Yellowstone national park (june/july 2024)
Big bend national park (december 2023)
Annual fall pig roast (October 2023)
Since 2017, Sean, the kids and I have started going to the Cutright Annual Pig Roast. We missed a couple due to various situations, but we plan to be here every year. Well, this year, it is just Sean and me...and, of course, Luna. We left after work on Wednesday and drove most of the way through some really bad storms. I had already made reservations at Bernice Area at Grand Lake State Park in Oklahoma. We had only seen it in passing on a previous trip. So, when we arrived, it was late, and the weather was still pretty bad. It was raining and windy and really, REALLY dark. But, after a good night's rest, we woke up to some beautiful scenery!! Made me want to stay for more than one night. During our drive the next morning, we saw a rainbow!!
After a night of hanging out, eating, drinking (maybe a little too much of both), and just relaxing, Luna and I went for a nice hike in the woods to take in the fresh air and get some much-needed exercise (I missed the two days prior). With the cooler weather up here, Luna has A TON of energy and loves to be outside, running, chasing her ball, or hanging with her people. I kept thinking to myself that I was taking Luna for a hike; I think she took ME for a hike. She kept going ahead of me, stopping and looking at me, then waiting until I caught up! Either way, we both enjoyed it, even if we did get a little muddy (thanks to Wanda, I had some crampons that prevented me from slipping around in the mud!)
Paul brought out a couple of four-wheelers this weekend! I have had SOOO much fun riding through the trails since Friday. Luna loves it because she runs after me (sometimes she leads the way). She's living the dog life...running in the woods, getting muddy, playing with her people. She's definitely a happy girl!
After a night of hanging out, eating, drinking (maybe a little too much of both), and just relaxing, Luna and I went for a nice hike in the woods to take in the fresh air and get some much-needed exercise (I missed the two days prior). With the cooler weather up here, Luna has A TON of energy and loves to be outside, running, chasing her ball, or hanging with her people. I kept thinking to myself that I was taking Luna for a hike; I think she took ME for a hike. She kept going ahead of me, stopping and looking at me, then waiting until I caught up! Either way, we both enjoyed it, even if we did get a little muddy (thanks to Wanda, I had some crampons that prevented me from slipping around in the mud!)
Paul brought out a couple of four-wheelers this weekend! I have had SOOO much fun riding through the trails since Friday. Luna loves it because she runs after me (sometimes she leads the way). She's living the dog life...running in the woods, getting muddy, playing with her people. She's definitely a happy girl!
in and around the farm (july 2023)
In between adventures, we hung around the farm, swimming, eating, playing corn hole, holey board, and jarts (yes, the old fashioned lawn darts with real points!). Not a lot to say here; I just wanted to share a couple of photos.
new florence, mo travel to and fro (July 2023)
We decided not to drive the whole way in one day, either going or returning home. We looked up a couple of RV parks to camp for the night. I think we're learning a few lessons here. Prior to heading out, I called the Park Hills Motel and RV Park to make sure they had room. Of course they had room! Just call when we arrive! Well, we arrived around 10 pm, so I called. The manager was already gone for the night, so he told us where to park. We finally got set up and called it a night. Early the next morning, as we stepped out of our travel trailer, we realized that this RV Park is where people live!! For payment, the manager said "just drop $35 in the mailbox."...um, ok. First, the website said it was $28 (inflation, I guess). And, second....cash in the mailbox? Well, we're honest people, so we left money for them and headed out. I will say, it does not look like the picture! I mean, it does, but it was FULL of permanent RVs and campers!
So, we decided to do a little more research for our trip home...still learning! We found a place called Zen Monkey Retreat...sounds relaxing. Well, we learned it was yet another place where people live on a more permanent basis. At least we could track our payment and knew we were paid in full and didn't have to trust that they would get their payment from a mailbox. This place was better and the managers (maybe even owners?) were nice. They couldn't find our reservation at first, but after some digging, they found it (or said they did). So, we set up camp and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Again, we got up early and headed out.
