Category Archives: Exploring

Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo part II…

April 22, 2012 Troy 1 Comment

Out in the middle of this designated swimming/snorkeling area a stingray came flying above the surface and splashed down back into the water. I’ve read about this and heard about it but never actually saw it myself. Now the decision to stay dry didn’t seem as important. There was the possibility of swimming with stingrays again. After a few minutes of conversation and thought it was decided that we came all this way, we have the gear with us, let’s use it and warm up later. It’s not like the water was cold enough to produce hyperthermia … was it? So off to the car to fetch our equipment and change into swimming attire.

After getting set up to go into the water we got to the waters edge and then the cold hit. Motivation was waning. Another step in and stop to acclimate. Another step. And then another. Now I was in water almost to my waist and I wasn’t sure I could go any further. It had taken about 10 minutes just to get this far into the water. Knowing the afternoon was speeding by and time to leave would come faster than we wanted I was trying to push on and acclimate a little faster but my shivering was increasing in intensity pushing me to get out of the water. Finally I took another step into deeper water and stood there for a a minute or two more. The water kept moving higher on me taking my breath away with each wave. After deciding enough time had been wasted by slowly moving into the water along knowing there were sights under water that I was missing I took the plunge and dived in. It was painful and I couldn’t get above the surface fast enough to take in the warmth of the sun. Standing again for a minute or two I dove in again and this time took off swimming while looking for creatures of the deep (or at least underwater).

At first there were several small fish without much color but not a lot to view as had been mentioned other snorkelers. Swimming further out from shore I came upon a huge drop-off where the ground gave away and I could barely see a bottom. This caught me by surprise as a drop-off of this magnitude was not expected this close to shore. I couldn’t bring myself to go over the edge of this underwater wall because I couldn’t see the bottom. What if another stingray made its’ way to the surface and smacked into me? Or worse, what if something scared the stingray to the surface and that was still down there? No, I’m definitely staying where I can see what’s going on.

Continue on to the next post to read about the most spectacular experience of this afternoon….

Exploring, Florida Keys, Troy's Blog

Cap’s Place

February 11, 2012 Troy

Ft. Lauderdale is often thought of as a place with great beaches and yachts meandering the waterways in sunny South Florida however there is more there than just fun and sun. After a great day playing at the beach or enjoying a water taxi or two, a visit to a piece of history may be in order. Cap’s Place is a spot in history (especially since it is now designated as a historical place) This was a restaurant recommended to us as a nostalgic place showcasing a pieces of history and great food. We were not disappointed!

Our evening (Karen and myself – that’s right, a night out without the kids) began with a short drive to Lighthouse Point where we pulled into a parking lot with a few other cars and only houses around. There’s a dock which we walked onto and waited a few minutes enjoying the scenery all the while quietly wondering if we were at the right place. A boat pulls up to the dock and announces Cap’s Place. We stepped onto the boat, found our seats, and the boat began heading towards the restaurant. We were the only ones on this trip so a short private boat ride it was. During the 5 minute trip or so the captain explains some of the history of Cap’s Place. First off, it gets its name from the founder Captain Knight. He created a place for gambling and drinking when this was illegal. Cap brought rum in from the Bahamas and had slots along with card games to be enjoyed by its patrons. In order to keep these activities hidden, shades were used on the windows.

Our boat arrived as the sun was setting to our backs and it was on to the restaurant. There are tow buildings so it took a few moments to figure out which way we wanted to go. One houses a bar and the other is the restaurant. Finding our way into the correct building we were seating and the next portion of this historic but functioning place began. Our waitress explained that the food is still prepared as it was almost a century ago and that Cap’s Place is currently owned by his children who work hard to maintain its authenticity. Part of that authenticity involves the tables, chairs, and floor. The floor creaks as each person passes over it and the tables and chairs are cozy. Looking over the menu highlights many of the seafood entrees available. Many prepared with unique sauces of one kind or another. I had fish broiled and served with an amazing salsa created from a nice blend of peppers, pineapple, and spices. What a great compliment to the fish.

While enjoying this wonderful meal we had the privilege of witnessing the sky turn from various shades of red, pink, and purples to the darkness of night. After finishing our dinner, irresistible deserts where offered. How could we possible resist desert after that fantastic meal. Neither of us were hungry but the curiosity of the taste of their deserts prompted us to order more. We were not disappointed however after only a few bites we had to stop. I would love to tell you what we sampled but I have since forgotten – sorry. We did take the rest with us and enjoyed it a second time while driving to Key West the following day. As we were leaving this great place in history, we took some time to look at all of the memorabilia hanging on the walls teaching us of a time long before and realizing many well known people have enjoyed a meal here as well.

