tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67004130934212731712024-02-18T21:06:31.395-06:00Adventures with BeeGeeA Texas Adventure BlogAdventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.comBlogger122125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-44077797106726207682019-08-14T10:00:00.000-05:002019-08-14T10:00:05.331-05:00Tubing Down the San Marcos River<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Linda here for Adventures with BeeGee.<br /><br />We’ve been adventuring more aggressively since Salkantay. My goal this August is to continue the adventuring while catching up on blog entries to ensure we preserve these great memories.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">On Saturday, July 20th, Jarrett, a friend of ours, and I went tubing down the San Marcos River. I realized I had been living in Austin for almost four years now and had not done this iconic Hill Country tourist activity. To be honest, we probably had not done it before because I only learned how to swim last year and am not the most comfortable with water. The San Marcos River is relatively shallow and the heat in Texas is unbearable, so if you want to enjoy the outdoors but are uncomfortable with water, this is a great option.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The water is initially cold, but once the sun comes out, it starts feeling like a great relief from just laying on your tube. If you’re comfortable with water and swimming, I suggest taking a few swimming breaks to cool off. Another option is to enjoy those delicious beverages you brought with you and catch up with your friends. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are plenty of trees along the edge, so we tended to drift closer to the sides of the river. At some point, my friend and I were drifting too near the actual edge. I suspected this was Jarrett’s doing. The following was our exchange:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Me: “Jarrett, stop pushing us to the edge.”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jarrett: “That’s not me. That’s God’s work.”</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jarrett says nothing else as he quietly proceeds to actually push us towards the edge and says: “And this is my work.”</span></li>
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<br />At the end of the section of the river run by the Lions’ Club, there is an area where you can tube down some rocks. I was not brave enough for that, but Jarrett was. He enjoyed it but lost his hat in the process. RIP hat.<br /><br />We ended up doing two runs down the river. After each run, we took the shuttle back to the Lions’ Club. Once we were done, we went to<a href="https://blacksbbq.com/sanmarcos.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"> Black’s Barbecue in San Marcos</a>, which offers enough sides that our vegetarian friend was also able to enjoy. It was a great meal to wrap up our little trip. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Logistics:</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tubing the San Marcos River can be free if you have your own tubing equipment and a good plan for getting back to where you started from. Jarrett and I do not tube very often, and we did not want to haul wet equipment back to Austin, so we went to the <a href="http://www.tubesanmarcos.com/rental-rates.html" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Lions’ Club to rent tubes</a>. The line moves fast, so you do not wait long before getting the equipment you need to rent. <br /><br />Tube rentals are $14. You need to leave either a $20 cash deposit for each tube or leave your credit card with the clerk. They use these deposits to ensure that you return your tubes at the end. Along with your tube rental, you get access to their shuttles, so when you’re done with your first round of tubing, you can take the shuttle back and start again. <br /><br />The Lions Club also offers you air for your tubes starting at $2 and shuttle rides for $8 (which you would want to purchase ahead of time). Storage boxes can be rented starting at $5. You can also rent life vests for $5, with a $10 deposit.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you get there early, at 10:00 a.m., like we did, there are no issues with parking. It gets crowded pretty soon though, so for best parking options, show up early. </span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Meet your friends outside the cash registers, where you can line up to rent your tubes, storage boxes, and whatever else you might need.</span>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Lessons Learned:</span></h4>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take a water-resistant pouch with you to not have to rent a storage box. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take strings to tie your tubes together to stay with your friends. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Don’t forget sunscreen, a hat/cap, and sunglasses to protect yourself from the sun. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you plan to swim, take some goggles with you to allow you to see what’s inside the river. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do not take any glass containers in your cooler and make sure you pack water along with any other beverages. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Take a few small paddles to help you navigate every once in a while. </span></li>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-2065542715043101962019-04-15T08:00:00.000-05:002019-04-15T08:00:00.958-05:00Trip Report: Big Bend Round 2 - Day 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">As I've said before, I'm notoriously bad for breaking camp in the morning and ended up getting a slow start. As I was haphazardly packing up camp, I saw the group from the Dodson Trailhead in the distance. This got me to kick it into high gear in an attempt to start walking before the group was able to spot me. I was quick enough to avoid detection, but eventually, the group caught up to me. The group ended up breaking into 2 groups, and we leapfrogged each other a few times before making it to Dodson Spring.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An amazing sunrise in Big Bend</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">At the spring, we talked for a bit, and they asked me a few more questions about what to expect. I ended up heading out before them, and we met a few minutes later at Fresno Creek where everyone took a break and filtered water. During my break, I wandered around a bit, which led me on a walk down Fresno Creek. I found a little canyon with some fast flowing water, and I took a few pics before heading out again.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">After hiking for a bit and over a vast climb, I found the turnoff for Elephant Tusk Trail. The sign kind of points you in the wrong direction if you follow the actual direction of the arrow. It took me a minute to get my bearings as I had to explore the area to find any trace of the trail. Ultimately, I located elephant Tusk Trail and started on my way, but just like the ranger said, Elephant Tusk was not maintained and ended up being extremely difficult to follow at times.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking at Elephant Tusk in the distance</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <br />Frequently, I couldn't find the actual trail, so I had to just do my best to head in the direction I thought was where the trail went. This led me to just hard-charge through the brush and up steep hills. There were also multiple times when I'm sure I was supposed to be on switchbacks. Since I couldn't find any switchbacks, I just went up and down where it felt right (where there was less brush). Eventually, I made it down into the canyons where my tired legs were hoping everything would become easier, and it mostly was. There was plenty of water flowing, which was so peaceful and relaxing to listen to, and the canyon walls amplified the sound of flowing water. However, all that water made it so much harder to traverse the canyon at times.<br /></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the smaller pouroffs I had to maneuver around</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <br />The canyons took me through some interesting terrain where I had to fight through trees, vines, cane, tall grass, and bushes at narrow choke points all while dodging water. And I swear almost every plant in Big Bend has thorns, needles, or prickers just waiting to rip you up. After some time of heading south, The trail takes you by a colossal pouroff. It had to have been at least 50 feet tall. Thankfully, there is an easy way around, and I scrambled down to continue my adventure.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the narrow points in the canyon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <br />Another interesting section of the canyon leads you down a narrow passage, and of course, there was plenty of water. I scrambled down that section successfully and managed to stay dry. A little further and I had Slide down an 8-foot pouroff that ended in a 5-foot deep pool with a large sand mound in the middle. I tried to walk across the sandbar and just sank into the muck. I repeatedly said "no, no, no" as I dredged through the muck to the safety of dry land. This ended up being a significant delay as I had to take a break to clean sand off of my lower body, socks, and shoes. I was not about to risk getting blisters from wrinkly wet feet and sand friction!<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Just a tarantula hanging out</td></tr>
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<br />As I neared the end of my time in the canyons, I discovered a narrow point with a boulder wedged in overhead, I decided scrambling down was not worth the effort. After a short break to assess my options, I realized I missed the trail. I climbed up about 30 feet of the canyon wall to a ledge. From this vantage point, I decided I couldn't get up the 300-foot walls to get out and would need to backtrack. To make matters worse, my headphones went missing on the climb down.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking back at the Basin near Elephant Tusk</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />I Backtracked less than a mile and found a way out, but night set in quickly after I escaped the canyon. To complicate matters, It was a new moon and ended up being extremely dark. Because I couldn’t see much even using my light, I had to rely heavily on GPS to navigate. This resulted in me taking a unique path that I wouldn’t recommend. The path I took was not even slightly close to the actual trail, so I spent at least an hour walking before finally making it back to where I needed to be.<br /><br />Belatedly back on the trail, I made it out of the canyon section and into more of a scrubland area. It felt like I was flying with how fast I was moving compared to scrambling around the steep canyon walls in the dark. This area had a trail that was moderately followable with plenty of cairns to mark the way. This all helped me navigate without needing GPS and eased my comfort level. As I crested a hill at one point in the flat area, my light hit a bush just right, and I thought I saw a man crouching down behind it. It spooked me for a second, and after I realized my mistake, I kept moving. Eventually, my GPS indicated the trail was coming to an end. I got overexcited looking for BMO and possible lights that I got off trail again. I had to fight through some thick brush and ended up adding to my collection of scratches before making it out to Back Gap Road.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Finishing up Elephant Tusk trail near Black Gap Road</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <br />I quickly found Elephant Tusk Campsite, but BMO was nowhere to be seen. At first, I was extremely disappointed he wasn't there to provide a hot, cooked meal. Then I was worried he thought I was late and went to get help, so I started cooking dinner and waited. After an hour, with no one in sight, I began to worry that he was in trouble or hurt. I ended up quickly making camp and prepared a plan to get as much water as I could carry before and the quickest route to hike to the Ranger Station.</span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-9985726412996111142019-01-09T08:30:00.000-06:002019-01-09T08:30:07.958-06:00Trip Report: Big Bend Round 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Preparing for the 100-mile Extended Mountain Loop</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It’s been a while, but I finally found the time to make it back out to Big Bend National Park. If you are interested in our first trip to Big Bend, you can follow along here<a href="https://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/12/trip-report-big-bend-national-park-day.html"> Big Bend 2015</a>. I headed out for the trip around 2 pm on December 2, 2018, for what I’ve termed the Extended Outer Mountain Loop, which was a 100-mile backpacking trip over 7 days. The plan was to meet up with my dad, Bmo, in the Chisos Mountains, cache water, and then start the adventure.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planned 7-day route for Big Bend National Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Big Bend National Park Background</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Location: 310, Alsate Dr, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834<br />Admission: $25 admission per vehicle, $14 campsites, $12 backcountry pass<br />Elevation: 1,800 to 7,832 ft.<br />Weather: Varied from rainy, cloudy, and sunny, 30 to 65 F<br />Difficulty: Strenuous</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Website: <a href="https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm">https://www.nps.gov/bibe/index.htm</a> </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoqwvBBV_LqckKXUCRvove789AanlsDkgIRl2kjs1UdZTPzBQhcAL0R5VLzn9c9YBahkT1SNdsu7QFI2ReLWlTJ5IieisaiKQ6e9L35LvpynlJ7jAxQEL9rjwv_zdaCuCwuyZauBJW3na/s1600/IMG_20181125_143852-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="My 7-days worth of food" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBoqwvBBV_LqckKXUCRvove789AanlsDkgIRl2kjs1UdZTPzBQhcAL0R5VLzn9c9YBahkT1SNdsu7QFI2ReLWlTJ5IieisaiKQ6e9L35LvpynlJ7jAxQEL9rjwv_zdaCuCwuyZauBJW3na/s320/IMG_20181125_143852-01.jpeg" title="Food For Big Bend National Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">7 days worth of food</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The Drive Out</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I didn't get to leave as early as I would have liked because I needed to finish up some work, and once on the road, I made a quick stop in Comfort to grab some water for caching. After that, it was almost 6 hours of driving, and by the time I made it to West Texas, it was extremely dark. Thankfully, I didn't have any run-ins with wildlife. I quickly found Bmo in the Chisos Basin and his primo campsite. It was pretty chilly when I arrived, and we walked for a bit as I set up my tent. Because it was cold, late, and dark, we headed to bed pretty quickly after I arrived. This was also the first real night in my <a href="https://ugqoutdoor.com/">UGQ quilt</a>, and it worked perfectly.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX14WwE-gq1YV7NzwqqYcfSVtIOYK92-7GdhnbIJS1nVH7sNbILLDBs46bioEw_DkYMLjFQs4GxcXZlLpfYjaaYIpc9qvMFGJVHT9Bm__E49CRGWFCK_Q8rrM3eSLH7xmHp1AHOgOBs4Pa/s1600/IMG_20181203_090714-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="setting up a tent in the chisos basin campgrounds" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX14WwE-gq1YV7NzwqqYcfSVtIOYK92-7GdhnbIJS1nVH7sNbILLDBs46bioEw_DkYMLjFQs4GxcXZlLpfYjaaYIpc9qvMFGJVHT9Bm__E49CRGWFCK_Q8rrM3eSLH7xmHp1AHOgOBs4Pa/s320/IMG_20181203_090714-01.jpeg" title="Big bend national park" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bmo Setting up his tent in our new campsite</td></tr>
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Water Caching</h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">We had a quick breakfast and decided to place the caches at the hardest locations first while there was still sun out; however, we realized we'd spent the night in a stolen campsite, so we quickly found a new site for our basecamp and moved. Finally on the road, the first stop was down Juniper Canyon Road to cache at the Dodson Trailhead. It was a rough and slow ride at times in our truck, and we made it just fine without 4 wheel drive. After that, we headed out to the south end of Black Gap Road to cache at the Elephant Tusk Campsite. Black Gap is the most difficult/technical road in the park, but the southern section is passable with a high clearance vehicle. We wanted to make sure we could make it before we reserved that site, and we were able to make it to Elephant Tusk with a few scrapes to the truck's undercarriage.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiildIe7-QWU-RXvG5cbK8bE0A9JeWfdG34E6fdUXWGL7ilwq2SfZW5vOsYJXUYBRZTtmvjwYaFA2PFYNr_mWaPp-sGxMZG39GPQ3QLCuYYVmJ6O-b5d5MKa9rnF4fXI53wRC6hywHFZypt/s1600/IMG_20181203_072040-01.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="early morning view from our campsite in the chisos basin" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiildIe7-QWU-RXvG5cbK8bE0A9JeWfdG34E6fdUXWGL7ilwq2SfZW5vOsYJXUYBRZTtmvjwYaFA2PFYNr_mWaPp-sGxMZG39GPQ3QLCuYYVmJ6O-b5d5MKa9rnF4fXI53wRC6hywHFZypt/s320/IMG_20181203_072040-01.jpeg" title="Big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view of the Chisos Mountains from our campsite</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Finally, we headed back by the River Road to the main road in order cache at Homer Wilson Ranch. We made a quick stop at the Panther Junction Ranger Station so we could get our backcountry passes for the next few days. At first, the ranger thought I was just some gung-ho kid that, but I slowly explained my trip and how I would be supported by Bmo which calmed her down. With our passes in hand, we were back on the road heading towards Homer Wilson, which has a bear box just off of the Dodson and Blue Creek Trail intersection. Our last stop of the day was Mule Ears Overlook. There is no cache site there, but you can cache water anywhere in Big Bend as long as you have a bear canister and pack everything out. So I left some water hidden on Mule Ears Trail.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Mule Ears in the distance from the Mule Ear Overlook</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Our last stop before heading back was the Sotol Vista Overlook, which we took in a terrific sunset. Returning to the basin, Bmo cooked some amazing dinner while I packed up my gear. I’d decided to sleep in my car, so I could have everything packed up, and I could roll out with no fuss. I am notoriously bad at breaking camp, and I wanted to hit the trail as early as possible.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunset from the Sotol Vista Overlook</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Backpacking Day 1</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The day of the big adventure! I woke up, had oatmeal and coffee for breakfast, woke Bmo up, changed, and finished all my last minute packing and reorganizing. I left my car at the overflow parking lot in the basin, and Bmo drove me to the trailhead. At the trailhead, I wasted no time and hit the ground moving. My pack was loaded up with 7 days worth of food and was definitely the heaviest I’ve ever carried it while backpacking. Because of the weight, I was using my <a href="http://bit.ly/2AxJLTM">REI trekking poles</a> to help distribute the weight across my body.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool looking feature on the Pinnicales Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> As I started my hike, I reminisced about our trip 2 years ago and wished Jack had been able to make it on this trip. I took Pinnacles Trail and saw many of the same sights as before, but this time there were no clouds. I was able to take a few short stops to admire the views because the visibility was high. Ultimately, I made good time to Emory peak, where I spent a little time talking to a group before my stashing gear and heading up.</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The black bear I came across while heading up to Emory Peak </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Once on the Emory Peak Trail, I immediately turned a corner and found a black bear 50 ft away. It was an intense moment as it turned to look at me. I fumbled to take a few horrible quick pics, and then beat my trekking poles together which successfully scared the bear away. Trekking on, the view from Emory was fabulous with no clouds, and I had the peak to myself for about 20 minutes; however, a guy caught me peeing just before summiting which was momentairily awkward.</span><br />
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<tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeo0wz7CqLAwh6X9aRF-0gWIHuEpLQ8If2hawkYSSc-1L3UAznDze3NjBPlXJSdkjR6aVT8-LtHkYIFtos8Pb-L11jGciDtpCWTIoA10V0kxTTvggXiqc6TVOejR828dwi8WAB62zcRNF/s1600/IMG_20181204_105550-01%255B1%255D.jpeg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Selfie on Emory Peak" border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeo0wz7CqLAwh6X9aRF-0gWIHuEpLQ8If2hawkYSSc-1L3UAznDze3NjBPlXJSdkjR6aVT8-LtHkYIFtos8Pb-L11jGciDtpCWTIoA10V0kxTTvggXiqc6TVOejR828dwi8WAB62zcRNF/s320/IMG_20181204_105550-01%255B1%255D.jpeg" title="On top of Emory Peak" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Enjoying the bright sun and amazing views from Emory Peak</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I quickly made it to my stashed gear. It was so nice taking my load off, but I needed to back after it. Next, I headed to Boot springs to refill my water. The spring was flowing nicely, and there was even water in the creek next to it. I made it to the turnoff to Juniper Canyon which lead me to another climb up and then a ton of switchbacks down. I never want to head up Juniper Canyon because the elevation profile is insane. On the way down I was starting to feel the fatigue with all the extra weight I was carrying but struggled onward. As I made it out of the switchbacks, I was able to have a much better appreciation of the landscape as I had made much better time and the sun was still up.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out over Boot Canyon. If you look carefully, you can see Boot Rock, which looks kinda like a boot</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> Finally, making it to the Dodson trailhead and my water cache, I found the group I chatted with at Emory. They were set up in the parking lot and were busy cooking dinner. We talked a little bit about our plans, and they asked me what to expect on the Dodson while I filled up my water from the cache. I headed out again as I’m no stranger to night hiking, and I wanted to be as close to Elephant Tusk Trail as I could get. As the sun set and it was a new moon, I quickly realized that my headlamp was acting weird and shorting out.<br /> </span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Sunsetting on the Dodson Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> <br />I ended up stopping early because of headlamps issues caused by <a href="https://amzn.to/2REI3tW">high capacity batteries</a>. Normally, these work great and keep devices running longer (my handheld GPS), but they just didn’t play well with my headlamp. I set up camp in a hurry, made dinner, and fell asleep quickly from a hard day’s hike.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">That's it for the first few days of the trip, so make sure you come back to hear the rest. Also, Let us know your favorite or ideal place to take an epic backpacking trip. And If you like the blog or our videos, check us out on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/AdventuresWithBG">Patreon</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Supporters</span></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Linda Pena<br />Ani Ruffin<br />Michelle Pena<br />Norma Morgan<br />Cheddar Jack<br /><i style="font-size: small;"><br /></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Disclaimer: This post was in no way compensated. All adventures were my own and told from my personal experiences. There are affiliate links listed on this post. If you purchase from the affiliate links, I will get a small commission. These commissions help me maintain my page up to date and cover any fees on my end so I can continue to provide a free website for you to visit.</i></span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-39197360688448482902018-12-15T13:00:00.000-06:002018-12-15T13:00:17.886-06:00Change is Painful but It Can Motivate You<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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“THE REMARKABLE THING IS WE HAVE A CHOICE EVERYDAY REGARDING THE ATTITUDE WE WILL EMBRACE FOR THAT DAY.” – Charles Swindoll<o:p></o:p><br />
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A good friend sent the entire reflection to me earlier this year, a friend I relied on for honest feedback, fun arguments, and helpful advice. That friend is now gone, and I’ve had to reread that reflection every day since his departure to cope with that loss. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Our friend knew life was short, and that it is best to live it as much as you can. His passing has made me reflect much on that. So, when Jarrett brought up a December Big Bend trip again, I took the opportunity to say I’d join. I’ve never been to Big Bend, and I figured training for a seven-day hike would give me the motivation I need to up my fitness. At the same time, I feel it’s a distraction, or a way to channel the pain of the loss, or maybe both. Training the body to improve its endurance and the mind to try to stay in the present is a therapy I’m willing to try. <o:p></o:p></div>
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So, our first “training” trip was to River Place Nature Trail. It’s in west Austin and offers three trails to explore: The Fern Trail, the Canyons Trail, and the Panther Hollow Trail. The Fern Trail has plenty of waterfalls, the Canyons Trail traces the golf course, and the Panther Hollow Trail offers the highest elevation change in Austin. At least, that’s what their website says… We only made it through one mile of the Fern Trail and then walked back.<o:p></o:p><br />
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The trail is difficult. It is steep after step continuously going up or down or up and then down. It’s been raining in Austin too, so some areas were slippery. The paths are narrow, so BeeGee and Jarrett walked in the front while us slow pokes, Angela and me, walked behind them. As you may or may not know, BeeGee and Angela are notorious pullers. It’s a habit Jarrett and I did not succeed in overcoming. Making it worse was Angela’s stops. So, she pulls and stops. Meanwhile, I’m trying to keep my balance and stay behind Jarrett, while at the same time going on the greatest physical challenge I’ve had in a long time!<o:p></o:p><br />
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So, after hiking for a little over a mile, we arrived at a stream and small waterfall. It was quiet and peaceful. You could even sit and listen as the water flowed downstream. I sat on the bench, listening to the water as Jarrett and BeeGee explored. As I caught my breath I looked around. Though the humidity was unbearable, the moisture and dark clouds seemed to add a mystical element to the moment. BeeGee enjoyed dipping her feet in the water, while Angela never lost sight of Jarrett. We hung around for a bit, taking pictures of some interesting friends, such as flowers and frogs. Then we journeyed back the mile we had come in through. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Which brings me back to the initial quote. On the way back, I was soon in a bad mood. Growing up, I didn’t participate in many sports (which is a whole story unto itself), so I never learned to enjoy exercise or push myself through workouts. Yes, I try to stay active, but mostly through walking or learning to swim lately. But going on the Canyon Trail was very different, and a great challenge for this non-athlete. I was huffing and puffing and answering shortly to any questions Jarrett shot my way. But at a certain point, while going up a steep set of stairs, I remembered what my friend had sent me, that wisdom about attitude. It seems cliché, but I figured I didn’t lose anything by changing my attitude. In fact, I would lose the experience if I kept focusing on my anger at my perceived body weakness and lack of balance. I wouldn’t gain anything if I focused on the anger I felt for our friend leaving either. So, I followed his advice and worked on changing my attitude.<br />
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I’m not gonna lie to you. It’s not like it was a magical epiphany that suddenly brought me peace and instant pleasure at climbing those steep stairs. But it allowed me to realize that by changing my attitude, I could change the course of this experience, this moment. I was able to turn this hike into a pleasant experience….<o:p></o:p><br />
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At least until we got to the car. Then exhaustion kicked in and I was hangry. Anyway… if you’re looking for a hiking place in Austin that can seriously kick your butt and prepare you for Big Bend, then visit River Place Nature Trail!<br />
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I ended up not being able to go on the Big Bend trip, but we are now preparing for a hike of the Inca Trail in Peru. </div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-75655242746620105842018-08-28T09:00:00.000-05:002018-08-28T09:23:00.408-05:00Trip Report: Sherwood Forest Faire<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">First Time at Sherwood Forest</span></h2>
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I have recently been introduced to the fun world of renaissance festivals, so Jack and I took a trip to the Ren Faire in McDade, Texas. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Upon arrival, a group of characters were handing out flyers to gain attention for their show, which happened to be called Blunt Force Drama. Once we Jack and I finally made it through the festival gates, Blunt Force was of the first shows running. So of course, we stopped there. The show is a melee fighting tournament mixed with adult humor. The show starts by picking judges from the crowd and then the fighting begins. They even have adult humor commercials while you wait for the next round. I thoroughly enjoyed the fighting and the humor, but some might find it offensive (it was pretty racy). Also, I wouldn't take kids. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Once the show finished, we followed Jack's policy of taking a lap around the grounds to see what shops and shows are available. This led me to find some awesome leather armor, and I decided I really wanted it. So, we made a few trips around the grounds pricing all the leather armor stores. There are definitely some cool pieces of gear and clothing if you have the money to get fully kitted out. After looking at the prices, we decided to carry on with the experience before I rushed into buying anything. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Failing at bargain armor hunting, it was time for lunch, and Jack ate at Jerusalem Cafe, which was actually cooking and preparing food (I would highly recommend eating there) as you ordered. I ended up eating at a generic food stall where I had bread bowl soup, and I wished I had followed Jack’s lead because it was pretty basic.<o:p></o:p></div>
