A Daisy of a Summer

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We still have a few more weeks here in Traverse City, Michigan at our version of “summer camp.” Our home at Traverse Bay RV Resort is truly our favorite place to spend the summer. 

Outdoor seating area with a grey sofa, coffee table, and a red umbrella, surrounded by green trees and an RV in the background.
A sunny garden scene featuring a pot of vibrant yellow marigolds in the foreground, with a hanging basket of light yellow flowers nearby, and a wicker chair to the right. Lush green bushes and trees are in the background, along with a glimpse of a driveway.

This season was punctuated with the usual TBRV activities. We coordinated and served breakfast four times for 100+, rode many miles on the bike, won at trivia, and spent many, many evenings enjoying happy hours with friends. 

A group of four women smiling and working in a kitchen, wearing aprons and gloves, standing behind a table with several pots and cooking utensils.
Our incredible breakfast servers
Two women working in a kitchen; one is smiling and wearing a red apron, while the other is preparing food at a counter.
Me supervising breakfast prep
Three individuals grilling outdoors under large umbrellas, with food on the grill and a grassy area in the background.
Steve grilling on 4th of July
A woman joyfully raises her arm while opening a gift at a gathering, surrounded by other attendees at a table with snacks and drinks.
Winning
A group of five people sitting in camping chairs, smiling and holding drinks outdoors, with a cooler nearby.
Year-End Celebration

Our buddies Michelle and Kunio along with Norb and Linda, Kari and Paul, and many others make our time in Michigan extra special. Together we celebrated birthdays, holidays, and just being in this beautiful place together.

A woman and a man enjoying wine tasting at a vineyard, seated at a table with various wine glasses, overlooking a lush green vineyard landscape.
Michelle & Kunio wine tasting at Brys
A picturesque vineyard landscape featuring rows of grapevines, lush green trees, and a distant view of a lake and rolling hills under a blue sky.
Winery views near home
A woman holding a young girl stands next to a decorated cake for a 60th birthday celebration. The table is adorned with party items, and several adults are visible in the background, while a camper van is parked behind them.
Michelle’s birthday
A group of six people smiling and posing together on a patio, with a large RV in the background and trees around them.
Marnie’s birthday

We were lucky to have visits this summer from some of our favorite Arizona peeps. Sister Mickie came to visit for the third summer in a row and our dear friends Dave and Peggy visited again as well. It’s always fun to have visitors to share our paradise with. 

A man and woman smiling in front of Moomers homemade ice cream shop, featuring a wooden exterior and a sign with a cow logo.
Dave and Peggy at Moomers
Two women smiling together outdoors on a sunny day, with green grass and trees in the background.
Sisters at Chateau Chantal
A smiling woman sitting on a sofa with a small, fluffy dog next to her, outdoors in a garden setting with trees and a shed in the background.
Aunt Mickie and Poppy

Every week around Traverse City there are festivals, events, and live music. Catching our favorite band, TC Knuckleheads, is a regular activity. 

A woman in a red shirt with a heart design is smiling and holding two cans of beer at an outdoor gathering, with people socializing in the background.
At TC Knucklehead Dave’s block party
A group of people gathered around a table at an outdoor venue, enjoying drinks and snacks, with live music in the background. The setting features colorful chairs and a blue building adorned with flowers.
At Mt Holiday
A group of people sitting around a table outdoors, enjoying drinks and food in a forested setting.
At Hop Lot
A live band performing at Shorts Brewing in Bellaire, featuring musicians with instruments, vibrant decorations, and promotional signs for TC Knuckleheads.
At Shorts in Bellaire
Group of friends enjoying drinks at a table under a yellow tent, smiling and socializing at an outdoor event.
At Shorts at Logan’s Landing

This summer we made sure to hit the National Cherry Festival, the Cedar Polkafest and the Elk Rapids Wine and Food Festival. And the crew we hang with always makes it fun!