The night was going quickly and we wanted to return to our hotel and prepare for our next journey out to the keys the next morning. Otherwise, we could have meandered into the bar and continue to enjoy and learn more about this place and a time many years before us. Cap’s Place is not suited to everyone but if you are interested in stepping back in history with great food it is something you will not likely forget.

Exploring, Troy's Blog

The Sights and Sounds of Acadia

October 24, 2011 Troy


	
	
	


    
    
    
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A short video highlighting a few of the things to see and do in Acadia National Park. Enjoy!

Exploring, Troy's Blog, Twin Cities Adventures

The Best Parts of Exploring the Twin Cities Monopoly Board

August 6, 2011 Troy 6 Comments

What did we enjoy the most?

I always enjoy exploring and experiencing new things so that is my favorite part of being a monopoly traveler. The Minnesota Zoo is a fun place to explore for the whole family. It was nice to see the new Minnesota Twins Stadium along with the new University of Minnesota Gopher Football Stadium. One of the highlights for the Children was the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden where there are sculptures on a grand scale so that the kids can climb on them and play around. We were fortunate to be able to take in a Vikings football game and see the legendary quarterback Brett Favre. Like him or not he still was and is an exciting quarterback to watch.

One of the more memorable events of this trip was getting the picture of National Car Rental. The location we choose was at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport in one of the parking ramps. Not that there was a big choice as the only other location in the Twin Cities is at another terminal of the airport although it may have been easier to access. While entering the airport grounds we followed the signs to the car rental businesses and found National Car Rental. Now keep in mind that at an airport car rental businesses are designed for travelers coming off of airplanes and not arriving by car so there really is no place to park if you are not in a rental car. Well, at least none that we found. Since this is the case we drove by the first time trying to figure out where we wanted to take the picture and drove out of that level of the parking ramp. We were able to drive around the ramp and back to the National Car location but this time we had to decide where to park to get out and take a picture.

Finally we found a spot between a yellow line and a barrier and quickly got out of the car heading towards a National Car Rental sign. I’m quite sure this was not a designated parking spot but we only needed a few minutes so hoped this would work and we would be back in our car before we got a ticket, or worse – had the car towed. On the way to the sign a helpful employee asked if we needed help. We responded a quick no and kept briskly walking towards the sign that was half way across the parking ramp from us. The pictures were quickly taken while other customers and staff gave us wondrous looks and we were off back to the car. Fortunately the customers that were waiting appeared to be weary travelers so didn’t really give us a second thought. Ahh success! We took care of the picture taking and the car was still were we left it without a ticket. Now that in itself was memorable but it gets even better.

The Employee Encounter….

Exploring, Troy's Blog, Twin Cities Adventures

Twin Cities Adventure Continues….

July 30, 2011 Troy 4 Comments

Board Surprises Continued….

The most challenging location to travel to was Ultra Wheels by First Team Sports. Apparently this company has been out of business for a few years now and I was finding very little information. After researching for a little while I came across a blog which explained that the company was no longer active. A small plug for blogs. I was able to find the old address and this became our picture spot to fulfill our traveling adventure in the twin cities. As you can see, GRACO now occupies this building.

There were a few other surprises that provided some challenges. The first was the Radisson Hotel St. Paul. Apparently this has now become a Crown Plaza Hotel. This required us to make a decision as to how to handle this type of situation. Do we take the picture in front of the Crown Plaza Hotel which use to be the Radisson Hotel St. Paul or do we find another Radisson Hotel (the closest one to that location)? It was determined that we would rather have the Radisson name for that board property instead of the location and since this is a business with a lot of locations another location would be possible. That was basically the same logic in deciding to use Target Corp instead of the Macy’s Minneapolis landmark store. This decision made it easier to decide what to do for another property on the board – National Car Rental. National Car Rental use to have regional office space in the twin cities which it no longer uses. In keeping with the rules we decided upon, we found another location still in use which turned out to be at the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport and probably one of the most memorable locations for us to get a picture of on this edition.

Traveling the Twin Cities Edition of Monopoly would have been a great experience without all of these situations to adapt to. It is these decisions that make being a Monopoly Traveler an adventure. In addition to being an adventure, choosing to be a Monopoly Traveler in the twin cities provided some unrivaled family time that we can always look back on and share our memories of. By using a monopoly board to determine our destinations we have found some locations that we have not been to and will definitely return to. One in particular is the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. I have never been there and neither have our children but we enjoyed the time we spent together there and will return another time to take in a beautiful Minneapolis day.

