Fairchild Oak & Bulow Plantation

What is it about really old trees? I mean I'm fascinated by old wood. Who isn't? Admit it you are too!
We've been in Flagler this week & decided to take a break from the beach today, checking out a local state park.

This is Fairchild Oak at Bulow Creek State Park in Ormond Beach, FL. A 300 year old oak. Man the things this tree has seen!  Hurricanes, fire, wars, reality shows.  I'm amazed at anything that can survive Real Housewives!

With any vacation comes more sitting than The Hubs likes, so we hiked the local trail for a 4+ mile loop.  It was an adventure in biting flies, mosquitoes, & constant monitoring for ticks (we only found about 5 or 6 total during our hike).

Man do we know how to relax or what!  But really, it was neat!  Next time I'd bring bug spray & maybe a bike because the trail was some 6+ miles one way & I really would have like to do the whole thing.  Next trip. 

Had we been able to do the full 6+ miles one way, we would have hiked to Bulow Plantation - instead we drove up the road "a fer piece".  There's nothing left of the actual plantation house except for some posts marking the area, but the remains of the sugar mill were pretty cool.  

Oddly enough, I think I liked this short visit better than our walk around St Augustine the other day.  I tend to gravitate to the little parks that get less attention.  It's probably cuz I hate the crowds so, but there is just something about the road less traveled or the park less visited.

Tweet

Jackson Hole

WARNING!  LOTS OF PICS!  i couldn't help myself!

sorry Moser, i just couldn't bring myself to type Jax Hole for the title.  and how i forgot to post the pics from our trip to Jackson Hole, WY at the beginning of Feb, i will never know.  but better waaay late than never right?  yeah right!  so here goes!

so this shot was actually taken a couple days into the trip. this arch is made entirely out of antlers.  i'm assuming Elk from the size but certainly could be deer.  the story i got from the dog sledding company (later) was that the boy scouts get to go out first each year & collect the antlers from the national park (Yellowstone  i'm assuming because i also didn't ask about that).  they assemble them into these arches (there are 4 in the town square).  amazing!

according to him, these arches are good for about 10 years - because the horns do deteriorate. when they start to look too weathered, they auction off the horns.  in many cases, the entire arch gets sold in one piece & relocated.  that's how the arch at the airport got there.  i was not able to take a picture of it because it is on the tarmac & you can't linger there - seems like a dumb place to put it then. hence this photo instead.

we spent our first 2 days doing the usual snowboarding at Jackson Hole Resort (aka Teton Village).

What a view!

i'd never been here before but heard plenty & so my expectations were pretty high.  were they met?  well, not really.  i'm not saying i wouldn't come here again, but it would not be my first choice.  maybe there just wasn't enough snow or maybe it's beyond my ability (which i don't think it is), but i was just very "meh" about it.  just not impressed.

one of the things that caught Korby & Nacho's eye was the sleeping indian in this photo.

i could not for the life of me see it.  believe me, Korby tried over and over and over and over and over...well you get it, but i just could not see it.  i'm sure you can.  so i took this photo in order to take it back to the room & look at it on the computer where i finally saw it.

well duh!  right there!  but when you are told multiple times "see that ridge..." then you might as well say "see that patch of snow".  on to better stuff!

on our 3rd day, the boys did a snow mobile tour in Yellowstone.  i skipped that for a reason you will see in a sec.  so i  had to rely on Nacho's photos from his camera phone.  to his credit he admitted, the phone just doesn't capture the true colors - they never do!

but not too bad.  they did get to see Old Faithful go off but no photo. sorry :(  however, they saw a bunch of bison!

they said it made them a little nervous when something that big is not intimidated at all by the snow mobiles.  but very cool nonetheless.

and if you didn't want to brave the elements on a snow mobile, apparently you could take a guided tour in one of these!

i think i will buy my old truck back from Nacho's company and trick it out like this for winter!

so what did i do while they were off galavanting & herding bison?  well, i got myself in some primo XC skiing!  i am in love with this activity people!

