2019 Mini-Vaca, Western Iowa, Part 2 - Preparation Canyon State Park

After a few more moments driving and a few errors upon our (experimental) path, we found our way to Preparation Canyon State Park.

We only found out about this place as Mama was searching for places to hike while in the Loess Hills and we figured since we're essentially passing thru on our way to the Lewis & Clark State Park in Onawa, IA.,  we may as well get our pudgy little butts out and hike.

Right?  But it's HOT!!!

There's a bit of history on why this exists today, so read away!

This was right at the entrance where they talk about all of the native prairie grass that L&C would have seen and explained how that as the tree's grew up the landscape, the prairie grass shrunk in square mileage due to the shade of the trees. 

Caleb's phone just a little ways down the road.

Same here.  Pictures don't EVER do these types of nature pics proud but these were absolutely stunning views.

We finally got to the spot where we were going to get out and hike.  Rob is regretting his decision to gamble against mom and dad about being able to stay home.  He stayed up playing Overwatch the night before and is operating on about 5 hours of sleep.  It's roughly 97 degrees at this point and he appears to be having some type of regret!  LOL.  Never been there myself so I CANNOT understand...  LOL!  I'm putting on socks and tennis shoes after only wearing sandals to this point.

I think the posture says it all...

Some random forest to get your head straight.

More of the same.  In person, you can see thru the trees much better to get the full depth of what your seeing, which was perfectly stunning.

One of the best photos of the "dirt" that makes up the Loess Hills and how it erodes.  Again, the picture falls wildly short of showing the awesomeness of how the roots of the foliage are holding the dirt together as best as it can.

Hiking...

More hiking...

This was about the point to where dad, and his allergies that had kicked in, was starting to scour areas where a helicopter might land to lift me out.  I couldn't really breathe thru my nose anymore and I knew we had to get back up the crazy/stupid slope that we came down...

Hollywood Caleb is always happy hiking...

Hollywood!!

A lad and his dad...  his dad carrying two bottles of water and still contemplating his own mortality with the ascension still to come. 

This is a shot of some crazy looking bamboo type plant growing by this tree root.  What is it truly?  We have no clue.

You cannot tell the elevation, or the quick descent thereof, but trust me,  you should practice for this especially if your day is to include near 100 degree temps with wildly high humidity as well.  Not cool...

This is on the Preparation Canyon Park Loop Trail.

Same here...

Same here, looking over the old Missouri River be from many years past.

Momma had me stop on the gravel road that we were on so she could explain this picture to the boys.  I should have been listneing, but I get the overall gist of the situation and have never really cared for official labels of stuff, so I was spacing...  Well, truly,  I was watching for cars in the rear-view mirror coming down the road behind us.

2019 Mini-Vaca, Western Iowa, Part I - Gettin' There

So we've been kind of embarrassed by the fact that we've lived in Iowa for around 90 years combined and we've seen so little of our local State Parks, Nature Preserves and whatever else.  This lack of our observation of local beauty came about with the realization that we saw so VERY little of the are surrounding the "local" area of Tulsa Oklahoma while we lived there for 3 Freakin' YEARS!!!

So after the last two summers of visiting Hawaii and the New England area respectively, we decided that this year will be a few smaller/shorter/less expensive trips around Iowa (and 1 to Chicago earlier this year, which reminds me, I've posted nothing from that trip...) visiting state parks and other local interests.

We left the house shortly after 8am Saturday morning with Mom driving, dad riding shotgun and the boys in the back sporting various opinions.  Caleb was super excited because we were going to be hiking later in the day and Robby was highly disenfranchised that he was being forced to go almost exactly 12 hours after being home from camp.  Not a happy man...  he had set down with me the night before and recited a passionate plea of why he should be left behind (non of his reasons were to help take care of Grandpa, which would have been his best argument!) but I told him to can it, he's going and he may just as well as enjoy as much as he can.  He appeared dejected and headed back to his room where I could hear him telling his buddies that he was being forced against his will to go on this stupid trip.  LOL!!!