People may look at us a little strangely when we tell them we are monopoly travelers but once you begin explaining why they usually begin to understand – Family togetherness, new experiences, adventures, and many memories to share!

For the next chapter click here….

Exploring, New Experiences, Troy's Blog, Twin Cities Adventures

Twin Cities Edition of Monopoly

July 23, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

This edition of Monopoly has been completed and provided a fun and interesting adventure. There are many memories with a number of discoveries to last us a lifetime confirming why we are Monopoly Travelers.

Why did we choose the Twin Cities Edition of Monopoly?

The twin cities is an area that we are somewhat familiar with as we have been in that area several times. We wanted to experience how difficult or easy it is to be a monopoly traveler in an area that we are familiar with and let us know how familiar we actually were with this area. Another reason for traveling the Twin Cities Edition was to help us find out what is required to travel other editions of monopoly in areas that we are not familiar with.

While I knew of virtually every location on the board, I have not been to many of these destinations and this provided an opportunity for us to experience places that were new to us. We had a great time exploring these areas along with revisiting places that we have not been to in awhile such as the Minnesota Zoo, Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, the new Twins Stadium, and the new Guthrie Theater.

Board Surprises

The Twin Cities Edition of Monopoly is obviously a promotional tool used to highlight some of the better known local businesses at least for 1997 when this edition was created. It was amazing to discover how many changes there have been in the Twin Cities since 1997. There were six properties that have changed names due to mergers or acquisitions and one property that has since gone out of business. These are the situations were research is essential in order to complete a board. In my opinion, deciding to skip a property because of a name change for some reason or other is not an option when traveling a board. Figuring out what happened and adapting to these changes are what makes being a Monopoly Traveler more of an adventure.

Some of the name changes were relatively easy to figure out such as Northwest Airlines and the Pillsbury Company. There have been numerous news stories highlighting Northwest’s merger with Delta Airlines and the Pillsbury Company being purchased by General Mills. Even finding out where to go for Dayton’s was not very difficult but deciding among a few different options took a few minutes. Dayton’s Corporation has become Target Corporation and the Dayton’s brand was ultimately changed to Macy’s so we had to decide if we wanted to find Target Corporation or Macy’s. As it turns out we visited both but took our picture in front of Target Corp’s Minneapolis headquarters since it is a Minnesota based business and the traveling adventure we were on was highlighting the twin cities. We walked by the old Dayton’s Minneapolis landmark retail store which is now a Macy’s landmark retail store.

Minnegasco has now become Center Point Energy and U.S. West is now Qwest and again these were not terribly difficult to research but without looking up these board properties, we would have not been able to complete this edition of Monopoly. The last business to change names was National City Bank. M& I Banks acquired National City Bank in Minneapolis which provided a little more of a challenge because upon first discovering National City was no longer in business I found PNC Banks had acquired National City Bank late in 2009. PNC Bank has no current presence in the twin cities so further research was needed. After looking a little harder I found that M & I Bank had acquired the Minneapolis location providing an opportunity to seek out that board property.

To read more click here….

Exploring, National Parks, Rocky Moutain National Park, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies (part III)

June 25, 2011 Troy

For the second day in Rocky Mountain National Park there were two ranger programs of interest and a few animals that had eluded us of which we wanted to find if possible – moose and big horn sheep. The first ranger program was at Lily Lake and highlighted wildflowers that were in bloom around the park. It was great to find out what some of these beautiful flowers where that we had been seeing while exploring different areas. Towards the end of the program our ranger mentioned where a few orchids could be found in bloom sending us off on a minor expedition to see if we could find one. After a short time walking there they were! These orchids were only visible to those that were looking and had an idea of where they were otherwise they are well adapted to the environment and somewhat difficult to spot. This stop at Lily Lake provided a great view of Longs Peak, the tallest peak in RMNP. Our next program of interest was again a 30 mile drive to another area in the park so off we went with enough time to stop for lunch.

This program highlighted elk and the habit necessary for them to survive. More great information about elk and their seasonal migrations along with what is being done at RMNP to keep the herd sizes at manageable sizes. Some of the controls included adding fencing to certain areas to allow plants re-grow and establish while keeping elk out reducing some of the food available. A short hike going through areas that elk like to feed and drink where a part of this program. This hike meandered into the fenced off area allowing us to see plants re-growing and how much grazing by the elk has diminished available food. After the program we inquired about the best places to see moose and big horn sheep allowing us to focus on certain places to provide the best chances at achieving this goal. With that information in hand we were off. Along the way there were a few waterfalls that we wanted to see which were somewhat larger than those we had already viewed.