Cache Creek Trail was only a mile away from our condo.  so i got a nice hike up there & a nice hike back in addition to the 4 miles i xc'd that day!  this was my first solo adventure on true groomed trails & i could not have been better initiated!  i met some very nice people along the way and a lot of great dogs!  everyone had at least 1 dog with them & 99% of them were off leash (dogs & people), just running along while their owner(s) were skiing.  i soooooo need to move!

but here is the best part!  on our 4th day, the guys went back to board/ski on the mountain, but i had scheduled a little trip for myself.  A DOG SLEDDING TRIP!!!!  how cool is that you ask?  waaaaay cool!  first thing i want to say about this is exactly what they said to us before heading out:  everything/anything you've seen in movies/tv about dog sledding....don't believe.  the dogs they show you on tv/movies are typically Huskies or Malamutes & they are way bigger than these guys.  as they explained, and it makes sense, these dogs also compete in Iditarod races.  so like a human marathon, you want a fit/sleek competitor.  those Huskies/Malamutes, while very pretty, have been bred mostly for just that:  looks!  and are not built for this!  but on to the good stuff MUSH!

here is how it worked for us:  we did the Full Day trip (which i HIGHLY recommend).  there were 4 of us plus our guide Courtney.  so a mom & dad & their daughter, me & Courtney.  the mom and daughter were in 1 sled, then me, the dad & Courtney in the other.

here's the best photo i could find of Courtney & "dad" on our way to the springs

on the way out, i stood on the back with Courtney & "helped" drive.  a couple of times we got off the sled & ran while the dogs pulled uphill just so they didn't have to work as hard. "dad" got to lounge comfortably in the sled!  mom & daughter drove their sled all on their own - one driving while the other was in the sled.

wanna know something you don't see in these photos?  poop!  here's the thing, remember these dogs also are competitive racers.  so when racing they cannot stop to poop.  process that again:  they cannot stop to poop.  so when they gotta go, they gotta go while they are going!  put differently, they are going while they are going!  oh yeah!  so picture a dog at about a 12mph pace doing the big business.  i'm not kidding!  actually the drivers discourage it because most of the time, and if you own a dog you know this, they don't really need to GO, they are just marking.  so when one marks, they all feel the need to.  if they just let them do this as they like, this trip would never leave the station!  but don't worry, they didn't get punished or anything.  they would do their business while being corrected all while still trotting along!  it is something to be experienced to say the least!

we stopped for lunch at Granite Hot Springs where we all took a dip while the guides took care of the dogs then prepped our lunch.  sorry no photos but i only had my camera phone & if you know how bad i am with my phone, then you know why i would not dare take it in the pool with me!

 after about an hour of lounging in the hot springs, we sat down for an awesome beef stew lunch and some A-M-A-Z-I-N-G huckleberry cordials from The Huckleberry People.

and let me point out something very important here:  before the staff did any of the prepping for us humans, they took care of the furfriends first!  the dogs are their priority, not the people.  so they go over each dog checking their paws, rewarding them, getting them water & their food FIRST!

after lunch, we headed back home!  at this point we switched places, so i got to sit in the sled while "dad" helped drive.  we did stop along the way to take some pics.  in a very rare moment, i actually let Courtney take a picture of me, with the dogs of course!

they really aren't too much bigger than our boxers.  but i hope you can also see they are very happy!

and here's where i want to get on a soap box:  

so when i Googled reviews for Jackson Hole Iditarod Sled Dog Tours, there was this one person from Georgia that had terrible things to say about the company & the treatment of the dogs.  let me say, that person has no idea what a working dog is.  i grew up around hunting dogs my entire childhood & there's a big difference between the dog you keep in your purse & these guys.  they are bred specifically for this & this is what they live for.  as Courtney said, if a dog ever needs to be kept inside (for example an injury or really sick), they actually hate it.  they are very selective about what dogs get bred - unlike those puppy mills so many people get their purse dogs from.  also, when one of their dogs can no longer race or work, they become "greeters" back at the office.  they do not put dogs down because they can't work anymore.  so if you think these guys are mistreated, then you need an education!

does this guy look unhappy to you!