I think what we are learning is that we need to look for campgrounds, or resort.....maybe? If you have any tips, please feel free to share them!
So, we decided to do a little more research for our trip home...still learning! We found a place called Zen Monkey Retreat...sounds relaxing. Well, we learned it was yet another place where people live on a more permanent basis. At least we could track our payment and knew we were paid in full and didn't have to trust that they would get their payment from a mailbox. This place was better and the managers (maybe even owners?) were nice. They couldn't find our reservation at first, but after some digging, they found it (or said they did). So, we set up camp and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Again, we got up early and headed out.
I think what we are learning is that we need to look for campgrounds, or resort.....maybe? If you have any tips, please feel free to share them!
New florence, mo adventure #2: go ape! Missouri (july 2023)
After a rest day, we headed out to Maryland Heights, MO to test our skills! Boy, were they tested!! Of course, Caleb zipped right through all the obstacles like they were just a walk in the park. Paul wasn’t too far behind him! But, for the rest of us, we were a little slower. We were originally booked for the Treetop Adventure at Go Ape! Missouri, but the storms from the night before caused some power line damage, so we ended up doing the shorter Treetop Journey version. Most of us were glad about that in the end because it was definitely a challenge doing these three courses. I think Caleb did some of the courses multiple times….oh to be young and so fit!
I think the funniest part was landing at the end…Caleb and Paul are skilled enough that they were able to land more gracefully, while Sean, Wanda and I all ended up on butts!! Some of the obstacles were fairly easy, but some were very difficult, and took more maneuvering and planning.
So glad we didn’t plan anything for the next day!! I’m exhausted!!
Note: I recommend this location. All the staff and instructors were patient, kind, and even encouraging. Prices at this location are reasonable (I looked up prices back home and they’re nearly double!!). It was hot and humid so they encouraged everyone to drink LOTS of water. They even had ice, cold water stations for us (we were all drenched in sweat by the end).
I think the funniest part was landing at the end…Caleb and Paul are skilled enough that they were able to land more gracefully, while Sean, Wanda and I all ended up on butts!! Some of the obstacles were fairly easy, but some were very difficult, and took more maneuvering and planning.
So glad we didn’t plan anything for the next day!! I’m exhausted!!
Note: I recommend this location. All the staff and instructors were patient, kind, and even encouraging. Prices at this location are reasonable (I looked up prices back home and they’re nearly double!!). It was hot and humid so they encouraged everyone to drink LOTS of water. They even had ice, cold water stations for us (we were all drenched in sweat by the end).
NEW FLORENCE, MO ADVENTURE #1:TUBING THE HUZZAH AND MERAMEC RIVERS (JULY 2023)
Today, we had our first adventure on our trip to New Florence, MO. We caught a bus at the Ozark Outdoor Resort in Leasburg, MO. We opted for the 4-mile, and because the river was flowing SO SLOOOOWWWWLLLLY, it took over 6 hours!! The weather was a combination of cloudy and cool, and sunny and warm. The website is not the easiest for making reservations. I recommend calling them to make floating reservations (I can’t speak to other reservations). However, once we got there, the process was fairly quick and easy.
The water was cold…but once you got in for a couple of minutes, you got used to it (unless you’re Caleb and have so little body fat he got cold early on!). We shared the river with canoers, kayakers, and rafters, about half of whom were already drunk by the time we ran in to them (it was kind of funny) at 10:00.
