Peaceful Valley 2010 – 3

Well then . . .

Things are winding up with this year’s Colorado vacation. There’s still another day at the ranch and a train ride back to Illinois, but here’s an update from the past few days:

Rodeo – The Peaceful Valley Guest Rodeo brought us all together with events like: Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, Flag Race, Musical Buckets, the Boot Race, Spoon Race, and even the Wrangler Relay. I felt very Cowboy.

We also made a return ride to Beaver Reservoir. Our last ride of the week was an awesome one – we rode quickly on the trail and even faster on the road around the reservoir. I think I shouted “yee-haw!” at one point, thought it may have been just inside my head.

Estes Park – We went “off site” to Estes Park for a day of regular tourist stuff. We took in some Americana with a trip to Ride-a-Kart (Go-Karts, Bumper Boats, Bumper Cars, and the Bungee Trampoline) and then ate at Vega Grill and Bar Terrace Restaurant before shopping in downtown Estes Park.

And then today at Allenspark Community Church it was Christmas in July! The place was packed as we enjoyed the July tradition at the little log church with the Christmas Cantata, “A Christmas Carol Gallery.”

We’re relaxing the rest of the day and tomorrow until we leave for the Denver train station tomorrow afternoon.

The vacation has been wonderful – and I’m ready to head home.

Peaceful Valley 2010 - 2

Oowwwwwwwwww
The past few days have been filled with horse riding. It hasn’t been without pain, but it has been mostly marvelous.

Beaver Reservoir – we rode to a location with a racetrack-like road around a giant reservoir. Though I never got my horse (Sky) into her fastest run, we did move very quickly. Unfortunately, her speed just below her fastest is a little bit rough. Ouch.

Jamestown – We rode to the old Jamestown settlement for a picnic lunch and some time tubing down a short section the St. Vrain River. I’d been to this place several times but had never been in the (cold) water. This time I rode the rapids in an inner tube, got dumped out 3 times, and twisted my knee a little. It was fun, but the knee pain remains. We ended the ride with another fast run down the road back to Peaceful Valley.

Overnight. We took a long walk (3 hours) with riding horses and pack horses to Coney Flats for a campout. The company was wonderful, the scenery breathtaking, the food extraordinarily tasty (campout food usually is, right?) and the night partially sleepless (There were high winds all night that shook and tried to lift the tents off the ground)

All Day Ride. I got another new horse (mine kept having loose shoes – First Sky, then Charlie), Valentine, and we met up with another group and left the campsite bound for Red Deer Lake. We ran as much as we could and arrived at the beautiful lake and glacier for lunch. We had a snowball fight and even made a small snowman. During the first part of our ride back to Peaceful Valley we ran much, but then we hit the part I had (once again) forgotten. That’s the part where your body says, “I’m REALLY done riding for the day” and there are two more hours left. I have a sore everything this morning.

And yet we headed out this morning for Breakfast on the Mountain and then a quick (and fast!) ride to Three Bears. A few of us climbed up Papa Bear (really a big hill, but mountain-ey enough for me!) before heading back to the ranch for a slow afternoon in anticipation of tomorrow’s return visit to Beaver Reservoir.

The soreness is starting to wear off.

Peaceful Valley 2010 - 1

Aaaaahhhhhhhhhh.

I've been in Colorado at Peaceful Valley Ranch for the past couple of days -- what a great beginning to vacation.

These first couple of days have been a warm-up for a week of dude ranch horse riding. There hasn't been much of a schedule or any significant "gotta do this" things during the warm-up. But here are a few experiences I've had so far.

The talent show -- The Moores are total show-offs. Each of us sang, played, or acted in the ranch talent show a few hours after we arrived.
Rooftop Rodeo -- For my first rodeo experience ever (not counting the guest rodeos at Peaceful Valley) I went to Estes Park for one of the nations premier small arena rodeos.
The petting zoo at Peaceful Valley. It's the kind of place you hang out with goats that come up and expect to be pet like a dog.
Mountaintop Chapel hike -- I hiked up to the Peaceful Valley Memorial Chapel - about 1000 feet up from the ranch. The view from the chapel is spirit-awakening.

