010-08-03T06:56:46.043-07:00Floating the Green<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VjML4UNyxNOUM8Ac3czvDq_vPa8w5J8MPEcgHE6BkvDOSE1Yz01AwOcXd7xBHj7dtJfcxFIt0pK_jXDz4osZze5Gb1lj4Dqiv2oIQ9HzRSYCFBT6dlPwAqCR3pdnvAmJZ4xA3_NOa-s/s1600/IMG_1801.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1VjML4UNyxNOUM8Ac3czvDq_vPa8w5J8MPEcgHE6BkvDOSE1Yz01AwOcXd7xBHj7dtJfcxFIt0pK_jXDz4osZze5Gb1lj4Dqiv2oIQ9HzRSYCFBT6dlPwAqCR3pdnvAmJZ4xA3_NOa-s/s200/IMG_1801.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501181519839828210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8wxdSVcPyMpUGed8euPjkQtXLtZ4Z53ft1RUjIxpMXZDrQ_7h7KnCcsgK7EPa6fQYuJdLiSX3NtZvA5Dz5LKK-4jAe3_KxXdDCKT2T-_XVVehWUcL-Eyo34_UL1D9VRG-xHhZq_IuhE/s1600/IMG_1774.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ8wxdSVcPyMpUGed8euPjkQtXLtZ4Z53ft1RUjIxpMXZDrQ_7h7KnCcsgK7EPa6fQYuJdLiSX3NtZvA5Dz5LKK-4jAe3_KxXdDCKT2T-_XVVehWUcL-Eyo34_UL1D9VRG-xHhZq_IuhE/s200/IMG_1774.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501180579793909970" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8ZnEHqLcKXGGbnEhdnDC9IUWEAhFqG0lFlCH-9zIolE-HKNSsvAj5qAG4DenOqZ9KLH3UNMbo8Kfj0acFMvoD8SUbojYe3N-DVCp7Mb_n0shADv_5xFlShxQk30EESAboAhUP_Bc59Q/s1600/IMG_1752.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM8ZnEHqLcKXGGbnEhdnDC9IUWEAhFqG0lFlCH-9zIolE-HKNSsvAj5qAG4DenOqZ9KLH3UNMbo8Kfj0acFMvoD8SUbojYe3N-DVCp7Mb_n0shADv_5xFlShxQk30EESAboAhUP_Bc59Q/s200/IMG_1752.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501179675256768466" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xVBcamCPJDLBcqNRUfK-SlOmpeD089lsmIiZeya-27Qn24nIr9BGEZJeKzCc5VbEMtBtSjw2TiDoMdL1I__4em-48YSm7TXf56JF_gE1kDCAHuiNDUVd3EWPQRjDEsW3B0wXCa2xNzM/s1600/IMG_1742.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8xVBcamCPJDLBcqNRUfK-SlOmpeD089lsmIiZeya-27Qn24nIr9BGEZJeKzCc5VbEMtBtSjw2TiDoMdL1I__4em-48YSm7TXf56JF_gE1kDCAHuiNDUVd3EWPQRjDEsW3B0wXCa2xNzM/s200/IMG_1742.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501179126222123938" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHajfcDLHzRU9D2Hj50kut1_Fk1_Gfr-BOSPSj3toY2ZU978CkylqN49jvI4b6jlZlcyrNQTlcWPYSsvwUKelmMc9enj7Q30acaGQeXZ5rwZBb3GC1cJk1KhYcsTOWyPMXY8Sd58KT1Po/s1600/IMG_1739.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHajfcDLHzRU9D2Hj50kut1_Fk1_Gfr-BOSPSj3toY2ZU978CkylqN49jvI4b6jlZlcyrNQTlcWPYSsvwUKelmMc9enj7Q30acaGQeXZ5rwZBb3GC1cJk1KhYcsTOWyPMXY8Sd58KT1Po/s200/IMG_1739.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501178006273975250" /></a><br />"You shouldn't have any problem, just be sure to hit the chute straight down the middle. Its a class two rapids, oh and you will hit another rapids when you reach the water plant."<br />I asked myself if I really wanted to do this, but I was determined to float a short stretch of the Green River of Wyoming. After all, John Wesley Powell had started from Expedition Island in Green River Wyoming and so I needed to at least float a little of his journey,(in case you don't know his expedition was the first to travel down the Grand Canyon and a movie I used in class was called, <em>Ninety Nine Days To Survival</em>)<br />A strong current quickly took me downstream and I readied myself for my first test, floating past the cranes that were constructing some new whitewater for kayaks and tubers to enjoy. The current picked up speed and the river narrowed as I shot past the working equipment and into a broader stretch of the river.<br />The north shore was all white cliffs and there were spots along the south bank where the water was shallow. I scraped bottom in one place as I paddled through a small set of ripples. I reminded myself of what the local expert had told me, keep the boat straight and you should be ok.<br />The first rapids approached, the only warning being the noise. It dropped over a ridge of rock and I couldn't see the drop. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor I rowed over to the south shore and stepped out of the canoe to look the rapids over. Maybe next time I thought as I used my rope to drift the canoe past the rapids.<br />A little further I floated under a railroad bridge and the current picked up speed again. Two signs warned of the approaching white water park at expedition island and further stated that all floaters need to be wearing life jackets. No problem here as I had mine on from the start!<br />I passed some people swimming along a sand beach and paddled to the north bank as I had already decided not to shoot the chute, at least not this time. Renita appeared on the shore and we talked about how the canoe would float past the rapids. She had been talking with a man on shore who had told her about the drowning that had occurred there a few weeks earlier,(the person who drowned hadn't been wearing a life jacket).<br />The rest of the float went too quickly although the current slowed below the highway bridge. I passed a flock of Canadian geese who seemed displeased about my intrusion and a mule deer raised his head and watched me float by his island. His velvet antlers were still growing and he was completely unconcerned about my presence, just another one of those stupid people. <br />Another bend and I passed a gauging station. It looked to be in disrepair, which kind of surprised me as the water rights and water claims on the Green are tightly monitored. I thought about the idiot who wanted to take water from the Green and pipe it over the continental divide, to be used by Denver and Colorado cities on the front range. It reminded me of the Mono Lake diversion, how sad it would be if it happened here. Keep the Green flowing!<br />I spotted Renita at the take out point and she waved as I neared. She had decided to be my support crew and photographer for my short float and I couldn't ask for anyone better. It had been a fun float of the Green and I actually stayed dry. It was a definite do over, next time with my photographer in the boat! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-74027411704557242152010-08-03T05:30:00.000-07:002010-08-03T05:59:35.797-07:00The Window is Fixed<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiek7oIogRY_EKofuPyuwTOkMtmiCwQzOUD_blVPKeSj6avJqjkSWcN01VKQuqBpkZ5F5EeYSGdOkQhzoFTrAo8x-Zkpbv346q1UpYiPcDvHg_zKlm7DVIMJjE3L3dxNH5R35oXSx4ECz0/s1600/IMG_1730.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiek7oIogRY_EKofuPyuwTOkMtmiCwQzOUD_blVPKeSj6avJqjkSWcN01VKQuqBpkZ5F5EeYSGdOkQhzoFTrAo8x-Zkpbv346q1UpYiPcDvHg_zKlm7DVIMJjE3L3dxNH5R35oXSx4ECz0/s200/IMG_1730.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501167087315259602" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4-_83Mn7ITJxoYvAYlH3aJwgDRpm_7DYtLK5V5yTZ8RaG6Z-r-0gPKQluQG5T40fHdR2O8DqZHzoxwzMbbQi_5mtEnW62Sb-zPFPrOaC02sLLY72hLzh-m5As_RhvVJO2lLd6py5g48/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjp4-_83Mn7ITJxoYvAYlH3aJwgDRpm_7DYtLK5V5yTZ8RaG6Z-r-0gPKQluQG5T40fHdR2O8DqZHzoxwzMbbQi_5mtEnW62Sb-zPFPrOaC02sLLY72hLzh-m5As_RhvVJO2lLd6py5g48/s200/IMG_1727.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501165776701003394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixb95u9iWiZYbVWhQ4cJDO1MLFvVHDPeV-jHmgdFy5iLpzPk_-dSkiS7u3GG9BfvzJqSf5OT7gSZo8a4O2snbCLznF3CXY0WkV-yOTFGYueatHRTi-SbM21cjBXtJpS7mZJkBZstFK2wU/s1600/IMG_1725.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixb95u9iWiZYbVWhQ4cJDO1MLFvVHDPeV-jHmgdFy5iLpzPk_-dSkiS7u3GG9BfvzJqSf5OT7gSZo8a4O2snbCLznF3CXY0WkV-yOTFGYueatHRTi-SbM21cjBXtJpS7mZJkBZstFK2wU/s200/IMG_1725.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501164571443665938" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7U-bo44xwDRCNwxIX_pEGiHbAp84Ee8IvLtJeUH3btUp1i6wTauyaFpa55eDstyncUHT1MwkWQQ4OFtp1GOJ26dcelxkvCS5a7_GWYlZlQXzOaHQKCicaRE0SPJZYHmT__tXwrwPEXI/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs7U-bo44xwDRCNwxIX_pEGiHbAp84Ee8IvLtJeUH3btUp1i6wTauyaFpa55eDstyncUHT1MwkWQQ4OFtp1GOJ26dcelxkvCS5a7_GWYlZlQXzOaHQKCicaRE0SPJZYHmT__tXwrwPEXI/s200/IMG_1724.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5501163778176168706" /></a><br />Three weeks after a rock smashed our back window, the lady from DJ's Glass called and sad the glaziers were coming out to replace our broken back window. Soon their white van arrived and in no time at all the old window was out!<br />I was kind of surprised at how easy it was to remove. They just took out the interior frame screws and then pushed on the window. Broken glass fell all over the ground, thank goodness it was tempered glass. and the glaziers quickly disassembled the frame.<br />In less then an hour they had the broken glass replaced with the new double pane and the window reinstalled in our fifth wheel. They made the job look easy but that's what professionals are supposed to do.<br />The glass tint matched perfectly and we are now ready to hit the road again! It was perfect timing as we had hoped to head to our friends George and Val and the Black Canyon of the Gunnision, Colorado here we come!MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-27941315935770031422010-08-01T05:27:00.000-07:002010-08-01T07:08:58.498-07:00The Farson Fish Beds and the Opalized Wood of Big Sandy<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaShGDiwuJ75ahOAdOB8zY28PcEcFN4WPujSFL0TFihAGizc-yyV_Pj9npQ3hVVMIkIc9mO07rOVPaF30GKeOjhM9EE_8MAbgBgO__Cx3BGxX_Eh7usC-1lBj8vzHtCHMvXWi9Ph3oRE/s1600/IMG_1723.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFaShGDiwuJ75ahOAdOB8zY28PcEcFN4WPujSFL0TFihAGizc-yyV_Pj9npQ3hVVMIkIc9mO07rOVPaF30GKeOjhM9EE_8MAbgBgO__Cx3BGxX_Eh7usC-1lBj8vzHtCHMvXWi9Ph3oRE/s200/IMG_1723.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500440067421051922" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iVSsPGWbqqQ3wmCUBL0ZZbnXx4PRWyepaznipVp9mKLFXi5zhLWGzOtCSP_HSaS46-iciMlHUZarW_dmLC5eceJz4ieEbsuqL8mlFLd8511PAwdy4SLc6bzhd1-RojCZk-ade5UYpns/s1600/IMG_1716.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3iVSsPGWbqqQ3wmCUBL0ZZbnXx4PRWyepaznipVp9mKLFXi5zhLWGzOtCSP_HSaS46-iciMlHUZarW_dmLC5eceJz4ieEbsuqL8mlFLd8511PAwdy4SLc6bzhd1-RojCZk-ade5UYpns/s200/IMG_1716.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500438836879912290" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvN-zvyBooLurcAj2Is0zL_YmYnwiUCNXHScSFF9D9WrE1PlPZ8RdMrul__2-ZXPmEz8iZHjjyeTg1yZyyLxIG4gayAJ4C4PMTYMp2whuzVDUlI40Lkj7Ac0QNG518o_FcDMpzMlnBb0/s1600/IMG_1704.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqvN-zvyBooLurcAj2Is0zL_YmYnwiUCNXHScSFF9D9WrE1PlPZ8RdMrul__2-ZXPmEz8iZHjjyeTg1yZyyLxIG4gayAJ4C4PMTYMp2whuzVDUlI40Lkj7Ac0QNG518o_FcDMpzMlnBb0/s200/IMG_1704.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500437987762820114" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigenM4RgCQiTaVQECZgbNYhqP5WKi81fV044ytQtaukkqB1ouBdjdEUuHOUrcbWWTnvTU91hIPhAcSxry8ZTlXCeh1evsPRz-abwvV8nKDwjIr0gqdWKCeLmYrtyWHLVDY_avl5k3HSmI/s1600/IMG_1689.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigenM4RgCQiTaVQECZgbNYhqP5WKi81fV044ytQtaukkqB1ouBdjdEUuHOUrcbWWTnvTU91hIPhAcSxry8ZTlXCeh1evsPRz-abwvV8nKDwjIr0gqdWKCeLmYrtyWHLVDY_avl5k3HSmI/s200/IMG_1689.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500433545627227618" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSTN80kQYk0MlLGzriT0lUDa1OY1f-QwTpMwd1Tj-9mLsKS56IuOQapBvjS2PAg9MaeAFf97xJ-25QTgW5F1f28hAqHP_60xYeO7Q0YL0lvB1aM2Wx7Z6ZVEEQ5WY9pR0QUYF7JT8L7Q/s1600/IMG_1691.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHSTN80kQYk0MlLGzriT0lUDa1OY1f-QwTpMwd1Tj-9mLsKS56IuOQapBvjS2PAg9MaeAFf97xJ-25QTgW5F1f28hAqHP_60xYeO7Q0YL0lvB1aM2Wx7Z6ZVEEQ5WY9pR0QUYF7JT8L7Q/s200/IMG_1691.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5500432309740271362" /></a><br />The dust was absent, for once. usually a trip down a road in the Red desert causes billowing clouds of fine white dust and sand and the dust seems to get in everywhere.<br />The road we were on was surprisingly good gravel with only a short stretch of dirt. Still we would watch for a developing rain thunderstorm.<br />I kept my eyes on the odometer while Renita watched for landmarks. We were looking for grey and brown piles of shale, left by collectors, and yes thieves, who had pillaged the Farson Fish Beds,(It is against the law to collect any vertebrate fossil on public land).<br />Just after we had drove eleven miles the piles of rock appeared alongside the road and stretched to a low rolling sagebrush covered ridge. We saw the BLM warning signs and we were at our destination, the Farson Fish Beds!<br />Knowing we couldn't collect anything but pictures we pulled over at a fork on the four wheel drive track. The ever present aroma of sage assailed our nostrils as we started to search the nearest piles of rock. At first we only found fish scales where the fish had exploded as they decomposed but Renita suggested we look further from the truck and I found my first fish fossil!<br />Soon the fish fossils seemed to jump out at us and I took images of them. I was pretty happy really as they were the first complete fish fossils I had ever found in thirty plus years of field trips with my geology classes.<br />We left the fossils where they lay, before the temptation overpowered our good sides. I don't think either one of us would do time well, and the real purpose of the trip was to find some opalized wood from Big Sandy.<br />The book said to turn around and head south until we found a four wheel drive track that headed west and Renita spotted it before me. I really doubted that it was the right path, but I turned off the main road and soon a stock dam and low ridge lay to the northeast.<br />As soon as I got out I spotted some petrified wood and we both were soon busy scouring the spaces between the sage. Beautiful quartzite slicks were everywhere, they are actually called ventifacts, which are rocks polished by the desert winds, but the days hunt was for opalized wood and it didn't take long before we both were near our twenty five pound daily limit.<br />Dropping the tailgate of the truck we shared a water bottle and handed each other our finds. We returned most of the quartzite to the desert after making sure they weren't jade slicks. I told Renita how I had almost stepped on a horny toad and she expressed her wish that she had seen it, of course she had the camera.<br />Backtracking we reached the main road, our next destination Big Sandy Reservoir and the agatized algae beds. The road skirted the south side of Eden Reservoir and we reached the Big Sandy Road and turned north. The dam appeared and we could see a highway, 191, in the distance.<br />There were campers parked on both sides of the lake and so we drove to the nearest campground where we parked. Renita showed me the pictures in the guidebook and I could see that the cliffs alongside the lake were the same ones pictured, we were there!<br />Renita found the first piece of agatized algae, but when I hit it with my rock hammer, the Eastwing easily fractured the rock and we both knew it was too soft and too fractured to work on the lapidary machines. Never the less we both found some interesting chalcedony, interlaced with opal, and so we added these to our days finds, more rocks for the fifth wheel!