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After we gobbled our food, we hustled over to the jousting ring just in time to watch the action. However, it was not time to see two warriors smash into each other with lances on horseback, it was time for jousting games to break in new horses. It still turned out pretty exciting as each rider competed to place their lance through small rings or smash fruit to score points. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Next, we wandered around looking at all the various shops we missed earlier or that had items we wanted to look at again. For a moment, the Ren Faire vibe got to me and I just had to have leather armor that I found earlier. As we compared all the prices from the leather shops, I started to ask myself, “do I really need this?” The answer was no. However, I did end up with a leather belt, a belt pouch, a basic shirt, and basic pants, which I wear to all the Ren Fairs now. <o:p></o:p></div>
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After shopping, we headed back over to the jousting ring. This jousting tournament was a little weird because there were only three contestants. The riders battle and smashed into each other, but none of the contestants won by unhorsing their opponent. With the joust complete and the winner declared, the contestants were unhappy with their standings. Everything ended with a double cross and hand to hand fighting.<o:p></o:p><br />
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After some more wandering, we stopped at the Sky King: Birds of Prey show, which was hands down my favorite. The show was entertaining, educational, and amazingly corny. The handler brings out multiple birds, one at a time and has the bird do a few tricks while giving you details on each bird and making bad jokes. Then the birds fly through the crowds to land on perches spaced out in the stands, so make sure to sit on the end of a row. At the very end, a crow comes out and takes donations from your hand and places it in a donation box. They even have a small area where you can go in and view all the birds after the show.<o:p></o:p><br />
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We then ended up at the Paolo Garbanzo Juggling Fool Show. Jack is a huge fan of Paolo so we couldn’t leave without seeing at least one of his shows. As it turns out, Paolo is pretty humorous. All while juggling sharp and flaming objects, which is incredibly impressive. <o:p></o:p><br />
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After Paolo’s show, we just stuck around the stage to watch Saxon Moon with Solar Rain because it sounded cool. The show is live “period” music with fire dancers. As the songs change new dancers come out and show off their moves. It wasn’t what I was expecting, but it sure was exciting. <o:p></o:p><br />
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There were no more shows after Saxon Moon and only a few shops were left open, so we figured it was time to head on home.<br />
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Overall, we had a great time and I can't wait to visit the Texas Ren Faires in the future. Also, if you like the blog or our videos, check us out on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/AdventuresWithBG">Patreon</a>.<br />
<i><br /></i> <i>Supporters</i><br />
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Bill M</div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-15214042491421622912018-03-22T09:00:00.000-05:002018-03-22T09:00:27.931-05:00Trip Report: Texas Renaissance Festival<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Taking Beginners to a Ren Faire</span></h2>
In December 2017, Jarrett our dad Bmo, and I went to the Texas Renaissance Festival in Todd Mission, Texas. Out of the three of us, I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who has been to a Ren Faire, and I’m slowly becoming an old pro!<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Background</h3>
The Ren Faire grounds are on 55 acres and there is even more space for camping facilitates. They claim to be the nation's largest Ren Faire and most acclaimed renaissance themed park. Once inside, there are over 200 daily shows on 20 different stages. Every year they open on every weekend from September 30th to November 20th if weather permits. Every weekend even has its own theme and some nights have after dark (adult) activities. As for pricing, online it’s $26 for adults and $14 for kids. Gate prices are $29 and $14 for kids. Even better, weekend passes are available for $39<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<i>Themed Weekends</i></h4>
<b>Oktoberfest </b>-Polka music and Traditional German beers are served.<br />
<b>1001 Dreams</b> - Fantasy themed with contest, such as scavenger hunts and costumes.<br />
<b>All Hallows Eve </b>- Halloween themed with contest like pumpkin carving.<br />
<b>Pirate Adventure </b>- Pirate themed with plenty of gold for all.<br />
<b>Roman Bacchanal </b>- Spaghetti eating and toga contest for all.<br />
<b>Barbarian Invasion </b>- Indulge in an eating or barbarian battle cry contest.<br />
<b>Heroes and Villains </b>- Iconic figures come together for entertainment.<br />
<b>Highland Fling </b>- Traditional Scottish costumes optional but be ready for the bagpipe-playing.<br />
<b>Celtic Christmas</b> - Christmas decorations and music for the candy cane hunt and guess the present contest.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Drive Out</h3>
The Texas Renaissance Festival is located in Todd Mission, which is about 50 minutes north of Houston or about 2.5 hours to the east of Austin Texas. Unfortunately, the roads to the fair are not a straight shot and you have to take multiple smaller roads and highways at least from central Texas.<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Adventure</h3>
I was lucky enough to receive a free ticket from my good friend on Facebook, so not only did I want to go, but now I had to go. I was even luckier and got another free ticket from my good friend’s friend, so it was set in stone that I had to go. On the second ticket, it was actually 2, but one was used and one wasn't. I printed them both out and was prepped to get a third ticket at the gate.<br />
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We planned on getting to the fair around 10, but that means I'd have to wake up around 7 AM and I’m not about that life. We finally make it to Todd mission and had to sit in a vehicle line for about 20 minutes. Mainly because Todd mission is a tiny town, so be ready to wait. Finally, we get to Park the car and thankfully the parking lots are surprisingly not bad, but you do have to walk a good ways to the entrance. If you don’t feel like walking, they do offer cart rides for a small price; however, we are but peasants so we had to walk.<br />
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We get to the gate and I explain to the gentlemen checking tickets that we have three tickets, but one won't work, and I will go buy one after two go in. He was kind enough to see that we are but peasants and let all three of us go in any way.<br />
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A good rule of thumb of places like this is to make a few laps and take note of all the cool places you want to see. We decided to get some food pretty early in the day, which is on the expensive side but a fun and delish time. While we were on our food quest, we ran into the daily parade and stopped to watch all the characters march through the grounds. After lunch, Jarrett and I went on a quest to try some mulled wine and some mead. The mulled wine was pretty good and the mead we got was quite sweet.<br />
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After our first few laps, we were ready to start seeing the sights and watching the shows. And first up was a walk through the Magic Garden, which was neat, but packed with kids and parents. The garden ended pretty near a musical stage, so we took a seat and waited for the next event. It turned out “Cast in Bronze” was the next show, which is where a masked guy plays a giant piano of bells, called a carillon really quickly. It was pretty impressive and loud.<br />
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Later we watched one of my favorite shows, the jousting tournament, which is one of the larger/longer shows they have. After the joust, we decided to browse some of the shops. There are hundreds of shops on the fairgrounds and they have stuff for everyone. Jarrett and I (mostly me tho) have a thing for cool/wooden mugs, so that’s where our shopping efforts were directed. Finally, If you stay to the end of the day they have a final show with lots of fire and a grand fireworks display. I unfortunately, got sick as I like to do so we had to miss the final show and head home early. I will manage to watch it next year tho!<br />
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Final thoughts</h3>
The Texas Renaissance Faire can be some amazing times and I would for sure recommend going at least once in your life. Just be prepared to bring a good bit of cash (paper money at that) with you and get ready for lots of walking and standing.<br />
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Tell us about your experience going to the Ren Fair and your favorite themed weekend? Also, if you like the blog or our videos, check us out on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/AdventuresWithBG">Patreon</a>.<br />
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"><i>Supporters</i></span></h4>
Linda P<br />
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Michelle P<br />
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Bill M</div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-6139880266787704132018-02-19T09:00:00.000-06:002018-02-19T09:00:06.320-06:00Trip Report: Colorado Bend Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: center;">
</h2>
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Spontaneous Trip to Watch the Super Blue Blood Moon</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Having finally comprehended the rarity of the upcoming Super Blue Blood Moon, I decided to plan a quick overnight camping trip. I quickly looked at a light pollution map to locate the nearest state park with a low level of light pollution. My 2 best options were Enchanted Rock State Park and Colorado Bend State Park. I went with Colorado Bend because BeeGee is allowed every in the park (unlike Enchanted Rock), and I knew BeeGee wanted to see a crazy r</span>are moon event.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuoz1ty4t9N-cHlZBbmWNqJaWQ51Ohc_yIeuX_tyHNJM63vp-SbX-jD58aOevEAJ8-m6uVS5biKPUwfLZ-xutbDMSAF7QhdcnQy4syZ7KBsoy0oas5B7pt3tZ6t06lKGvP2m4Jf4mPL5j/s1600/Blood+Moon+Colorado+Bend.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Super Blue Blood Moon at Colorado Bend State Park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOuoz1ty4t9N-cHlZBbmWNqJaWQ51Ohc_yIeuX_tyHNJM63vp-SbX-jD58aOevEAJ8-m6uVS5biKPUwfLZ-xutbDMSAF7QhdcnQy4syZ7KBsoy0oas5B7pt3tZ6t06lKGvP2m4Jf4mPL5j/s320/Blood+Moon+Colorado+Bend.jpeg" title="Quick Trip to Colorado Bend" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super Blue Blood Moon at Colorado Bend State Park</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Background</h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Info</b>: Colorado Bend State Park is 5,328.3 acres in the Texas hill country and contains springs, caves, trails, sinkholes, and a river. If you want to bring a pet (aka your best bud), they are allowed as well on leash.<br /><b>Address</b>: 2236 Park Hill Dr, Bend, TX 76824<br /><b>Admission Cost</b>: $5 entrance fee; $10-15 for campsites<br /><b>Difficulty</b>: Easy to</span> strenuous <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwc95dJFWxnZ68axL44lmXgU6yKCTa_yZHs1DXDoNfYeHgR57KfGow3YCFimcvGiZJdnatUtwNSkIbgSY-D2gXhKjxNB4kDkvP9lS75tkBnYfKkmqrgPlNeYEcXq_qNlDHgTA4Flz9FJK/s1600/Light+Pollution+Colorado+Bend.PNG" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnwc95dJFWxnZ68axL44lmXgU6yKCTa_yZHs1DXDoNfYeHgR57KfGow3YCFimcvGiZJdnatUtwNSkIbgSY-D2gXhKjxNB4kDkvP9lS75tkBnYfKkmqrgPlNeYEcXq_qNlDHgTA4Flz9FJK/s320/Light+Pollution+Colorado+Bend.PNG" /></a></span></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Getting Ready</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">I called the Colorado Bend Park Office during my lunch to reserve a campsite and find out some general information. After work, I flew home to pack up all our gear, and BeeGee and I had quick dinners. Then we took off trying to make the best time we could with the remaining daylight. Of course, traffic was worse than expected, so it took us a while to make it out of the Austin urban sprawl. Once we were out on the smaller roads, we started spotting herds of 10+ and had to take things slower. </span><div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX04eT7UF5bHvVpcX2X_2wJIrGj3KDFpo4Jc4SynResEUse6JHOnZAFCQxXNAggXhw3zw41v0_3W1t-aOgEuHIcgLOtN12RERYFHpz6vBECNfjKQ7EY5mcynZCiM7kFYuVQzdQ6VYBPuu/s1600/pwd_mp_p4507_0140n-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Colorado Bend Trail Map" border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqX04eT7UF5bHvVpcX2X_2wJIrGj3KDFpo4Jc4SynResEUse6JHOnZAFCQxXNAggXhw3zw41v0_3W1t-aOgEuHIcgLOtN12RERYFHpz6vBECNfjKQ7EY5mcynZCiM7kFYuVQzdQ6VYBPuu/s320/pwd_mp_p4507_0140n-1.jpg" title="Colorado State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Colorado Bend Trail Map</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Adventure</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, inside the park, there is a 6-mile drive back to the campsites and more than a few times, I was concerned I was heading the wrong way because of the long drive. After a few map checks, we made it to the campgrounds and the park was mostly empty. We quickly set up our camp, paid for the night, and did a little exploring.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgp73W1wVsCYDRNtQSRACDx3YVgaBOHY-M3R_xXBNspNjTexfR84wC5v0V10lkLSJLRf8MgikWmYPu3__NDGH5Q53U7mXUA_bhIk_86xiBMC-TCW5hv80YFpSqdyU1qsRhPF1OfB2UnKo/s1600/IMG_1462.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BeeGee staring down into Dogleg Canyon" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGgp73W1wVsCYDRNtQSRACDx3YVgaBOHY-M3R_xXBNspNjTexfR84wC5v0V10lkLSJLRf8MgikWmYPu3__NDGH5Q53U7mXUA_bhIk_86xiBMC-TCW5hv80YFpSqdyU1qsRhPF1OfB2UnKo/s320/IMG_1462.JPG" title="Colorado Bend State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BeeGee staring down into Dogleg Canyon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">With setup complete, we decided we needed to hike a trail after our drive out here and settled on Cedar Chopper Loop and Dogleg Canyon Trail. The moon was so bright and we had no need for any lights on our hike. This gave me the bright idea to try and run a portion of the trail so we wouldn’t be out hiking past midnight. Overall, this was a horrible decision and took a tumble early on. BeeGee trotted back to check on me and we were back hiking to hiking before long.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht_tMdWqnz_meh3bhpSZC3O6D31QaNkRL9k10R0zmEmIXc-sGOKsLQSmYlhtmc_ll7fw6_OQqzxG2b-AEN79-uuxS5hg4Ev8TML7TrDM64YdFqv6WsKDypnJ3DKreF-zJtLT6nHHlRGRp/s1600/Super+Moon+COlorado+Bend-bright.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Moon was so bright out on the trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiht_tMdWqnz_meh3bhpSZC3O6D31QaNkRL9k10R0zmEmIXc-sGOKsLQSmYlhtmc_ll7fw6_OQqzxG2b-AEN79-uuxS5hg4Ev8TML7TrDM64YdFqv6WsKDypnJ3DKreF-zJtLT6nHHlRGRp/s320/Super+Moon+COlorado+Bend-bright.jpg" title="Colorado Bend State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Moon was so bright out on the trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cedar Chopper Loop is a standard Hill Country trail with large exposed rocks, cedars, and oaks. We walked through one cool section with a bunch of low hanging branches growing over the trail, but mostly it was a way to get to Dogleg Canyon. When we arrived at Dogleg, it looked incredibly impressive at night, and I’d like to spend some time in the day exploring it. At the end of the trail, we found a large herd of deer and BeeGee really wanted to run wild with them, but I decided it would be best to head back. </span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv8ySPVQX_gShI5_5OwobeVs3xxIUmheYwgN3CXlLYzDgc7t9kRZguKQjPgjv2IDABIaNI2TvGcYItb246fwSLezHZesTv-osLtl1RJTOEOC1SxoYAE3tkn_hcj91yLR-3VifHvHnH1Fj/s1600/Dogleg+Canyon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The beginning of Dogleg Canyon" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXv8ySPVQX_gShI5_5OwobeVs3xxIUmheYwgN3CXlLYzDgc7t9kRZguKQjPgjv2IDABIaNI2TvGcYItb246fwSLezHZesTv-osLtl1RJTOEOC1SxoYAE3tkn_hcj91yLR-3VifHvHnH1Fj/s320/Dogleg+Canyon.jpg" title="Colorado Bend State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beginning of Dogleg Canyon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Back at camp, we took what only felt like a short nap before getting up at 4:30 and packing up camp. We set up the action cam to record the eclipse, but the action cam just didn’t have the power to take spectacular video as we found out later. BeeGee and I spent the rest of the morning watching the gorgeous moon shrink and change color. We watched the event until 6:30 before we had to head back home so I could head to work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Tell us about your experience with the super moon and where you watched the event from? Also, if you like the blog or our videos, check us out on </span><a href="https://www.patreon.com/AdventuresWithBG" style="font-family: inherit;">Patreon</a><span style="font-family: inherit;">.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Supporters</i></span></h4>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Linda Pena</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ani Ruffin</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Michelle Pena </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Norma Morgan</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Cheddar Jack</span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-14554760378267617122018-02-05T09:00:00.001-06:002018-02-13T18:43:10.427-06:00Trip Report: Pace Bend Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;">Adventures with BeeGee’s First Patreon Hiking Trip</span></h2>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We just went on our first Adventures with BeeGee monthly hike with supporter Linda! The trip was short, but fun nonetheless, and know we know what a cool location Pace Bend is.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fUsDKg_0JW27LtvP_I73Z5KQjrkLpZy0ApwuSoMwdA-54VEkioyhtRmbWy73qcGEkmuOjUZExXKkHS_6BNhXtUevXDUOqArPue7SY-_83nH9r2kfbAa72D1Ny21xHAdFsNgtwcBL-iME/s1600/IMG_1445.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A rough patch of Lake Travis shoreline" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-fUsDKg_0JW27LtvP_I73Z5KQjrkLpZy0ApwuSoMwdA-54VEkioyhtRmbWy73qcGEkmuOjUZExXKkHS_6BNhXtUevXDUOqArPue7SY-_83nH9r2kfbAa72D1Ny21xHAdFsNgtwcBL-iME/s320/IMG_1445.JPG" title="Pace Bend Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A rough patch of Lake Travis shoreline</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Background</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><b>Info</b>: Pace Bend Park is a Travis County Park and sits on the shores of Lake Travis. The park has 9 miles of lake shoreline, limestone cliffs, rocky alcoves, and over 15 miles of multi-use trails. If you want to bring a pet (aka your best bud), they are allowed as well on leash.<br /><b>Address</b>: 2011 Pace Bend Rd N, Spicewood, TX 78669<br /><b>Admission Cost</b>: $10 per vehicle; $15 per night; $20 for RVs<br /><b>Difficulty</b>: Easy to intermediate</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNX6CFAZgk7Sz0HBkAWqQkPaAl9JuM7PrwOlZEigEowZM-njIeWMNOMCEH_Zswjn7RDIJAoMrPnmZdHC3IxPlIsBg5XuFYrNXRQTpISOaigOfc9676o1r1mC1DjTcokCrtk6vHSPVdSoY/s1600/pacebend_trailmap+%25281%2529-page-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Map of Pace Bend Park" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwNX6CFAZgk7Sz0HBkAWqQkPaAl9JuM7PrwOlZEigEowZM-njIeWMNOMCEH_Zswjn7RDIJAoMrPnmZdHC3IxPlIsBg5XuFYrNXRQTpISOaigOfc9676o1r1mC1DjTcokCrtk6vHSPVdSoY/s320/pacebend_trailmap+%25281%2529-page-001.jpg" title="Pace Bend Park" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Map of Pace Bend Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Drive Out</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Pace Bend Park is about 1 hour from North Austin, and the drive takes you through the gorgeous Texas Hill Country. If you enjoy a swerving, up, and down road then the trip will be a blast. If you get car sick easy, plan your route carefully and stick to larger roads.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg_Rjzl4Kka3SzDMvDJfnsskU8uHsBl3qJiiVXmsvM037lMcsZ67Tn6DU9elVqnvSDxtkTwDphVTE9WOGJtrJUN0Xu3Cci9CMQ-wU0-bGlo2bk12_150aaSF-od2mGbFWyx0qhY7RDUic/s1600/IMG_1447.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="An ardea (a type heron) hanging out in Lake Travis " border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdg_Rjzl4Kka3SzDMvDJfnsskU8uHsBl3qJiiVXmsvM037lMcsZ67Tn6DU9elVqnvSDxtkTwDphVTE9WOGJtrJUN0Xu3Cci9CMQ-wU0-bGlo2bk12_150aaSF-od2mGbFWyx0qhY7RDUic/s320/IMG_1447.JPG" title="Pace Bend Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An ardea (a type heron) hanging out in Lake Travis </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The Adventure</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Once we made it to the park, we quickly learned that they are CASH ONLY, so make sure you have enough on hand. We had to pool some dollars and car change to come up with $10 entrance fee. We asked the attendant the best location for a hike and she recommended the northeast corner, and that’s where we headed. <br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrSoR8pAMPvFGLBtuGj4Lp3byfsuVPkwi-iJXqw3Vv6CfJx0FpsNma-eJt2iR00S5GAArVtbb_oEPbLaxIq7b6US2HINHp0liy9UPiajf5M5iwmrkmUHbq9KegKPZrVz0CLYC6CTB6Pw0/s1600/IMG_1435.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A cattle egret taking flight over Lake Travis" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZrSoR8pAMPvFGLBtuGj4Lp3byfsuVPkwi-iJXqw3Vv6CfJx0FpsNma-eJt2iR00S5GAArVtbb_oEPbLaxIq7b6US2HINHp0liy9UPiajf5M5iwmrkmUHbq9KegKPZrVz0CLYC6CTB6Pw0/s320/IMG_1435.JPG" title="Pace Bend Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cattle egret taking flight over Lake Travis</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"> Unfortunately, the park lacks signage for parking or trailheads, so we just picked a random spot in the grass close to where we wanted to start our hike. With all our gear ready, we took off towards the shoreline, and as we walked along Lake Travis, there were multiple cars pulled up on sandy beaches just hanging out.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSxPe6yP4z6LqnY_DIICRUcNeWuwOhnEfXBdQNlcrhkf-5-JbEHwe12cfjB0F2sz00S220nU3KD-t7hg0KQgNhXtS27mVXgexB-8li2-qC5aTW4jgPaZwEXhFCcaLNAIx4wvzRfW-NZH4/s1600/IMG_1439.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Taking a break for a group photo" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKSxPe6yP4z6LqnY_DIICRUcNeWuwOhnEfXBdQNlcrhkf-5-JbEHwe12cfjB0F2sz00S220nU3KD-t7hg0KQgNhXtS27mVXgexB-8li2-qC5aTW4jgPaZwEXhFCcaLNAIx4wvzRfW-NZH4/s320/IMG_1439.JPG" title="Pace Bend Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taking a break for a group photo</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We ended up just paralleling the shoreline, which allowed us to just enjoy the lake and watch a few birds like the cattle egret and an ardea. We eventually found a nice spot along the lake for a group photo and just hung out for a bit, which was difficult because the sun was overhead.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMma-DB3g9VO6wOFKlAHDWATE8V26yViY5kos7p3FUYkk6yBzIWZcMhW6PRC567MFCqZMS1M_0lINLB7twRfSZVRpIYIzfPyrIZP8lbA6faLgYJ7U1T28uPgJRQXjeIOH04HY3PLV7Rnyh/s1600/IMG_1443.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: inherit; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A giant fallen tree in Pace Bend Park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMma-DB3g9VO6wOFKlAHDWATE8V26yViY5kos7p3FUYkk6yBzIWZcMhW6PRC567MFCqZMS1M_0lINLB7twRfSZVRpIYIzfPyrIZP8lbA6faLgYJ7U1T28uPgJRQXjeIOH04HY3PLV7Rnyh/s320/IMG_1443.JPG" title="Pace Bend Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A giant fallen tree in Pace Bend Park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">After that, we saw a giant downed tree and I knew Angela and BeeGee would love to check the smells out around the tree. It turned out this area was full of sticker burrs and the girls were not a fan. The going was slow through this area and it ended up being easier to just carry Angela back to safety. Having hiked for a few hours, we decided it was time to go find some lunch. We didn’t explore a lot of the park, but this is now a place on the radar for a weekend trip!<br /><br />Let us know about that park that is nearby, but you just haven't made it there yet? Let us know in the comments. Also, if you like the blog or our videos, check us out on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/AdventuresWithBG">Patreon</a>.</span><i style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></i></div>
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<i style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></i> <i style="font-family: inherit;">Supporters</i></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Linda Pena<br />Michelle Pena</span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-35910461669395548302018-01-02T09:00:00.000-06:002018-01-02T09:00:14.323-06:00Gear Review: REI Elements Rain Jacket<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Long-Term Review of the REI Elements Rain Jacket</span></h2>
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I purchased this jacket in 2012 for a trip to <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2014/10/trip-report-mach-picchu-peru.html">Peru</a> and have used it many times on the trail or days when I need to take the dogs out for a potty break on a rainy day. The REI Elements Rain Jacket, now known as the <a href="https://goo.gl/CK6ZvQ">REI Ultra-Light Jacket</a>, is a lightweight 2.5-layer waterproof breathable coated shell that weighs 16 ounces. The jacket works great as a rain jacket, wind jacket, or for warmth as an outer layer.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1hw-8FsLaHo_PukthlT87rOggrFKtckzSAt1TkWOpYQ02innPLD0xLmXENN10udxUyr33IB98MCw7uEghusJzW_mlxOtHCRdC1wSMe2EisK38vGAaYK8JQMw72jty6PD5CrnPn-ZXlQF/s1600/3786_619651835977_332337313_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wearing my REI Elements Rain Jacket on a rainy day in Peru" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq1hw-8FsLaHo_PukthlT87rOggrFKtckzSAt1TkWOpYQ02innPLD0xLmXENN10udxUyr33IB98MCw7uEghusJzW_mlxOtHCRdC1wSMe2EisK38vGAaYK8JQMw72jty6PD5CrnPn-ZXlQF/s320/3786_619651835977_332337313_n.jpg" title="Rei Elements Rain Jacket in Peru" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing my REI Elements Rain Jacket on a rainy day in Peru</td></tr>
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Construction</h3>
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The Elements Rain Jacket is diamond ripstop nylon is waterproof, breathable, and windproof to 60 mph. The seams are sealed, the zipper features a bonded placket with securing snaps, and the shell is DWR coated. In addition, the jacket has 2-way stretch for better comfort and multiple pockets for easy access to your equipment. Another set of nice features is the design to help keep heat in: the hood is fully adjustable (it can even be rolled and secured in the collar), the cuffs can be velcroed, and the waist can be adjusted with a drawstring. The most important feature, in my opinion, each armpit has a zipper to help increase the breathability. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloewYuMrKPZqG49HpHBHD-u1re3l87wICf_XWqSIuocS2nyZYWZmDm4sby3HuOOmjOUykn8l5NhE-hipzfbKXe8mJwUkCLHTFt3QfvBvmF8HCg1ko62_r8uhDGh04Or7lQsdkZHiQol1b/s1600/IMG_1404.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hood rolled up and secured in the collar" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjloewYuMrKPZqG49HpHBHD-u1re3l87wICf_XWqSIuocS2nyZYWZmDm4sby3HuOOmjOUykn8l5NhE-hipzfbKXe8mJwUkCLHTFt3QfvBvmF8HCg1ko62_r8uhDGh04Or7lQsdkZHiQol1b/s320/IMG_1404.JPG" title="Rei Elements Rain Jacket" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hood rolled up and secured in the collar</td></tr>
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Uses</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’ve used this jacket in multiple situations from rainstorms, snow, and mountain biking and it has always kept me warm and dry. While in Peru, we experienced multiple rain storms at high altitude and my torso always remained dry. In addition, hiking the Neusiok Trail, NC, I experienced a day of heavy rain and stayed dry. As far as warmth goes, hiking Mt LeConte, I experienced significant snowfall and managed to stay warm and dry wearing this jacket. Finally, there have been multiple times I’ve been out mountain biking with the sun going down, super sweaty, and a cold front blowing in and I’ve been able to throw this jacket on and remain warm.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8-MxoMTaWHn_i-AYfeCzFvbcfktI832GMmsHQlS_rCLzZfG3Y14MrwEvRMCIkWgIpQaGsQJgTeIvNpHe5ArZnNR8HaqPb6vNvLux3s0Kgcqymz-3jYGfXyFMURJN1Q-LtjsNXh9IzBpT/s1600/17676_4601203032150_2848180_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Wearing my REI Elements Jacket on a snowy day at Mt LeConte" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt8-MxoMTaWHn_i-AYfeCzFvbcfktI832GMmsHQlS_rCLzZfG3Y14MrwEvRMCIkWgIpQaGsQJgTeIvNpHe5ArZnNR8HaqPb6vNvLux3s0Kgcqymz-3jYGfXyFMURJN1Q-LtjsNXh9IzBpT/s320/17676_4601203032150_2848180_n.jpg" title="Rei Elements Rain Jacket" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wearing my REI Elements Jacket on a snowy day at Mt LeConte</td></tr>
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Pros</h3>
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One of the biggest benefits of the Elements Rain Jacket is its versatility. This jacket can be used as an outer layer to stay warm and provides wind and rain protection. Furthermore, it is useful for everyday use, light enough for backpacking, and is stout enough to survive riding through thick brush while mountain biking. Moreover, this jacket is extremely adjustable. The hood can be adjusted, removed, or rolled up and secured in the collar. Plus, the cuffs and waist can be adjusted and loosened as required by the weather. Finally, REIs lightweight rain jackets are on sale frequently and can be snagged for a fraction of the price as higher end models. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpq3wd52drPj4nQLV_8facyGGDKriu7vOJedG_tkx7vcKvZElJz1LEX7_fK9DYmEvOEHLlNp_K2dohHVH5vuOWBOAthhGHwicVpKjIebRYmqXD-Fvg3ANDkUm92nK23sn19Qt35x9fAnvW/s1600/530625_619652040567_598871793_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="This jacket is durable and was able to survive the lustful attacks of this dog in Peru" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpq3wd52drPj4nQLV_8facyGGDKriu7vOJedG_tkx7vcKvZElJz1LEX7_fK9DYmEvOEHLlNp_K2dohHVH5vuOWBOAthhGHwicVpKjIebRYmqXD-Fvg3ANDkUm92nK23sn19Qt35x9fAnvW/s320/530625_619652040567_598871793_n.jpg" title="Rei Elements Rain Jacket" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This jacket is durable and was able to survive <br />the lustful attacks of this dog in Peru</td></tr>
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Issues</h3>
