Category Archives: Travel Blogs

The Longest Cave

May 17, 2014 Troy 1 Comment

The longest cave in the world is found in Kentucky with over 365 miles of explored caves to wonder and get lost in. Although if you’re not an experienced cave explorer than you have to be escorted inside because it would be too easy to get lost and not be found for a long time as so many of the passageways look the same. Fortunately there is also a lot to explore outside of the cave as well with almost 80 miles of trails to hike and the Green River in this 53,000 acre national park.

Mammoth Cave National Park is not on our National Parks Monopoly Board but has been a destination of interest for us and this spring we had to opportunity to join some friends and visit this cave. I get a little nervous before entering any cave due to claustrophobia but after going in Wind Cave and Jewel Cave I’ve learned that these caves are so enormous, especially where the tours are, that I forget I’m underground in a cave most of the time which allows me to take in the surroundings and enjoy the cave. I recommend getting to Mammoth early in the day as the tour tickets go fast at this popular National Park.

The pathways are fairly easily managed and there is plenty of light to navigate by, once your eyes adjust, while being led through the tunnels by a ranger. Just be prepared for a lot of stairs. There are several tour options available which take you to different parts of the cave and highlight different formations and the historic events that occurred in certain areas such as mining saltpeter which is used for gun powder and holding church services during the hottest times of the year. We chose to take the Historic Tour as our introduction to Mammoth Cave.

After meeting at the predetermined location we began walking towards the historic entrance which was all downhill for us. Following a brief talk covering the rules and guidelines inside the cave we headed down a long staircase going inside the cave. There was a set of doors to go through and we were inside this dark, cool, and damp maze. I was surprised to be underground exploring a cave this quickly. My prior experiences all required an elevator to get inside the cave and yet here we were. It was hard to see much making the lighting seem rather dim. As it turned out, our eyes just needed to adjust as moments earlier we were in the sunlight. Once our eyesight was adjusted for these cave conditions, it was much easier to take in these unique surroundings.

This two hour tour goes up and down, sometimes with stairs and other times just on a dirt path. It winds around boulders and man made structures used at different times during the many uses of Mammoth Cave. In some of the areas there are names written on the walls and ceilings from before becoming a National Park. There are naturally carved areas larger than most houses and tiny narrow openings that only one person can squeeze through in this winding system of tunnels. These passageways were all carved out by running water which continues to make new areas even today. Just at lower levels. Such amazing sights and beautiful formations to remember because photos are difficult and a tripod is not allowed on the tour. I just set my camera on a rock or the floor to keep it as still as possible to get the best pictures I could when there was time because the group was stopped. Otherwise you could fall behind and that was not a pleasant thought.

Without lights it would be so dark you couldn’t see your hand right in front of your face. And when there is no one else near you it is so quiet all you can hear is a loud high pitched buzzing coming from the moving parts in your ears as air moves over them. Even with all the people on the tour there can be a sense of loneliness in such a large rock structure and a fear of getting lost in these numerous caverns. Good incentives to stay with the ranger leading the group and continually counting everyone that started this tour with you. After walking for about 2 miles you begin to see familiar stones again with daylight soon after. The tour is complete. Ready to do it again?

After being below ground for a couple of hours we decided to explore above ground for awhile to take in the scenery and an amazing spring day under the sun. The rock formations here are also beautiful and help translate to the rocks below ground. The main difference is that these rocks are subject to the harsh elements of the Kentucky climate such as wind and rain and snow and ice. There are plants growing all around breaking these enormous boulders into smaller rocks over time. All of which either does not occur underground or in lesser amounts. Plenty of this to climb on or around if you’re young enough. For the rest of us, the trails are relatively easy to navigate so everybody can enjoy time wondering through the woods and catch a glimpse of the Green River which is largely responsible for the depth of the tunnels inside Mammoth Cave by controlling the falling water levels over many thousands of years. Amazing how these different environments work together to make such a creation.