<br />The drive back to the campground was a lot easier as we weer able to cross the dam and reach the highway. I took some pictures and gps coordinates to submit to Days End, as the short bit of gravel road led to some nice boondocking spots.(Days End is an Escapee listing of free places to camp). We had just joined it and part of the price of admission is the requirement to add to the list of free or cheap spots.<br />Molly greeted us at the door, her tail wagging with happiness as the pack had returned! We had left her home as she had been sick and we thought that a day in air conditioning would be better for her then a day in the hot desert sun. We were both tired from hauling rocks under a hot desert sun and so we left the rocks in the back of the truck. it was time for a siesta! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-47803733434851581972010-07-24T05:14:00.000-07:002010-07-24T06:32:55.896-07:00Escapee Friends<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2KJJ4kZnbOARLfFEk7uvoY1QnemC4e_OCw9XLzbk7tFF257_3OsN_9vIC4DIXUQ0w89BeBBfca-p9FynDEfNFIOteldVHbmYRKP-SkjQndn6JsyFQq44wfpAym6Ji2GrwzBS0Sxh6f8/s1600/IMG_1632.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP2KJJ4kZnbOARLfFEk7uvoY1QnemC4e_OCw9XLzbk7tFF257_3OsN_9vIC4DIXUQ0w89BeBBfca-p9FynDEfNFIOteldVHbmYRKP-SkjQndn6JsyFQq44wfpAym6Ji2GrwzBS0Sxh6f8/s200/IMG_1632.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497464526187482514" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1isfrEtLGke8MWZjm0JnTxncjeWaDvxSIzujlBIOFZ9so6GSwnHbJRoK_Px1Px5gPZAhb6FFOH8wRxjEVqsmCsZKkjLe6QkK_NPacCFRQ8Ayut7xGfDhj14qqQEsfxi7ftCbs7iJEM8/s1600/IMG_1637.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiO1isfrEtLGke8MWZjm0JnTxncjeWaDvxSIzujlBIOFZ9so6GSwnHbJRoK_Px1Px5gPZAhb6FFOH8wRxjEVqsmCsZKkjLe6QkK_NPacCFRQ8Ayut7xGfDhj14qqQEsfxi7ftCbs7iJEM8/s200/IMG_1637.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497462908686038386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW_vKvJjIVPToflMML9dRTxZHY_xS0KRExQ4uqTgSs5rJ6XCL3Hdvlr5DzIja1exjKla5EDvZpD1P9xspaQdq0ir8el8vI2sQvR-kjNTM3_IcJSaMPgWxQhC2JDlCe4WOTC6J21WqE7U/s1600/IMG_1634.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgW_vKvJjIVPToflMML9dRTxZHY_xS0KRExQ4uqTgSs5rJ6XCL3Hdvlr5DzIja1exjKla5EDvZpD1P9xspaQdq0ir8el8vI2sQvR-kjNTM3_IcJSaMPgWxQhC2JDlCe4WOTC6J21WqE7U/s200/IMG_1634.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497461530410484066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkSAEHeruWLlmTL9fXvocgJkZoNLjvtLkxt4mt5Y_y_Na_niEkuneXrKF5jTlUJda-XfK6p_doQuFFdmpEd7GLF9tiOOFcBBJkYYv9cMh_XwgpWdVcl0P8hJW-mMorGrsJuc3INyPfog/s1600/IMG_1639.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLkSAEHeruWLlmTL9fXvocgJkZoNLjvtLkxt4mt5Y_y_Na_niEkuneXrKF5jTlUJda-XfK6p_doQuFFdmpEd7GLF9tiOOFcBBJkYYv9cMh_XwgpWdVcl0P8hJW-mMorGrsJuc3INyPfog/s200/IMG_1639.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497458219297647778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguu8PraWz386CX33FlqvQ9-j1UBGUCJNodJ5fhkisWXtoqNfoT1jZjAtQs4sFk1PS4YLIRyh-COBo3OVo4km88fPcmLN1YOVYUsxIO0YV848Eu5YSpD_cu0YzAeqSIut01Lah129JY9sg/s1600/IMG_1645.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguu8PraWz386CX33FlqvQ9-j1UBGUCJNodJ5fhkisWXtoqNfoT1jZjAtQs4sFk1PS4YLIRyh-COBo3OVo4km88fPcmLN1YOVYUsxIO0YV848Eu5YSpD_cu0YzAeqSIut01Lah129JY9sg/s200/IMG_1645.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5497456533082029858" /></a><br />A few weeks ago we got an email from Mike and Loretta,(Mike and Loretta are fulltimers who have been on the road for ten years), saying they would be passing through Wyoming and wondering where we were at. So it was really nice when we heard their air horn and saw their mdt and fifth wheel out our side window.<br />Their original plan was to go to Frontier Days but they had changed them and weren't sure where they were going and so they spent a couple nights parked across from us at Buckbosrd Crossing Campground.<br />We actually were able to grill fresh caught salmon over a wood pit fire. Loretta made a pasta salad and we also had wood fire baked potatoes and French bread. It was a real challenge as storms roared past us and we were just able to cook the salmon and eat during a lull between the storms.<br />The plan for the next day was to go for a boat ride up Flaming Gorge, and to maybe catch some smallmouth bass for dinner. The next morning we loaded up and went to the boat ramp. The game and fish inspector actually walked to the campground road head to make sure we got our mussel inspection done and after the usual questions she okayed us and we launched the boat.<br />It didn't take long before we were heading up the lake, with our destination being Firehole and Chimmney Rock. The trip was nice and we chatted about the gorge, John Wesley Powell and the numerous boondocking sites along the shore.<br />We stopped at the mouth of the Black River and pointed out the road called Lost Dog. There was a large fifth wheel there, here you are allowed to boondock for sixteen days and so many haul their campers out and simply leave them for the entire time. They then come out on weekends and days off and no one sems to mind although they are supposed to be occupied!<br />From there we raced up to Firehole and Chimney rock. I wasn't really sure which rock was chimney rock as there are two large towers or pillars of rock that dominate the landscape. Renita pointed out a window on one of the buttes and of course we took more pictures.<br />We headed further up the canyon and the gorge narrowed with the water becoming muddy. A couple of boats passed by and I kept my eyes on the depth finder as it sh allowed.<br />We stopped at a point which was the futherest we have ever run up the Green,(the river that fills Flaming Gorge), and Mike suggested we use our gps to find the location on Google Earth, duh! <br />Heading back down lake we stopped and cast crankbaits and do nothing rigs but no smallmouths volunteered to be part of a fish fry. It didn't matter as we had plenty of cornbread for the nights meal.<br />As we neared Buckboard Marina we pulled into a sheltered cove foe a bite of lunch. It was a pretty sheltered spot and someone actually had a boat dock parked in one of the arms of the cove,(the rules for a dock permit are that anyone can use your dock). The dock wasn't attached to the shore however so we went past it before beaching the boat.<br />I looked for fish fossils but didn't find any. Cumulonimbus clouds were forming over the Uintas and so we finished lunch and headed back to the boat ramp. Renita drove the boat on to the trailer and hit it perfectly on the first try. She is really good at it and I know she is secretly pleased as others watch her load the boat as they are meant to be loaded.<br />It was a fun day and right on schedule the wind rose and began rocking our fifth wheel. The mountain and valley breezes here are almost like clockwork. Loretts said that she could understand why we like it here, not meaning that they were desert fans, but what do you expect from people who lived their lives in a place with trees.<br />It was a nice and pleasant time with Mike and Loretta and we waved goodbye as they fired up the Freightliner and headed east. They didn't know where they were heading and that's what you can do when you are fulltimers, just mosey on down the road. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-16856337844356446812010-07-18T04:55:00.000-07:002010-07-19T03:42:44.295-07:00Fishing and Catching at Flaming Gorge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPnfqosm-XFU3eM4LC-yPZA0639cNDkJB3PDVuyKR8PZlpzDmcJMj_dn_JN8RLE-0ytDtwmoAFlSd0e0GdroGIR2HvJaOP_GJUCP60GA-a0iyFpJ3xhyphenhyphenoN5ioJFhRbyvIckO0nuhzqH0/s1600/IMG_1505.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsPnfqosm-XFU3eM4LC-yPZA0639cNDkJB3PDVuyKR8PZlpzDmcJMj_dn_JN8RLE-0ytDtwmoAFlSd0e0GdroGIR2HvJaOP_GJUCP60GA-a0iyFpJ3xhyphenhyphenoN5ioJFhRbyvIckO0nuhzqH0/s200/IMG_1505.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495225336093060770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFHGVSyYTKnKfF-dGQqRRtW0ptEVGPB1PCI5gcXTvUt_CVPQPTxPd9o9nB8Zznxxdc0UXBcj3Wdoa9ysNnEMIBotB2usVgcDsE4wGnXX_31cwmU7C1Jj44vLspdL-1wd73v-gvpJSW4E/s1600/IMG_1524.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFHGVSyYTKnKfF-dGQqRRtW0ptEVGPB1PCI5gcXTvUt_CVPQPTxPd9o9nB8Zznxxdc0UXBcj3Wdoa9ysNnEMIBotB2usVgcDsE4wGnXX_31cwmU7C1Jj44vLspdL-1wd73v-gvpJSW4E/s200/IMG_1524.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495224740224833058" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOlMk87A_61lAgAcRSTHPcw1lDVRrNm17uhFkoa4MYTaB2AqIwtXvuGP8AVdzjvziQekZzfavDaAT-TFYWLZstVS94jIp_HK_qTXRSAgZ4-A3rxOIauYawImeemeI3dEzBeNjH1JhqAE/s1600/IMG_1624.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHOlMk87A_61lAgAcRSTHPcw1lDVRrNm17uhFkoa4MYTaB2AqIwtXvuGP8AVdzjvziQekZzfavDaAT-TFYWLZstVS94jIp_HK_qTXRSAgZ4-A3rxOIauYawImeemeI3dEzBeNjH1JhqAE/s200/IMG_1624.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495223649812623650" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGrYlMStgTocDCTK8syEBPKcQ34-xPIfzpKDv9XEoN5khejHApSmFzAc6r29uaNFKnBXWt61JQpK-u6pnCDg_Gfj_148iTs-AbzsKCZeiyNdQ0S9428kNoG-T9Zc52Y9AR-oaTBHSWV8/s1600/IMG_1613.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghGrYlMStgTocDCTK8syEBPKcQ34-xPIfzpKDv9XEoN5khejHApSmFzAc6r29uaNFKnBXWt61JQpK-u6pnCDg_Gfj_148iTs-AbzsKCZeiyNdQ0S9428kNoG-T9Zc52Y9AR-oaTBHSWV8/s200/IMG_1613.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495222123156309314" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvE4of3PfhCFKvTxrPpT727Rlh1gwxFM77_Vsrduzo8GKma-dr6BVT9bobvrp70wA4Q2tvn2o_6XAH_rYRyASlTAF_gBXhC_U91-D7qr3SYwZ0zdJufWetLjH-Kr7_Kw9Pnnmre-ORtU/s1600/IMG_1609.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJvE4of3PfhCFKvTxrPpT727Rlh1gwxFM77_Vsrduzo8GKma-dr6BVT9bobvrp70wA4Q2tvn2o_6XAH_rYRyASlTAF_gBXhC_U91-D7qr3SYwZ0zdJufWetLjH-Kr7_Kw9Pnnmre-ORtU/s200/IMG_1609.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5495221443767969458" /></a><br />The sun had set but it was still light and the campground and surrounding sagebrush desert were filled with a soft yellow-red glow. The mountain breeze had died and it was as still as the desert solitude can be. Far different than the afternoons when we have been buffeted by strong winds or dry thunderstorms that seem to spring out of the Unintas. <br />I thought about the fishing and quietly shook my head.The fishing has been mixed, one day seven fish including salmon, rainbow, and lake trout and the next day only a small kokeenee.<br />We tried our hand at fishing smallmouth and also have had mixed success. On days when the wind blows too strong to go out we go down to the nearby bay and cast crankbaits for smallies. One day we actually caught three and I kept one for a fried fish dinner, to go along with a leftover walleye from Boysen.<br />We heard the salmon were at the pipeline and so we drove down to Anvil Draw. The first day was good, seven salmon but the second day we were stormed off in less then an hour and the third day we only boated a small shaker,(A kokeenee too small to keep and so you shake it off).<br />Sure enough we talked with our friend Steve from Lander, and he was catching fish at the cliffs, a spot only a few miles from our campground, but it is the weekend and we don't fish on weekends, too many boats and people. You get spoiled in Wyoming, after the crush of fellow fisherman in Texas.<br />We still have a couple more weeks and we aren't going anyplace till our house is fixed. The campground mower threw a rock into out back window and shattered it. Still time for more fishing and hopefully better catching as we have been releasing most of the salmon. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-59918283203512935642010-07-14T04:02:00.000-07:002010-07-14T05:06:20.798-07:00Horseshoes and Fishing, A Fine Day at Flaming Gorge<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TSO4MDKHO_IFp3O6Y2qezlmQDAPTOdhx1Dd2BdUBapi6J0KnWgFi7ICPFgD8ZuqeblZcS2NGEYt2dK2ey2YK23NMb2c4q9xm51vOzzHu0ZghkVBNBE-vSWdcsgi4Rsg3B7BH-jL81PU/s1600/IMG_1589.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2TSO4MDKHO_IFp3O6Y2qezlmQDAPTOdhx1Dd2BdUBapi6J0KnWgFi7ICPFgD8ZuqeblZcS2NGEYt2dK2ey2YK23NMb2c4q9xm51vOzzHu0ZghkVBNBE-vSWdcsgi4Rsg3B7BH-jL81PU/s200/IMG_1589.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493726817035080642" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFdH1x7aTa2LAES3uCp9r471r5zmmxS554Mrywdu9u08rSHgyBZUdhfMAuVKW14yLBXcDnqBDVfD9055PhG4r132BK71a9aXQmsQAz0-E5HLbDjl7suwYBx7IudnmJF8Nmn6vokHfh0c/s1600/IMG_1599.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFdH1x7aTa2LAES3uCp9r471r5zmmxS554Mrywdu9u08rSHgyBZUdhfMAuVKW14yLBXcDnqBDVfD9055PhG4r132BK71a9aXQmsQAz0-E5HLbDjl7suwYBx7IudnmJF8Nmn6vokHfh0c/s200/IMG_1599.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493725866029647794" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUTm3tqAgyosxiRWKNpBEi7cL5qnyPavRt5ooyqY8rYkRGCNvDzSDTsbitqTwj2UQA-xg-zR6qpJjYKryODh9G2nvrCIOkzqDQFVpfpJ_hnI_waag2JF2WTdU7XgUvitrgFiVQ2Q6crM/s1600/IMG_1575.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNUTm3tqAgyosxiRWKNpBEi7cL5qnyPavRt5ooyqY8rYkRGCNvDzSDTsbitqTwj2UQA-xg-zR6qpJjYKryODh9G2nvrCIOkzqDQFVpfpJ_hnI_waag2JF2WTdU7XgUvitrgFiVQ2Q6crM/s200/IMG_1575.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493725049251105122" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh29pVuT4Xs8SI4ACRwwsDX9tdWtTdkq_LpoPfd3b8OtAWQ8bCdDsJ2kOmLD9n8JsWtlgTkAVIhL-aSiJWpbGkdLhoSQLMLITXT_Zm69wTVbLe7digzM_dH4KKIyZjiKeF6nEFMD-cXMQ/s1600/IMG_1566.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh29pVuT4Xs8SI4ACRwwsDX9tdWtTdkq_LpoPfd3b8OtAWQ8bCdDsJ2kOmLD9n8JsWtlgTkAVIhL-aSiJWpbGkdLhoSQLMLITXT_Zm69wTVbLe7digzM_dH4KKIyZjiKeF6nEFMD-cXMQ/s200/IMG_1566.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493724502004200210" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3XfwrPSsEHO_ZAELknb4pBBm5dcp7wl02k5lXikYzX_eKCUX8Qdsr8psRzKl91I9dvKr73o-XcXznvnciu0Vv16MiAb3veThxNj7m2AF33niUz2HJkOATBMcdj79R-GtRlapIPb_F48/s1600/IMG_1564.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgF3XfwrPSsEHO_ZAELknb4pBBm5dcp7wl02k5lXikYzX_eKCUX8Qdsr8psRzKl91I9dvKr73o-XcXznvnciu0Vv16MiAb3veThxNj7m2AF33niUz2HJkOATBMcdj79R-GtRlapIPb_F48/s200/IMG_1564.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493723925858507554" /></a><br />Horse shoes is really a simple game, unless you have a German Shepard who insists on playing! Everytime Matt would throw a shoe his female German Shepard, Thunder, would walk over, grab the shoe and bring it back.<br />We were spending the day at Matt and Pattys, not their house in Rock Springs but their boondocking spot on Flaming Gorge. It was a great spot right on the lake and a spot that we could easily reach with our fifth wheel and truck.