Category: Adventure Reports

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National Parks New York Ohio

Cuyahoga National Park and Niagara Falls

I had heard there was a national park in Ohio, and since our route was taking us close by we decided to make Cuyahoga National Park our first stop after Cedar Point. Originally the plan was to spend four days there over the weekend allowing time for Sam to catch up on a work and we could rest.

Sometimes things don’t always go according to plan.

We found a nice city park with a “strong” 20amp hook up which allowed us to run our air conditioner (needed in the humid and hot climate!). After checking the weather we decided that hiking early afternoon would be best and set out to see the Ledges Trail in one section of the park.

“The Ledges Trail in Cuyahoga Valley National Park reminded me, surprisingly, of NW Arkansas. Only Arkansas has more mountain biking. We were planning to take a few days near the park to recover from Cedar Point and get caught up on life but one thing led to an insane dash and we only had an afternoon. We made the most of it. Loved learning about the early canal and lock system (fascinating way of life – our next house might be a river boat), got sweaty on a humid hike (I hate those), earned a Jr. Ranger badge (we’ve lost count) and saw Brandywine Falls. ✔️” – @currentlywandering

We then spent some time at both the Boston Mill Visitor Center where the kids started their Jr Ranger badges, and at the Canal Exploration Center about 20 minutes north of that. Learning about the canal system, the transportation of people and goods, and the locks were completely fascinating. Such a cool piece of American history!

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When we got back to the trailer around 5:30 or 6pm Sam casually tossed out the idea of leaving that evening. If we sped things up *just* a little we would catch up with our friends, the Erickson’s, sooner plus we could make it to Palmyra in time for the Hill Cumorah Pageant. The kids voted enthusiastically in favor so we gobbled dinner, hitched up and left. Just like that.

“Today we visited Niagara Falls. Visiting on a Saturday wasn’t particularly wise, but we had a reason that I’ll get into in future posts.

We visited with the Airstream in tow, and immediately headed to the most remote parking lot, where we were the longest rig parked today. We decided to use our bikes to get around and that worked very well even with the large crowds we encountered. We walked into Canada (no bikes allowed across the walking border) for Poutine (at Smoke’s Poutinerie) and Ice Cream. We discovered that the insanity on the American side was tame by comparison to the absolute circus present on the Canadian side.

On the way back to the Airstream, I captured this view on a slightly lesser used trail. You can just see the top of the falls and a plume of mist in front of Canadian city. Just for this one moment, it was peaceful.” -@telegramsam

We had bigger plans for Niagara (like a boat tour or the aquarium, or anything really) but as it was a Saturday and we didn’t want to fight hordes of people our walk into Canada was deemed sufficient.

We loaded back into the Airstream for the 2.5 hour drive to Palmyra, NY and were off!

Categories
Ohio WanderLog

Crossing the Great Plains & ALL the Rollercoasters

Every time we head east from Colorado it gives me chills. There’s something about being past the Rocky Mountains that really makes it feel like we are going somewhere new, exciting, and different. I love it.

Until we get to the humidity. Dun, dun, dun.

The midwest was HOT and ridiculously humid and mostly we just all wanted to die. 🙂 Okay, it wasn’t that bad but having electric hookups every night to run the a/c and our new dehumidifier was pretty much a necessity.

“Mornings in the Airstream are my favorite. Sam is amazing at getting up early to work, but the rest of us usually sleep in. Cara will come snuggle me in bed and at some point breakfast makes it on the table.

Maybe this is our last big trip in the Airstream. Maybe we’ll continue to travel for a few more years. Either way I’m going to just enjoy it while it lasts.” – @currentlywandering

“Our surprisingly pleasant stop last night was a city run RV campground in Gothenburg. Not only was our brief stay wonderful, but we managed a quick visit to the town’s Pony Express museum. The original building was relocated to a city park, and there is another nearby on it’s original site. Such an audacious slice of history. #currensdriveeast” – @telegramsam

“Just an hour into today’s drive, we stopped at the Archway Meseum in Kearney. The exhibits and audio tour presented the history of travel in America, starting with wagons and ending with motor cars. It was awesome, and just the bit of adventure we needed before driving into the evening. #currensdriveeast” – @telegramsam

We’ve made it habit get work and some school done in the morning and then drive 4-6 hours in the afternoon and sometimes late into the evening.