The first mile took about 2 hours - that’s how slow the river was moving. We finally stopped for lunch - cold, fried chicken, cheese cubes, chips, and peanut butter crackers. We stopped on the shore right where a big root stuck out and the river flowed quickly. It was in a bad spot where many people got hung up, including us. While we were eating, we watched all the passers by maneuvering around, on, or through the rough patch. Until a couple of young men ran into it with the side of a canoe, and they were t-boned by their friends in another. That quickly turned from a funny situation to a dangerous one. Canoes flipped, boys fell out, and after the third canoe came barreling in, one of the young men got pinned between two canoes up against a huge log with the current pushing everything into his legs. As I was trying to grab one of the canoes that had flipped, Sean and Paul (his son) ran out into the water to help the young man pinned! We were able to recover the canoes and most of their gear, but one of the young men, an 18-year old, lost his wallet. He was devastated. Not so much about his drivers license and things, but he lost his grandmother’s picture, which was terribly hard for him. Thankfully, overall, they were all essentially unharmed, even the one caught between the two canoes.
Moving on to the rest of our trip, we ran into several interesting individuals and groups. One set of college girls, all completely drunk, but willing to share so a couple of us got to have mini Bacardi Coconut Rum shots. Another group found a bottle of Fireball Whiskey, so they shared with us. And, for me, the best part was getting to hitch a ride on a raft not once, but twice! My own personal river Uber! Did I mention that the rivers were flowing VERY slowly? There were times we hit “dead zones” where we just didn’t move. We did a lot of paddling. At one point, I was so far behind everyone that Paul waited for me. Then he hooked his feet under my tube and while he paddled (because his arms reached the water), I kicked. Unfortunately, that didn’t get us anywhere but tired!! So we just made the best of it and chatted as we drifted.
Once we caught up with the rest, we all just trickled along with the flow of the river. The guys made it well ahead of Wanda and me. Once there, we loaded up, did a little shopping, and hit the road. It was a really pretty drive heading back. Other than about one mile on an interstate, we were in farm country on 2-lane roads. Little to no signal (made it hard to call my sister for her birthday), but also little to no traffic. And, to the east of us was a storm; to the west, pretty skies! I added a picture of the storm side.
Note: The Ozark Outdoor Resort is a sprawled out campground with tent and RV sites, cabins, shopping, showers, etc. It has everything you need and is a very busy place. They seem to run efficiently, but as I mentioned above, if you want to make float trip reservations, I recommend calling. Upon checking, you sign a waiver, they hand you a boarding pass, and send you on your merry way! The bus driver takes your pass, tells everyone to load up and off you go! I do recommend this place.
The water was cold…but once you got in for a couple of minutes, you got used to it (unless you’re Caleb and have so little body fat he got cold early on!). We shared the river with canoers, kayakers, and rafters, about half of whom were already drunk by the time we ran in to them (it was kind of funny) at 10:00.
The first mile took about 2 hours - that’s how slow the river was moving. We finally stopped for lunch - cold, fried chicken, cheese cubes, chips, and peanut butter crackers. We stopped on the shore right where a big root stuck out and the river flowed quickly. It was in a bad spot where many people got hung up, including us. While we were eating, we watched all the passers by maneuvering around, on, or through the rough patch. Until a couple of young men ran into it with the side of a canoe, and they were t-boned by their friends in another. That quickly turned from a funny situation to a dangerous one. Canoes flipped, boys fell out, and after the third canoe came barreling in, one of the young men got pinned between two canoes up against a huge log with the current pushing everything into his legs. As I was trying to grab one of the canoes that had flipped, Sean and Paul (his son) ran out into the water to help the young man pinned! We were able to recover the canoes and most of their gear, but one of the young men, an 18-year old, lost his wallet. He was devastated. Not so much about his drivers license and things, but he lost his grandmother’s picture, which was terribly hard for him. Thankfully, overall, they were all essentially unharmed, even the one caught between the two canoes.
Moving on to the rest of our trip, we ran into several interesting individuals and groups. One set of college girls, all completely drunk, but willing to share so a couple of us got to have mini Bacardi Coconut Rum shots. Another group found a bottle of Fireball Whiskey, so they shared with us. And, for me, the best part was getting to hitch a ride on a raft not once, but twice! My own personal river Uber! Did I mention that the rivers were flowing VERY slowly? There were times we hit “dead zones” where we just didn’t move. We did a lot of paddling. At one point, I was so far behind everyone that Paul waited for me. Then he hooked his feet under my tube and while he paddled (because his arms reached the water), I kicked. Unfortunately, that didn’t get us anywhere but tired!! So we just made the best of it and chatted as we drifted.
