“Broad Mod”: RV AC Air Flow

Baffled on how to beat the heat? Is your RV AC air flow struggling? In this video, Kasie decides take a look inside our RV AC ducting in our 2019 Jayco Greyhawk 31F to see if we can stay a little cooler. Did it work? In this video, we'll show you the data so you can judge for yourselves.

Basic Design of the Baffle System for the RV Air Flow Modification

One cool thing about this mod: she did all the RV AC modification work herself. And even better: it cost less than $20.

Turns out, this is a pretty simple RV modification. You basically need a screwdriver, knife, glue, scrap cardboard, scrap foam, and A LOT of HVAC tape. After watching this video, even I (Lana) could do it.

Here’s a link to the paper template shown here. You’ll need to download the png and then print it.

If you want to get fancy, you can 3D print the baffles. Here’s the Thingiverse link to 3D design: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4662142

RV Airflow Systems makes a variety of kits for various AC units, and you can find them here.

DISCLAIMERS: PLEASE DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR RIG! We just want to share our experiences about this project. We do get a very small commission at no cost to you if you use one of the Amazon Links (a/k/a beer money).

Mesa Falls: Simply Ah-MESA-ING!

Bucket List: Mesa Falls, Caribou-Targhee National Forest
When:  Sunday, June 13, 2021
Cost:   $5/vehicle daily pass

While staying in Victor Idaho, we met up with Lana’s high school classmate, Craig, an outdoor enthusiast who lived in the area. We asked him about activities we should do outside of Grand Teton National Park.   We told him that, among other things, we liked wildlife and waterfalls.   He immediately suggested that we take a scenic drive to Mesa Falls. Craig and his wife told us about an encounter that they had with a bear laying in the sun eating huckleberries.  The round trip would take 3-4 hours, but would be well worth it, they promised.  

Mesa Falls Scenic Byway

Because one of our goals was to spot wildlife, our plan was to leave late afternoon so that we would be in the Caribou-Targhee National Forest in the hours before dusk when wildlife should be more abundant.      

THE SCENIC DRIVE TO MESA FALLS

Our drive to Mesa Falls included two scenic byways:

• The Teton Scenic Byway.

  We drove Idaho 33 north to Driggs, then caught Idaho 32 after Tetonia, and headed north and east to Idaho 47 at Ashton.

• The Mesa Falls Scenic Byway.

  From Ashton, we took Idaho 47 northeast to the old Bear Gulch Ski Area site and then northwest along Forest Service Route 294 to the northern end at U.S. 20.

The latter byway contains the following stops worth mentioning:

• Teton Overlook. 

  Although mountains are roughly 40 miles away, the view is spectacular.  I would recommend binoculars or a camera with a good zoom lens though.

• Bear Gulch.

  A former ski area, the area now contains two trails used largely for snowmobiles.   

• City of Island Park.

  This place boasts the world’s longest Main Street at 33 miles.  

But as Craig promised, the highlight of the drive was no doubt the falls.   

LOWER MESA FALLS

Mesa Falls Nature Trail — about 1.25 miles one-way

Lower Mesa Falls can be seen from a pull-out and overlook right along the highway.   The falls is roughly 1500+ feet away.   The waterfall is large and impressive, but it’s a little hard to see from that the overlook.   There’s a 1.25 (one-way) nature trail from Upper Mesa Falls that lets visitors get about 200 feet away from Lower Mesa Falls.  Unfortunately, we did not have time for a hike that day.   If we were doing this excursion over, I’d make time for the hike so that we could see Lower Mesa Falls much closer.

UPPER MESA FALLS

Upper Mesa Falls is just a short drive from Lower Mesa Falls. It is simply AMAZING!   After meandering about a quarter mile or so down a boardwalk with several flights of stairs, we were met with this incredibly tall (144 feet high!) and wide (200 feet!) waterfall.   At the bottom of the boardwalk, the sound of the falls is overwhelming, and there is occasional spray in some places because of the proximity of the waterfall. The power and beauty of the water is on full display.   

Mesa Falls sits within the Yellowstone I Caldera

The Mesa Falls Visitor Center is located at the the old Big Falls Inn near Upper Mesa Falls before the boardwalk begins.  Built in the early 1900s, the inn served as a hotel, café, dance hall, and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  It closes at 5:30 p.m. so we were not able to make it there.  (Again, if we were doing this excursion over, I would make time so that we could tour the visitor center AND do the nature trail hike).  Luckily, there are some signs outside that discuss the falls formation, the surrounding caldera, and history of Mesa Falls.

Now, the big question: Did we we see wildlife? Despite our best laid plans and Craig’s promises, the answer is “not really.” We saw some cool birds, and a couple of woodchucks that we first thought might be beavers. But alas! No bears. No moose. No deer. No elk. No coyotes. I was a little bummed about that, but the waterfalls made up for it.

Woodchuck near Mesa Falls

The other thing that made up for the lack of wildlife was the sunset on the drive back to Victor. We were treated to spectacular views of the Tetons in a pinkish haze for 30-45 minutes.

Thank you, Craig, for this amazing suggestion. The scenic drive and Mesa Falls was definitely worth the time.

Tetons Song (Grand Teton National Park Song)

As I was creating our videos on Grand Teton National Park, I kept thinking about the spirituality of those majestic mountains.  When we are in the moment of such spectacular views, nothing else really matters.  Problems seem to go away, and suddenly, we think we have the answers to all of life’s big questions.  That feeling is fleeting, but there a pull to our being that wasn’t there before.  That’s what this song is about.   As they say in Wyoming, #ThatsWY          

 PS: I’m not a professional singer. Be kind.

Lyrics to Tetons Song

VERSE 1:
Let’s drive to Antelope 
Flats Road
The Moulton Barn
The Mormon Row

Let’s hike Taggart
Then Bradley Lake
Dip our toes
In the River Snake

Let’s turn out
At Oxbow Bend
Elks Ranch and
Mount Moran

CHORUS 1:
Let’s drive on Moose
Wilson Road
Show me those Tetons
In Jackson Hole

See the mountains
And the big blue sky
Find all the answers
In WY

VERSE 2:
Now, we can stay
In Idaho
Cross Teton Pass
Nice and slow

We’ll pack a lunch
Take a bike ride
As spring erupts
From the mountain side.

Drive to Jenny Lake
Then Colter Bay
Loop the park
In half a day

CHORUS 2:
Let’s drive on Moose
Wilson Road
Show me those Tetons
In Jackson Hole

See the mountains
And the big blue sky
Find all the answers
In WY

VERSE 3:
What a view
Where we were standing
At Signal Mountain
And Schwabacher Landing

The point is to find
Some inspiration
Say our prayers
For transfiguration

Watch the sun
Melt the snow.
Spot moose
Elk, and buffalo. 

CHORUS 3:
Let’s drive on Moose
Wilson Road
Show me those Tetons
In Jackson Hole

See the mountains
And the big blue sky
Find all the answers
In WY

More about Grand Teton National Park

To learn more about our time in Grand Teton National Park, check our our blog and videos at:

Visiting Grand Teton National Park? Consider Staying at the Teton Valley Resort

Visiting Grand Teton National Park for Two Days? Tips and Advice

 #TetonsSong #GrandTetonNationalPark #AnswersinWY #ShowMeThoseTetons #ThatsWY #GrandTetonNationalParkSong

Visiting Grand Teton National Park? READ and WATCH This!

When:  Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12, 2021
Where: Grand Teton National Park

There are tons of blogs/vlogs out there about visiting Grand Teton National Park.  In this blog and video, we’ll add our thoughts to the mix. While you will definitely want to read this if you are first-time visitors to the park, we hope this provides some reminders to repeat visitors as well!

Tip #1: RVers Should Consider Staying In Idaho On the West Side of the Mountains.

To get to Grand Teton National Park, many visitors will need to traverse Teton Pass. As we explained in another blog and video, we were not comfortable driving our RV through the pass given the switchbacks and steep grade. We found the options in the west side of the mountains in Idaho to be a great alternative. The cost per night was competitive to what we would have paid for full hook-ups in the park it self. Plus, there are several cool breweries located in Teton Valley.

Tip #2: You Can See Most of the Park in 1-2 Days.

We were at the national park for two days, and we felt like that was sufficient time to see nearly all of the park’s major features. In fact, we easily drove the 42-mile loop around the park in just a half-day with multiple stops at the pull-outs.   Thus, visitors on a time crunch can easily make Grand Teton National Park a part of their journey.

Great views of the mountains are located throughout park, which is perhaps why it is so special. Simply put, there really are not bad views there. My favorite stops on our driving tour included:

• Moulton Barn/ Mormon Row in the early morning. We just had to get a photo of that famous barn!

• Drive up to Signal Mountain. This is an easy way to see some of the park from a higher vantage point.

• Oxbow bend. This is a great place for wildlife spotting, even if it might just be waterfowl.

• Snake River Overlook. Remarkably, the views here are pretty much like Ansel Adams saw it in his famous 1942 photograph.

• Schwabacher Landing. This was just a peaceful area to walk along the shoreline of the Snake River.

Tip #3: Plan a Couple of Excursions.

After driving Teton Park Road (the loop), that left another 1.5 days to explore the park in more detail. We did our research ahead of time to figure out what we wanted do to fill up that time.  

Grand Teton National Park - Bradley Lake Trail

Our first excursion was to hike the Taggart Lake and Bradley Lake Trails.   Depending your exact route, that will be about 5-6 miles and will fill up around 3 hours.   The Bradley Lake Trail was my favorite because we only saw a few people, and the views of the mountains and lake were phenomenal.  Yellow flowers blanketed the hillsides, and I had to stop on multiple occasions to literally smell the flowers. 

For our second big outing, we opted to bike along the multi-use pathway that runs parallel to the Teton Park Road for about 8 miles between the Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center to the Jenny Lake Visitor’s Center.   There are lots of biking options in the area, but that one seemed to give us an “up close” view of the Tetons that others would not.  Folks without e-bikes will have to work a little as the ride includes about 446 feet of elevation gain.

Hidden Falls at Grand Teton National Park

Our final adventure involved taking a boat ride ($18/person) across Jenny Lake to hike to Hidden Falls and then to Inspiration Point along a 1.6 mile trail.  While I’m glad I can check this off my “need to do” list, I wouldn’t do it again.  Yes, the waterfall is pretty.   Yes, the view of Jenny Lake after making 400+ foot clime is nice.   BUT…we were literally with a boatload of people the entire time, and at least for me, that is a big distraction.   There are plenty of vistas and outlooks to see the beauty of the Tetons without having to deal with so many other tourists.  Thus, my advice would be to find another hike (maybe Lakeshore Trail?) and skip Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point.  

If you are planning a visit, I’d encourage you to watch our video.  You’ll get a much better feel for what you will want to do when you visit. 

Tip #4: Look for Traffic Jams!

We quickly learned that a traffic jam is actually a good thing. That is because that usually means a good wildlife encounter is causing the traffic jam.   Not every traffic jam will lead to a bear, buffalo, or moose encounter, but there is an upside to slowed traffic. Just be patient, and make sure a non-driver has his/her camera ready!

Tip #5: Pack a Lunch and Bring Snacks.

There are just a handful of food options inside the park, but in our experience, all of them were just too darn busy. Perhaps we made the mistake of thinking we could actually eat during lunchtime or suppertime without waiting an hour. Therefore, our advice is to pack a lunch (or at least some snacks to tide you over) before heading out for the day.