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The Elements Rain Jacket isn’t without its issues, however, as it is much heavier and bulkier than similarly marketed jackets. The jacket can be stuffed into its own pocket, but it is still cantaloupe sized. This can be a considerable amount of space if you must carry multiple pieces for a complete clothing system. Furthermore, at 16 ounces, this is heavy for a lightweight jacket as there are other options at approximately 5 ounces now. Another big issue is the breathability. While waterproof is covered, this jacket needs to have the armpit zippers open if you want it to breathe. Finally, the chest pocket is in a bad location. This isn’t a big issue unless you are wearing a pack and then the pocket is inaccessible because of the chest strap, and anything in the pocket will rub your uncomfortably. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA0t5gvKgBPajrrX5Sg6dVrbjfM8-cu2zw81_4IgIsy0Bx_7A3zEjNt_jhKD7JIIuNG8CPtMZ1vDGGAnLtpFH9p9a8u3kQZGm7pdxP-brbi36l8enJGrai4hnv78dPA4qW-KZxihNc9h2/s1600/IMG_1403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The large zippered armpit vent" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUA0t5gvKgBPajrrX5Sg6dVrbjfM8-cu2zw81_4IgIsy0Bx_7A3zEjNt_jhKD7JIIuNG8CPtMZ1vDGGAnLtpFH9p9a8u3kQZGm7pdxP-brbi36l8enJGrai4hnv78dPA4qW-KZxihNc9h2/s320/IMG_1403.JPG" title="Rei elements rain jacket" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large zippered armpit vent</td></tr>
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Recommendation</h3>
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Overall, this is a solid jacket and I’m glad its been my jacket of choice for 5 years; however, now that I have gained more knowledge and skills I’m ready to move on to a lighter rain jacket. If you are beginner backpacker or need a standard adventure rain jacket, then this jacket is for you; however, if you have advanced skills, I’d look for something relevant to your style and climate.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What is your go-to rain jacket? Let us know in the comments. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Disclosure: I purchased the jacket with my own funds. and the links contained in this article might provide a small commission.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-27818198294672616372017-12-11T09:00:00.000-06:002018-02-13T18:44:27.731-06:00Trip Report: Garner State Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">Crowded Car Camping at Garner State Park</span></h2>
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Angela, BeeGee, Jack and I were all able to get 2 days off at the same time and we decided we needed to take a trip somewhere. Since it has just begun cooling off in Texas and the promise of Halley’s Comet, there was a shortage of available campsites around the state. Thankfully, we found a few spots at Garner State Park.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDNBiy6QSgciIX9kkcJ__pJJ0801GBLpGS3-lHMzGNdRzSMMJt9iFi4RYDNr_YI9WpgiR48cOVHKOTh3qxBNPgTviF_WDoDPHxPoO0O_vEsDYjpRaceKGqPLe_vHTw2OXovsbHiwI3R5w/s1600/IMG_1325.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Angela, BeeGee, and Jarrett posing on a huge rock on the Blinn River Trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoDNBiy6QSgciIX9kkcJ__pJJ0801GBLpGS3-lHMzGNdRzSMMJt9iFi4RYDNr_YI9WpgiR48cOVHKOTh3qxBNPgTviF_WDoDPHxPoO0O_vEsDYjpRaceKGqPLe_vHTw2OXovsbHiwI3R5w/s320/IMG_1325.JPG" title="Posing for pictures on Blinn River Trail " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angela, BeeGee, and Jarrett posing on a huge rock on the Blinn River Trail</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
The Background</h3>
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Location: 234 RR 1050, Concan, TX 78838<o:p></o:p></div>
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Admission: $8 per adult, Children under 12 are free; $15+ for campsites<o:p></o:p></div>
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Elevation: 1320 to 1890 ft.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Weather: Sunny, humid, low 80s<o:p></o:p></div>
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Difficulty: Easy to strenuous<o:p></o:p></div>
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Website: <a href="http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/palmetto">http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/state-parks/palmetto</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Garner State Park - Day 1</h3>
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We had a later start than preferred but, we hustled out to the hill country as quick as we could. Making good time, we made it with plenty of time to set up the tent, realize we forgot the water, and found a backup water container. With some daylight to spare after all that, we packed up our day packs and picked a few trails for a twilight and night hike.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uftFYTuoJ5tJX_pLDZ7y37TZHq5-DZDc-wTFn3OkQr8reGjIH8bzz_D-WiOm7znhZ24aceGzGoScIrSDipknMUukUqjA6MZ2ey9WwA55RkCUvGbB8Z_FI_Ojv1ZqyLGnfFz8msspxAeh/s1600/IMG_1319.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Rocky terrain common across Garner State Park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0uftFYTuoJ5tJX_pLDZ7y37TZHq5-DZDc-wTFn3OkQr8reGjIH8bzz_D-WiOm7znhZ24aceGzGoScIrSDipknMUukUqjA6MZ2ey9WwA55RkCUvGbB8Z_FI_Ojv1ZqyLGnfFz8msspxAeh/s320/IMG_1319.JPG" title="Hiking Garner State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky terrain common across Garner State Park</td></tr>
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Blinn River Trail</h4>
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The team loaded up and we drove down to a small parking lot near the Blinn River trailhead. The Blinn trail parallels the Frio River and is only .5 miles long. I figured this trail would be nice and easy but ended up tougher than expected. The trail was narrow, rocky, and root covered. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud9Rya2mJMdN6vb7C-h63PIcYEaZQQ9mdJcjn_P2sTRFHQhYRWVbCZzAei6Z1SIAAVsBedI1x2nVWyqZyhyphenhyphenh6m5qCITrpbA2vPpsIxiiS3UJ_dIp079u2nIH-brbvaFtBp3qoZrxxk87d/s1600/IMG_1316.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hiking the Blinn River Trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjud9Rya2mJMdN6vb7C-h63PIcYEaZQQ9mdJcjn_P2sTRFHQhYRWVbCZzAei6Z1SIAAVsBedI1x2nVWyqZyhyphenhyphenh6m5qCITrpbA2vPpsIxiiS3UJ_dIp079u2nIH-brbvaFtBp3qoZrxxk87d/s320/IMG_1316.JPG" title="Garner State Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hiking the Blinn River Trail</td></tr>
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Along the way, we stopped to take pictures on a large boulder and let BeeGee spend some time playing in the river. The weather was hot and muggy and splashing around in the cold water put BeeGee in a great mood. Angela hates water, so she was more than willing to be an observer and check out all the great smells at the water’s edge. We finished up the rest of the trail and ended on the Madrone Walkway.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJk1aCkv8ukc85reL9-MSUQfxJxhLiqgLWmsl30L4Wi1c_F3dXvecdnPGHNygrEL_yJiTG3mG5vR1w0HvBpY3WnxEdbDNGt_FHZXB2D7zYrxy2d1upSHAatvrnDpOKgeKm619zQrgVNHh8/s1600/IMG_1320.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Angela, BeeGee, and Jack posing on a huge rock on the Blinn River Trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJk1aCkv8ukc85reL9-MSUQfxJxhLiqgLWmsl30L4Wi1c_F3dXvecdnPGHNygrEL_yJiTG3mG5vR1w0HvBpY3WnxEdbDNGt_FHZXB2D7zYrxy2d1upSHAatvrnDpOKgeKm619zQrgVNHh8/s320/IMG_1320.JPG" title="Posing for Pictures on Blinn River Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Angela, BeeGee, and Jack posing on a huge rock on the Blinn River Trail</td></tr>
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Madrone Walkway & Frio Canyon Trail</h4>
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Madrone Walkway is a paved trail that parallels the main road through the park and is a little over half a mile long. The walkway passes a nice overlook but overall isn’t impressive; just a necessity to access other trailheads by walking. By the time we made it to the Frio Canyon Trail it was full dark.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQueVjIXPP76NRVb2ge-0MjT3E7Kn4yZv35oXiEtFREs8j4dIi6W_O1XHhA-C291-Selicozx-_1uX-qvChQ8A9-yVKra3xu0eZDaVigQ5M1LYsVNNIYYNqaLudrUORog_p-wb-oJMS9x/s1600/IMG_1331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Madrone Trail Trailhead" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnQueVjIXPP76NRVb2ge-0MjT3E7Kn4yZv35oXiEtFREs8j4dIi6W_O1XHhA-C291-Selicozx-_1uX-qvChQ8A9-yVKra3xu0eZDaVigQ5M1LYsVNNIYYNqaLudrUORog_p-wb-oJMS9x/s320/IMG_1331.JPG" title="The Madrone Trail Trailhead" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Madrone Trail Trailhead</td></tr>
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The Frio Canyon Trail is almost a loop, like a big horseshoe, spends a lot of time in open fields (you can see Texas Mountains in the distance), and is 2.9 miles long. This trail turned out to be the right choice and there wasn’t anything to trip over and the stars and moon were visible. Plus, Angela is a little scared of the dark and she could see off into the distance, which helped her be less jumpy. After enjoying an easy walk and a beautiful sky, we headed back to the car and campsite, cooked a quick dinner, and piled into our 3-person tent.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjMZJjLf70C8viyYddRjXRDWP0xjwTK6CLJ0lcKMShQnLZHn1SP01IgibZrcINSXXfzIBhD4Cp1ABqAOYnI_fsjsQ9i928aomoSYqkkVKLX41AyMhbeTuLOcWQgp2Aq-A2SPK-OHXhOxO/s1600/IMG_1334.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Walking down the Madrone Trail just before dark" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNjMZJjLf70C8viyYddRjXRDWP0xjwTK6CLJ0lcKMShQnLZHn1SP01IgibZrcINSXXfzIBhD4Cp1ABqAOYnI_fsjsQ9i928aomoSYqkkVKLX41AyMhbeTuLOcWQgp2Aq-A2SPK-OHXhOxO/s320/IMG_1334.JPG" title="The Madrone Walkway" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Walking down the Madrone Trail just before dark</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Garner State Park - Day 2</h3>
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It ended up being a much warmer and more humid than expected and no sleeping bag was needed. Once all the families went to sleep everything was pretty peaceful, and just a little sticky/humid. We woke up had a breakfast of fresh eggs and salami, and readied our daypacks.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
White Rock Cave Trail & Old Baldy Trail</h4>
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The next morning, we decided to make the Old Baldy Trail our first stop as it is one of the highlights of the Garner State Park. When we made it to the trailhead, we saw that we found White Rock Cave Trail and decided we needed to see this cave first. White Rock Cave Trail is only .3 miles, but it has some steep elevation change and you walk up some extremely eroded areas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkJ00Ndq9gB6CWYkWA5fzCkaBXe6eN8nxTKaIEhrw9SWcX65bYIZ7DQmf5T6jf79QFoHkK2OOUd7OILoEghitvyLDpBOPIu8eQq-jzj2ps32PR_9Hfzybk_Nce5jQDo6qeFuXTasyEGXO/s1600/IMG_1342.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The rugged trail to White Rock Cave" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtkJ00Ndq9gB6CWYkWA5fzCkaBXe6eN8nxTKaIEhrw9SWcX65bYIZ7DQmf5T6jf79QFoHkK2OOUd7OILoEghitvyLDpBOPIu8eQq-jzj2ps32PR_9Hfzybk_Nce5jQDo6qeFuXTasyEGXO/s320/IMG_1342.JPG" title="Strenuous trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rugged trail to White Rock Cave</td></tr>
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After some hard climbs, we made it to White Rock Cave and it was a little underwhelming. The cave may have been 10 ft. deep and looked a little gross inside. We decided it wasn’t worth climbing into the cave, so we just took a few pictures and headed back down to start our trip up Old Baldy Trail.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYZOv-axKMcMc8ygnJEtsbLHgNiQmM8rhuol_8hhYnrAlHaE8gXaAhrtTiWb0ae-rMJ2QgfLk5kPCecuROOkVVSXNC9j_UCFH3CpY2mSq12ZJol45kL59JIkda8PApQuhsNTVJqj9VF1Q/s1600/IMG_1340.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a quick glance in the tiny cave" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBYZOv-axKMcMc8ygnJEtsbLHgNiQmM8rhuol_8hhYnrAlHaE8gXaAhrtTiWb0ae-rMJ2QgfLk5kPCecuROOkVVSXNC9j_UCFH3CpY2mSq12ZJol45kL59JIkda8PApQuhsNTVJqj9VF1Q/s320/IMG_1340.JPG" title="White Rock Cave" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Rock Cave - a quick glance in the tiny cave</td></tr>
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Old Baldy trail is a strenuous hike at only half a mile, but there are steep climbs up water eroded trail, which means scrambling over big rocks. BeeGee loves that kind of terrain and hopped around like a mountain goat while the rest of us struggled to keep up. At the pinnacle, Old Baldy is approximately 1890 feet tall. Unfortunately, it is also a popular destination and was swarming with people, dogs, and kids.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDtGyeTIHrvVup8VXxGzs8l71mAPUB2nHL1ketuf0Usru8wmVB14wdtCcjXqB1Zovw9Hx1UHYlmouWFpkILgPRUSMis2PT7FgrCptDLTCvfbd30O2D_rY0jYoIcDmr3-ufFitrjg47TFt/s1600/IMG_1343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Overlooking the Frio River" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDtGyeTIHrvVup8VXxGzs8l71mAPUB2nHL1ketuf0Usru8wmVB14wdtCcjXqB1Zovw9Hx1UHYlmouWFpkILgPRUSMis2PT7FgrCptDLTCvfbd30O2D_rY0jYoIcDmr3-ufFitrjg47TFt/s320/IMG_1343.JPG" title="From Mount Baldy" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From Mount Baldy - Overlooking the Frio River</td></tr>
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Foshee Trail to Crystal Cave Trail</h4>
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With Old Baldy conquered, we headed back down about a fifth a mile to the Foshee Trailhead. Foshee Trail is 1.7 miles and was the easiest hike that morning. Foshee Trail passes a century old rock wall shrouded in mystery and intersects many other trails in the park, which makes it an important connection trail.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SRSSwqQYG6i2SdoFs2mNoCkWa71z2mau0QZLSoKy2AT-j7ifeyd0EC51TpPumOFHZC4amu34untNCTQfOZd7OHmwEws3-lcx30HooPQSBFbrTEGjSI4ylCCXkTuGwO4KXByKVPgSkQWW/s1600/IMG_1356.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="a .75 mile long rock wall on Foshee Trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_SRSSwqQYG6i2SdoFs2mNoCkWa71z2mau0QZLSoKy2AT-j7ifeyd0EC51TpPumOFHZC4amu34untNCTQfOZd7OHmwEws3-lcx30HooPQSBFbrTEGjSI4ylCCXkTuGwO4KXByKVPgSkQWW/s320/IMG_1356.JPG" title="Old Rock Fence" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Old Rock Fence - a .75 mile long rock wall on Foshee Trail</td></tr>
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On Foshee Trail, we walked to Painted Rock Overlook and took a look back at Old Baldy. However, the sun was out in full force, so we didn’t stay long. We then linked up with Bridges Trail, which connected us to Crystal Cave Trail. Crystal Cave is the other premiere site at Garner State Park and we had to wait in a short line before we were able to head down.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs0yCxhCVHxi5gEc2pOLmuK72V8CDCJoL-73V4d6aiCIcvKhriiJBizI177tV9zTIFQiTF5D4qd7zu1GKYIE86jNj4Xfg_dTWZBgWVcu2LksPPqXZ0i5ve6InXiBFD6kbu1v6Q2iBAVOn/s1600/IMG_1358.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="the view of Mount Baldy" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfs0yCxhCVHxi5gEc2pOLmuK72V8CDCJoL-73V4d6aiCIcvKhriiJBizI177tV9zTIFQiTF5D4qd7zu1GKYIE86jNj4Xfg_dTWZBgWVcu2LksPPqXZ0i5ve6InXiBFD6kbu1v6Q2iBAVOn/s320/IMG_1358.JPG" title="Painted Rock Overlook" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Painted Rock Overlook - the view of Mount Baldy</td></tr>
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Crystal Cave is about 30 feet deep and one small chamber. In addition, it is supposed to be cooler, but it was so humid all I wanted to do was escape. We spent a little time exploring and made our way back out to let the next group enjoy.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Campos Trail & Old Entrance Road</h4>
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The next leg of our trip had us wandering around a bit lost as attempted to take Wilks Trail to Campos Trail. We ended up on Bridges Trail, Foshee Trail, Bell Trail, and Rim Trail as all these trails intersect and weave together in a small area. There wasn’t anything memorable about this section as our view was blocked and we were just waiting for our next scenic view. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhsRqedXQk23-EJ0p9BA6rdHSS0ey73YAsKWaWMkUePLLH4qTCAU0PH3Z-yLkgDUWC9zBRlw2tLcAPkhRpEPdBe3ekK6S_v3cDandOiN3ZJWny-aKezBzdm5hC9DEd97GD_XW4JIYsA59/s1600/IMG_1366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="these have been guiding hikers for over 70 years" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinhsRqedXQk23-EJ0p9BA6rdHSS0ey73YAsKWaWMkUePLLH4qTCAU0PH3Z-yLkgDUWC9zBRlw2tLcAPkhRpEPdBe3ekK6S_v3cDandOiN3ZJWny-aKezBzdm5hC9DEd97GD_XW4JIYsA59/s320/IMG_1366.JPG" title="CCC Horseshoe Footprint Bollards" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CCC Horseshoe Footprint Bollards - these have been guiding hikers for over 70 years</td></tr>
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Along the way, we passed the CCC Horseshoe Footprint Bollards and the Campos Trail overlook, but it was well into the afternoon and too hot to just stand in the open and enjoy the view. Campos Trail eventually led us to our last section of our hike, the Old Entrance Road, which was an old paved road that used to be the entrance to the park. It was a neat experience, but more importantly, it was last, easy walking, and shaded. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campos Trail Overlook - a view across the hill country</td></tr>
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Heading Home</h4>
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After hiking for most of the day, we finished a few small tasks for breaking camp and decided it was time to eat. We headed over to the Garner grill (food trailer) and had some amazing chili cheeseburgers, which I highly rate. My one issue with the Garner Grill is the price of a drink. They only have expensive Garner State Park commemorative cups. After we had our meal, we said our goodbyes to Garner State Park and began the 3-hour drive home.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Let us know about your trips or experiences in Garner State Park. Also, if you like the blog follow us on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg" style="background-color: white;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white;"> to keep up to date. </span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-80394159425339017022017-11-14T10:00:00.000-06:002017-11-27T18:02:29.195-06:00Trip Report: Mexico City<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Michelle's Big Adventure in Mexico City</span></h2>
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Hi everyone! My name is Michelle and I am Linda’s youngest sister. I am a Spanish teacher in East Texas and this summer I was able to go on vacation with my best friend Raquel who is also a Spanish Teacher. We decided to travel to Mexico City in August for about a week. Jarrett has asked me to write about my trip, so here it goes!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 1</h3>
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We arrived in Mexico City at about 10 am on Tuesday. On our way to the airbnb is when we first noticed the crazy amount of traffic that is found in Mexico City. Once we dropped off our bags, we went to a coffee shop that a friend wanted us to try. I did not have the coffee, but my friend seemed to greatly enjoy it.</div>
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After this we decided to get some groceries in order to be able to eat at home and save some money, I mean we are on a teacher's budget after all. This was THE LONGEST grocery trip EVER! It took us about an hour and a half to get to a Walmart because the Traffic was insane! It wasn’t even that far away! We decided to have tacos for dinner because we’re in Mexico City and of course you have to have tacos! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 2</h3>
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On Wednesday, we decided to go to downtown Mexico, but there was a protest going on and we opted not to go for safety reasons. So, we headed to Frida Kahlo’s home in Coyoacan. Now before you head there, I would recommend that you purchase your tickets ahead of time online, otherwise be prepared to wait for a while. They only allow about 40 people per group to enter the house. The prices vary, but if you have either a student or teacher ID you can get a discount, but you still have to pay extra in order take pictures inside. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Once we got into La Casa Azul de Frida Kahlo all I have to say is that it is simply breathtaking. I’ve never been a huge Frida Kahlo fan, I’ve always admired her work and how she did not stick to gender norms. This home belonged to Frida’s family and she lived here growing up, after her parents passed away she and Diego moved in and did some renovations. They may have lived in the same house, but they did not share the same bedroom. Right as you enter, there is a sign that reads “Frida and Diego lived in this house from 1929-1954.” <o:p></o:p></div>
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There is art by Frida all over the house and quotes that were said by Frida. Their kitchen had their names on the walls and doves as well. I couldn’t tell what that was made of since we couldn’t actually go into the kitchen. Frida’s studio area looked as if she had just left for a day and let us in her home. Some of her brushes were out, her wheelchair was in front of a canvas. There was a special exhibit of Frida’s most famous dresses and jewelry. We went in and there they were, the most iconic outfits as seen as in pictures, painting, and articles. Even some of back braces and cast were on display. I am so thankful that I got to see it. <o:p></o:p><br />
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That night, we went to dinner with my cousin Jorge who lives in the City. We went to a restaurant called La Casa de Tono that is well known for their pozole. I had it, and I’m not normally a pozole person, but this one was delicious! After dinner, we went to the statue of the Angel de la Independencia. Apparently, it’s light is different every night. While there we learned that the statue had fallen once during an earthquake and after that, it was put on a higher level not only because of the earthquake but also because the city is sinking. After that, we just walked around for a bit before we parted ways. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 3</h3>
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The next day we visited the anthropology museum. I’m a giant anthropology geek so this was my favorite! The museum is quite big but the entrance fee is fairly cheap. It was about $70 pesos which ends up being about $6 dollars. The museum is huge and they have so many great exhibits that I would recommend any of them. Since we were in a bit of a time crunch, we stuck to the first-floor exhibits which focused on early civilization and Mayan exhibits. Each exhibit was carefully thought out and very beautiful. <o:p></o:p><br />
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After the museum, we went to downtown Mexico, also known as “El Zocalo.” We saw the balcony where the president of Mexico stands during “El Grito de Dolores” on the night of September 15, beginning the festivities for the 16 of September, Mexico’s Independence Day! We were able to see the ruins of “El Templo Mayor” this temple was one of the most important one for the Aztecs and was located in their capital of Tenochtitlan, which is present-day Mexico. This place was also very affordable only $70 pesos as well! You are allowed to walk on the pathways they have for people but you are not allowed to go into the ruins. The museum is fairly small but still very informative and beautiful. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 4</h3>
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On Friday, we spent our day with God and La Virgin de Guadalupe. We traveled to “La Basilica de Guadalupe” where we saw the old church that you can tell is sinking and tilting, but inside it is so mesmerizing. We waited in line to get some gifts baptized in holy water. I got a rosary for my mom, a keychain for my dad, and a bracelet for me. Nothing for Linda and Denisse, because they’re heathens. We then watched a ceremony of all women dance and worship the Virgin. It was so cool. We made our way into the new Basilica and sat down to take everything in. You could feel the peace in there. It was wonderful.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 5</h3>
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On Saturday August 12, it was my birthday!! I turned 23 and all I wanted to do was visit the pyramids of Teotihuacán. So, we woke up early in the morning and drove there. It took us about 2 hours to get there because of construction. Once we arrived, I was super excited to climb the pyramids, until I actually saw one. They are so small y’all and the steps are so steep! Just getting to the other side of the pyramid was tiring. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We met a very nice vendor who was selling a Sun God and a Moon God musical instrument that doubled as a pottery piece. When he found out it was my birthday and that we were Spanish Teachers he asked us to record something for him, which we did. In the recording, he explained what music was played for each God. He then played happy birthday using the Sun God and it was great. I obviously had to buy it! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Raquel tried to climb the pyramid, which I refused because I am terrified of heights and there were way too many people going up and down. I decided to sit on one of the smaller pyramids and just take everything in. The beauty and the hard work that so many Aztecs put into building these wonderful pyramids. My mind couldn’t help but wonder how different life was for them. Raquel could only get halfway through the Sun pyramid before coming down. You have to be super fit for those pyramids! It is said that if you wear white to the pyramids, you will be filled with positive energy, so I did. Hey, I’m a teacher, I’ll take any positive energy I can get! <o:p></o:p><br />
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After spending about 3 hours in the pyramids we headed back and had dinner with Maricela and Gabriel. We all rested from the long day and then night time hit, we decided to go to the monument of the revolution also known as “El Monumento de la revolución.” This also lights up at night and has a museum inside. The price varies on the type of tour you take. We went at night time so the museum was closed. You can take an elevator up but not down. Once we got to the top, I panicked. I hadn’t realized how tall it was going to be. Once again, I’m terrified of heights!!! Luckily, Raquel and Maricela were with me the entire time and I can’t deny that the view from the top was breathtaking.<o:p></o:p><br />
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It took me a while to make it down the stairs, but once I did I went straight to the gift shop! I bought Linda and Jarrett shirts that were among the most famous revolutionaries in Mexico, Emiliano Zapata and Francisco Villa. My birthday ended with a tour around the Mariachi Plaza, which is where many Mariachi groups are and people can just drive by and hire them. This area isn’t very safe, so if it’s not early at night, I would avoid it. Lastly, instead of birthday cake, I had birthday churros from a great place, which sadly I don’t know the name of, but they were delicious!!! <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 6</h3>
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Sunday, we went to a market called “Mercado de artesanía” where they sold so many great things! I wanted to but everything I saw! I purchased an embroidered Mexican peasant shirt and some pure silver earrings with a real turquoise stone in them. Raquel purchased a beautiful chess set for her dad that was made of stone. We walked around for hours and that was it. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Mexico City - Day 7</h3>
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On Monday we had a few hours to kill before our flight, so we decided to tour Mexico City’s most popular wax museum and they had celebrities from all over the world. From Michael Jackson to the Queen of England. My favorite would have to be a tie between Pedro Infante and Alejandro Fernandez. Yes, I did fangirl when I found their wax figures. Judge me, I don’t care. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We returned to our air bnb and said our goodbyes to Roo and Maricela. Gabriel drove us to the airport and so at last we said goodbye to him. I never truly realized how beautiful Mexico City was until I spent 6 days there. It was the trip of a lifetime and I can’t wait to go back! Raquel and I are already planning our trip to Cancun next summer! Thanks for reading all about our trip!<o:p></o:p></div>
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Conclusion</h3>
