# Good weather........



## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

Its here, good weather in the northern hemisphere.So , what are you going to do with your time off of work in this lovely season? My list includes camping , swimming ,Farmers market visits, hikes, star parties(yes Im an amature astronomer)and of course cooking outdoors (BBQ)!I wish travel was involved in my plans this summer but all we are looking at is the Grand Canyon star party perhaps.So tell me, what fun shall you be involved with during this good weather? Doug....................


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## headless chicken (Apr 28, 2003)

No plans, will be stuck indoors all weekday long working till the weekends when it starts to rain. Mother Nature just loves me


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

In light of the Grand Canyon comments, here's a Usenet post I've saved:

Hmm, seems the indenting messed up in the html display. Shouldn't effect the program though. 

It's pretty cool actually. Check the links even if you don't run linux.

Phil


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

The Blue Forest of the Eden Valley hasn't been a forest for close to 50 million years. The low hills of western Wyoming stretch out unencumbered by trees for miles in every direction, the only thing breaking the horizon is the occasional oil well or gas pipeline. I go there rockhounding several times a year looking for opalized petrified wood. I was out 3 weeks ago for the first time this year. The higher than average snowfall last winter made acsess difficult because of the runoff- lots of mud, so my favorite digging spot was off limits. Still it was beautiful, saw lots of pronghorn antelope and a big herd of elk. Really cool.
Last week the family went to Yellowstone Park to see all the baby animals. We saw lots of buffalo, a herd of bighorn sheep, elk and deer. Wanted to see a moose but did't in the time we had. Spring is a great time to visit the western national parks because of the lack of crowds. They are much more relaxing without the lines of people and traffic you encounter in the summertime. This weekend I will be out again- maybe Topaz Mountain. I always have good luck there.


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Went to the City of Rocks and did some hiking this weekend. Beautiful.
http://www.nps.gov/ciro/home.htm


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## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

Beautiful looking area peachcreek!I'll bet you realy had a good time there.I will definately have to put this on my list of spots to visit.
My son and I did a day hike on the Thomas creek trail off of Mt. Rose highway yesterday and man was it peaceful.Its an old trail the indians used to travel between the washoe valley and lake Tahoe. With what we do for a living this is such a relaxing diversion from our normaly stress filled occupations.Keep on enjoying the natural beauty and peace of our beautiful world.Doug.......................


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Went up to Montana this weekend and saw elk, moose, a herd of bighorn sheep and some buffalo, lots of birds. No green ogres. And it snowed all weekend!


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

We went to Dinosaur National Monument as my kids are the age where Dinosaurs are important.

Today was a trip to the ever shrinking town where my dad was born and my mom is buried. Then a side excursion to a local hot springs with water slides and other nonsense.

I'm tired.

Phil


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## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

Sounds like a good memorial day weekend for you both! I love the links you gave phatch as they are very inspirational to look at while cooped up at work or home.Also sounds like you made a good trip this past weekend for you and the family!Dinasours,yes kids love them and so do I.
Peachcreek, sounds like you and yours are realy having some seriouse fun.
These experiences we give our children now will give them the stories and the reason to take there families on adventures when they grow older.WOW peachcreek, all of that wildlife and snow to boot!Must have been a blast.
My son and I took saturday off and did our household chores and then tackled a 12 mile day hike in the Mt. Rose wilderness area on sunday starting at 5:30 AM and finishing at 12:30 PM. My son wants us to get in good enough shape to do MT. Whitney next year ! Man Im still tired from this last jaunt but who can realy argue with your childs wishes when they are so good. I realy feel that getting out of the kitchen and enjoying the beauty of our world not only helps us cope with our stress filled jobs but also helps us to bond with those who we love and hold so dear. So whats up for this weekend , or perhaps next? Peace , Doug..............


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

We try to get out as much in the summer as we can. This weekend we are camping. We bought a huge "condo" tent for the kids and us. I think we will end up in Montana again (different part) to dig quartz crystals and go sit in a hot springs. The weekend after that I'm busy cooking with two big back to back caterings. Then the weekend after that we have tentatively have planned to go camping in a fairly remote area of central Idaho for a few days to do some rockhounding again. A place with a really cool name: The Dismal Swamp. Maybe I'll sight that green ogre yet!


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## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

This last sunday my son wanted to hike Mt. Rose which is a 12 mile round trip from the trailhead. On our way up in the car we had a bear cross our path about 10 feet in front of us.We stopped and the bear stopped and it gave us a once over and continued down the road. This happened at about 5:10 AM so it was a great way to start the day.We hit the trailhead at 5:30 and did not finish until 12:30.Man were we whipped.The hike was made harder by the many snow fields we traversed and the altitude increase. Not to mention that the wind was blowing very hard at the summit and it was freezing there. The summit was 10,766 feet and we were only able to stay for about 20 minutes. The view was awesome though, you can see lake Tahoe, Truckee,Reno and the Carson valley as well as Mt. Lassen.
This weekend we have planned some smaller jaunts,a 4 mile hike on saturday with a 6 mile hike for sunday.Gotta take it easy sometime is what I tell my son(and my feet).The outdoor adventure just makes work so much better no matter how you do it.So whos next?Doug.................


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Wednesday evening, the plan was to season some cast iron and do a bit of charcoal and dutch oven cooking. So of course, the storm came in a day earlier than forecast when we were finalizing plans for the week. 

The cast iron seasoning was being done in a covered gas grill, so that proceeded without trouble.