and the end of our trip brings me to housing!  JHISDT has over 200 dogs & this is how they house them.

this is genius!  those are cable spools for anyone who has never seen one.  in the winter, turned upright like this, they can get inside (yes inside) them & that keeps them off the ground.  their straw is changed out daily.  so AGAIN, these guys are treated very well!   in the summer, they turn the spools on their side so the dogs can not only get in them, but the flat becomes their roof & shade.  i showed this to my daddy & he's now hunting down spools for his dogs!

i'm still trying to figure out how to get this girl in my pocket & sneak her home!

i cannot say enough (obviously) about our guide Courtney & the tour.  it was the highlight of my trip.  remember how i said i was all "meh" about Jackson Hole?  well, not after this.  the XC skiing plus this MADE the trip for me.  i would come back to this in a heartbeat!  i'm now wanting to come back in summer when you can mountain bike as well!

and in yet another uncharacteristic move for me, here's a pic of me and Nacho on our last day.

Tweet

One of a Kind

that's the name of the show we went to yesterday at Merchandise Mart in Chicago & what a great time Nacho & i had!  i found out about it by accident (a click here, a link there) but put it on my calendar more as a reminder, not thinking i'd actually go.  Nacho saw it & did a little googling himself & was all up for it, so off we went.
the official One Of A Kind Show site phrases it better than i could ever hope to!

Chicago's Most ONEderful Time of the Year

The 12th annual One of a Kind Show and Sale Chicago® is Chicago's holiday shopping show! A refreshing alternative to traditional retail, the show is the ideal place to find one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone on your holiday list. More than 600 talented artists from across North America will bring their imaginative, handmade creations to this year's show offering a wide range of media and categories...

and oh the things we saw & ate!  there was just so much!  okay, the easy parts first, IT WAS CROWDED!

i am not a person who likes crowds & i really had to talk myself down from the ledge when i saw all the people.  when i accepted we were gonna be here for a while & we were not going to go anywhere fast, then it was fine.
i started out by heading to the Etsy village to track down Four Eyes Handmade.  it was their Robot Uprising Venn Diagram clock that caught my attention from one of the many design blogs i follow.  Unfortunately, they no longer sell that item according to the gentleman that i spoke to at their booth.  awww so sad!
after that disappointment, i stumbled upon Laura Berger's Etsy booth.  i'm a sucker for a good print!  many many lives ago, i worked in an art gallery back in undergrad & i will never forget all the neat/cute little prints or cards that people would bring in to have framed. it taught me, art does not have to be some expensive piece hanging on a wall that you can't touch. so a memorable post card or pricey oil on canvas; if it speaks to you or about you, then that's all that matters.  i bought a couple of items - her 2013 calendar which i plan to frame so i can switch each card out, and something else (shhh, you'll see later).

i have a feeling i'll be purchasing from her again!

at that point, we decided to start from the beginning and wonder up & down each aisle - just like the grocery store!  we were in awe of the rock & metal sculptures at Chuck Adams (aka Francis Metal Works)

i mean, we see all these guys on or around our beach every day!  how cool is that?  he came up with the concept while searching for something for his own garden.  ah, the best ideas are the simplest aren't they?  and we could not leave without coming back to pick a little something up for ourselves!

we came home with 2 baby turtles from the log & the middle turtle just below the log. can't wait to put them in the garden!
next came FOOD!  1st up was River Valley Kitchens.

that Five Cheese Garlic Spread is U-N-R-E-A-L!  it's taking all i can do not to go open it now while Nacho is at hockey, eat the whole thing & claim we must have forgot it!  heads up:  i'm going to leave my husband for this jar!  and the Spicy Pickled Mushrooms....2 words:  Bloody Mary!  'nuff said!  and they sell Mushroom Kits! i am definitely trying that next year.
moving on....Gourmet Blends & here's something i never thought i'd say....Dark Chocolate Balsamic (note, this links to their Chocolate Balsamic. i did not see a link for the Dark Chocolate that i purchased).

yeah, crazy right?  well guess what i'm eating on vanilla ice cream RIGHT NOW!  this stuff is amazing!

after this it was just a sea of people & lots of wondering.  but we found some really impressive pieces.  i am no where near being able to purchase a piece from Kevin Lahvic, but boy i wish i was!  his Faces series is spectacular.

and we found ourselves going back to Kudu-lah & enjoying Kenneth's unique art.

apologies for the blurry photo here

his About says he believes in "fun and affordable" art.  it was definitely both!  while i can't say an original is quite affordable for me yet, i'd really like to own one some day.