As far as eating options go, the best ones are probably:

• Dornan’s near the Moose Entrance. Here, visitors will find the Pizza & Pasta Co and the Chuckwagon Grill. There is also a deli open for lunch.

• Jackson Lake Lodge. The Pioneer Grill and Blue Heron Lounge are options for food and cocktails, respectively. They have some interesting huckleberry concoctions on the menu. The Jackson Lake Lodge is worth a stop even if you are not hungry because of its massive windows and views of the mountains. We decided to enjoy a couple of local beers, and felt lucky to find an outdoor table given the crowds.

• Leek’s Marina and Pizzeria is located a few minutes up the road from Colter Bay and sits right on Jackson Lake. As of June 2021, the restaurant did not serve alcohol. We didn’t go there. No beer? No broads.

Tip #6: Download the National Parks App and Grand Tetons National Park Map.

Internet is spotty in the park.  While paper maps are available at the park entrances, you will want to be sure and download the National Parks Service (“NPS”) Mobile app for Grand Teton National Park so that is is available off-line.   The digital map is A LOT more detailed than the paper map, and is filled with all sorts of other interesting information, like amenities, park news, and hiking trails. The self-guided tours for the Menors Ferry area in particular provide some great context for the buildings located there.

Here’s a link to the apps on the NPS website.

Tip #7: Purchase a National Parks Pass.

A seven-day pass for Grand Teton National Park is $35. Likewise, for folks visiting Yellowstone, the weekly fee is $35/week. Thus, most people will find that America the Beautiful Parks Pass for $80 is a more cost effective option because most people visit both parks when in the area. The pass covers entrance fees at national parks and national wildlife refuges as well as standard amenity fees (day use fees) at national forests and grasslands, and at lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Reclamation and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Discounts are available for seniors and military/veterans are free!

Is Grand Teton National Park worth visiting? Heck yes. I even wrote a song about it:

Visiting Grand Teton National Park? Consider Staying at the Teton Valley Resort in Victor Idaho

When:  Thursday, June 10 to Monday June 14, 2021 (four nights)
Cost:   $75/night plus tax ($333.00 total).  We booked 9 months in advance, and our campsite neighbors who booked a few weeks before their stay paid twice that.
Where:  Teton Valley Resort
Beer: Grand Teton Brewing

Visiting Grand Teton National Park is a “bucket list” given.  What wasn’t a given involved figuring out where to stay.   There are options in Jackson Hole, Wilson, Teton Village, and of course, the numerous options in the park itself.   We opted to stay at none of those for one main reason: 

WE DID NOT WANT TO DRIVE THE RV THROUGH TETON PASS. 

Horsing around in Victor, Idaho

Because we were coming from Salt Lake City, our planned route to the national park meant we would have to traverse The Pass – which comprises about 11 miles between the Idaho State Line and Wilson, Wyoming.   Also known as Highway 22, the road contains one lane in each direction and is filled with numerous switchbacks and grades up to 10 percent.  The road is so bad that trailers are not permitted between November 15 and April 1.   There are also several runaway truck “arrestor” or “Catchnet” systems to literally catch out-of-control vehicles with a series of cables and canisters.  That was enough for me (Lana) to veto any thought of driving the RV through The Pass.  Kudos to you if you are braver than I am, and have made it through The Pass in your RV.   

Luckily, there are a few RV options west of the mountains located in Teton Valley.   We elected to stay at the Teton Valley Resort  located in Victor, Idaho.  We liked it so much that we thought we would dedicate a short video to the campground.  At the time of our stay, there were only 33 RV sites, but it looked like the resort was undergoing significant construction so there may be more on the horizon. The campground contains a number of very cute cabins with updated modern finishes, and they are building more of those as well.    

We booked our reservations well in advance, and got a bargain at $75/night. Our neighbors at the campground booked just the week before and paid close to double that. While the cost will vary, staying there is competitive and likely better than what folks will pay in Jackson Hole. As of this blog, the NPS’s rates at Colter Bay are $94 for a back-in site.

Breweries near Grand Teton National Park

Staying in Victor also meant that we would be able to explore the beer scene on the west side of the mountains as well.  We spent a whopping $120+ at Grand Teton Brewing so that probably tells you it was our favorite brewery in the area.  The brewery was founded in 1988 in Wilson on the other side of The Pass by Charlie and Ernie Otto as the Otto Brothers’ Brewing Company. That was Wyoming’s first modern “micro” brewery.  The brothers claim to have brought the idea of “growlers” to breweries, and also take credit for changing the Wyoming laws to permit breweries to have retail locations.   In the late 1990s, the brewery moved to the Idaho location, and the name change to “Grand Teton Brewing” occurred in 2000.  We bought some of the Mountain Berry Wheat, Parks IPA, and Old Faithful Ale from their national parks series.   

Grand Teton Brewing — Great Beer!

Wildlife Brewing is also located in Victor.  I tried the 4 O'clock Session IPA while Kasie had the Go Big! Golden Ale.   But Grand Teton Brewing was by far our favorite.

Driving north about 10 miles to Driggs, Idaho, we had a phenomenal dinner at Citizen 33 Brewery.  We enjoyed the amber braised pork lettuce cups with cucumber kimchi and sweet chili soy.  That sweet and salty mixture of flavors was some of best we tasted on our entire trip!   We sipped on the Idaho ObSESSION IPA and the Purple Draaank lager.  Good beer names.  Good beer too.

In sum, the west side of the Tetons has a lot to offer.  There’s a good mix of locals and tourists, and plenty of stuff to do.  Depending on traffic conditions, the national park entrance is just an hour or so away.  I hear the drive to the park on the Pass is beautiful too…I just wished I would have had my eyes open too see it 😊.  

Idaho Potato Museum — What’s the a-PEEL?

Where:  Blackfoot Idaho
When:  Thursday, June 10, 2021
Bucket List:  Idaho Potato Museum

On our way from Salt Lake City to the Tetons, we stopped at the Idaho Potato Museum in Blackfoot Idaho located on Highway 91 and just off Interstate 15.  The cost is just $6/person, and was worth every cent.  There’s plenty of room for motorhomes in the parking lot, and the place was quite busy for a weekday morning.

First, because of my biology background and prior work with plant breeders (soybeans) during my time at the University of Missouri, I love the science behind food sources.   Potatoes are tuber-propagated, which means that plant grown from the tubers are clones (genetically identical) to those of their parent potatoes.  To make new varieties, breeders must pollinate the flowers to produce berries which contain true seeds (TPS) made through sexual reproduction. 

Potatoes themselves are processed and integrated into all sorts of different foods.   Who doesn’t love mashed potatoes?  Baked potatoes?  Potato chips?   Seriously, Forest Gump should have talked about potatoes instead of shrimp.  And, I have a personal connection to potatoes.   During an internship for Frito Lay in the summer of 1993, I researched some starch properties of what would become the Baked Lays potato chip. 

The history of the potato itself is equally interesting, and the museum does a great job reviewing the potato’s importance to the world and to Idaho.  Visitors can learn about important people in the industry, potato processing, irrigation and land development, and technical/equipment improvements that have made potatoes what they are today.  There are all sorts of “fast facts” scattered throughout the museum that help make the place quite entertaining.

One memorable part of the museum is the Couch Potato exhibit.  There, a family of potatoes sit on a sofa and sing a song by Cheryl Wheeler, which starts out: 

Idaho Potato Museum

They're red, they're white, they're brown
They get that way underground
There can't be much to do
So now they have blue ones too.
We don't care what they look like, we'll eat them
Any way they can fit on our plate
Any way we can conjure to heat them
We're delighted to think they're just great.

Perhaps the best part about the museum is the FOOD.   They have potato soup, potato bread, and potato ice cream!   I didn’t plan on this place being a “bucket list” stop but it was.  

Salt Lake City - Biking, Bucket Lists, and Beer

When: June 3 to June 10, 2021 (seven nights)
Where:  Salt Lake City area
Biking: Murdock Canal and Provo River Parkways
Bucket Lists:  Hike Up Mount Evergreen

During our weeklong stay in Salt Lake City, we did what we usually do. Drink beer. Check off bucket lists. And bike. We’ve got a separate post on the 14 breweries we visited so be sure and check that out.

Ensign Peak

When Brigham Young hiked a peak near what is now Salt Lake City, he reportedly stated that it was a “proper place to raise and ensign the nations.”  Hence, that is how the Ensign Peak got its name.  Aside from its historical significance, the peak is supposed to offer stunning sunsets and sunrises.  We thought that a sunrise would be a nice way to test out some of the time lapse features on our camera equipment.  

Ensign Peak overlooking Salt Lake City

The trailhead sits near several houses; the only parking we found was to parallel park along the residential street.   A gaggle of twenty-somethings were gathered near their cars in clubwear after being out all night.  Given their footwear attire, the kids were likely not going to be joining us.   It turns out that we only say one other couple during our hike.  Perfect!

The hike to the top is challenging, especially if it’s 5:30 am and you are worried about missing the sunrise.   I certainly wasn’t going to get up again this early so I huffed and puffed my way to the top at a quick pace.   There’s 374 feet of elevation gain in about 0.8 miles, but it is worth it.  The summit contains a small plaza, monument, and signage that helps visitors identify the landmarks below.  We could see everything from the state capitol to our campground to the Great Salt Lake.   We are still getting the hang of our time lapse settings, but overall, I think the video turned out pretty well. 

Gilgal Sculpture Gardens

Much like Ensign Peak, this attraction is sort of hidden in a residential neighborhood.   The gate to the Gilgal Sculptural Garden is easy to miss as it is tucked between two adjacent buildings.  The three-acre garden sits in the middle of the block, and it is easy to miss.   The lined but unmarked parking spots for the garden suggested that we were in the right place.

Gilgal Sculptural Garden — One of dozens of stones

The gate to the garden opens at 8 am, and we arrived just before it opened after our hike to Ensign Peak.   The sculptures in the garden range from a sphinx with the face of Joseph Smith, founder of the Morman religion, to a work comprised of various severed body parts.   The place feels a little creepy until you start researching and learning about some of its history.

The garden was created from 1947 by a Mormon bishop, Thomas B Child Jr., who continued to work on it until his death in 1963.   He scattered scriptures, poems, and other texts on stones throughout the park.   “Gilgal” means “circle of the standing stones.”   The garden is reportedly named after the place where, after crossing the Jordan River, twelve Israelite men each placed a stone to create a circle as a memorial to God for stopping the river’s flow to permit them to cross into Zion.   While I was content to spend about a little over an hour in the garden exploring it, I can see how the writings would make folks repeat visitors.  The place is incredibly spiritual, even if for someone like me who does not practice the Mormon religion.            

Mill B South Trail – Big Cottonwood Canyon Road

The Mill B trailhead is about five miles into the scenic drive on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road.   Mill B is a VERY popular trail.  It’s short.  It has a waterfall.  It’s paved. And it is short.  Yes, I said “short” again because in the type I wrote this sentence, I could have hiked Mill B.  Admittedly, there are a variety of other trails that connect up with the Mill B trail head.  To the west is the Broads Fork Trail, and to the east is the Lake Blanche Trail.  However, there was an immediate pay-off with a waterfall just when hiking just the paved section.

The trail was packed with people when we drove by on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (Highway 190) on a Saturday.  We opted to visit it on a weekday morning, and found the crowds much better.   Yet, I’d still consider the trail crowded, and we were looking for something more off the beaten path.