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I would like to thank Dr. Miranda Recinos and her family for their hospitality during our time in Mexico City. I’ve adopted Maricela and Gabriel as my third set of grandparents. My heart goes out to all the people affected by the earthquakes that have affected Mexico recently, but if it there is one thing I learned on my trip, is that the people of Mexico are resilient and fighters. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Lastly, I’d just like to say how much this trip helped me get a better understanding of my culture and who I am. I’ve always known I was Mexican-American and traveled to different parts of Mexico, but I was never old or mature enough to understand everything I was looking at. This is the first trip I make to Mexico with an opened mind and heart. By doing so, my heritage has become my biggest pride. I love being Latinx and everything it entails. Thank you México city for helping me understand a side of me I didn’t even know was misunderstood.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-71319251386834531912017-10-09T09:00:00.000-05:002017-10-19T19:39:30.893-05:00Lessons Learned as a Hurricane Harvey First Responder <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">Lessons Learned During Hurricane Harvey</span></span></h2>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I recently volunteered to assist in Texas areas affected by Hurricane Harvey. I was with a team that began with high water rescues and searching houses for survivors. We quickly transitioned to handing out life-sustaining supplies at distribution points. Along the way, I learned valuable lessons as a first responder and some of those could be beneficial for impacted area survivors.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgH8R9zVWio3LM1Mto0G4p0ZiCBT3qXQs_81ubNP65kl2X0X2DgK5ynmfplvRgtBOZ8pacDq10pE_wi_BPLm5lQp4oXLd6GfktzxOgeWNNPz-uEr3NCiIYC02WxuU3rLn86-jVXD9CerP/s1600/Flipped+Semi+Truck.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="in a parking lot in ingleside, TX" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCgH8R9zVWio3LM1Mto0G4p0ZiCBT3qXQs_81ubNP65kl2X0X2DgK5ynmfplvRgtBOZ8pacDq10pE_wi_BPLm5lQp4oXLd6GfktzxOgeWNNPz-uEr3NCiIYC02WxuU3rLn86-jVXD9CerP/s320/Flipped+Semi+Truck.jpg" title="Flipped semi-truck at a distribution point" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Flipped semi-truck at a distribution point</td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Power</span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">With food, water, and shelter provided, I quickly realized power was going to be one of the biggest issues. I had a personal, work, and satellite phone, to receive calls from various people and agencies in support of our mission to help locals. The catch, we were in areas with no power or areas with so many people hooked up to the grid there wasn’t enough power to go around. </span><span style="line-height: 107%;">Thankfully, I took an amazing combination for keeping my communication equipment powered up. I have a</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2yP0cb4"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> StrongVolt</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> 5W solar panel and a</span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2z623t9"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> KMASHI</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"> 1000mAh power bank.</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cNS7pwjzM-I/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cNS7pwjzM-I?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">There were some hard lessons learned using my solar panel about having enough space, enough watts, and being weather resistant. First, make sure you have an enough room to lay the panels flat in direct sunlight. I learned that hanging the panels didn't work well and they needed to be flat. Second, most electronics will only charge so fast, no matter how many watts, but a larger panel will provide more power in the shade (like when a cloud blocks the sun). Finally, make sure you get a panel that is weather/water resistant as hurricane weather could lead to more storms. I took a StrongVolt because I bought it on a Woot sale, but there are better or more cost-effective options out there.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl3TxNycDKLPoDnwoSPWSstqXh9IK8qe6LfBymu9TJMfz7Wq4kC0oX1-2W00OyypCvlv1LzIVMt4ahPiOyFeDLbtMYG-3pYfsPPo8cOsj07vxJITxVywB6NOEqs_CwuAxU1kdzFWy6N0l/s1600/StrongVolt+Solar+Panel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="taken from woot.com" border="0" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdl3TxNycDKLPoDnwoSPWSstqXh9IK8qe6LfBymu9TJMfz7Wq4kC0oX1-2W00OyypCvlv1LzIVMt4ahPiOyFeDLbtMYG-3pYfsPPo8cOsj07vxJITxVywB6NOEqs_CwuAxU1kdzFWy6N0l/s320/StrongVolt+Solar+Panel.jpg" title="The StrongVolt 5W solar panel. " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The StrongVolt 5W solar panel. <i>taken from woot.com</i></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">The battery pack I brought turned out to be a keystone piece of equipment. I would charge all of my electronics while sleeping using the battery pack, and throughout the next day, I would use the solar charger to top off the battery pack. Additionally, if there was ever any power, I would use that as well to recharge the battery pack. This method turned out to be an efficient means to keep everything charged and I never had a dead phone as a result. However, I wouldn't have had such a great result with a smaller battery pack.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6I0n31WZKIg5LtzEC3MEJG3vY1DJ8Lqs7uELUepQv7gOLv5dlc0hzsd7_lABzQBSyek8NFYZIAjqmQon3YGS4P-z-sauonH0GV5HxT4CVAyjR9ANLi_K2ySa95xPCKGVeaLc8W1PdfoJ/s1600/KMASHI+Battery+Pack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Taken from Amazon.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY6I0n31WZKIg5LtzEC3MEJG3vY1DJ8Lqs7uELUepQv7gOLv5dlc0hzsd7_lABzQBSyek8NFYZIAjqmQon3YGS4P-z-sauonH0GV5HxT4CVAyjR9ANLi_K2ySa95xPCKGVeaLc8W1PdfoJ/s320/KMASHI+Battery+Pack.jpg" title="KMASHI 10k mAh Batter Pack. " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">KMASHI 10k mAh Battery Pack. <i>Taken from Amazon.com</i></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Finally, I would definitely add an inverter to my power kit. After returning home, I purchased an</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://amzn.to/2y1gKNU"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;"> Aukey</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> 300W power inverter. The key is to make sure it can charge by 12V auxiliary power outlets and by car batteries with gator clips. This way, any car with a battery provides a means for power, which includes abandoned cars in a bad enough situation.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Food, Water, and Caffeine</span></h3>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Food and water are going to be key for any survivor and first responder, so having a reasonable amount on hand is paramount. MY crew was handing out water and rations three days after Hurricane Harvey made landfall.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiLmCzp-1CwJo2ZoQjFAThbT29ibVvWM8aqU2Ij1qfN833ni3DZJYdMST8nBun8opgsSQCp49kDk8EKFlrUYOiKfrXgH1kpxuL3J-RUHd2xw3GJe7y70twuei4CkaTeNHQcZf19cK7x6T/s1600/Soldiers+handing+out+rations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="In Aransas Pass, Tx" border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpiLmCzp-1CwJo2ZoQjFAThbT29ibVvWM8aqU2Ij1qfN833ni3DZJYdMST8nBun8opgsSQCp49kDk8EKFlrUYOiKfrXgH1kpxuL3J-RUHd2xw3GJe7y70twuei4CkaTeNHQcZf19cK7x6T/s320/Soldiers+handing+out+rations.jpg" title="Soldiers handing out rations (MREs)" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I ended up taking a stove for a specific reason and it wasn't water purification, but that is an added bonus. I took the stove to make coffee and that you ended up being a major hit with my crew. As someone who loves caffeine, it seems like this treasure is oft overlooked. If you are interested in learning more about stoves, check out our <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/11/stove-basics-part-1.html">stove basics 1</a> and <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/11/stove-basics-part-2.html">stove basics 2</a> posts.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6L1xHpI0o8LHU2CI5I0MM8VlqGgyemfU_ys2YdWOiYiBukE4tC6HIvdTAAZ_i8MBmEwwBi7IQb3pKQ1_AG7kMZILhcxBMT5x3YfDOXskVdVTfQkgth0KHzz_pKFy_vtduu0snOmjhtRS/s1600/IMG_1078.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="boiling water for coffee" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil6L1xHpI0o8LHU2CI5I0MM8VlqGgyemfU_ys2YdWOiYiBukE4tC6HIvdTAAZ_i8MBmEwwBi7IQb3pKQ1_AG7kMZILhcxBMT5x3YfDOXskVdVTfQkgth0KHzz_pKFy_vtduu0snOmjhtRS/s400/IMG_1078.JPG" title="Primus canister stove I used for making coffee" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">In the areas we were in there was a water boiling warning. Furthermore, it can be hard to fill up your bathtub beforehand if you know a flood is imminent. This is where a stove, your gas stove in your home or a portable stove, will be key until bottled water or water treatment is restored.</span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Lastly, everyone needs food to last long enough for supplies to arrive. A lot of people we handed out food too had plenty of food in their refrigerators, but they had no way to keep it cold. I took along some freeze-dried food as insurance in case food was in short supply. It might be worthwhile checking out </span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://goo.gl/X7qHbQ"><span style="color: #1155cc; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi;">Wise Foods</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"> for some options.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">While I know my lessons learned as a first responder aren't going to completely cover the needs for a disaster survivor, there is definitely some carry over. Having a strategy to cover the big three: food, water, and shelter plus power will go a long way.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;">Let us know any tips and tricks you have when dealing with a natural disaster. Also, if you like the blog follow us on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg" style="background-color: white;">Facebook</a><span style="background-color: white;"> to keep up to date. </span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-90607964966829510792017-10-02T09:00:00.000-05:002017-10-08T10:51:59.978-05:00Meet Mitsu The Worlds Smallest Survivalist<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Meet Mitsu: An adorable, twenty-three-pound, one-eyed Shiba Inu who specializes in being a drama queen and acts like the biggest diva around. Her cute appearance may lead you to believe that she is a house dog first and foremost, but behind that fox-like appearance is a hunter who hasn't lost touch with her primitive roots. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviRBUwzSZcQgsqBEVRqcpyUgt-A661zpYx8qGUAfLwxnlaU4Onba1TPweDYLIEWFHJe_Df6xHLzlDhs3rUcex5Xt4W2WRvMyr5488_EGITlWb3EEoH_Ip2aCoJUjH4Rg2zc80BszXzx-m/s1600/mitsu+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhviRBUwzSZcQgsqBEVRqcpyUgt-A661zpYx8qGUAfLwxnlaU4Onba1TPweDYLIEWFHJe_Df6xHLzlDhs3rUcex5Xt4W2WRvMyr5488_EGITlWb3EEoH_Ip2aCoJUjH4Rg2zc80BszXzx-m/s320/mitsu+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Every morning we follow the same routine: she jumps down from the cozy bed where she curled up in luxury and comfort all night. She lets me put on her pink collar and harness her for a walk. We go outside, she takes her sweet time to walk the pavement to the grass, and then we approach the woods for our morning hike. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_lagtQXzdAgdc-o_ZizqkWj7FNgJSmToVtk8AAwL5IrkXSm5PBOsyI-qtAgMOjQdMhe7VlU3CZq1_NqiR2j1KTfZwxbuCFCZs-NWoDcOXSKcMFBSgW2r78phlgTmHl3Gd6lgxFhrfF3-/s1600/mitsu3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1267" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7_lagtQXzdAgdc-o_ZizqkWj7FNgJSmToVtk8AAwL5IrkXSm5PBOsyI-qtAgMOjQdMhe7VlU3CZq1_NqiR2j1KTfZwxbuCFCZs-NWoDcOXSKcMFBSgW2r78phlgTmHl3Gd6lgxFhrfF3-/s320/mitsu3.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">As soon as we head down one of the trails, Mitsu grows increasingly energetic. She starts to smell the air and listen to every crunching leaf and snapped branch. She picks up her pace and responds immediately to every sign of movement. If she can, she pounces at moles and mice, tackles rabbits, and flushes deer. She wades through water, travels through thick foliage, and climbs hills and rocks. As far as hiking buddies go, Mitsu is the ideal. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcHUh22cCzDePbRwq_Vn1KagVIvFenT71dl6DbwE2KQtmLqmFTn8nXc-HiKPJ555V04B4089PgRRx5Nn7X357MkfbDKQgrwkc7lf3ofmx7FZTEjeBkrhWpZTE78-WlQgig3MQEX0O1B8F/s1600/mitsu4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqcHUh22cCzDePbRwq_Vn1KagVIvFenT71dl6DbwE2KQtmLqmFTn8nXc-HiKPJ555V04B4089PgRRx5Nn7X357MkfbDKQgrwkc7lf3ofmx7FZTEjeBkrhWpZTE78-WlQgig3MQEX0O1B8F/s320/mitsu4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Of course, that love of the outdoors comes with a price. Specifically, the price of potentially losing her in the woods if I get too complacent. In the seven years of her life, we have never had a close call - until recently. On one of our morning walks in our woods, dragging her long leash as usual, she caught a scent and ran to track it - and I failed to step on her long leash to prevent her from chasing that smell. It was a dangerous mistake.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Allow me to explain why: we recently moved from Texas to the Wisconsin Northwoods. It's a beautiful place to live, but it means that sometimes when walking outside my house, I encounter a black bear. It means I fall asleep to the sound of coyotes howling and, when I am lucky, even occasionally a chorus of wolves. It means that no matter how good Mitsu is at traversing the wilderness, she is still one small dog in a huge forest where other, bigger animals are hunting to survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8lZov9O1ooD_vI4QAgT-0uPQDv9aEkBBg1OyCS_MEf3iMUAix5_w2EjXuZg9itAFRA460kHV15-f2NuEVPbpRsiJZUI3jNPx8df4iHI4q9oexFJubCAJtLEM-fOvfbznJRrZLK5R-DKI/s1600/mitsu5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="950" data-original-width="1267" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX8lZov9O1ooD_vI4QAgT-0uPQDv9aEkBBg1OyCS_MEf3iMUAix5_w2EjXuZg9itAFRA460kHV15-f2NuEVPbpRsiJZUI3jNPx8df4iHI4q9oexFJubCAJtLEM-fOvfbznJRrZLK5R-DKI/s320/mitsu5.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">After three hours of searching, calling, squeaking a favorite toy, and going deeper in the woods than I ever had before, I feared the worst. I went home because I hadn't eaten that morning and I was beginning to feel it. I grabbed something quick and ate outside, watching the main trail, and thinking about all the horrible ends my dog would meet. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">And then, just like that: along came Mitsu, perfectly fine, still dragging her long lead, tired but unharmed, looking at me as though she just had a peaceful walk in a safe neighborhood suburb, rather than a 3-hour romp in the deep woods. She found her way home, and walked right up to me without any alarm or relief. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7AgwfHp86j_8F4g2QRdIruC1FEYPSE1DNUEu5tI3i-d7tOpkrVTkqUxIdfkPS3_VMMrtaLrfRcoBioCgHjWb0uJ3OvAYqCFzwcoM53incmidDnU07BVi_r_xiSi6Ej2V6JaLCJkKYwQ2/s1600/mitsu6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="902" data-original-width="1202" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR7AgwfHp86j_8F4g2QRdIruC1FEYPSE1DNUEu5tI3i-d7tOpkrVTkqUxIdfkPS3_VMMrtaLrfRcoBioCgHjWb0uJ3OvAYqCFzwcoM53incmidDnU07BVi_r_xiSi6Ej2V6JaLCJkKYwQ2/s320/mitsu6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">Lessons were learned that day, but not by Mitsu. No, the only one who learned a few lessons was me. I learned to be more careful and alert to both Mitsu and my surroundings. I learned that I shouldn't get complacent, that hiking in the woods is not the time or the place to get lulled into the comfort of routine. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #222222;">And I learned that if I happen to make another mistake in the future, I should have a little more faith in my dog.</span><br />
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This was a guest post by Jenna Savage, so go ahead and let her know how much you enjoyed it in the comments. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date. </div>
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jackhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13855140702734981664noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-32761798193640164932017-09-15T08:00:00.000-05:002017-09-15T08:00:18.941-05:00Trip Report: Downtown Dallas Adventure<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Downtown Dallas Weekend Getaway </span></h2>
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After working through my birthday, as is the case with most years, Linda decided to plan a birthday weekend getaway from August 11th through 13th. This isn't our first birthday adventure trip and you can check out some past trips like <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2014/11/fredericksburg-get-away-part-1.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;">Fredericksburg day 1</span></a> and <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2014/11/fredericksburg-get-away-part-2.html"><span style="background: white; color: #1155cc;">Fredericksburg day 2</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Indigo Hotel</b></h3>
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Our base of operations, which we didn’t even spend much time in, was the historic Hotel Indigo, which is in Downtown Dallas. Because of its age, the hotel feels small and the rooms/hallways are tiny. In addition, don’t expect any free meals, but they do have a small restaurant and bar, which are pretty good albeit expensive. Overall, it’s a nice hotel that wants to be upscale but feels a little older.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The Indigo Hotel was built in 1925 and 89 years old. In addition, this is actually the first hotel to bear the Hilton name. Furthermore, Hotel Indigo was once the site of the Dallas Opera House and the Titche-Goettinger department store. Finally, if you are looking for spooky places, it's rumored to be haunted due to its long history.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The next morning, we woke up, ate a quick bite in the hotel restaurant, and took a short Lyft ride to Dealey Plaza. We made the incorrect assumption that the bus tour was somehow affiliated with the Sixth Floor Museum. An employee set us straight and we walked to a small kiosk in the plaza across the street. We checked in and had a small chat with the odd kiosk employee who provided 0 details on how everything worked. Having no instruction, I wandered around Dealey Plaza while Linda, thankfully, found the bus we needed to get on. We eventually loaded up and were on our way with the tour. A little surprisingly, the driver is not the tour guide and ours didn’t add anything extra to the trip. Instead, the tour is prerecorded and our driver had to occasionally time location with the story. <o:p></o:p></div>
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If you are looking for a tour that stops, lets you out to take pictures, this isn’t that tour. At least in my experience. Our trip started in downtown Dallas as we learned about the events leading up to JFK’s visit and the plan for JFK’s motorcade and how it changed last minute. We then traveled a short distance to visit some key Lee Harvey Oswald sites. We passed by the hospital where JFK and Oswald spent their last hours. A little bit further down the road, we took a brief stop at Oswald's Rooming House. People currently live there, but they have a small sign in the front yard that says you can schedule “appointments”. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Next stop is the site in the Oak Cliff neighborhood where Oswald tried to walk away from the assassination site and where he ended up murdering Officer Tippett. We also learned how bystanders were able to use Tippett’s radio to report the murder to the police. Finally, in this area of town, we passed the Texas Theater where Oswald eventually apprehended by the Police. <o:p></o:p></div>
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For the final section, we learned some history on Jack Ruby and headed back to downtown Dallas. We passed by some of Jack’s old business and the Dallas police headquarters building, which is where the ramp Jack walked down to kill Oswald. Lastly, we headed down the Main Street route that the JFK motorcade before ending back the former School Book Depository Building (Sixth Floor Museum).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>JFK Sixth Floor Museum</b></h3>
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After a quick lunch, we made our way back to the Sixth-Floor museum. The museum was originally the Texas School Book Depository but is now the Dallas County Administration Building. The museum looks at the life and death of JFK using an audio guide and some short movies sprinkled in. It was hard to move through the museum because it was packed and quite a bit of information was fresh from the bus tour. However, standing in the spot Oswald fired his shots was very surreal and a unique experience.</div>
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<b>Nightly Spirits Ghost Tour</b></h3>
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After a free dinner from Hotel Indigo, we headed off to a downtown Dallas ghost tour. Dallas is one of the older cities has a ton of haunted places and ghost stories. The tour is a mix of a pub crawl and ghost stories. The general premise is to walk to a bar in or near a haunted building, grab a drink, and then settle in for some history and ghost stories. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The tour was ultimately fun, but I went in with my expectations set high from previous tours and your guide was very energetic, over the top, and frequently went for the easy scream scare. While Nightly Spirits ask that you don’t directly share their stories, I will list the locations we visited so you can do a little research. The first stop was Frankie’s Downtown in the Davis Building, Money Alley, Press Box Grill in the Wilson Bldg (it stormed hard during our time here), Pegasus Plaza, and the Rodeo Bar in the Adolphus Hotel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Trinity Treetops Adventure Park</b></h3>
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After another night in Hotel Indigo, we headed off to our final destination: Trinity Treetops Adventure Park. It’s an aerial obstacle course reminiscent of Army obstacle courses from my past except you are harnessed in and at least 10 feet in the air. There are 6 courses of various difficulties and all are self-guided. Once you are hooked in, you move at your own pace through the lane until completion.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Linda and I were the first ones there, so they trained us up and set us free, which worked in our favor because a Girl Scout Troop showed up a little after us. I fired up my new <a href="http://amzn.to/2xCBzlv">FITFORT 4K Cam</a> and we started out on Green which is the second easiest. Green was various types of aerial bridges with ziplines sprinkled in. After that, I moved on to the 2 blue courses, which involved similar obstacles and ziplines; however, these were twice as high, harder to balance on, and tougher to navigate through. I briefly considered trying the hardest, black, lane, but I was far too tuckered out and had to call it quits.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I’d love to hear your experience and adventures from Dallas, so go ahead leave some suggestions below in the Comments. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-30154881992194146242017-08-19T17:37:00.000-05:002018-01-01T16:01:06.092-06:00Gear Review: Primus Yellowstone Classic Trail Stove<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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A Long-Term Review of the Primus Classic Stove</h3>
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I have been using this stove for about 5 years as my primary stove and I’ve never had an issue. If you want to learn more about different stove types, make sure you check out our previous post<a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/11/stove-basics-part-1.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Stove Basics</span></a> 1 and<a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/11/stove-basics-part-2.html"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Stove Basics</span></a> 2. When I was getting back into backpacking, I needed an affordable stove and this was the best option at<a href="https://goo.gl/aV1Z9a"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> REI</span></a>. This stove is ubiquitous in outdoor stores, but the best price is generally<a href="http://amzn.to/2wsodEE"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Amazon</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Background</h3>
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Weight: 8 oz<o:p></o:p></div>
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Size: 2.8x2.4x2.9”<o:p></o:p></div>
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Boil time: approximately 3 min<o:p></o:p></div>
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BTUs: 10,000<o:p></o:p></div>
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Price: $15 to $20<o:p></o:p><br />
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Canister stoves are generally considered lightweight and durable. The fuel source is an isobutane and propane mix in small metal canisters, which is where they get the name canister stove. The canister is generally the heaviest part of the setup and doesn’t get any lighter as your burn fuel. Finally, canister stoves are extremely easy to use and maintain.<o:p></o:p></div>
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How I Use It</h3>
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I have used this stove for a variety of outdoor activities including backpacking, hiking, glamping, and I would cook lunch when I worked in the woods. On hiking or backpacking, I bring this along to cook hot breakfast, dinner, and warm drinks. For Glamping and cooking lunch, I have a large isobutane container and cook some well-rounded meals using a 1L pot and skillet lid.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Performance</h3>
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The Primus Yellowstone has never had any significant performance issues. The stove boils fast, is a stable platform, and functions great in adverse weather. Additionally, this stove is incredibly durable. I have never performed maintenance other than halfheartedly wiping it down after use or drying the stove.<br />
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Less than Ideal Weather</h3>
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After years of use, I have rarely seen a decrease in performance in less than ideal weather. Out of the hundreds of times I’ve used this stove, I can only remember a single time when the flame was completely extinguished by strong wind. Furthermore, wind will decrease the overall performance, you shouldn’t use a windscreen as it can overheat the fuel canister, but the stove will boil water fine.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I have also been lucky enough to use the Primus Yellowstone stove in light to moderate rains. Rain will decrease the performance of your cook times and will make a worrying sizzle sound the entire your pot and stove are hot; however, I was still able to brave the rain and cook a nice warm meal in about the same time as ideal conditions.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Boil Time</h3>
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The Primus Yellowstone is a great source of heat and brings 300 ml of water in an open pot in approximately 4 minutes and make sure you check out the<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLLThcb5bAY"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> boil test</span></a>. For comparison, Jack’s<a href="http://amzn.to/2e2DGmN"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> Etekcity stove</span></a> boiled water in 4.5 minutes in the same conditions, and you can check out that boil test<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sRiZ2iJ6Vc"><span style="color: #1155cc;"> here</span></a>. The Etekcity stove will save you 3 oz, but increase you boil time around 30 seconds.<o:p></o:p><br />
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I think one of the reasons the Primus Yellowstone stove boils quickly is the larger burner. It works exceptionally well on a wide pot where the large burner creates a lot of heat that doesn't escape out or around the pot.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Stability</h3>
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The Yellowstone stove has a fixed pot stand with 4 smooth legs, which allows the stove to accommodate pots of all sizes. This makes sure the stove amazing stability. The biggest concern to stability is finding a cook site that is relatively level and free of debris. If you are a beginner and don't have all your gear perfectly dialed in or for younger/uncoordinated adventures the great stability and pot size accommodation will significantly smooth the learning curve.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Issues</h3>
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Overall the issues with the Primus Yellowstone stove are pretty limited and for your beginner or intermediate backpacker/hiker, this is still a solid investment. In addition, there are some inherent issues with canister stoves which are not limited to just this stove but will be addressed anyways.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Size and Weight</h3>
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Over the years, nesting my cook gear has become more important as I’ve learned a low volume pack can be just as important as a lightweight pack. Plus, nesting can reduce the awful noise of metal on metal clinking caused by stove, canister, and pot interactions as you walk. On top of being large, this stove is also considered heavy for canister stoves. You can easily find a stove with a similar boil time around half the weight.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Fuel Level?</h3>
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An issue with all canister stoves; there isn’t a good way to check your fuel levels in the field. I have seen ways to measure canister to estimate the fuel left and tools that allow you to cannibalize almost empty canisters to refuel another canister. Unfortunately, neither will provide an accurate estimate while out adventuring; therefore, using a canister stove will require a little extra planning if you intend to be out for an extended period.<o:p></o:p><br />
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Weather Issues</h3>
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Wind is the enemy of all flame and this is true with canister stoves. There are clever designs and picking good cook sites, but windscreens can’t be used because heat buildup can cause canisters to overheat and explode. Finally, canister stoves have decreased to non-existent performance in cold weather, so if you live in a cold climate, there are better fuel options available. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Final Recommendation</h3>
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I have found the Primus Yellowstone stove to perform exceptionally in diverse scenarios, and this evident as I have never replaced this canister stove as I’ve collected various new and fancy stoves throughout the years. It’s not a bad stove to start with for the low cost, simplicity, and reliability, especially for beginners; however, if I had to do it over again, there are cheaper and lighter models available that I would consider better options. However, this is a great bargain stove for beginners or some good canister stove in a pinch.<o:p></o:p></div>
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What type of stove do you use? Let us know in the comments. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date. </div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-8833243247362449532017-07-24T08:00:00.000-05:002017-07-24T08:00:22.471-05:00Trip Report: St Edwards Park<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Day Hiking St Edwards Park</span></h2>
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On June 1st Jack hit me up to do some local day hiking. It's
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Background</h3>
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<b>Info:</b> St. Edwards Park offers 6 trails with two
considered the main trails. The park is considered a wilderness
gem inside the city and is spread over 80 acres with a creek, pools,
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<b>Address:</b> 7301 Spicewood Springs Rd.,
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<b>Admission Cost:</b> free<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Difficulty:</b> easy to intermediate<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfdDdw3DitCsA9A8su423mU2emL-A40P5d7ap8X3-l3dItogEVRMMliy6crYpuQRQ8SQv34w0_jJ-f_vFpBrvVuGa3-Asql-ySHETp3NgjJplFijprCXLTaicfiISErJ32F1s3bqgeBuR/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdfdDdw3DitCsA9A8su423mU2emL-A40P5d7ap8X3-l3dItogEVRMMliy6crYpuQRQ8SQv34w0_jJ-f_vFpBrvVuGa3-Asql-ySHETp3NgjJplFijprCXLTaicfiISErJ32F1s3bqgeBuR/s320/IMG_0973.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Adventure</h3>
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We made it out to the trailhead with no issues and took a
look at the area map to decide which trails to explore. After deciding we would
do a sampling of green and brown trails we headed out.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWA4GJdODH6Dyfuu2EQxpTeIb7IjXDy2tTIH9MMjxV1ijz8Jqa9lC2zRcwTvbA-wn2_4G69sz74NpOqwfDw1Qm9PpzHr22ma8jF9STfDQBA42so6Dqt_nn9FJShvvspg2yTCaH7-TNMBZ/s1600/IMG_0962.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRWA4GJdODH6Dyfuu2EQxpTeIb7IjXDy2tTIH9MMjxV1ijz8Jqa9lC2zRcwTvbA-wn2_4G69sz74NpOqwfDw1Qm9PpzHr22ma8jF9STfDQBA42so6Dqt_nn9FJShvvspg2yTCaH7-TNMBZ/s320/IMG_0962.JPG" width="213" /></a></div>
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As we started off, we quickly met a group just socializing
in the middle of a trail intersection with multiple little and unleashed dogs.