Alaskan Adventure, National Parks, Troy's Blog

The Chilkoot Trail

April 26, 2014 Troy

When first looking over the destinations on our Monopoly Board, this was the location I was most concerned about getting to. A trip to Alaska didn’t seem to fit our reality. First of all, we see enough winter in Minnesota do we really want to see it during the summer? There have been a multitude of people raving about how great it is to explore Alaska. Do we really want to experience the sun 24 hours around the clock? The wilderness of this area is often portrayed as a dangerous place with the rugged and steep mountains along with the wildlife that call these areas home.

As we began to experience some of our Monopoly adventures and visit areas that could be considered dangerous because of the landscape and/or the wildlife, I began to look forward to our Alaskan adventure more and more. These areas can be dangerous if you decide to approach them in a dangerous manner. Otherwise, they are as safe as almost anywhere else. And the life experience you gain from exploring Alaska is incredible. On to the next destination on the board – The Chilkoot Trail.

I would have never known about this historic and beautiful trail if it hadn’t been for our Monopoly Adventures. The trailhead is near Skagway, Alaska so we had to get here and figure out how to get to the trail from Skagway. An Alaskan cruise was the choice of transportation to this town so now we needed to figure out how to get to the trail. Fortunately there are a couple of car rental places in Skagway, an Avis and Sourdough Rental. For a little more information on our choice check out A Day in Skagway. We could have taken an excursion from the cruise line that would have taken us to the trail but they weren’t appealing because of the portions of those excursions that were in addition to the trail and the cost would have been a lot higher.

The Chilkoot Trail gained it’s fame from the Klondike Gold Rush. Those in search of gold would travel with heavy packs 33 miles into Canada and on to the gold fields. You can read more about the history of this trail here….

Along the way we learned more and more about the use of this trail before ever arriving here. That made the significance of being on the same trail that thousands have taken for different reasons even more important. We only had a short time to explore the Chilkoot Trail so we hiked for about a mile or two and turned around. While on this short hike we imagined what it would have been like carrying heavy packs up and down the mountain stepping over rocks and tree roots with a careful step because the trail can get very slippery due to the high amount of rain this area receives. All of these elements combine to make a beautiful tapestry which keeps encouraging you to go further.

I am so thankful that this was on our National Parks Monopoly Board so we could experience this adventure!

Photography Experiment, Troy's Blog

Sunsets

April 12, 2014 Troy

Ahh, sunsets. Like so many people, this is one of my favorite subjects to photograph. Looking through any number of posts on this website you will no doubt come across some of my pictures. In Peter’s photography experiment post on sunsets (located here…. he focuses on tropical sunsets. More specifically, sunsets over the ocean. Who doesn’t like a good tropical ocean sunset photo. There are photos of this subject all over the place. I have taken many of these myself and will likely take several hundred or even several thousand more myself in the future. However, most of my sunset opportunities are far away from any ocean so I have to practice in different situations.

Peter writes about the importance of composition in taking a good sunset photo and that applies to any sunset photo. Just a photo of the setting sun in the center of the picture is certainly not as interesting as capturing some of the surrounding landscape and inviting the viewer into the setting. Fortunately Lake Superior is much closer to me and can photograph similar to the ocean providing a place to practice. One of the differences is the lack of nice sandy beaches but many of the rock formations can more than make up for this in creating interesting sun sets. Another opportunity for practice comes with the sea of snow often available. Sun sets are different with a snow covered landscape for a couple of reasons. First, sun sets occur earlier in the day and happen substantially faster. Second, the reflection off of the snow provides a different lighting, and thirdly, there are no leaves on many of the trees allowing different silhouettes to outline a landscape.

During this past winter, when the polar vortex affected so many, there were a number of great opportunities to practice sunset photography. The above picture was taken one evening on a last minute decision to go out and watch the sun set because the clouds were creating a beautiful canvas while the sun traveled through them. Unfortunately those clouds also covered the sun right at sun set. Still, the way the light bounced off of the clouds provided for an amazing opportunity to practice my photography. This was at a local park and as I traveled around the park the sky kept begging for more pictures as the clouds and colors changed and intensified so naturally I obliged.