Silver Lake and Twin Lake – Big Cottonwood Canyon Road

We had enjoyed the scenic drive on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road so much that we decided to drive it another 10 miles to Silver Lake, a ski resort area with a 0.9 mile loop around the lake comprised of mostly boardwalks.    It connects up with the Twin Lakes Trail, a 2.3 mile out-and-back with 767 feet of gain.   We grabbed our hiking poles and started on that trek up Mount Evergreen.  

Mount Evergreen near Twin Lakes — Outside of Salt Lake City

I’ve never climbed a mountain in the summer before so I’d consider this a “bucket list” hike.   Snow was still visible in some areas, but the 70-80° temperatures make the hike perfect weather-wise.   The path includes some dimly lit forest, shimmering alpines, and rocked bluffs where a small group of other hikers were trying to spot pikas.   Near the summit, the trail traverses some ski runs and signage, and I loved the emptiness of seeing all of that with no people around.

Interestingly, despite its name, the lake itself is comprise of only one twin.  I was expecting two lakes, but there was only one.   Nonetheless stillness and beauty of that one lake and having it pretty much all to ourselves was something I will never forget.   The hike to Twin Lakes was one of the highlights of our Salt Lake City stay. 

Provo River Parkway and Murdock Canal Trail

Just south of Salt Lake City is Provo Utah.  We loaded up the bikes on the Jeep and headed to the  Provo River Parkway trailhead near North Canyon Hills Drive.  The entire trail spans 15.2 miles, we explored just the eastern 6-mile portion that goes into the mountains and ends at at Vivian Park.   The rails-to-trails parkway runs along the Provo River as well as Provo Canyon Road (Highway 189).   The highlights included two waterfalls:  Bridal Veil Falls and Upper Falls.   A dedicated parking lot for viewing the former just across from it, and dozens of people parked there and walked to the falls for photo ops.  Upper Falls is way less crowded so I personally liked that area more.  

Murdock Canal Trail in Provo Utah

When we got back to the Jeep, we decided explore the Murdock Canal Trail.  To access it, we had to bike a few blocks west on the sidewalk and streets, but we started biking northward on the actual trail, we were pleasantly surprised.  The path is largely through residential neighborhoods with fairly frequent but well-marked stop signs.   Yet, the ride was amazing because there were views of both the Great Salt Lake and the mountains.  To my knowledge, I’ve never ridden on path that had once been a canal so I suppose this was a “bucket list” ride as well. 

Salt Lake City — 14 breweries in 7 days!

There are two things about the SLC beer scene that were a little surprising to me. First, to sell beer on tap, the beer must be 5% ABV or less. For those beers above the limit, the bartender will pour the beer from bottles or cans. Second, someone will scan your ID upon entry to the brewery. Despite that, craft breweries are flourishing in the area.

During our weeklong stay in the SLC area in June 2021, we visited fourteen breweries. It was Kasie’s birthday that week, but the truth is that we just really enjoy craft beer. I thought I would share my take on each of them. Those with asterisks are featured in our videos, and there are time codes in the video descriptions in case you just want to watch the information on the brewery.

Unita Brewery — 3:31; Fisher Brewing - 12:17; Templin Family Brewing - 13:52

6:29 - Kiitos Brewing; 21:37 - Shades Brewing

(1)   2 Row Brewing. Out stop here was a quick one. At the time of our visit, there was no taproom. We purchased a some of their signature IPAs in bottles.

(2)   Bewilder Brewing Co.  The last brewery we visited during our stay, I neglected to write down what we had there.  Maybe I was bewildered at the time.   Our reviews/thoughts on breweries get better.  I promise.

(3) Bohemian Brewery.  This place is one of the handful of breweries in the area that serve food, and we went there for lunch on a mid-day week.  The place was pretty busy, and we had to sit at the bar (although we generally prefer sitting there so that was not a big deal).  “Knedlik” (my last name) means “dumping” in Czech.  Some of the meals come with bread dumplings, but we opted for a very tasty pierogy appetizer (topped with bacon!) instead.  Our beers were a traditional Bavarian wheat and Kolsh, and about what we expected for traditional Czech/German-inspired beers. 

(4) Epic Brewing.   Epic sits on a pretty busy street and had limited parking.   The taproom inside is also fairly small as well (certainly not “epic”).  We sat at the bar and had a Brainless Raspberries strong ale and the Intermountain wheat poured from bottles.

(5) Fisher Brewing Company (*)   We visited here on a hot Saturday, and enjoyed the Dawn of the New Haze and the Lemonade Stand blackberry lemon sour.  The beer selection was diverse, and we watched the bartender place rainbow labels on cans for a special beer to celebrate Gay Pride.  The brewery is very close to the TRAX light rail, which is also a plus.  There’s an excerpt from our visit in our SLC video.

(6) Hopkins Brewing Company.   Perhaps because the brewery is located in a very commercial rebuilt area of town, the beer/food here is a little pricey.   The beer selection was fairly limited, but included the Stonewall Saison.  One cool part about the brewery is the collection of customer-made doodle coasters on the wall.     

(7) Kiitos Brewing (*). This place won my heart the moment we walked in and saw cans of “Big Gay Ale” to celebrate Gay Pride.   Not only that, the beer had glitter in it!  We shared a flight which included the Salt N Pickle lager, Strawberry Milkshake, Raspberry wheat, Blackberry sour, and the Coconut stout.  All of the beers were exceptional, and we purchased some to take with us.  The place really needs to work on naming their beers though as the names are pretty descriptive and boring.  There’s an excerpt from our visit in our SLC video.

Big Gay Ale at Kiitos Brewing

(9) Red Rock Brewing.   Having been around for over 25 years and having three locations (SLC, Murray, and Park City), I was expecting a little more from this brewery.   The SLC location is more of a restaurant than a brewery, and we had to fight the throngs of volleyball teams who were playing in a tournament in the area.  I had the IPA Jr, and Kasie had the Czech Pilsner.  Both beers were fine, but not particularly memorable.   Our food was average and not particularly memorable either.  

(10) Salt Fire Brewing Co.   Someone added a “and have a beer” sticker below the “stop” sign next to this brewery.  So we did.   The place feels super hipster, but welcoming.  We had the Summer Camp Crush IPA, and the Charlotte Sometimes blonde.   As beer names go, the place has some good ones.  

Class C Broads at Shades Brewing in SLC

(11) Shades Brewing (*).  Known for sour beers, the place did not disappoint.  I had the Passion Fruit sour, but Kasie got adventurous and tried the Mango Apricot Slurry.  We purchased some of the beer to go, and also feature Shades in our video.  

(12) Strap Tank Brewery (Lehi UT).   We visited this brewery on our way back from our Provo bike ride primarily because it serves food and we were hungry.   The reviews online were mediocre, and we would concur.   Enough said.   

(13) Templin Family Brewing (*).   We walked here after our visit to Fisher Brewing.  Because of the temperatures, we were craving fruity sour beers, and TF delivered.   We had the Passion Fruit Berliner Weisse and the Pomberry sour.  The beers were pretty to look at, and so was the vibe.  There’s an excerpt from our visit in our video.

(14) Uinta Brewing (*)   Although last on our alphabetical list, this was the first brewery we visited.  We shared a flight of the Birthday Suit blackberry lemon tart ale, the Lime pilsner, Hazy Nosh IPA, Mango Golden Spike wheat ale.  The brewery distributes throughout the United States, including Missouri.  It was fun to visit this place because we had actually sampled some of their beers before.  The Nomad restaurant sits within the brewery, and we shared some darn good nachos.  There’s an excerpt from our visit in our video.

I’ve included time codes in the videos that pertain to these breweries.  There are just too many good breweries in the area publish videos on all of them.  If you are curious, our favorites were probably Shades and Kiitos.

RV YouTuber Tribute Song (Official Music Video): A Thank You from Class C Broads

About the RV YouTuber Tribute Song

As I wrote about previously in my “Retiring Early - How and Why” post, I’ve come to realize that watching several RV YouTube channels was instrumental in my retirement decision. I wanted to somehow thank all of the RV YouTubers that put themselves out there and help so many of us learn about RVing. This song is about some of my favorite channels (I'm sure I left some channels out so forgive me). Admittedly, I haven’t watched every one the videos these folks have made; the point is that each one of these folks helped me at least some small way. I hope they keep the cameras rolling….

PS: I’m not a professional singer or musician. Be kind.

Lyrics to the RV YouTuber Tribute Song

Verse 1:
Gidday, Marc and Julie
Your RV Love shows
You inspired us to
Get out and hit the road.

Today is our Someday
For You, Me, and the RV,
We’ve learned from Phil and Stacy
About Ruby.

We heart Chad and Tara
From Changing Lanes
They love Lucille but
Hate mowers and trains.

Chorus:
We’re two just broads
Who love RVs
Watching YouTube with our dogs
In our Class C.

We’ve liked and subscribed.
Thanks for all you do.
If we see you on the road
Let’s have a beer or two.

Verse 2:
Now Kyle and Olivia
Rock their sticks and bricks
They’re still Drivin and Vibin
Sharing all their tricks

Thomas and Stacy
Are RVing, not Lost
They’ve got fifteen videos on solar
How-to’s and the cost.

Let’s Eat, See, RV
With Liz and Dennis
And watch Tom and Caitlin move
To New Zealand’s next

Verse 3:
We’ve watched Marc and Tricia
Keep their Daydream
Nathan and Marissa
Have Less Junk More Journey

Corey and Jessie
Find their Someday
Matt and Diana
And their Adventurous Way

We’ve seen Jared talk
All about RVs
And Tom and Cheri
Enjoy their Journey

We’ve geeked out to
Peter and John
And the Glamping Guys
Jason and Tod.

Verse 4:
Our dogs love Ziggy,
Sweetie, Charlie too,
Madley and Brodie
And River Moon.

News State New Dog Scout
Piper, Ella,
And Big Dogs Yoona,
Mocha and Bella.

Our dogs bark at Carmen
They want her to get away
But Gizmo and Daisey
Make their Day

Chorus Reprise:
We’ve got a bunch of dogs
Who love TV
Who watch YouTube
With their buddies

They’ve li[c]ked and subscribed
And wagged their tails some too
If they see you on the road
They’ll want a sniff or two.

Music Credits for the RV YouTuber Tribute Song

(1) The music is a song called "Trip Up North" recorded by Bryan Teoh available at https://freepd.com.

(2) The third party logos, photos, and video are the intellectual property of their respective owners and are used here pursuant to 17 USC 107.

(3) The lyrics/vocals/remix were created by Lana Knedlik. The lyrics/vocals/remic are what constitutes the "official music video" (not the underlying music).

Copyright 2021 by Lana Knedlik
All rights reserved.

Antelope Island - Great Salt Lake

When: Monday June 7, 2021
Where:  Antelope Island (near Salt Lake City)
Cost: $15/car
Bucket Lists:  Dipping my toes in the Great Salt Lake (not!)

Antelope Island

Because we were visiting Salt Lake City, one thing that I felt like I needed to do was visit the Great Salt Lake and dip my toes in the salty brine water.  I had read several articles and blogs indicating that the best way to do this was to visit Antelope Island.   Thus, we decided to take a day and pay the $15/per car entrance/causeway fee to access this state park on a very hot day in June 2021.

Probably because we visited the park on a Monday, the trails and traffic were beyond light.  The place almost felt desolate at times.   The highlights of our day trip included two hikes where we encountered only a handful of people: 

• Ladyfinger Point Trail is right next to the Visitor’s Center.  This an easy quarter-mile hike to some cool rock formations and views of the lake.  During our visit, the lake was pretty dry but the Visitor Center itself explains how the water levels change annually, as well as over geological time.    