A couple poses together in a red decorative frame that reads 'NATIONAL CHERRY FESTIVAL', with a festive background of people enjoying the event.
National Cherry Festival
A group of people enjoying a gathering outdoors by the water, sitting in folding chairs, toasting with drinks, and smiling. A musician is playing a guitar in the background.
Elk Rapids Wine and Food Fest
A dog leaping from a platform into a swimming pool, with a young woman on the platform and spectators in the background.
Air Dogs at Cedar Polkafest
A woman smiles and poses beside a humorous sign that reads 'TENT POLES ARE NOT FOR POLE DANCING! PLEASE FIND OTHER WAYS TO DISAPPOINT YOUR FATHER.'
Cedar Polkafest

Mostly, this summer will be remembered as the summer of Daisy. After our trip to Alaska with Nate, we stopped in Butler, MO to pick up our newest family member.

A man in a red shirt holds a small brown puppy, gently touching its face as the puppy licks him. The background features a wooden wall with a calendar and a framed photo.
First kiss
A person holding a small, fluffy, brown puppy with curly fur, wearing a smartwatch on their wrist.
First cuddle
A small, fluffy reddish-brown puppy with curly fur, standing on green grass, wearing a purple leash.
First portrait
A cute, fluffy brown puppy with curly fur, sitting on a table in a room with green walls. The puppy has big black eyes and a small nose, and is being held by a person whose hand is partially visible.
First vet appointment

Daisy Norberta Verde (named after our friend and neighbor Norb) joined us at eight weeks and just under two pounds! Eventually she’ll grow to around five pounds, about the same size as our beloved Bob. 

A woman sitting on a chair outdoors, smiling and resting her chin on her hand, with a small sleeping dog on her lap. The background features green trees and an outdoor grill.
First happy hour
A smiling man wearing sunglasses holds a small, fluffy brown puppy in his arms while sitting on a wicker bench outdoors on a sunny day.
Meeting Uncle Kunio
Two small brown poodles play on a pile of soft toys, one holding a light blue toy in its mouth.
Playing with sister
A close-up of a small brown poodle with curly fur lying on a couch, resting its head on a gray surface, looking directly at the camera.
Being sweet
A small, brown puppy relaxing on a person's lap, partially tucked into a green sweatshirt. The puppy has a yellow collar and is comfortably being held by the person's hands.
Belly rubs at another happy hour
A small, fluffy brown dog lying on its back on a soft, brown blanket, wearing a harness. A blue and white stuffed toy is nearby.
Who me?
Two small poodles sitting on a red and black blanket, each holding a stick in their mouths.
Sisters sharing

Daisy joined her sister Poppy for a fun Michigan summer filled with treats, cuddles, kisses, and some wrestling. The two of them are thick as thieves and very popular around the RV resort. We are so in love with our new baby. 

A small, fluffy dog peeking out from between two cushions on a couch.
Peekaboo
A small brown poodle puppy lying comfortably on a soft bed, holding a playful toy drink with a straw and a lime slice.
I love my margarita
Two small poodles sitting inside a playpen with blankets and toys.
Poppy and baby sister
Two small poodles sitting among a pile of colorful stuffed toys and a black container, one holding a stick toy.
Sharing all the toys
A small, fluffy brown puppy lounging on a gray couch, with a chew toy nearby and a backyard setting in the background.
I’m getting bigger!

And as our summer comes to a close we are planning additional travels and adventures this fall before returning to Arizona for the winter. Stay tuned and we’ll keep you up-to-date on Steve’s quest to run a marathon in all 50 states!

Nathan’s Alaska

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As we’ve done with nieces and nephews in the past, we offered 16 year old Nathan a trip of his choosing. He chose Alaska. In just a week we hit three National Parks, caught our limit of halibut, and had incredible wildlife encounters.

The travelers
Goodbye Mom
We made it!

We met Nate in Omaha, where the boys got in a round of golf before flying to Anchorage. In Anchorage Steve and Nate got in another round. We explored a bit of Anchorage including Costco, Ship Creek and Earthquake Park, where we saw a moose and explored the beach.

At the Hatchery on Fish Creek
Obligatory Costco stop
Moose in Earthquake Park
On Cook Inlet

Our visit to Denali National Park was via plane. We drove to Talkeetna and enjoyed a spectacular flight into the park where we landed on the Ruth Glacier.