Stopping at a frozen over lake, I watched the final moments of daylight vanish as the light continued to change the look of the landscape all the while. My camera kept snapping photos, changing the composition of each shot in an attempt to learn attributes of a great composition. During the winter in the Midwest, the sunset colors are different than the summer or in the tropics. Whether it is do to lack of the growing plants, the snow covered landscape, or the angle of the sun, I don’t know. But I do know it is just different, the reds are more pronounced in the clouds creating a striking contrast to the blue sky.

After the sun had set there were still amazing colors floating around in the sky. Taking a few pictures over this lake I was just moving around in the snow and wanted to try a low angle shot. Using my boot I started kicking away the snow to make a place for the camera to capture this low angle. By accident the snow was firm enough to create these snow balls so I decided to try and add these into the photograph. Setting up the first shot, the snow balls definitely added to the overall composition by providing interest in the foreground. Maybe centered is not the best placement though. Let’s try moving them to one side. That helps! Instead of focusing on the snowballs by putting them in the center of the picture, moving them to the side allows the viewer to look past them and returns the focus onto the colorful clouds. Composition definitely plays a part in the quality of a photograph in the winter as well.

Travel Preparations, Troy's Blog

Drive or Fly

April 7, 2014 Troy

This is a question asked quite often when preparing to travel somewhere assuming you can drive to that destination. This is a question that has come up while preparing a vacation from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Louisville, Kentucky which is about 700 miles and takes about 10 1/2 hours to drive plus stopping time. So what are the factors that determine whether to fly or drive?

First, how many people are traveling? If you’re going with 1 or 2 people than flying can be just as economical as driving but if your party is 4 or 5 people it gets to be a different story. Let’s take an average airfare cost of $378.62 as reported by Airlines for America in 2012 and the average per gallon cost of gas in that same year which was $3.60 per gallon according to this CNN/Money article. So at these prices, driving 700 would cost you $228 in fuel at 22 miles per gallon round trip driving your own vehicle.

Many people choose to rent a vehicle for a trip like this to keep these higher miles off of personal cars. Lets use $65 per day for a standard size car from this USA article. For a week long vacation take that $65 per day X 7 days which gives us $455.00. A car rental and fuel cost would be $455 + $228 = $683. Two airfares would cost $757.24. Not much difference in price but quite a bit of difference in time since a direct flight lasts about 2 hours plus airport time. Can you drive this distance in one day or do you need a hotel stay? That can add another $130 per night to the bill depending on the type of hotel you would choose to stay in. Obviously traveling with 3 or more people shifts the economics to driving.

Another consideration is how much time do you want to take travel to a destination? Vacation time is a premium and are you willing to spend 3 or 4 days driving or do you want to spend that time at your destination? Sometimes the trip to the destination is part of the adventure allowing you to see the sights along the way. I do enjoy seeing different parts of the country from the car. From palm trees to mountains to prairies. Plus there are always some intriguing tourist areas to visit while traveling. Be careful not to indulge in all of them otherwise you may not actually make it to the final destination before needing to head back.

Taking these factors into consideration I’ve determined that 750-800 miles is as far as I’m willing to drive right now since I can do that in one long day. My family include 4 people so there are that many airfares so it is not all about the economics that I’ve made that decision. I do spend some time to get cheaper air fares using credit card points and air miles programs combined with watching airfares and booking when prices are less. The bigger deciding factor for me is the amount of vacation time available. I like to spend my time exploring a the final destination and anything more than a days drive takes away from that. In all fairness, I do usually drive about 1,500 – 2,000 miles during a weeks vacation while exploring this destination with a rental vehicle.

Other people that I know drive to as many of their destinations as possible and there are others that can not fly for different reasons so driving is one of the few options left. How far do you like to drive on vacation?