• Fairly close to the entrance is also the Buffalo Point Trail.  This half-mile climb is a little more challenging, but those who make the trek are rewarded with spectacular views of the lake on both sides.  Another vantage point provides an overlook of the White Rock Campground for dry camping.  The campsites contain no shade cover, and all that I could think of was just how much fuel those campers were using running their generators on that 95°F+ weather.    While I enjoyed the hike overall, a good walking stick and extra water would have been good to have.

Antelope Island — Holy Buffalo!

Right next to the Visitor’s Center, we spotted two lone bison.   We were pretty giddy to see buffalo in the wild, but little did we know that we would encounter large herds of bison during our drive on Antelope Island Road, the main road which is on the west side of the park.  Both herds were well off in the distance so bring binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens to the park!

We also stopped by Fielding Garr Ranch on our drive on the main road.  We saw only a couple of other visitors during our half-hour self-guided exploration of the homestead.   Visitors can learn more about the ranch on the Utah state parks website. I wish that I would have read up on the ranch PRIOR to visiting it. There isn’t much signage explaining what you are seeing so overall, the ranch was a little disappointing unless you somehow get cell phone service or read up on the place beforehand.

One other tip. There are not any gas stations on the island so if you do decide to go up and down Antelope Island Road a few times, it is best to fill up the gas tank before heading to the park

Antelope Island — Beware of Brine Flies!

After having a late lunch at the Island Buffalo Grill on the northern part of the island, we opted to venture on to the lake itself and began the 1/3 mile journey through the beachy sands to the shore.   I’ve visited the ocean several times, but never a brine lake so I was excited to check this off my bucket list.   Soon after exiting the boardwalk, however, we encountered a couple of people coming back from the lake who said “DON’T DO IT!” because of the brine flies.  We had learned during our stop at the Visitor’s Center that the island was home to numerous types of flies, but brine flies did not bite.  We dismissed the couple’s advice, thinking “how bad could it be?”  Well, lesson learned.   Twenty yards from to the shoreline, we started to see what we thought was dark haze around black driftwood.  Those black areas were instead clusters of brine flies.   As I filmed the flies, the swarms soon started swarming around my legs, arms, and face and within seconds, became unbearable.   I sprinted away from the shoreline with my Go-Pro as fast as I could, and Kasie did the same.   We saw only a couple of antelope on the island, but at least for me, I think the state park is aptly named because idiots like me develop antelope-like speed during fly encounters.    

Looking back, I’m glad to mark Antelope Island off my “to do” list.  If I ever visit the place again, I’m heading straight to the water on a cool spring morning and wearing a beekeeper suit to ward off those pesky flies.  

Best RV Park in Salt Lake City - Location! Location! Location!

When: June 3 to June 10, 21 2001 (seven nights)
Where:  Salt Lake City KOA
Cost: $66.47/night for full hook-ups (includes taxes, fees, and a 10% KOA discount)
Biking:  Jordan River Parkway
Bucket Lists:  International Peace Garden

Salt Lake City KOA – Location, Location, Location!

I’ve never been a huge fan of KOA campgrounds.   The nationwide corporatization of campgrounds just inherently rubs me the wrong way.  Plus, KOAs usually contain lots of amenities (like a pool, playground, etc) that we don’t use.   Lastly, the KOA RV parks also tend to be somewhat pricey. 

Our experience with KOA in Salt Lake made me re-think my stance a little.   Of the amenities, we used the laundry and the fenced dog park.   The laundry facility may not necessarily be a part of the KOA corporate machine, but regardless, it was convenient, and also contained numerous commercial washers/dryers that made doing laundry very quick and easy.   The dog park included a dog wash station, which I had never seen at an RV park before.  Although we didn’t use the dog wash, we spent several evenings and mornings on the artificial plastic-like turf in the dog park.  The dog park was well used by us and several others, and I was baffled as to why it didn’t smell bad since the turf didn’t look like it could absorb much.  I’m curious to know how a dog park like this is cleaned, as well as how often.   If you know, please leave a comment or shoot me an email.

The KOA’s sites were fairly cramped, but they still accommodated some very big motorhomes.   We saw several Super Cs, as well as several Newmars and Tiffins.  Our section of the park was interesting because our RV was oriented so that our door/awning side directly faced the door/awning side of our neighbor’s RV.   For camping with friends, that is a great layout, and I wish that other campgrounds had that sort of orientation as an option. 

The best part about the Salt Lake KOA is the location.   The KOA is right next to the Jordan River Parkway, a 45-mile, multiple use trail that traverses the city from north to south.   That was our main motivation in choosing to stay at the KOA.   We loved being able to hop on our bikes and easily get on the trail about a ½ block away.   The KOA is also right across from the Power Station, which is served by the Green Line of the Utah Transit Authority TRAX (light rail) system.  We bought a $5/person day pass on the days that we wanted to explore Temple Square and downtown Salt Lake.   The light rail was also nice on days when we knew we were going to multiple breweries and didn’t want to drive. 

The main downside to the KOA location was that the general area contained a large homeless population.  Given that I had just experienced a pretty bad bike wreck in Colorado Springs the week before because a homeless person had blocked the trail, that made me a little nervous that something similar might happen.   We saw a few encampments along the Jordan River Parkway, as well as dozens of tents and makeshift shelters in a few abandoned parking lots within just a few blocks from the KOA.   We also observed what we presumed were several folks riding the train simply to cool off.   If you aren’t comfortable with that sort of thing, then the Salt Lake KOA probably isn’t for you.      

Kiitos Brewing Glitter Beer for Pride in 2021

International Peace Gardens – Diversity in Salt Lake City

During our bike ride on the Jordan River Parkway, we exited the trail to visit the International Peace Gardens.  Local groups having ties to various countries are allotted plots to create a garden typical of the homeland.  It is a true testament to the diversity of the area.  The countries represented have changed over the park’s lifetime (which was dedicated in 1952), and the website indicates that there are 26 countries currently represented.     I didn’t capture videos/photos of all of the countries, but hopefully you’ll get the idea if you watch the video.  I absolutely fell in love with this park, and would put it near the top of my list of the things we did while in Salt Lake.  

The area’s emphasis on diversity was one thing that was completely unexpected to me about Salt Lake.   Before my visit, I thought that the Mormon religion dominated the culture and politics of the region such that it would be quite homogeneously conservative.   Yet, while there is a Mormon influence, different views and cultures seem to be encouraged.   Another example of this was the prevalence of rainbow flags throughout much of the city during our stay.   June is LGBT Pride month, and the we saw dozens of stores, restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, and other venues celebrating.   A few of the breweries had even concocted special LGBT beers.  Some had rainbow-themed labels; another beer was brewed with some sort of glitter.  It was nice to see such a thriving gay community in the middle of Utah!    

Donut Falls — Yummmm!

Donut Falls (near Salt Lake City)

Who doesn’t like donuts?   We were immediately interested in hiking to Donut Falls simply because of its name.  

There are two things you should know about Donut Falls when planning your visit: (1) parking is very limited at the trailhead and (2) the place is busy.   So, the answer to the question “Who Doesn’t Like Donuts?” is apparently “no one” because everyone in the area seems to like this place. 

We made the mistake of trying to go to the falls on a Saturday morning.   We went early, but there were already cars lining the 0.8 miles of road between Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (Highway 190) and the trailhead.  There are around 20 parking spots at the trailhead, and we were one of the few lucky folks to snag one.  Many people parked at the larger parking on Big Cottonwood Canyon Road (adding roughly another 1.6 miles the overall hike), but it was also filling up by the time we left.

The hike to the waterfall is about 1.5 miles round-trip.  It’s a fairly easy, well-marked hike, and we saw lots of families and people of all ages doing the hike.  It was so busy that it was quite difficult to take any photos or video without people.

The donut itself did not disappoint because it is such an unusual waterfall.  Many people go down on some slippery rocks to get a view of the waterfall from below, and some braver ones continue to climb the wet rocks so that they are much closer to the falls. We were not so brave, and only did the former.  Neither one of us were wearing the right kind of shoes to be doing much more than that.  After exiting the slick rocks, we found a dry path that keeps going upward that is not very well traveled or marked.  We took that and were able to view and hear the waterfall from above, which was my favorite part.  

I completely understand why Donut Falls is so popular.  I think I’d like to go back and hike it on an early weekday morning.      

Good Stops Through Southern Wyoming into Utah

When: June 2, 2001 (one night)
Where:  Red Desert Rose Campground (Rawlings WY)
Cost: $34.02/night for full hook-ups
Bucket Lists:  Matthew Shepard Memorial

We planned two travel days to get from Colorado Springs to Salt Lake City.   We made a couple of stops en route that are worth sharing.

Lincoln Highway

Lincoln Highway Memorial — near Laramie Wyoming

Just east of Laramie is a wonderful rest area with memorial and statue of Abraham Lincoln.  We stopped there because I wanted a photo with the statue of the President himself. Then, I got to reading about why the memorial was there in the first place. That is because Interstate 80 forms part of the Lincoln Highway, which was the first transcontinental road for automobiles in the United States over a century ago.   There have been several realignments throughout its history, the last of which took around 20 years to complete.   We tend to take stuff like this for granted nowadays.  Yet, having good roads and bridges are something we should all be proud of.

Check out the Lincoln Highway Association for more information.

Matthew Shepard Memorial

No town wants to be known for something horrific.  Yet, at least for me, whenever I think of Laramie, Wyoming, the first thing that comes to mind is Matthew Shepard.   He died in 1998, just around the same time that I was coming out.   And, as I got more involved in LGBT activism efforts, his story was something none of us could forget.  He is the namesake for the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act – which everyone I know just calls the “Matthew Shepard Act.”   I saw his mother, Judy Shepard, speak on a couple of different occasions, and no one is a better advocate for the community.    A memorial bench on the University of Wyoming honors Matthew, and visiting that was a “must do” for me.  

Matthew Shepard Memorial Bench - University of Wyoming

Because we were driving the RV and parking is limited on campus, Kasie just dropped me off on 9th Street, and I walked towards the Arts & Sciences building where the bench is located.   There are several other benches in the area, and it took me a while to find the right one, even with Google Maps.   The bench is in the southeast portion of the plaza area right outside the A&S building, along with several other benches.  The bench does have an inscription which reads in part: “He continues to make a difference.  Peace be with him and all who sit here.”  Other than the plaque, the bench wouldn’t stand out, except that there were a few flowers and other handmade items on the bench.   The memorial was overall very understated.  

I spent a few sobering moments reflecting on Matthew’s life and his role in the LGBT movement, but I also felt out of place doing so with the hustle and bustle of the campus surrounding me.   The bench just didn’t seem to fit there, and I felt like I did not either.  I felt a level of self-consciousness that I hadn’t in decades about being gay…like people were watching me at the memorial, and knew I was different somehow.  It was a weird unexpected feeling that didn’t last long.   Perhaps the feeling was a reminder of just how far we’ve come in the LGBT community.  And that, even though there is more work to do, maybe Matthew truly is at peace.    

Red Desert Rose Campground

Another 1.5 hours of driving would take us to our stop for the night, the Red Desert Rose Campground in Rawlins, Wyoming.   The campground is located right off I80 next to another RV Park.  Although there are full hook-ups and cable, this is essentially a “no frills” park.   The map of the park shows a “puppy park,” playground for kids, horseshoes area, and mini golf course – but at least during our stay, most of those amenities were not very well maintained.   Out of these, we used the dog park a few times.  The park served its purpose for a one-night stay, and we would stay there again if need be on another trip.    