Thankfully, the girls remained calm and we moved past without incident. Not
much further, we quickly realized what a hot day it was and it felt like we
were hiking in a sauna with all the humidity. As we headed down towards Bull
Creek, the trail was muddy in more than a few spots.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93RgDD5n6mKQDRz1sH32Ru9zMyY2D0lHt9-1K38YQ2JEpr1qXfA9uoC8xoMuXiW_3tC0v4_xO34gSbtbNN2pPdEom6xu-beFdtwV2CgNtGZNSRjFiOZDQHRUm3VPed5hyqnlNPiq1-5fz/s1600/IMG_0964.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh93RgDD5n6mKQDRz1sH32Ru9zMyY2D0lHt9-1K38YQ2JEpr1qXfA9uoC8xoMuXiW_3tC0v4_xO34gSbtbNN2pPdEom6xu-beFdtwV2CgNtGZNSRjFiOZDQHRUm3VPed5hyqnlNPiq1-5fz/s320/IMG_0964.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We ended up at a small dam, where I walked across to take a
few pictures and BeeGee did some wading. Angela hating water wanted no part of
it and hung back with Jack. After that, we paralleled the creek for a
bit before he intersected the road and used that to cross over the creek. Then
it was all uphill on a rocky trail similar to the type of trail I've come to
expect in central Texas.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXlftxv6FWB0hcqijDy27jOs_Uw6uaBkLzCUfboQUMIi9gLcdxD5ukIHcReUiXVHT_raAzl7IICamhGtnAJJlE3ladkgDH6m5kaN_2Xc4z1tJdgqo1g3AFguP1bEOyM1pFL4fvbEGimLo/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOXlftxv6FWB0hcqijDy27jOs_Uw6uaBkLzCUfboQUMIi9gLcdxD5ukIHcReUiXVHT_raAzl7IICamhGtnAJJlE3ladkgDH6m5kaN_2Xc4z1tJdgqo1g3AFguP1bEOyM1pFL4fvbEGimLo/s320/IMG_0965.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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We reached what appeared to be the highest point of the
trail after a handful of minutes, which led us to a 4x4 track. Not sure if this
was still the Brown trail or access road, we decided to start back down; however,
we spotted a side route and took that instead. This turned out to be an amazing
decision. After walking a few steep ups and downs, we found ourselves
on a ridge trail with a fabulous and picturesque view of the surrounding area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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For me, the view made my entire trip and after soaking it in
we started our hike up and back towards the trailhead. There were a few
more steep inclines and declines on the way out and at least 1 or 2 guesses on
which of the spider web like trails was the way out. We just kept searching for
the creek in the lowlands and before we knew it, we were back at the trailhead.
This is an area I intend to further explore with BeeGee and Angela, but it will
have to wait for cooler weather so can see the entire park in a single go.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUZzyg-BSs_cD-6j0VXywwNsW4NatSKgEoRjJr4Q927I0HJAl3WUc74UXiB63bNgYw0eIwkkd0I04JqDqeH6PMWpBGqSUD89HFGpWSHCiVjoc_jeFHJYxD_wc12-7SpBJoShQ93pjef5L/s1600/IMG_0969.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLUZzyg-BSs_cD-6j0VXywwNsW4NatSKgEoRjJr4Q927I0HJAl3WUc74UXiB63bNgYw0eIwkkd0I04JqDqeH6PMWpBGqSUD89HFGpWSHCiVjoc_jeFHJYxD_wc12-7SpBJoShQ93pjef5L/s320/IMG_0969.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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Let us know your experience hiking in St Edwards Park and
any recommendation on which route to take. Also, if you like the blog follow us
on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to
keep up to date. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-13208503205423747302017-07-11T09:00:00.000-05:002017-07-18T20:27:39.576-05:00Trip Report: Trip to London Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<h2 style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;">London: Part Deux</span></h2>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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This is part 2 of our holiday trip to the UK and London in December 2016 and January 2017. Make sure to check out our <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2017/02/trip-report-trip-to-london.html" target="_blank">London trip</a> part 1 and here is a little background info as a reminder:<br />
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Travel Agency: Go-Today<o:p></o:p></div>
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Flight: Delta Airlines<o:p></o:p></div>
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Destination Route: Austin to Atlanta to London<o:p></o:p></div>
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Return Route: London to New York to Austin<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hotel: London House Hotel<o:p></o:p></div>
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Day 3 (Continued)</h3>
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So last I wrote, Jarrett and I had returned from Bath and Stonehenge. It had been a long day, and we were EXHAUSTED. Yeah, that’s right. I’m a millennial and I capitalized a word, because I cannot put enough emphasis into how exhausted we were, particularly me. After a nice dinner at a tiny Moroccan place near the hotel, Jarrett and I headed back to the hotel for a “nap.” It was too late for us to try to get any tickets to view the celebrations by the Thames; the city limits the amount of people that can attend those celebrations with the fancy fireworks, and you have to get them months in advance. However, we planned on going to Primrose Hill with a bottle of champagne to welcome 2017.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3ssEjTLvp9aYdKPJqRvBTgdagn2uCC9_K7SuRQqU-37IEGDXjRPYIhQrgVEELpgqYBdOoarVKIOCGg-moEy20JDbnDY9hYSjIkc5cbsZsP8eISJpVE8wgB_j4Rc9Ac4DCyUxgHUc_tB8/s1600/london_eye_new_years_eve_fireworks.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="London Eye Fireworks for New Years. From traveljee.com" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr3ssEjTLvp9aYdKPJqRvBTgdagn2uCC9_K7SuRQqU-37IEGDXjRPYIhQrgVEELpgqYBdOoarVKIOCGg-moEy20JDbnDY9hYSjIkc5cbsZsP8eISJpVE8wgB_j4Rc9Ac4DCyUxgHUc_tB8/s320/london_eye_new_years_eve_fireworks.jpg" title="London Fireworks" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London Eye Fireworks for New Years. <i>From traveljee.com</i></td></tr>
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Day 4: New Year’s Day</h3>
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Unfortunately, my nap ended up lasting several hours because next thing I know, I wake up to find that my phone says it’s 1:00 a.m. I elbowed Jarrett to tell him we missed the New Year celebrations, and he replied with a very tired, “I know. I tried waking you up several times, and you kept telling me ‘no’ and falling back asleep.” So, we both then got up, had some leftovers and champagne, and called it a night again.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So there you have it. Yours truly ruined our New Year’s celebration in London. I don’t think we’ll ever get over that.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Westminster Abbey</h4>
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When we arrived at Westminster, we saw a long line ahead of us. Fortunately, the staff at Westminster are very efficient, and we were in the Abbey within 20 minutes. Knowing there was so much history in this building, Jarrett and I made sure to purchase tickets for a guided tour at the front desk.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGRfPCCcJQHenr25Gg7xP02dn2NhpwgH9jMHaPoWFJStjnL7hVWy4B_FYEbZnIXbu45YpaJhs79pcnpVgX0dytrrD5P0zl-rRE8ecxPvzyn4we5xAZvOusVqsdE0414Aj0dM1Ol4GnIQ1/s1600/Westminster+Abbey+at+Night.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="from a stroll by the abbey a few nights before" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGRfPCCcJQHenr25Gg7xP02dn2NhpwgH9jMHaPoWFJStjnL7hVWy4B_FYEbZnIXbu45YpaJhs79pcnpVgX0dytrrD5P0zl-rRE8ecxPvzyn4we5xAZvOusVqsdE0414Aj0dM1Ol4GnIQ1/s320/Westminster+Abbey+at+Night.JPG" title="Westminster Abbey at Night" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Westminster Abbey at Night</td></tr>
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We are glad we purchased the tickets because our tour guide, a verger, was phenomenal. He guided us into various chapels where many famous monarchs are interred, including Edward the Confessor and Henry the III. My favorite chapel though was the one where Queen Elizabeth I and Queen Mary I are located, side by side and across from their great-grandmother, Margaret Beaufort. However, the big crowds do not allow you to enjoy them peacefully for long. Fortunately, there are pictures to remember that visit by. Towards the end of the tour, we saw the tombs of notables such Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. After the tour ended, Jarrett and I went down to see the most ancient sites within the Abbey. We were hoping for something like the tombs underneath the churches in Italy. Unfortunately, there were not very many for us to see. Nevertheless, the place is magical and I am so glad we got to go inside of it and walk around it several times. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEt1qR7NVO2Am4gcFz-uEb3H-vdnJa56s5sPWHQtv0MF4sfVwm4fYIwoJTDmtBz0CICYOzfSqAWeqeUk2GQA7qWnjJA5aYin2dNNkNymLSmjZztEMQDqB9-JuKZ3JUOJVJklBseJAzv1f/s1600/Inside+Westminster+Abbey.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A quick and sneaky photo from inside Westminster Abbey" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQEt1qR7NVO2Am4gcFz-uEb3H-vdnJa56s5sPWHQtv0MF4sfVwm4fYIwoJTDmtBz0CICYOzfSqAWeqeUk2GQA7qWnjJA5aYin2dNNkNymLSmjZztEMQDqB9-JuKZ3JUOJVJklBseJAzv1f/s320/Inside+Westminster+Abbey.JPG" title="Inside Westminster Abbey" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A quick and sneaky photo from inside Westminster Abbey</td></tr>
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Hampton Court Palace</h4>
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Website: <a href="http://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/">http://www.hrp.org.uk/hampton-court-palace/</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=hampton+court+palace+address&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LQz9U3SKmwLNKSzU620s_JT04syczPgzOsElNSilKLiwFWC70aKwAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj94djk4fDTAhWF6yYKHa59DVAQ6BMIqwEwFA">Address</a>: Molesey, East Molesey KT8 9AU, UK<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=hampton+court+palace+hours&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj94djk4fDTAhWF6yYKHa59DVAQ6BMIsQEwFg">Hours</a>: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null">10AM–6PM</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=hampton+court+palace+phone&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj94djk4fDTAhWF6yYKHa59DVAQ6BMIugEwGA">Phone</a>: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Call via Hangouts">+44 844 482 7777</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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On the same morning, Jarrett and I boarded the train and headed to Hampton Court Palace. I am a big Tudor history geek, so it was on my “must” list. The palace is gorgeous and huge; it covers both the Tudor and the George II era. I regret that we got there in the early afternoon because we needed more time than we had to properly explore the palace. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxbgi3rln2ieiM0VEswlkWXcNDCznF0AVzhYQYZ_p2XU6xVuNBGvQk3hOsyQrsD_x1_GnSMZg__6HPA3CkAtHOJPtNEbSVZVu7-rP1cBz33UulA9Qx24tp_zfpYy2PJgW_tx1i_YqXPMv/s1600/Hampton+Court+Palace+Inner+Courtyard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Inner Courtyard at Hampton Court Palace" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxbgi3rln2ieiM0VEswlkWXcNDCznF0AVzhYQYZ_p2XU6xVuNBGvQk3hOsyQrsD_x1_GnSMZg__6HPA3CkAtHOJPtNEbSVZVu7-rP1cBz33UulA9Qx24tp_zfpYy2PJgW_tx1i_YqXPMv/s320/Hampton+Court+Palace+Inner+Courtyard.JPG" title="Trip to Hampton Court Palace" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inner Courtyard at Hampton Court Palace</td></tr>
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The staff at Hampton Court is spectacular. During the Christmas season, they have guided tours where the tour guide acts as one of Queen Catherine Parr’s ladies in waiting. At the time, Queen Catherine is at another palace, anxious over King Henry VIII’s declining health. The tourists follow along as other “noble staff.” Through the tour, our tour guide tells the staff about the brief history of the palace at the time, all the rumors and intrigues that plagued the court, and all the nugget of historic gems hidden within the palace. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokSkH5Mo2kuz-y4d_gwWG7997bjwD3lQeXoKTqWWVf3nQpJEE-wOj-8eiQzgAEyTmBElxEe6QczxaqyaPhZkgQ6nGLwWZ0dDKKF2PE2YOJOpA023EJ5fKEx3RwuufQcNTfgSsYSyOXW_m/s1600/Hampton+Court+Palace+Great+Hall.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="The Great Hall in Hampton Court Palace" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjokSkH5Mo2kuz-y4d_gwWG7997bjwD3lQeXoKTqWWVf3nQpJEE-wOj-8eiQzgAEyTmBElxEe6QczxaqyaPhZkgQ6nGLwWZ0dDKKF2PE2YOJOpA023EJ5fKEx3RwuufQcNTfgSsYSyOXW_m/s320/Hampton+Court+Palace+Great+Hall.JPG" title="a Trip to Hampton Court Palace" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Great Hall in Hampton Court Palace</td></tr>
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We toured the Georgian section of the palace individually. I love art and had to appreciate all the treasures in there, while Jarrett was more interested in the history. Somehow, we both still managed to finish touring the area. Unfortunately though, we did not get enough of the palace. By the way, if you go during the winter season, Hampton Court Palace also has an ice rink. Plan accordingly for a great day and night at the palace.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9yWGBQp66ApNxPy6k00Q97EHScaMcWB2tjQhXPYNTsz79AcaPhu50WwsPzUF0P5Uq2DZWNwSnhY_gpbH3slguAsn-o0yPSTGSZk6OMCj8cCgRsDoDUlqpPyBCG0yvmkKUHexjdMhdgxB/s1600/William%2527s+State+Chamber.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="William's State Chamber in the Georgian Apartments" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv9yWGBQp66ApNxPy6k00Q97EHScaMcWB2tjQhXPYNTsz79AcaPhu50WwsPzUF0P5Uq2DZWNwSnhY_gpbH3slguAsn-o0yPSTGSZk6OMCj8cCgRsDoDUlqpPyBCG0yvmkKUHexjdMhdgxB/s320/William%2527s+State+Chamber.JPG" title="Trip to Hampton Court Palace" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">William's State Chamber in the Georgian Appartments</td></tr>
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After the palace closed, we headed to town to find a place to eat. We found Poyntz Arms - Shepherd Neame, a nice and cozy place with excellent food and drinks. It even has a nice big dog walking around, so for us, it was just perfect. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Day 5: Warwick Castle</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=warwick+castle+address&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MLSIN6rSks1OttLPyU9OLMnMz4MzrBJTUopSi4sBI2ozsywAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQ6BMIpQEwFA">Address</a>: Warwick CV34 4QU, UK<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=warwick+castle+opened&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MLSIN6rSUsxOttJPLErOyCxJTS4pLUrVLy4pKgWzrPILUvNSUwAr5ijXMAAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQ6BMIqAEoADAV">Opened</a>: 1068<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=warwick+castle+architectural+style&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MLSIN6rS0stOttJPLErOyCxJTS4pLUrVLy4pKgWzrJCEE3MUiksqc1IBYSY8bT0AAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQ6BMIqwEoADAW">Architectural Style</a>: Medieval architecture<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=warwick+castle+phone&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQ6BMIrgEwFw">Phone</a>: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Call via Hangouts">+44 871 265 2000</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=warwick+castle+architect&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MLSIN6rSUslOttJPLErOyCxJTS4pLUrVLy4pKgWzrODCACj5SOUzAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQ6BMIuQEoADAa">Architect</a>: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=William+the+Conqueror&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LUz9U3MLSIN6pS4gAxLUxLzLVUspOt9BOLkjMyS1KTS0qLUvWLS4pKwSwruDAAOGe6uT0AAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiwjJ2Z6PDTAhVX1GMKHfAAAUQQmxMIugEoATAa">William the Conqueror</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Somewhat late in the morning, we boarded the train for Warwick. I am not as knowledgeable when it comes to The Wars of the Roses, but ever since I watched The White Queen, I also wanted to appreciate the history from that period. It is also a castle in great condition and I knew Jarrett would love to tour it to see its military prowess. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRxH-G03U_9fNrlssmmpdQTjnjm3pypDsMEWFhbx-hFHoZlkI52fKmzmS3RyIQjnjrqJkN9aJO6YjUn0TCMV4KjH4mdyTq7npaELy9AKyhX7Hjqkzi8M3YwUCJAOdCkRdLmxf9ai6yyx-/s1600/Heading+into+Warwick+Castle.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Heading into Warwick Castle" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMRxH-G03U_9fNrlssmmpdQTjnjm3pypDsMEWFhbx-hFHoZlkI52fKmzmS3RyIQjnjrqJkN9aJO6YjUn0TCMV4KjH4mdyTq7npaELy9AKyhX7Hjqkzi8M3YwUCJAOdCkRdLmxf9ai6yyx-/s320/Heading+into+Warwick+Castle.JPG" title="Touring Warwick Castle" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Heading into Warwick Castle</td></tr>
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Warwick Castle is currently owned by Merlin Entertainments, the company that owns Madam Tussauds. Even before that, the Castle had been sold to Madam Tussauds itself. It is officially a theme park, and it does an excellent job of showing historical artifacts while at the same time interacting with the tourists. It covers different eras ranging from the 1100s to the 1900s, from William the Conqueror to The Wars of the Roses to the Edwardian Era. They have guided tours, interactive buttons, screen shows, games, and gardens. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrewR9wWXw90EmYDhsLNRgrySsBV5JwN5hmxLapu2MTedQm79-O48vTdJx7r2p8dNMHrIr6AaZ-NeehZYa4sCDOx7WsGe6hhWHujQ1BK5kqpi6URxf0IuYxlbKOqvYTQbDJsYB77kjjlO/s1600/Village+below+Castle+Warwick.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The town of Warwick below the castle" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyrewR9wWXw90EmYDhsLNRgrySsBV5JwN5hmxLapu2MTedQm79-O48vTdJx7r2p8dNMHrIr6AaZ-NeehZYa4sCDOx7WsGe6hhWHujQ1BK5kqpi6URxf0IuYxlbKOqvYTQbDJsYB77kjjlO/s320/Village+below+Castle+Warwick.JPG" title="Touring Castle Warwick" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The town of Warwick below the castle</td></tr>
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The Castle exposes you to architecture from across the centuries as well. What stands out to me was the Red Room, which was a formal waiting room; the dining room with its furniture from various exotic places; the main hall, which was actually rebuilt in the 1800s, yet appears medieval; and the motte, believed to be there since the Norman period. It is like traveling in time in one place. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bbb2p3lIhCLo0l4drEQruZOT_EgL27PlqQ1_b9tb4H-cw7T01XMbdkCJ92Th1O1I4-ZCdA9PwOXXnjCbhl5DSZEueY6RX86gO1liVMCyAKe_u3RzfsrjBomaQd9m-YcWqbkGgJjYHDmF/s1600/Motte+at+Castle+Warwick.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="The Motte at Warwick Castle" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bbb2p3lIhCLo0l4drEQruZOT_EgL27PlqQ1_b9tb4H-cw7T01XMbdkCJ92Th1O1I4-ZCdA9PwOXXnjCbhl5DSZEueY6RX86gO1liVMCyAKe_u3RzfsrjBomaQd9m-YcWqbkGgJjYHDmF/s320/Motte+at+Castle+Warwick.JPG" title="Touring Castle Warwick" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Motte at Warwick Castle</td></tr>
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The Castle is filled with wax figures from Madame Tussauds, including figures King Henry VIII and his six wives (though that is just because the company had nowhere else to put them). I think if more museums had the budgets to become theme parks like Warwick Castle, more people would visit them. Even though it was rainy the entire time we were there, we had a wonderful time.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3BCq8MMueO9n13RS45ITMmfYxp_KHZqoAIgR4Gpbtb4z1fKBH_0dmIA99KBQgsAl4vP9yZrbYcB4UOj15KLtvEfz0bPA2P8HqTdpg5VskQcfqsgujAVdOWWijOM85T8RPjHpRs0vqIEZ/s1600/King+Henry+VIII+and+his+6+wives.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="Wax King Henry VIII and his 6 wives" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH3BCq8MMueO9n13RS45ITMmfYxp_KHZqoAIgR4Gpbtb4z1fKBH_0dmIA99KBQgsAl4vP9yZrbYcB4UOj15KLtvEfz0bPA2P8HqTdpg5VskQcfqsgujAVdOWWijOM85T8RPjHpRs0vqIEZ/s320/King+Henry+VIII+and+his+6+wives.JPG" title="Touring Warwick Castle" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wax King Henry VIII and his 6 wives</td></tr>
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In the evening, following the Castle’s closure, we headed out to find some food. It being so early in the year, it was dark pretty early and the town felt eerily desolate. Jarrett and I managed to find a nice place to eat at though:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
The Roebuck Inn</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Ancient 1470 hostelry with black beams and white walls serving hand-pulled ales and hearty cooking.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=async/lcl_akp&q=theroebuckwarwick+co+uk+address&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LWT9c3LE-uSM7KydCSzU620s_JT04syczPgzOsElNSilKLiwGgPN4MLgAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP2KKl6_DTAhUI7yYKHdHvCtcQ6BMIGDAE">Address</a>: 57 Smith St, Warwick CV34 4HU, UK<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?site=async/lcl_akp&q=theroebuckwarwick+co+uk+phone&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjP2KKl6_DTAhUI7yYKHdHvCtcQ6BMIGzAF">Phone</a>: <a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" title="Call via Hangouts">+44 1926 494900</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Menu: <a href="http://www.theroebuckwarwick.co.uk/Roebuck%20Menu.pdf">theroebuckwarwick.co.uk</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I enjoyed the fish and chips; we cannot recall what Jarrett had but it was scrumptious. We both also discovered Strongbow Dark Fruit, which is flavorsome. We cannot wait for Dark Fruit to make it to the United States. So, if you find yourself in Warwick, make sure to check out the Roebuck Inn.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTta8_zxKAjgnwPQAq2NzOeOnZP_yJOKKrnAFdWOFgg18ytWgDk8LiN7fCzIjEwZ2JsiWoyFPv9tBG5QvYtko3X03RnbJP-8AcQOzg8W6JepXl0OATK4f7zGtUuEZ9gB2mlBQxZhPimf6e/s1600/Roebuck+Inn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Roebuck Inn in Warwick" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTta8_zxKAjgnwPQAq2NzOeOnZP_yJOKKrnAFdWOFgg18ytWgDk8LiN7fCzIjEwZ2JsiWoyFPv9tBG5QvYtko3X03RnbJP-8AcQOzg8W6JepXl0OATK4f7zGtUuEZ9gB2mlBQxZhPimf6e/s320/Roebuck+Inn.jpg" title="Touring Warwick" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Roebuck Inn in Warwick</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: left;">
Day 6: Magic of London with Afternoon Tea</h3>
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<a href="https://www.premiumtours.co.uk/tours/full-day-magic-of-london-with-champagne-afternoon-tea">https://www.premiumtours.co.uk/tours/full-day-magic-of-london-with-champagne-afternoon-tea</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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I am not sure whether I recall the order of the events of this day properly. However, I will do my best to recall the experience. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Tower of London</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Website: <a href="http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/%23gs.LbPhNMw">http://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/#gs.LbPhNMw</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+london+address&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LQz9U3MM8rzNOSzU620s_JT04syczPgzOsElNSilKLiwF6Wlv2KwAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBlI7OgPHTAhUJ2yYKHRn1ApcQ6BMIrwEwFA">Address</a>: St Katharine's & Wapping, London EC3N 4AB, UK<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+london+hours&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBlI7OgPHTAhUJ2yYKHRn1ApcQ6BMItQEwFg">Hours</a>: </div>
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Monday 10AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Tuesday 9AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wednesday 9AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Thursday 9AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Friday 9AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Saturday 9AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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Sunday 10AM–5:30PM<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+london+guard&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LQz9U3MM8rzNPSyCi30k_Oz8lJTS7JzM_TTyrNzEnJzEuPT87PLchJrUgttkovTSxKKQYA2p5xwTYAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBlI7OgPHTAhUJ2yYKHRn1ApcQ6BMIuwEoADAX">Guard</a>: <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=Beefeater&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LQz9U3MM8rzFPiBLGM0ywNzLQ0Msqt9JPzc3JSk0sy8_P0k0ozc1Iy89Ljk_NzC3JSK1KLrdJLE4tSigGFW6xCQQAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBlI7OgPHTAhUJ2yYKHRn1ApcQmxMIvAEoATAX">Yeomen Warders</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=tower+of+london+built&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAOPgE-LQz9U3MM8rzNMSKi620i9PTUpLTC4ptkoqzcwpAQAtFEF3IAAAAA&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjBlI7OgPHTAhUJ2yYKHRn1ApcQ6BMIvwEoADAY">Built</a>: White Tower: 1078; Inner Ward: 1190s; Re-built: 1285; Wharf expansion: 1377–1399<o:p></o:p></div>
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On our final day, we took our final Premium Tour, Magic of London with Afternoon Tea. We started the day bright and early with a tour of the Tower of London. There is so much to see there and such little time! After a summary tour of the place, including the sites of execution of historical figures such as Anne Boleyn, we joined the line for the Crown Jewels. You have to get in line as early as you can to see the Crown Jewels because otherwise, you will end up waiting for hours. The items are magnificent to see, and many had me wondering how in the world monarchs ever wear them. As a history buff, though, I was sad to hear that most original crown jewels were destroyed after the abolition of the monarchy in 1649. So, most of the exhibited jewels only date back to the period after the Restoration of the English monarchy. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoQskerP7c-v5x-FPfmdwaCOzD8p6W6g1aSYsLsvmri06lniv0SY6XbhNXifZPLyzdmPjE0cPJQ2SI72Ftxa-r-xNtb2AJNB09-HkJzy1MS8lwZczYCaZs4J8Sgn5x8MAGMVGU9mDowpc/s1600/Royal+Throne.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="The Royal Throne in the Tower of London" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggoQskerP7c-v5x-FPfmdwaCOzD8p6W6g1aSYsLsvmri06lniv0SY6XbhNXifZPLyzdmPjE0cPJQ2SI72Ftxa-r-xNtb2AJNB09-HkJzy1MS8lwZczYCaZs4J8Sgn5x8MAGMVGU9mDowpc/s320/Royal+Throne.JPG" title="Touring the Tower of London" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Royal Throne in the Tower of London</td></tr>