People to People, Troy's Blog

A Student Ambassador–The Memorabilia

March 23, 2014 Troy

The time for the next student ambassador to embark on her journey draws nearer and preparations continue for her adventure to Europe. She’s had a few informational meetings which include things like discussing their planned itinerary, meeting the other delegates going on their trip, and appropriate dress and behavior while traveling in Europe. During some of these preparations I’ve come across a few of the souvenirs from my student ambassador experience.

The top photo includes several of the documents from my Eastern Europe adventure such as the itinerary, passport, list of other student ambassadors, and the code of conduct of a student ambassador. It’s been fun to look over some of these documents recalling that journey and the people I shared it with.

This middle photo is of the currencies I collected from most of the countries visited. Some of these currencies no longer exist. A number of these countries have changed over to the Euro such as Germany and Austria. Czechoslovakia and USSR no longer exist so neither do those currencies. Isn’t it interesting to see all of the changes that have occurred in this region in the last 25 years. What will the next 25 years bring as borders are being questioned in the Ukraine today?

A sample of the beverages drank while in different parts of Eastern Europe. They certainly bring back memories of my visit to different areas of Eastern Europe and the people I share those memories with. There are other souvenir’s such as shirts, flags, and gifts from homestays which complete this collection and serve as a reminder of an adventure that has impacted my life for the last 25 years. These items bring excitement for what my daughter will experience and the influence it will have on her life.

Photography Experiment, Troy's Blog

Moon Photos–Photography Experiment

March 15, 2014 Troy

It’s time to continue on with the photography experiment. Taking pictures of the moon is not something that I’ve really wanted to do but is something that I tried while taking pictures of sunsets and stars. Using the information in Peter’s post about moon photos, I can attempt to take better pictures of this subject. Here are a couple of my attempts. The first one above was taken shortly after sunset so the sky was still pretty light making the exposure easier to get right for the moon.

This next one was taken a little while later as the darkness grew around the moon. I thought it was interesting to see how the sunlight displays the moon surface with the mountains and valleys which are evident in the uneven shadows. Also, the entire moon is visible in this shot but can be a little difficult to see. Exposure was a little high to really get the details of the moon in this shot. I’m sure I could work with it using editing software but the point of the experiment is to improve the actual taking of the photo.

Playing around with the exposure a little I got this cool moon burst. This was from changing the aperture and leaving all the other parameters (ISO and shutter speed) the same. I also like the lens flare and how it accents the moon burst. While this might be an unique way of capturing the moon, I don’t know if there is a good use for this type of shot. If so, I haven’t found it yet.

There was a partial eclipse of the moon on the night this photo was taken. I actually planned out parts of this night of moon shots. Earlier in the day I researched when the moon rise was and how that would relate to the timing of the eclipse. From that I looked over different places to photograph the moon. Once I chose a spot, I used Google Sky to determine where the moon would rise so I could set up the tripod and get the camera ready. There where many practice shots while checking over the settings. Finally the sun had set and it was time for the moon to rise. Cold was dropping in on me causing me to shiver making it a bit more challenging to make adjustments to the camera but that’s part of the fun isn’t it? Looking just below the top of the trees you can see the moon. Time to go to work. I was hoping to catch some nice moon reflections in the water at this location.

Right as the moon was getting above the trees, clouds moved in preventing clear moon photos right away. I wasn’t certain how long the clouds where going to cover the moon but figured I would wait awhile just in case. Finally the moon was rising higher in the sky and began to clear the clouds leaving a reflection in the water. Just what I was hoping for. Now where’s the eclipse. Where I was the eclipse had a very minor impact on the moon this night. You couldn’t really tell there was one actually. I continued to take pictures trying different shots and exposures. I never really got the correct exposure out in the field. This one is still overexposed to see any details in the moon.

While trying different exposures I did capture the moon burst again. I thought that was kind of interesting as it reflected in the water. In the moons reflection, fog was beginning to float across the water. Unfortunately it didn’t get as pronounced as I was hoping for once I saw it beginning to form. It was interesting to see it form at the shoreline and travel across the water.