Rawlins is home to Buck's, a bar and grill with a menu that is about the size of Wyoming.   The menu font was big enough that I didn’t need my glasses.   They served some decent pepperoni pizza, a burger, and some craft beers that I forgot to write down.   We drove around Rawlings a little, and called it an early night.  

Echo Canyon  -- Utah Welcome Center

Echo Canyon Welcome Center — Do you see the prairie dog?

The next day, we finally got to Utah.   About 27 miles from the border on I-80, there’s a belated welcome center of sorts near the I80/I84 junction.   We stopped to stretch our legs and make a pit stop.   Much to our surprise, we were met with a welcome committee:  hundreds of prairie dogs adjacent the parking lot and the “Utah” sign.   We watched as another couple had fed the prairie dogs.  Kasie opted to throw out some real dog kibble, but I thought the prairie dogs were getting a little too friendly.   While she joked about petting them and adding a few to our four-dog clan, I was more concerned one might scurry up my leg!  It was a fun memorable experience….BUT in hindsight, we shouldn’t have fed them at all and left them to forage more naturally.  Forgive us.  We’ll do better next time.  Check out the video below for some footage of these wonderful creatures!

Yes, I did write a song about Prairie Dogs. Don’t be jealous, Bruce Hornsby.

Colorado Springs Free Things to Do: Garden of the Gods, Helen Hunt Falls, Art on the Street, and More!

Colorado Springs Mural

When: Wednesday May 26, to Wednesday June 2, 2021
Where: Colorado Springs
Cost: Free (except for the beer)
Bucket Lists: Helen Hunt Falls, Garden of the Gods
Beer: Smiling Toad Brewing (Old Colorado City)

I’m always looking for a good deal. The great thing about Mother Nature is that it’s usually completely free. In the Colorado Springs area, I’d recommend both Helen Hunt Falls and Garden of the Gods. For those not wanting to fight the crowds, our experience at Red Rock Canyon Open Space is great alternative as I wrote about here.

Humpty Dumpty (Skier) in Colorado Springs - Art in the Streets 2021

If nature isn’t your thing, the public art scene in Colorado Springs is phenomenal. The video above at 4:41 includes a montage of some of the statues, murals, and other works we encountered during our stay. Most are part of the city’s Art on the Streets program.

Helen Hunt Falls

Helen Hunt Falls is part of North Cheyenne Cañon Park.  Many of the “top things” lists about Colorado Springs include the falls so we were anxious to see it.  Unfortunately, the scenic 2.5 mile drive along North Cheyenne Canyon Road was closed except for construction traffic during much of our stay.   We were therefore forced to visit the falls on a rainy Sunday.   That turned out to be to our benefit.  While the weather likely kept others away, we were delighted to have the waterfall pretty much to ourselves.  

The waterfall is visible from the parking lot, and there’s a very short trail around/over the falls for closer looks.   Thus, for nature lovers who don’t want to do a long hike, there’s an immediate payout when visiting Helen Hunt Falls.   We thoroughly enjoyed the area, and I would agree with others and put in on my “Top Ten” list of things to do when in the area.  

Garden of the Gods

Garden of the Gods

Whenever I mention Colorado Springs, the first things that people usually mention are “Garden of the Gods” or the “Broadmoor.”  My old law firm had a firm retreat in the area many years ago where I got to experience both.   I didn’t realize just how expensive the Broadmoor was at the time; nor did I appreciate the fact that visiting the Garden of the Gods is absolutely free.

Because the Garden of the Gods is such a tourist attraction, it is crowded.  Very crowded. We were thinking of skipping it altogether because of that.  We had some time on our last day in the area, on a Tuesday, and predicted that the crowds might be more tolerable.  However, we made the mistake of visiting it around noon when the day’s crowd size seemed to peak.  

Our last-minute excursion was not very well planned.  Taking Garden Drive, we followed the signs to what seemed to be hundreds of people gathered around Balanced Rock.  The signs then lead us to the Trading Post, which we mistook for the Visitor’s Center.  When we finally got to the latter, we skipped all of the people-laden exhibits in favor of just landing on the Central Gardens Trail.    There were a few bottlenecks of people, but overall, we were still able to enjoy most of the major rock formations in that section of the park.  If I were going visit Colorado Springs again, I would do better research and go back to GOTG a couple of more times, but do so in the very early morning and hike one of the other numerous trails.  I was surprised how much I liked our short time there. 

Both Helen Hunt Falls and GOTG are difficult to describe in words.  It’s best to just watch and enjoy… Even better, get out there and visit both!

Royal Gorge for Lana’s 50th— Trains, Bridges, and Beer! Oh My!

Where: Canyon City and Pueblo Colorado
When: May 31, 2021
Bucket List: Royal Gorge
Beer: Actually, it was the reuben that day.

Royal Gorge Train Ride

On the actual day of Lana’s milestone birthday, we planned a last-minute 1.5-hour drive southwest from our campground at Cheyenne Mountain state park.   Our destination was Canon City, where we would board the Royal Gorge Route train for a morning ride through the canyon.   When we booked the excursion, we splurged for a flight local craft beers ($12) and a green chili breakfast burrito ($14).   We rationalized that a birthday beer before 10 am was perfectly acceptable.   The food was decent – way better than “airplane” food, but not as good local breakfast diner fare.  Kasie thought the food was actually better than most restaurants.

We booked two of the more expensive “Vista Dome” seats ($89/person), figuring that the configuration would provide better views.  Seat assignments are random and even when booking early you cannot choose your seats.   We read online that the train does not turn around during the trip and one side of the train is more desirable than the other.  While our assigned seats were on the mountain-side, a gorge-side table across from us was vacant.  As such, we were able to hop from one side of the train car to the next with ease and get unobstructed views of both the mountains and gorge.   The expansive windows were clean enough to make the views quite good, although our 4K video picked up some reflections and window spots/streaks weren’t observable with the naked eye.   The trip is one of those things where videos/photos will never do the experience justice.

Class C Broads at the Royal Gorge

Like nearly everyone else on the train, we ventured to a crowded open-air car for part of the ride, including the portion near the Royal Gorge bridge.  Even though we were shoulder-to-shoulder at times and a little chilly, that was the best part of the ride!  We popped back there a couple of times, and in hindsight, I wish that we had spent more time there.  If you read any online review, you will probably get the same advice.  

Royal Gorge Bridge and Park

After seeing the Royal Gorge Bridge from below on the train, Lana wanted to experience the bridge from above.  So after our train ride, we purchased $28/person tickets and drove an additional 20 minutes to the privately-run Royal Gorge Bridge and Park.   Although a true capitalist tourist attraction, there was enough to do there to keep our attention for roughly two hours.  

We started by traversing the bridge and taking obligatory selfie photos.   The views were truly spectacular.   Next, we explored the far side of the park, which includes a theatre and exhibit area about the construction and history of the bridge.  It’s amazing to think that the bridge was constructed in 1929!   A 2013 destroyed most of the park – but the bridge survived and reportedly lost only 32 planks. 

The general park admission ticket includes a gondola ride, and we found the lines to be 10 times shorter on the side opposite the park entrance.  Additional attractions include the Cloudscraper Zipline, Royal Rush Skycoaster, and Via Ferrata (a fancy word for rock climbing that I had to look up) – all for extra money.  Visitors can also grab a beer from Bristol Brewing Company, one of our favorite breweries on Colorado Springs!

A family could easily spend a day (and a fortune) at the park.  We were content with just seeing the bridge and a gondola ride to take in the views.   Overall, the park is a little pricey, but it’s one of those things that I can check off my bucket list.

Shamrock Brewing - Pueblo Colorado

Shamrock Brewing Co. (Pueblo Colorado)

Our next stop on Lana’s birthday was Pueblo Colorado, which is just south of Colorado Springs.   The weather was not cooperating with us though.   As the rain poured, we attempted to eat lunch at the Brues Alehouse Brewing Company.  There was a long wait, so we wandered around the downtown and took photos of some pretty spectacular public art (especially the murals).   After more than a half hour, we checked out the brewery again – only to find that the wait was still long and a hostess who could not have cared less.   Maybe I was just being pouty because it was my birthday and I was hangry.   In any event, at that point, it was clear that the brewery was just not meant for us.

Reuben at Shamrock Brewing — You can get it with bacon!

Our “second choice” of Shamrock Brewing could not have been better.  Kasie had a Muffin Top Mango Wheat, and I had the West Coast IPA.  We shared wonderful Reuben filed with slow-cooked brisket, jalapenos, bacon, and just the right amount of sauce.  I hesitate to call anything “the best ever” but I cannot remember ever having a Reuben that was this tasty!   A serious #1.  A 5.0/5.0.  Slap yo’ mamma, good.  Bam! 

Peaks and Pines Brewery (Fountain Colorado)

Having launched in 2015 in Colorado Springs, Peaks and Pines Brewery opened a second location in Fountain in 2019.   Being just 20 minutes south of our campground at Cheyenne Mountain State Park, we made a final stop for desert beers to end the day in Fountain.   Kasie had a Wabo Watermelon Wheat served with an actual chunk of watermelon added, while Lana had a Peanut Butter Mocha Porter.  We sat at the bar and people-watched a local couple and the bar tender exchange stories.   There’s a decent “bar food” menu from Brewside Eatery food truck as well.     

As milestone birthday’s go, the day was fabulous.  Royal Gorge (both the train ride and the bridge/park) was a true “bucket list” experience, and I ate and drank like I did in my twenties.   The only thing lacking was not having friends or family around.   If we ever decide to start RVing full time, that will be the toughest part, I think.

I am truly blessed to be on this ride and adventure….

Colorado Springs USA— America!

When:  Wednesday May 26, to Wednesday June 2, 2021
Where:  Cheyenne Mountain State Park (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Cost:  $41/night for full hook-ups plus $9/day vehicle pass (covers both RV and tow vehicle)
Bucket Lists: Red Rock Open Canyon
Beer:  Brass Brewing (downtown Colorado)

Colorado Springs holds some significance for my small family because it was the place my parents first called home.  My father was stationed at Fort Carson, and as newlyweds, my parents stayed at the now-demolished Chief Motel on S. Nevada for a few weeks (there’s a Chick-fil-A there now). Their first real “home” together was the Apollo Park Apartments on S. Circle Drive.  Kasie also spent a couple of months in Colorado Springs during her early twenties as part of her Air Force service.  When I was trying to figure out where to spend my milestone birthday, those past familial ties were one of the reasons I chose Colorado Springs. It’s a place that shaped the people I love the most.

As luck would have it, my uncle was going to be in the Colorado Springs area during our visit. Although my uncle is from western Kansas, he drives his “Flora de Lune” white van to Monument Colorado (just north of Colorado Springs) several times a year to sell flowers at the farmers’ market.  He is a long-haired, bearded hippie hoot.  His given name is Galen, but we’ve always called him Clyde.  He carries a flip phone, but calls me using his computer every now and then. He starts out every conversation with a laid back “Greetings” followed by an excited giggle.  That was how he greeted us when we surprised him at the farmers’ market.

After catching up with Clyde, we ventured a little south to the Air Force Academy.  I wanted to go to the visitor center, but it was still closed because of covid-19. We took a nearby path to find that the architecturally wonderous chapel was undergoing renovations.  A little bummed, we ventured first to the Commissary and then to the Exchange to see if we could score any good deals.   We walked out of the former with some pickle popsicles and a jumbo bag of sunflower seeds exclaiming: “Treat yo’ self!”