<br />Patty had called us on Friday night to let us know they were going to spend the weekend at Anvil Draw and to invite us out for fishing, horseshoes and barbecue.<br />So we got up early the next morning, hooked up the boat and took the short drive to lake access road number 1, Anvil Draw. We didn't see them at first, too many hills, and so we launched the boat and decided to look for their spot from the water. <br />The first bay was full of fifth wheels and motor homes but no Matt and Patty. It even had a race course set up for jet skis.<br />Heading south we went round the bend from the boat dock and there they were. We pulled up to shore and beeped the horn several times before they came out, still sleeping?<br />The hugs and hellos were the first order of business and we visited for a bit, but I was getting antsy to go fishing. So we got into the boat and headed to our first spot. There were quite a few boats fishing other places but I wanted to check out the place where we had caught so many fish the past two years.<br />It didn't take long to reach my secret fishing hole and quickly a pole wiggled and then released. As it was my turn I grabbed the pole and fought the fish too the boat where it fell off the hook before we could net it, hmmmmmm. Almost immediately the other pole released and I lost another fish, this seems like a familiar story.<br />We reset the poles and dwonriggers and soon had another bite. This time Renita fought the fish to the boat and the waiting net. It was a kokenee, but a small one and so we released it. Trolling out deeper we caught two more fish, both small, and I decided it was time to head to another spot.<br />There were quite a few boats fishing across from the boat ramp and so we got into the trolling pattern and watched as two of the boats caught fish. One was a really nice salmon and the fisherman hooted and hollered as the netted their catch. <br />We caught a nice fish ourselves and wanted to fish more but it lightened in the distance and so we headed in. Having had some scares from lightening we are the first boat in when weather threatens.<br />We loaded the boat and drove over to their camp. It was a great site, huge, with an easy turn around, and a view to die for. What could be better? We sat around the camp fire and talked about rving and life in general. Patty has a great sense of humor and entertained us with her quips.<br />We tried to play horseshoes but the dogs would always join us and Thunder would pick up the heavy iron shoe in her mouth! Deciding horseshoes would not be a good idea we looked for rocks and of course we found some. Agate was everywhere, along with some petrified wood, it was the usual story of trying to be selective.<br />Matt and Patty grilled some steaks, corn on the cob, and hobo potatoes. It was as fine a meal as you could ask for and we both dove into our food. After dinner we told the kids about retirement and I tried to keep a straight face as I told them that we would have worked more but that our health had caused us to decide to retire early, Renita of course burst into laughter and I had to join her. We both were meant for the retirement lifestyle! It was also obvious that I couldn't fib the kids and keep a straight face.<br />Too soon the sun neared the horizon and Molly kept going to the truck, time to go home. We had had soooooo much fun and we thanked Matt and Patty for sharing the day.<br />Everyone had a great time,(Molly included)! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-59823038611549672852010-07-10T03:54:00.000-07:002010-07-10T05:00:09.556-07:00Red Agate and Banded Flint, The Southeast side of Cedar Mountain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf9N1H2ikY0vIhJH_h0YcNckTPIjv9qoo_mldFQOkkzY4nwPSb5WxfrSEz470VnDDq7QwBlRXf5Qt6Jy0CMPlNBmJQtOmS5TNxTCwLl0qZuUWHeOn3ACFAf0gxyd9JHp5QAV20ZBGvO8/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQf9N1H2ikY0vIhJH_h0YcNckTPIjv9qoo_mldFQOkkzY4nwPSb5WxfrSEz470VnDDq7QwBlRXf5Qt6Jy0CMPlNBmJQtOmS5TNxTCwLl0qZuUWHeOn3ACFAf0gxyd9JHp5QAV20ZBGvO8/s200/IMG_1561.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492244984769469682" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpmpy8GpSDnaaQ8H0Ob-jpjne6KcSu8YSg9HbGWioXzOTLUkmZN02hMADRc9Ogg03TwCPbW_5I8dUpnJLH8FV8IrWvrcQzDA5GSLUzgb6ffGiqesMT1pXbZ-mEfmJVBlguwKeyOFxTC0/s1600/IMG_1558.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFpmpy8GpSDnaaQ8H0Ob-jpjne6KcSu8YSg9HbGWioXzOTLUkmZN02hMADRc9Ogg03TwCPbW_5I8dUpnJLH8FV8IrWvrcQzDA5GSLUzgb6ffGiqesMT1pXbZ-mEfmJVBlguwKeyOFxTC0/s200/IMG_1558.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492244196688448786" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8zUjf0bOLQaIZB7dV9qOjJYJwvFmedVcJKLRNhF1k05A-4Hdcpl6o8AtUf44RtLWPnAnThX4TRMYz3lXlUx5xrmW7WRPNxhty7K9T_A8S3MS7DtL5HbwBrD_ydtw4tBmbZg2mcuPDkY/s1600/IMG_1551.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiC8zUjf0bOLQaIZB7dV9qOjJYJwvFmedVcJKLRNhF1k05A-4Hdcpl6o8AtUf44RtLWPnAnThX4TRMYz3lXlUx5xrmW7WRPNxhty7K9T_A8S3MS7DtL5HbwBrD_ydtw4tBmbZg2mcuPDkY/s200/IMG_1551.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492243820345496594" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05UfC_2hUrH3TBSpdtf3B5iMLoP4mCZGaAemnJ3y1mMeS_5FpT4B2H3ZBzhtuilHhp5yh-APO57pIRYxNuf-FszmKR4zbiUa_vVhE6yWYj-0S9MqKtYYOVBCano8XyDZe2fkJ3_x5MD8/s1600/IMG_1547.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi05UfC_2hUrH3TBSpdtf3B5iMLoP4mCZGaAemnJ3y1mMeS_5FpT4B2H3ZBzhtuilHhp5yh-APO57pIRYxNuf-FszmKR4zbiUa_vVhE6yWYj-0S9MqKtYYOVBCano8XyDZe2fkJ3_x5MD8/s200/IMG_1547.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492243517834678850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLnsM1Nj4k0ZYXsk5698PJbzk5nyX3q3qfJlKCJIg5SwzjjVvWrTN6ac3AZj7lks6qHlr9E4POJKS5mzwXigbjmkRObtETJtvRnD0UNfnLqKvS1nUgCyM067kbDZ6yvY-uX9w7uxVu1c/s1600/IMG_1537.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWLnsM1Nj4k0ZYXsk5698PJbzk5nyX3q3qfJlKCJIg5SwzjjVvWrTN6ac3AZj7lks6qHlr9E4POJKS5mzwXigbjmkRObtETJtvRnD0UNfnLqKvS1nUgCyM067kbDZ6yvY-uX9w7uxVu1c/s200/IMG_1537.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492242689645144690" /></a><br />Last year we met David and Nancy, two full timers who camped next to us and who were also rock hounds. They were interested in finding agates and so we showed them our guidebook, Rockhounding Wyoming, and they decided to check out a couple of sites on the southeast face of Cedar Mountain.<br />That night Nancy came over and showed us the beautiful agate that she had found! She excitedly told us it was the best agate she had ever found and thanked us for heading them in the right direction. Of course we were as jealous as you could be and so all winter we talked about going to the southeast face of Cedar Mountain.<br />Now the guidebook tells about finding red jasper on Cedar Mountain and also about the banded flint of Mckinnon and as both are on the same road, we packed our lunch and headed out for a day looking for more rocks.<br />Turning on Sweetwater county road 1 I forgot to check my mileage and so things were already kind of shaky, but luckily there are very few roads off the blacktop and so we found the right gravel road.<br />It was actually a pretty good road for the Red Desert, thank goodness it was dry, and we soon started seeing nodules of red and black cert everywhere. Stopping we walked the first spot and both had quite a bit of red chert. Being selective we threw most of it away, keeping some for a closer inspection at camp, and continued down the road.<br />Badlands topography appeared, caused by eroded horizontal rock layers forming a dendritic pattern, and as the book talked of finding fossil turtle shell, we had to stop and look. In the distance we could see a lonely ranch house and we both wondered at the toughness of the people that had homesteaded such a remote spot.<br />I parked the truck and headed to the badlands while Renita looked near the parking spot. Of course red jasper was everywhere and I lifted a ten pound boulder that showed some promise. The question was, did I really want to carry it all the way back? Deciding it wasn't that impressive I left it and continued on looking for the elusive turtle shell.<br />I crossed several ridges and walked draws looking for small pieces of shell. See one way to find fossils if to walk the draws and look for small fragments and then to follow their trail, looking for the in situ site,(the place where the main shell was still embedded in the rock).<br />No fragments and no shells jumped out in front of me and so I made a loop and walked back to the truck. Of course Renita had a pile of rocks on the back bumper, but nothing spectacular and so we released them and headed to the main road.<br />Our next goal was to find the high line and the banded flint of Mckinnon. It was pretty easy spot to locate and I didn't have to use four wheel drive as we turned off the main road by driving into the steep ditch and down the two track path.<br />Stopping at the first hillside we parked the truck and found the hillside covered with banded flint. Black chert, with swirls of yellow were everywhere and it became a question of looking for the perfect piece. See we pick first and then only take the best pieces back to Texas and the lapidary shop. Even then we end up hauling a lot of, "Junk", as our friend Dick Cline, kindly descibes it.<br />Black storm clouds began to threaten and so we left the site heading for Mckinnon and Manila, Utah. A forest service road beckoned but there was no way we were going to travel it with a storm and heavy rains approaching. We have heard too many stories of friends who took such roads and ended uo being ,mired in mud, sometimes even for days!<br />It was a pretty drive, Mckinnon actually has a school, and we found another road to Spirit Lake. We arrived back at Buckboard crossing and looked at the samples we had collected. It really wasn't an impressive haul for a day and we agreed that the road to Butcherknife Draw had the same rocks and more promise.<br />Still, just about any day in the field is a good day and so we were glad we had traveled the southeast face of Cedar Mountain. While we wouldn't go back to the sites we picked, the four wheel drive road near Mckinnon is another question. Is it worth the return drive or should we go next to the Blue Forest? Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-20055824122724225502010-07-03T06:15:00.001-07:002010-07-03T06:43:57.587-07:00Matt and Patty's Rv, A new Generation<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKdg_nN1zI6Wo6b-y1l6o3seIMT2v0SCTB-luZ7oAdJnWWm861t5_9Ut_DdBo6ldXH8GMhYrEsPfSCoRCqMVQkpCM2xmVxShm2qJhcJY8W2olKhPmqzUxCprk05FkthlNWFyiUCuj_X8/s1600/IMG_1472.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirKdg_nN1zI6Wo6b-y1l6o3seIMT2v0SCTB-luZ7oAdJnWWm861t5_9Ut_DdBo6ldXH8GMhYrEsPfSCoRCqMVQkpCM2xmVxShm2qJhcJY8W2olKhPmqzUxCprk05FkthlNWFyiUCuj_X8/s200/IMG_1472.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489674679970854770" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8L-w4Exfnpb9uFdvX_EYYEzteFO_kOVXE3NGRO5kOolfTekov0OtjFCCEjNISHFjbdbw65FzaL-P0dLXBRYhvndJM58oaNhyVwGs_qALv4NYxLbYAcEomkAL1o8T4D9-xJi7sEGxAvI/s1600/IMG_1471.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq8L-w4Exfnpb9uFdvX_EYYEzteFO_kOVXE3NGRO5kOolfTekov0OtjFCCEjNISHFjbdbw65FzaL-P0dLXBRYhvndJM58oaNhyVwGs_qALv4NYxLbYAcEomkAL1o8T4D9-xJi7sEGxAvI/s200/IMG_1471.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489674250777562242" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifQQp7_NPgXgdzlokqd7Otnx93KPKRspqZk58lSQrXUl9bTqsATIwhTu1K8BSv-lXO-M-yngmF6VWBQZKca7ablnBUTGyZRFbbXkg0KPiAkZsD109v-Fmn5m2FREPzqP4UFcN3LDs9Io/s1600/IMG_1470.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjifQQp7_NPgXgdzlokqd7Otnx93KPKRspqZk58lSQrXUl9bTqsATIwhTu1K8BSv-lXO-M-yngmF6VWBQZKca7ablnBUTGyZRFbbXkg0KPiAkZsD109v-Fmn5m2FREPzqP4UFcN3LDs9Io/s200/IMG_1470.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489673784460712786" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2FuJ0IZT1NPdK8K2ruTcS7F5nFb2vedzBt7WRty7G6hHZZUnXu28MPqja2OqPQ3Gcr0YqQBFWukII_FCiwVaGqKYvfCzOufSFpfdpiVV-90DMeL9MimBpSvJSqGPY0D7E5a2XLBDoPg/s1600/IMG_1469.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji2FuJ0IZT1NPdK8K2ruTcS7F5nFb2vedzBt7WRty7G6hHZZUnXu28MPqja2OqPQ3Gcr0YqQBFWukII_FCiwVaGqKYvfCzOufSFpfdpiVV-90DMeL9MimBpSvJSqGPY0D7E5a2XLBDoPg/s200/IMG_1469.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489673214286899426" /></a><br />Our son and his wife, Matt and Patty, have been among our biggest supporters of our lifestyle and so it was no surprise when we heard that they had purchased their own rv, a 22 foot toy hauler.<br />Having three german shepards, two of which are rescue dogs, and having a four wheeler made their selection of a toy hauler easy. Now they can boondock in the Red Desert and the dogs can go up and down the ramp! We hadn't ever looked at many toy haulers before and we really like what they have chosen.<br />Their pride in their new second home was evident and their stories were so familiar, going out and sitting in the camper and enjoying the peace and quiet. It was obvious that they got a new toy that they really needed.<br />Matt showed us around while Patsy sat and listened and of course telling us her insights and happiness with the rv. They have a tv but don't use it and its such a nice escape from their busy lifestyle.<br />We talked about diesel trucks versus gas engines and gave them some pointers from our experience. We gave them some items for their new house, a set of Bal chocks and a clear sleeve for their dumping. Ah yes and of course we talked about dumping and other fun aspects of live on the road.<br />Now we just have to plan a weekend of camping together,(maybe we can suggest a spot near some petrified wood or a place where we can prospect for gold or diamonds)? Regardless of the spot we are happy for them and like their new home. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-78468758607515872842010-06-26T05:07:00.000-07:002010-06-26T06:40:26.781-07:00Butcherknfe Draw and the North Side of Cedar Mountain<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3bDiH_sQEQDNm5JlXWaAxafLYTIicIRkItsZyaVwvLn0V08B3IFrsG9eeW8AOA7Y8DPNDS2YdkZikGnz-7rEsB5fzbWa_qKyIo8MfuScvxbqQ0FBm7vQaONJ5-WdkW7MF6lyL4bGkT8/s1600/IMG_1452.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw3bDiH_sQEQDNm5JlXWaAxafLYTIicIRkItsZyaVwvLn0V08B3IFrsG9eeW8AOA7Y8DPNDS2YdkZikGnz-7rEsB5fzbWa_qKyIo8MfuScvxbqQ0FBm7vQaONJ5-WdkW7MF6lyL4bGkT8/s200/IMG_1452.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487076502979749634" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AiusdPd4QqiRh-eb_rzO1JOnvcw4vGvrqlG58biWNsh7K8-zYeZyEllBEmTk_5C8MTNjXgmduH8vmHeX4mr5bxr7aB-E0B0dMS1D45ZIZuAsyU5CmTQwcEaxoHwksLXtmqtmvbPbHu8/s1600/IMG_1459.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2AiusdPd4QqiRh-eb_rzO1JOnvcw4vGvrqlG58biWNsh7K8-zYeZyEllBEmTk_5C8MTNjXgmduH8vmHeX4mr5bxr7aB-E0B0dMS1D45ZIZuAsyU5CmTQwcEaxoHwksLXtmqtmvbPbHu8/s200/IMG_1459.