::Carbondale, Colorado:: We continue to enjoy our new life...one filled with restaurants, a rock wall, a ski slope, a Target, a coffee shop, roads to bike on, trails to explore, new friends, soccer, first fridays & a community spirit::
Our life is different from the one we had in Alaska, but we are still the same family taking on new adventures...it is extremely fun to see our boys' participating in a variety of activities that they didn't have access to at the Yurts...but we do miss our wide open space for imaginations to run wild and skiing trails out our door...Life is all about a little give and take!
tiff June 29th, 2009
Just an FYI…if you received an email from me that says that I would like you to join http://www.thedailyflog.com ~~ please ignore it. I will not be joining this website, as I only post my photos on our website, facebook & sometimes on flickr. Sorry about the confusion…I was lead to believe that a friend had a photo on this site, but she did not.
tiff June 29th, 2009
We headed up to Cherryfield, ME to meet up with Doug & Michelle Finn{we worked with them in the Bering Strait School District in Alaska}. They have a beautiful farm house that they are fixing up and adding their own personality to…it was a comfortable visit and fortunately our boys’ really love being with Doug & Michelle. After getting ourselves organized and the backpacks packed we began our journey to Millinocket, ME to get on the trail to Mt. Katahdin in Baxter State Park. This is our boys’ first backpacking trip…they were thrilled to be carrying all their needs in their packs on their backs…we had a 3.5mile hike into the campground…pretty much straight up…because for some reason the East Coast does not believe in switchbacks…no gradual hiking~it is all about getting to where you need to be! The trip was bug free on the way up~temperature was cool & drizzly. We stayed in lean toos…we decided to set up our tents inside, as we didn’t want to be bothered by any bugs when sleeping and we carried the damn things up the mountain.
The boys’ enjoyed some of the goodies we HAVE to take when we are backpacking~granola, nuts & LOTSO’ m&m’s.
We had some water adventures…the crossing of some big water where we need to spot the boys’ and for that matter ME! Rick just put his Teva’s on and crossed the water…he said it was a wee bit cold. The water he is crossing below is in Dry Creek which is a weird name, since it was full and over it’s edges…we had heard that it had rained 9 inches in 2 days. The boys’ did an excellent job getting across~we had spotted a tree down that was kinda in the water, but with a little help they could cross with safety!
We had one full day up at the campground. Our plan was for all of us to go up to the summit of Katahdin, but the weather was extremely BUM! We were fogged in, so no view and it was misting with quite a bit of wind. I had no intentions of going up with the weather being like it was…but Rick really wanted to take the boys’ up…well because we probably wouldn’t have another opportunity to climb Katahdin for some time. So Rick, Doug & the boys’ headed up. Michelle and I headed to the bunkhouse and hung out~we ate, chatted & stayed warm next to the wood fire. It took the boys’ 6 hours to hike up and down~I believe the total mileage was 5 miles. They made the summit but it was one of the most challenging things they have ever done…the wind was howling, the rain was pouring and the temperature was cool. The trail was brutal for the guys…lots of rock climbing, but fortunately Rick & Doug were with them, as they were wonderful~supportive hiking guides. I was not worried.
We had a great time…and I believe that the first backpacking for the boys’ was a SUCCESS!
I am so glad that we were able to do this trip with the FINN’s!
tiff June 29th, 2009
Can you give me a Woo-HOO?
We had to do some shopping in Pennsylvania for lunch and dinner products, so we headed to the local Price Cutters. As we were walking through the produce we heard an announcement on the intercom: “{name} just earned $5 off her next tank of gas…Can you give her a Woo-Hoo?” and the weirdest part is all the peole that are shopping yell out:
Our entire shopping experience was surrounded with WOO-HOO’s! - we would catch ourselves yelling out a Woo-Hoo too!
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Driving in Maine they have signs that say:
“When using windshield wipers…LIGHTS must be on!”
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The boys’ have created some funny sayings and voices:
STERN MONKEY
SILENCE GERBIL
The boys’ will just be in the back of the car chit chatting and then one of these sayings will be said…then the laughter begins.
At one point the boys’ said that they might like to start up a business called “STERN MONKEY”—hmm, entrepreneurs already!
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and then there is the FRENCH CANADIANS that took over the car for about 30 minutes…Rick and Keegan had a conversation about SpongeBob in their new accents…Rohnan and I laughed uncontrollably listening to the two of them!