Once we caught up with the rest, we all just trickled along with the flow of the river. The guys made it well ahead of Wanda and me. Once there, we loaded up, did a little shopping, and hit the road. It was a really pretty drive heading back. Other than about one mile on an interstate, we were in farm country on 2-lane roads. Little to no signal (made it hard to call my sister for her birthday), but also little to no traffic. And, to the east of us was a storm; to the west, pretty skies! I added a picture of the storm side.
Note: The Ozark Outdoor Resort is a sprawled out campground with tent and RV sites, cabins, shopping, showers, etc. It has everything you need and is a very busy place. They seem to run efficiently, but as I mentioned above, if you want to make float trip reservations, I recommend calling. Upon checking, you sign a waiver, they hand you a boarding pass, and send you on your merry way! The bus driver takes your pass, tells everyone to load up and off you go! I do recommend this place.
BRAZOS RIVER HIDEOUT AND CLEBURNE STATE PARK (JUNE 2023)
On kind of a whim, we decided to make a weekend camping trip out of an errand to pick up Serenity, who had been getting work done for the past couple of months. We found a hidden gem - the Brazos River Hideout, nestled among some trees and situated directly on the Brazos River. The grounds are well kept and clean, and the staff is not only friendly, but quite helpful! They guided us in to our spot and helped with the gray/black water tanks on our way out. There is a small building with three separate rooms: two showers and one laundry room. This is a good alternative to using the trailer shower to avoid filling up your tanks too quickly.
NOTE: I recommend calling to confirm your spot has the appropriate amp hookups for your needs; the website says all hookups have 30/50 amp, but it's an "OR" situation. They have 30 OR 50. Also, if you bring your pets, they will get burrs in their fur, so be mindful of that.
For our Saturday outing, we decided to go to Cleburne State Park and hike the Fossil Ridge Loop Trail (4.1 miles). This trail is rated as "moderate"; however, I felt it was more difficult than that. Much of the trail is rocky, which. made ascending and descending difficult. Even Luna, our agile Aussie/Border Collie mix, had some challenges. Of course, the heat didn't help. We started late morning, but the temperature rose quickly to the 90s, with heat index closer to 100. Luna, who does NOT like to go in water, started getting so hot that when we happened to come upon a small stream, she walked in, sat her butt right down in the water, then looked at us as if to say "Ha! I CAN go in the water when I want to!!". We let her stay there for a long time to cool off. Thankfully, we were close to the end of our trek.
NOTE: I linked both Brazos River Hideout and Cleburne State Park for your ease; I do not get anything from them for adding their links to my page.
NOTE: I recommend calling to confirm your spot has the appropriate amp hookups for your needs; the website says all hookups have 30/50 amp, but it's an "OR" situation. They have 30 OR 50. Also, if you bring your pets, they will get burrs in their fur, so be mindful of that.
For our Saturday outing, we decided to go to Cleburne State Park and hike the Fossil Ridge Loop Trail (4.1 miles). This trail is rated as "moderate"; however, I felt it was more difficult than that. Much of the trail is rocky, which. made ascending and descending difficult. Even Luna, our agile Aussie/Border Collie mix, had some challenges. Of course, the heat didn't help. We started late morning, but the temperature rose quickly to the 90s, with heat index closer to 100. Luna, who does NOT like to go in water, started getting so hot that when we happened to come upon a small stream, she walked in, sat her butt right down in the water, then looked at us as if to say "Ha! I CAN go in the water when I want to!!". We let her stay there for a long time to cool off. Thankfully, we were close to the end of our trek.
NOTE: I linked both Brazos River Hideout and Cleburne State Park for your ease; I do not get anything from them for adding their links to my page.