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487074126110485314" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUqCqZHyQwUauI7lkg4Z5CvYJl82tUNXT9yaXGrMZZ4lUHby9hSd6AZAtC8pMBIleV_0eOvZatYmsfX-l-rS2M0m0wdy-4uOprGnMQMIomwjrzeft-5K0RsbMH0JIm8ZolRry6JA7qrw/s1600/IMG_1463.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtUqCqZHyQwUauI7lkg4Z5CvYJl82tUNXT9yaXGrMZZ4lUHby9hSd6AZAtC8pMBIleV_0eOvZatYmsfX-l-rS2M0m0wdy-4uOprGnMQMIomwjrzeft-5K0RsbMH0JIm8ZolRry6JA7qrw/s200/IMG_1463.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487071837303086962" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJrW0K8rdripBirJeUiarYEeDLzkUaO2Y-KUFkVbKqfx4rvBkKP0l0SteXA00hrz9GiXDN75gG_kv5-xCHQ2vA1qNXzifI9Wktb8YsRZ8bNj7nkgnJ8JsOHnYifXpIa6tiFTf3hyphenhyphenLFj4/s1600/IMG_1447.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsJrW0K8rdripBirJeUiarYEeDLzkUaO2Y-KUFkVbKqfx4rvBkKP0l0SteXA00hrz9GiXDN75gG_kv5-xCHQ2vA1qNXzifI9Wktb8YsRZ8bNj7nkgnJ8JsOHnYifXpIa6tiFTf3hyphenhyphenLFj4/s200/IMG_1447.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487070455023999314" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XKzWtGabMPmY89kO7FaMcz1NnT0_IyItSHybm3GSDMR-xL86OMIt6jj6jfDFZqXIv-_ovoTbIqWaR4K-9gEb597_A7RdB9_pKWRTvlKbSYV_fCiFE62drIJkZ3j2iUXrQscvOkiCMv8/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_XKzWtGabMPmY89kO7FaMcz1NnT0_IyItSHybm3GSDMR-xL86OMIt6jj6jfDFZqXIv-_ovoTbIqWaR4K-9gEb597_A7RdB9_pKWRTvlKbSYV_fCiFE62drIJkZ3j2iUXrQscvOkiCMv8/s200/IMG_1443.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487068743761285698" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtMqwocgxnY85YQ6SzVryZ0EEyhIwJNVsQ0osW420X_ZRcE93yTR7PlbRN8urOWYLbqUnMlv1NIJYU4DwKFOEMkZE6y-ms9pjfn-ZZoVyTGG6SOCwPOsS6CAgzinl7Q5r8x7NJKO0YmA/s1600/IMG_1430.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHtMqwocgxnY85YQ6SzVryZ0EEyhIwJNVsQ0osW420X_ZRcE93yTR7PlbRN8urOWYLbqUnMlv1NIJYU4DwKFOEMkZE6y-ms9pjfn-ZZoVyTGG6SOCwPOsS6CAgzinl7Q5r8x7NJKO0YmA/s200/IMG_1430.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5487065829358551138" /></a><br />The old saying is that only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the desert sun, and I guess Molly, Renita, and I have to be added to the list! We have wanted to return to Butcher Knife Draw and so when the the forecast was for clear skies we decided that today was the day!<br />Now Butcher Knife Draw is listed as a site for finding crystals of chromium diopside and pyrype crystals and it also is the site of lamprocite dikes, which bring up material from deep in the Earth's mantle,(diamonds), so even though we had visited the site last year we just had to go back.<br />At least we knew where we were going this year and so the only difficulties were avoiding the heavy ruts in the road and a traffic jam as a herd of cows was being driven by two cowboys and a cowgirl.<br />The only sensible thing to do when you encounter a cattle drive is to pull over and watch the herd go bye. Molly of course hates cows, unless they are in her food dish, and so she tried her best to cause a stampede. It was neat to watch the herd being driven by and see a cowboy head off a cow and calf that were tring to stray form the herd.<br />They soon passed and we continued avoiding washouts and the deep ruts left by someone who had traveled this way while the road was muddy. Before long we reached Big Dry Creek and turned onto a four wheel drive road tha parallels the draw.<br />Now the first place you look is in the ant hills as the ants bring up small gemstones. Last year we had only found one as the Treasure Hunter Show had aired and every ant hill had been carried away by all the treasure seekers, so we had hoped that there would be new hills and a lot more gems.<br />We had just started up the road when we saw one and then another ant hill. Stopping and inspecting them we were both disappointed in that there were no gems visible and so we drove further north looking at ant pile after ant pile until we found one with several small pyrope crystals.<br />Now the pyrope crystals were small, as that's what the ants bring up, so the idea is to look away from the ant piles and hopefully find larger gems. Finding several, we were both soon distracted by all the chert nodules.<br />Black chert, black and yellow banded chert and a deep red chert was everywhere. The difficulty was in finding really good pieces for our collection. I had also wanted to look for a lamprocite volcanic tube, as the materials I had read said they were often blue or green in color, and that they were the source for the gems.<br />Crossing a ridge I spied two green outcrops and so I went down into the valley. I looked at the lower one and inspected the rock for xenocrysts,(A Xenocryst is a fragment picked up by the molten material and carried to the surface in the eruption), and it appeared that there were numerous small crystals in the rock.<br />Breaking off a piece I carried it back to the truck and as I neared Renita I could see she had a pile of rocks to add to our collection. Now we do live and travel full time so more rocks always present us with a dilemma, should we actually carry the piece all the way to Texas and the lapidary shop? Looking at her samples and mine we left about half of them on the ridge and saved the coordinates, in case we want to come back.<br />Leaving the draw we returned down the road stopping and looking for more rocks. Again chert was everywhere and so we made three further stops. At one of the arroyos we found a fairly large piece of gold moss agate. We already have a bunch of gold moss agate but we don't have any from Wyoming and so we kept it as we really want to specialize in Wyoming stones.<br />Molly had already decided that it was too hot to be in the sun and crawled under he truck while Renita and I picked the differentt washes. Again the chert was everywhere and so we passed up sample after sample, only keeping the best.<br />Arriving beck at the campsite, my arm had started to swell up from where several ants had attacked me in defense of the home,(I hadn't destroyed them but had just altered them slightly). We both appreciated the air conditioning and it felt good to be back home,(Home of course is wherever we park our fifth wheel), with mor epurope andsome neat japser and agte ofr our winter lapidy hobby. Clear skiesMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-65715099297047245422010-06-23T04:40:00.000-07:002010-06-23T05:20:02.065-07:00Wyoming Gem and Mineral Show, Powell, Wyoming<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLiJWgd3usb_wdHst3Rkc7gD6-gegkmo8PXm3xg5bxXDi8XjAD3WcwXuUHtjKG1WT7o2MEwzQaB-85QyXKsA-EYrtS_6cRUNUjR6a1Hpe0G5z_o__7NI_E6vZZ1nNOoZaA02y10UpJUQ/s1600/IMG_1393.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKLiJWgd3usb_wdHst3Rkc7gD6-gegkmo8PXm3xg5bxXDi8XjAD3WcwXuUHtjKG1WT7o2MEwzQaB-85QyXKsA-EYrtS_6cRUNUjR6a1Hpe0G5z_o__7NI_E6vZZ1nNOoZaA02y10UpJUQ/s200/IMG_1393.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485941647603091074" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnemGz9b-LqieHKOowpvnEYuTvVxzJkXaY6LPUoGEOSIkKGoM6PyJIgT2H934RmDROnCKpwFwN1FoizQh7K13iRZXOrDxAjXT4P8qobV1Igrvh9LDOPU7gTfBtfmSb9EHtV6VEbIqR2s/s1600/IMG_1407.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcnemGz9b-LqieHKOowpvnEYuTvVxzJkXaY6LPUoGEOSIkKGoM6PyJIgT2H934RmDROnCKpwFwN1FoizQh7K13iRZXOrDxAjXT4P8qobV1Igrvh9LDOPU7gTfBtfmSb9EHtV6VEbIqR2s/s200/IMG_1407.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485939129069551730" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigz0MbFinVTOObSdl_qjQ3KQwm8ViJYUzC_Dp08M8SGHCL4jC6rT89a0onj2VsVUo8vka6khAh5yK1_3z0SW23HOgL_eq-Qug3Zg4u8Xx8QA8jGRix2psQcnysCBzNJq2y0fA3ppQZSC0/s1600/IMG_1394.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigz0MbFinVTOObSdl_qjQ3KQwm8ViJYUzC_Dp08M8SGHCL4jC6rT89a0onj2VsVUo8vka6khAh5yK1_3z0SW23HOgL_eq-Qug3Zg4u8Xx8QA8jGRix2psQcnysCBzNJq2y0fA3ppQZSC0/s200/IMG_1394.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485937187103899554" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehmrwtkfwaqW_6cN9JtO0qP4nrND9VId44KXZ7PpglAgi3lvSOjr8OXkHnSHf7I0ZuI00heDFK8Ubdbq0Yls0cLIOgkwnASx7ojfoUi-EPxlmPFDEErfnqc33Yf8BP3okP23OPmoA508/s1600/IMG_1391.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgehmrwtkfwaqW_6cN9JtO0qP4nrND9VId44KXZ7PpglAgi3lvSOjr8OXkHnSHf7I0ZuI00heDFK8Ubdbq0Yls0cLIOgkwnASx7ojfoUi-EPxlmPFDEErfnqc33Yf8BP3okP23OPmoA508/s200/IMG_1391.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485934864437622450" /></a><br />One of Renita’s many hats, is that of entertainment director,(if it were up to me we would probably fish or stay around the fifth wheel and grind rocks). So I was surprised when she found that the Wyoming Gem and Mineral Society was having its annual show at Powell, Wyoming! <br />We briefly thought about pulling our house,(fifth wheel), there but instead opted to stay camping at Boysen State Park and make it a day trip. Now the distance may seem a lot to you but it was only 300 miles round trip and people that live out west, especially Wyoming, don’t think much about driving that far for a day’s excursion.<br />So we started towards Powell, taking the short drive to Thermopolis, and then turned up Wyoming 120 to Meeteesee and Cody. From there it was only 30 miles to Powell. The drive was easy and quite nice. The Absoraka Mountains stood to the west and it was kind of fun to realize that Yellowstone was just over those hills.<br />We didn’t see any wolves or bear as we drove but soon after passing Meeteesee, Heart Mountain dominated the skyline. Now Heart Mountain was the site of a internment camp for Americans of Japanese descent, and as we passed the historical site I saw some of the original buildings used to house the prisoners.<br />The houses brought back memories as when I spent the summer in Wyoming, during my two months of Geology field camp, the dormitories were actually surplus detention camps from the Heart Mountain site. They were flimsy cheap structures and the mice had no problems invading our shelter and feasting on anything edible. Winter time must have been so hard.<br />Finally reaching Powell we had to ask the location of the Fairgrounds as it wasn’t on the main road and we found the Gem and Mineral Show after driving all around the perimeter of the Fairgrounds Site.<br />The very first dealer had a display of Wyoming Jade, but oh my the prices! One piece, had a price of 1800 dollars and I was almost afraid to touch it for fear that it would somehow shatter in my hand! That was a piece of apple green Jeffery City rough and the rock was less then a pound!<br />Declining the exhortations of the dealer we moved on, where another dealer had more Wyoming Jade, including some apple green Jeffery City jade for about 40 dollars a pound. Thoughts of acquiring some were evaporating from my mind, but at least we were getting to see lots of rough jade.<br />Edwards Black Jade, pink jade, apple green jade, all Wyoming stones, were pretty common and we did buy several slices, along with some Wyoming snowflake jade. We did actually buy a piece of the apple green jade, spending more that we had planned but we dipped into money from our jewelry sales as we just had to have some for our winter lapidary.<br />The society had display cases exactly like the ones the Gulf Coast Gem and Mineral Society uses and so we were able to enjoy the cases, filled with Wyoming treasures. We were both surprised at all the different minerals we didn’t realize could be found here, and so our thoughts were turned to more days and new spots to hunt for rocks.<br />The club had a silent auction booth and we won several specimens, some bubble gum agate, three fossil mammoth teeth, although they looked more like large cat canines to me, and I narrowly got outbid for some Guernsey agate. A club member was making cabochons and what was really wild is that he was blind and making them from the feel of the stone!<br />We watched another dealer as she wrapped a cabochon, and while her technique was almost identical to ours her wraps were more elaborate, with swirls of wire finishing the pieces. She gave us lots of advice about tools to buy and she does use a finer gauge wire then we do, so it was really informative.<br />Probably the biggest difference was that she used 26 gauge round wire for her wraps instead of the half round half hard 21 gauge sterling wire we prefer. It was nice to see a fellow wrapper who makes the complete piece form hand, so many people buy already made cabochons and the quality is usually inferior.<br />We talked with another couple who fulltime and travel from show to show, and it’s pretty obvious that we need to go to the Tucson and Quartzite winter shows. We really aren’t interested in turning our hobby into a business, we are mainly selling so we can afford more rocks, silver wire and equipment, (we also want to start using gold filled wire but the prices are so high).<br />The drive back home was uneventful and Renita drove so I could enjoy the scenery. It was a fast trip as there is nothing but the small town of Meeteesee for 100 miles and so we made it back in time for supper and some unwinding before bed. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-89188142998795950782010-06-17T14:21:00.000-07:002010-06-19T11:52:54.115-07:00The Powder River Pass, Crossing the Bighorns<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-iuVFPk6b7VlbknwVhZ1n4fjIyY27alJeiTzUGDA-BFKGdgYh22KqjV4oamfZ9h5HwCDO_n2E73ai3ik-whnKEmCzD2Ds6gqMvdaemiOAVIQAm0MJ-TiyCWIfX2lhn1-nx9R1IiULrc/s1600/IMG_1357.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjc-iuVFPk6b7VlbknwVhZ1n4fjIyY27alJeiTzUGDA-BFKGdgYh22KqjV4oamfZ9h5HwCDO_n2E73ai3ik-whnKEmCzD2Ds6gqMvdaemiOAVIQAm0MJ-TiyCWIfX2lhn1-nx9R1IiULrc/s200/IMG_1357.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484557939953993858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Th68VKtjb1thkNHZeBe3wgAMoxvw98EHN3ODutjD83_ECWSFao6MfWc32dYEz9QcqF0RleBKkSEjFhRe1fxzuUijJGiNw5dM4kFZhZDNtRPzYZK126DqlgZ9GagZM_SWiBI96pM9eb8/s1600/IMG_1337.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Th68VKtjb1thkNHZeBe3wgAMoxvw98EHN3ODutjD83_ECWSFao6MfWc32dYEz9QcqF0RleBKkSEjFhRe1fxzuUijJGiNw5dM4kFZhZDNtRPzYZK126DqlgZ9GagZM_SWiBI96pM9eb8/s200/IMG_1337.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484556678573233586" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4lRLZvRT3807S0W0wTpGev1r-nyJ54rn6bH3mGiwCiWz_s-itEVmBQDyrXlll8AFXpQWIIvA8-xoOGZ-J-1JL8eM8BOf77Eptr0FD1MapA1sfGQ-aIcgG7eBYXd67DiMbl2g_Dq5HEQ/s1600/IMG_1335.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgE4lRLZvRT3807S0W0wTpGev1r-nyJ54rn6bH3mGiwCiWz_s-itEVmBQDyrXlll8AFXpQWIIvA8-xoOGZ-J-1JL8eM8BOf77Eptr0FD1MapA1sfGQ-aIcgG7eBYXd67DiMbl2g_Dq5HEQ/s200/IMG_1335.