One of these waterfalls was located on Old Fall River Road which is a one way gravel road that winds narrowly up the mountainside. There were times I was uncertain if this was a good idea as the road winds back and forth with the edge not far away. Drive carefully or you could be going over the side and taking a ride you were not prepared for. Just before this road there is a picnic area with a small trail that heads towards a very tall waterfall hidden deep in the trees. It is difficult to see the entire fall but still very beautiful for the parts that you can see. Continuing on to Old Fall River Road towards Chasm Falls, you begin to feel like you are in a secluded area as the road is gravel and narrow with trees sheltering much of the passageway. The only reminders of civilization are the number of other adventures traveling this road and paved trails at certain overlooks. This waterfall reminds of the power that water has as it moves and carves large boulders to shape the river. It can almost be imagined the millions of years it takes to really change this landscape just by the size and placement of certain boulders as you explore along this waterfall. As you continue this drive you wind up one side of the mountain and then cutback heading towards the other side of the mountain meandering slowly higher while catching a quick view of a snowfield higher up or a larger stream created from melting snow. Eventually this drive brings you above the tree line allowing you to see how far you have climbed on this winding old road and how close you have moved towards the top. Shortly after reaching the tree line, Alpine Visitor Center is back in view. This drive takes awhile but is well worth it if you can overcome the fear of driving so close to the edge of the road where the drop off could be 100’s of feet below and take in all that is around you.

To Read More Click Here ….

Exploring, National Parks, Troy's Blog

Climbing the Rockies (part II)

June 19, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

While exploring the displays in Alpine Visitro Center, some other explorers entered telling park rangers that a Wolverine was spotted not that far away. I rushed outside in hopes of catching a glimpse of this rarely seen animal in RMNP without success. Not really knowing what a wolverine looks like I perused the displays until I spotted a photo of one. Listening to park rangers tell about wolverines was interesting and hearing their thoughts on why this one was wandering around proved fascinating. Their theory was this wolverine was looking for a mate and that if one was not found soon it would head further north out of Rocky Mountain National Park. While keeping an eye out in the area where the wolverine had recently been spotted we scanned the scenery where deep snow fields blended with areas of brown indicating where the snow had just retreated from a day or two earlier. Areas where the snow had melted several days before where already green as plants had begun there quick summer season with other plants not far away blooming. It was interesting to see this summer progression of the snow receding and giving way as life returned to the hillsides.

We decided to grab something to eat at the cafeteria located near the Alpine Visitor Center before proceeding on with our adventure. After a few moments of rest and eating we headed off to climb the Alpine Ridge Trail which would end up being the highest elevation we would reach during our time in RMNP. This was a short trail with a lot of climbing requiring us to move slowly as the elevation provides less oxygen making breathing more difficult. Park recommendations are to reach your summit by early afternoon as lighting becomes more likely later in the day so we were in a little bit of a hurry in order to avoid being at the top of this trail during the mid and late afternoon. Another great view of the mountains which surrounded us! From here you can see where the Colorado River begins its journey towards the Grand Canyon along with so many other mountain peaks. Heading back down towards our vehicle we spotted several dark clouds heading our way but we managed to get to the top and back down without experiencing lightning first hand at the top of a mountain.

On to find the trail that takes a spot on our National Parks Edition Monopoly Board – Flattop Mountain Trail. This required driving over 30 miles to Bear Lake to reach the trailhead leading to our targeted destination. During this drive there was once again incredible scenery from all of the flowers blooming along the roadside to rapidly flowing rivers. I found several types of flowers I would like to add to my yard someday. It is a little more difficult to create all of the snow melting into rivers in my yard so I just need to enjoy the photos and memories for now. Once Bear Lake was reached we headed for the trails and began ascending towards our objective. This was a short 2 mile hike with the intention of staying below the tree line so as to avoid any possible threat of lightning. As we reached Flattop Trail we took a few moments to rest and take in the surrounding of stones, trees, and the occasional critter wandering in the forest. It was starting to get late in the day and we were tired after all of our hiking and exploring so the decision was made to descend back to the car and return to the lodge for food and a good nights sleep.

To Continue reading more click here ….

