Welcome to Cannonville, Utah!

Hey Mel, I was thinking of you when I took this picture because of your expression, 'well I'll be dipped'. These formations kinda look like they've been 'dipped' too! This evening we did a 'death walk', as the kids call it, (AKA a hike) to Mossy Cave and a waterfall. The cave itself was cool but we couldn't enter it as the path ended just inside (it wasn't very big) with a railing and a substantial drop.

There have been many questions from the girls with regard to the type of wildlife that we may see... or that may bite, sting or eat us. We were told that the scorpions only come out at night and that if we were to have a black light the scorpion would show up as if it were shiny. We're not going to get to see one I guess... cuz we're not going out at night and don't have a black light. Simple as that. Personally I'd like to see one - or to be able to SAY that I saw one and naturally I'd like a corresponding photo to go with that adventure.

The purpose of our .4 mile walk to Mossy Cave and area was so we could see the sun reflecting off the hoodoos. When the sun came through the clouds I was too amazed at the beauty to remember to snap the picture but trust me, it was pretty. Maybe if it's a clearer night tomorrow we'll try again. And, maybe this time I'll remember to capture the picture.

Check out the right side of the formation - the narrow piece helping support the larger piece. Spectacular.

Safe in Provo Utah

Hello Fam & friends! God has again provided safe travels for us as we ventured from Dillon, Montana to Provo, Utah today. Several crazy drivers decided at the last minute that they simply must be in front of us at the last minute. We discovered something else today - signal lights seem to be optional. It's like a game of surprise - here I am in the lane beside you now tada, I'm right in front of you! It's all good though - Scott is a great driver.

We had a long drive today at just shy of 6 hours. The mercury hit 34... it's days like this (already) when I wonder if we planned this trip with too great a distance but we'll see how we feel when we've taken it all in. Tomorrow we head to Bryce Canyon at Cannonville, Utah for 3 nights. Our drive is a mere 3.75 hours. YAY!

I spotted this jeep (the #1 choice of Patton during WWII) at the campground we left this morning. The guy driving it told us that he and his father did a 100% rebuild on it last summer - took them 5 months! Under the hood you'll find a 6 cylinder flat head engine (sounds impressive huh? Ya, I have no idea what that all means either).

Driver's side

Imagine driving down the street in Calgary in this! There is a large shell (above) on the front grill and a gun each on both sides as well as one strapped to the back. Oh, and one in the backseat. CPS may have a few questions...

We noticed the topography begin to change today with more shale like colors being exposed in the mountains. This one was cool because of the spike atop the edge.

Look at these beautiful girls - I just couldn't leave them off the blog! My niece's kids - Anna, Julia, Elizabeth & Claire are joined by Emily & Kaitlyn.

Photos!

We left from Idaho this morning and it was sad to have to part with the McKellars. We had such a great week with their family! Perhaps next year they'll join us for a longer adventure? (Tonight we're in Dillon, Montana - tomorrow brings another longish day of travel as we move on to Provo, Utah.)

It was quite something to see an inflatable pulling another but it worked excellent! Anna, Julia, Emily, Kaitlyn & Craig each had a turn (or 2) being pulled on the tube. Each did great!

Em wasn't as thrilled by the idea as some of the others but she did a stellar job especially over the waves.

Karen & Claire got in on the action of seeing the deer up close. I don't know if I've mentioned yet that this campground is on a wildlife preserve so the deer were mostly tame, especially if you had food. I watched on deer help itself to the leftover ribs, beans, broccoli and watermelon bits left outside a trailer in an open garbage can. Surprisingly, these fellas aren't overweight.

An Island View sunset. These were very common and so beautiful!

Katie is giving the deer a scratch behind the ears. I didn't see as many this year as we have in prior years but this is the first year that we saw the fawns. Such a treat!

This photo was taken at Fort Steele - this is where we spent Canada Day. This guy had gotten out of his pen but was willing to eat, by hand, the grass that was 'greener on the other side'.

Emily smooching a Clydesdale.

Anna & Katie were up front with the wagon driver giving him a few pointers.

last day in Idaho

Well the sun is STILL shining and we're trying not to get any more burnt. Okay, Scott's burn is just about sunk in but I've got a little peeling going on. I had no idea it was as hot as it was but thankfully the girls had sunscreen on and did fine. i've been wearing tshirts since the 4th to protect my shoulders.
Todays forecast is 33. No complaints though. Tomorrow we leave for Dillon, Montana and then to Provo, Utah. Following that we're at Bryce Canyon x 3 nights. It will be a dramatic change from where I sit now (lakeside again) but that's okay. I think this is the only lake we'll camp at on this adventure - it's among my favorites.
The 4th was fun. We did the parade in Clark Fork - where else do you watch grown men shooting rifles into the air while following the Sherriff's vehicle? The girls each had a dog to walk in the dog show at the campground. The competition was stiff - 3 labs took top 3 positions! We then participated in the Island View Olympics - I have new ideas for our Johnston Family reunions... the campground puts on a potluck in the evening and the food pickin's are excellent. Scott set off fireworks on the dock that night with Steve, the owner of the campground. We then headed toward Hope where we watched an amazing phyrotechnics show.
We took it easy on the 5th but yesterday we did Silverwood. A great time was had by all at this 1/2 waterpark and 1/2 amusement park. While we were walking/swimming the lazy river - typically done on a tube - Kaitlyn had dove under a waterfall and ended up pinned under a double tube. I saw her right away and the tube got off while I picked her up. It all happened in only a few seconds but it scared her all the same.
This morning the girls have already been out on a tube pulled by Craig's inflatable boat. Craig had a turn getting pulled too.
We're having techical difficulties in uploading photos but I remain optimistic.
Ciao for now.

