Off Road Exploring

Today was a beautiful day, although a little chilly, temperatures in the 50's. So it seemed a good day to go exploring the mountain area around Breckenridge . . . as long as we were near the Blazer as the wind could be a little biting. Carole stayed back at the condo to watch some old movies while Ron, Holly and I went "Off Road Exploring".


Several miles South of Breckenridge, we found the McCulloch Gulch Road, which led us up into the mountains in an old gold mining area. The area was beautiful with the bright yellow fall color of aspen leaves contrasting with the dark green of the lodge pole pines.

As you can see in this picture, it was a partly sunny day with blue sky and white fluffy clouds. Pretty as a picture! Even if the wind was a little cool.







Between 10,000 and 11,000 feet elevation, we found an old trail which we followed four-wheeling in the Blazer for a mile or so before it narrowed considerably with brush closing in on us. At that point, Ron and Holly had to go exploring on foot.
















We did find an old mine but were warned by signs of it being a very dangerous place with unstable timbers, poisonous gases, and unexploded explosives. Those signs were enough to cause us to stay clear of the mine shaft, but it was an historic place in the middle of some very pretty scenery.
















When we returned to Breckenridge, we had worked up an appetite so, since Carole loves Chinese, we all went to the Red Onion Chinese restaurant for dinner. It wasn't the best Chinese, but it was the only Chinese restaurant in town. Next time after "Off Road Exploring", we'll settle for hot pizza and a cold beer!

Fishing the Blue

Carole decided to stay at the condo while the three of us went fishing. Ron, Holly and I drove north of Breckenridge to check with a National Forestry Office concerning public access to the river. We also stopped at another fly-fishing store where we picked up a few new flies, a couple of maps and fishing licenses.


We found what looked like a good spot along the Blue River and got our lines wet. If you will click on the picture to the right, you will see me in the orange shirt in the foreground and Ron is further upstream with a white shirt on. It looked like the perfect place to be fly-fishing for trout.

The weather was nice, perhaps 65 degrees and the sun was shining with almost no wind. Nice day for fishing. However, it was not a nice day for catching.







In the pictures below, that's me on the left and Ron on the right. A perfect place to fish!


















Ron was the only one to catch a fish . . . and it was nothing to write home about. In this picture of his catch, he was trying to hold it closer to the camera so it would look larger, but even that didn't help. The baby rainbow trout was returned to the stream.

We later learned from a local resident that this time of year, trout aren't hitting flies as the stream is full of dead insects and the fish are looking for something different. The local resident told us this was the time of year trout bite best on salmon eggs.

Now why didn't either fly-fishing store tell us that? I guess they just wanted to sell flies!

Maybe that's why they call it "Fishing" and not "Catching".

Shopping In Breckenridge

This was another bright sunny morning, so we decided to walk down to Main Street and check out some of the many interesting looking shops. But first Holly had to have her morning Cappuccino, so we stopped at a small coffee shop as our first stop and sat in the sun at an outdoor table on their lawn. That was a nice way to begin our Main Street walk "Shopping in Breckenridge".


Then we proceeded to wander through numerous shops and, of course, pick up a few things along the way. The shops were all very nice with a lot of really nice stuff as well as a lot of touristy junk . . . plus an endless variety of t-shirts with all kinds of printed witty sayings and slogans. Holly bought enough for everyone, so the rest of us just enjoyed the shopping.


















We walked along the River Walk for some distance and appreciated the scenery and fresh air . . . what little there was of it! By the time we got back to the condo, we were all gasping for air!

We enjoyed an early dinner of shrimp salad, then decided to go looking for some spots along the Blue River north of town where we could go fishing tomorrow. While we were shopping, we had stopped by a fly fishing store for hints on where and how to fish. We had enough "Shopping in Breckenridge". Now it was time to locate our fishing spot for tomorrow.

Exploring Breckenridge

We awoke to a beautiful sunny morning with the sun shining on the snow-capped mountains outside our bedroom window. Following a simple breakfast, it was time for "Exploring Breckenridge".

To get my bearings, I thought it best to first drive around town just to see what's here and where everything is. Carole elected to let me first go exploring in the Blazer my myself. So I drove around town and discovered a Main Street with many interesting shops to explore and many interesting places to eat. The Blue River, a fast mountain stream, runs through town following Main Street. They have a very interesting river walk behind the shops on Main and a large plaza type area in the center of town.


















Away from Main Street, I found massive big lodges and resorts, several still under construction. I was also surprised at the large number of fairly new huge homes scattered on the mountainside. Most of the homes appeared unoccupied, so I assume many are only used during ski season or on weekends. Another example of some people just have too much money . . . but it is fun to see how the wealthy people live.