Tomorrow we start the horse riding. I'm ready to run. And I'm pretty sure Ibuprofen will be my good friend.

Bonaire 2009 – 8

Back home again

• Our flight into O’Hare was delayed for a couple of hours, but now we’re home!
  
• We spent 8 days where the weather was about 80 degrees every day.  Now here at home it’s -15 and there’s about a foot of snow on the ground.  Makes me appreciate the vacation even more
  
• Overall – this was a great vacation – very relaxing, refreshing and rejuvenating.
  
• There’s a long list at home and work for me to do, but I think that comes with going on vacation.
  
• If you look at some of the past posts from our vacation, you’ll get to see new video footage  - check it out!
  
• I've also posted a web page with several more pictures from our vacation (It also has links to the dive sites, videos, restaurants etc)

 

Back from my SCUBA vacation in Bonaire – ready to dive back in to real life.  

Bonaire 2009 - 8

Last snorkel

• I got up early once more for a last snorkel of the week.  I spent a little more time in the water than normal, as I wanted to savor swimming in the sea for the last time on this vacation.
  
• The water was clearer than it has been the last several days, and I spotted a pretty large snook. They used to be pretty plentiful in the waters around Buddy Dive, but now they’re harder to find.
  
• We packed up most of the condo this morning in preparation for tomorrow morning’s departure. Everything’s dry and almost everything is packed away.
• Lunch today was at Jibe City.  We ate and watched the windsurfers. In past years I’ve rented some beginner’s windsurfing equipment and had a go of it, but this year the wind and waves looked a little rough.  We took a walk instead.
  
• We came back from lunch via the rough side of the island.  The surf here is really big – and today it was larger than I’ve ever seen it. While mom and Cassie looked at interesting coral on the shore,  I made a rock monument and took a few pictures.
  

One more night on the island – we’re headed to City Café for dinner.

Bonaire 2009 – 7

Last dive of the week

• I did my usual early-morning snorkel today. The water was too cloudy to get any kind of pictures, but I did snap a great photo of a stork before heading into the water.


• My mother-in-law Mary Anne had some sinus issues this morning, so Cassie and I went out on our last dive of the vacation together. We went to Weber’s Joy – AKA Witch's Hut. Lots of surge and pretty cloudy on the way in, but we navigated well and made it back with no problems! (Well, I did 'topple' on my way out -- but no harm done!)
• During the dive, we saw what both of us described as the “biggest french angel fish we’d ever seen.” It was at least 24 inches long and tall!


• We also spotted a chain moray, a cowfish showing an unusual bluish-white tint and a really big rainbow parrot fish.


• The highlight of our dive, however, came right near the end when we saw a squid. Cassie got some great pictures. (Most of the pictures I’m posting this week she took, but I was there when she took them!)


• Lunch today at Cactus Blue – what a great restaurant! I highly recommend it to anyone who ever comes to Bonaire.
  
  

I think we’re staying in and making potato chowder for dinner. Tomorrow, for our last day on the island, we’re headed to Jibe City and to the rough side.

Bonaire 2009 - 6

Church dive

• I got up for my morning snorkel again today. The water was pretty cloudy, but I did get some great video footage of a flounder on a long swim. (video below)
• After worshipping at the International Bible Church of Bonaire this morning, we headed to Sunset Beach (named for the resort that used to be there but no longer is- the site is officially called Front Porch) to a site that rarely disappoints. It did not again
  
• We saw a HUGE french angelfish, a pair of queen angelfish and a really big painted file fish.
• We also saw four spotted moray eels – two of them free swimming.
  
• Near the end of the dive, we also saw a very toad-like scorpion fish.
  

It’s a lazy afternoon – then off to some friends home for a ‘Sunday at Sundown’ social gathering. Tomorrow’s our last diving day L

Here's that flounder footage--

Bonaire 2009 - 5

More sights and a boat farewell

• Our first dive this morning, at Angel City, was just a little different than advertised. We saw plenty of French Angel Fish, a wonderful fish ball being hunted by a school of horse-eyed jacks and permits, and some dude who was diving “mit out swimming suit.” We joked that we experienced a rare "junk fish" sighting.
  