Brass Brewing - Colorado Springs

“Military” Breweries in Colorado Springs

With our patriotic and capitalistic spirits renewed, why not spend some more time celebrating America?  Luckily, Colorado Springs is home to two breweries that seem to cater to the military.  

• A veteran owned and operated brewery located on the edge of downtown Colorado Springs, Brass Brewing features a narrow sitting area with framed photos of military men and women.  I have to salute the two extremely good and interesting beers we tried:  the 2/10 Beserker Blond Stout and the Born to Run Watermelon Gose.   That stout was probably the best beer I had during our stay in Colorado Spring.  That is saying something.

• Red Leg Brewing is located in an industrial area just off Garden of the Gods Road.  The brewery’s name is a nod to the Civil War battlefields, where soldiers wore a red stripe on their pant leg to denote their location on the battlefield.  The place is tastefully decorated with patriotic items.  We enjoyed the Hoppin’ on Sunshine Grapefruit IPA and the Disturbing Tan Lines Mango Pineapple Wheat.   That’s some great beer names! The beertender was very friendly, and offered up her thoughts on other breweries we might like to treat ourselves to in the area.

North Cheyenne Canyon Park - Columbine Trail

Cheyenne Canyon Park

Our tour de America continued with a nice hike through North Cheyenne Canyon Park.   The 7.6-mile in-and-out Columbine trail generally follows the path of the North Cheyenne Creek and the North Cheyenne Canyon road. It was a beautiful trail. The only negative is that we could still hear road traffic at times. After walking the 2.2 miles “lower” portion, we entered the “middle” portion, convinced that a large waterfall was just around the corner (it was not). We kept going farther than we should have with our limited water supply and no cell coverage.  Yet, we saw very few people on the middle trail so this is a great alternative for those wanting to avoid the crowds of places like Garden of the Gods.

Magic Town (Michael Garman)

Perhaps the most “American” thing we did during our stay in Colorado Springs was to visit the miniature city known as Magic Town created by Michael Garman.   The free part of the building is basically a retail store for his sculptures. Yet, that area enticed us to fork over $7.50/person to enter Magic Town. There, we were transported to several rooms of both other times and dimensions.   Constructed at 1:6 scale, the “town” is a series of intricate urban neighborhood scenes from the 1930s-1950s.   Working men and women can be found on the street, at the bar, hotels, the theatre, and their apartment homes.  The buildings are constructed with inviting windows for voyeuristic viewers.  Some scenes are incredibly sad (e.g., a dog looking for food); others are quite titillating.  Parts of the town are animated with mirrors and hologram-like images so that the scenes change to make the town even more realistic.   One window flipped from a sculptor to a boy playing the piano – which we surmised was Mr. Garman himself.    

Kasie at Michael Garman’s “Magic Town”

As luck would have it, Mr. Garman was there, and we were able to interview him for several minutes.  He’s a positive person, but the grit of work shows reveals some darker experiences he must have had.   He started Magic Town in 1975 and works on new additions to this day, and has dozens in the works at the same time.  You can see his works and read about the town online. But there is nothing like seeing it in person. His sculptured cityscapes and people are as entertaining as any 2D movie I’ve ever seen.  Simply put, add Magic Town to your “bucket list” and treat yo’ self by making a visit.   

Colorado Springs: 15 Breweries in 7 Days!

During our say in Colorado Springs, we visited fifteen breweries in seven days.  I’d like to think that’s just because Colorado is known for good beer.  Or, perhaps the excuse is that I was celebrating my 50th birthday all week along.  Whatever the reason, I thought folks might like to get our take on each of the breweries.    

For ease of reference, I’ve listed them in alphabetical order.  I’ve also added what I liked best about some of them at the end.  

Brass Brewing

Brass Brewing.  A veteran owned an operated brewery located on the edge of downtown Colorado Springs, Brass Brewing features a narrow sitting area with framed photos of military men and women.  I only recognized a few faces, but it was fun to look at them, and try to remember who they were.  We were there on a weekday mid-afternoon so it was hard to get a good feel for the place.  However, we enjoyed two extremely good and interesting beers.  Kasie thought the Born to Run Watermelon Gose struck just the right amount of fruitiness vs. sourness, and I was delighted with the 2/10 Beserker Blond Stout (usually stouts are dark, and I’ve only sampled a few blonde stouts).  This turned out to be my favorite beer of our stay in Colorado Springs.

Classiest Beer Award to Brass Brewing:  Best Beer I Drank  

Bristol Brewing Company

Bristol Brewing

Bristol Brewing Company.  Raise a glass to Bristol!  The brewery has been around since 1994, and moved to its current location in 2013.  Located in the massive multi-story former IvyWyld elementary school, several rooms have been repurposed to include bars, various sitting areas, and food options. The stairwells, halls, gym, and bathrooms all have original school elements such that nostalgia is brewed here as much as beer.  We sat outside in a second floor area with all of the cool kids eavesdropping on the future business leaders at the adjacent table and watching the jocks play a game of bag toss below.  Even though we found Bristol beer being sold at multiple stores throughout Colorado, the brewery’s home still has an incredibly local feel where neighbors walked to the bar and gathered.  I enjoyed the Beehive Honey Wheat, and Kasie raved about the Mango Pirate Golden Sour.  This was the second and final brewery we visited on the day that I had my bike wreck so the fact that I enjoyed it so much speaks volumes.

Classiest Beer Award to Bristol Brewing:  Best Beer Venue (tie)

Cerberus Brewing Co.

Cerberus Brewing Co.   We ate at Cerberus for lunch one day, while enjoying a Fuzz Off Sour (Kasie) and a Sky Goddess Peanut Butter Stout (Lana).  We shared a pork belly spring roll appetizer that was as unique as it was tasty.  The merch section had a black t-shirt with white lettering:  “Trails & Dogs & Bikes & Beer.”   That pretty much meant that we were going to love the place.   And we did.  

Classiest Beer Award to Cerebus Brewing Co:  Best T-shirt

Cerberus Brewery

Fossil Craft Beer Company.  We stopped by Fossil Craft on a rainy Sunday afternoon to find it bustling with hipsters.   The place has an earthy feel, like everyone there is a religious recycler and eats only organic foods.  I jest, but whatever the brewery is doing, they are doing it well because our Strawberry Crème Ale and Blackberry Raspberry Sour both hit the spot.  The beers were not only flavorful, but also pretty to look at.
Classiest Beer Award:  Best for Hipsters.

Goat Patch Brewing Company

Goat Patch Brewing Company.    The name alone made me want to go here!   And, this was also located in a former elementary school building.  Unlike the grandeur of Bristol’s location, this one-story L-shaped “Lincoln Center” was home not to just the brewery but also businesses ranging from a barber shop to the Nightingale Bread bakery.  The latter was giving away free slices of pizza to celebrates its anniversary so we went to the brewery on a full stomach!  The brewery preserved several aspects of the school — ranging from chalkboards and the hallway where I felt like I still needed a hall pass.  The place was good for people watching, and also had a good local vibe.  I enjoyed the Hazy IPA, while Kasie had a Hibiscus Pale Ale.

Classiest Beer Award to Goat Patch Brewing: Best Beer Venue (tie)

Manitou Brewing

Manitou Brewing.   Located in the downtown Manitou Springs, this is the place to be if you like mingling with tourists.   We went the brewery a few hours right after I had my infamous bike accident. I was hoping that some beer and food would make me feel better, but the truth is that I was still very shaken and a little out of it.  We shared a flight of (1) Chasing Peaks Cherry Wheat, (2) Manitou Lager, (3) Lemon Zinger sour, and (4) Burro barn brown ale.

Classiest Beer Award to Manitou Brewing: Best for Tourists

Mash Mechanix Brewing

Mash Mechanix Brewing.  This brewery is located in an old brick building at the periphery of Colorado Springs downtown area.  We stopped by on a weekday after visiting two other breweries that day (Brass and Phantom Canyon).  Kasie was driving so I had a Blood Orange Pale Ale. We sat outside near some kegs labeled Declaration Brewing Company; it was a little confusing as to whether it was somehow affiliated.   It start raining, and the bar area inside was crowded so we decided to make a fairly early exit.  With all that in mind, I think I’d need to go back there to give a better assessment of the place.  

Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.

Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.   Located in the heart of downtown, the Phantom Canyon’s main floor is really more of a restaurant. The second floor contains several pool tables, along with outdoor seating, and has a little more bar/brewery feel.  We went there for lunch on a Friday around 1:00 pm.  Our service was slow, and the beer was not memorable (except that we did make note of what we had).  I had the Streamliner IPA while Kasie had the Amber lager.

Peaks and Pine Brewing

Peaks and Pines Brewery.   Having launched in 2015  in Colorado Springs, Peaks and Pines opened a second location in Fountain in 2019.   We made it to the southern location for desert beers on my birthday.   Kasie had a Wabo Watermelon Wheat served with an actual chunk of watermelon added, while I had a Peanut Butter Mocha Porter.  We sat at the bar and people-watched a local couple and the bar tender exchange stories.   There’s a decent “bar food” menu from Brewside Eatery food truck so the place checked most of our boxes.

Classiest Beer Award to Peaks and Pine Brewing:  Best for Fountain Colorado Locals

Pikes Peak Brewing

Pikes Peak Brewing.   The original Pikes Peak brewery started a few miles north in Monument, Colorado.  Yet, the Colorado Springs “lager house” appeared to be a true brewery from the tanks visible behind some glass.   The brewery is part of hip communal restaurant space where different vendors offer everything from sandwiches to Korean street eats.  People grab their beer, order food from vendor, and then sit anywhere in the space.   There also a performing stage and a cocktail bar in the shared space.  I wish that other cities would adopt this type of collaborative food/drink environment.   It’s the type of place I’d take someone for a date night or if I wanted to go out with a bunch of friends.   I had the 300 Days IPA, and Kasie had the Pearl De Vere Cherry Lime Sour. 

Classiest Beer Award to Pikes Peak Brewing:  Best for Date Night

Red Leg Brewing Company

Red Leg Brewing

Red Leg Brewing.  Located in an industrial area just off Garden of the Gods Road, we stopped there after visiting the GOTG park.   The brewery’s name is a nod to the Civil War battlefields, where soldiers wore a red stripe on their pant leg to denote their location on the battlefield.  The place is tastefully decorated with patriotic items.  We enjoyed the Hoppin’ on Sunshine Grapefruit IPA and the Disturbing Tan Lines Mango Pineapple Wheat.   Google the logo for the latter beer (hilarious!). We had a nice conversation with the beertender, who told us to check out some of her other favorite breweries.  That gave us the warm and fuzzies; it’s nice when there is a true spirt of collaboration among the local breweries.

Classiest Beer Award to Red Leg Brewing:  Best Craft Beer Venue for Military Folks

Shamrock Brewing

Shamrock Brewing. Located in Pueblo, we ventured to Shamrock on my birthday. Kasie had a tasty Muffin Top Mango Wheat, and I had the West Coast IPA. The venue bills itself as being both a restaurant and a brewery, and we were both very hungry and very thirsty when we went there. I hesitate to call anything “the best ever”….but we did have THE BEST RUEBEN in the world at Shamrock Brewing. Slow-cooked brisket. Jalapenos. Bacon. Just the right amount of sauce. This is one brewery where the loved the food more than the beer.

Classiest Beer Award to Shamrock Brewing:  Best Reuben. Ever. Bam!