Loft Prints had some of the most vibrant prints of anyone in the entire show (IMHO).  and his Blue Heron piece was great!  this one will be on my wall before it is all over with!

i wish i had the kitchen for his Bad Sushi series.  too funny!

there were plenty other artists that i simply did not get any info from.  just too much to take in!  and not everyone was serious.  check out this guy

Dick Cooley's specialty was spark plugs (aka Spark Plug Guy) and he did some "interesting" things with them.  don't get me wrong, he had some great items, this was just the most bizarre piece i'd seen at any show!  the man has quite the sense of humor & imagination.  really, he was impressive.
i did actually purchase one other thing for myself.  i found myself at the Chomp booth 3 times until i simply could not help myself.  her canvas bags are just so beautiful!

Dana was super super pleasant & when she didn't have anything in a cross body bag that i was looking for, i decided i couldn't stand it any longer & bought myself one of her totes instead.

i just love the simple modern prints that she designs.   i was so impressed that she does all her own prints & taught herself to sew.  how i envy that creativity!

ok so i gotta stop cuz i could go on forever about all the cool & unique things we saw.  i think my favorite part of the day was how much fun we BOTH had.  i could not believe that Nacho was the one really pushing to go (when i hadn't planned on saying anything to him).  we decided we will definitely return next year & make an overnight event of it.  and maybe by next year i will be able to buy at least one of those things i fell in love with this trip!

Tweet

It's All Downhill From Here

we took a quickie vaca trip a couple of weeks ago to CO.  Winter Park to be precise.  we've done snowboarding trips there before, but never a summer trip.  so what does one do at a ski resort in the summer? Downhill Mountain Biking. oh boy!  what a blast!

first up we took the Amtrak train.  i did this when i ran a race out in Boulder, CO 4 years ago & i loved it.  but you have to understand how much i HATE flying!  i mean, i'm using the HATE in the fullest sense possible for that word! HATE HATE HATE.  so yeah, we took the train.

coming into Denver station

on the way to Winter Park right before Moffat tunnel

the views after Denver were amazing. by far the coolest was going through Moffat Tunnel.  6 miles through a mountain, so about 10 minutes of darkness.  neat-O!

Frisco station

and here we have the fence line of a house across from the Frisco station.  this is about 1/4 of what they used for the fencing at this house.  unreal!

recycled skis

 so what does the main lift area/bottom of Winter Park look like without snow?  like this!

 who knew there was a full goofy golf course at the bottom of the mountain!  crazy!

just happened to be a mini coupe rally going on while we were there.  so many minis!

but on to more interesting stuff.  the Downhill.  here we are (minus me of course) after a morning lesson.  that's Korby (who NEVER poses for a photo so i threatened him), Lauren (our main instructor), Nacho, & Stephan (co-instructor).  really great class & awesome instructors.

 Nacho & Korby had so much fun that i convinced them to take a second level class.

 yeah, i sat out the afternoon due to a little spill that left me with this.  it only got worse before it finally started getting better.  it's almost gone now.

so lessons were Friday.  Sat we went up to Rocky Mtn National forest where we normally snow mobile & did a little hiking!

 this is Grand Lake - which we normall see covered in snow & ice!

 and this is waht RMNF looks like when there is no snow or snow mobiles.  4wheelin instead!

 man was that fun!

 we capped off Sunday by biking all day!  i faired much better than Friday!

 people, you are looking at moguls. i don't mean me & Korby & a bunch of $$ either!

 yeah, we ski/board down that!

no trip to a ski resort would be complete without Bloody Mary's & these at Lime did not disappoint!

i cannot recommend this enough, bruises and all!  we will be back!

Tweet