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tiff June 26th, 2009
WE have been out of internet access for almost a week…it has been strange, but LOVELY! Although I find my virtual world missed and have quite a bit of catching up to do!
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I have NO photo’s…I know…I know…what a shock, but when you misplace the cord that enables you to download your photo’s from your camera…well that leaves you with JUST words! This is funny, as I took the cord out of my camera case, so that I wouldn’t lose it when we were backpacking in Baxter State Park…and when we got back to the car…I FORGOT where I put the cord…kinda pathetic my memory these days!
PHOTO’S COMING SOON! {i hope…said sheepishly}
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We have traveled an insane amount of miles in such a short time and for the most part we still LOVE & LIKE each other! We pass our time in the car with lots of giggling, funny accents{mostly french canadian}, listening to Inkdeath by Cornelia Funke, napping~not the driver, making up stories and jamming out on music that Rohnan has picked out…wow…i love the Black Eyed Peas, but if I have to hear Boom Boom Pow one more time…”GOTTA GET-GET”~~oh yeah and The Gummy Bear song which Rick has made up his own dance moves that had us all cracking up! {thanks Angak for turning the boys’ onto this song…giggle}
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I will be back to fill you in on our adventures, but for now…PEACE OUT to my PEEPS!
{okay…i am so old…now i am trying to act young…not working~definitely not working}
tiff June 18th, 2009
::the boys’ were able to join in on Evie’s logrolling practice today…they had so much fun and thought it would be a great idea for Carbondale, Colorado to start up a team…hmmm::
::Keegan, Evie & Rohnan playing & exploring in this great park that is all about building with things found in the park::
::the kiddo’s needed a little down time, so they all grabbed their books and relaxed out on the screened in porch::
::Outdoor Wood Burning Oven::Keegan, Rohnan & Evie made their own personal pizza’s::This has to be the best pizza we have ever had…it was scrump-diddly-umptious!
::The Lynch’s are true Urban Homesteaders…they have an amazing garden, chickens, rain barrels, etc.
::Fun pic’s of the screened in porch and things you can find inside::
tiff June 17th, 2009
did you know that interstate rest areas have wireless internet access? well most of them…however we didn’t take advantage of this service…we were too busy doing these things:
{coffee made on a backpacking stove is the best…and yes the boys’ have those crappy sugary cereals…we are camping…that is what those cereals were made for…right?}
{a little bocce ball and of course a little soccer}
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Our mileage from Carbondale, Colorado to Madison, Wisconsin: 1130 miles
tiff June 17th, 2009
Guess what?
The first day of vacation and we have broken all three of our rules! It has left us with a sour taste in our mouth and we are feeling a little depressed that we were not strong enough to fight the weather even if that meant setting the tents up in a losing battle of staying dry…or eating all the altoids or sucking on the toothpaste before going out for a meal…or worst of all just waiting for another big town to shop in anything other than a Wal-mart! WE admit defeat…but we are recovering!
{the boys’ sleeping in a hotel bed..it was time to get up!}
tiff June 15th, 2009
carbondale, co~~boulder, co~~madison, wi~~cherryfield, me~~mt. katahdin, me~~cape cod, ma~~bar harbor, me~~warner, nh~~boulder, co~~maui, hi~~camping in all sorts of different states in between! we will have the opportunity to see friends and family…we will camp, hike, backpack, swim, rock climb, snorkel, surf, sleep in, mtn. bike, read books, listen to music & socialize into the wee hours of the night! we look forward to sharing our many adventures and mishaps along the way! {if you are one of our loyal readers::we will be at the will of where internet can be found, so posts to this website may or may not happen along the way::but please don’t give up on us!}
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~~our above image was made with wordle!~~
tiff June 14th, 2009
The boys’ have started their own blogs…with hopes of sharing their lives as they see it! Feel free to comment on their blogs! We are hoping they do a little journal-ing as we travel this summer!
Keegan’s blog: http://go99green.wordpress.com/
Rohnan’s blog: http://auliye.wordpress.com/
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We have tabs at the top of our website that link to the boys’ blogs, so you can connect that way too!
...Click the above photo to see our 2006-2008 Yurts N Dogs Website in Willow, Alaska...