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After the crown jewels, I headed over to the towers where the Princes in the Tower are said to have been held. The rest of the tour is now a blur to me. I still regret I did not have time to actually go into The White Tower or into the rooms where Anne Boleyn spent the time leading up to her coronation. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrj0jvCIi7It4D2RicwT_kOhaRe8VXLLIfyjdI40ImVBQczhQgQx0DG2iIOM2dugqH4b8kAO-CiKSqJVRBdAL5xWuSR3vnHjcG1i6bd8p6z_dDDbN6iB-kxhCjPWzWy9nhyphenhyphennad-fsh7wo/s1600/Bloody+Tower.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The Bloody Tower. The murder site of 2 princes in the tower" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVrj0jvCIi7It4D2RicwT_kOhaRe8VXLLIfyjdI40ImVBQczhQgQx0DG2iIOM2dugqH4b8kAO-CiKSqJVRBdAL5xWuSR3vnHjcG1i6bd8p6z_dDDbN6iB-kxhCjPWzWy9nhyphenhyphennad-fsh7wo/s320/Bloody+Tower.JPG" title="Touring the Tower of London" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Bloody Tower. The murder site of 2 princes in the tower</td></tr>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Walk through the Palaces</h4>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Since there was no Changing of the Guard that day, we took a walking tour of London. We walked by St. James’s Palace and Buckingham Palace. I will say that having recently watched The Crown, I was able to recognize some places very easily, including Clarence House. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmFsb89ZR7ZVUzfVtFYThkJyOpSBWy3mECgzj9m80CoN6_1SdKwaZ6F3kdYdg5W0JGL1Pt3Utyiv0zqKTj7aAzkhry8OUEwashYb8Sjv4zl6SRFhoQTCYppJqzkNGqyQxp-DpK6VDSjH9/s1600/Clarence+House.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="A glimpse of Clarence House" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPmFsb89ZR7ZVUzfVtFYThkJyOpSBWy3mECgzj9m80CoN6_1SdKwaZ6F3kdYdg5W0JGL1Pt3Utyiv0zqKTj7aAzkhry8OUEwashYb8Sjv4zl6SRFhoQTCYppJqzkNGqyQxp-DpK6VDSjH9/s320/Clarence+House.JPG" title="Touring London" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A glimpse of Clarence House</td></tr>
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Cruise along the Thames</h4>
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Following the walking tour, we took a one-hour cruise along the Thames River. The boat was a modern catamaran with indoor cabins, so it was a nice relief from the cold and wet weather, which our tour guide swore was not London’s typical weather nowadays. I am not sure I can believe him because it was cold and wet the entire time Jarrett and I were there though. Anyway, it was nice to be indoors, warm and cozy, as we watched the historic city of London. From it, you can see, as the website quotes, “The Houses of Parliament, The London Eye, Shakespeare’s Globe, St. Paul’s, The Shard and The Tower of London and Tower Bridge.”<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">London from the River Thames</td></tr>
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Tour of St. Paul’s Cathedral</h4>
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The tour at St. Paul’s was a little faster than the one at Westminster. It has plenty of gold and marble, and an amazing dome at the very top. It is such a sight to behold. I am sorry to say though that at this time, I do not recall much of our visit. Probably because it was too short. Such a shame, considering the rich history of the building. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Dome inside St Paul's Cathedral</td></tr>
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Afternoon Tea</h4>
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Once our tours were done for the day, we went to a restaurant within a hotel for our evening tea. They served us traditional tea with a great variety of sandwiches, as well as champagne. It was a great way to end an entire day of tours. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Overall, London and the towns around it offer plenty to see. So much, that six days was simply not enough. I definitely recommend it for a vacation. Just keep in mind that you might need a vacation after that vacation. <o:p></o:p><span style="text-align: justify;">While you're at it, let us know about your previous experiences or your dream trip to the UK. Also, if you like the blog follow us on </span><a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg" style="text-align: justify;">Facebook</a><span style="text-align: justify;"> to keep up to date.</span><br />
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-86318505302048723372017-06-21T08:14:00.000-05:002017-07-23T19:31:13.093-05:00Trip Report: Zip Lost Pines (Video)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-large; line-height: 115%;">Ziping at Zip Lost Pines</span></b></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A group of us headed to Zip Lost Pines near Bastrop, Texas on May 6, 2017. Zip Lost Pines is an interesting use of the available land and an exciting adventure. Make sure you check out the video below to get an idea of the fun. If you are curious about our previous experience Zipling, check out a previous trip to <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/12/trip-report-lake-travis-zipline.html">Zipline Lake Travis Adventure</a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Location: 1760 State Highway 71 W, Cedar Creek, TX 78612<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Price: $115 per person (frequent Groupons so be on the lookout)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Weather: Sunny, 85 F<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Difficulty: Easy to Moderate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Website: <a href="https://www.ziplostpines.com/" target="_blank">https://www.ziplostpines.com</a><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwa0tmfuLmXObyt-wlfC9WrBkiJwkwMECWDJbysr89pBdiqOGrxrMuBxD_MJDcjR7D4HznHnw4XI7Vkg246SFFQrWAmMnBDe8Y2GObJdHK6pB2PJgEVKRqj3Kn17gsIV76IQZlqs9H34N1/s1600/IMG_0902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Big Lizard just hanging out" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwa0tmfuLmXObyt-wlfC9WrBkiJwkwMECWDJbysr89pBdiqOGrxrMuBxD_MJDcjR7D4HznHnw4XI7Vkg246SFFQrWAmMnBDe8Y2GObJdHK6pB2PJgEVKRqj3Kn17gsIV76IQZlqs9H34N1/s320/IMG_0902.JPG" title="Touring Zip Lost Pines" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big Lizard just hanging out</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Zip Lost Pines is located near Bastrop, TX (in the Austin area). The tour includes 6 ziplines and every line is a double, so you can race a friend every time. Thankfully, all the zip<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">line platforms are close together so there isn’t too much hiking required. Zip Lost Pines is new to the scene and open at the end of 2016 and is located on McKinney Roughs, which is a 1,100-acre park owned by LCRA. The park itself covers multiple ecosystems and has some of the central Texas’ only pine trees. Plus, the Colorado River runs through the park.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaB7mLjj_4encH4fdmwFjGJ49JbF0K4FOe-wkBnlIO6zJKsBjfpkjOQe38bdhH5Nm7t_E3poyikbx33fq-v2ZZUb-JRgnxQzyTr9B2xfxcWa6nAxtJ990vnUt2i_I2HXE-Y3Aw5OrrzcV/s1600/Zip+Lost+Pines+Facilities.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Main office at Zip Lost Pines" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzaB7mLjj_4encH4fdmwFjGJ49JbF0K4FOe-wkBnlIO6zJKsBjfpkjOQe38bdhH5Nm7t_E3poyikbx33fq-v2ZZUb-JRgnxQzyTr9B2xfxcWa6nAxtJ990vnUt2i_I2HXE-Y3Aw5OrrzcV/s320/Zip+Lost+Pines+Facilities.JPG" title="Touring Zip Lost Pines" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Main office at Zip Lost Pines</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Our zip tour was at 2:00 pm, and we ended up being around 30 minutes early to account for Austin traffic. Being this early, Linda and I ended up being the first ones there, which gave us plenty of time to sign in, sign waivers, and explore. The facility is new, clean, and climate controlled so you can experience a few more minutes of cool air before heading out on your 3-hour tour. In addition, they are stocked with water, drinks, and snacks if you need something before or after your trip. Finally, everyone showed up, and we ended up on a full tour. Everyone put on their gear, did a short round of standard ziplining training, and we were off to the first zipline.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KoXgHtFZUDV_6hMUtezEqAcj0RK5Apsk1u-UQQrBYUbJPhybs4PnX9rw6Go7eBXi2J0jLNPOnzguOT8dhS_OSrlhJBRyf7t0XBMP2jrHnOQYBX2U3HstQv9iGQ3nfRRKlnc2ecrafYh_/s1600/Zip+Lost+Pines+Virtual+Map.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The interactive map for Zip Lost Pines" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_KoXgHtFZUDV_6hMUtezEqAcj0RK5Apsk1u-UQQrBYUbJPhybs4PnX9rw6Go7eBXi2J0jLNPOnzguOT8dhS_OSrlhJBRyf7t0XBMP2jrHnOQYBX2U3HstQv9iGQ3nfRRKlnc2ecrafYh_/s400/Zip+Lost+Pines+Virtual+Map.png" title="Touring Zip Lost Pines" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The interactive map for Zip Lost Pines</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">If you have ever zipped before the first line, named Piney Plunge, is a little on the boring side; however, this line is a good for those who are new to ziplining. It is short and slow so you can get a feel for the process. The platform itself isn't too big and the tour good hooks 2 zippers up at once, which adds a decent amount of time to the process. Once the zip is complete, you must hang there a moment while you wait for the guide to use a ladder to get you and your partner down.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Platform for the first zip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The second zip, Cactus Corridor, has the tallest platform and a massive spiral staircase. Linda ended up dizzy and feeling horrible after the climb up and unfortunately, her tour ended here. This line is a little longer and a good bit faster, but unlike the name says, I don’t think I spotted any cactus below. Once lowered on the other side, you get the opportunity to walk across 2 rope bridges. There are no gaps in the floor and it’s pretty stable, which made the walk across easy. It’s also a good time to look out at the surrounding area.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The largest platform at Zip Lost Pines and the start of the second zip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Valley Vista is the third line at 773 feet, the tour finally gets interesting. This line takes you over one of the area’s deepest valleys, which isn’t very deep. The view down is nice and there is a small creek that runs through it and I think I got a quick glance as I flew by. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out to the rope bridges and the Valley Vista platform</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The fourth line is Loblolly Landing, named after the type of pines in the area, at 1074 feet. This line is another spiral staircase and platform, but the view is one the best on the course. There is luscious greenery and you can glimpse the Colorado River. While I was on the platform, eagles were flying overhead and buzzards were just hanging out in nearby trees.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP35SEM1R_q5u3o7kKHpB_EDIWO91lZwySGsj8d-ebUgAEgRB7BFZE8utZ7n_mQPFWfPYufule8ISyaVy493oEMYRPOo6ZHvEqXMPzKwMFPABYnUbyaUvVHdvZst6YWGIkNiahSP9c4e2J/s1600/Loblolly+Landing+Platform.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking up to the platform of the 4th zip" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP35SEM1R_q5u3o7kKHpB_EDIWO91lZwySGsj8d-ebUgAEgRB7BFZE8utZ7n_mQPFWfPYufule8ISyaVy493oEMYRPOo6ZHvEqXMPzKwMFPABYnUbyaUvVHdvZst6YWGIkNiahSP9c4e2J/s320/Loblolly+Landing+Platform.JPG" title="Touring Zip Lost Pines" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking up to the platform of the 4th zip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Horseshoe Highway is second to last a good bit shorter at 535 feet. This line is interesting because you walk through a large horseshoe for luck and then up a fairly steep rope bridge. No shame in using your hands for help with the walk up; I know I did.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoCP58X9mnAntiiJCAX9yDTzg1jLAXtnigBf3JHX6E6zVHQX7AD9irAJ70PLOyaUtImryKtDOabaJF10jELdpO2WCmEXy70VXabfWSeenItzkn6KNOGAQ8LWP28lxUJguqkKSpf0pFVnb/s1600/Horseshoe+Highway.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking through the Horseshoe!" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLoCP58X9mnAntiiJCAX9yDTzg1jLAXtnigBf3JHX6E6zVHQX7AD9irAJ70PLOyaUtImryKtDOabaJF10jELdpO2WCmEXy70VXabfWSeenItzkn6KNOGAQ8LWP28lxUJguqkKSpf0pFVnb/s320/Horseshoe+Highway.JPG" title="Touring Zip Lost Pines" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">And last is River Run 1,316 feet and the longest line at Zip Lost Pines. This line has some of the best views and you end up within walking distance of the Colorado River; however, I was unable to see it from our end point. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out and over the final and longest zip</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Overall, it turned out to be a hot but fun day. I definitely recommend trying Zip Lost Pines out at least once, especially if you live in the area. If you watch their Facebook they frequently have themed events. I know I will be back out there as soon as they start night ziplining.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Let us know your experience with ziplining and your favorite place to go ziplining. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-91072364905910985002017-05-15T09:00:00.000-05:002017-07-14T21:13:07.161-05:00Trip Report: Zombie Apocalypse Live<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: x-large;">Zombie Survival at House of Torment</span></h2>
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Normally going to a haunted house wouldn’t be the best use of my time, but throw in some zombies and I’m all about it. It turned out to be a fun and amazing trip with my friend David. If you have any interest in a Zombie Apocalypse Live check out their tour dates <a href="http://zombieapocalypselive.com/tour/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxbd3yK08kwOnrrwRBTmquQ9q1OFvEJOqIcTpdgdo13TwsEU09-p9g60LX72LHuXh5PLyxfPmDx61Cl7kIMzMu2Kclkr5y43Ez80QwYdQ8N0cSTLB5i_5oICezURm_huhruv_S3_6l1L5/s1600/ZAL-texture-logo-V3-PNG-file-e1462820419180.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="destroyed car at Austin at House of Torment" border="0" height="98" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcxbd3yK08kwOnrrwRBTmquQ9q1OFvEJOqIcTpdgdo13TwsEU09-p9g60LX72LHuXh5PLyxfPmDx61Cl7kIMzMu2Kclkr5y43Ez80QwYdQ8N0cSTLB5i_5oICezURm_huhruv_S3_6l1L5/s320/ZAL-texture-logo-V3-PNG-file-e1462820419180.png" title="Zombie Apocalypse Live" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zombie Apocalypse Live Logo</td></tr>
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Normally going to a haunted house wouldn’t be the best use of my time, but throw in some zombies and I’m all about it. It turned out to be a fun and amazing trip with my friend David I wasn’t sure what to expect from a zombie haunted house that used CO2 powered laser guns and figured it would be fairly easy with a few cheap scares. But it turned out to be the right amount of intense with a few white-knuckle moments. Unfortunately, they don’t allow photography or videos once you enter the building.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaj_4xfxTaGmxVmTs3oHAduBRMkcobv3RH69uZ7FLph2DtdNY5eBfoA7MpwEVJCuRjxuj4cCo8XAA9DgClBL1oPyFbNhSxujRGDkJd9xAEf4woda90rP6IOl0oahsFa55FiOcReyiM9WbJ/s1600/20170507_192721.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="destroyed car at Austin at House of Torment" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaj_4xfxTaGmxVmTs3oHAduBRMkcobv3RH69uZ7FLph2DtdNY5eBfoA7MpwEVJCuRjxuj4cCo8XAA9DgClBL1oPyFbNhSxujRGDkJd9xAEf4woda90rP6IOl0oahsFa55FiOcReyiM9WbJ/s320/20170507_192721.jpg" title="Zombie Apocalypse Live" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crushed VW Bug outside to set the ambiance </td></tr>
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Our time slot was at 7:30 and we arrived 10 minutes before, and staff shuffled us into a line to sign waivers and receive wristbands. There were 3 types of wristbands available: recruit, special, and elite that provide various mission lengths and the amount of ammo. We chose elite, so received ammo reloads at each station and continued our mission into the special ops area.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Zombie running around as we wait for our turn</td></tr>
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It wasn’t too much longer before it was our turn to enter the building, just 3 rooms until the excitement began. The rules were explained to us, we picked up our CO2 powered M4s, and we took a man date photo before charging into the unknown.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTNsWAThnBrLTIzJ2eNaM6eLnBkb-3XPvpK7JAvdYOeRL_dUdCnTtloNZFhYH_5q9-FNT29eNy9FXnGzh0oEI906jKaorw0iwvzVsl6WT3ftvCxMxI4dxFPTD42tVgRU0Y_VZtPQiz39h/s1600/20170507_201125.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="I snuck a picture in the brightest location. It's a creepy doll under a lamp." border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyTNsWAThnBrLTIzJ2eNaM6eLnBkb-3XPvpK7JAvdYOeRL_dUdCnTtloNZFhYH_5q9-FNT29eNy9FXnGzh0oEI906jKaorw0iwvzVsl6WT3ftvCxMxI4dxFPTD42tVgRU0Y_VZtPQiz39h/s320/20170507_201125.jpg" title="Zombie Apocalypse Live" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I snuck a picture in the brightest location. It's a creepy doll under a lamp.</td></tr>
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David took point and led us into the darkness. Now if you have ever been into a haunted house you can imagine the narrow hallways, small rooms with horror movie settings, strobe lights, darkness, fog, and limited visibility. That is exactly what we experienced except zombies were jumping out and you had to shoot them to make them stop attacking. Each zombie was wearing a headband that would activate and vibrate when they were shot. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtyyBFfndLsbMkRq41PlZnvvUIdqasOjOHQMUA9KaS27j0coWuq0sbPhuVbo63Bv9aPYCE9ZnU32jPRFmPsu1LW4AvKRD4nemnFVEmT0n7jv08SlOm_2QhrWCfZdNTBhxzq0QXV_Jg6Q5/s1600/FullSizeR.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="David and I pose for a picture right before we head off on our mission." border="0" height="254" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhtyyBFfndLsbMkRq41PlZnvvUIdqasOjOHQMUA9KaS27j0coWuq0sbPhuVbo63Bv9aPYCE9ZnU32jPRFmPsu1LW4AvKRD4nemnFVEmT0n7jv08SlOm_2QhrWCfZdNTBhxzq0QXV_Jg6Q5/s320/FullSizeR.jpg" title="Zombie Apocalypse Live" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David and I pose for a picture right before we head off on our mission.</td></tr>
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We slowly flowed through rooms and each had a zombie or two that needed to be dispatched quickly, while some zombies seemed even harder to kill and required both of us to take it down. Once you cleared a room, you still weren’t safe as zombies would reanimate and chase you out of their room.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David enjoying a Zombie after we successfully completed our mission.</td></tr>
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At the end of the day, our adventure took us through 2 separate zombie houses, 4 reload points, and ended at a gift shop. It ended up being the perfect length, so that become overwhelmed and stop jumping. If Zombie Apocalypse Live returns next year I will definitely give it another try.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Let me know your experiences with zombie houses. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-15726974298564999912017-05-04T09:00:00.000-05:002017-05-14T17:13:30.243-05:00Trip Review: An After Work Get Away<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<h2 style="text-align: left;">
A Quick Trip to Goodwater Loop</h2>
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<span style="background: white;">We have been trying to move to a new home over the last few months and for one reason or another, we just haven't been able to make this happen. Our close and move in date just kept getting pushed and this ended up interfering and postponing multiple trips. With Good Friday off, BeeGee and I just couldn’t handle this any more so we headed out Thursday evening.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uLKqt7v4G1c_jZz7IxQFvLAeHdTAuG53X7bfV0NoWO249J3N-vL9kvBJK61FtfoL1cWFSu3A3gHSSyJuMDRi11nllRxLcVQQTmcrxw2XhNDqk3VI4OIL8nvJRVZqD31v9Tjo8-z5GGPS/s1600/Cedar+Breaks+Trailhead.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BeeGee and I take an awkward selfie at the Cedar Breaks Trailhead for Goodwater Loop." border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_uLKqt7v4G1c_jZz7IxQFvLAeHdTAuG53X7bfV0NoWO249J3N-vL9kvBJK61FtfoL1cWFSu3A3gHSSyJuMDRi11nllRxLcVQQTmcrxw2XhNDqk3VI4OIL8nvJRVZqD31v9Tjo8-z5GGPS/s320/Cedar+Breaks+Trailhead.jpg" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BeeGee and I take an awkward selfie at the Cedar Breaks Trailhead for Goodwater Loop.</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white;">Goodwater Loop Day 1</span></h3>
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<span style="background: white;">As we arrived at Cedar Breaks Park the sky was already twilight and the park was mostly empty. At the trailhead of Goodwater Loop, we find two fellow backpackers gearing up and they started a little before us. We took just enough time for a trailhead selfie and started on our way. We quickly caught up to the pair of backpackers and they seemed a little weirded out by us following them, so BeeGee and I took a short break and let them get some distance.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The night sky as we started our adventure</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white;">Once we were back on the trail, the sun had set and it was very dark out without the moon in the sky yet. We hiked on and gained a new perspective of Goodwater Loop as we had never hiked this much of the trail in the dark. What felt like just a short jaunt, we were at the first creek crossing. Unlike the last time we were here, the water levels looked normal (<a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/10/goodwater-loop-round-4-first-taste-of.html">high water trip</a>). We took a second for BeeGee to splash around and then we were off again. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEPfmGbxTCBTIHYmxAE0JlmoC0x2fsUnvOab8fJeFJc3WfglL-2nKXmKs2fu4sirNNzreqakAGqY_IdS9hXI-0HEY5jx12d5_M_LxEmUjJyWhpxGlV8hu89ZePXaVKqJZ-4uLMdauc39a/s1600/BeeGee+playing+in+the+water+-+Goodwater+Loop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="BeeGee cooling off at a creek crossing" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSEPfmGbxTCBTIHYmxAE0JlmoC0x2fsUnvOab8fJeFJc3WfglL-2nKXmKs2fu4sirNNzreqakAGqY_IdS9hXI-0HEY5jx12d5_M_LxEmUjJyWhpxGlV8hu89ZePXaVKqJZ-4uLMdauc39a/s320/BeeGee+playing+in+the+water+-+Goodwater+Loop.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">BeeGee cooling off at a creek crossing</td></tr>
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As we neared Crockett Garden and Falls, a large creature came charging out of the darkness towards us. It was shocking at first, but instinct kicked in and quickly prepared myself for whatever may lie ahead. I quickly realized it was a cow and moved towards it while clapping and telling it to "get out of here". That mostly worked, but the longhorn had it out for BeeGee while keeping its gaze leveled at her and occasionally stepping towards her. We quickly left that area and made it to Crockett Gardens.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfwnTCP72bcQHgi_LLS_OMYCpR0ICE1qngRFgUnpHIrYTnjAK9B-6aseuKJZDIdqBZIscaJMKmOk2-LAe9Rd8xTn8licrzs1tfoMMWbBgRHprJk2gJAsV1jrh4kPWmwtdrkUYLndBGcVC/s1600/Longhorns+on+Goodwater+loop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="This longhorn wanted to forcibly remove BeeGee from the area, but we were able to slide on by." border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDfwnTCP72bcQHgi_LLS_OMYCpR0ICE1qngRFgUnpHIrYTnjAK9B-6aseuKJZDIdqBZIscaJMKmOk2-LAe9Rd8xTn8licrzs1tfoMMWbBgRHprJk2gJAsV1jrh4kPWmwtdrkUYLndBGcVC/s320/Longhorns+on+Goodwater+loop.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This longhorn wanted to forcibly remove BeeGee from the area, but we were able to slide on by.</td></tr>
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<span style="background: white;">By this time, it was more than dark enough for me to try out my new headlamp as we neared Cedar Hollow Camps. My <a href="http://amzn.to/2pzo1BW">Black Diamond Storm</a> Headlamp and its red light was more than enough to navigate with, but I went dark when I heard voices in the woods. It turns out the backpackers BeeGee and I saw earlier were already set up and hanging out.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crockett Garden at night</td></tr>
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As the time and miles flew by, BeeGee successfully evaded any critters and went un-skunked. We arrived Sawyer Hollow Camp around 23:00 (11 pm) and began setting up. The moon was large and bright, perfect for camp chores and lounging around and relaxing after a long walk. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkdNjq7kdU6mjKhJo0tUzJlr59UCJPbcLDVzH1RHhr3J2WrnRTgWK24AWL0EBRksPbYSdhyphenhyphenyMBkBb20axmO4T3GIfI4qpXMFHL6JtcSspDeEGHf_TnsiN_cpVkaNktXnDeacdj2zaEUCQ/s1600/Yellow+Flowers+Goodwater+loop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Yellow flowers along Goodwater Loop" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxkdNjq7kdU6mjKhJo0tUzJlr59UCJPbcLDVzH1RHhr3J2WrnRTgWK24AWL0EBRksPbYSdhyphenhyphenyMBkBb20axmO4T3GIfI4qpXMFHL6JtcSspDeEGHf_TnsiN_cpVkaNktXnDeacdj2zaEUCQ/s320/Yellow+Flowers+Goodwater+loop.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow flowers along Goodwater Loop</td></tr>
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After an hour or so of enjoying the outdoors, lake, and moon we jumped inside the tent and went to sleep. Except BeeGee didn’t really sleep the entire night. I left the rain fly open because it was a little warm out and BeeGee spent the entire night just staring out. The few times I woke to check on her, she really seemed to be enjoying herself.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIQmy4TjtUuNCjC22qVEeC24ExVzsYUeaQWSYDKe8_RWVx-Su4Qy1KCO9CPHEFftTjrros43yieo94pv55ChpAcEEs65gtrQDiF5xYmvXvNAdavoAve8T7KQBBDE6Q212eMdqvsFb_hNz/s1600/Moon+at+Sawyer+Hollow+Camp.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The bright moon was rising above the lake. As seen from our campsite." border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbIQmy4TjtUuNCjC22qVEeC24ExVzsYUeaQWSYDKe8_RWVx-Su4Qy1KCO9CPHEFftTjrros43yieo94pv55ChpAcEEs65gtrQDiF5xYmvXvNAdavoAve8T7KQBBDE6Q212eMdqvsFb_hNz/s320/Moon+at+Sawyer+Hollow+Camp.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The bright moon was rising above the lake. As seen from our campsite.</td></tr>
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<o:p>Goodwater Loop Day 2</o:p></h3>
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Morning came and we broke camp, had a quick breakfast, and prepared for our 8-mile hike out. Before leaving, I noticed the building around the pit toilets collapsed on top of the pit toilets, so cat holes it is from now on. I was also a bad friend and forgot BeeGee’s leash hanging on the tree next to our tent. Thankfully, there weren’t many hikers out and when we found some I’d call BeeGee over and we would step off the trail to let others pass.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDUlB8RpUNVYi2-GWcCphPNQf7k7VEsTyVdRXbQhLhDxlSfkZQohuuselfoQza90HuIx-fUT7EZC2BynFTu4XckVnhmJX1q8g0z1kYrFOth1GlKlKltZTZ96n2ia6BM8AX_koG7jamVTe/s1600/Caterpiller+at+Sawyer+Hollow+Cap.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A caterpillar was just hanging out on our tent the next morning. " border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtDUlB8RpUNVYi2-GWcCphPNQf7k7VEsTyVdRXbQhLhDxlSfkZQohuuselfoQza90HuIx-fUT7EZC2BynFTu4XckVnhmJX1q8g0z1kYrFOth1GlKlKltZTZ96n2ia6BM8AX_koG7jamVTe/s320/Caterpiller+at+Sawyer+Hollow+Cap.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A caterpillar was just hanging out on our tent the next morning. </td></tr>
