Tag Archives: fishing

Chillaxing in Key West – 1/7/14 – 1/13/14

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Sunset in Key West from Mallory Square

Sunset in Key West from Mallory Square

We have been in Key West for a week now, halfway through our stay here.  This is part of the trip that we had planned quite some time ago and Mike spent a lot of time researching where to stay.  We landed on Boyd’s RV Resort because it was the closest to the town of Key West and we were able to get a spot on the water.   Upon arrival, we were very disappointed.  This place was a zoo, absolute chaos.  The first spot they gave us, we couldn’t fit into.  And, it wasn’t on the water.  After talking with the office and going back and forth for about an hour, we got settled into a spot that would do, but still not on the water as we had expected.  Disappointed to say the least, but they were able to find a water spot we could move into on the 14th.   I think we have been spoiled with our last few parks, because this place just did not measure up.  Crowded, extremely tight spots (we can’t even extend our awning), not paved and very noisy.  We would not recommend this park.  In fact, we tried calling around to see if we could fine another park, but everywhere was full.  Stay tuned for an update when we move to our new spot.  I am trying not to dwell, but that is not in my nature.  Mike of course is doing better with it than me.

Sunrise (Mke took this - I was sleeping)

Sunrise!  Mike took this – I was sleeping : )

Ok, so now that my rant about Boyd’s is out of the way, let’s focus on the fact that we are in Key West!  This place is like no other.  Blue, blue water and everyone is in full vacation mode.  A relaxed, party atmosphere to say the least.   Our first full day here, we decided to head into Key West to see what it was all about.  The RV Park is at Milepost 5 and town is Milepost 0, so we are fairly close (the best thing about our park – location).  There were 2 cruise ships in town, so it was busy and crowded.  We parked and the first experience we had was seeing Guy Fieri roll down Duval Street in his red Camaro filming for Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.  He stopped at a light right in front of us.  For those of you who know me well, I LOVE celebrity sightings!  We then stopped in at Sloppy Joes (famous spot that Hemingway used to frequent) for a beer that turned into three.  There was a live band playing, we met a couple of fellow RVers and ended up chatting with them for awhile.  Left there and walked by a place on the street, the Smallest Bar, which really was the smallest bar.  Mike could touch both sides of it with outstretched hands.  There was a young couple there who we hit it off with, Joe & Kate from Toronto.  A few more drinks and Fireball shots and that’s all she wrote.  We ended up bar hopping with them the rest of the night and having dinner at Margaritaville.   By the way, they have the same concept of “to go” beverages that New Orleans had.  Needless to say, we did up Key West right on our first night in town.

Guy Fieri filming on Duval Street!

Guy Fieri filming on Duval Street!

Our new friends Kate & Joe at the Smallest Bar in Key West

Our new friends Kate & Joe at the Smallest Bar in Key West

The rest of our time so far hasn’t been quite as crazy.  We had to get that first night out of our system before we could hit a more mellow and relaxed mode.  We have been back into Key West twice.  Once on Seahawks Football Saturday for brunch at Blue Heaven (highly recommended to us from Craig Gambino and it did not disappoint – banana pancakes)!  We walked up and down Duval Street, then decided we wanted to watch the game from the comfort of the MoHo so we could utilize the DVR function if needed.  It got a little interesting, but we came away with a victory!!!!  Another day we went into town in the late afternoon for an early dinner at Fogerty’s, then to Mallory Square for the sunset celebration.  The square is located on the south end of Duval Street and faces to the west.  We were there on a Sunday night and the place was packed.  Street performers everywhere.   At about 5:55pm, we watched the sun disappear into the ocean and everyone cheered (see main photo at the top of this post).  If you’ve never seen this phenomenon, it certainly is an incredible sight.  This is a nightly celebration and I’m sure is crowded every night.  There were also tons of boats out in the water, so we may look into a sunset cruise for another night to experience the sunset celebration another way.

Brunch at Blue Heaven, Key West

Brunch at Blue Heaven, Key West

Go Hawks!

Go Hawks!

We have also had a chance to use the kayaks!  One day we took them out right from the RV Park, which definitely was convenient.  The wind kind of kicked up on us though, so made for a good workout on the arms to get back.  But, being out on the water is just hard to beat.  Another day, we drove back up Highway 1 about 5 miles to Geiger Key.  The weather was perfect and the water was oh so blue.  It was so clear and varied among 3 or 4 shades of blue and green.  It is also so shallow in places; even hundreds of yards from shore, we could get out and stand in just 2 feet of water.  We saw a turtle swimming and tons of huge birds.  Mike fished and got a few nibbles but nothing to reel in.  On the way back to the take out spot, I had a manatee surface right next to me and it scared the doo doo out of me.  This thing was huge and I thought it might tip me over.   Possibly an over-reaction as they guys are apparently gentle giants and probably more scared of me, but it just really startled me.  After we got back on shore, we continued to watch this guy surface, which was very cool to see!