In the photo below I wasn’t actually intending on photographing the moon. This was by accident while traveling in the Olympic Mountains in Washington. The purpose was to capture stars in a dark setting but, not doing my homework first, the moon changed that. Just as the sun set and the stars began to shine I had the camera set up and was about to begin shooting away when the sky lit up. Turning around I cold see a full moon rising over the mountains. So much for star pictures. The way the clouds where swirling in the sky lit up by the moon I decided to change my focus a little and take photos of the moon. Still a little overexposed but I wanted to get the clouds and the mountain in the picture so I wasn’t exposing just for the moon. More practice is needed for my moon photography. Eventually I’ll get the exposure right.

Alaskan Adventure, Exploring, Troy's Blog

A Drive to the Yukon

February 16, 2014 Troy

It is often said that it’s the journey that’s more important, not the destination. In this case I would say both were amazing. While stopping in Skagway, Alaska (see post: A Day in Skagway) we chose to rent a car to tour the sights. It was more economical than taking a tour and offered more freedom to see the sights we wanted to take in. From Skagway you take the Klondike Highway out of towards Canada and let the amazing views take over from there. Ultimately our destination was Carcross, Yukon with the option to continue a little further into the Yukon if time permitted

The day started shortly after arriving in port on our cruise ship with walking to the car rental shop and picking up our car. It was a dreary morning with fog covering the mountainous landscape and providing a slight mist from time to time. Weather is certainly a consideration in this part of Alaska which receives on average 27 inches of precipitation a year and cooler temperatures combined with drastic changes in elevation. As we began our climb into the mountains the fog became so heavy it was difficult to see much of the road and certainly the views were drastically reduced. Eventually our route brought us to the Canadian border and a stop at the customs facility. Remember to bring your passport if you decide to take this potentially scenic drive.

At this point we pulled off the road to get out of the car for a few minutes and discussed whether we should continue on or not. If all we’re going to see is clouds covering the mountains then maybe our time would be better spent returning to Skagway and exploring some of the sights in that area. I’m sure from the top photograph you can tell what we decided. Our decision was to continue on a little further and see how things looked. The clouds and fog were a little lighter here than they were when we started, let’s see if it gets any better down the road. What did we have to lose? Very soon after getting back into our cars and continue down the Klondike Highway the skies cleared opening up the magnificent views.

Warning: if you decide to go for a drive into the Yukon from Skagway, pay attention to the road. There are so many distractions from the landscape that you could forget you’re driving for a moment. If you’ve never seen an area like this before, be prepared for your senses to be overwhelmed with the beauty. For the next several miles to Carcross, all you could hear in the car was “look at that over there!” and “did you see that?”. But the most frequent sound was “WOW!”. Every corner in the road brought a different view that was just as beautiful as the last just begging for another picture. That’s if you can remember you have a camera and decide to give up a moment of these views to look through it. Unfortunately most of the photos are disappointing compared to the actual views which is fairly typical of most landscape pictures. Still, you have to try. A majestic mountain over there, a waterfall right near the road, or a lake that continues for miles.

Soon we came upon our destination and stopped for lunch in Carcross. At first there was little conversation as we were all still taking in the surroundings here in the Yukon. As we approached Carcross there were signs for the Alaska Highway. One of my friends had taken a trip through this area many years earlier and described the amazing sights. I couldn’t imagine them very well at that time but now here I was in the same area seeing some of the same sights. For a short time I contemplated foregoing the rest of the cruise and just continuing on to take in more of this area. The consequences were greater than I was willing to take on so back to the days plan it was.

After lunch it was decided there was enough time to continue on towards Emerald Lake just 8 miles up the road before turning around and heading back to Skagway. This lake is not very large but it is extremely colorful and doesn’t look like it belongs among the mountains. It belongs in a tropical paradise somewhere else. There was a larger desire to climb down to the lake and just test the water with a toe to confirm it’s too cold to jump into. Taking a glance at the time told us it was time to head back to the cruise ship without needing to rush giving us more time to look over these vast vistas on the way back.