This picture is a single family home, not a lodge or resort. Just a weekend cabin in the mountains!





After getting my bearings, Carole and I then decided on a trip to the grocery we had been told about on the far north end of town, so we decided to do our shopping for the week. While we were at the grocery, my brother, Ron, and his daughter, Holly, called to tell us they were about 5 minutes away (yes, we were expecting them), so we invited them to stop by the grocery on their way into town then follow us to the condo.

It was good to see them both. They will be staying with us for the rest of the week and we expect to have a good time together.

So much for "Exploring Breckenridge" today, but there's lots more we want to see and do in the next few days.

Into Thin Air

As we continued our trip, I couldn't help but think of the people who complain that Kansas is so flat and boring. Yet Eastern Colorado between the state line and Denver is even flatter than Western Kansas . . . and there's nothing there . . . not even wheat fields. All you see is dry grass and a few head of cattle.

But as we passed through Denver and headed into the Rocky Mountains, the scenery changed dramatically. I am awestruck every time I get into the Rocky Mountains, the scenery is truly breath taking. The Interstate climbed to the Continental Divide through the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel, then dropped slightly in elevation to our exit. We then drove South through the valley which parallels the Ten Mile Range into Breckenridge. We had driven through a light rain much of the way, but the scenery was still awesome.

We checked into our assigned condo unit which is a two bedroom, two bath unit. Both bedrooms and both bathrooms are on the second floor. The living, dining and kitchen is on the first floor. But the best thing about our unit is the view from our balcony as seen below.

















We immediately felt the effects of the altitude of 9,600 feet. We walked one block to a grocery store and returned to the condo gasping for air. I opened the mustard bottle we had brought with us from Kansas and it literally exploded all over my shirt because the Kansas air pressure was so much higher than the lower air pressure in Breckenridge.

Gasping for air, we turned on the TV and sat down to rest. We realized we had driven "Into Thin Air"! We'll look around Breckenridge tomorrow after we catch our breath.

On the Road Again . . . Allegro-Less

We had the opportunity to exchange a timeshare week for a condo in Breckenridge, Colorado, and thought it was time to get out-of-town. We have the condo for a week, so this morning we got "On the Road Again . . . Allegro-less". That is, we left our motor home, the Allegro Bus, setting in the driveway at home and headed for Colorado in the Blazer . . . a new experience for us as all of our travels for the past several years have been in "The Bus".


We passed through hilly Eastern Kansas covered with corn, soy beans, and pasture; the large rolling hills of Central Kansas, covered with mostly grazing lands and the tall grass prairie; into flat Western Kansas, where you can see for miles and the wheat fields stretch to the horizon, as pictured here.

The weather was bright and sunny with temperatures in the 80's the whole day . . . a boring but quite pleasant drive . . . a day of listening to the radio and CD's . . . with an occasional glimpse of an antelope herd.





We stopped for the night about 55 miles short of the Colorado state line at Colby, Kansas, where we checked into the Quality Inn. We were so surprised at the cleanliness of this motel, the very nice facilities, the extremely pleasant "American" staff, and the elaborate free morning breakfast. It was certainly a very nice experience.

So our first experience overnight "Allegro-less" was very pleasant. Tomorrow morning, we will be back "On the Road Again . . . Allegro-Less" for the remainder of our trip to Breckenridge.

Kyle's 17th Birthday

My grandson, Cindy's oldest boy, Kyle, turned seventeen years old today . . . and what a fine boy he is (of course, he gets that from his grandfather). The family gathered at John and Becky's home for barbecue and birthday cake. Rachel Adams, Cindy's long time Nanny was also there to celebrate with Kyle.

The barbecue was from Oklahoma Joe's and the ice cream birthday cake was from Baskin-Robbins . . . with seventeen tall candles.

Happy Birthday, Kyle!

Greg Returns to Guam

I guess it's true that as they say "all good things must come to and end". I drove Greg to the KC airport this morning for his return to Guam. However, we have been blessed with his second visit home this summer.

We played golf, ate steak, went shopping, talked a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed each other for the few days we had together. We didn't have time to go fishing, so we'll have to plan that for next time.

Have a safe flight, Greg. We are already looking forward to your next trip home.

The Big Screen

The Kansas City Chiefs home opener was today. John and Becky invited Carole, Greg, and I over to watch the game on the big-screen HD TV in their lower level family room. We couldn't turn that down, especially since it was the season opener at home, at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and against the hated Oakland Raiders.