Kayaking!

Kayaking!

Saw this guy hanging out on the bulkhead

Saw this guy hanging out on the bulkhead

We’ve had a little bit of everything weather wise. Rain, wind, sun and of course the humidity.  For the most part, it has been great weather though and typically in the high 70’s.  Mike has been getting his fish-on daily and has been enjoying trying out different lures and locations.   He typically gets up early and heads out for a few hours while I snooze away and have a leisurely morning.  We have really settled into the laid back atmosphere!  We are looking forward to another week here to continue to kayak, fish and explore new areas. I’m sure we’ll head back into Key West a few more times, but there are so many other “Keys” to explore.   We are trying to balance the touristy stuff with off the beaten path experiences. One thing that has surprised me is there are not a lot of beaches.  I had in my head that we would take the kayaks onto a beach and sit at an open-air bar with our toes in the sand.  This is not the case, mostly marina’s/bulkheads to launch boats (there are A LOT of boats around here) and then the islands that are lined with mangrove trees.  In fact, I haven’t seen anyone swimming from the shore, just people out in boats.  Not a big deal, but just funny how your expectations aren’t always accurate.

I hope the New Year is treating everyone well.  My resolution is to continue to embrace what we are doing and try to let things roll of my shoulders when all doesn’t goes as planned.  This is a challenge for me, but I’m working on it!

Alligators, Turtles and No-see-ums, Oh My! – 12/31/13 to 1/6/14

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Everglades, FL

Everglades, FL

We headed out of St. Petersburg and kept going further south on the Gulf coast of Florida. We drove about 3 hours to the town of Ft. Myers Beach, about an hour north of Naples. We arrived at the Gulf Waters RV Park, and checked into site #855 on a private little lake. This was another great resort, tennis and pickle ball courts, a big clubhouse with a pool off to one side, and the best part of all – huge wide sites to park on. We set up and headed over to the beach, across the only bridge in and out of the area, and it took some time with all the traffic. We pulled over and took some pictures, walked on the white powdery sand, I got my Florida fishing license at the local marina, then we decided to head home and make tacos for New Years Eve. A quiet night in sounded pretty good.  We made it up to 11:00PM, and that was it, not bad for us!

Ft. Myers Beach - New Year's Day

Ft. Myers Beach – New Year’s Day

The next day we wandered back to the beach, and after searching for parking for 45 minutes, finally found a free spot in a city lot, as it was New Years Day. We went out to the beach and it was crazy how many people were out enjoying the sun, it was only 78 degrees! Grabbed a beer for a walk on the beach and then went to a little hole in the wall bar for more beverages and some food. We hung out and people watched for a while, then it was time to get back to the MoHo for the Rose Bowl and some real food – Chicken Wings! We enjoyed the days’ college football bowl games and turned in early. This area would be a great place to spend more time, but we were on a schedule to get to our next spot.

The next morning, we left Ft. Myers Beach and headed to Everglades City, about a 2 1/2 hour drive, just the kind of distance I like! Along the drive, we were surprised by a road sign we saw frequently, “Warning – Panther crossing.”  We have all seen the deer signs and elk crossing signs, but Panthers? We did not see any along the route, but it did peak our interest. We arrived at the Everglades Isle RV Resort around noon. When we pull in to most parks, we stop at the front to check, as we did here. We went into the office, and immediately realized this was not your average RV park. The office was just a tiny little corner of the massive clubhouse. After checking in, getting the MoHo set up, we wandered the grounds of the park. The clubhouse had it all; a full service bar, open nightly for happy hour at 4:30PM, nice shower facilities with complimentary towels, free laundry, a well-equipped gym, a movie theater and a nice little spa. The outdoor pool and hot tub were just off the main clubhouse, and there was a small mini service bar out there as well and a boat ramp. This place was top of the line. We returned to the MoHo and our site was perfect. We faced the Barron River, just 10 feet from the front of the rig. There were airboats coming and going up and down the river constantly, and tons of pelicans everywhere. Our site was one of the best we have stayed in yet. Plenty of room; very deep so we could set up anywhere on the pad and not feel too cramped, and very wide so we could put out our Dream Turf – the artificial grass we carry along with us. The only problem we could find here, were the No-see-ums.  If you haven’t experienced these before, they are like mosquitos but worse because you can’t see them.  Their bites turn into little red spots and they itch like crazy.  We both got our fair share of bites.  We relaxed for the afternoon and headed up to happy hour at 4:30PM and we were greeted by the bartender Sandy. She was staying just a couple sites down from us, and was working her first night behind the bar by herself, and she was perfect. We enjoyed getting to know her each night at happy hour and hope to meet up with her and her husband Gene this summer in NY. We headed back to the MoHo for dinner and catching up on some college football games.