The disenfranchised Robert James at the Chuckwagon restaurant in Adair Iowa.  This is one of our favorite little restaurants after accidentally discovering it when Caleb and myself were headed to a 1-day adoption camp in Ashland, Nebraska and needed to find some supper.  As luck would have it, we pulled into the Chuckwagon and had some fantastic burgers.  Turns out that they won the best burger in Iowa contest the next year!

The Chinaman not wishing to be photographed...

It ain't much, but never had bad food or service in this building!

Robby was driving at this point (after breakfast) and he doesn't like the interstate (even more-so than his dad!) so I had him drive on the interstate from Adair over to hwy 173 to head North into Elk Horn, Iowa.  I love roads I've never been on so this figured into my decision of where to get off of the interstate.  This is heading into Elk Horn.

Rob drove to Portsmouth, IA where I took over driving until our first destination of the day, which I'll cover in the next post!

Riverside 2019, Pick-up #1

Well, I'm late. Robby's Riverside 2019 visit is over half done at the point of this posting and I'm just posting Caleb's retrieval!

The problem with Rob's camp is that I was scheduled to take him and his buddies, Sam and Landon, up last Sunday but my back was so bad that I simply could not.   As a result, Mama Chaos and Calebber delivered the lads but didn't take any pictures!  The horror!!

And a former camp counselor is going to the closing ceremony and will be bringing them home.  I'm guessing that he will likely not take any pictures either...

Anyway, here's Calebber's pick-up.

The only picture that turned out sort-of non-fuzzy.

Can you find him?  He's just about dead-center in the pic with the front of his head blonde and the back black.

Schmitz 2018 Vaca, Post 12 - Acadia Ntl. Park, Part 3

This was taken at the Jordan Pond House where there's a gift shop, several public restrooms, places for weddings (which is what you're seeing) and all kinds of Acadia National Park information to be had.  That's Bubble Rock in the distance and I have a suspicion that will figure into part 4 of my Acadia posts...  just a hunch though.

I believe this was taken at a scenic overlook turn-out on our way to our next destination, Cadillac Mountain.

Same here.  Remember what I said about my boys climbing out onto/into things/areas meant to protect people?  

He's on to us!!!

I think this was at the same place as well, but it could have been in the parking lot of Cadillac Mtn.

This is definitely from Cadillac Mtn.

Have I mentioned lately that I love Maine!?!?

No hiking paths here!  Go wherever the heck you want!

The boy off getting a little bit of alone time, away from the fam.  You can't hardly blame him in this kind of beauty.

I love this picture!  It wasn't nearly as perilous as what it looks like, which is good, because it looks like he's sitting on the edge of the Earth! LOL!!

Somebody felt that last pic could be just a bit better.

Love and love!

I loved the rocks here.  They look like somebody spent some serious time painting them.

Again, the climbing...

I have no idea what he's doing here, but I like the picture so you have to look at it too.  :-)

Back in the parking lot after a long hike.  One last parting shot...

Riverside Lutheran Bible Camp, 2019 First drop-off

He was a bit more tentative than what his face shows in the picture, which has lent a bit of anxiety to his Daddy after dropping him off.  He makes friends easily, thank God, so I'm excited to pick him up on Friday to hear his stories and the craziness that he brought to "the party".

I Caught Me A Baby!

Jill, on the right in the photo, was kind enough to get a year older and have many people over to her fam's house for a potluck/bonfire/birthday party.  As luck would have it, somebody brought a baby and he latched on to me!!!  When I first snatched him from the arms of another, I felt him relax and he laid his head down on my shoulder!  There is very few feeling better than that and now I need a dedicated baby of my own.

Let's Meet With Meat!

The back seat of the pickup has never seen so much meat!

The freezer once I got everything put away and organized!  Much better than the nearly empty and badly in need of a defrosting!