Rinse and repeat. Sometimes I feel like a total wimp for not being able to knock out a gazillion miles in a few days but there’s that pesky thing called work. Someone has to pay the bills I guess.

We found a lakeside campground in Omaha that was near the LDS temple we wanted to visit, along with the Winter Quarters church history site. Staying put for 2 days felt awesome.

Then… more driving.

Amazon lockers are a great way to get packages on the road. We needed a few things so shipped ahead to a small town in Indiana. Kind of a pain to drive through with the Airstream to pick it up but also nice!

“On our drive yesterday, we stumbled into the third-largest Amish community in the country. The mix of old and new was fascinating. In this picture there are two buggies parked in front of a skate park, while the adults were talking at picnic tables (out of frame to the left) and the kids were playing on the playground to the right.

I have a huge amount of respect for the Amish and Mennonite communities. Making lifestyle choices to improve your family relationships is something I totally understand.” – @telegramsam

“There’s something to be said for driving the back roads. Twice now we’ve opted to skip the toll roads and instead drive through the country. I love the sleepy farm houses and imagining what life would be like in the towns that whiz by in a blur past our windows.

For people who normally cap driving time at 150 miles/3 hours every 4-5 days this week was pretty epic. Turns out we really can move if provided the right motivation.

In the last 7 days we drove from Rocky Mountain NP, CO to Sandusky Ohio for a grand total of 1321 miles, and over 20+ hours of Google drive time (which always grossly underestimates time while towing). Plus Sam was working 6+ hours a day and we attempted to get some school done. That’s the biggest difference. I realize families on road trips easily do 15+ hour stretches but when you are living on the road vacation time isn’t always a possibility and there are only so many hours in a day.

Next time we drive the Midwest let’s not do it in the middle of summer mmkay? 98 degrees and 900% humidity make me cranky. 😂” -@currentlywandering

Cedar Point Amusement Park hit our radar when our friends, KidProject, picked it as a birthday stop for their oldest. Rachel and Andrew ganged up on us and requested it for BOTH their birthdays (one in August, one in Sept).

It was a blast. It also felt like our first “real” stop on this trip and that we could finally get this party started!

“Today was an epic coaster day, including massive acceleration, incredible speed, and even a VR experience whilst on a coaster. Cedar Point is a pile of fun and then some. #andimtired” – @telegramsam

“ALL the rollercoasters. I don’t remember the last time our kids were this excited. Apparently we don’t do theme parks enough, er… Like ever. Happy birthday Rachel and Andrew! I just hope I don’t puke. 🤢😂” – @currentlywandering

“We survived!! Okay, okay, it was a blast. A little bit sunburnt, a whole lot exhausted, and we desperately need groceries and a laundromat. A couple of things we realized in this trip:

⭐ Rachel is a rollercoaster nut – we are exhausted and yet she says she could ride them all day everyday.
⭐The park felt safe enough for Rachel & Andrew to wander by themselves for a few hours and ride the coatsers we didn’t want to.
⭐We used talk about radios to keep track of each other. They worked great since we were constantly splitting into two groups.
⭐Cara has a fear of heights, going upside down, and long drops so she didn’t ride anything big, but we got her on some of the small coasters so we’ll call that a win. And wait a few years before doing another theme park.
⭐Use the child swap if you have smaller kids. It’s a great way to all get on the bigger rides without waiting twice. Worked great.
⭐ Staying at the park campground was totally worth it. We had early entry (only way we were able to ride Steel Vengeance), plus we could come back for meals which saved a ton of money.
⭐Our second day we slept in and then spent 4 hours at the water park. They have an amazing kid area, tons of slides and we practically fell asleep on the lazy river it was so relaxing.
⭐Then we were able to hit the park again from 5-11pm and do all our favorites. Lines are definitely shorter at night!
⭐The all you can drink wristbands are a great value and cheapt if you buy them online rather than in the park.
⭐ Dramamine works great. ✔️✔️
⭐That said I prefer the coasters that just go fast vs always flipping upside down and corkscrewing.