Sandy, our Happy Hour bartender

Sandy, our Happy Hour bartender

The next day we decided to take an airboat ride with Speedy’s. We got on board, and the driver took us back into the Mangroves, which are the main foliage here in this part of the Everglades. We meandered slowly through the tight, little, narrow passageways. Each turn it seemed like the route was getting tighter, but the captain knew his way. Then, he decided he had given us enough time to get used to the feel and sound, and he finally hit the throttle, and we are suddenly whizzing through the Mangroves! We emptied out into an open area and the captain did a full 180 and we stop on a dime! OK, now this was what we were expecting. We sped in and out of the Mangroves and grasslands for the rest of the one-hour tour, and then returned to the dock.  It was pretty windy and cold, so no alligator sightings unfortunately. We headed back to the MoHo, headed up to happy hour and ended the night with dinner in the quiet comfort of our home.

Airboat ride through the Mangroves

Airboat ride through the Mangroves

We were bundled for the ride!

We were bundled for the ride!

The next morning I headed down to the bait and tackle shops in town. I had been fishing off the dock in front of the MoHo when I have had time, and I was needing to replace some gear and find out how and what to use locally. (All my fishing gear is based on the trout/salmon fishing in the Northwest, not what is used here in Florida).  I returned and headed out on the dock, and just had a relaxing morning, and yes I did catch a couple Sheepshead.  That day was cool, and the forecast was spot on, as the rains started around 11:00AM and it poured most of the rest of the day. We did a few chores around the MoHo, Traci got a massage at the spa, and then we headed to happy hour to watch the early NFL playoff game in the clubhouse.  We headed to a local restaurant for dinner. Everglades City has about a dozen restaurants, and we were getting lots of info from our fellow RV park neighbors on what was good. Well, we missed that night, dinner was not worth finishing, let alone bring any leftovers home, oh well.

Fishing from our RV spot

Fishing from our RV spot

Sunday we woke and it was much better weather. We relaxed in the AM and headed to a Cuban restaurant for lunch, just down the road in the next little town of Chokoloskee, another recommendation.  For the afternoon, we opted for a drive one our neighbors had told us about to see some alligators.  We turned off Hwy 41 onto Turner River Road.  There was a viewing dock set up for people to watch for alligators, birds, etc. We walked out on the dock, and there was not much to be seen, except for a ton of fish in a little wetland. (The Barron River we were staying on is very dark in color, as it mixes with the tides and the Mangrove leaves. These leaves stain the water a brown color, much like a tea bag, and it never is clear to see into). It was nice to see into some water, and actually see the fish swimming and all the plant life. We walked the length of the dock and thought we could see a small alligator off in the distance, but were not sure. Across the road about 50 yards, there were a few people making a bit of noise, so I headed over to see what was going on. Low and behold, there was a gator over there. I peered down to the area people were pointing, and this dude was huge! I would guess it was 13-14 feet in length, and that is no fish tale! (One lady nearby said she was a lifelong Floridian and had not seen one that big ever!) I positioned myself around the monster for some great pictures, keeping a safe distance, using the comfort of a bridge to view him sunning himself in the warm afternoon heat. We returned to the car and headed north on Turner Road. Alongside the road was a canal/river. We saw hundreds of gators, dozens of turtles, and all sorts of huge birds. Many of the animals were just sitting on the rivers edge, as if they were posing for us, pretty amazing how much wildlife was here. We completed the 17-18 mile drive and headed back to the RV park, a great side trip and can only thank our fellow RV park neighbors for the inside tip.

This guy was at least 13 feet

This guy was at least 13 feet

Turtles!

Turtles!