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484556157829765538" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12PIOFaYQgA2eQIK5K_E3vu2D7yBW9AmPRJ6jNmWrBbH2xGgxYsYEZ9bFfEfyaRk8Ar3sLoxqLL7_euKoOJqIsnBB_ae-9g5elHTk7LMm8YFYaoXmyJVZ2vvbJdzHOyRHB4K2J77DGEw/s1600/IMG_1331.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh12PIOFaYQgA2eQIK5K_E3vu2D7yBW9AmPRJ6jNmWrBbH2xGgxYsYEZ9bFfEfyaRk8Ar3sLoxqLL7_euKoOJqIsnBB_ae-9g5elHTk7LMm8YFYaoXmyJVZ2vvbJdzHOyRHB4K2J77DGEw/s200/IMG_1331.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5484555602023431042" /></a><br />A line of blue sky appeared and for the first time in days we could see the sun. As we drove to the top of a hill, just past Wild Horse Road, the Bighorns appeared in all their glory and my heart leapt. I told Renita and I could see her face brighten. We had so many memories.<br />She pointed out all the snow and it was pretty obvious that winter still held the mountains in its grip, and it shouldn’t have been any surprise. We both had been in the high country before and the lakes were still frozen at altitude.<br />Normally we wouldn’t have taken our fifth wheel across a mountain pass, when we could avoid it, but we have been on the road for three years and have crossed many passes. So, we decided to cross the Powder River Pass, and a flood of memories waited patiently for us.<br />I pointed out Bighorn and Darton Peaks, and remembered my climb of Darton, many years ago. That day one of our team came down with altitude sickness and we had to get him low before we could summit. A storm hit us unexpected and we felt the worms crawling in our hair. Luckily we were able to retreat from the summit before the lightning struck.<br /> On the west side of Darton Peak was my daughters favorite place, Lost Twins Lakes. Jenny and I had back packed there on a father daughter trip and so it was one of my special places too. If you are ever in their cirque in August you can see the shadow of the bear, cast by a protruding truncated spur. I didn’t see it until Jenny pointed it out.<br />We stopped at the welcome to the Bighorn National Forest turnoff, and we pointed out Cloud and Bomber Peaks. I had climber Cloud Peak twice and Renita and I had day packed into the Cloud Peak Wilderness area, just after we had both retired.<br />Pole Creek hove into view and we both pointed out the many places we had skied in for our Christmas trees. Places and times filled with love and family and happiness. The North Fork of Crazy Women Creek looked as inviting as ever, but our fifth wheel was just too big for that campground.<br />We reached the Powder River Pass and stopped for a bit to relax and remember. Not too far away was the spot where we had sledded, insanely it turned out as there were hidden rocks. Our normal sledding hill had been bare that year and so we had driven high in search of snow. I hit a rock so hard I couldn’t sit on a chair for a month.<br />We headed down the west side , past Meadowlark Ski area and Willow Park. Willow Park was our favorite place to cross country ski. The snow was so much better on the west side of the Bighorns, as the windward side usually is.<br />Past Meadowlark we headed down Tensleep Canyon and I remembered the time I skied the old highway. It was amazing as you could ski for eleven miles and only had to pole twice. It was scary too as the old road had no guardrails and no way out once you had started down its trace.<br />I pulled over for others to pass, as we were in no hurry, life is about the journey after all. We passed Leigh Point where a British member of the royal family had fell while hunting. We wanted to stop and look for rocks, stromatolites this time, but the melting snow pack had raised the level of the creek to flood stage, and the rocks were all underwater.<br />We marveled at the mansions being built on the outskirts of Tensleep, progress I guess, or monuments to money. Why do people need so much space, when we are happy in so little, each unto his own. Worland came and went and it didn’t seem to have changed much. Kirby passed by and then Thermopolis neared as we saw signs for the dinosaur center.<br />The Wind River Canyon is always a treat and we saw the sign for the Wedding of the Waters. There the Wind River becomes the Bighorn. Early explorers had given two different names for the same river and neither name won out. We couldn’t see where a train had been derailed from a rock avalanche, earlier this spring.<br />Boysen Dam neared and as we passed through the third tunnel we left the reservation land and arrived at Boysen State Park, and our friends John and Flo Wheeler. It had taken longer to cross the mountains a lifetime of memories. We have been truly blessed. Clear skiesMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-63439585485921872432010-06-10T04:49:00.000-07:002010-06-10T05:45:17.728-07:00Morning Parades and A Typical Day at Keyhole State Park<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFIE6zdbTJVi7W1Z3rkX4o-YUS3kbj7oJG_v1IXeSmKJl6XoGlbLxw384F3__WYoYmfhckX45b43_l3XZPcXJ9Y1btCzVtFXnTRQb8w1m78jbFDBJWKkfuX1ahjL09nHdv5irnyS54hw/s1600/IMG_1285.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbFIE6zdbTJVi7W1Z3rkX4o-YUS3kbj7oJG_v1IXeSmKJl6XoGlbLxw384F3__WYoYmfhckX45b43_l3XZPcXJ9Y1btCzVtFXnTRQb8w1m78jbFDBJWKkfuX1ahjL09nHdv5irnyS54hw/s200/IMG_1285.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481123808385225778" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzLn-hRxTrTFDNzoUiZqND46ed2-TjDsLOZ3aKkzpxA6nxzC2bm0-yiU2YkqjtXemDKTuaMYAllX09qfv38_ZSw75jPiztVyo8wdy79_gi4ScCqsnkDbnnVbXPchamqzAXjpBnQ4HY48/s1600/IMG_1291.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRzLn-hRxTrTFDNzoUiZqND46ed2-TjDsLOZ3aKkzpxA6nxzC2bm0-yiU2YkqjtXemDKTuaMYAllX09qfv38_ZSw75jPiztVyo8wdy79_gi4ScCqsnkDbnnVbXPchamqzAXjpBnQ4HY48/s200/IMG_1291.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481123222099793202" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hzooKvyDrKZsMc0FTjVhacf53D8k3hmU9VCCsl_PZevqLNxlbUoXMWxcaHOm67dFqHahQfh4OIws0X-bSZOdr3B8nyaefm_i6b0qe2H_M_bMX6-pZZxDu98YTE1-A7KjK26Is0QQQNI/s1600/IMG_1267.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6hzooKvyDrKZsMc0FTjVhacf53D8k3hmU9VCCsl_PZevqLNxlbUoXMWxcaHOm67dFqHahQfh4OIws0X-bSZOdr3B8nyaefm_i6b0qe2H_M_bMX6-pZZxDu98YTE1-A7KjK26Is0QQQNI/s200/IMG_1267.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481122763325414962" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIbO9kdERstI6tEvKwJh5pEmBkqQVosvTvKw3DW5euf8fvRmtnonvcioQ7bJW4H2hEoovXiz3V3pbyfkh3MaqFnsU2Y301UFTCJzRjAQGPLcxVr8Ydn-0f97y943ChIME-59-ZUv4SEk/s1600/IMG_1264.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNIbO9kdERstI6tEvKwJh5pEmBkqQVosvTvKw3DW5euf8fvRmtnonvcioQ7bJW4H2hEoovXiz3V3pbyfkh3MaqFnsU2Y301UFTCJzRjAQGPLcxVr8Ydn-0f97y943ChIME-59-ZUv4SEk/s200/IMG_1264.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5481122445206072770" /></a><br />Every morning we are treated to several parades. The first ones are pelicans and geese and then we do our own parade. The days here are peaceful ones nicely interrupted by friends and the nights are usual quiet.<br />Soon after first light a flock of American white pelicans swims out from their roost in search of food, I don't know who leads who but they all fish in unison and its really special to watch. They swim as a group and all turn forming a hook, herding a school of fish toward shore. When the time is right they all dip their bills into the water in an exhibition of synchronized feeding that any group of Olympic swimmers would envy.<br />Soon after a pair of Canadian geese swim from across the lake herding their ten goslings and keeping them on the straight and narrow. As they approach shore the female checks out the shores safety while the young ones swim in circles, anxious to wade ashore for that tasty grass. The male then follows and both parents stretch their necks watching for danger, a hungry coyote or even a viscous shi-tzue!<br />Soon after Molly and I go for our morning walk along the cement path. There are so few people in this campground that we almost always have it to ourselves. We often disturb a feeding pronghorn antelope, who snorts his warning to his harem of does.<br />Our days are filled with quiet sometimes broken by the welcome sight of friends stopping by. A daily bike ride or a stroll along the lake shore, although more often we simply sit and read. We don't have electricity here so we make do and often wrap stones,antique pottery, or sea glass.<br />Renita and I started to sell our work on Etsy as its either sell some or stop collecting more rocks and so we part with our pieces, reluctantly. Our goal is to sell enoug for a grinder polisher machine that has been designed for rvers,(the size of a shoebox).<br />We have made more campfires this past week then we usually do in a year and I have tried to cook chicken, steaks, hamburgers, and bratwursts over the open fire pit. Its worked surprisingly well, with only a few burned pieces here and there.<br />In the evening the sun sets and we are sometimes treated with a still reflection of the far bay on the water. The evenglom,(last light after sunset) is always special and then the stars come out in the thousands.<br />Soon afterwards our dog, Molly goes to the bedrooms steps and turns and looks at me, as if she is telling me its time for me to go to bed. She lays down when I do but then goes back downstairs after I am sleeping to wait for Renita to quit reading and come to bed.<br />So the day is filled with peace and then nights are so quiet. Its great to be spending two weeks here after our long journal north from Texas. Two weeks at our old home lake. Clear skies.<br /><br />Our shop is at the following address.<br /><br />http://www.etsy.com/shop/markandrenitaMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-44192802552565851132010-06-03T17:34:00.000-07:002010-06-03T18:22:11.969-07:00Grand Terre, I saw the Birds dying....<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhPI7hxhKrTsL5YVb05Om3-Lfvw5q6mIGgUry4iofHwNjF5_sp6ZuGW1pNezGezikX91Rvnwu4jdjCxpE5643VAXlzb7eMElBH-xn2_sh1uqx7TglZMTyDLi_wC21bCRvewY9zsiSu6I/s1600/IMG_0741.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhPI7hxhKrTsL5YVb05Om3-Lfvw5q6mIGgUry4iofHwNjF5_sp6ZuGW1pNezGezikX91Rvnwu4jdjCxpE5643VAXlzb7eMElBH-xn2_sh1uqx7TglZMTyDLi_wC21bCRvewY9zsiSu6I/s200/IMG_0741.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478721181366893282" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmNgi0yiWJkSF392Qq_axRGFTaY1IAgxBMaWwq9hrFcMfOWB2ymvfHcUhyphenhyphenXFgOBhsHZKL-19ootW50_eDfjbh75RZlOz6PgSnT_SI0lOKuQrc1rQ9SHzFmfmsdGDd3i_rlMTd3ZfjLjQ/s1600/IMG_0613.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZmNgi0yiWJkSF392Qq_axRGFTaY1IAgxBMaWwq9hrFcMfOWB2ymvfHcUhyphenhyphenXFgOBhsHZKL-19ootW50_eDfjbh75RZlOz6PgSnT_SI0lOKuQrc1rQ9SHzFmfmsdGDd3i_rlMTd3ZfjLjQ/s200/IMG_0613.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478720287653702754" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R0DbcUIir0OsCf7an_nEWbnoWg1t201Ue73EDQx7VhBSj5OUZ9UnqHauNOhvc98MK5r8h_ny4GqnjiWSw6RrWGmpXlUEd_JGZhjQmU5U_h2bYewk-1W9xETmNfL7M585hVT91irJRPs/s1600/IMG_0704.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1R0DbcUIir0OsCf7an_nEWbnoWg1t201Ue73EDQx7VhBSj5OUZ9UnqHauNOhvc98MK5r8h_ny4GqnjiWSw6RrWGmpXlUEd_JGZhjQmU5U_h2bYewk-1W9xETmNfL7M585hVT91irJRPs/s200/IMG_0704.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5478717536010959922" /></a><br />I saw the news tonight and watched the pelican coated with oil trying to lift it wings. I saw the news tonight and watched the cormorant unable to lift its head above the oil sludge. I heard the newscaster talk about one of my favorite places, Grand Terre, and realized it wouldn't ever be the same.<br />No more otters swimming amd playing, no more dolphins feeding off the bar of the pass. no more redfish tailing by the thousand. It didn't seem possible that we had just been there, walking the beaches and feeling such peace...<br />My sister emaled me that the oil had finally reached Grand Isle and that they had watched it come ashore. We had spent so much time with them sitting on their front porch and watching the dolphins playing and now they were watching the oil come ashore.<br />She wrote us that the stench from the oil is strong, even inside their house. The authorities had talked of evacuating the Isle but where would they go?<br />She wrote us about the President going by in a motorcade at fifty miles per hour. She wrote about the oysterman telling her how his beds were all coated in oil and that BP(bullshit petroleum as cousin Janet calls them) was slow paying the shrimpers.<br />I saw the news tonight and watched the pelican dying on the beach...........MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-89786403261752021202010-06-01T03:22:00.000-07:002010-06-01T03:57:30.963-07:00Prairie and Fairburn Agate Hunting<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wClIOo1J-dvgSkULOfl9DrcMJSwEwQ78FcwLdFOEgxSjCHAHCxg1_9XxXjbSyiXJDN8Ek9YPAJzp4oIu11PvD4hcfa_RjQCimkyubjezKbMUU8IlDHJi0EiYM03QLsnd3TaEaoKxU14/s1600/IMG_1181.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3wClIOo1J-dvgSkULOfl9DrcMJSwEwQ78FcwLdFOEgxSjCHAHCxg1_9XxXjbSyiXJDN8Ek9YPAJzp4oIu11PvD4hcfa_RjQCimkyubjezKbMUU8IlDHJi0EiYM03QLsnd3TaEaoKxU14/s200/IMG_1181.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477757204824713730" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrnjz7F2JM9Iuvfh8RGfJLM9SXdXwr7-GgoWAYSwMrHtm3U6gzfbrMH7c41OtbFmzRLBjm2VMD6DscYua1vJplgu4RBRBkibq5rxkaYF3c-wcTejiuQqP3vKiCw3DRMGYLA7VfaAJEIQ/s1600/IMG_1182.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrnjz7F2JM9Iuvfh8RGfJLM9SXdXwr7-GgoWAYSwMrHtm3U6gzfbrMH7c41OtbFmzRLBjm2VMD6DscYua1vJplgu4RBRBkibq5rxkaYF3c-wcTejiuQqP3vKiCw3DRMGYLA7VfaAJEIQ/s200/IMG_1182.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477756663932455442" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAITRiofUniAYc4USXFw8VTbh8F26nBSSboqYUoz5R2jy9x5hKnjaPq63MrFMCmQLNa5dqU8WgRZh-WU6D-rK1WqVNUbdrT6wP33Wm30QxiUexBCvyqIpFnCkD0Js8TgnEjRPFrROFDY/s1600/IMG_1171.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggAITRiofUniAYc4USXFw8VTbh8F26nBSSboqYUoz5R2jy9x5hKnjaPq63MrFMCmQLNa5dqU8WgRZh-WU6D-rK1WqVNUbdrT6wP33Wm30QxiUexBCvyqIpFnCkD0Js8TgnEjRPFrROFDY/s200/IMG_1171.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477756039547347426" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mA7zVIpt1UXvoxN0hKjBWDd2yhTEtGSii3JchgU6Hv5jLdDwlXRqFFWKsOsA96wUaqiwfuIJXps4vwqpeYWxinToj0kl_BkJFxGdvFbSqB8ojqmlI7RdiSh6QSYny1Bl0D2gWhdjvOM/s1600/IMG_1176.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7mA7zVIpt1UXvoxN0hKjBWDd2yhTEtGSii3JchgU6Hv5jLdDwlXRqFFWKsOsA96wUaqiwfuIJXps4vwqpeYWxinToj0kl_BkJFxGdvFbSqB8ojqmlI7RdiSh6QSYny1Bl0D2gWhdjvOM/s200/IMG_1176.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477754623871188082" /></a><br />We were both excited as we put on our day packs and headed towards the stream. It was our first real day of prospecting for Fairburn agates and we had just been at a rock shop in Hermosa, Sd. There the owner had shown us what the rough Fairburn agate looks like and had told us how to get to the BLM Agate Beds.