That's Sam and John on the floor, Greg and Luke on the couch. What a comfortable setting to watch football on "The Big Screen", especially with the snacks and cold beer John provided.

However, the Chiefs lost again! This is the second week in a row they were leading late in the game, but still found a way to lose.

Sam, the Football Player

John and Becky's 12 year old boy, Sam, decided to play football this fall instead of soccer. He signed up on the sixth grade team in the Blue Valley League. His team, the Eagles, is sponsored by the Ascension Catholic Church and they have all the necessary equipment for games and practices, as much equipment as a high school.

I went to a game they played on a local middle school field and was amazed at how good those sixth graders are. Most of the kids executed their assignments quite well. The quarterbacks were pretty good at passing, the receivers caught most passes, and the kids were reasonably good at tackling.

Of course, they committed a few infractions, for which they were penalized, such as off-sides, illegal use of hands, and blocking from behind. But all in all, they were surprisingly good.


In this picture, Sam's team, the Eagles, are in green. Some of the boys on the opposing team looked pretty big for the sixth grade, but maybe they're repeating the sixth grade for the second time around.

"Sam, the Football Player" is playing at left tackle, number 48.

The Eagles lost the game, but I thought they played well anyway.








Here's "Sam, the Football Player" after the game standing between my son, Greg, and I. Sam was tired and I'm sure he will be sore tomorrow. But that's the life of a football player.

That's my daughter and Sam's Mother, Becky, in the pink top coming up behind us.

Nice game, Sam!

Greg Returns

My son Greg came home today for another short visit. He had a business meeting in San Diego, so was able to come home again. He will be here for only four days.

He was last home in July, so this is a rare treat as he usually only gets home from Guam once a year or less. But we'll enjoy having him here . . . when ever he shows up.

End of a Visit

This morning, we drove Carole's sisters, Dee Ann and Janey, to the Kansas City International airport. Their visit came to an end and they returned to their home in California.

We enjoyed having them here for a week. It's just too bad we live so far apart that they only have an opportunity to see each other infrequently.

Have a safe journey home, girls.

Madison's Birthday

Today is the 15th birthday of my granddaughter, Madison Crowl . . . John and Becky's youngest daughter.

I'm sorry to say I was involved with dinner for Carole and her sisters from California on their last night in town and I missed Madison's party of pizza and cake.

I apologize, Maddie, but Happy Birthday!

Church Basement Ladies 2

After church service in Hillsdale this morning, we drove in to Overland Park to The New Theatre Restaurant, where the musical comedy, Church Basement Ladies 2, was playing. Carole and I had seen Church Basement Ladies 1, and thought it was a wonderfully funny performance. We just had to take her sisters to see the sequel.

















Although we attended the Sunday afternoon matinee, the buffet was great, as usual. We have previously attended evening performances, so this was our first matinee experience. I expected the matinee buffet to be lighter than at an evening performance, but they laid out the usual big spread and variety of really outstanding dishes including beef, pork, chicken, and seafood with numerous side dishes. The desserts were outstanding too.


That's Dee Ann, Janey, me, and Carole finishing dinner before the show. At The New Theatre Restaurant, you stay seated at your table during the performance so you can continue with drinks or finish up your dinner. Desserts and any additional drinks are served at your table during the intermission.









The play starred Barry Williams, of The Brady Bunch fame. Four actresses accompanied him in this very humorous musical comedy. All of us enjoyed the show very much . . . and the food and drinks were awesome.

I recommend The New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park, Kansas, to everyone who may have an opportunity to take in one of their performances . . . and enjoy wonderful food.

Dancin' in the Livin' Room

Carole, her two sisters from California (Janey and Dee Ann), and I were sitting in the living room talking and watching Carole's Saturday night favorite, PBS programs on TV, when PBS suddenly started playing "Big Band" music from the '50's.

It must have stirred some memories as Janey jumped to her feet and started "Dancin' in the Livin' Room".


It wasn't long before Carole couldn't stand sitting still and she had to join Janey, then the two of them were "Dancin' in the Livin' Room" . . . and giggling like a couple of school girls.



Soon Dee Ann joined the fray and they were all "Dancin' in the Livin' Room".

. . . it sure brought back a whole lot of memories!

Carole's Birthday

There's more to 9/11 than remembering the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center. That's also Carole's birthday.

Carole wanted to be pampered a little on her birthday, so DeeAnn and Janey took her to the beauty parlor in Spring Hill, Kansas, to get her hair done and also get a manicure and a pedicure. Carole came back "all smiles". While they were gone, I put a couple of chickens on the rotisserie, then mowed the front yard between basting the chicken with Caribbean Jerk.