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The walk out was enjoyable but uneventful and warm. We made it back to the car by noon and headed home. While being a night owl didn’t affect BeeGee on the hike, as soon as we were home she passed out. I was also sleepy and tired but felt so relaxed. This short trip was just what I needed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3sC8Hi2KR7ugcoSbhAmNGmA6E9SqBmBf4SZXA6lVq5c5I_I9u3NB0MX7jlux1nMuh_9GQyiQLjLlxqURt8oghyfgL6pyc2mTi3YsSfU3AKtjLTeVuP7MBhW4ZTtPjAcmGi4OHQrWf_YX/s1600/Tongues+out+on+Goodwater+Loop.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Tongues out by Lake Georgetown while we took a little break " border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhD3sC8Hi2KR7ugcoSbhAmNGmA6E9SqBmBf4SZXA6lVq5c5I_I9u3NB0MX7jlux1nMuh_9GQyiQLjLlxqURt8oghyfgL6pyc2mTi3YsSfU3AKtjLTeVuP7MBhW4ZTtPjAcmGi4OHQrWf_YX/s320/Tongues+out+on+Goodwater+Loop.JPG" title="Backpacking Goodwater Loop Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tongues out by Lake Georgetown while we took a little break </td></tr>
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6700413093421273171" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=6700413093421273171" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Make sure to leave a comment below telling me about your much-needed trip. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-31169056146685516972017-03-14T08:30:00.000-05:002017-03-14T08:30:23.043-05:00A Look Back at Cairn Box Subscription (Videos)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Interested in Cairn Subscription Box?</h2>
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If you are interested in a Cairn Box subscription, then take a few minutes to watch the videos below before you make your decision. This is a look back at the past 6 months as Jack unboxes his Cairn boxes so you can see "What's in the box?!" If you like what you see, head on over to <a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&mi=13406&pw=164395&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getcairn.com">Carin</a> to try a subscription or just a single box (this is an affiliate link that will earn a commission). If you are interested in <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/07/prepper-gear-box-subscription-unboxing.html">Prepper Gear Box</a> check out our 6-month mash up post. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLIQk7rR5VSxV5W3s9_fsHESgc7Gmz_rNH9wR3wsuqmEEvJAxqoLy0T7YVDausVC0SimrpsZD6LJAsrLH_GPaYgcqEJEIlXlJfP8vDjbvnFsmpQLZNz2XILLxK4esiKhAo6cSzq5Ad5dV/s1600/Cairn.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoLIQk7rR5VSxV5W3s9_fsHESgc7Gmz_rNH9wR3wsuqmEEvJAxqoLy0T7YVDausVC0SimrpsZD6LJAsrLH_GPaYgcqEJEIlXlJfP8vDjbvnFsmpQLZNz2XILLxK4esiKhAo6cSzq5Ad5dV/s320/Cairn.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Cairn June 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: Morakniv Companion knife, Fire Swedish FireSteel 2.0 Scout Firestarter, Epiphany Outdoor Gear Baddest Bee Fire Fuses, and a Chapul Chaco Bar (cricket powder included).<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn July 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: Power Practical lithium 4400 battery pack, Surface Sunscreen SPF 45 Face Stick, and a Picky Bar.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn August 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: Toaks TiTongs set, Light My Fire Salt & Pepper Plus, Ground 2 Table spice 3 pack, and another Picky Bar.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn September 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: BS daily tube (a super scarf), Roam App membership, Nite Ize Better Band, All Good SPF 15 lip balm, and a Phive Bar.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn October 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: Power Practical Luminoodle Light Rope (one of Jarrett’s personal favorite), EasyKlip (pack attachment clip), Loksak (waterproof electronics bag), and a JimmyBar. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn November 2016</h3>
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This month’s goodies include: Mission Vaporactive boxer briefs (2 pack), Cabin Fever Bandana (it has games on it, i.e. chess board), and a Salazon Chocolate 2-Pack<o:p></o:p></div>
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Cairn Boxes can be pretty hit or miss, but so far there have been a bunch of cool items. Let us know your thoughts on Cairn or another subscription box you like. If you are interested in more videos, then check the <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOcQ-szXOj2uJv6UW9d5TxQ">Adventures With BeeGee</a> YouTube Channel.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-13489984617548177482017-03-06T08:30:00.000-06:002017-07-14T12:35:07.790-05:00Food Review: XMRE Blue Line<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Yay! Breakfast for Dinner</span></span></h2>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">On our recent trip to <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/12/trip-report-big-bend-national-park-day.html">Big Bend National Park</a>, I lugged a XMRE Blue Line meal with me until the 2<sup>nd</sup> night of the backpacking trip. I probably should have eaten it the night before because of its huge size. I was silly and did not check what the meal was and ended up with oatmeal, which is what I had eaten for breakfast at least 3 days prior and was eating it again in the morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8kbgfK4lwBIKhJQlvE46ZDYvPyXXzX37eacwxobUUCiIwF_Xg7GdOQENB0b8cY7UbxheN0XIP8HRgAdhsawqLao9yqzjHWuCHXAYgIcG9DrUNJV6ll1dsw4qxcacyzeLPmZtEiLf4mK0/s1600/Jack+eating+his+XMRE+Blue+Line.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jack eating his XMRE on before setting up camp" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik8kbgfK4lwBIKhJQlvE46ZDYvPyXXzX37eacwxobUUCiIwF_Xg7GdOQENB0b8cY7UbxheN0XIP8HRgAdhsawqLao9yqzjHWuCHXAYgIcG9DrUNJV6ll1dsw4qxcacyzeLPmZtEiLf4mK0/s320/Jack+eating+his+XMRE+Blue+Line.JPG" title="in Big Bend National Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack eating his XMRE on before setting up camp</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">These are a civilian line of Meals Ready to Eat (MRE) and the Blue Line is made specifically for government, medical, and educational institutions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Price: $119.99 per case of 12<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Calories: 1,000 to 1,200 a meal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Website: <a href="https://www.xmremeals.com/">https://www.xmremeals.com/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Key Attributes: Extended shelf life, individually bagged, no water needed, self-heating, and provides all utensils<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">A quick note on the website: at first it seems like a well-designed site, but I’ve found a few issues. If you want to know exactly what meal comes in a case, almost all that information is lost to broken links. In addition, they have a neat feature where you can design your own meals, but the window just closes after 5 seconds, so I was never able to fully try it.</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGU0hv6SRY5aFx-GLlgwVyawKrJQz6pijsKQrHcrKQr5IE0BTP8f4WuqWsJFlpaTdrdIsOzcOGQcNV-f7NqZe4re9QHqdKLQ8DIHN_XhIDdLJZgIPS3eWJlgdV46jb1ZUsyAAtSvRTPOnn/s1600/XMRE+Blue+Line+Bag.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="XMRE Blue Line and its bag" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGU0hv6SRY5aFx-GLlgwVyawKrJQz6pijsKQrHcrKQr5IE0BTP8f4WuqWsJFlpaTdrdIsOzcOGQcNV-f7NqZe4re9QHqdKLQ8DIHN_XhIDdLJZgIPS3eWJlgdV46jb1ZUsyAAtSvRTPOnn/s320/XMRE+Blue+Line+Bag.jpg" title="XMRE Blue Line" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">XMRE Blue Line</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Performance </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">This is what my Blue Line XMRE contained: plain, but slightly sweetened oatmeal, a bag of dried fruit, a pilot cracker, a packet of grape jelly, and a mocha coffee drink. Just so you know everything comes in a metal lined bag/package.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With this XMRE meal, you add water to the oatmeal, and then you have to heat it up with the provided water-activated heater. I sampled it cold and it was not the best, so I would always recommend heating it up if you have the times. The dried fruit is the same as any old dried fruit in look and taste., so nothing special here. However, for flavor’s sake, I would recommend adding it to the oatmeal. The cracker is extremely dry and hard, but it turned out to be good with the jelly. I definitely wouldn’t recommend eating the cracker without any toppings. The mocha drink was a nice change from just water. It had a good flavor when mixed thoroughly, but it is hard to pour to pour water into the pouch and equally hard to drink out of.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXCiM4KfbFChhoQkdjpJk5SKXZhM8pJNgnndPncREfYqXkAy9tu9nnnIIhaiZj6Rc-g7mbEi85pMVCTRL7dbOxol0pZ9AnQoiKvJ79hhIVFxBAOBHYf9RAKfb24dXUxCapNa4sxlqi6cT/s1600/XMRE+Blue+Line+Case.png" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: x-large; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="XMRE Case of 12" border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuXCiM4KfbFChhoQkdjpJk5SKXZhM8pJNgnndPncREfYqXkAy9tu9nnnIIhaiZj6Rc-g7mbEi85pMVCTRL7dbOxol0pZ9AnQoiKvJ79hhIVFxBAOBHYf9RAKfb24dXUxCapNa4sxlqi6cT/s320/XMRE+Blue+Line+Case.png" title="XMRE Blue Line" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">XMRE Case of 12</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Final Thoughts</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">If you want a civilian MRE clone then this meets the description, but it is on the pricey side so it might be worth shopping around. Plus, XMREs fill a role for long term food storage and prepping. I would highly discourage anyone from lugging these around while hiking and backpacking.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Giveaway</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There was no winner for our last giveaway, so Team Adventures with BeeGee is giving away <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2014/07/12-steps-to-lighter-pack-book-review.html">12 Steps to a Lighter Pack</a> (linked to our book report) and a GoBites Duo set. Use this book to gain a little knowledge and lighten your load and the GoBites kit is a handy fork/spoon combo<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30UPiDYB75_Rhp5KNn2APeh-7xewLyGxCz13BxEdrCY1y9eZ1SHRzZ7cIVBf3HCRDFIdhQYm8CbqGq-JRqVKwO_MJrre5Bsbotf7P2tYdndBwErosY5Vyq2OM3F_rJitJApMQBTiaaWkw/s1600/20170305_132145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="font-family: "times new roman", serif; font-size: 16px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj30UPiDYB75_Rhp5KNn2APeh-7xewLyGxCz13BxEdrCY1y9eZ1SHRzZ7cIVBf3HCRDFIdhQYm8CbqGq-JRqVKwO_MJrre5Bsbotf7P2tYdndBwErosY5Vyq2OM3F_rJitJApMQBTiaaWkw/s320/20170305_132145.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.avantlink.com/click.php?tt=cl&mi=10248&pw=164395&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rei.com%2Fproduct%2F108030%2Fhumangear-gobites-duo-fork-and-spoon-set" style="font-size: medium; text-align: right;">GoBites Duo</a></td></tr>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="d314fac78" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d314fac78/" id="rcwidget_n1482ofv" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Let us know if you enjoy MREs or they are just a necessity and how you plan to use your MREs. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.</span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-63495814413047501202017-02-27T08:30:00.000-06:002017-07-14T21:47:26.611-05:00Trip Report: Trip to London<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">A Holidays Trip Abroad</span></h2>
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Travel Agency: <a href="https://www.go-today.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Go-Today</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Flight: Delta Airlines<o:p></o:p></div>
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Destination Route: Austin to Atlanta to London<o:p></o:p></div>
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Return Route: London to New York to Austin<o:p></o:p></div>
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Hotel: <a href="https://www.londonhousehotels.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">London House Hotel<o:p></o:p></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.londonhousehotels.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><br /></a></div>
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It had been years since Jarrett and I had gone on a vacation to a foreign country. Actually, we had not traveled anywhere since our honeymoon to Peru, four years back. So, when a Group-On deal to travel to London became available in September, I took the chance to book a trip for Jarrett and me for our anniversary in December. The following is an overview of our trip:<o:p></o:p></div>
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Day 1: </h3>
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As predicted, Jarrett and I were exhausted from traveling overnight, and the last thing we felt like doing was figuring out the train route we should take to our hotel. Fortunately, I had reserved limo service through Go-Today travel to pick us up and transport us to the airport. They state that they will wait for you for 2 hours after your scheduled arrival time. We arrived early, but there was a long line to get through customs and immigration. By the time we were done, only about 1 hour and 15 minutes had passed. We caught our driver by the exit, and he told us about how he almost left. I’m sure glad we got to him before he left then.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42i9g1yQSLiTApmvw7AuAiRB1_GwlvUHXV7bbjnkS2doDbsy0xJRWFxqjqhaH338Td-Z9a-lV6jpZX4VJrTrDl4jTPgn4k9IdJK19maSk7i3Z4aV-Kxp56V92IkgVHAp-C2W7tpXiFanb/s1600/London+House+Hotel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The London House Hotel" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg42i9g1yQSLiTApmvw7AuAiRB1_GwlvUHXV7bbjnkS2doDbsy0xJRWFxqjqhaH338Td-Z9a-lV6jpZX4VJrTrDl4jTPgn4k9IdJK19maSk7i3Z4aV-Kxp56V92IkgVHAp-C2W7tpXiFanb/s400/London+House+Hotel.jpg" title="Our stay at the London House" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The London House Hotel</td></tr>
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Since we arrived in the morning, hours before check-in, we waited in the lobby of the hotel for an hour. After that, the front-staff allowed us into our room, which we definitely appreciated. The room was a double, but it was small. I definitely would not recommend putting more than two people in a room at the hotel, but the staff was great, and so was the continental breakfast. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBEuvyCmpIOXl_5vFKQkXjg9k-5vOlhumkBm8VcMyI_ZCrVR4FWP-0BVXyhQQydjDOJfQHWm6mDoH3JpSrP_XDff-ejbwi4H95ic6anj1_ypjFgIInnAw8uwbAC4Vp-VK-UDPsD_lnK0W/s1600/london+house+hotel+garden-view.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Park across the street from London House" border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIBEuvyCmpIOXl_5vFKQkXjg9k-5vOlhumkBm8VcMyI_ZCrVR4FWP-0BVXyhQQydjDOJfQHWm6mDoH3JpSrP_XDff-ejbwi4H95ic6anj1_ypjFgIInnAw8uwbAC4Vp-VK-UDPsD_lnK0W/s320/london+house+hotel+garden-view.jpg" title="Our stay at London House Hotel" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Park across the street from London House</td></tr>
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That night, we went on the Jack the Ripper Tour offered by Premium Tours. It was a dark and chilly night, with almost no traffic in the London business district due to the holiday season, so it was the perfect setting for the tour. You get to travel in a 1960s bus to the area, and once there, your guide walks you through the places where Jack the Ripper committed his murders, as well as where important clues were found. The tour guide was very knowledgeable of London’s history and excelled at explaining to you how modern streets looked like in the 1880s, so I definitely recommend this tour. However, if you’re going around December, I also recommend you take very warm clothes with you as well. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNb92D26ddXBNkNZnO45Nnt5owbH-s1ljNrSMUzorZG6FeWpTgxCClkXQllpMTqsg9a6Y_QOigL7W2DgTwaIVrO3UMyobSurhAEDEXMJax2TMP1JSUma31Kx-25H-CoBXYz7n0QJklo5d/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Double Decker for the Jack the Ripper Tour" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFNb92D26ddXBNkNZnO45Nnt5owbH-s1ljNrSMUzorZG6FeWpTgxCClkXQllpMTqsg9a6Y_QOigL7W2DgTwaIVrO3UMyobSurhAEDEXMJax2TMP1JSUma31Kx-25H-CoBXYz7n0QJklo5d/s320/IMG_0529.JPG" title="Night time tour of London" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double Decker for the Jack the Ripper Tour</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 2: </h3>
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Jarrett and I visited the British Museum. Helpful hint: Don’t bring any bags with you. It allows you to move faster through security and into the museum. The entrance was free, but the museum takes donations from the public. I would also recommend that you plan to spend an entire day there because there is so much to see. They have areas from all corners of the world. So if you like history, have time, and are not bothered by large crowds, you’ll definitely enjoy an entire day there. If you’re like us and do not really enjoy the crowds, then plan ahead of time the areas you would like to visit the most. Being typical, we dashed straight for the Egypt section, where we saw displays of artifacts from different millennia. However, the mummies are not located there; they’re instead located in a different section upstairs. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHr0m-A-hzzJnQ1T7pyyh78GLyGVrgkO1LKYdfN3efnWhx2giwnubTmdalkTzVgqwtlqTea5uwdMuE0VH-t-IZjJd7qk7QZz7-NlvWowaApMf0Y9-ovqaIPb1BrKN31T9ak6ONuhTjsg_/s1600/Natural+History+Meseum+Mummy.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="A mummy at the British Museum " border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoHr0m-A-hzzJnQ1T7pyyh78GLyGVrgkO1LKYdfN3efnWhx2giwnubTmdalkTzVgqwtlqTea5uwdMuE0VH-t-IZjJd7qk7QZz7-NlvWowaApMf0Y9-ovqaIPb1BrKN31T9ak6ONuhTjsg_/s320/Natural+History+Meseum+Mummy.JPG" title="Touring the British Museum" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mummy at the British Museum </td></tr>
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The London Eye Champagne Experience: Go-Today’s deal came with the London Eye Champagne Experience. I planned for us to take the last one, at 8:00 p.m. that night. If you would like to do it, make sure to take printouts of your invoices and tickets. Thinking the staff at the London Eye would only need to see our electronic information in our phones, we almost missed our ride. Nevertheless, we showed up early enough and the London Eye VIP staff were so gracious that they helped us print out our tickets and invoices and we made it to our ride in time. The ride lasts 30 minutes, during which you introduce yourself to the few other riders and enjoy the panoramic views of London. With the Christmas lights adding to the rest of the city, the nightly views were magical to behold. It was definitely a marvelous 4-year anniversary adventure.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1po00pWINKCZmLjXkChq0wKp-tYg7pKz3yOYT8jWavnPni_kKegPz1J1R4dK7GJYdJzdym6SJbr3eJU2mQb3RQpms2sxOGYC7XkYJFH5Mba4Pmfv99Vi-oBZ0-zAvrKCE5mfOYY1Aufo/s1600/Big+Ben+from+the+London+eye.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The London Eye from across the River Thames" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj1po00pWINKCZmLjXkChq0wKp-tYg7pKz3yOYT8jWavnPni_kKegPz1J1R4dK7GJYdJzdym6SJbr3eJU2mQb3RQpms2sxOGYC7XkYJFH5Mba4Pmfv99Vi-oBZ0-zAvrKCE5mfOYY1Aufo/s320/Big+Ben+from+the+London+eye.JPG" title="The London Eye" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The London Eye from across the River Thames</td></tr>
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<h3 style="text-align: justify;">
Day 3: </h3>
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Jarrett and I had to wake up really early before our Stonehenge and Bath tour, so we headed over to Queensway, where we ran across Granier Bakery Café. It was 6 in the morning, the lights were on, and the door was open, so we let ourselves in. The staff was so kind that Jarrett and I didn’t realize that the Café had not officially opened yet. We had some yummy fresh-made breakfast sandwiches and headed to the spot where we were to wait for our Premium Tours bus. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopping for a couples pic at Stonehenge</td></tr>
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This Premium Tour was a much larger party than the Jack the Ripper tour, so expect to be in completely-filled bus. We had the typical tourists that talked loud and even yelled obscenities. There was also another family of tourists that seemed to be on a mission to make the ride as uncomfortable for the people around them as possible, with hot smelly food, loud conversations, and leaning their seats so far back that the people behind them could not comfortably sit. I mention all of this not to complain about Premium Tours, but to set realistic expectations and also perhaps, if Premium Tours were to ever read this, monitor the people in their buses every once in a while.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Checking out Stonehenge </td></tr>
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The tour itself was wonderful though. Being at Stonehenge is having an almost mystical experience. Even before you arrive, the tour guide starts explaining to you what the mounds in the area actually are (burial grounds). The place was not nearly as crowded as the British Museum. Once you arrive, Premium Tours provides its clients with audio recorded tours, which help you know and understand where you are standing and what you are seeing, while simultaneously allowing you to simply enjoy the experience. <o:p></o:p><br />
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After Stonehenge, we headed for Bath. Following some meet-up instructions upon our arrival, Jarrett and I headed out to find lunch. However, it was December 31<sup>st</sup>, so many places, including the one recommended by our guide, were closed. We ended up having lunch at a small café before touring the city’s hotspots on foot with our tour guide, who explained to us the why’s of certain architectural quirks in the area, as well as the history of the city. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The large Pool at Bath</td></tr>
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Following the city tour, we entered the Roman baths. Upon entry, you are given an audio guide, which explains to you the history of various parts of the baths. While these were excellent to listen to, I recommend you take several moments to simply look and imagine the experience of the Romans that lounged in these baths many years ago. If it were not for the business of the place, you could almost have that same experience yourself. It was the perfect way to end our evening. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hot water is channeled to create the baths</td></tr>
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Thank you for reading our 100th post! While you're at it, let us know about your previous experiences or your dream trip to the UK. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-53781693901346224462017-02-08T08:00:00.000-06:002017-07-14T21:03:59.561-05:00Trip Report: Big Bend Day 5 & 6<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Completing the Outer Mountain Loop</span></span></h2>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;">This is the trip report for our final Day on the Outer Mountain Loop and the drive home. Make sure to catch up with </span><a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/12/trip-report-big-bend-national-park-day.html">Big Bend Days 1&2</a>, <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2017/01/trip-report-big-bend-day-3.html">Big Bend Day 3</a>, and <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2017/01/trip-report-big-bend-day-4.html" target="_blank">Big Bend Day 4</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFggbaH466A6BFIVF2MgnsBeOLm_07yTaZysjKI4Ikbm0VZHUMOQKj019q9ns8FVSpad_b8ZB4fvJERC09r8p6x-roJsqXLvDOOsv1jKGH0w_tArp-Ah4jcsrvf4K8ugtBLVRAxlwP5OpY/s1600/Sunrise+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFggbaH466A6BFIVF2MgnsBeOLm_07yTaZysjKI4Ikbm0VZHUMOQKj019q9ns8FVSpad_b8ZB4fvJERC09r8p6x-roJsqXLvDOOsv1jKGH0w_tArp-Ah4jcsrvf4K8ugtBLVRAxlwP5OpY/s320/Sunrise+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" title="Sunrise on Blue Creek Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise on Blue Creek Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Wake Up</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">When we went to bed it was warm out, but waking up everything was covered all our gear was so wet and required extra shake outs. We had our standard oatmeal and coffee for breakfast then started our walk a little before 7 am before, which was before sunrise. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange fungus on Blue Creek Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Blue Creek Trail</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The trail was just a continuation of the day before, gravel drainage area with cairns spread around to guide you. I’ve read online it’s easy to miss the cairns and get lost in the drainage area, but I’d think that would be pretty hard to do as there is only one way to travel in a canyon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyIy10kohsvRvqzSufrBocDvAS43hGiFrgFLmo8wbN8_r3Vi1Lhl_H2Am41jtpTwZZ0n7BswYlEr43sZZHm0lkReQnAxveGkbr3gTnic1cQEoa9GCfbAETZd4BvvCbiXCArqUax-X20rD/s1600/Cave+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTyIy10kohsvRvqzSufrBocDvAS43hGiFrgFLmo8wbN8_r3Vi1Lhl_H2Am41jtpTwZZ0n7BswYlEr43sZZHm0lkReQnAxveGkbr3gTnic1cQEoa9GCfbAETZd4BvvCbiXCArqUax-X20rD/s320/Cave+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" title="A cave a little ways off trail on Blue Creek" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A cave a little ways off trail on Blue Creek</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After about an hour of hiking, we saw a huge cave in the distance, we took an hour-long side quest to go check it out. The first part required us to fight through brush and almost every plant has thorns of some sort. Then it was a hands and knees scramble up broken rock that involved some short slides down. Finally at the cave, it was a large open space that was split into 2 sides and full of calf deep moon dust. Exciting as it was, there were no ancient artifacts or cave art, so we carefully made our way back down. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside the cave on Blue Creek Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">As we continued up Blue Creek Trail, the canyon continued to narrow and the drainage area began to shrink. We also passed multiple campsites that would have been amazing compared to where we stayed the night before. If only we had been a little further along and had better light to search.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking South and back down the way we came on Blue Creek Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Eventually, we made it out of the creek and into a forested area (this is the turn I was warned can be easy to miss) and then the dreaded switchbacks started. I’m guessing this section is 2-miles of steep and never ending switchbacks. To make this section even better, the sun crested the mountains and started heating everything up; however, the views were spectacular as we could back down into the canyon.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">After tirelessly trudging along for a while, we located the free camping zone sign. Doing a very imprecise map check with the fingers, we estimated ourselves about 2 miles shy of the Laguna Meadows Trail junction. This caused me a small freak out moment because it put us way behind schedule; thankfully, the junction seemed much closer than my guess.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrDOZlLmlyam5U9Oot_OjRRDIoeY4G6KsOruTa8BUVztabyabCq_QDh49_MbWTyP8rwnPt95XVGySzEY73r2NV5as1JyxCl5LxMJHbcneo2fBgLddzSpnLXN_xucvmgowVwHZp203RV7j/s1600/Junction+of+Blue+Creek+and+Laguna+Meadows.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The amazing view from the highest point on Blue Creek Trail. It was a steep climb!" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkrDOZlLmlyam5U9Oot_OjRRDIoeY4G6KsOruTa8BUVztabyabCq_QDh49_MbWTyP8rwnPt95XVGySzEY73r2NV5as1JyxCl5LxMJHbcneo2fBgLddzSpnLXN_xucvmgowVwHZp203RV7j/s320/Junction+of+Blue+Creek+and+Laguna+Meadows.JPG" title="at big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The amazing view from the highest point on Blue Creek Trail. It was a steep climb!</td></tr>