Our return trip came with a few stops along the way to take in a view or two and then came the U.S. Customs stop requiring another view of your passport. As we continued on down the mountain we encountered the views missed earlier that day because of the heavy fog hiding them. Some of the areas were probably ok to miss as the drop a short distance from the road was steep and endless unless you got caught up in a grove of tree tops keeping you from a terminal drop to the bottom. Most of the missed views were a continuation of the incredible sights we’d been fortunate to see much of the day.

If ever there was a place to help relieve the stresses of the world, this is definitely one of them. Although I don’t think the winter time would be as enjoyable simply because of the driving on snowy roads. I’m sure the views, however, would be just as magnificent if not even better.

Photography Experiment, Troy's Blog

Low Angles

January 5, 2014 Troy 4 Comments

What better way to kick off the new year than by continuing on the photography experiment, I’ve been working on using a different perspective for some of my shots – a low angle. Playing around with using low angles has really helped change my perspective when trying to setup a shot. Fortunately there have been some amazing sunsets recently encouraging me to get out in the cold and snow to play with the camera. The photo above caught my attention as the sun was rising higher in the sky one morning reflecting on some freshly fallen snow. A perfect time to practice a low angle to see if I could capture the scene in a little different view. I really like the leaf and it’s shadow in contrast to the white shimmering snow and the detail this angle presents. Centering the leaf in the shot probably was not the best choice but that’s what practicing is for, right?

While the sun was setting one winter evening I loved how the clouds and colors were interacting giving a beautiful view. Taking several pictures of the surrounding landscape at the normal photographic view gave some nice photos but something we’re used to seeing. Trying something a little different such as a low angle shot provides a little different picture. I’m undecided if I like the sky in the background out of focus or not. Using a low angle meant I could either focus on the sky or the snow but not really both. While out practicing I didn’t take multiple shots changing the focus and then deciding which I liked better. I guess there’s a reason to get out again and spend a little more time changing the focus. Ultimately this picture highlights the clouds and colors in the sky more because all of the mid-ground elements are hidden putting the sky against the snow.

Changing locations I tried this technique again to see how it would look at a different perspective. Walking out on a frozen lake covered in snow I didn’t like how the picture looked while placing the camera at snow level. It wasn’t low enough to capture enough of the snow covered lake. Fortunately the camera I use has a flip screen so I can see how things look before taking the picture. To try and improve things I kicked out the snow to get the camera lower giving a more balanced picture. At least I thought it did. As a side benefit some of the snowballs from kicking out this snow gave some great shapes to enhance the overall shot. In fact, I believe they make this photo. Without them the whole scene loses something. It becomes a little boring to me even though the clouds were reflecting off some great color in interesting shapes. Again, the snow is out of focus and I’m uncertain if it should have been more in focus. More to practice with on the next outing.

Low angles aren’t just for a wintery landscape. While in Victoria, British Columbia this past fall this couple wanted their picture taken in front of the Empress Hotel. Unfortunately the best photo opportunity is from the sidewalk in front of the hotel which is fairly close to the hotel. The choice is to cut off part of the hotel or part of the couple unless you’re using a wide-angle lens which I don’t currently have. Wait, a low angle just might provide another option which is what I used hear. A low angle shot can be for more than just a different perspective I guess. A technique definitely worth using. There are very few pictures using it that I found uninteresting.

Family Ramblings, Troy's Blog

2013 in Review

January 1, 2014 Troy

It’s always interesting to look over the last year to see where you were so that you figure out where you’re going. We choose what point we call a year in order to do this. It doesn’t have to be when the year changes. Maybe there’s an anniversary of something meaningful or another date in the year that makes more sense for you. Most people decide to do this as the year comes to a close on the calendar and a new one is beginning. I guess mentally it gives us a sense of finality and an opportunity to start fresh with the change of a number in the year.