Exploring, National Parks, Troy's Blog, Wind Cave National Park

Going Underground in Wind Cave (part II)

April 30, 2011 Troy 3 Comments

The elevator doors opened and there was a small, cool room waiting which had been created out of concrete. There was a door leading into the cave with a small flag attached near one of the crevice. That small flag would show which direction the wind was blowing caused by the change in pressure from the surface to the cave. This cave is always attempting to equalize the atmospheric pressure from within to that on the surface creating a wind either entering or exiting. At the time of our entrance into this cave the flag was standing away from the door indicating the pressure was higher inside and was trying to escape to the outside. As we waited for everyone in the tour group to arrive inside these close quarters, my mind began racing and a trapped feeling crept in knowing that the only way out was through that elevator which was at the top of the shaft for the moment. The walls appeared to close in and panic was felt climbing into my head. Quickly I started work on calming down with the exercises I had rehearsed many times before this moment. I was in a parking garage under a building I was familiar with. Immediately my mind relaxed a little and in no time the ranger opened the door leading us into the cave. Shortly after getting into the passageways amazement took over and the claustrophobia was gone never to return in Wind Cave.

The cave was cool as it stays at 53 ⁰F year around requiring the use of light jackets but not as dark as I was anticipating. These main passageways that we would be using were very well lit in most areas so we could see where we were going and cave formations. It is unbelievable how large some of the rooms are inside and the passageways didn’t feel tight at all. I was in complete adventure mode as I had never experienced anything like this before. Sure growing up there would be caves to explore but those were merely a place to hide without much more. The colors and formations of these rocks where unlike anything I had imagined. It was now understood how people could spend days exploring different areas inside of caves to uncover mysteries that no one else had discovered. To see something never seen before in the world would be incredible. I don’t think caving would be for me but to see inside some of the easier passageways was incredible. Some of the rock formations such as boxwork, popcorn, and crystals encountered along with the huge boulders hanging overhead provided an amazing experience. There was more than once that the thought of one of these rocks falling entered my mind. Just a quickly a reminder that these stones have been in place for a very long time and the likelihood that they would fall at just this moment was probably less than being injured in a car accident or even being struck by lightning.

There were hundreds of stairs built into the passageways of Wind Cave allowing us to descend into some passageways and ascend into others. Over the course of our tour we changed altitude by 150 feet giving many different perspectives of these rocks and the forces that created them. Some of the rooms were so large that houses could fit inside with room to spare. These rooms made it easy to forget about being hundreds of feet below the surface. It was difficult to keep hands off of these rocks as much as possible because there were crystals or boxwork within touching distance. However, the importance of not touching was presented before entering the cave due to the potential for degradation from either the rocks breaking or oils from our skin deteriorating the minerals that make up these formations. Our tour wound in and out, up and down, and through these cavernous passageways with only a small number being small enough to sneak through. The end of the tour arrived and left us wanting to see more another time. As we exited the cave, that flag that was blowing out of the cave and changed directions and was now blowing into the cave indicating a change in pressure so that the atmospheric pressure outside the cave was now greater than inside. Back into the small chamber to await our elevator ride back to the surface with nothing but memories to last a lifetime to occupy our thoughts.

To continue click here….

Badlands National Park, Exploring, Troy's Blog

Beginning in the Badlands (part III)

April 16, 2011 Troy 1 Comment

The afternoon sun was beginning to wear on us. Fortunately we had placed a gallon of water in the trunk with a few glasses in order to keep hydrated. After our early afternoon ranger program, Lysa and Kristy wanted to climb the hills. I was ready for some rest so we retrieved our camp chairs from the car and watched as both of the children climbed up and down different hills. The air was getting a little stagnant from our seating area. There must be some movement in a different location so off I went in search of a breeze. The beautiful thing about our chairs is they fold up quickly and stow in a bag containing a strap for easy mobility. I began exploring different areas, climbing up and down just like the kids but for a different reason. Finally I found a satisfactory location – on top of a butte. This must have seemed a little weird as other families were stopping and taking pictures of me in my chair resting on that butte. You know you’re doing something right when you’re purposefully added to another family’s photo album. We continue to laugh about this to this day.

Off to our final ranger program of the day as we continued to explore more of this great park. At this point the Lysa and Kristy were beginning to grow tired of walking and the thought of another mile stroll through the prairie was not an exciting idea. Being the troopers that they are, they accepted this final program although there seemed to be more resistance than I was happy with. There celebrating began as this program came to an end and it was time to return to the hotel. Of course, the return trip required us to drive back through much of the Badlands prompting a number of stops that were of interest on the way to the visitor center. The sun was beginning its nightly journey towards the horizon leaving us before we were ready. As a result our stops became fewer and quicker while we traveled back to Wall. A brief stop for another meal and then back to the hotel for some much needed rest before continuing our journey.

Absolutely a great start to our adventure around the monopoly board!

For more photos click here ….

Gaining Life Experience