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Chisos Mountains</h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Pushing on, we made it to the Laguna Meadows Trail junction and headed towards the Rims, where all the amazing views can be found. One the way there, the sun was out in full force and it was pretty warm out when not in the shade. The climbs along the Rims were a little milder, but it didn’t matter because we were so tired and our feet were tender from being wet all morning.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEvteOaDgYGiZOvDQOSS3sZuuKzIyJ5UIPuYGdYhECRPV_2rYsKRSI-dMsHqtkuWL7lJ-R-fxzWTzpoHwZWPCgnyLO8fx_Uic4E0eTeqLQVRbfE8TFK9tMvOvPPcva52dxEpG2GDzBrqS/s1600/First+View+from+the+South+Rim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVEvteOaDgYGiZOvDQOSS3sZuuKzIyJ5UIPuYGdYhECRPV_2rYsKRSI-dMsHqtkuWL7lJ-R-fxzWTzpoHwZWPCgnyLO8fx_Uic4E0eTeqLQVRbfE8TFK9tMvOvPPcva52dxEpG2GDzBrqS/s320/First+View+from+the+South+Rim.JPG" title="Views from the South Rim" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Views from the South Rim</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The views were all around amazing as we moved from South Rim to the Southeast Rim to Northeast Rim. we stopped under a shade tree for lunch at about the southeast rim. I’ve been told if you just have enough to stop at one section of the Rim to make sure it's South Rim. After walking all of them, they each have their amazing characteristics and would say it’s worth it to spend time at each. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmi6wyFUEAe5Pn81S-9w7kZk9Tk-WHN-l0Bkt7Gq-pUioiyzNJnpvrA7xevsO8NkedCAS45Ngw2NHKqQ347ntMqB5JHEUmalpuxHmSBTVi6tKg-oWyABdx92UGksr7mXxg8Eo7urtT1Je/s1600/Looking+down+from+the+south+rim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking down at the terrain below the Rims. I have a feeling that is a section we walked through on the Dodson Trail" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUmi6wyFUEAe5Pn81S-9w7kZk9Tk-WHN-l0Bkt7Gq-pUioiyzNJnpvrA7xevsO8NkedCAS45Ngw2NHKqQ347ntMqB5JHEUmalpuxHmSBTVi6tKg-oWyABdx92UGksr7mXxg8Eo7urtT1Je/s320/Looking+down+from+the+south+rim.JPG" title="at big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking down at the terrain below the Rims. I have a feeling that is a section we walked through on the Dodson Trail</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">We stop to eat lunch under the shade of a tree as close to the edge of the Southeast Rim as we could find. This short lunch break makes me want to spend a night camping on the Rim to enjoy a sunrise and sunset. We then headed around to the Northeast Rim but spent a little less time viewing the surrounding area than before because it was getting late in the day.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06o8_Ceqk9VZw5dScVUqWFP8Xxbjnj1asO6aTI-FPbvfnFgUY3h0bUEoIsTXCTIZyvoEQ7JavLKZYvkkl1IXPsOnj4VjFyVwdEXV_YWUCOA8GQFbR-NrPOvwtgQjDtDQznvDhSGkrGgwF/s1600/Lunch+on+the+Southeast+Rim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi06o8_Ceqk9VZw5dScVUqWFP8Xxbjnj1asO6aTI-FPbvfnFgUY3h0bUEoIsTXCTIZyvoEQ7JavLKZYvkkl1IXPsOnj4VjFyVwdEXV_YWUCOA8GQFbR-NrPOvwtgQjDtDQznvDhSGkrGgwF/s320/Lunch+on+the+Southeast+Rim.jpg" title="Stopping for a lunch break with an amazing view on the Southeast Rim" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stopping for a lunch break with an amazing view on the Southeast Rim</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Northeast Rim led us to Boot Canyon Trail where we paralleled Boot Canyon. Along the canyon, there were pools of varying sizes. We stopped one of the larger pools to take a break and because Jack swears he saw fish. Unfortunately, there were no fish, but the pool was teeming with life as insects scurried across the surface and dove deep within the water.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oBZ2sXFHaEOdJ-jjEpECxPDQBORiTCggdjixBMbVcdx9MWRld2mWq5SKxTDjCzJYh2aEAIcmLJmeBW5qwAAC3po-l-XdodqGNG-DbOfZ0QeWAbDvan07LYY70F_uIvPiaOKkWmXgPsN0/s1600/View+from+the+Northeast+Rim.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0oBZ2sXFHaEOdJ-jjEpECxPDQBORiTCggdjixBMbVcdx9MWRld2mWq5SKxTDjCzJYh2aEAIcmLJmeBW5qwAAC3po-l-XdodqGNG-DbOfZ0QeWAbDvan07LYY70F_uIvPiaOKkWmXgPsN0/s320/View+from+the+Northeast+Rim.JPG" title="View from the Northeast Rim " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View from the Northeast Rim </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Carrying on with the hike, we found a stretch of the trail that was beyond unexpected. It was clearly autumn in this area as the trees were displaying leaves of orange, red, and yellow. Finally, we made it to the junction of Colima Trail which also seemed like a whole new place. The Colima was short and steep, but the trees here more like an alpine area than the oaks and pines we had grown accustomed to. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkxMYR9mDZb2TRa3NP3b7KCT9ebCtYMYaI0AV9BlraoaXlBVt77Zc9_FqKdIgDEtbTfejthjCLMLSlGWJkccUiIFrab4NR_om7D3H1RuMrZ7kvUwJaICUMotGat2DsNHJibqyptPP1C6f/s1600/Pool+in+Boot+Canyon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkxMYR9mDZb2TRa3NP3b7KCT9ebCtYMYaI0AV9BlraoaXlBVt77Zc9_FqKdIgDEtbTfejthjCLMLSlGWJkccUiIFrab4NR_om7D3H1RuMrZ7kvUwJaICUMotGat2DsNHJibqyptPP1C6f/s320/Pool+in+Boot+Canyon.JPG" title="Large pool of water in Boot Canyon" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Large pool of water in Boot Canyon</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With our Rim loop completed, we found ourselves on, the Laguna Meadows Trail again. Laguna was a pretty mild trail back down into the basin, but by this time my feet were tender from being wet all day. In a weird turn of events, Jack was in his groove and flying down the mountain and I was making him wait up for me. The trail is just a repeat of switchbacks as you descend and the views felt less impressive than everything we experienced earlier in the day. I just wanted to be done with Laguna Meadows Trail.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Cd9QyvX6jQl7fso_sBt7xSja0GGNX0SyWO68cy-L0mmcfONI6fVbT0v52QZhg913CNN3RxD2dtnqg5QnlvQjgE0-Mh3U225GATJFzuyfmfuoCCUyfo-nOXSRKulJKV_hyphenhyphenqS2yHsZPDxc/s1600/Changing+Leaves+in+Boot+Canyon.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_Cd9QyvX6jQl7fso_sBt7xSja0GGNX0SyWO68cy-L0mmcfONI6fVbT0v52QZhg913CNN3RxD2dtnqg5QnlvQjgE0-Mh3U225GATJFzuyfmfuoCCUyfo-nOXSRKulJKV_hyphenhyphenqS2yHsZPDxc/s320/Changing+Leaves+in+Boot+Canyon.JPG" title="A little change of scenery as the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow " width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little change of scenery as the leaves turn red, orange, and yellow </td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Making it back into the Chisos Basin, our feet and bodies were feeling pretty rough at this point and we just wanted to finish. Finally, we arrived at the trailhead and had, but had another .5 miles down to the campgrounds. We made it back to basecamp and Bmo was nowhere to be found, so we started to make ourselves comfortable while snacking on Cheez-Its. After a short wait, Bmo showed up and made us some amazing burgers and smores, while we all shared tales of our adventures. It wasn’t much longer and we were more than ready for bed, which is when Bmo went off to hang out with some of our campground neighbors.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4ndksZ3Atq3IvSA71gpGvFD34RyU25T1NSaC6_PHt90Nbiz0aZXKwECFj7V-qJ2uwW9xolqXRv53r2kNAVfA6xgSyMsvqsw-S_mePgSGRYvBFc0NIenKCLIhKbqY6uMfJ5c93-4hSXrI/s1600/IMG_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend bend national park in the chisos basin" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4ndksZ3Atq3IvSA71gpGvFD34RyU25T1NSaC6_PHt90Nbiz0aZXKwECFj7V-qJ2uwW9xolqXRv53r2kNAVfA6xgSyMsvqsw-S_mePgSGRYvBFc0NIenKCLIhKbqY6uMfJ5c93-4hSXrI/s320/IMG_0524.JPG" title="Jack and I finally back at basecamp a little before the sun went down" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack and I finally back at basecamp a little before the sun went down</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Drive Home</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">With a 5 AM wake, we packed up and skipped breakfast because we knew we could find something in a small town later. With everything packed in the car we were off and hoping we might see some wildlife or a bear on our drive out of the mountains. Wish come true, we found a coyote in the middle of the road eating trash. He was clearly not concerned by us and won the game of chicken forcing me to maneuver around him and his treasure. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRSiJkU5XipgVs9xDZfWAM-3QD-NYm_B3FTGnk9OCpV_PFro6hKlaHxyibyhhaA1UsS31QaRueZbxkoq0sEV_VHvF9uKH1Y79rxXQOFS9ID81GfxMwdd1acdqm-9zmtPa-bl4MhrCQKw7/s1600/Coyote+Big+Bend.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdRSiJkU5XipgVs9xDZfWAM-3QD-NYm_B3FTGnk9OCpV_PFro6hKlaHxyibyhhaA1UsS31QaRueZbxkoq0sEV_VHvF9uKH1Y79rxXQOFS9ID81GfxMwdd1acdqm-9zmtPa-bl4MhrCQKw7/s320/Coyote+Big+Bend.jpg" title="A coyote scavenging through trash as we made our way out of the park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A coyote scavenging through trash as we made our way out of the park</td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Another oddity, as we left the park there was a huge amount of trash exploded all over and on the side of the road. It turns out a family was hauling a bunch of stuff and were hit from behind, which is what caused the mess. Thankfully, everyone was injury free. After this, the trip was uneventful and we were sad to be leaving such a majestic place but thrilled to finally be back home.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Giveaway</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">To celebrate the final portion of our Big Bend trip report, Team Adventures with BeeGee is giving away <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2014/07/12-steps-to-lighter-pack-book-review.html">12 Steps to a Lighter Pack</a> (linked to our book report). Use this book to gain a little knowledge and lighten your load.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=advewithbeeg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00D4OUIXI&asins=B00D4OUIXI&linkId=f176b4ec9b808882974a49b5c970ed9d&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>
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<a class="rcptr" data-raflid="d314fac77" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/d314fac77/" id="rcwidget_rimtojhu" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> <script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script><br />
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Leave a comment below about your first time or your ideal trip to Big Bend National Park for a chance to win our February giveaway. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6700413093421273171.post-20163416927920180432017-01-25T08:00:00.000-06:002017-07-14T21:01:59.128-05:00Trip Report: Big Bend Day 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;">Hiking on the Dodson Trail</span></h2>
This is day 4 of our recent trip to Big Bend National Park make sure you catch up and read the reports from the previous days: <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2016/12/trip-report-big-bend-national-park-day.html">Big Bend Days 1&2</a> , <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2017/01/trip-report-big-bend-day-3.html">Big Bend Day 3</a>, and <a href="http://www.adventureswithbg.com/2017/02/trip-report-big-bend-day-5-6.html" target="_blank">Big Bend Days 5&6</a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Wake Up</h3>
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To be the desert, we sure experienced a decent amount of rain and moisture every morning. This resulted in a lengthy process of shaking our tents and rain flies out in order to prevent wetness in our packs (keep our sleeping bags dry). Then we started boiling water for breakfast and finished packing up our gear. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2hMzMIqru-nHWYlBlLnfnyIuk5LtOwMH9wCHJRxYQXp9c2DmkRUpKOw7Vh4EtLSJu8qJA62mtA6PhMm2d221bPPqgyVYIH0E98K3rJpy83Crs6mlpFwKf6LABs4l6vYcweCYuma05-do/s1600/Jack+on+Dodson+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Jack posing at the beginning of our Dodson Trail day. I made him carry the water for a little while. " border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu2hMzMIqru-nHWYlBlLnfnyIuk5LtOwMH9wCHJRxYQXp9c2DmkRUpKOw7Vh4EtLSJu8qJA62mtA6PhMm2d221bPPqgyVYIH0E98K3rJpy83Crs6mlpFwKf6LABs4l6vYcweCYuma05-do/s320/Jack+on+Dodson+Trail.JPG" title="Hiking the Dodson Trail in Big Bend National Park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jack posing at the beginning of our Dodson Trail day. I made him carry the water for a little while. </td></tr>
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We were approximately .5 miles in on the Dodson Trail with another 11 miles to walk and 2,000 feet of elevation change before making it to Blue Creek Trail. With our oatmeal and coffee finished, we were back on the trail around 6 am. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7HbV0XBAWYgbcdDQ1DtJ3YctrfzRIm0Kl2s4uWaQdR_1GDPKtVDInd1mL75bdVUdvwj_TQ77jgP8rfzn5gs8nH8lXIj8IdscKu53bWJDEBwaQRqo3SMUgyRZdSHeFoz2pl2fkmtEji3L/s1600/Dodson+Trail+at+Sunrise.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Hiking the Dodson Trail in Big Bend National Park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu7HbV0XBAWYgbcdDQ1DtJ3YctrfzRIm0Kl2s4uWaQdR_1GDPKtVDInd1mL75bdVUdvwj_TQ77jgP8rfzn5gs8nH8lXIj8IdscKu53bWJDEBwaQRqo3SMUgyRZdSHeFoz2pl2fkmtEji3L/s320/Dodson+Trail+at+Sunrise.JPG" title="Sunrise on the dodson trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sunrise on the Dodson Trail</td></tr>
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<br />The Dodson Trail</h3>
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<o:p></o:p></div>
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Back to walking, the Dodson quickly enters drainage areas where we hiked on gravely dry creeks. In this section, the trail isn’t so much a trail as it just follows dry creeks with short sections of trail, marked by cairns, connecting adjacent drainage areas. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEJO8LdJ99w7SMReMERz_NyJOL5yEnjFKYdGBEZcDGLx2-HVTPcGYbbS8lWrcyiefVLAUAcEBlodK4JPRjV8ve24G3BfZ3_oyPIpuTV2t64HFEekGj3mK7j8CJ-p34bg6J6GZjucg0PET/s1600/Gravelly+Dodson+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUEJO8LdJ99w7SMReMERz_NyJOL5yEnjFKYdGBEZcDGLx2-HVTPcGYbbS8lWrcyiefVLAUAcEBlodK4JPRjV8ve24G3BfZ3_oyPIpuTV2t64HFEekGj3mK7j8CJ-p34bg6J6GZjucg0PET/s320/Gravelly+Dodson+Trail.JPG" title="The rough and rocky Dodson Trail" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The rough and rocky Dodson Trail</td></tr>
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It wasn’t long before we missed a cairn for a turn, which caused us to walk a decent amount up a dry creek bed. The clerk at the visitor center had warned us how easy it was to miss a cairn and the difficulty in backtracking because the landscape looks significantly different heading in the other directions. Needless to say, we had a small freak out moment when we realized our mistake. Thankfully, we had no issues finding our missed turn and we must have learned our lesson because we had no issues finding the guiding cairns the rest of the day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdbBJv2UFTAMDRCzt-QhkzpvDeCbVzTH-TB_vuzDVVH3QqXZInoRNXyHcheTZHY71LkFr14zHteA0UIeyzQsutlEL9PY0FNnVGz-btAHn-cs1MzLGrKSOJ1PJFvysk5KG7xY7PQ0MYa2E/s1600/Searching+fo+cairns+on+dodson+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimdbBJv2UFTAMDRCzt-QhkzpvDeCbVzTH-TB_vuzDVVH3QqXZInoRNXyHcheTZHY71LkFr14zHteA0UIeyzQsutlEL9PY0FNnVGz-btAHn-cs1MzLGrKSOJ1PJFvysk5KG7xY7PQ0MYa2E/s320/Searching+fo+cairns+on+dodson+trail.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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The Dodson is fully exposed to the sun of the Chihuahuan Desert and one of the only times I was actually hot. Even Jack was hot and he normally gets chilled pretty easily. Because of the heat, there was little wildlife about except for insects. We walked through multiple swarms of butterflies, pelted by giant Lubber grasshoppers, and chased by more than a few wasps. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-dNOkKWNQEbez2CRyDsDp1_WMZP7aA6M72IiWr8owzf_OhoitH8L7oT7N7vtWgeJP-xHAu3c0vDWlaD15SvcCb8niM1ZMntWbJbE-0CMhE6tviBUC4dAvJCZT5ZHNQPy3v9V43sXYdak/s1600/Lubber+Grasshopper.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="on the dodson trail at big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia-dNOkKWNQEbez2CRyDsDp1_WMZP7aA6M72IiWr8owzf_OhoitH8L7oT7N7vtWgeJP-xHAu3c0vDWlaD15SvcCb8niM1ZMntWbJbE-0CMhE6tviBUC4dAvJCZT5ZHNQPy3v9V43sXYdak/s320/Lubber+Grasshopper.JPG" title="A giant Lubber Grasshopper" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A giant Lubber Grasshopper</td></tr>
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A mile before Fresno Creek, we dropped down into a drainage area and I spotted something very red in hidden in the brush. It almost seemed like someone was attempting to hide, but soon realized it was a sleeping bag in a red stuff stuck in the brush. I am still a little curious about how that sleeping bag made it to the middle of nowhere. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4yIWUNDpiuyQ7tFMtIJwzC8Aibr4y5PfLjzo006T1htSGhY-yHwXk5pWjQI8fNTVb4IXyRFdy_WRhCmckf17nybPwXnetrU45wHryv87rhwZUYzepb3e8imJsXlXXJbeuetHwO265snd/s1600/Curious+red+sleeping+bag+on+dodson+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="dodson trail in big bend national park" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP4yIWUNDpiuyQ7tFMtIJwzC8Aibr4y5PfLjzo006T1htSGhY-yHwXk5pWjQI8fNTVb4IXyRFdy_WRhCmckf17nybPwXnetrU45wHryv87rhwZUYzepb3e8imJsXlXXJbeuetHwO265snd/s320/Curious+red+sleeping+bag+on+dodson+trail.JPG" title="The hiding red sleeping bag. I'm just glad it wasn't a person" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The hiding red sleeping bag. I'm just glad it wasn't a person</td></tr>
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As we made into the next drainage area, we met 2 guys and talked to them for a little while. They used to be a group of 4, but 2 turned around and walked back to Homer Wilson because of heat cramps. I hope they had a vehicle parked there because it seems like they were over halfway through the Dodson.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp76nMf67v-_tqKk5DgyYAUoLifrUOxxmNezhl4F1HW9CPo6rvlrL6qcgzd2O9B3KUKpWcjdeWhUm3sCY7P3fYDj_HKRumh3g5Ot2C7v0Wlvz7NINV0PiUn_h78wd4aNnZpSppAWehZPH0/s1600/Big+climbs+on+dodson+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Watching Jack finish up the last bit of a big climb" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp76nMf67v-_tqKk5DgyYAUoLifrUOxxmNezhl4F1HW9CPo6rvlrL6qcgzd2O9B3KUKpWcjdeWhUm3sCY7P3fYDj_HKRumh3g5Ot2C7v0Wlvz7NINV0PiUn_h78wd4aNnZpSppAWehZPH0/s320/Big+climbs+on+dodson+trail.JPG" title="Dodson trail at big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Watching Jack finish up the last bit of a big climb</td></tr>
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We made it Fresno creek and it was shocking to see so much water flowing through the arid environment. The creek was about a foot across and a few inches deep. We ended up taking a short break and filling up on water again as a safety precaution. No one wants to run out of water to drink in such a hot climate. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLISj1ukTItmEFFLIzfBa7qXlIoHD77hf8z1uNIDwDJPp0qtBs6sfTLnmGqdTRh91xv-3P44A6oI-BYn0b0s9r8_M4sTjKLROcnVNTc1tq73IcwZyiooTFmdbrrlyzy-frMltz0thI5ft/s1600/Fresno+Creek+on+Dodson+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="It was nice to see water in the desert. It was good to Fresno Creek flowing" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzLISj1ukTItmEFFLIzfBa7qXlIoHD77hf8z1uNIDwDJPp0qtBs6sfTLnmGqdTRh91xv-3P44A6oI-BYn0b0s9r8_M4sTjKLROcnVNTc1tq73IcwZyiooTFmdbrrlyzy-frMltz0thI5ft/s320/Fresno+Creek+on+Dodson+Trail.JPG" title="dodson trail in big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It was nice to see water in the desert. It was good to Fresno Creek flowing</td></tr>
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Past the Fresno, the next valley forced us to do a monster climb up to continue westward toward Homer Wilson. After the climb, we found the only bit of shade under a large rock where we stopped for lunch. The rest of the day was spent walking up huge inclines and then back down all in direct sunlight. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0olLNiT51e-JFRXRveRZjA8YS4X_lq6ptWXDQMRGhtPhUh9om2L1AfqgdMdWej0JB32Y3RSdKM9Vchr2VJl-kEfSTQtBw54e2vMjXVI4I0qKciOUcAO6goWwZU0IFwtICd5YFYBBkuL2k/s1600/Large+climb+Dodson+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking forward to a monstrous climb" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0olLNiT51e-JFRXRveRZjA8YS4X_lq6ptWXDQMRGhtPhUh9om2L1AfqgdMdWej0JB32Y3RSdKM9Vchr2VJl-kEfSTQtBw54e2vMjXVI4I0qKciOUcAO6goWwZU0IFwtICd5YFYBBkuL2k/s320/Large+climb+Dodson+trail.JPG" title="dodson trail at big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking forward to a monstrous climb</td></tr>
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Finally, we made it into the dry creek bed that snaked us into Homer Wilson Ranch. Once there, we decide to take a break in the shade at the old ranch house. There were quite a few people in the area. We talked to a father and son about bat poop in one of the buildings and another guy about hiking the Outer Mountain Loop on our way out of the area. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXywvZxHRRNPUrHtKGQyzp3aEgDdFzK-POpARSFNbYnTZ7Ln_abq7L1caMc0Z6n2Aj0zLCZjvEaIhT6TWDzuXICW4zg-3vJaZDx4JjHLDM_HL6I9mHCTS79ARY7GXRYCQN-iNvTOV0Zt3r/s1600/Amazing+views+from+dodson+trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Looking out and over Dodson Trail from a high point" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXywvZxHRRNPUrHtKGQyzp3aEgDdFzK-POpARSFNbYnTZ7Ln_abq7L1caMc0Z6n2Aj0zLCZjvEaIhT6TWDzuXICW4zg-3vJaZDx4JjHLDM_HL6I9mHCTS79ARY7GXRYCQN-iNvTOV0Zt3r/s320/Amazing+views+from+dodson+trail.JPG" title="dodson trail in big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Looking out and over Dodson Trail from a high point</td></tr>
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Being exhausted, we kicked around the idea of finding a campsite and stopping for the day. We found a spot about .5 mile into Blue Creek Trail we found a nice spot. This nice spot was also occupied by a tarantula, which we shooed away. With our bags hidden away we, walked back to Homer Wilson to pick up our <a href="http://amzn.to/2jPq28I" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">cached water</a> and back where we divvied it up. Looking back, this might not have been the best plan, but it made complete sense at the time. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHN6gSvezRqKeEZaYI8gHgXjHt3qCvAhyphenhyphenICqf2Ph3hcuawg6x_bGRP9QXIWGU9Y2fOZAVZi7Gdlz5cGjXfEcYOzNqdaeJy6-1I8zykLX_wCkdaAIK8po6EaxjXTzm3_LbrCkkVff8vOYF/s1600/Tarantula+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="The tarantula we convinced to guard our packs while we retrieved our cached water" border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicHN6gSvezRqKeEZaYI8gHgXjHt3qCvAhyphenhyphenICqf2Ph3hcuawg6x_bGRP9QXIWGU9Y2fOZAVZi7Gdlz5cGjXfEcYOzNqdaeJy6-1I8zykLX_wCkdaAIK8po6EaxjXTzm3_LbrCkkVff8vOYF/s320/Tarantula+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.JPG" title="dodson trail at big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tarantula we convinced to guard our packs while we retrieved our cached water</td></tr>
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Deciding it was still way too early in the day to make camp, we started hiking again. The trail was at a slight incline and was like walking in a dry gravelly riverbed. AN hour later we stopped and ate dinner. It wasn’t too much further when we realized our dilemma: it is unsafe to camp in a desert floodplain, but being at the bottom of a canyon, there weren’t many ideal locations. We ended up walking past dark trying to find a suitable camping site that provided a little raised ground for safety. We eventually found a small circular area with no rocks and set up our tents so close they were touching.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUxVW_b_tYm793cTXv1v-UjTbDfavhw22dKn9T6PpWF9rZHnFqSLG-y2ZYZVgFDxiWZslHHJrks5femg4-Xqe1w1fwcfVhtMdJxnNWSyUJlSsx5zmEMtMxPRNXmvxLr4yRjaaG9Rc2CXm/s1600/Camping+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Setting up our late night camp on Blue Creek Trail" border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAUxVW_b_tYm793cTXv1v-UjTbDfavhw22dKn9T6PpWF9rZHnFqSLG-y2ZYZVgFDxiWZslHHJrks5femg4-Xqe1w1fwcfVhtMdJxnNWSyUJlSsx5zmEMtMxPRNXmvxLr4yRjaaG9Rc2CXm/s320/Camping+on+Blue+Creek+Trail.jpg" title="Blue Creek Trail in big bend national park" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Setting up our late night camp on Blue Creek Trail</td></tr>
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Make sure you stay tuned as we post the remainder of our Big Bend trip. While you are at it, go ahead and let us know your experience with Big Bend National Park. Also, if you like the blog follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/adventureswithbg">Facebook</a> to keep up to date.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://plus.google.com/117130668615130500855?rel=author">Jarrett Morgan</a><o:p></o:p></div>
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Adventures With BeeGeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00604736404391501982noreply@blogger.com0