Smiling Toad Brewery

The Smiling Toad Brewery

The Smiling Toad Brewery.   This Old Colorado City brewery claims to be “home of the IPA.”  Their most popular beer is the “IPa freely” and has a logo of a dog lifting his leg on the brewery’s owner, a mustached guy named Biff in a red shirt.   Biff appeared to be wearing the same red shirt when we walked in to the brewery, and he chatted us up from our initial encounter.  We sat at a table first, and then moved to the bar area to drink our Gose of the Gods and Spotted Flamingo Guava IPA and to eavesdrop more on Biff as he served other customers.   We ended up sitting next to the head brewer, who was “working” as he sipped from the bar.   Later, he offered us a tour of the brewery, which we graciously accepted.  We’ve been on dozens of brewery tours, but there is something about having the head guy showing such passion in his work that made this place special to us.   The beer here was really good, and the people were exceptional.

Classiest Beer Award to The Smiling Toad Brewery:  Friendliest Bartender

Kasie does her best Christopher Walken impression at Storybook Brewing

Storybook Brewing

Storybook Brewing.   Located in the northern part of Colorado Springs, we went to Storybook at the recommendation of the beertender from Red Leg.   Both the beer and the décor are eclectic.   In one area, patrons tack up photos of their dogs.  In another area, you can find the Christopher Walken Cooler.   We shared a pint of the Pinky the Raspberry Gose.  We purchased a mixed four-pack of the that beer and the Whoa Blackberry BamBaLam for around $24.  Good beer is not cheap!

Classiest Beer Award to Storybook Brewing:  Best Sour Beers

Trinity Brewing

Trinity Brewing.  Located in a strip mall near Garden of the Gods, Trinity at first seems like more of a restaurant since it has a large food menu and also serves both wine and liquor.  Yet, Trinity still maintains a decent craft brewery vibe.   We sat outdoors on some tables made of decorated barrels, and inside, there’s an interesting arch comprised of stacked books. We ordered cheese curds and a delicious burger, while enjoying a Rasberry Kolsch and Apricot Blonde.   Don’t worry…some of their other beers do have clever/catchy names. 

Classiest Beer Award to Trinity Brewing: Best Selections Beyond Beer

Colorado Springs — Welcome to Colorful Colorado!

When:  Wednesday May 26, to Wednesday June 2, 2021
Where:  Cheyenne Mountain State Park (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Cost:  $41/night for full hook-ups plus $9/day vehicle pass (covers both RV and Jeep)
Biking:   Um….sorta?!#
Bucket Lists: Red Rock Open Canyon
Beer:  Bristol Brewing Company

Cheyenne Mountain State Park:  A (Prairie) Doggone Good Time!

Cheyenne Mountain State Park, which opened just 15 years ago, features four different campgrounds located in the same general area (Swift Puma, Raptor Glen, Gobbler Grove, and The Meadow).   We booked a site in the Swift Puma campground, but because the campground messed up our reservation, they moved us to an adjacent handicap site.   All of the full hook-up sites are large, paved, and level; even the more primitive tent camping areas feature level sites. We were told the park was full, but aside from Memorial Day weekend, several full hook-up sites were not occupied during our stay.  The weather was a little cold and rainy so that perhaps that could have been the reason for some empty sites.   

The campground is set midway up the mountain so sunsets and sunrises are a real treat.  The park’s main entrance is right across from Fort Carson, and there’s also a bird’s eye view of the military base from most sites.   We were treated most mornings to Reveille around 6:30 am. I’m usually up with the sunrise because the dogs start making their own music, but for those who like to sleep in, that might be an issue. 

A number of hiking trails wind between the various campgrounds and other parts of the park.  We were able to walk the dogs and explore many of the trails during our weeklong stay.  Dogs are not permitted on some of the trails so we had to make sure we stayed on the right ones.  Frequent signs display the trail name, as well as GPS coordinates so that is not much of a problem.  Deer, rabbits, and other critters are prevalent on the trails, but our favorite location for spotting wildlife was the fields of prairie dog mounds near the park’s entrance.   On our first day, two little guys scampered out in front of our car.   From then on, we would bring our cameras and binoculars and hunt prairie dogs for several minutes each time we would exit or enter the park, all while periodically exclaiming in our best BBC voice “Alan” and “Steve” like in this video.

Turns out, I fell in love with prairie dogs on this trip. And, like many things I find joy in, I get inspired to write a song about it. My little ditty is nothing like Bruce Hornsby rendition, btw.

RV Set-Up Checklist:  Beer?

Our camping checklist set-up includes searching for a brewery that serves both beer and food.   Pikes Peak Brewing started a few miles north in Monument, Colorado.  Yet, the downtown Colorado Springs “lager house” appeared to be a true working brewery location as well.   The brewery is part of hip communal restaurant space where different vendors offer everything from sandwiches to Korean street eats.  People grab their beer, order food from vendor, and then sit anywhere in the space.   There is also a performing stage and a cocktail bar in the shared space.  I wish that other cities would adopt this type of collaborative food/drink environment.   It’s the type of place I’d take someone for a date night or if I wanted to go out with a bunch of friends.   I had the 300 Days IPA, and Kasie had the Pearl De Vere Cherry Lime Sour.   

Pikes Peak Brewery - downtown Colorado Springs

A Colorful Bike Ride Through Colorado Springs

One of the reasons why I wanted to spend my milestone birthday in Colorado Springs is because the city contains plentiful bike trails and designated bike lanes.  I was excited to spend 2-3 days exploring the city on our bikes!   Among other things, Colorado Springs is home to the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail, which traverses much of the city from north-south direction, meandering along Monument Creek and Fountain Creek in the central part of the city.   Google maps suggested that it would be a colorful ride.   It was…but the color was black, blue, and then purple.   Let me explain….

We started our ride at an unofficial trail head by parking at a Kohls department store located just off South Circle Drive in the southeast part of town.   Less than 20 minutes later, we were crossing Highway 24 via an underpass near a large homeless population.  A police officer was arresting someone, and both people were blocking the bike path.  I slowed down and exited the trail to avoid them, but when I tried to get back on the trail, my front tire struck the trail “curb” and I went a combination of head-first and hands-first into the pavement.  My helmet was a life-saver, but face and hands were bloodied. 

Luckily, the police were literally already on the scene and immediately called an ambulance.  They repeatedly told me that there would be no cost – presumably because the accident had happened on city property.  I was a little wobbly and dizzy at times, but felt like I just needed to cool off, drink some water, and take a view minutes get over the shock of what happened.   Inside the ambulance, the nice paramedics assured me that my vitals were good, gave me a souvenir washcloth and ice pack to take home, and told me to go to a hospital to get checked out further.  When I inquired, they assured me that they were just legally obligated to say this no matter what.   Meanwhile, another police officer accompanied Kasie to our Jeep (still parked at the Kohls), while another police officer watched over the bikes until we could load them on the Jeep.  They were concerned about one of the homeless guys who had a hatchet, and thought the bikes might be a little tempting for him.  “A Hatchet!?!” I exclaimed.   She assured us that they were closely monitoring Mr. Hatchet Man, and helped us on our way.  She also gave us some of her favorite hiking trails that the locals like. 

I cannot say enough about how great the Colorado Springs first responders were.  

Manitou Springs

We went back to the campground, regrouped, and decided that some food/beer would probably be a good next step to salvage our first full day in the Colorado Spring area.   We accelerated our plans to see Manitou Springs by heading to the Manitou Brewing Company.  After the brewery, we strolled around the touristy downtown area, and found several of the springs named for the area (many of which were not flowing).   I wasn’t in the mood for that that many people so we decided to leave the area.  People say wonderful things about Manitou Springs, but I just wasn’t feeling it that day.  

Red Rock Canyon Open Space

The police officer who took Kasie to our Jeep recommended Red Rock Canyon Open Space for hiking.  It’s located just east of Manitou Springs across from Garden of the Gods, but is not crazy busy.   We easily found parking next to the Sand Canyon trailhead, which connects to the Contemplative Trail to form a loop that skirts some massive rock formations.  The 1.75-mile hike includes numerous opportunities to exit the trail, climb a boulder or rest in a crag.  The trail also includes numerous overlook vantage points, including some spectacular views of Garden of the Gods and neighboring homes.   The best part about the hike was that we truly felt like we were in nature in the middle of a city.  We encountered less than a dozen people during our mid-day hike.   I couldn’t imagine anything better than this hike, and completely understood why the locals prefer it to Garden of the Gods.  

Enjoying a beer at Bristol Brewing Company after Lana’s bike ride accident

Bristol Brewing Company

After the hike, we were hungry and thirsty.  Some friends had told us to be sure and check out an old stone school that had been converted to a brewery, Bristol Brewing Company.   When we plugged it into Google maps, we were a little surprised to see that the brewery was just few blocks from where the bike accident occurred.  Although close in proximity, the homeless camp and the neighborhood brewery share little else in common.   The brewery was a nice way to come full circle for the day on a positive note.

Bristol Brewing Company turned out to be one of my favorites of our Colorado brewery stops.  You can read more about all of the breweries we visited in one of my other blog posts.

Exploring Small Towns in Kansas and Colorado

When:  Friday May 21 to Weds May 26, 2021
Where:  Rocky Pond (Belleville Kansas)
Cost:  $20/night for full hook-ups (and extremely good wi-fi)
Bucket Lists: Worlds Largest Easel (Goodland Kansas)
Beer:  Kansas Territory Brewing (Washington Kansas)

Like most people, when traveling, I’ve always felt rushed to get to the final destination because vacations are usually time limited to a week or so.  Now that I’m retired and Kasie can work from the road, we are blessed to be able to enjoy the journey a little more.

Belleville Kansas Mural — By Denise Dove

About Belleville Kansas

In May 2021, we decided to take a trip to Colorado Springs in the RV.   Our first stop was to Belleville, Kansas to stay in my hometown and where my parents still live.  Belleville is the quintessential small town with a slowly decreasing population of around 2000 people who all seem to know each other.  People talk about things like the weather, crops, and the schools.  The community invests heavily in their public schools, and everyone follows the Battling Buffaloes sports teams.

Downtown Belleville features a number of businesses arranged in a “historic square” that surrounds a majestic white courthouse built as part of a 1930s Public Works Administration project.  Through much of my childhood, my parents owned and operated an antique store on the square.  Today, you’ll find businesses like the local newspaper (the Belleville Telescope), a gift/coffee shop (The Feathered Nest), a flower shop, insurance agency, real estate agency, appliance store, and a really good wood-fired pizza joint (Woodshop Pizza).   The Blair Theater still displays first-run movies on its ornate marquee.  There are now a set of e-bikes for rent on one corner of the square, but I’ve never seen them being used.  The two stop-lights on Main Street start blinking red sometime around 9:00 pm.  Things don’t change or move too fast around Belleville, and that is part of its charm.

Belleville is located at the intersection of Highways 36 and 81, and is known as the Crossroads of America.  Several businesses are located close the highways, including a Dairy Queen and the Los Primos Mexican restaurant for good grub.  Travelers can also visit the Republic County Historical Museum or the High Banks Museum as Belleville is home to the fasted half-mile dirt track in America.  People come from all over to watch the car races, and the county fair in August features several races every night.

Rocky Pond in Belleville Kansas is a prime location!

Rocky Pond (Belleville, Kansas) – A $20/night bargain!

