March 2019: August 2014

08 August 2014

Wow! What a busy month. To begin with the Kurowski kids came home with us from California to spend a week. We started out in a flurry and continued on the rest of the month.

One of the most remarkable events of the month was rain. It rained on and off the entire month. The weather patterns have changed. Normally in August it is dry and warm. Even today the last day of August it is raining this very morning.

From my picture file I can see all the events with the Makalaya, Orion and Elinore Kurowski. We did the following together: biking, hiking, swimming, movies, new clothes, Chuckers baseball, picnic, shooting, Tautphus park, camping in Montana and Coeur d Alene and many other fun things a home. They were bored and played on their cell phones constantly. It is hard to understand how kids today find pleasure in technology and not the real world.

We drove them back to Coeur d Alene and Katie picked them up at the Coeur d Alene Resort camp ground. They were so excited to see her and rushed to the car and Elinore fell and did damage to her hands and knees. It was a quick good by and off they went to their home in Kirkland, WA.

Once the kids left Dawn and I rode the Coeur d Alene bike trail from Harrison toward Cataldo, ID. Then from Harrison toward Plummer across the Chotcolate lake. The next day we rode the famous Hiawatha trail at Look Out Pass between Montana and Idaho. This is a story in its self.

Dawn and I drove to Deer Park, Montana and spent Saturday night at Deer Park KOA. Sunday morning we were in church at the Deer Park Ward. Very pleasant. Then the next two day we spent getting ready for our next adventure. However, Dawn had a funeral to attend to, since Sister Mortensen died. She did it all on the road making assignments for food and services. It was all complicated by a wedding not scheduled the same day at our chapel. None the less it was done.

She constantly works on programs and events in the Relief Society. On our trip to Colorado she was arranging for the Visiting Teaching “Rejuvenation” conference coming up in September.

We are planning a move in October and so she has talked with our new bishop about a replacement for the Relief Society president. She has been in for over two years. It is a very demanding position in the ward.

Well, in our preparation to backpack in Colorado we visited old friends in Utah on our way over. The Kent and Esther Sumsions in Lehi, Utah were glad to see us and catch up on their family events. Next we visited the Godbolds in Orem, Utah and finally Don and Shirley Morris in Spanish Fork, Utah. As a result we got caught up on all the activities of our old friends in California.

Finally we drove through Price, Utah and stayed in “Pillow Talk” motel in Wellington, Utah for the night. That was an experience in its own.

The trip through western Colorado was remarkable. The mountains were so high and the forests were so green. Avon, Miniturn and then on to Leadville, these were all towns along route 70 then 24. We stopped in Buena Vista for lunch before ending up in the little ghost town of St. Elmo

There in St. Elmo we met Dave Davis, our friend from Maryland. He had invited us to do a backpack in the Collegiate range. We were just below Princeton mountain for 14,000 ft high. Dave had brought with him a compiled history of his great, great grandfather, Howard Kelly, who had lived in the area as a rancher and miner.

We stayed at the Ghost Town B&B thanks to Dave. It was wonderful. We also were able to tour the town through a contact Dave made, Melony. She was an original descendent of residence of the 1880 establishment. Gold mining and lumber made the town thrive. The railroad was an engineering marvel through the mountains and we traveled along the old rail path while staying in St. Elmo.

The next morning after staying at the B&B we were off to Grizzly Lake. It took all day to get to this very high and beautiful place. It began to rain just minutes after we had set up our tents. I was exhausted from the arduous hike to the lake. Dawn was a champion in backpacking up the steep trails.

It was very cold that first night and we did not get out of bed until the sun finally broke over the towering peaks to the east. After we dried our gear we hiked toward the saddle of summit peak to reach Pameroy Lake.

We climbed through rock beds, brush and steep forest terrain to reach the top. Once on top we could not go over to the other side because it was too steep with packs. So, we stayed in the high reaches of the mountains until morning.

It took us all day to return to St. Elmo. After lunch we drove to Buena Vista and stayed in a motel to clean up and rest up. The next day we drove back to St Elmo and hiked to the Alpine Tunnel along the rail path over the mountains toward Pitkin. That was a seven mile hike without packs and most delightful.

After we said our good bys to Dave we drove to Fairplay, CO. and toured the museum mining town. That evening we stayed in the Voltoin Motel down town. This place was old and yet comfortable.

The next day we traveled to Boulder, CO. leaving behind South Park (a magnificent range land). We arrived at Yates Lancing’s home late afternoon. We spent the night with this wonderful family (Dawn’s recipient of the stem cell transfer). Yates was doing well. We met his children Tenka and family and daughter Teal. We had dinner at the Med (Mediterranean) restaurant and toured the downtown mall. The next day before leaving we walked with Yates in his neighborhood before saying good by.

Our trip home was uneventful, however as we arrived in Rock Springs, WY to lodge it started to rain heavily. The next morning it was overcast and cold. We stopped in Pinedale, WY for snacks and there was snow on the mountains.