On our way!

Hello friends and family! Today I'm sitting lakeside at Pend Orielle Lake (pronounced Ponderray) and listening to the water lap at the dock. The water is higher than usual... okay that's a little lax, the owners have never seen it this high before - and it means that the dock needs some serious repairs. We can walk on a portion of it but in some spots a board will be missing and in others, one wing of the dock is gone.
When we left Calgary we spent 2 nights with Dean & Jennifer Siewert, formerly of south of High River but now living just west of Cranbrook. It was a great place to camp and such a nice time of visiting. We did Canada Day at Fort Steele and had a BBQ that night at the home of Karen & Craig's friends, also in Cranbrook.
We arrived in Idaho yesterday and are settling in nicely. This campground is a little more squishy but everyone is so nice and comes back year after year. It's good to see everyone again.
Tomorrow is Independence Day and we're looking forward to those festivities too. Scott picked up a large quantity of fireworks which he'll shoot off tomorrow evening prior to the campground owners shooting off theirs and then we head into Hope to see yet another display. The past 2 times we've camped here we've been with friends who have a boat and they've taken us to the bay near where the fireworks are being set off. It's a great view and it's just cool to be in a boat when it's about dark but to watch the reflections of the colors on the water is really neat.
Well I'm hoping that my supper will be ready if I head back to the campsite now... I may have timed it just right. Scott offered... and how can I deny him that offer?!? :)
Oh, one more thing. Kaitlyn ate sushi last night. She caught the fish herself, let it swim in the bucket a little then popped it into her mouth and it was gone. In more ways than one. I should mention that the fish was less than 2" long and you could almost see through it. All the same, when she threw up about 5 hours later she was pretty sure she could see it in the toilet. :) I don't think she'll eat fish like that anytime soon.
Happy trails!
Oh - I have been taking pictures but thought it best to get a note on this blog before I got too far behind. They're coming - you'll have to watch for them.

School's Out!

Hello sports fans. Well the 'nucks may have lost their bid for the cup but the Lions are already showing their game faces. Our family is ready to 'play' too! 73 nights of summer break is officially here for the girls and on Thursday Scott and I get to join in.
We'll be hitching up the trailer and spending 33 nights 'camping'. I always use that word loosely cuz it's not much like the camping I did as a kid - usually in the backyard with my comics and a flashlight, sleeping cozily in a tent... A good time. The last time I slept in a tent it was alongside the Kootenay River in BC. Scott and I were enjoying our 2nd 100km rafting trip down the river - it took 3 days and good times were had by all. The food was amazing! The tenting time prior to that one was hard to forget... yup, I incubated an ants nest; eggs and all. The person who set up the tent for my cousin and I accidentally (I want to believe that!) placed it on an ant hill. Over the course of the next 3 nights they entered the tent and yes, my sleeping bag. I don't want to think about it anymore. Yuck.
Positive thoughts... back to our July adventure. 6 States, 3 Cities, a few lakeside spots and some a little more unlike the areas we have here in K-Country.
I've asked Scott to ready his laptop so we can attempt to keep the blog up to date on our adventures. Watch for more soon!
Have a great summer!

Time slips away

Once again time has gotten away on me and I've not updated our blog. Well wait no longer! Let's talk about spring break (March 26-April 12). On the 28th Lynda, my girls and I headed for Mission BC where we spent 5 nights with John, Geordie & Melanie. It was so nice just to sit back and 'be' with one another!

One highlight was a planned day in North Vancouver where we'd stop in and see Mel's roommate Nor, another good friend (Gakkum), the Cleveland Dam & Ambleside Beach. As a child I can remember going to Ambleside with my mom and dad and even now I have a picture on my fridge of mom and I on the beach with a marshmallow in each of our mouths. I've had similar pictures taken of the girls and I with marshmallows in our mouths too - we're not at the beach but all the same.

The girls found a few treasures on the shore and we were treated to the sighting of a sea lion about 20' from the pier we were standing on.

(L-R) Melanie, me, Geordie, Lynda and Gakkum

Gakkum

I'm sure there MUST be moss on the trees at home... under the snow. I wish.

Geordie and I tried to capture the drops on the trees but this is one of the best I could catch.

Until next time...