Kind of eerie how they float atop the surface

Kind of eerie how they float atop the surface

Gator party! Funny, that the one guy was just laying on top of the others

Gator party! Funny, that the one guy was just laying on top of the others

The next day, I did some fishing for a couple hours, Traci relaxed at home getting some of her to-do’s done and then we headed out for the afternoon. We never used the kayaks here, as the Barron River had some serious current, and we had talked to another couple that had actually become trapped by the current and not able to return to there vehicle. They had to flag someone down to help get them back to their car, so we decided to stay off the water.  We went to the Everglades National Park and took a guided boat tour of the 10,000-island area, just between the coast and the Gulf of Mexico. The captain and narrator gave us a lot of good information on the water/landscape. We got all the way through and out to the gulf, and were greeted by several dolphins feeding and playing. This was a great way to see this area, especially if you do not have your own boat. We returned to town, and headed to a late lunch/early dinner. We went to Camellias, another local place recommended by our neighbors. This was the best meal we had in town, by a long shot. We both were craving hamburgers, and they were prepared perfectly. Washed the food down with some ice cold beers and it was a great ending to the day…talk about a “cheeseburger in paradise!”  We returned to the RV park, and headed up for our last happy hour. It turned out to be the busiest night yet and we stayed for a couple hours, chatting with the rest of the RV park guests that came up that night. We headed back to the MoHo and turned in early as we were heading to Key West tomorrow for the next 15 days, one of our most anticipated destinations on our journey!

p.s. Traci & I want to wish you all a Happy New Year! May 2014 be a great one!

Pelicans in Everglades National Park

Pelicans in Everglades National Park

Dolphins playing

Dolphins playing

On our boat ride through the 10,000 islands

On our boat ride through the 10,000 islands

Kicking back at Camellia's

Kicking back at Camellia’s, Everglades City

 

 

 

Grand Canyon and Sedona – 10/25/13 – 11/4/13

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Grand Canyon!

Grand Canyon!

Hello all, sorry for the lack of posting, we have been all over the place and just got behind on our duties. We left the Phoenix area and headed north about 100 miles to a place called Camp Verde. A small little town on Hwy. 17, that is not visible from said highway, but has a really nice park, the Distant Drums RV Park, right across the street from their casino. We picked this area as it was close to the Grand Canyon, and we did not want to take the MoHo up there with the cold temps at night below 25 degrees! We arrived on a Friday, nice weather and we got set up for our stay – anticipating about 12 days here.

Saturday we headed into Sedona, only about 30 minutes away. If you have not been there, get there! This place is truly amazing, the colors are difficult to capture with a camera, and the landscaping is spectacular. We went through town to try a hike 30 minutes north in the Oak Creek Canyon, but the parking area was packed and there was no way to get in. We returned to town, drove around a bit and found a nice place for a late lunch/early dinner. A Mexican restaurant, I had to see the Tequila list. There it was…a sampling of 4 Don Julio Tequila’s, Blanco, Reposado, Anejo, and the one I have wanted to try, 1942. The wait was well worth it, the 1942 was so smooth and buttery, I was really surprised how much different it was, so glad I did the tasting. We took a few more photos and headed home for the night.

Don Julio Tequila Tasting

Don Julio Tequila Tasting – it came in this cool carrier

Sunday we packed up for two days for the Grand Canyon. We thought it was about 2 hrs drive up, so we would do the Canyon, come down about 30 minutes, grab some cheap motel and return the next day. We got to the park about 10:30AM and stopped in the visitor center to determine what would be a good hike for the day. We decided on one that required a shuttle drive out and back. So we geared up and headed to the site. (So far we had not seen the Canyon.) Along the way, we finally got some peaks into the Grand Canyon, and it is massive! We got to the drop off site, and immediately headed down, down, down. The hike we chose was about 1,000-foot drop and return back up. It was steep and steady, and we were dreading the return up almost as soon as we hit the trail. After about 45 minutes of going down, we came to an overlook that was truly breathtaking – Ooh Aah Point. We stopped here for pictures and just sat on the edge for about 20 minutes. (We could hear some equipment working below, so we decided this was a great spot to just return to the rim.) Heading back up, we had many stops to catch our breath, but so worth the hike. We returned to the shuttle stop and missed our bus, so we hiked across the rim to the next one about a mile away. So peaceful, as there were not a lot of people here at this time of year, we felt like we had the rim trail to ourselves. We got on the next shuttle, and headed to the west end of the park area. Here we again walked a mile or so across the rim, stopping at several lookouts and to take pictures. One spot had a naturalist with a couple high-powered scopes, focusing on a California Condor nest in the canyon wall. We never saw the babies, but there were some in the nest. Further along, I thought we could see one off in the distance, and now knowing that their wingspan is over 10 feet, I am sure of it. It was just so far off that we could barely get a picture with the telephoto lens, but it was a huge bird nonetheless. We returned to the visitors area and decided we had seen everything we needed to so we abandoned our plan for a motel and headed back the two hours to home. (The next day was forecast for high winds and cooler temps, and we did not really have a lot of clothes to combat those conditions.)

