What do you do for vacation

[ovrszd]

Yep, I agree in regards to the wildlife. For us, we like to stay at or above treeline every chance we get. Late September you are apt to get caught in a heavy snow up that high. But that is also what consolidates the wildlife because they don't want to be up that high either. Puts them down where they are easier to observe.

 

[s219]

Great photos Eddie!

 

[MoPops]

Maybe it is my background but I love the Black Hills of SD. The mountains and caves along with the parks - it seems to really be a relaxed area with a lot of variety. Yellowstone or Glacier National Parks are not far behind though.

I'll bet you've climbed Harney Peak.. (I think that's the name.) It's the tallest peak in SD. Fun hike for sure. We've done it twice with the kids, and loved it both times. The first time we hiked it (youngest was 4) we ran into a old guy (I think, Tuff was his name) he showed us a short cut, and told more stories about where a trapped had been ambushed by Indians. We were so lucky to run into him. We love the Black Hills, but I think we like Yellowstone a bit better.
For my vacations now, we still camp, but instead of a pop-up with the kids, it's a airstream for the two of us.
However my biggest vacation to date was a two week motorcycle trip from Missouri up to Deadhorse AK and back. 10,000 miles. Of course the wife wasn't along, so I would never let her know that. Ha!

 

[ovrszd]

MoPops is very humble about his motorcycle vacations. But if you can get him started, he's got some awesome stories and pictures. The Alaska trip inspires me to try it in a Jeep.

 

[Creamer]

MoPops - Harney Peak is a great hike but I have only done it once. My kids loved Custer State Park and driving o the top of the Fire Station lookout. One time we hit a gloriously clear day and Ellsworth AFB (50 miles) looked like it was right in front of us. We could also see the Oahe dam (200 miles). It was so fantastic because when we left there we went to the Oahe Dam and my kids could not believe how far it was.

That Alaska trip sounds like a ride. I do want to hear more.

 

[JamesHW]

Vacations for the last 15 years have always been coming up to the old house in the country and alternating between relaxing and working on the place. A couple of weeks to open the place in the Spring and to winterize and close it in the Fall. One advantage is we can bring the pets and since we have 80 acres we get to spend time out in nature, cook out and have nice campfires. Not to mention we get to sleep in our own bed every night.

We like to think spending vacations like this in our own place takes a bit of the bite out of taxes we pay to support a second home. Figure the cost of 4 weeks in Hawaii in a nice rental would cost more than we pay annually in property & school taxes, or at least we like to tell ourselves that.

If we don't sell the city house maybe we will rent it out, convert the garage to an apartment and spend a few weeks in the city for vacation every year, essentially reversing what we do now (or not).

 

[JamesHW]

Vacations for the last 15 years have always been coming up to the old house in the country and alternating between relaxing and working on the place. A couple of weeks to open the place in the Spring and to winterize and close it in the Fall. One advantage is we can bring the pets and since we have 80 acres we get to spend time out in nature, cook out and have nice campfires. Not to mention we get to sleep in our own bed every night.

We like to think spending vacations like this in our own place takes a bit of the bite out of taxes we pay to support a second home. Figure the cost of 4 weeks in Hawaii in a nice rental would cost more than we pay annually in property & school taxes, or at least we like to tell ourselves that.

If we don't sell the city house maybe we will rent it out, convert the garage to an apartment and spend a few weeks in the city for vacation every year, essentially reversing what we do now (or not).

 

[MoPops]

MoPops - Harney Peak is a great hike but I have only done it once. My kids loved Custer State Park and driving o the top of the Fire Station lookout. One time we hit a gloriously clear day and Ellsworth AFB (50 miles) looked like it was right in front of us. We could also see the Oahe dam (200 miles). It was so fantastic because when we left there we went to the Oahe Dam and my kids could not believe how far it was. That Alaska trip sounds like a ride. I do want to hear more.

Well, the black hills are a spot I could sure go back to and spend more time. Sometime after I retire, we will get back there for a few weeks.
Until retirement, I have have to stay closer to home, or go like a mad man. The Alaska trip was of the mad man variety. It's the only two week vacation I've taken in many years. I wanted to ride to Deadhorse before I turned 60, and made it. Up and back was almost 10,000 miles, and took two weeks. Here's the route. These are GPS markers from a spot tracker. It's a GPS tracking device I had on the bike so my wife could see where I was all the time.

A few other pics from the road.. Including Deadhorse AK, the end of the Dalton Highway (ice road truckers road) as far north as you can get by road in North America.

Riding the Top of the World Highway, into Chicken AK..

Overall it was a great trip, and I'd do it again, but it was a pretty brutal pace (650 miles/day) camping as much as I could.

Another place I'll go back to, after retirement, only I'll spend at least two months instead of two weeks.

 

[Creamer]

Don't know if I cold take 650 miles in one day let alone averaging that for two weeks. thanks for the pics - what a trip! I agree -a little more time next time!

 

[ovrszd]

This is the second time I've saw MoPop's pics and heard his story of the Alaska trip. It still amazes me. The GPS map really puts it into perspective!!!! Thanks for posting!!!