Thanks @alyssakerickson for scoping this out and clueing my kids into it! They said it was the BEST birthday present ever. 😂🎂” -@currentlywandering

Categories
Colorado National Parks

Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado

Travel Dates: July 6-9, 2018

This was our first visit to Rocky Mountain National Park near Estes, CO. I had heard it was a busy park, so staying over the weekend wasn’t ideal but it allowed us to meet up with family from Minnesota and Utah so totally worth it!

I can’t remember who gave us the heads up about the new bike park in Estes, CO but thank you!! 💕 Before we entered RMNP and no signal land, Sam needed to get some extra work done so we hung out in Estes for a few hours. Made lunch, rode the pump track, and checked out the features. Its a really well done area and we loved it! Andrew has totally been rocking the @prevelobikes Zulu 4 for the last year. As much as we love our Woombikes for younger kids he wanted a front shock for mountain biking and this one has been amazing. Super light weight, great components, and it’s handled the beating of being on the back of our truck. 👍👍 I love how capable our kids can be when we provide them the right tools! . . . #prevelobikes #kidsonbikes #partner #estespark #currensdriveeast

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After experiencing the craziness of the park on Saturday, we decided to just attend the park worship service instead of driving out to Estes for normal church (serious, the lines to get IN the park were ridiculous). Afterwards, we drove up the Old Fall River Road to the top of the pass and the Alpine Visitor Center. It was quite the scenic drive! The old road is one-way, dirt, and switchbacks up the mountain to the tundra with some incredible views along the way. The Alpine Tundra is it’s own unique environment – the growing season is a short 6 weeks and animals must adapt to the strong, ultra violet light and harsh temperatures. We live on a pretty amazing planet! 🌎 #currensdriveeast

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I’ve learned a few things about myself with this transition between the Airstream and the condo. I NEED adventure. I crave it. I’m not content to sit still and do very little. I love exploring, I love seeing new things. Probably at an unhealthy pace. Fortunately my need for an “epic” coincided nicely with our stay at RMNP. Sam was off for the weekend and fully supported my semi-crazy idea to hike a 10 miler out to Black Lake and back (it’s been awhile since we’ve done that kind of distance). Best. Husband. Ever. We gave the kids the option to join us or hang with family and I was delighted they joined us. My 8 year old nephew was also excited about topping our hike to Iceberg Lake in Glacier NP last summer. So, the 6 of us got up early for our trek up the mountain side. It was glorious. Once past Mills Lake the trail gets rougher which also means the crowds thin out. We arrived at the lake around lunch which was the perfect time to dip our toes in, snack on good trail food, watch a marmot scamper through the bushes, and throw rocks in the water to make ripples. With my face turned up to the sun, and the mountains in front of me I just soaked it all in. Back at camp Andrew told me he was “the good kind of tired”. Me too, kid. Me too.

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Categories
Idaho Outdoor Adventures Wyoming

Grand Targhee Resort Family Guide: Summer Edition

Grand Targhee Resort is located on the western slopes of the Teton Mountains in Alta, WY. Technically in Wyoming, the resort can only be accessed through the Idaho side via Driggs which is where we now have a home base.

A relatively small resort, Grand Targhee is known for its incredible powder during the winter, but also has plenty of activities to fill a summer vacation!