• Cassie was too tired for the second dive, so my mother in law and I headed to Andrea 1. Best sight of the day . . . swimming with a sea turtle!
• In the afternoon a few of us boated out into the waters above Buddy’s Reef to scatter my father in law’s ashes at sea. It was a fond farewell with a mixture of tears, hugs, and ocean spray. As we were scattering the ashes, I thought about all the pictures Cassie has been taking this week and how similar the shots are to the shots that Joe took while he was down here. I’m sure I’ll think of him every time I dive or think about diving for the rest of my life.
  

Tonight – we don’t know what we’re doing for dinner – but nobody’s too concerned. We’ll figure something out.

Here's some video footage of our experience scattering Joe's ashes at Karpata and over Buddy's Reef:

Bonaire 2009 - 4

 day filled with amazing sights!

• This morning I woke up and went down for a snorkel. Immediately upon entering the water, I saw a small octopus searching for food along the bottom. I spend the next 25 minutes following the octopus and taking pictures. (Can you see it and the scorpion fish in the picture?) Not much of a workout this morning, but an incredible experience.


• We went on our first dive to Tori’s Reef looking for eagle rays. We didn’t find any, but we did see a really cool crab – it’s uncommon to see them – especially during the day.


• On our second dive of the morning, we went to an easy-in shore site called Yellow Submarine. It’s close to the retail district and the town pier, (and the official dive site Something Special) so there is often lots of old trash in the water. It makes for a good dive as the trash makes artificial reef areas where fish congregate. It was a pretty good dive up until the time we saw the SPOTTED EAGLE RAY! Then it was the best dive I’ve yet been on.


• I did a much better job with air consumption today – two dives close to 50 minutes with lots of air left over.
  
  

Tonight – the rum punch party at Buddy Dive and then dinner at Ribs Factory.

Here's some video of my octupus encounter:

Bonaire 2009 - 3

What a day! Great adventure so far -- over the past day I’ve:

• Done a check out dive at Buddy’s Reef. We saw some of the normal things you see on a dive – including a menacing-looking, but very cool sand diver.


• Had a great dinner at Cactus Blue – a top-notch restaurant owned by some friends of ours down here.


• Gone for my daily morning snorkel – the water was pretty cloudy due to all the surge – I did see a pretty cool rusty old wheel, tho!


• Had a morning dive at Karpata. We started by scattering some of my father-in-law’s ashes at the site. I thought about him a lot during the dive. Great things to see at Karpata – including a pretty lush underwater forest.


• Looked for fuel for our truck. Apparently power is out on the island. Buddy Dive has it’s own generator so we haven’t noticed here at all. (Fuel stores were closed, however. I’ll have to go tomorrow morning)

We’re staying in for dinner tonight – Pasta!

Bonaire 2009 - 2

We're here! Yesterday didn't go exactly as planned, but we arrived here at Buddy Dive Resort just about the time we originally thought. Some of yesterday's adventures:

• Our trip from O'Hare to San Juan was diverted to JFK due to a right engine indicator problem. (not an emergency, but one that required us to land and get a new plane)
• 
  
• Our San Juan layover -- scheduled for 5 hours, was less than an hour. We had time to get a sandwich and then board the tiny prop plane (OK -- it sat about 40, but still -- it was small!) for Bonaire.
• After we arrived and started to unpack, I discovered that my camcorder and power supply (but not the case) were stolen out of my carryon luggage (it had to be stowed because of the size of the plane) after we got on the plane in San Juan and before we got the bag (right off the plane) in Bonaire. I'll file a theft report with American Eagle today.

Today I got up early, checked us into our room, went for a snorkel (saw lots of cool fish -- I forget most of the names) and then posted here.

I'm looking forward to a great week! The picture is a view from our balcony.