Grand Canyon selfie

Grand Canyon “selfy”

Mike a bit too close to the edge

Mike a bit too close to the edge

Monday turned out as forecasted, high winds and cool, so we were glad we chose to go back to the MoHo. We decided to explore the Camp Verde area, and headed to Montezuma’s Castle, a Native American cliff ruin just across the highway from us. (Thanks Charlotte for the recommendation.) This is one of those places you only see on Nat Geo, mud walls and old timbers holding onto a wall, and some 700 years old. It baffles me how they could find a location and then have the engineering skills to pull it off and make it habitable, but also so long lasting, truly skilled beyond their time. We then headed into Camp Verde town and did a few errands, including paying the NAPA auto guy $12 cash to replace an overly corroded battery terminal on the MDX. What a bargain – this would never happen in a big city! Home that night for dinner and relaxing.

Montezuma's Castle

Montezuma’s Castle

Tuesday we headed to Cottonwood, about 30 minutes NE. As we entered town, it had all the stuff of a small city, the big box stores, grocery’s, etc. When we got to the west side and old town, it had a small little quaint street and all antique shops and tourist stuff. We walked the street and checked out all the neat stuff; one place had 2 acres of antiques. We came back late that afternoon and headed over to the casino across the way. A small place, quiet and clean, but not a lot going on so we headed back home to the MoHo soon thereafter and chilled.

Wednesday the weather got better, so we headed back to Sedona. Our first stop was the church on the hill, Chapel of the Holy Cross. Somehow the engineers of the church were able to carve a building right into the hillside, how I do not know. It overlooks the area with a very beautiful view all around, a neat place that is open to the public and very worth the stop. Next, we had wanted to walk the Tlaquepaque market area. We parked in the square and wandered the shops and galleries. I could have dropped some serious cash here, some of these artists are very talented and their prices reflected it. (My mom would have needed a trailer to haul her purchases home if she had ever had a chance to go there.) After a couple of hours here, we ended up at the local brewery, what a shocker! Dinner and a beverage and we headed back to the MoHo.

View of Sedona from the church

View of Sedona from the church

The colors are amazing!

The colors are amazing!

Thursday we just relaxed, did nothing. We both packed for the weekend and just felt good to not be on the run. Friday I took Traci to the Phoenix airport for a flight home to Seattle.  There was a service for her Uncle Hal who had passed away two weeks prior, and it was important for her to be there. I stayed in Phoenix at our friends the Clines for the weekend. I spent a lot of time fishing on their private lake in their neighborhood. Saturday I went golfing with my former employer Bob and his close friend Gordy. We had a great time, better conversations, and finished the night back at Gordy’s for a few laughs and beverages. Sunday I fished, and watched the Seahawks almost choke again, only to pull it out in OT. (I had two great meals at local wing joint, Hurricane Grill and Wings!) Monday I headed back to the airport to pick up Traci from her weekend at home, and we headed back to Camp Verde where we left the MoHo for the weekend. We returned to the MoHo, and our power was out, again. We had been dealing with it failing a few times the last 10 days or so and were not sure if it was the local box here at the park, or our MoHo. Monday night, we lost power completely, and I could not get it reset. It turns out our plug connector was loose inside, and completely melted the inside of the plug! Glad it was only that, it could have been much worse, affecting much of our electronics. The local ‘RV Medic’ came out and repaired it for us. Tuesday we head out towards Lake Mead, and then on to Vegas for the weekend for our friend Shelly’s bday celebration!

Mike fishing to his heart's content

Mike’s fishing hole – the Cline’s backyard

More Sedona pics HERE
More Grand Canyon pics HERE

The Tetons and Yellowstone – 7/12/13 to 7/19/13

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Yellowstone River and Waterfall

Yellowstone River and Waterfall – it looks like a painting!