We recently were invited up for a 3 night stay to check out the summer activities and came away incredibly impressed.  If you are thinking about taking a trip to the Tetons, definitely bookmark this page as we’ll take you through the resort from a family perspective!

Directions:

Grand Targhee is located 12 miles from Driggs, ID right on the Idaho/Wyoming border (more lovingly called “Wydaho” by the locals). It takes about 20 minutes to drive up to the resort from downtown.

If you are flying in, the Jackson Hole Airport is 1.5 hours away and the Idaho Falls Airport is about 2 hours. Drive time, Targhee is also about 4-4.5 hours from both Bozeman, MT and Salt Lake City, UT.

Lodging:

There are a lot of options both at Targhee and in the general Driggs are for accommodations (we run an AirBnb listing ourselves when out traveling). However, we loved being right at the resort for a few days. The views were incredible, the vibe was perfect, and we had access to the swimming pool. Total plus for any kid or family on vacation.

We stayed in the Sioux Lodge, which has a loft and sleeps 6 which is great for bigger families. Cara and Andrew claimed the bunk beds, Sam and I took the queen bed upstairs and Rachel slept on the pull out bed in the main living space.

There’s not a full kitchen, but the room does have a mini fridge, microwave and coffee maker. We were able to buy groceries in town (cereal, frozen burritos, instant oatmeal, etc.) to balance eating out. With a larger family is just isn’t cost effective to eat out every meal so we appreciated the amenities.

The Sioux Lodge is next to the Shoshone lift which made mountain biking a breeze, and also across the parking lot from the swimming pool.

Camping

Another option is to camp in your RV! We’ve talked about making our AirBnb available for rent and spending a few nights in the Airstream up at Targhee next summer. There’s just something to be said for mountain biking straight from camp! #amIright?

Camping is $25/night and permits are sold at the front desk. Dry camping only and we did see an average of 5-6 trailers out in the parking lot while we were there.

Activities:

The temperatures tend to be about 10 degrees cooler than the valley which is great as Driggs usually stays about 85 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. The crisp, mountain air is perfect for outdoor activities.

Mountain Biking

I wrote an entire blog post about our experience mountain biking with kids at the resort, so make sure to check that out if you haven’t seen it! Targhee has both cross country trails (free) or you can pay to take the lift up and bike down. Plenty of options to keep everyone busy!

Sam and I were also able to grab some rental bikes (Thanks Targhee!!) and ride the trails down from the Dreamcatcher lift. They are definitely more technical but doable at an intermediate level. At one point we got ourselves onto a black trail and did okay but had to walk a few things (seriously – how does anyone ride those drops?!). I figure we aren’t pushing ourselves enough if we can ride everything so it felt great.

On our last ride my brother in law ended up putting a hole (or three) in his tube so we had a little siesta trail side. As we sat there, bike patrol caught up to us and since she was sweeping the trails to make sure everyone got off okay we all hung out for a bit. Nice to know there are patrols up there in case anything happens!

Summer Day Camp for Kids

Our kids had the opportunity to participate in summer camp for a day. Most of the participants are bused up from Driggs & Alta, but they had no problem including our kids right from the resort as well.

Camp is run Monday-Friday and includes activities like swimming lessons, horse education (Tue/Thur), mountain biking (M/W/F), disc golf, arts & crafts, bungee trampoline, climbing wall, hiking, nature instruction and more!  I dropped the kids off at 9am and then wandered back about an hour later to find them learning about raptors! They were enthralled.

When we picked them back up around 4:3opm we had mixed reactions. Cara thoroughly enjoyed herself, Andrew had fun but was exhausted (and maybe slightly sick? He totally passed out afterwards), and Rachel was maybe a little bored. Lol! At 12.5 years old she was definitely one of the oldest participating so maybe stick to slightly younger kids and they’ll do great!

Swimming

We loved having a pool practically out our front door. Targhee heats the pool in both summer and winter, so even when the weather is a bit chilly the water feels great! Due to the day camps, the daytime hours were a bit hectic but our first evening there we practically had the pool to ourselves from 6-8pm.

