We have seen so many wonderful things and been on so many amazing adventures over the years I thought I would share some the most extraordinary place we have had the pleasure of visiting.
It is difficult to put them in any kind of order but I will try just for the sake of tidiness.
Peyto Lake
One of the most extraordinary photographed sites in all of Canada is Peyto Lake and we almost missed the chance to see it. We drove from Lake Louise up to Jasper and tried to get in the parking lot but because one of the local bears was wandering around, the lot was filled with vehicles making parking impossible.
Fortunately on our return trip from Jasper we did manage to squeeze in the parking lot with our over-sized RV and find a suitable parking space. The hike to the scenic viewpoint is not long but it is steep and thick with other hikers. Most were Asians who crowded the overlook area taking selfies with no consideration for other visitors. It made getting great photos a little difficult but well worth the effort.
Multnomah Falls
We visited Multnomah Falls along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon in June 2019. It is simply an amazing place and we were fortunate in a couple of ways. We stayed the previous night just a few miles away and arrived very early in the morning before the crowds had an opportunity to get there.
Less than a year prior wildfires had ravaged the area and they had closed the trails and the bridge which crosses the falls midway up. While we we unable to take the hike up to and across the bridge it did allow for a rare opportunity to snap some photos with no one on the bridge. A nearby park ranger said that was a rare occurrence indeed.
Emerald Lake Hike
In June 1998 we traveled to Colorado once again with plans to stay in the Estes Park area and do some serious exploring. We found a hike of about six miles that seemed appealing and decided to take the adventure.
The hike began easy enough and wandered past three lakes along the route. The first lake was Nymph which is a small lake but scenic with the gigantic mountains in the background. We continued up hill to the second lake which was called Dream Lake.
Once past this point the trail got increasingly more difficult and steep with fewer fellow hikers in sight. The final lake was our destination for the day and it was fittingly called Emerald Lake because of the beautiful color of the water. There were only a few others that day who made the hike so it was very peaceful and quiet.
Some years later we tried to make the same hike but failed because the snow was extremely deep making the trail to the last lake impossible to trek. It is still one of our favorite hikes of all time.
Durango/Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad
If you love trains this has to be the best ride in the continental USA. In September 2003 we took out first class A mo0torhome on it’s first long trip out west to Colorado. While staying at the KOA in Durango we decided to take a trip on the narrow gauge railroad to Silverton. This has to be one of the most iconic and scenic rides ever. It was nice to be able to sit and enjoy the view since most often I do the driving.
The ride takes about 3 1/2 hours following a river most of the way up the mountains on a track built back in 1882. Exploring the town of Silverton is always great as they have the best shops around for browsing and some good dining opportunities.
New York City/Tavern on the Green
In December 1995 I was fortunate enough to win the ‘President’s Award” at Woerners. They gave us a trip to New York with all expenses paid. A few days after Christmas we flew into JFK and the fun began. We toured the city twice in a limo, went to the top of the Empire State Building and visited Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. Time allowed us to tour Madison Square Garden and Times Square. We also did a lot of shopping and saw the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall.
But the highlight of this trip was the carriage ride through Central Park and dinner at Tavern on the Green. Just a magnificent place and fine dining. I was reluctant to even go to New York but it is one adventure we will treasure forever. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
Branson Showboat
In October 2019 we were off to Branson Missouri for the first time. We spent fifteen nights at the Old 86 COE Campground just south of town which made the drive back to the shows short and easy. We purchased season tickets to Silver Dollar City and visited the park several times over the two week stay.
We saw several shows including a couple of variety shows, the Liverpool Legends, Jim Stafford, and a couple of magic shows.
The highlight of this trip was the paddlewheel boat the “Branson Belle”. The trip included dinner and a show. The show was much to my liking and very entertaining. Mike Bliss was the host, comedian and magician. He got the craziest people on stage which made the show even better. The music was a lot of rock n roll so that was a surprise in Branson.
The campground was nice with a beautiful view of the lake.
Colorado in Autumn
While we have visited Colorado many times and driven most every road in the state we have never been during the fall late enough to see the leaves change. This all changed in September 2020. Despite the restriction of Covid and the trip being cut short by hurricane Sally we enjoyed our couple of weeks viewing the aspen trees as they changed from green to a golden yellow over the course of the trip.
We just took the jeep down every mountain road we could find on a map looking for that one magnificent spot with a great view. By the time we reached South Fork and was able to drive up to Lake City through Creede the trees were in full color. Just magnificent to say the least. Bachelor’s Loop took us up into the mountains surrounding Creede down dirt roads for the best views in town.
Pictures do not do it justice. It is something you have to experience for yourself to get the entire picture.