After arriving home we found all in order and was glad to finally sleep in our own bed. Camping is great but tiring. We certainly hope to do more backpacking in the future but look forward to always returning to our beds.

Dawn jogging at the Green Belt

The end of the month was marked by golfing with Woody and Julia. Also, a surprise visit from Josh and Danielle and the kids. They are with us today the 31^st of August 2014

Eleanore at Tautphus Park

The Kurowski kids

The Rat Rod

Shooting with Orion

Picnic at Granny's

Baseball in Idaho Falls

Are we having fun yet?

Crossing Coeur d Alene Lake over Choclate bridge

Hiawatha trail

KOA at Deer Park, Montana

Coeur d Alene Resort Campground

Trail up Grizzly Lake at St. Elmo, Colorado

Dave and Blaine on backpack

Dawn and Dave packing out of Grizzly canyon

Alpine Tunnel Road

At the top of Alpine Tunnel trail

Voltion Hotel Freeplay, CO

Grizzly Lake

Yates and Christina Lancing Boulder, CO

Concert at the Green Belt

Giant squash in the garden

Golfing at Cedar Park

07 July 2014

I love the summer months in Idaho. The weather is comfortable and warm. I fired up the hot tub and in the mornings I can sit outside at dawn and feel the warm air sitting there listening to the birds amp up the morning.

The 4^th of July is how every year we begin celebrating the summer. Dawn had just got back from the funeral of her mother-in-law (Marie Hoper). The funeral was held in Duchane, Uath. Monica and Roxy attended the funeral meeting Dawn in SLC and traveling together she had this crazy idea of bringing Roxy back with her. So we have enjoyed this 16 month old in our home.

In a week Adam Mariner, Roxy’s father, brought her brother Burton to stay with us until the 17^th of July when their parents flew up to take them home. Kids! Little kids are lots of work. We did have fun each day playing in the water and many times to the park swings. There was lots of bonding time.

I continued to train for the 10K in Santa Cruz. On Tuesday evening just before the concert in the park on the Green Belt, I would jog around the river and Freeman Park. Dawn joined me for the 6.2 miles of trail, so I knew we could complete the run.

Then on the 23^rd of July we drove to SLC to catch the Amtrak to Colfax, CA. The train was 3 hours delayed so then we got to Colfax, CA Robyn was waiting an extra hour beyond the delay because we were behind a slow moving freight train. Fortunately, we drove to Capitola to pick up Wayne just shortly after he got of work.

I was so glad Robyn drove through all the heavy traffic and winding roads to Santa Cruz. Ben and Sage had been there since early afternoon. Larry and Ashley Vetty arrived and so we had a wonderful dinner that evening. Ben cooked fish and shrimp boil with corn on the cob.

The next day we spent at the beach while Wayne and Kesler surfed at 4 mile beach. Robyn, Dawn and I rode the mountain bikes from the residence above Santa Cruz to the beach some 10 miles away.

Well, it finally arrived, the day we had been waiting for over a year. Parking a couple of miles away Wayne, Robyn, Dawn and I walked to the Boardwalk to get ready for the 10K. We were in section 3 behind the 1 and 2 front runner groups (much faster) than we. Behind us was section 4 and Dawn and Ashley were joined in that group. After what seemed a lengthy time at 8:00 am the first group raced off then minutes later group 2 and finally group three. There were nearly 20,000 runners so the mass moved rather slowly. For the first two miles I followed Robyn and Wayne through the crowd passing the walkers and slow runners. Then Wayne took off and I followed with Robyn behind me. We passed over 40 bands playing and encouraging us along.

The finish surprised me since it was downhill and I was not sure how much distance was left. At 1 hour and 6 minutes I crossed the finish line. I felt remarkably good. Tired and sweaty I waited for Robyn. We picked up our packets and waited shortly for Robyn and Ashley. It was amazing we found each other in the crowd.

Dawn and I rode back to our residence in the back of Larry’s car. I was glad it was over. We had a wonderful Tai dinner and then rested up.

That evening Brian Kurowski and kids showed up to stay with us. The next day they all went to the beach again for more surfing. I rode down alone on Kesler’s mountain bike along the Wilder Ranch coast line, viewing along the way pelicans, Harbor seals, dolphin and sea birds. It was a lovely ride.

That evening we got ready to leave on the morrow. We took the kids to the Boardwalk. They had a great time on the rides and eating Dip and Dots.

On the way home Robyn drove up highway 1 to Pigeon Point Lighthouse, Ana Noava State Park and Half Moon Bay. We had clam chowder at the beach in Half Moon Bay.

After we got home we cleaned up and Robyn cooked a wonderful Mexican dinner. The next day she took up to Colfax, CA depot to catch the train home. Thank you Robyn.

We picked up the Kurowski kids in Truckey, California. The train arrived in SLC at 3:00AM. After loading all the kids in the car at the SLC depot I drove straight home arriving at 6”00am in the morning. I was exhausted. What a month!!