After we got back home we had the floor in the garage coated so it would be easier to clean and maintain. This is a two day process where they grind the surface and fill the cracks. Then they spread a coating on the floor and spread paint chips on top, let it dry and on the next day they come back and spread a urethane coating to finish it off. Here are John and George grinding the floor.
Here is what the finished floor looks like.
On Saturday the 24th, Sandy and I left for Hayward, WI about 9:00 am to spend a week relaxing with friends and doing some crappie fishing. While I drove the motorhome Sandy drove the pickup pulling the boat. Saturday and Sunday were pretty nice but the weather went down hill from there until we left the next Saturday. We spent a lot of the time playing cards and dominoes with our friends Terry and Elaine. Sorry we didn’t get a picture of the action (by action, that meant Sandy and Elaine winning at “500” most of the time).
The crappie fishing was pretty good with lots of 10 to 11 inch fish being caught. We just did not have enough good weather to get out as often as we would have liked. There must be a difference of what I call good fishing weather now that I’m 64 rather than 34.
Here are a couple pictures of our campsite and me getting my gear ready to go fishing. As you can see the sites are pretty big. The fall colors were just beginning to show when we arrived.
I’m getting things ready to go.
Sandy taking in the view of the lake.
On the Saturday we left it was real foggy when we got up. This picture was taken after the fog started to break up. After a week of very cool weather the fall colors were really starting to come to life.
When we got up the fog was so thick I could not see my boat at the end of the dock.
Here are two Muskie fishermen casting to an island out in front of our camp site.
On Wednesday evening, Oct 5th, we went to see a great show called “Cavalia”. Cavalia was created by one of the original founders of Cirque Du Solei combining acrobats, aerialists and, most importantly, 42 horses of 11 different breeds. The show was presented under a beautiful white tent which seats 2,250 people. This was an amazing show and truly different from anything we have seen before. The horses, riders, performers, music and costumes were spectacular. We’re glad we went. No picture taking was allowed during the show.
Until next time,
Dave and Sandy
Ron and Jane have been thinking about getting kayaks for next summer. On August 30, after much coercing, Jane finally convinced Sandy to give it a try. Sandy is deathly afraid of deep water and it took awhile to convince her it was a safe thing to do. Ron and Jane had been in single kayaks before and thought they should try a tandem to see if their marriage could survive both being in the same kayak.
We rented the kayaks at the marina in Colter Bay on the west side of Jackson Lake in the Tetons.
Here is the happy couple on their way to try the “divorce maker”, another name for a tandem kayak.
Here we are at the marina all equipped and getting ready to take off.
Here Ron and Jane are being pushed off for the start of their “trial” run.
And here we are just leaving the launch site. These were 13 ½ foot kayaks that we used and they were quite stable and comfortable.
Off we go for a couple hours of fun and GREAT scenery. That is Mount Moran above our heads.
Look at that perfect precision paddling technique that Sandy and I have.
Oops. Maybe it’s not quite as easy to stay in sync as we thought.
It’s too bad that the pictures don’t do the scenery justice. It was fabulous gliding over the smooth water.
Ron and Jane started out steering with some difficulty. Then we noticed that Ron’s paddle was not aligned right.
So after fixing his paddle things worked much better.
I guess I spoke too soon. We ended up calling this the “dragonfly stroke” because it reminded us of dragonfly wings.
Aaah, much better.
No! the map says we need to go this way.
The end of the trip and we all decide to stay married. Although Ron and Jane have decided not to push their luck and will be getting single kayaks.
Now if you want to read a more entertaining version of the kayak foray, read Jane and Ron's RV Adventure under "My Blog List".
On the way back to the campground we spotted this black bear along the road.
On the morning of Sept 1st, Sandy and I joined our new friends Noel and Phyllis, whom we met through Ron and Jane, for a morning hike through the Laurance S. Rockefeller Preserve. This preserve is maintained with an endowment he set up for its continued operation.
If you ever get here be sure to go into the visitor’s center and visit the quiet room to the far right end as you walk in the entrance. It has a small sitting area and you can listen to the sounds of the Preserve.
These are our new friends Phyllis and Noel with whom we took the 3 mile round trip hike up to Phelps Lake. The trail winds though beautiful forest and streams.
This little guy ended up close enough to sniff my shoe, I still wonder why he took off running after that.
That is Phelps Lake behind Sandy.
This Speyeria coronis decided to take a rest and hitched a ride with Phyllis. Notice that it landed right on her “OFF” repellent gadget.
On the way back to the campground we saw this moose in a small stream. Thanks to Phyllis and her camera here are a couple of pictures.
Ron and Jane have taken up the habit of having a fire in the morning rather than in the evening as you get warmth from both the sun and the fire. At an evening fire you get burnt in the face and freeze your butt.
Here we are enjoying morning coffee by the fire. Phyllis, me, Jane, Noel and Ron.
Here are Ron , Jane and Phyllis who is dressed for winter on this chilly morning.
After morning coffee Sandy and I went out to the Grand Teton entrance from Jackson where we had better internet connection so we could post our last blog edition, Grand Tetons (Part one).
The next day, 9-2-11, Noel and Phyllis were kind enough to let us again ride with them on a sightseeing trip. This one was to see the Gros Ventre Slide which is supposedly the second largest landslide in the USA. In 1925 the landslide dammed up the Gros Ventre River and created a large lake. In 1927 the natural dam gave way and flooded the small town of Kelly killing six people.
Here is another case where pictures do not do justice to the scene. Also a lot of new trees are now growing on the slide.
On Saturday the 3rd we left our friends in Gros Ventre and headed to Wapiti, WY to spend that day with friends Brad and Connie. They were neighbors of ours before moving to the Cody, WY area a couple years ago. As we were leaving the campgrounds we spotted this Bull Moose just lying in the grass.
We saw a few buffalo in the Tetons as we were leaving. This was only the second time we saw Buffalo in the eight days we were here.
We drove through Yellowstone on our way to Wapiti.
Connie and Brad at their beautiful new house.
The view from their house looking west.
The view from their house looking SE.
Looking south showing the campground where we stayed that night.
This is looking SE with Buffalo Bill Reservoir in the back ground.
A picture of their house. They sure have a expansive view of the country side.
On Sunday the 3rd we drove out of Cody on US 14A to US 14 to cross the Big Horn Mountains. This route, 14A, has the toughest grades to climb but we did pretty well on them in the Lazy Daze. After the Big Horns it was on to Aberdeen, SD for a couple of days, then back home.
Yes, we are going uphill. It was a 10% grade for 10 miles.
This Syncline Thrust Fault was exposed when the road was cut. The fault occurred when pressure caused the layers to push up creating the non-conforming layers and the downward fold (syncline).
A couple pictures from Sandy’s Dads flower garden.
We are back home now so---
Until next time,
Dave and Sandy