The "Dutch Oven Potatoes" was a bit different story. In calm neutral temp weather, 24 coals should be all this needs for both top and bottom. With the wind and cooler temps, with little spits of rain, it took all 24 of those coals on the bottom for rendering the bacon, sauteing the onion, garlic. And to get it all to simmer properly too. So another 10 coals were fired up for some top heat to finish it off. Once there was enough heat, cooking proceeded properly. 

There was just time to eat it before the rain really broke.

Phil


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

Took the family and some friends to Dismal Swamp this weekend. Nearly a 7 hour drive back into the mountains of central Idaho over some large summits and down to the Middle Fork of the Boise River. It was a little cooler than we had hoped for, and it did end up snowing briefly while we were there. There was also a lot of snow left on the hillsides and roads the farther we went and finally turned around when I high-centered my vehicle and we had to pull me out.....guess the roads closed, eh? We did a lot of exploring and digging with only minimal finds- a few choice smoky quartz crystals maybe an inch long. 
The campsite was beautiful. It looked to be a hunting camp, but with hunting season 4 months off the area was deserted. We heard two trucks go by the road in two days. It was also our first camping trip with our one year old. He loved it. This weekend I am debating between going back to Montana for the weekend to meet friends to go dig, or, paint the restaurant...Decisions, decisions...


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## chrose (Nov 20, 2000)

Most of this summer will be spent puttering around the house building, painting and coaxing my herbs, peppers and veggies to grow. But as I mentioned in another post, we are headed to Anchorage, Alaska next week. We are going to visit my sister and to show my wife and son where I used to live, work, etc. We will be mostly Anchorage based, but are planning on going to Seward and take a ferry to Halibut Cove , across the Kachemak Bay. Fishing for Salmon on the Kenai Peninsula, see Portage Glacier and my other sisters house in Girdwood. We should be there in time to catch the Girdwood Forest Fair as well.
I'll give a report and have pics to post (I hope) upon my return.


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## headless chicken (Apr 28, 2003)

I'm heading for Detriot this weekend for a friend's graduation party. Never been to Detriot before and a bunch of us are driving down there via Sarnia (sp?), Windsor tends to have a long lineup at customes since a lot more people pass throught there when crossing the boarder. Drive should take shy of 4h.


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## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

Next week is summer camp with the Scouts. 

It will certainly be interesting.

Phil


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

Had two really rough weeks, so I threw my 17 year old son in the car and headed west to do farm visits and spend the night in Columbia, Mo. It was great! Saw goats, healthy piggies, vegetable farms....ate sorta local, went to a local grocery that sells only Mo. foods.....it was fun to get out of the basement away from the city and check out what's happening with the farmers that come to market.


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## shroomgirl (Aug 11, 2000)

my fondest memory of my oldest going to scout camp is that after a week he brought back his ditty bag unused....soap, toothpaste etc untouched.....a dear friend's son used only one pair of underwear in a week that included swimming in the river (I'm slowly shaking my head wondering how little boys ever make it to become men)
oh, yeah the 3 day campouts that notoriously did not include fruits or vegetables of any kind.....


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## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

Way cool shroomgirl,I love the unused undy part!Thats why we boys have you moms so that we can grow into men.The farm visits must have been awesome and relaxing to boot!I feel our children recieve a major part of there education by these jaunts with there family and friends.
So peach, hows the condo tent doing? It sounds like you and the family are realy getting into the outdoors in a big way! With your location you could go somewhere different every weekend and not see it all in a lifetime.
Last week we did a nice hike with elevation that again kicked my butt(about 10 miles). The views and feeling of accomplishment you get after reaching a high peak are just great though and my son is realy learning that what you want in life involves periods of hard work to get that feeling of satisfaction.
Tomarrow it will be crystal peak with a hike and some digging for quartz crystals. Enjoy the weekend friends......... Doug.................


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## peachcreek (Sep 21, 2001)

This weekend we are being good. I am home painting the restaurant. Should not be too bad, we had the kitchen cleared out and taped and chipped this evening and everything removed from the small dining room in that part of the restaurant we are painting. So if tonight I get the patching done we can start painting in the morning. The plan is to get the kitchen completely finished and functional by Sunday night since we have to be open on Monday. The small dining room will be closed this week till the rest of the painting is done. It has been eight years since we painted and the paintjob has stood up pretty well. It is also giving us the opportunity to do some extra cleaning and de-cluttering that always needs to be done.
I'm not feeling too bad. Next Friday we start our vacation to Montana for a week, then two weeks in Minnesota, Michigan and Wisconsin playing around Lake Superior. We will probably go geode and fossil hunting in South Dakota and I already have been doing my homework on collecting Lake Superior agate. We are also going through the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming and want to hike up to see the Medicine Wheel. We go back home the beginning of August.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Hey Peachcreek, if you get to Bayfield, WI stop in at Maggie's for a bowl of fish chowder (if she's still there...). My brother's inlaws have a coffee/chocolate shop up there and the homemade fudge is an old family recipe. Should be good. :bounce:


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## chefboy2160 (Oct 13, 2001)

Had a big hike planned for this weekend in the Tahoe area on the Nevada side of the mountains but we have a big fire starting today and even though its in the Carson city area we are covered with ash in Reno and the smoke is thick! Maybe Ill be volunteering my skills in food this weekend (and Ill bring my son along) if it keeps going!This morning 300 acres and now at 7:30 they estimate 3,000 acres burned with 9 homes gone and 300 more in immediate danger! I have been doing a lot of hiking in these mountains this year and man its just a tinderbox.And of course the wind is kicking it up good right now so man this could last awhile! Ill post on the outcome.Doug.........


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