<br />We found the road easy enough but recent rains had turned sections into mud and we passed several deep places where trucks had been stuck. Reaching the stream we saw that it had flooded big time and while it had receded it was still of unknown depth. There were fresh tire prints in the mud and we watched as a four wheel drive truck crossed the deep water. The water reached above the bottom of the door and so we decided to pass on the famed beds this trip.<br />Several outcrops were along the way and we did stop and collect some Prairie agate, which is the state rock of Nebraska. We just didn't collect any Fairburn Agate, which is also called fortification agate as it looks like the old time forts of the 18th century.<br />The next day we decided to head towards Rapid City and look along the terraces of Spring Creek. Now its all private land and so we would be limited to looking in the road cuts, but we have found some nice rocks in the public places before, so off we went.<br />Our first stop was at a cut along South Dakota 79, on the south side of Spring Creek.It didn't take long before we found more Prairie Agate. While its not composed of the sharp bands as Fairburn is its still pretty bands of gold and white and even has some reds and purples. I found a few small pieces and by the time I got over to Renita she had a large pile of possible keepers.<br />Sortng through the pile was really hard as she had a lot of good agate. So I added it to mine and we already had enough Prairie Agate to keep us sawing, grinding and polishing for quite a while.<br />Returning home we washed the agates and sorted them into a keep and don't keep pile. There was a lot of keepers and so our long long long trailer has gotten some more weight added to it, and these rocks are round. Perhaps you should call us Luci and Desi, from now on! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-65499820617716397472010-05-30T03:33:00.000-07:002010-05-30T04:01:30.044-07:00Crossing South Dakota<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PHExqRTVZmlofXw1PztQp_gul82bJUl9uDpcXB6JC2bHvY03IyCv3cHfUR2vRwVfRmsBWZJrQsF4KaMCUf6M-x20JtebTHj4W7BHWZzZIcZpln9J1a56DXdLqu8FhpzYYKfjdwq50Sc/s1600/IMG_1167.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PHExqRTVZmlofXw1PztQp_gul82bJUl9uDpcXB6JC2bHvY03IyCv3cHfUR2vRwVfRmsBWZJrQsF4KaMCUf6M-x20JtebTHj4W7BHWZzZIcZpln9J1a56DXdLqu8FhpzYYKfjdwq50Sc/s200/IMG_1167.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477016416420217970" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWlHMr1Jrd6DDxria06MalkS-jDsCno1OSYh-dgN4dQwu_f5HbvP7cLKc2JuE9m3e72okHaWnwTwwFyyicH7Nbg3nD0AElaAtCPsMqIBVy06i7vXJUSb09ikbrz97-1FskMhHuwdgQYI/s1600/IMG_1164.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWlHMr1Jrd6DDxria06MalkS-jDsCno1OSYh-dgN4dQwu_f5HbvP7cLKc2JuE9m3e72okHaWnwTwwFyyicH7Nbg3nD0AElaAtCPsMqIBVy06i7vXJUSb09ikbrz97-1FskMhHuwdgQYI/s200/IMG_1164.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477015788117114546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh50BbOpNUb7HHDtpOxTW10795hGFxh_utmrtMihjISd51xpMdSC24crXLEoXIGrf-RULJrsu221j-c7TEyoJXUGmt6NFOIQJpZ2ro5hbMRE70rb1PC31cokryJaRBbAEhyl0Sc4bHpfo/s1600/IMG_1170.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhh50BbOpNUb7HHDtpOxTW10795hGFxh_utmrtMihjISd51xpMdSC24crXLEoXIGrf-RULJrsu221j-c7TEyoJXUGmt6NFOIQJpZ2ro5hbMRE70rb1PC31cokryJaRBbAEhyl0Sc4bHpfo/s200/IMG_1170.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5477015001910819922" /></a><br />It seemed that all the turtles in Minneapolis had been quite busy this spring and as we left our campground Renita spotted a snapping turtle laying her clutch of eggs.<br />It didn't seem like the best spot as it was next to the dump station and terribly exposed but it was her spot and so we stopped the rig and ran over to take pictures,(As if she was going anywhere).<br />Pulling out of the park we took Interstate 35 south and then Interstate 90 west and it seemed like deju vu as we have been on this particular stretch of road so many times.<br />Of course as we crossed into South Dakota the wind picked up and I fought gusts all the way to Mitchell, our planned stop. It was with relief that we pulled into the parking lot of Cabelas and I was pretty tired, 330 miles), so we rested before checking out the big Memorial day sale.<br />The next morning the wind had abated slightly and so leaving early, high winds warnings were in effect for latter in the day, and poorer we headed west. The wind was steady and gaining but we made it across the Missouri River and it actually eased a little so the drive across West River was pretty easy.<br />Of course South Dakota had to let us know that her winds were only sleeping and by the time we got to Rapid City the winds had switched to the north and had gotten pretty strong. I had to fight the rig to keep it going down the road but with no place to pull over, we didn't have a lot of choice. <br />Turning south at exit 20 we now had the wind to our backs and the driving became pleasant. It had been another long day but we were at our planned nights stop, near Fairburn, South Dakota and the famed Fairburn Agate beds, more rocks for the fifth wheel! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-12200346394403806222010-05-23T04:31:00.000-07:002010-05-23T04:58:32.884-07:00Loves Labor, A Mother Turtles Tale<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqISQIlITfmWOjmySdc45UyPuypuGLjI8ks4Q8UPyEYl0MW-6GUfJ01GTgJLT6_hQqMzeAR9-M-HbnU0-qQCOLf4bewqGtrrdEPpGpE0R7nKNPZoKo4OyEI_4BUyjuGIZ-bIClYj2Mi2E/s1600/IMG_1141.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqISQIlITfmWOjmySdc45UyPuypuGLjI8ks4Q8UPyEYl0MW-6GUfJ01GTgJLT6_hQqMzeAR9-M-HbnU0-qQCOLf4bewqGtrrdEPpGpE0R7nKNPZoKo4OyEI_4BUyjuGIZ-bIClYj2Mi2E/s200/IMG_1141.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474432418022323986" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLwdmSzRLrRDWCfHo0c_ppsWMMC_k_Idz801KJGrCZ0gyA0rJxSKXLFqtIBOfrRJrpCx5RFxwD76IoAbVx7rRpkK7EvStwZTk6k8Ay4JGoXp4ayBRYsrwpczzDNBn6jZDP3W9AK4aKrs/s1600/IMG_1140.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBLwdmSzRLrRDWCfHo0c_ppsWMMC_k_Idz801KJGrCZ0gyA0rJxSKXLFqtIBOfrRJrpCx5RFxwD76IoAbVx7rRpkK7EvStwZTk6k8Ay4JGoXp4ayBRYsrwpczzDNBn6jZDP3W9AK4aKrs/s200/IMG_1140.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474431656055304818" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnyzlpqqC56h-EyjMeEGpqXmkjNrfT9lmrJ1DXSasUa3FTlfNdOAtxZLb8llLeo2T1dkG5r4ZUcVT4AESxaITlGic-CMHuYCxqdb5VKzlyqi-TfHQlFXrF5HUVCtBubmmaXvWnwSeHrw/s1600/IMG_1139.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJnyzlpqqC56h-EyjMeEGpqXmkjNrfT9lmrJ1DXSasUa3FTlfNdOAtxZLb8llLeo2T1dkG5r4ZUcVT4AESxaITlGic-CMHuYCxqdb5VKzlyqi-TfHQlFXrF5HUVCtBubmmaXvWnwSeHrw/s200/IMG_1139.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474431085878472290" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg8PgwW1qhTD6qWkSlyXzHsEeaTq1oqMZbjJrYors-54Ae_TpZFZD1HTCznbvJt8kVo7YWDuGIjguuVmShEWH5A7r2bkPkhxJtGGaiFKykHoC0XoYQXuBiMANfw-zfVFfaRVcTdfHTYM/s1600/IMG_1138.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikg8PgwW1qhTD6qWkSlyXzHsEeaTq1oqMZbjJrYors-54Ae_TpZFZD1HTCznbvJt8kVo7YWDuGIjguuVmShEWH5A7r2bkPkhxJtGGaiFKykHoC0XoYQXuBiMANfw-zfVFfaRVcTdfHTYM/s200/IMG_1138.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474430382623267314" /></a><br />Last night Renita and I were treated to a very special sight, that of a turtle preparing a nest and laying her eggs. Its the first time we have ever seen such an event, other than on the internet or tv and so we feel that we hve been treated with a special gift from God.<br />Now Renita had been telling me to check the rear stabilizers legs as it seemed to feel like there was some movement. Of course I had ignored her for a while as I would never forget to lower the rear stabilizers.....<br />So I went out last night and saw a dark oval shape next to our campsite. As I looked closer I saw it was a turtle and that she was digging quite a deep hole with her hind legs. Slowly she would reach down the narrow opening and then scoop out a small amount of wet dirt and mud,(it had just rained hard in the afternoon). <br />Going inside and telling Renita she came out and we both watched her slow movement as she would stretch and dig and then switch legs. I took several pictures and then we left her alone, not wishing to disturb her as it was her time and her place.<br />Later I went out and saw that she was motionless and covering the hole. Surely she was laying her clutch of eggs, but we couldn't see them and so I took another image and then went back inside.<br />The next morning she was gone and the hole had been covered over. It was such a good job that we would never suspect that a nest had been made and filled and covered. If not for the slightly damp looking earth it would be almost impossible to find. Her nest was on a south facing slope and about 50 yards/meters from a pond. <br />We wonder if we should tell the park people or if we should leave well enough alone? All I know is that we have been blessed to see such a sight. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-90782957507993346242010-05-22T02:20:00.000-07:002010-05-22T03:13:19.738-07:00Biking the Grand Round, A delighful day on Minneapolis's Bike Trails<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE2cNG-6yS6xvF3M8ZOoikGB6OsWmXxAs4XybXeX9lBGlX2w8zGFlBy-Gxbos49IMxp6TdtXXre5Iu3HPiAEOsR7gFPnqtBjG751nMpw0rXVZvlEP2QEIo-NlCcCyZL87PdZoybzeXM4/s1600/IMG_1124.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdE2cNG-6yS6xvF3M8ZOoikGB6OsWmXxAs4XybXeX9lBGlX2w8zGFlBy-Gxbos49IMxp6TdtXXre5Iu3HPiAEOsR7gFPnqtBjG751nMpw0rXVZvlEP2QEIo-NlCcCyZL87PdZoybzeXM4/s200/IMG_1124.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474034886992920050" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MY28bYC-oyVyYoJwovvN6X8bhMAuhTLR0ADrjyZag3thIAt6eetydI4yEl1n3GWvENTGm8gMTjqd5s2zcuYo4ukuFMw4aRpBDLwcPgUc4QgBMa1Mizwy79tQw6gzb9GamunzFlKEzOs/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-MY28bYC-oyVyYoJwovvN6X8bhMAuhTLR0ADrjyZag3thIAt6eetydI4yEl1n3GWvENTGm8gMTjqd5s2zcuYo4ukuFMw4aRpBDLwcPgUc4QgBMa1Mizwy79tQw6gzb9GamunzFlKEzOs/s200/IMG_1120.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474034448541520786" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JRknPwP2dVzqNsGVf8RkS8MloG0JbEwmrHH7HUg3yStnKWBZIChreMlQkRDTrgVTg6r7RdF1LQWrMaRjX3sZYt9aFHbli5SmlPlQD5-dHGiFEw-j7nNH-dwbe2jCwi_QQ0jEkIbnSd0/s1600/IMG_1110.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6JRknPwP2dVzqNsGVf8RkS8MloG0JbEwmrHH7HUg3yStnKWBZIChreMlQkRDTrgVTg6r7RdF1LQWrMaRjX3sZYt9aFHbli5SmlPlQD5-dHGiFEw-j7nNH-dwbe2jCwi_QQ0jEkIbnSd0/s200/IMG_1110.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474034029571465394" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0n02qfhyphenhyphenv8AGyIQz4p6cmJSJiBit0-vMWmjVI659EUCag1njboV6rNmucbi30nJvg5zSUJz5AnMRJ06TBtFrPyFugZf_QHhXja63-EckYMieVWqS9cpR_PmipTv_0tGfVkqdYXPlrdB0/s1600/IMG_1107.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 150px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0n02qfhyphenhyphenv8AGyIQz4p6cmJSJiBit0-vMWmjVI659EUCag1njboV6rNmucbi30nJvg5zSUJz5AnMRJ06TBtFrPyFugZf_QHhXja63-EckYMieVWqS9cpR_PmipTv_0tGfVkqdYXPlrdB0/s200/IMG_1107.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474033562685766850" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWPKCxgbJH2cKTWIzLcDg0UZgfQqP7J_L3VYd4-0A_iWWyTdgx3EZCLN1AW31DO45yWutNIw8P-piKgNaJ2Kjra_bQ-hFxOZi4jP-sMXMEKtktj80o8iaRV3Vo5-lkfEWlWXpPZOvBqw/s1600/IMG_1106.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeWPKCxgbJH2cKTWIzLcDg0UZgfQqP7J_L3VYd4-0A_iWWyTdgx3EZCLN1AW31DO45yWutNIw8P-piKgNaJ2Kjra_bQ-hFxOZi4jP-sMXMEKtktj80o8iaRV3Vo5-lkfEWlWXpPZOvBqw/s200/IMG_1106.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474032846965243826" /></a><br />Still excited from yesterdays close encounter with the Lake Calhoun Monster, we arrived at our daughters house intent on a bike ride. She asked us how far we thought we could ride, suggesting several routes, and we decided to try to ride to East Cedar Lake Beach and back on the Grand Round. It's a trail that is about 20 miles, which would be a personal record for us.<br />Leaving her house we rode down the bumpy streets of east Minneapolis and connected with a bike trail that crossed Minnehaha Creek and headed upstream. The bike trails here are by far the best we have seen and it was an easy pedal, compared to the ride around hilly Lebanon Hills Park.<br />We rode steadily and didn't stop for a break until we reached the southern edge of Lake Harriet. There we connected with the Grand Round and Jenny pointed out the location of the band shell at which we had attended a free concert several years past.<br />She also pointed out that there was a bike trail and a walking trail and to be sure to avoid the pedestrians. A good warning for us as we are not use to the numbers of people. Everywhere we looked people were riding and walking and jogging! There were also fishermen and lots and lots of sunbathers.<br />We started our ride along the west shore of the lake but soon stopped to visit the home of the Gnome. Unfortunately a sign on the door said he had moved and that people should stop leaving him gifts. Don't know if it was a winter move to Texas, but it did seem like there were lots of Minnesotans there with us.<br />Passing the band shell we continued on the trail, crossed Lake Street at the light, and rejoined the trail along Lake Calhoun. I pointed out the location of the monsters lair, and shook my head at all the swimmers, some mothers with small children.<br />We continued on our ride reaching East Cedar Beach, to see two police cars at the trail entrance. Hoping for some excitement, the beach had been a nude beach several years previously, or at least getting to watch a drug bust, we were somewhat disappointed as a park policeman had actually driven onto the beach and remained there for over an hour.<br />As we ate our lunch several young women came rushing from the water and told everyone of seeing a huge fish! Of course I jumped up and forced my way through the throng of bikini clad women, as its rare to see a huge fish. Renita even commented on my bravery to help others in need, oh and I got the look from her.<br />Seeing no fish I waded back to shore and we finished our lunch. Taking our bikes up the beach Jenny asked us if we felt ok as we could take a shorter path home, but we demurred and chose the scenic route. We were soon at it, riding past the monsters lair and heading south towards Lake Harriet. We rode the east shore this time, so we got to see the other side, and again the trails were really busy!