Questions I like to ask are: Did the goals set get achieved ? If so, were they beneficial goals? Was there satisfaction in achieving them? If not, why not? Should those goals be extended another year? Where there other achievements that weren’t set as goals but happened anyway? How did those unexpected achievements affect you? There are a number of other questions you can use to analyze the year and how you used it but these will get me started.

My goals for 2013:

-Complete the Photography Experiment Monopoly Board

-Explore Olympic National Park

-Cruise to Alaska traveling through Glacier Bay National Park and hiking on the Chilkoot Trail.

-Share these travel experiences with others creating life long memories they can reflect on.

Well, how did these come out?

I completed over half of the Photography Monopoly Board but have yet to finish it. I will continue this in 2014. While working on this I got involved with photography so much that I spent quite a bit of time out and about taking pictures. Just to give you an idea of what I’m referring to, I took over 55,000 photos in 2013. While this seems like an incredible number to me, 48,000 of them are from a time-lapse project covering our entire Alaskan Cruise. That leaves 7,000 images taken while working on photography this year. Still a lot of images to go through for a year. Many of these are not great pictures but I still like looking through them as they remind me of the adventures taken in order to get the images. As I’m sure you can imagine there are a number of really nice photos as well. Just the laws of probability suggest that if you take enough pictures, some of them will turn out. This has created an unexpected issue for me. How do I display the number of images I really like? There are too many and not enough wall space. This photography experiment will continue into 2014 because it has helped me improve and I enjoy it a lot.

We did explore Olympic National Park and were joined by 5 other family members as we did so creating some wonderful memories while learning some great information. Also, the Alaskan cruise taking us through Glacier Bay National Park and to the Chilkoot Trail was accomplished. There were a total of 14 friends and family on that part of our adventure, 7 of which had never been on a cruise before. There are a couple of posts yet to come from this trip. So, all in all, 3 out of the 4 goals were accomplished. Why is sharing these experiences a goal of mine? I love seeing and doing things I’ve never seen or done before. Probably the only thing that I enjoy more than that is to watch others as they experience new things. These adventures don’t mean much to me unless I can share them. As an example, while working on photography I found a nearby park reserve that offers many opportunities for some great photos. There have been numerous trips there this fall with many more coming I’m sure. Only a handful of times has there been someone with me. It is those few times that stand out for me more than the others because I get to share that with the people who have been with me.

Some unexpected achievements this past year include a couple of trips to the North Shore of Minnesota along with a few weekends camping with friends. One big one was the opportunity for Lysa to go to Europe during the summer of 2014. That one has definitely altered this next year for all of us both economically and time constraints.

Moving on, what are some goals for 2014?

-Finsh the Photography Experiment Monopoly Board

-Explore Gettysburg, Edison, and the Lewis Falls Trail

-Share these travel experiences with others creating life long memories they can reflect on.

-Send Lysa off on her own European adventure

May you have new life experiences in 2014 and find some great adventures!

Family Ramblings, Fiction, Troy's Blog

On This Christmas

December 24, 2013 Troy

I can’t go any further! How can I stop? This little girl needs to get somewhere warm. We’ve been walking all night in this freezing weather just to keep from freezing to death. I thought I heard someone say it was going to be one of the coldest nights of the year with temperatures below zero. The feeling in my hands and feet left several hours ago. Sara has been shivering for hours. How could we possibly go on? She hasn’t had anything to eat since yesterday at the shelter. I wish they would have had a spot for us so Sara could be comfortable on this Christmas holiday. Just a little bit further. There is a mall near. I just need to get her inside for awhile.

Look at all these people hurrying to finish their Christmas shopping and get home to be with their families. Oh how I would love to be with family but they’re all gone now since the fire destroyed our house and took my mom and sister with it. And then a car accident killed dad a few years ago on his way see Sara at the park. I just don’t think I can go on. Resting in this snow bank wrapped around this child I can feel the snow and cold slowly taking our life. Is there a reason to resist any longer? Of course, she deserves better than this. I need to get up and move again. Just a few more steps. But nothing seems to move.