Click HERE for more pics from Jackson/Grand Teton National Park
Click HERE for more pics from Yellowstone National Park

We left Steamboat Springs and decided to just go for it and do the long drive all the way to Victor, ID instead of stopping for just one night in Rock Springs, WY as we had originally planned. The last bit of the drive from Jackson, WY to Victor is over another one of those fun passes (Teton Pass) we have gotten to know so well, and Traci hates every one of them! The MoHo has handled these high altitude/steep grade challenges like a charm, and I can’t say enough for the exhaust brake system. (The exhaust brake is a button I control and it basically downshifts the MoHo for me to keep my foot off the break. Awesome when you are trying to slow down 35,000+ lbs.) We stayed in Victor at the Teton Valley RV Park, mostly because Jackson was full. We arrived at about 5:15PM and there were 6-7 people there to greet us at the registration office. 5PM is the shift change for the park staff, and those leaving and the others not working decide to make it their own happy hour, what a welcoming committee!

Next day we headed to Jackson, also known as Jackson Hole. We had to drive back over Teton Pass, and I had to downshift the Acura to keep the brakes from overheating. Did some wandering in Jackson, and then did a nice little scenic drive from just south of the Grand Teton National Park to Jackson Hole village. The village was beautiful, looked like it would be a lot of fun in the winter. We stayed around to take a free Gondola ride and to have some early dinner up on the mountain, only to find out that it does not run on Saturdays, oops. Sunday we went back to Grand Teton NP for a hike and sightseeing. Took a short hike on a very quiet trail, so quiet that we decided to turn back as this is bear country and we just felt a bit nervous.  We hadn’t purchased any bear spray yet! We drove the rest of the way through the park; the Teton’s are absolutely stunning mountains! Some great wildlife and scenic pic’s (see the link above) and a nice overall day. We finished back at Victor with a brew at the Grand Teton Brewing Company, and I got to refill the 40 oz growler I got back in Denver.

Ansel Adams took a pic of this amazing view of the Snake River & Tetons in 1942. I tried to capture the same shot - pretty impressive!

Ansel Adams took a pic of this amazing view of the Snake River & Tetons in 1942. I tried to capture the same shot – pretty impressive!

The next day was on to Yellowstone to meet up with my college roommate Eric and his family. We stayed at the Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone, a bit pricey, but nice big RV sites with grass, lots of room between RV’s and great access to the park. The first afternoon and night were quickly lost to being with friends, and a lot of vino was had by all…almost too much if that could ever happen. The next morning Traci and I headed in Yellowstone National Park about 11:15AM, a very late start and we paid dearly for it. There were three cow Elk inside the park about 12 miles from the entrance, but the backup was 7 miles long just to see them, worse than sitting in Seattle traffic! We finally got through that mess over an hour later and did a northern loop through the park.
Here is a short video of the elk that caused the traffic jam: MAH06810.

We headed up to Mammoth Hot Springs area, stopped a few times for wildlife and scenery. (Again see the pic’s attached in the photo stream, be sure to let them download completely to see the detail!) Mammoth was beautiful, but it was a bit wet that day, so we hurried through to keep the drive moving. Heading east, just past a road construction site, we saw the tell-tale signs of wildlife approaching. People just stop and halfway park their cars for a picture, regardless of the road, other drivers, etc.  It reminds me of the professional garage sale shoppers who just park in the middle of the street, really? This was an unusually busy area of cars so we decided to try and find a safe pull out. We got ½-mile beyond the main group and talked to a guy who said there was a grizzly bear back at the area everyone was stopped. We had to get parked closer, so we found a safe spot, and made the little trek out to the bluff where everyone was standing, listening to a Ranger talk about this particular bear. His name is Scarface, a 24-year old male whom the park-staff know well. He was way down in the canyon below, probably about ½-mile away, perfect distance for safe viewing. After leaving there we continued on and there again we came across another crazy bunch of people pulled over, this time someone said there was a bull moose nearby. This moose was lying down, taking his afternoon siesta, so the pic’s were challenging to see his rack in the woods/stumps, but still impressive. The rest of the day we just drove the loop and got back to the MoHo around 7PM for dinner and a lot less cocktails that night.

Mammoth Springs - a totally different landscape!

Mammoth Springs – a totally different landscape!