Rather than park in my parents’ driveway, we thought it would be fun to stay at Rocky Pond.  In the 1980s when I was in high school, Rocky Pond was the location of several keg parties, primary because it was located just outside of the city limits.  At some point, the city annexed the pond, and made significant improvements to the area.  The eight 50-amp full hook-up sites are all first-come first-serve for just $20/night.  The complimentary internet is crazy fast (we were able to stream without any difficulty).   There are also some cozy cabins for rent.  The pond area contains a nice fountain, showers/bathrooms, pier, and picnic shelter areas.   A group of local volunteers decorate the road around the pond with Christmas lights each year that people from surrounding communities rave about.   Adjacent to the RV park is a the “Buff Ruff” dog park, and within walking distance are the Belleville fairgrounds, where the race car track resides.   And, just beyond that is a city park with swimming pool, basketball courts, horse shoe games, and an outdoor amphitheater.  Simply put, RVers will find a lot of outdoor activities to do when camping at Rocky Pond.

Kansas Territory Brewing Company (Washington, Kansas)

Kansas Territory Brewing - Washington Kansas

Just thirty miles east of Belleville in Washington Kansas lies a brewery who makes one of my favorite beers of all time:  Kansas Territory  The first time we visited the brewery we both fell in love the freshly tapped Pineapple Life Coach Lager.   The brewery’s non-fruit “Life Coach” is one of its flagship beers and is very popular as well.  Perhaps the best part is that the beers were $2.50 on tap and $7 for a six-pack.  That’s the cheapest craft beer I’ve ever purchased!   Maybe the owners think folks around north central Kansas are used to Bud Light and Miller Light prices so they have to compete. 

The brewery does offer more traditional craft beers – like Locomotion Stout, Wind Wagon IPA, Aeroplane Pale Ale.  Yet, there is something about an easy drinking lager that is a true local beer for north-central Kansas.  They’ve recently introduced the Bradford Light so they have two lagers now.  

The brewery also has a limited food menu – burgers, pizza and pretzels mostly.  But the food is good.  And priced similarly to the beer (cheap).  

During our May 2021 trip to the brewery, the beertender gave us an informal tour of the downtown location, and told us a little about the owners, Brad and Donna Portiener.   Serial entrepreneurs, they made most of their money at the Bradford Built truck bed manufacturing plant just south of town.  We learned that a new beer production facility was being built next to the truck bed operation, and that we were welcome to stop by and take a look even if no one was around.  We jumped at the invitation and ventured to the new location.  We spent 30 minutes or so marveling at the large tanks, walls of empty “Life Coach” cans, and the chalk markings on the floor of where future equipment would go.  It was nice to see the owners giving back to their community by building there, and the community supporting the new site.

The Geographical Center of the United States (Lebanon, Kansas)

After staying a few days in Belleville, it was time to head west.  Our first stop was just an hour away at the Geographic Center of the United State located just north of Highway 36 near Lebanon, Kansas. The place had a handful of visitors even though it was early morning, raining, and a weekday.

Bruce Springsteen talks about “meeting in the middle” at the chapel near the Geographical Center of the United States in Lebanon Kansas

Upon arrival, the first thing I noticed was a little white chapel. At the time we visited, someone used a red Sharpie to write something about Bruce Springsteen, and left it on the chapel dias. I later learned that the text was from a commercial voiced by The Boss that aired during the 2021 Superbowl. The message was that we need to “meet in the middle” more…just like in Lebanon Kansas. I totally agree.

In the area, there are three signs which refer to the center of the United States – which left me wondering which one of those signs was the TRUE center of the U.S.  I’m pretty sure the location is the stone monument with the bronze plaque.   But it made me wonder if some surveyor might have been off by a dozen or so feet so there were three signs….just in case he was wrong with one.   Yes, these are the things I think about. 

“They Also Ran Gallery” (Norton, Kansas)

Our next stop was a loser.  Literally.   They Also Ran Gallery features the framed portraits and a brief biography of the men and women (thanks Hillary!) who were major candidates for the presidency and lost.   The “museum” is on the second floor of the First State Bank and was started in the 1960s by the bank’s former president and owner.   He was inspired by a book he had read by the same name written by Irving Stone (which is also at the gallery) and started the museum to draw people to Norton.  

A bank employee curates the museum, and was a delight to talk to.   She pointed out some of the more popular and/or perennial losers (e.g. Henry Clay), including those of local significance (e.g., Bob Dole).  I’m no Doris Kearns Godwin, but I did recognize many names thanks to having some pretty good grade school and high school history teachers. 

I spent most of my time refreshing my memory on the modern losers.  Interestingly, Ross Perot was not considered enough of a candidate to make the wall.   Yet, if a president lost his bid for a second term (like President Carter or President H.W. Bush), he still made the wall.  If you are wondering, President Trump did have his mug on display because he lost the 2020 election.  It is sort of sad that I had some uneasiness about whether that might be so. But he was right up there beside Hillary! (Btw, I got a little choked up seeing Hillary Clinton’s photo on the wall with all those men…some day, that glass ceiling is going to break.)

World’s Largest Easel — Goodland Kansas

World’s Largest Easel (Goodland, Kansas)

After few more hours on I-70, we came upon the World's Largest Easel in Goodland, Kansas.  I was not expecting much, and this stop over-delivered.  The colorful painting of Van Gogh’s sunflowers is much larger than it looks from the interstate.  Yet, the best part was that the easel was right next to a very nice dog park and inviting Welcome Center.  A paved “Topside Trail” connects that to another park with gazebos, tennis courts, softball fields, a water park, and a museum.  I’ve decided that the next time we travel I-70, I’d like to stay in Goodland for a night or two.  They really do put out the welcome mat for travelers!

Welcome Center Boondocking (Burlington, Colorado)

For our two-day trip to Colorado after leaving Belleville, we spent the night at the Colorado Welcome Center in Burlington Colorado.  There’s a “Old Town” museum right next door that looks super touristy.   It was late in the day (close to 4 pm) so we opted to just walk downtown and grab some Mexican food from one of the three Mexican restaurants there.   We also walked over to the fairgrounds area to see the Kit Carson County Carousel, but it had not yet opened for the season.   We went back to the RV and called it an early night amongst the other truckers parked there. 

 Paint Mines Interpretive Park (Calhan, Colorado)

Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Calhan Colorado

About 75 miles after crossing the Colorado border, we arrived at the Paint Mines Interpretive Park.  This was yet another detour that exceeded our expectations.   After a few miles of driving dirt roads on flat terrain where we were wondering “ is this going to be worth it,” we arrived at the park.  What is so cool is that the place is (1) free and (2) seems to spring up out of nowhere.  

The main parking lot is small, but we were early in the day an snagged a spot for the RV/Jeep.  A school bus of kids arrived shortly after we did so we lucked out.  We later learned that there are two additional parking lots – one for overlook section, and one on the east side of the park. 

The ~750-acre park contains roughly 4 miles of hiking trails overall, but there are smaller loops to traverse.  Our journey started with a winding trail that was fairly flat, but then opened up to a number of hoodoos, monoliths, and other colorful rock formations.   Oxidized iron in the clay creates bands of yellow, red, pink, and purple colors.  The Native Americans in the area would gather the clay to make paints for their ceramics – which is why the place is called the Paint Mines.  Artifacts dating back ~9000 years have been discovered in the area, ranging from arrow heads to petrified wood used in tool making.  

Yellow and blue flowers were blooming during our time there, adding to the color palette.   The colorful rocks were massive, but climbing on them is strictly prohibited.  Unfortunately, several kids from the bus (and their teacher) ignored that prohibition, even despite being called out for not heeding the rules by another park visitor. 

After making a number of stops from our home in mid-Missouri, we were again starting to feel like “real” RVers. We arrived at our “final” destination in Colorado Springs mid-afternoon, but our big road trip was just beginning….     

Tour of Our 2019 Jayco Greyhawk 31F

In this video, we’ll share some of the specifications on our first class C RV — a 2019 Jayco Greyhawk 31 F.

In the video, we also give some tips on how we utilize some of the space. We’ve actually made several additional modifications based on what we learned during our first big month-long trip in February 2021 when we filmed this video.

So…stay tuned for additional updates.

Seaman Song: The Lewis and Clark Dog (and Official Music Video)

About the Seaman Song:

We love dogs, all sorts of dogs.  During our two visits to St. Charles, Missouri in the RV, we enjoyed learning about Seaman, the newfoundland dog who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their famous expedition to the West.  I decided to write a song about dear ol’ Seaman.

I learned a ton writing this song.   The best resources I found were:

• The National Parks Service map. 

  If you click on the icon, you can learn about what happened at a particular location.

  https://www.nps.gov/lecl/planyourvisit/maps.htm

• University of Nebraska searchable library of the Lewis & Clark journals.  

  As you’ll see in the video, I included some journal excerpts to help people understand some of the source material. 

  https://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/

Admittedly, some of the lyrics are somewhat fictionalized.  I have no idea how Seaman and Pomp interacted, but I’m guessing they were probably best buddies.   I also embellished on the last set of lyrics about Seaman’s battle with the beaver.  The double meaning was just too much to pass up.

Lastly, I’m not a professional singer or musician. Be kind.

Lyrics to the Seaman Song (about the Lewis and Clark Dog) 

Verse I:
In Pittsburg Pennsylvania
Eighteen hundred and three
A pup would start his
Famous journey.

Near St. Louis
Eighteen hundred four
The young dog
joined the Discovery Corp.

He liked to hunt
And explore the trail.
He liked rabbits
And waggin’ his tail.

A hunter, a fighter
Loyal ‘till the end.
He might have been
Meriwether’s best friend. 

This is the tale of Seaman
The dog who explored the West.
This newfoundland found new land
And was the nation’s best.

Verse 2:
They started near St. Charles
And followed the Mighty MO.
To the Snake and Columbia
Rivers they would go

Lewis and Clark
Had Seaman by their side
When they marveled at the bluffs
And the Continental Divide.

He saw the Great Falls
And wintered at Fort Clatsop.
When they finally reached the ocean
They were tired and distraught.

This is the tale of Seaman
The dog who explored the West.
For this newfoundland to find new land
He was put to the test.

Verse 3:
He met the Chinook,
Mandan, and Blackfeet too.
But I think his favorites
Were the Shoshone and Sioux.

He loved Sacagawea
And lil’ Pomp, her son
Who would throw a stick for a lick
They really had some fun.

The Shawnee hoped to barter for him
But Lewis said “no way.”
They needed Seaman on their trip
To help find their way. 

This is the tale of Seaman
The dog who explored the West
And how Lewis almost lost him
To a Watlala theft.

Verse 4:
Now, he was a good retriever
But he never figured out
How to get around the beavers
Who liked to block his route.

Those beaver blocked his path.
Seaman couldn’t cross the dam
No matter now hard
Little Seaman swam

While Seaman was brave
He had a ghastly fright
When he wagged his tail on the trail
And got a beaver bite

Yep, the Seaman and those Beavers
They never got along.
Those beavers would not let him through
No matter how strong.

This is the tale of Seaman
And his dad Meriwether
And how Seaman and
Beaver should never play together.

Music Credits to The Seaman Song (the Lewis and Clark Dog):

(1) The music is a song called "Folk Bed" by Jason Shaw (audionautix.com) licensed under CC-BY 4.0. 

(2) The lyrics/vocals/remix were created by Lana Knedlik. The lyrics/vocals/remic are what constitutes the "official music video" (not the underlying music). 

Note: The starting point for the map is one available here:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lewis_and_Clark_Expedition_map.svg
Goszei, from original by User:Sardon
CC BY-SA 3.0

Copyright 2021 by Lana Knedlik
All Rights Reserved.

More on RVing in St. Charles Missouri:

To learn more about our time in the St. Charles area, check out:

Meet Me in St. Louis...for Biking and Beer

Meet Me in St. Charles...Again