The troop continued its practice of making good time. The bus pulled out of the hotel parking lot at 8:50 this morning. John and I did not get out of bed until 7:30. Still, that was more than enough…
2011.01.16 We Survived A 24 Hour Winter Campout!
Brrrrrr…It got down to Minus 2 officially last night. I didn’t sleep very well, but it wasn’t the cold. In fact, my sleeping bag kept me quite warm all night. I simply do not appear capable of getting comfortable…

2011.01.15 North Wind: 24 Hours of Winter Camping
I was awakened by the sounds of one of the Dads in my room singing “Oh What A Beautiful Morning, Oh What A Beautiful Day” at 6:45. Surprisingly, the rest of the room did not chime in and sing…
2011.01.14 Mall Of America and Camp Arrival
The alarm woke me up at 6:45. My roommate, Mike, was already up & showered. After a quick shower of my own, we made our way to the hotel restaurant for breakfast. One of the amenities offered at our…
2011.01.13 Oklahoma to Minnesota By The Clock
8:00am It’s not too late, you know. I could develop a sudden stomach ache, or 48 hour bug. What lies ahead is only going to be the coldest experience of my life: 24 hours camping outdoors in Minnesota with…
2010.07.13 Driving through Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma, and Trip Recap
We pulled out of Walsenburg, Colorado, and I had the Rockies in my rear view mirror. On the road shortly after 8:00, with breakfast already eaten. This group of travelers was ready to chew up some highway. Miles entertained…
2010.07.12 Mesa Verde National Park
We were on our way to the Mesa Verde National Park by 8:15 this morning. By Day 11, packing your clothes and loading the car does not take nearly as long as earlier in the trip. The turnoff from…
2010.07.11 Canyonlands National Park
If you like to travel with your dog or cat, the LaQuinta in Moab is the place for you. We might have had the only two rooms that did not have a pet in them. We had never seen…

2010.07.10 Arches National Park!
Some say that “patience is a virtue”. I say “screw that”! Last night, when we pulled into Moab, we made a last minute change to our plans. We had originally intended to see the Canyonlands National Park today, and…
2010.07.09 Capitol Reef National Park
This morning, we visited yet another National Park I knew nothing about before we planned this vacation – Capitol Reef National Park. Our motel was only a few miles down the road from the Park, so we wasted no…