<br />A detour prevented us from seeing one of Jenny's favorite parts of the ride, where the trail rode under a railroad bridge, but it was still a beautiful ride along the creek. It amazes us here in that cars stop for you as you cross a street. Not so in Texas where the car drivers delight in running over bikers and pedestrians.<br />Arriving at Jenny and Vitos house the gps said that we had rode for 19.63 miles, a personal best for both of us. We were both a little sore but not bad. It was a great day in Minnesota! We both agreed that Minneapolis was our favorite city, in three years of travel, and that it would be a nice city to live in if you had to live in a city. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-84748265439362031502010-05-20T02:59:00.000-07:002010-05-20T04:16:56.845-07:00The Monster of Lake Calhoun, A Day Canoeing in the Twin Cities<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpniuiGKXTyGIVwLzMDnrGz0Vtw-l5GdUDgDqft4hitRtwstHpGkSNKvSoFjF7BNlA34l5EArQBDlfwUbI9lUqq6e8xYZMIN3OaU02QyeHU91KgWiZ3_6rXQJWiR7ffnqBLoEsJhkj8U/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpniuiGKXTyGIVwLzMDnrGz0Vtw-l5GdUDgDqft4hitRtwstHpGkSNKvSoFjF7BNlA34l5EArQBDlfwUbI9lUqq6e8xYZMIN3OaU02QyeHU91KgWiZ3_6rXQJWiR7ffnqBLoEsJhkj8U/s200/IMG_1096.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473307282161943714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaL7hy4XxW5XKs5wiN0zuMy-dBWsAVX0iAnsR-SA3l_JZKTvsvakWnVaL0wtjtXJf7FZCt_jAlXAlzVeI7z_Tr2DGuoVFIz7Myvwuh3v6m5IFW6MnUgVeWo551q0-bkgxmNJs6WsBvZc/s1600/IMG_1060.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvaL7hy4XxW5XKs5wiN0zuMy-dBWsAVX0iAnsR-SA3l_JZKTvsvakWnVaL0wtjtXJf7FZCt_jAlXAlzVeI7z_Tr2DGuoVFIz7Myvwuh3v6m5IFW6MnUgVeWo551q0-bkgxmNJs6WsBvZc/s200/IMG_1060.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473306866858642290" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD29FSAjAY7AFvtqPOsurXFTDu3MNNBxcF46LKTVbDCdeGCjtM1ZeXJIkoVUm2kBMxOMo4qbDAGwBCCCqmFCeCDgMxiAnj2cye0O-wA_QfpleMx8nP6ZKxnzo6GgyPdYax0dF2LadwmJY/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD29FSAjAY7AFvtqPOsurXFTDu3MNNBxcF46LKTVbDCdeGCjtM1ZeXJIkoVUm2kBMxOMo4qbDAGwBCCCqmFCeCDgMxiAnj2cye0O-wA_QfpleMx8nP6ZKxnzo6GgyPdYax0dF2LadwmJY/s200/IMG_1032.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473306409594999298" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQScc4mICd9Ang-8WDGLLu9fj0Uuiu31FEBxOyqy9lD7rcaOPOj3mRCf65qMOWl70bHBbkNHY4vwWXDWHV_UC91_i2zGPTT36se_2p_2ggf9jSufdk-gxCPwVG-02lDR6cVMgbhFIFXUM/s1600/IMG_1029.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQScc4mICd9Ang-8WDGLLu9fj0Uuiu31FEBxOyqy9lD7rcaOPOj3mRCf65qMOWl70bHBbkNHY4vwWXDWHV_UC91_i2zGPTT36se_2p_2ggf9jSufdk-gxCPwVG-02lDR6cVMgbhFIFXUM/s200/IMG_1029.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473305839476774834" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtCydmKQN90utW7CYp9xLrDyPSkJFTmql0s3EfE63HeT3G_itH-3L-4QfV7CZSGOVtd7lXq9EHQ14Nva0JJ0QO0yq8AyKizERAP3epBXIV30YSgd1m5yMsFpvaGkiYEohtuKPKULTCPo/s1600/IMG_0995.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOtCydmKQN90utW7CYp9xLrDyPSkJFTmql0s3EfE63HeT3G_itH-3L-4QfV7CZSGOVtd7lXq9EHQ14Nva0JJ0QO0yq8AyKizERAP3epBXIV30YSgd1m5yMsFpvaGkiYEohtuKPKULTCPo/s200/IMG_0995.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5473303508078238578" /></a><br />Some may doubt our story of a monster, but we have seen it rise from the clear depths and swim alongside our canoe. It paused as if to say, this is my home and I am hungry. Do people here in Minneapolis know such a monster exists? Know now and keep your pets and children from Lake Calhouns waters........<br />Jenny and Vito were both working so we decided to go canoeing at the Chain of Lakes Park. Its in downtown Minneapolis and consists of three connected lakes, Lake of the Isles, Cedar Lake, and Lake Calhoun.<br />We launched the canoe from a dock, near the eastern end of Lake of the Isles and headed west toward Cedar Lake. We quickly passed a mother duck and her ducklings and Renita snapped pictures of bluegills.<br />Passing under a bridge we entered the narrow waterway that connects Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake. Its pretty overgrown with aquatic weeds, from all the lawn fertilizers, but still an easy paddle. We were going without the stabilizers and the canoe sliced through the water. like a racing kayak, or so it seemed to us.<br />Entering Cedar Lake we headed to Hippie Beach,(East Cedar Lake Beach), for lunch, where a small group of sun worshipers were getting their vitamin a in mega doses. No drums beats echoed across the water, had the drummers been arrested(see last years blog)?<br />Eating lunch we headed towards the far shore and as we paralleled the edge Renita pointed out a long large fish, a muskie. I kind of wished I had a fishing licensee but the sight of the fish and its tiger stripped sides was enough to make the day. Little did I know!<br />We neared a pair of loons that were diving and feeding and watched a mother duck swimming across the lake. She had in tow nine newly hatched ducklings, and we wondered if she knew the danger she was exposing them to.<br />As she neared the loons the male rose in a threat display and then another. She frantically quacked to urge her ducklings to swim faster, when the male loon displayed again and then charged. The mother dropped back to protect her brood and to provide a shield for her little ones.<br />Seeming to escape the loon's ire they continued to paddle when the loon dove and then reappeared attacking the small babies. The mother duckling turned and fought the much larger loon as the little ducklings seemed to walk on water.<br />She didn't win the fight, she was so much smaller then the loon,but she did manage to turn his frenzy, allowing the brood to escape. Rejoining it she led them across the lake and into the safe haven of a small beach.<br />We glided back into the narrow passageway where a muskrat swam past us, dove and then resurfaced. It started to lunch on some of the water vegetation and seemed unconcerned with our canoe passing nearby. It must have been really tasty seaweed!<br />Entering Lake of the Isles we headed toward the larger islands. One is a wildlife refuge and landing on it is prohibited, so we paralleled its shore and watched the many geese and green headed mallards.<br />Our next goal was Lake Calhoun and so we rowed through the canal and under the two bridges. Now lake Calhoun is much larger and last year a sailboat class had provided entertainment as we watched them overturn their boats and crash into one another. Only one sailboat was out and we were getting tired so we paused before heading back, when the monster appeared.<br />Now I have caught shark and bull black and red drum. We both have caught and released large northern,(my best is 43 inches and Renitas is 42 inches long, and so we have seen many large fish under water.<br />This brown shape appeared alongside the canoe and I know it was over 50 inches long, and that's being conservative. It was the largest fresh water fish we have ever seen, and it lives in the Twin Cities. We talked with a fisherman on the bank and he didn't act surprised as he said he had seen it attack bluegills as fisherman were bringing them in.<br />The fish swam lazily around us and Renita tried to take its image but it was too deep and all you can see is the brown looking log in the upper part of the image.Believe us if you want to or not, it makes no never mind to us for we both know that a monster lives in Lake Calhoun. We have seen it! Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-24881276051405582082010-05-19T04:28:00.000-07:002010-05-19T05:15:14.248-07:00Minneapolis, Our First Week<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2RNaeZERzXtCb08FeXwn0Lhjsq-8NIi8zDpoX2DDYHFrR3blc_xunppD9WMVP9T7qIYMSi-SQWuYXocoLYetENudld1c4g-qIXXJZVc2YRSYlWBHIG7H4wbkD80sMP20AbeoVvusfnw/s1600/IMG_0979.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ2RNaeZERzXtCb08FeXwn0Lhjsq-8NIi8zDpoX2DDYHFrR3blc_xunppD9WMVP9T7qIYMSi-SQWuYXocoLYetENudld1c4g-qIXXJZVc2YRSYlWBHIG7H4wbkD80sMP20AbeoVvusfnw/s200/IMG_0979.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472950267037507714" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPRfnYaL9RmgBPGB-lRj6OUZHdkXOAgMo0G1g-aZ83_aFtbMEcLDhR2kYZn2NNMad_ygGdh8SLdpv3jIwJi4YwVxcSsp8-iXgE_SqQToWRWaI8qkXWso6rw5nDNLBK5ykUJyeNNLQQTo/s1600/IMG_0976.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqPRfnYaL9RmgBPGB-lRj6OUZHdkXOAgMo0G1g-aZ83_aFtbMEcLDhR2kYZn2NNMad_ygGdh8SLdpv3jIwJi4YwVxcSsp8-iXgE_SqQToWRWaI8qkXWso6rw5nDNLBK5ykUJyeNNLQQTo/s200/IMG_0976.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472949728008406290" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItDdGKpD9UVO9BUBWGMfVk9RTN6qkJs2Z90oAzOQKqsSBCZZW0Lr7XXHuWEsW7qrkOlTEVSs7IOuLC_NCYFCC0DDLzQQjJemFLYTlBgxKjHEubrKq5_-s8D6EiR2djRF7dWV-y8O8xes/s1600/IMG_0909.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjItDdGKpD9UVO9BUBWGMfVk9RTN6qkJs2Z90oAzOQKqsSBCZZW0Lr7XXHuWEsW7qrkOlTEVSs7IOuLC_NCYFCC0DDLzQQjJemFLYTlBgxKjHEubrKq5_-s8D6EiR2djRF7dWV-y8O8xes/s200/IMG_0909.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472949211615506722" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu8YOQ0o2ivBbSyl7wZ8aGqUy1vA7j1UqY_paNfPqD8L9q1sQeWdmP3ukZs9Cb2GgJflArc7VmecB9J107d591OAShWt6k7J2VsPj2WcCoKBSzrhT_LprHBXtPbbJA4AMn_X5dAL4gK4/s1600/IMG_0900.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWu8YOQ0o2ivBbSyl7wZ8aGqUy1vA7j1UqY_paNfPqD8L9q1sQeWdmP3ukZs9Cb2GgJflArc7VmecB9J107d591OAShWt6k7J2VsPj2WcCoKBSzrhT_LprHBXtPbbJA4AMn_X5dAL4gK4/s200/IMG_0900.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472948723965704370" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNi927OZF1rgrxqWYlfyB3lqUA23djB3zTk95aow6XXhyphenhyphens08Fx0IqHthPrOHjsxmm0DEGvXSQMbf95H9uWgKqzOZvw9clCIwjntYVmHMBnmyA4sSMdVxPdyUklCaIjJZDmpkYsD95hmc/s1600/IMG_0897.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSNi927OZF1rgrxqWYlfyB3lqUA23djB3zTk95aow6XXhyphenhyphens08Fx0IqHthPrOHjsxmm0DEGvXSQMbf95H9uWgKqzOZvw9clCIwjntYVmHMBnmyA4sSMdVxPdyUklCaIjJZDmpkYsD95hmc/s200/IMG_0897.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5472948305158329986" /></a><br />Our reservations for Lebanon Hills Regional Park didn't start until the fourteenth, so we arrived in Prior Lake and stayed two days at Mystic Lake Casino Rv Park. Its about as nice an rv park as you will find anywhere and not bad for 26 bucks a night.<br />Jenny came over and visited us the first day and we pretty much spent it resting and visiting about family and friends and her new job,(She is an LPN at a cardiac unit in Burnsville and will finish her RN this fall).<br />The next day we moved to Lebanon Hills Regional Park, in Apple Valley. Its really a nice place but very pricey, 31 bucks a night. There are not a lot of options, however, as some of the other parks ban dogs but allow horses,(The drive was all of 19 miles).<br />After setting up our house we drove to Jenny's. She lives in Minneaoplis, in a downstairs apartment house. She's got a huge deck, and Vito and her have already filled it with plants and deck chairs and a barbecue grill. She proudly told us that her lawn furniture were all rescued items.<br />Inside, the living room is dominated by the Christmas Cactus. This was the plant that had been passed down to us as a cutting from my Gramdma Brackins plant. We actually have a picture of it in the window of the Brackin Family Farm near Elgin, Iowa. As you can see the plant is huge, and I am sure my brother and sister are both amazed at how large it has become.<br />The next few days were spent at Jenny's and Vito's, barbecuing and resupplying. Its been awhile since we have been in a big city and we won't see one again as we head to Wyoming so we have been stockpiling stuff from Trader Joes.<br />We also attended our first Art Crawl. This is an event in which many of the artists in Minneaoplis and St Paul open their studios and allow everyone to see and buy their work. We were really interested is seeing other peoples jewelry and we realized that our work was as good as any we had seen. So the next day we opened a store on Etsy,(our stores name is markandrenita). Now if I can just figure out how to take better pictures of our work!<br />Yesterday we finally took a bike ride around one part of the Park. It was on the bike trails that are all throughout the Cities. As we rode we passed joggers and other bikers. The people here are so fit, compared to down south.<br />It was so nice to ride again and our bodies both protested a little from the inaction and lack of riding. We both have a long way to go if we are going to enter the Senior Olympics, but that is our goal. We don't really care if we win. we just want to participate, and so we must commit to getting in better shape. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-54749460741255621922010-05-11T02:05:00.000-07:002010-05-14T03:45:35.904-07:00North to Minneapolis, Part 2, Iowa Memories<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P8NlJD9EMlET_Qbf65Mlcj0AaWy6wWKmEwmgWMxpaJFm6Wo0qzPFzI7WIPDVvnkpEOebsLOOEcmaxsF_G5hUeDHu9aOY6NH6YVjoNVdgWPHgb8LPdwJw0f27YhW3RL4EVhUCsjUg9GY/s1600/IMG_0873.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2P8NlJD9EMlET_Qbf65Mlcj0AaWy6wWKmEwmgWMxpaJFm6Wo0qzPFzI7WIPDVvnkpEOebsLOOEcmaxsF_G5hUeDHu9aOY6NH6YVjoNVdgWPHgb8LPdwJw0f27YhW3RL4EVhUCsjUg9GY/s200/IMG_0873.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471074258567525666" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz7ky3l1ouBrYA73KEgYosY5DR3r_xQhGvDSERVi0eT9M9QHMmnMCIz3sk3k-W_SAzjJr42UQlrnDo0l-Ft58fOvpTP6pytcovjnemqQ9ZVpW6kngYcrL_lm4m5bXQ8V5WdDlzgFgplQ/s1600/IMG_0872.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvz7ky3l1ouBrYA73KEgYosY5DR3r_xQhGvDSERVi0eT9M9QHMmnMCIz3sk3k-W_SAzjJr42UQlrnDo0l-Ft58fOvpTP6pytcovjnemqQ9ZVpW6kngYcrL_lm4m5bXQ8V5WdDlzgFgplQ/s200/IMG_0872.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471073820254482482" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMpGoLQOWTApenxszSWytj7Z-leLZfQ0yvVyNj_9Z7PNpc0OM0lKc3zB3VUMRxpU8SZ-hkGwYKERjQsvtK4n4zkkIEMGisQ2n-1vKff2Qm3qmfxpD7ILZLITDCKskmBk6E6BCH1ne6n4/s1600/IMG_0867.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCMpGoLQOWTApenxszSWytj7Z-leLZfQ0yvVyNj_9Z7PNpc0OM0lKc3zB3VUMRxpU8SZ-hkGwYKERjQsvtK4n4zkkIEMGisQ2n-1vKff2Qm3qmfxpD7ILZLITDCKskmBk6E6BCH1ne6n4/s200/IMG_0867.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471073326181280610" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukZI_pHZjXV7QTibG7P5qg60YS5y5j-YlITkqDvTsvN4Do9aHH-ZrqvUZy-wP1S6EAmNLQEJrs2kvLVq8aqFLgsEhw7smhIiuucA7bCLZkGs4UGslFaQoMqdjBRymQWT5G07UIBnvlVY/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjukZI_pHZjXV7QTibG7P5qg60YS5y5j-YlITkqDvTsvN4Do9aHH-ZrqvUZy-wP1S6EAmNLQEJrs2kvLVq8aqFLgsEhw7smhIiuucA7bCLZkGs4UGslFaQoMqdjBRymQWT5G07UIBnvlVY/s200/IMG_0876.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471072840565957938" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFrMDWSfyIzTcemSV4hOC2tsJLpCxLzLsEqRX_iQNRyxc63JlW-7AvrIBKR_qRhPt78LHlKpGyV4im6vLgs8snzXP9F9hyphenhyphenY-e4HuSVeYtFrsaIh9lz3m4x8ZMGOLv12v4tx-KT1sI020/s1600/IMG_0880.