The hot tub also feels great after a day on the trails. Just sayin’.

Scenic Chair Lift, Hiking, & More

Riding up the lift to the top of the mountain is actually one of my favorite things! Sure you can hike up – but taking the lift up and hiking from there is also incredible. Once you get up to the top there’s a small nature center and then up past that is my favorite view of the Teton mountain range. I expected it to be cold at the top so we went with jackets and windbreakers but the temperature was actually quite pleasant. We totally lucked out! The trail up to Mary’s Saddle is also beautiful and fairly easy. For more hiking information check it out here on Grand Targhee’s website.

Grand Targhee also offers horseback riding and they have an 18 hole disc golf course. I kept thinking that we’d go out an play disc golf in the beautiful evening light after dinner but then we were so exhausted we never managed. I think having ONE more day up there would have been perfect and we could have fit it all in!

Dining

The dining options are more limited during the summer, but what they have is great!

Snorkels is a little bakery, breakfast, soup and sandwich spot. After dropping the kids off at day camp, I grabbed a $9 breakfast burrito to share with Sam. Super filling for the two of us and tasted fantastic!

There’s a General Store located across from the bike shop where I grabbed some muffins one afternoon to tied us over until dinner.

The Branding Iron is a more fine dining experience. They have options from Elk Burger to grilled New York Steak, but also have a kid’s menu (Pro tip: the burgers are the same as the regular menu). On the recommendation of a friend we tried the Fried Brussel Sprout appetizer, and then Sam ordered a Philly Cheese Steak sandwich while I got a burger. Both were delicious! We ate out on the patio and enjoyed the view of the mountain – which is something you don’t want to do in the winter!

There’s also the Trap Bar and Grill which is popular for adults, but as its a bar no one under 21 is allowed. Not a great family friendly option, so we didn’t try it out but I’ve heard good things.

If you are staying for an extended period of time, definitely take the time to drive down into Driggs for food. For a small town, it has quite a few dining options from Mexican, Thai, sushi, pizza, and burgers.

We are incredibly grateful to Grand Targhee Resort for hosting up on the mountain. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and activities and it was nice to have a bit of a “vacation” right as we transitioned out of the condo and into the Airstream this summer. We can’t wait to explore more of what they have to offer in the future!

Categories
Biking Driggs Outdoor Adventures Wyoming

Mountain Biking at Grand Targhee Resort with Kids

Its no secret we love to mountain bike. One of the reasons we love living in Teton Valley, Idaho is the plethora of outdoor activities and trails. Oh, and its not hot in the summer. That’s a huge plus.

We spent the winter skiing at Grand Targhee Resort (and loved it!) so when I started talking to their marketing department about potential partnership opportunities we threw around the idea of bringing the family up during the summer to test out the new beginner mountain biking trails off their Shoshone lift.

Yes, please.

After a couple of days testing out the trails, Grand Targhee is now officially our favorite in the summer as well as the winter. Keep on reading to see the reasons why!

Beginner Lift Serviced Trails

For those that have never experienced mountain biking at a ski resort this could be an entirely new concept. Many resorts convert their facilities over to mountain biking trails in the summer and enable guests to take their bikes up to the top and then just ride down back to the base. Pretty sweet, right? All the fun of downhill without having to bust a lung climbing back up again.

The lifts at Grand Targhee open for bikes at 10am as the staff needs to ride the trails early to make sure everything is clear and safe. This is great since I’m not a super morning person anyway. Plenty of time to sleep in, let the dew melt off the grass, and have the weather warm up just a smidge. Our kids were chomping at the bit to get going, so we were lined up ready to load at 10am sharp.