When the chicken was nearly done, we put on corn-on-the-cob and prepared a salad. We all then enjoyed a nice Birthday Dinner. After dinner, as I was getting ready to light the candles on Carole's birthday cake, several neighbors rode up on their golf cart carrying bouquets of flowers for Carole.


Charlie Choate and Ed and Bev Dingus joined us in singing Happy Birthday to Carole before she blew out the candles. We all then had a piece of birthday cake.












Carole then opened her birthday cards and her present, diamond earrings to match her bracelet.

Following that, we all adjourned to the back deck where we talked and laughed ("The Girls" giggled) for a couple of hours. Carole had a very nice birthday.

Happy Birthday, Carole . . . and may you have many more!

No More Dogs?

Last year when Carole and I had to put down our dogs, her 17 year old Lhasa Apso Kissyfur and my 13 year old Lab Maggie, we agreed we would have "No More Dogs". However, Carole has found that commitment to be difficult to endure. She loves every dog she sees.


So, to ease the commitment, I got her a new "dog", Colby. Meet the newest member of our family shown here.

Colby will be easy to care for, but I don't think Carole will accept Colby as a replacement for either Kissyfur or Maggie for very long. I don't know how long we can keep the commitment of "No More Dogs" . . . but time will tell!

Three Sisters

Carole's two sisters, Mary Jane (Janey) Jones and DeeAnn Graham, arrived from California this afternoon. The sisters don't have an opportunity to get together very often, so Janey and DeeAnn flew into town to help us celebrate Carole's birthday on Friday.

Carole and I picked them up at the Kansas City International Airport where I had them pose for a quick picture of the "Three Sisters". Left to right: Janey, Carole, and DeeAnn.

As might be expected, the subject of food came up immediately. I guess the "Jones Girls" are as bad as the Davis Family. Every time someone gets together, they have to eat. So, on the way home from the airport, we stopped at Panera Bread for soup, salad, and a sandwich.

I know the "Three Sisters" will have a good time while they're here . . . and it started as soon as we got in the car. The three of them started giggling like a bunch of school girls.

Welcome to Kansas City, Janey and DeeAnn.

Labor Day

We did nothing all weekend until late Monday afternoon when we went to the Crowl-Moore home (John and Becky's) for a Labor Day get together. As usual we all sat around with a drink in hand solving all of the world's problems . . . interspersed with lots of discussions about the grand kids accomplishments and activities.

John grilled shrimp and salmon. Becky prepared a salad. We baked a corn casserole using a recipe from Cindy, which she said she had obtained from her in-laws, the Moores. I thought everyone would be excited having "Cindy's Corn Casserole", especially her boys. But no one remembered "Cindy's Corn Casserole", claiming her recipe was completely different. I guess she must have had more than one corn casserole recipe.

Oh well! The dinner was good and we all enjoyed a nice relaxing, quiet Labor Day.

Blue Valley Soccer

The Blue Valley Soccer Club in Johnson County, Kansas, conducts a variety of soccer activities for kids. One of these is soccer leagues and tournaments. Many of my grandchildren play in these leagues and their teams frequently participate in some of the tournaments. This weekend, the team of my youngest grandson, 10 year old Alex, played in a Labor Day Weekend Tournament.

They lost their first game, but won their next two. I watched the game they lost, so I guess I'm not their "Good Luck Charm". Alex is in white wearing number 15 in the photos below.


















The tournament was played at the newly opened $31 million Overland Park Soccer Complex. I read about this new facility in the newspaper, but this was my first opportunity to see it up close. I was amazed: 12 full-sized soccer fields, which when cut in half for younger players, provides 24 soccer fields. The whole facility is covered with an advanced artificial turf of a type I've never seen.


The blades of "grass" are about an inch long. Then they spread little rubber pieces of ground-up auto tires on top of the turf, settling down between the blades of "grass". Alex scrapped up a handful of those little rubber pieces shown here.

When a soccer ball hits the turf or when a player pivots or makes a quick turn, a little black cloud of these rubber pieces "poof up" like a cloud of dust.

Development of this type of artificial turf is sure an improvement over artificial turf fields I've seen before. It's actually soft and bouncy to walk on. I guess that's what $31 million will buy.

Home from Paris

John and Becky returned home from Paris today. I picked them up at the airport and took them home. The kids were all so excited to see them . . . and, of course, to receive the things they brought from Paris for each of them.

I know I will enjoy the bottle of French Bordeaux wine they brought me from Paris.

Welcome home, John and Becky. The kids all missed you (so did I). I'm so glad you had a wonderful trip, but it's nice to have you back!