Bonaire 2009 - 1

Today Cassie, Mary Anne (my mother-in-law) and I are headed south to the tiny island of Bonaire - just off the northern coast of Venezuela - for a week's vacation.  Joe and Mary Anne spent many winters in Bonaire and Cassie and I have been there a few times (Cassie more than I) and we're all looking forward to a great vacation of SCUBA diving, snorkeling, and taking in the sense of "Ahhhhhh" that comes from spending a week in a tropical paradise.Our flight leaves this morning -- and we're flying through Puerto Rico -- never been there before!  I'll be blogging occasionally and twittering a bit too.    

(I took this picture while snorkeling in Bonaire a few years back)

Peaceful Valley 2008 - 7

Things are wrapping up with the trip to Peaceful Valley Ranch for 2008. Here's a bit from the last couple of days:

• We took an adventurous ride to the Jamestown Settlement -- where we had a chance to pan for gold, tube down a short section of the river, and even have a wonderful lunch
• After the Jamestown picnic - we took the quick way home -- down a long, soft road where the horses love to run -- Great last horseback ride!
• Just before dinner -- a semi-sized load of 600 bales of alfalfa arrived. I spent a little bit of time bucking just a little.
• Today was the weekly guest 'rodeo'. Folks got to compete in Pole bending and Barrel Racing competitions, among others. I placed 3rd in Pole Bending and 2nd in Barrel Racing.
• This afternoon brought a short trip to Estes Park. We shopped a bit, had some ice cream, and saw a store dedicated to my favorite song.

We leave tomorrow morning

Peaceful Valley 2008 - 6

After being away from all things electronic overnight -- here are the highlights from yesterday's all-day horseback ride and overnight campout.

• We reached Red Deer Lake -- the first time on the all day ride that the group I was with went that far.
• When we arrived at our campground for the night, the skies opened up in a downpour -- soaking everyone. After seeking shelter in tents and the campsite shed, waiting an hour for the rain to stop, we started making dinner. A couple of folks decided to head back to the ranch --so 11 of us had a marvelous time of cooking, eating, singing, telling scary stories and sleeping out in the wilderness. What a marvelous campout!
  

Our ride back to camp this morning was FAST -- The horses were energized to be back home and we were happy to oblige as they loped and loped and loped.

And as if that wasn't enough running . . .

• Today I took the afternoon ride to Beaver Reservoir --where there's an excellent soft road for horse loping. My regular horse (Sky) lost a shoe just as we started the ride so I rode her sister, Snow Baby. She ran as fast as she could -- which was thrilling, but just a bit slower than Sky. Still, it was a great ride!

Tonight it's the chili cookoff and then tomorrow the final ride to Jamestown.

Still having a blast!

Peaceful Valley 2008 - 5

What a great day of vacation! Here are some highlights

• Breakfast on the Mountain. We came across this wonderful character named "Grubstake MacGregor" while we were there -- whoever this guy is, he's really talented!
  Horseback ride to Castle Rock -- we cantered (ran) most of the ride - moving fast enough to make me think I might just fall off the horse (I didn't)


• Magic with The Great Scott. He's funny, talented and really entertaining!

Tomorrow we're headed out for an all day horseback ride (beginning at 9 am) and an overnight campout -- no electronics for 24+ hours! The ride promises to be fast, exciting, exhausting and really fun! My two oldest children are going to be on the ride too!

Peaceful Valley 2008 - 4

Things are starting to pick up -- and it's continuing to be a great vacation! Yesterday:

• Church in Allenspark with John Wesley
• A hike up to the Peaceful Valley Chapel
• A wonderful afternoon nap (I highly recommend these - at least every so often!)
• Horse orientation (no riding, but getting closer!)
• Campfire singing - I got to play and sing a whole bunch with Matthew and my Dad.

Today so far

• Horseback lesson -- I'm riding Sky. She's not super smooth, but she does run fast!

Coming up later:

• Horseback ride to Pony Pit. I heard this year that we can't run in the pit itself, but we should have a a pretty lively ride nonetheless.