Ah warmth. Are we dead? I pry my eyes open to see someone has put a jacket around Sara and placed a blanket around me. Why is this person helping us? With the glow above he must have been an angel. There are sounds coming from his mouth but I can’t make out what he is saying. Finally I hear “eat?” and know this child needs some nourishment to continue on. So I accept the offer and with his help get Sara and myself into his car. What a glorious feeling of heat! Still unsure of where we are going I look back towards her and see a small amount of color entering her cheeks. For a quick moment I feel a sigh of relief and offer a prayer of thanks for this angel sent to help us in this time of desperation.

Arriving at a nearby sandwich shop I can begin to feel my fingers tingle. Something I have not felt in hours. Unsure if this was a kind person or cruel individual, we order something to eat. Maybe he should have left us. It would probably all be over now. Has his kindness just extended our misery? A little bit of heat will make it torturous to trudge back into the frozen white earth for another night of wandering just to keep some life. This must have been our fortune at this moment so I will take in some food and get Sara all she can eat to prepare for this night while I continue to figure out what we’re going to do.

Steve began to talk, asking us questions about where we’re going and how we got there. First asking Sara for her name and how old she was and offering the information that he has two daughters of his own. After finding out we had no where to go, he eagerly invited us to stay with his family on this Christmas night. I could possibly accept. He has done so much already and how could I face new people while wearing the same clothes for the last week and in bad need of a shower. No, we just need to get through tonight and hopefully a place will open up at the shelter. We’ll be ok I promised myself. Ouch! what’s that. Hey I can start to feel my tows again. I didn’t think I would ever feel those again. By this time Sara had taken off Steve’s coat and began to bounce around a little as the heat and nourishment entered her body. My face started to get a little wet as I realized we couldn’t give up. She has so much life in her.

After declining a few more offers to join Steve and his family he made another offer. A night at a hotel to recuperate. How could I possibly accept this? Beginning to again turn down his generous proposal I looked at this little child and realized I could not decline again. Hesitantly we joined him in his car and drove towards the nearest hotel. Holding Sara close I could see this gentleman talking with the person at the front desk and then another person entering the lobby. After several minutes Steve was escorting us to our home, carrying Sara, on this Christmas Eve. Unlocking the door, we entered a beautiful room with a bed for Sara and one for me. With all this space I couldn’t tell if this was a dream or if it was really happening.

Sara was laid in her bed and fell fast asleep. Steve wished us a “Merry Christmas” and disappeared through the door. I didn’t know how to thank this kind and generous person. Without him I would not be able to hold my little child again. Just as I was about to take a soothing bath there was a knock at the door. Oh no, it was too good to last. Will we need to leave this place? Slowly answering the door it was Steve again holding several packages. He quickly placed them near each bed explaining which ones where for Sara and even left one for me. Again he wished us a Merry Christmas and disappeared again.

With tears beginning to fill my eyes I glanced towards this beautiful sleeping child and noticed his jacket. Grabbing it I raced down the hall towards the exit to catch this angel. I met him near the door and offered the best hug I could thanking him for saving us tonight on this Christmas Eve. Tears were rolling off of both our faces as we waved good bye. I could hear Christmas music playing in the lobby which I hadn’t noticed before. That helped complete a day I couldn’t have imagined. Better get back to Sara and wait for her to awaken Christmas morning with gifts to open. Yes, Santa brought us both more than words could describe!

Exhausted I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer. Soon I began to dream – of a house for Sara to grow up in, people to share our lives with, and angels watching over us. A new beginning On This Christmas!

Gaining Life Experience

Category Archives: Travel Blogs

The Longest Cave

The Chilkoot Trail

Sunsets

Drive or Fly

A Student Ambassador–The Memorabilia

Moon Photos–Photography Experiment

A Drive to the Yukon

Low Angles

2013 in Review

On This Christmas

Your Board of Adventure