The next morning we were out of the MoHo by 7:00AM, not to get stuck in that same mess of cars again, and headed to Old Faithful for the approx. 8:30AM eruption. She came through like a charm at about 8:40AM, just as I remember when I was here as an 8 year old kid. We headed over to the General Store and I found a fly rod; pole, line and reel ready to go. (I used to fly fish, lost my gear in a move and never replaced it, now was the time!) We continued to see the sights of the southern loop, tons of bison in herds and on the road, very large animals that you can almost touch from your window, but I would not recommend it! Met back for dinner and drinks at the MoHo with the Overholt’s, and another late evening. I got up early the next morning, chomping at the bit to get out and use that new fly rod. Tried my luck on the Madison River on the west side of the park, but it had been awhile and my presentation and limited fly selection were not to the liking of any of the resident fish, oh well. We spent the day in West Yellowstone, shopping and tourist stuff. That afternoon, we took a cooler, chairs, and poles back to the Madison River for a relaxing afternoon of fishing and sunning, before coming back out of the park for a dinner at the Wild West Pizzeria – darn good pizza! Friday AM I was back on the river for awhile, again shut out but had a great time. We said goodbye to the Overholt’s and headed out about 11:00AM to our next stop, Pocatello, Idaho for a few nights before heading to Boise, and then Yakima for pool party!

Overholt's and Miller's in Yellowstone NP

Overholt’s and Miller’s in Yellowstone NP

Bison - HUGE animals!

Bison – HUGE animals!

Note from Traci – this was my first visit to Yellowstone (at least that I remember) and I was so impressed by the diversity of the park.  It is the first established park in the national park system and it did not disappoint.   The wildlife was amazing – I saw more here than I have ever seen in Alaska.  The geyser’s everywhere were bizarre to me, but very cool.  Seeing Old Faithful was the most touristy thing we did, but one of those sites you just have to see!  Then there were lakes, rivers, waterfalls and mountains that were spectacular.  The number of people rolling into this park every day was staggering, but once inside the park, and cars branched out to different areas, it didn’t seem that crowded.  If you have never been, this is a must-visit on the bucket list!

Old Faithful!

Old Faithful!

Estes Park and Rocky Mtn Nat’l Park – 7/7/13 to 7/9/13

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Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park

Colorado continues to impress us with its breathtaking scenery, cool towns and friendly people! The weather here is wild. We could go from hot sun to rain, hail, thunder & lightning back to sun in 15 min’s. Kind of cool, especially for weather boy, Mike. His Intellicast app is definitely getting a workout! It is nice though as we know any bad weather will soon pass, unlike Seattle, where the rain pretty much stays all day once it arrives.

IMG_0273We said goodbye to the Arreola’s in Broomfield after being treated to 3 nights of luxury at their house, and headed north to Estes Park. This is a very cool town in the mountains, surrounded by snowy peaks, lakes and rivers at the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Our home for the next 3 nights was Estes Park campground at Mary’s Lake. A great spot and Mike finally had a chance to fish! He caught one small trout, but not worth keeping, so threw him back in.

We explored the town of Estes Park which consists of lots of shops, galleries, restaurants, bars, a winery and brewery. We headed up to one of the main attractions here, The Stanley Hotel. This is the hotel that Stephen King based the Shining on. But, better yet, it is also where many scenes from the movie Dumb & Dumber were filmed. This is one of Mike’s favorite movies and I love anything Hollywood-ish, so we had to go! We had a drink in the bar and took some pics. See if you recognize any of them from the movie.

The Stanley House - In the movie, they drive up to the hotel in their sports car

The Stanley House – In the movie, they drive up to the hotel in their sports car

This is the staircase they race up

This is the staircase they race up

This is where the bar scene took place

This is where the bar scene took place

View from deck of Mary's Lake Lodge

View from deck of Mary’s Lake Lodge

After exploring town, we headed back toward our campsite and detoured to Mary’s Lake Lodge. Sat on the deck, had dinner and enjoyed the incredible view. Doesn’t get much better than this. I would recommend this area to anyone coming to Estes Park as it feels out of the hustle bustle of town, but still close and provided great access to the National Park too.

The next day, we planned to head into the National Park. Mike was gung-ho to do some more fishing, so we planned our hike out to a lake and he packed his gear. When we arrived in the park, we learned there was road construction in the area we wanted to go. We weren’t allowed to drive our car, so had to rely on their shuttle system. They could certainly take a few pointers from Zion, but it all worked out. About a mile into our hike, we arrived at a cool waterfall. We got caught in a huge hail/rainstorm which we weren’t prepared for. I wasn’t feeling that great, so we decided to turn back. So much for the hike to the lake. We made our way back through the shuttle ordeal to our car and decided to take a scenic drive to another part of the park – a gravel switchback road to the Alpine Visitor Center at 11,796 ft elevation. The rain followed us though and unfortunately, we couldn’t appreciate the view as much as we would have liked. Headed back to the MoHo where Mike did some more fishing at the lake and we had a delicious taco dinner!