We dropped Cara off for her mountain biking lesson (more on that in a minute) and then Sam and I loaded up on the lift with the two older kids. The lift is slightly different in the summer as they have dedicated bike chairs – so you have to get your bike on and then you follow it around before being picked up by the next chair. The lift attendants were great, and totally helped my kids get their bikes on when needed.

After a short 10 minute ride to the top we were ready to tackle the trails. We had picked out Bring it On Home as our first trail – the easiest green one down the mountain. It was fast, flowy, fun and my kids couldn’t wipe the grins off their faces.

We then spent the rest of the day alternating between riding, the swimming pool, riding, eating, and more riding.

The trails off Shoshone are great for beginners as they aren’t too technical. There are plenty of berms to practice cornering, while Chutes and Ladders has plenty of jumps for those looking for a challenge. The trails are smooth single track which helped our kids gain confidence along with speed.

 

Mountain Biking Lessons

I’ve talked quite a bit lately about our “divide and conquer” mode of operation when it comes to family mountain biking. Anything the older two kids can ride ends in tears for Cara, and anything she enjoys riding completely bores the others. Usually we’ll start together but then split as one adult rides faster with Rachel & Andrew, while the other lags behind with Cara.

When we planned our trip up here, we decided that a lesson might be exactly what Cara needed to push to that next level. She struggles to take direction from us (Stop telling me when to shift, mom!), but as evidenced by skiing lessons, she’ll do anything for an instructor. Our Targhee contact scheduled a 1.5 hour intro to Targhee lesson first thing in the morning and we were set!

Cara was nervous to be by herself, but her instructor, Chris, immediately put her at ease. They started out in the parking lot going over basic skills, then moved to some of the easier cross country trails, and finally ended up on the lift practicing what she learned on the downhill.

We met up with them in between runs and the girl was all smiles.

I followed behind the two of them for a bit to get a feel of how it was going, and listened as Chris called out “Ready position!” and “Get high on the berm” as they flew down the trail. Cara did awesome! She was full of confidence and couldn’t wait to show us all she had learned.

I feel like the mountain bike lessons at Targhee are affordable and a great way for kids (and adults!) to improve their skills. We’ve always been impressed with the instructors at the resort both in winter and a summer. They are patient, confident, and know how to work well with kids.

Targhee also offers a 3 hour lesson that I’ve got my eye on for next summer. You can do just a lesson or a combination of lesson, rental, and lift ticket. Plus, its a great way to help your kids improve (and be supervised – ahem) while you go out and tackle some of the bigger trails! Find out more information on their website here. 

Skills Park

New this year, Grand Targhee just added a small skills park to their trail network. While not expansive, its super fun and a great way to spin your tires at the end of a day. There’s a pump track around the outside, some plank walks in in the middle, a rock garden, and boulders to hop. Andrew had fun doing a few laps after dinner our last night there.

Cross Country Trails

In addition to the lift serviced downhill trails, Grand Targhee has miles of cross country trails that are free to ride. There are some easier ones west of the lodge (where Cara had part of her lesson), which Sam and Rachel did a lap or two on after some downhill riding.

The rest of the cross country trails aren’t necessarily more technical (still pretty smooth) but have more elevation gain and loss. Sam and I had a biking date a few weeks earlier and rode out to Quakie Ridge. It was enough climbing to get my heart rate up with some flowy downhill and beautiful views mixed in.

Having both kinds of trails is great as they are different forms of exercise and use a variety of skills. We spent most of our time on the downhill trails since we had a lift ticket for the day, but living so close I can guarantee we’ll be back to tackle more of those trails with our kids.

We’ve been to a few other resorts that have downhill mountain biking (Steamboat Springs, CO, Sundance, UT, & Snowbird, UT) and really just love Grand Targhee – especially with kids. Having easier trails specifically designed for the beginner crowd is pretty unique and we felt we could enjoy the experience together as a family!

We are super grateful for Grand Targhee and their partnership with us! They provided the lift tickets, bike lesson, and accommodations but as always, all opinions are our own. We love the ‘Ghee!