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinFrMDWSfyIzTcemSV4hOC2tsJLpCxLzLsEqRX_iQNRyxc63JlW-7AvrIBKR_qRhPt78LHlKpGyV4im6vLgs8snzXP9F9hyphenhyphenY-e4HuSVeYtFrsaIh9lz3m4x8ZMGOLv12v4tx-KT1sI020/s200/IMG_0880.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471072273246286434" /></a><br />Our trip in Keosauqua was of course filled with family time as we saw Pam and Roy and our niece and nephews. We even taught the whole family a workshop on wire wrapping and they all turned out beautiful pieces that were much nicer then the first piece I ever wrapped.<br />It is so nice to relax in Iowa, and eat breaded pork tenderloins. I am so surprised that the people in Iowa look so fit, compared to some of the southern states, especially Mississippi. Roy has become obsessed with lapidary and so we had a great time showing our rock collections and even traded some pieces.<br />Heading north, we took 218/27 and the road was pretty good with little traffic, so our drive was easy and uneventful. Arriving at Black Hawk County Park we got a great campsite. A humorous incident happened to us here when we were dating. We got stuck in the sand and had to call a wrecker. In a moment of panic I had first called my future brother in law Roy, and in one of my biggest mistakes I called my Dad for advice. Oh my was that a mistake as we were supposed to be at a dance and I had the family car..........<br />Arriving in Waterloo we both felt the same emotional tug. The next day we had a huge list of to do things, visiting family, decorating our parents graves, and even driving by the houses where we grew up.<br />The first place we drove by was Renitas house on Division Street. The trees her Dad had planted were huge and the house looked pretty much the same, with the exception of the two car garage. I didn't ask her how she felt and I just listened to her talk aloud, sometimes you just need to listen...<br />Next we drove to Waterloo and headed up fifth street. Of course we passed my elementary school and we had to stop at the Johnson Bakery. The bakery has been in the same family for a long time and the lady behind the counter laughed with us as I bought way too many doughnuts and cookies and even a pie.<br />My house seemed so old compared to when I lived there. The owners had torn off the screened front porch in which my brother and I had slept during the summer months to escape the Iowa heat and humidity. The massive elm tress had long since died and had never been replaced and what can I say but you can never step in the same water twice.<br />Both of us have been blessed in life to have had stable homes and loving parents. Not a day goes by without thinking of them and how much we miss their kind words and loving touch. We both know that we will be reunited with them in time and that thought sustains us as we continue our journey. Clear skiesMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-76909161852172909432010-05-05T03:02:00.000-07:002010-05-08T08:19:48.449-07:00Our Springtime Migration to Minnesota, Part One<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlskewhwD0DB1Bi5GfI6oXi5FVD0jXPgQ79z8Eu9dB5Bz-MhytTLhjmH7I36l32V1hKJ0JmhpHd5SAllBaFHHH5byxioUXalX9NVRPNn8j-E4ZcRczyPOfGF3QmJphZz5AOTQFide0o0/s1600/IMG_0865.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlskewhwD0DB1Bi5GfI6oXi5FVD0jXPgQ79z8Eu9dB5Bz-MhytTLhjmH7I36l32V1hKJ0JmhpHd5SAllBaFHHH5byxioUXalX9NVRPNn8j-E4ZcRczyPOfGF3QmJphZz5AOTQFide0o0/s200/IMG_0865.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468919182026058546" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNGqiw_9Un669pw1q_SysjuYdGY8e0OpbVZDbI0eYxNp9JpYchszmIEx-Md3OqiFh5WQcH5k_xsRQKpMdvAg9lW-e4uZybgeFAgQQr7RUXrt08IDth-4xTMIxQgYrnR66vZUDClFMbVo/s1600/IMG_0860.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyNGqiw_9Un669pw1q_SysjuYdGY8e0OpbVZDbI0eYxNp9JpYchszmIEx-Md3OqiFh5WQcH5k_xsRQKpMdvAg9lW-e4uZybgeFAgQQr7RUXrt08IDth-4xTMIxQgYrnR66vZUDClFMbVo/s200/IMG_0860.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468918632502828066" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuKefqBJz8FeeZxMfxPIjizPT5sN3d-o_qeLx1sv7zfUU5PY-QwS8_sokLeLonuwFc2tOc0lAPzAYcoVC_tlb0HXf97aKOFZUAbxLpeRWuehGfvvzkWg6yPoyDrpp_uk0gq_vJgtVLRw/s1600/IMG_0859.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJuKefqBJz8FeeZxMfxPIjizPT5sN3d-o_qeLx1sv7zfUU5PY-QwS8_sokLeLonuwFc2tOc0lAPzAYcoVC_tlb0HXf97aKOFZUAbxLpeRWuehGfvvzkWg6yPoyDrpp_uk0gq_vJgtVLRw/s200/IMG_0859.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468918120423664514" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0W9QYbLf3et_Wqt9458S5cTFLuQYJx7Nng9wd_64kXK7XVc1bEoLtwjgh_iviIEcvtaaW3r3zqqQQIqbosx9PHcIkqF9X2noWB7lBWJAaXeIXOpF3glWOIbojLEy94dMgwqBG0yK1HE/s1600/IMG_0858.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg0W9QYbLf3et_Wqt9458S5cTFLuQYJx7Nng9wd_64kXK7XVc1bEoLtwjgh_iviIEcvtaaW3r3zqqQQIqbosx9PHcIkqF9X2noWB7lBWJAaXeIXOpF3glWOIbojLEy94dMgwqBG0yK1HE/s200/IMG_0858.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5468917422111962082" /></a><br />We left Grand Isle in amid strong winds and blowing sand. The oil spill hadn't reached the Isle and so our thoughts were about the days trip. The bridge crossing went easy as the wind was behind us and the roads hadn't yet flooded from the unusual high tides.<br />The wind was at our backs and so we got great mileage, 14.1 mpg, not bad for a traveling house! We had been told of a beautiful state park in Mississippi, Percy Quin, and so that was our goal for the day. <br />Arriving about noon we checked in and found it to be as pretty as we had been told. The spots were large and all full hookups and so we parked and rested. Cardinals and bluejays flew about, with the forest dominated by the towering longleaf pines and red maples along with nutall oaks,(note that my tree identification is a bit shaky).<br />The next morning we headed further north, taking Interstate 55, and passed the tornado's path of destruction at mile marker 152. We have seen tornado damage before but the path,149 miles, and width of this tornado was larger than most. I wondered how quickly the Mississippi forest will hide the damage, compared to the tornado trail we saw in Pennsylvania.<br />Our planned spot for the night was at Enid Lake, the Corp of Engineers Campground at Wallace Creek, and the place was so beautiful that we decided to stay for two nights. The spot were huge and new and mostly empty and so we camped on another lake shore.<br />Shortly after setting up our fifth wheel an eastern bluebird landed near our doorstep. Again we saw cardinals and bluejays and lots and lots of eastern bluebirds.<br />A great blue heron waded along the shore and Renita wondered if it was one we had seen wintering along the coast.<br />After an extra day we headed north, crossing into Tennessee, The streams and rivers were all in flood stage and we were glad we weren't heading to Nashville. The roads in Memphis were some of the worst we have seen and crossing into Arkansas didn't seem to show much improvement. Signs of future roadwork due to stimulus money promised improvement and so we won't cross this path off of our list, yet.<br />The miles flew by and we reached Cape Giradeau and the private rv park, Cape Camping and Rv Park. It was a letdown after two days at Lake Enid but it really wasn't a bad place and it fulfilled our needs for an easy overnight place. <br />The next morning we left bright and early, 8 am, and headed towards St Louis, Mo. The road was ok, but a bit bumpy and so we took it slow. Flooded fields told of the passing storm front but it seemed to dry out as we got further north. We took 270 around ST Louis and so didn't see much except trees and cars. I did have the usual idiot try to play chicken with me as they entered on a ramp but they backed off before I forced them over the railing, <br />Northward we continued and the signs for Hannibal appeared. We actually want to visit there someday but not this trip and so we passed it, only stopping for fuel and necessities. The road actually improved a bit as we headed north and after a long 330 mile drive we arrived at Lake Sugema.<br />We found our reserved spot, it didn't have a notice, but we set up anyway and soon a lady came by and asked if we were the Brackins. I assured her we were and so she joked about it a bit. She had been moving a pile of rocks when we drove by her and it struck me as funny that here people like to joke around and have fun, not all places are so relaxed. The people here and Iowa kind of remind me of hobbits and the Shire, only without the furry feet and much nicer looking people(Note the lady was movind rocks by hand!).<br />We called Renitas sister Pam, and told her we had arrived and set up our house. She had already told us she had prepared dinner and so we are taking four days to rest and visit with her and Roy and their family.<br />Traveling with your house is really nice. Some people mow lawns and do yardwork and we just move to new places and let the park personal keep our yards spotless. When I think of all the beautiful places we have stayed and all the family and friends we have visited we both feel lucky,but I have already said retirement is good. Clear skies.MarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7248599137558324246.post-47074052990996655652010-04-30T14:34:00.000-07:002010-04-30T16:32:42.919-07:00Big Fish and the Stench of Oil<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQpznWpx0rJsqXx1jmiEyPMdbhHL9HLwFM4-D4qHbKPw-yAsqdgkmFU4zmJJFVHZRjWWgUrkVl549bYTXAqVTKmweQK_p3uS-wrY2ndu9cLG3QAVhkcP4XCfpVE9DNPmzzzsvDdwvy4Y/s1600/IMG_0845.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgQpznWpx0rJsqXx1jmiEyPMdbhHL9HLwFM4-D4qHbKPw-yAsqdgkmFU4zmJJFVHZRjWWgUrkVl549bYTXAqVTKmweQK_p3uS-wrY2ndu9cLG3QAVhkcP4XCfpVE9DNPmzzzsvDdwvy4Y/s200/IMG_0845.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466075900890218386" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzusNk6Me9wDJ22DRXXwSz5ExDKB31n611bslhhGYfSUfRye7vEfO7Uiy5hSdMKLsKrOtqO12pgm1wCI95umAxdih1qk9xuuLnVM1CewrUoJyGcqg6kYeOVa9WWPewLEvIr7gc7BwiGI/s1600/IMG_0853.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCzusNk6Me9wDJ22DRXXwSz5ExDKB31n611bslhhGYfSUfRye7vEfO7Uiy5hSdMKLsKrOtqO12pgm1wCI95umAxdih1qk9xuuLnVM1CewrUoJyGcqg6kYeOVa9WWPewLEvIr7gc7BwiGI/s200/IMG_0853.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466075261690858562" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAMsgd_3gdrB53CrESTLWBhho_uoFdgmkG3CtxTDTWvLlvcoXs3oMhr55WEA9FBOmzivLOman8JIvKB9nT_WVRGQRG4H-LNaww-UqEc0draukH1nPjA8tcYoQnX4V1j3eQhvNdQFZuNw/s1600/IMG_0843.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAMsgd_3gdrB53CrESTLWBhho_uoFdgmkG3CtxTDTWvLlvcoXs3oMhr55WEA9FBOmzivLOman8JIvKB9nT_WVRGQRG4H-LNaww-UqEc0draukH1nPjA8tcYoQnX4V1j3eQhvNdQFZuNw/s200/IMG_0843.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466074651235329858" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyTqamCv7IpOwSpo1YhERtK1DCJguwibuGP8mGcAlGSLBxMkUX2hbzIfLWAds8h6drL261EzgiaaHjguhtJUv6ucm8xe2RKYl3Rkk-rMN08ITkuBWWaSYFvUVMmHeDauJZvo77PZIFTU/s1600/IMG_0832.JPG"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 150px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcyTqamCv7IpOwSpo1YhERtK1DCJguwibuGP8mGcAlGSLBxMkUX2hbzIfLWAds8h6drL261EzgiaaHjguhtJUv6ucm8xe2RKYl3Rkk-rMN08ITkuBWWaSYFvUVMmHeDauJZvo77PZIFTU/s200/IMG_0832.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5466074090230947810" /></a><br />I was trying to fish two poles but it was simply impossible. As soon as I would put one on the rail and tie it off the other would double over, fish on! There wasn't anyone else on the fishing pier and so I would fight the fish, while carefully lowering the net on its rope, and then trying to get the fish to swim into the net before hoisting it the twenty feet to the rail.<br />It actually worked quite well, but I was tired from fighting big fish and then watching as the other pole jerked with a fish on! I had just fought and released a large stingray and hoped that this wasn't another. The fish rolled and I saw a huge tail, it was a bull black drum!<br />The fish didn't really fight as hard as I had expected and I was able to get it in the net and raise it to the deck. It measured 40 inches in length and had a girth of 25 inches, a fish of about 30 pounds.<br />Releasing the fish my new friend Bryon and his wife arrived and I showed them how I was fishing cut mullet. I gave them some and left, I was just too tired and sore from fighting so many big fish.<br />Returning home the stench of burning oil reached the campground. The Coast Guard was trying a controlled burn on the oil and the smell was bad. The next day the smell had disappeared but a layer of dark grime coated our fifth wheel. I washed it and it came off, hopefully another burn wouldn't happen for a while.<br />The wind picked up the next day and the stench returned but it wasn't from a burn, it was just the smell of oil. It abated at night and we anxiously awaited the morning hoping that the oil would move out to sea.<br />This morning the smell was gone but the southeast wind remained. The radio said it was too windy to try another burn and that the oil wouldn't reach Grand Isle. A report told of the first bird found and being cleaned and it made me wonder about the otters that are so common here.<br />A radio talk show was taking calls from Gulf Coast residents and the blame was being passed. One caller said that the Bush administration had caved to oil lobbyists and had rescinded a ruling requiring three blowout preventers. Another blamed Obama, a third British Petroleum.<br />A navy veteran suggested that the numb nuts of the Coast Guard should hand it over to the US Navy. It wasn't a surprise when he stated he was a fisherman and it made me think he must have got a ticket for some boating violation.<br />All the ranting in the world won't help the problem and so I turned the radio off. We all are addicted to oil and so we will continue to suffer such disasters. I shake my head at the hypocrites who contribute to the oil demand but don't want drilling in their back yard or beach. <br />You all see the images on CNN of the oil disaster just off the coast but you don't see the destruction of the Red Desert that has taken place in the past few years as the frenzy of gas drilling has scarred the desert with countless wells. Most drive across Wyoming on Interstate 80 and see none of it, but it is still there over the horizon.<br />The oil spill hasn't yet reached us and so we are staying till Sunday morning, when we will leave the coast and head north to family in Iowa and the newest nurse in Minnesota, Jenny! A feeling of relief and yet a feeling of guilt will travel north with us! Clear skiesMarkandRenitahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11259018547905577359noreply@blogger.com1