Driving through Rocky Mountain National Park on our way to Steamboat

Driving through Rocky Mountain National Park on our way to Steamboat Springs

This morning, we did a major cleaning in/out of the MoHo before departing at 10am on our way to our final destination in CO, Steamboat Springs. We had to drive back through Rocky Mountain National Park (this time with the MoHo and toad). A little dicey with the hairpin turns and steep grades up and down, but Mike is a pro! I however have huge anxiety, so had to settle my nerves with a Sofia Coppola mini. The weather was much better today, so the Rocky Mountain views were outstanding and we even saw a few groupings of elk. That’s it for now. Thanks for reading!

Sweet Victory and Maryhill State Park – 5/22/13

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Maryhill State Park - Columbia River Gorge (Mike & Mitch)

Maryhill State Park – Columbia River Gorge (Mike & Mitch)

Knights win, Knights win, Knights win!! The WVC Knights win the NWAACC Women’s Fast Pitch Tournament for the first time in school history! Very exciting and huge congrats to the players and our great friend coach Pflugrath.

WVC Knights Fast Pitch - NWAACC champs!

WVC Knights Fast Pitch – NWAACC champs!

We left Portland on Monday afternoon, a bit later than we had hoped. When we were in the RV Park in Portland, we had to switch spaces for the last night as someone who rents there long term had reserved our site, no big deal to move a few spaces over for them. But in the process, Mike noticed an issue with the leveling jacks (there are stabilizing “feet” that gently lift the MoHo off the ground when parked to keep it more stable and relieve some pressure off the tires). After finally getting the jacks retracted, there was obviously a need to have a professional look at it, as they weren’t working correctly. Few phone calls and we found a place around the corner to drop the MoHo for the day while at the game. Unfortunately, they were not able to fix it, and gave us a few numbers to try. As we were heading out of Portland toward our next destination, Maryhill State Park, we decided there wasn’t a rush to get it repaired, we will make due until Bend.

Arrived at the park, and our great friends Sunny and Mitch were there waiting for us to spend the nights as our first house guests!  They went to the tourney as well and this was a place to stop and spend a night together on their way home to Yakima. It was a gorgeous, calm day on the Columbia River, which is very rare this time of year. We had a great night sitting by the fire and meeting some fun ladies camping next to us, two sisters on an 8-day trip. Have a blast Rebecca and Laura! That night we got Mitch to agree they would stay one more night!!

Next day the weather turned a bit and the rain and cold arrived.  We headed out to do some local wine tasting. First stop was the Waving Tree Vineyards & Winery. The owners were there labeling some bottles, and invited us in for some wine. Evelyn & Terrance, great people with lots of local knowledge. We bought a case of vino from them between the four of us.  Very reasonably priced and nice quality wines, would go back anytime! Evelyn told us of a place down the road about 30 minutes where we might want to go for a quick adventure. The Klickitat River runs down a very steep canyon where Native fisherman stand on wooden platforms and use huge long poles to “dip” into the river to catch Salmon and Steelhead. She gave us perfect directions and we went for it. When we arrived, the place was vacant, but quickly someone showed up and he was “dipping” his long pole instantly. First “dip” and there was a very nice 6-8 pound salmon in his pole, wow! He proceeded to catch a total of four fish in the next 30 minutes while we explored around the fish ladder area. We talked to him on the way out and he said the platform he uses has been in his family since his grandfather. During the fall salmon run, he and his family can pull out over a ton of fish in a day — 2,000 lbs of salmon! Something we would love to come back a see in person!

Fisherman on the Klickitat

Fisherman on the Klickitat

Quick stop at the Maryhill Winery (one of the most amazing views you will ever have at any winery in the world, and summer concerts are amazing here!) on the way back to the campground. Returned to the MoHo for dinner, and the wind and rain were there in force. Mike decided to try the microwave/convection oven and cook up our pork loin inside vs. out in the weather on the grill. We set it up and 35 minutes later we had a perfectly prepared dinner, some very nice wine, followed by a long game of Dominoes. (The girls crushed the boys!)

View at Maryhill Winery - Cameron's & Miller's

View at Maryhill Winery – Cameron’s & Miller’s

Yummy dinner in the MoHo!

Yummy dinner in the MoHo!

Next morning, Sunny and Mitch are out early heading back home.  Thanks for staying with us for a couple of nights; we will see you in July! There is heavy rain and cold weather expected in our next location, Bend, Oregon. But, it is looking better for Memorial Day weekend.  Our plan is to stay for 4-5 days and try to get the MoHo maintenance taken care of. Talk to you all soon!