Talkeetna River with Mt Denali in background
Ready to fly
Nate and the plane
Incredible views
Rivers of ice

We were also able to see the climber’s base camp and Mt. McKinley’s (Denali’s) neighboring peaks, Mt Foraker and Mt Hunter. There’s really no way to describe the majesty of these mountains but hopefully you get a sense from the photos.

Nate on the glacier
Steve on the glacier
Standing on a glacier
Majestic views

Next we headed southwest towards Seward with a brief stop at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. There we got a quick introduction to some of the animals we’d see later in the trip, including the brown bear.

Steve and Nathan
Moose
Talking to the bear
Grizzly
Elk
Muskox
Reindeer
Serious conversations

In Seward we spent our time on the water. Our little cabin was steps from Resurrection Bay, which made it easy for the guys to catch their early morning fishing boat. They both caught their limit of halibut and rockfish and Nate caught five cod to Steve’s four. So, Nate won the fishing contest.

The fishermen
The boat’s haul
Morning coffee on Resurrection Bay
Ready to fish
Pulling in a big one
Good thing they had rain gear
One of two boxes of fish

Four years ago when we RVed to Alaska, we really enjoyed the Major Marine cruise into Kenai Fjords National Park. As we experienced before, we were able to see a pod of Humpback whales bubble net feeding. This rare cooperative feeding behavior is exclusive to certain Humpbacks and researchers are still exploring how the whales communicate in order to fish together. It’s really quite a site.

Bubble net feeding
Birds signal the event

On the cruise we also approached the foot of the tidewater Holgate Glacier. These were the highlights though we did see Dall’s Porpoise, Sea Otters, Mountain Goats, Stellar Sea Lions, Harbor Seals, Eagles, and various other birds.

Holgate Glacier

Our final big adventure was a trip to the little-visited Lake Clark National Park and Chinitna Bay. We flew from Anchorage past active volcanoes Mt Redoubt and Mt Iliana to land on the beach of the bay.

Co-pilot Marnie
So close you could touch the peaks
Landing on the beach

After a brief introduction we headed to a large marsh area where more than a dozen coastal brown bears were seen grazing. We watched a mother with triplets guard from attacks from male bears and enjoyed seeing others running and playing.

We stayed for a few hours. Others camped on the beach with the bears.
National Park stamp station

Seeing bears in the wild is always a thrill and Chinitna Bay did not disappoint.

Bear watching

After a final dinner (and DQ) in Anchorage we returned to Omaha at about midnight for a final goodbye.

49th State Brewing
Finished with a blizzard
Goodbyes at the airport

Nate got to see and experience things most people only dream about and we were happy to be along for the ride.

Steve’s Spring Race Season

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Since we’ve settled into our new little home in the Phoenix area, I wasn’t interested in getting back on the road too soon. So, while I stayed home and nested, Steve tackled much of the spring marathon season solo.  Here’s a recap on his Herculean efforts.

Maryland #45

First, he flew to Baltimore  and participated in the B & A Trail Marathon. The race was conducted on the rail-to-trail  path that goes from Baltimore to Annapolis, and he finished the 26.2 mile race in his normal time of about 4 1/2 hours. 

On the course
At the finish

New Jersey #46

Three weeks later he boarded a plane to Newark. There he traveled into Jersey City which lies on the Hudson River across from Manhattan. The day before the race he picked up his packet and then enjoyed the views of the city on a beautiful day. 

The city is ready!
Manhattan skyline
Activity on the Hudson

The run through the streets of Jersey City and past the Statue of Liberty was a classic urban race. He finished again at his normal pace.

At the start
Finish

Oregon #47

Less than a week later he was on a plane again, this time to Eugene, Oregon for the Eugene Marathon. Eugene is the home of the University of Oregon and is known as “Track Town USA.” Since this was Steve’s third 26.2 mile race in five weeks, it was a bit slower. He still finished in under five hours. 

Tracktown USA
Finishing in the stadium
Finisher beer

Illinois #48

We fit the final spring marathon in during our travels to Michigan for the summer season. The Starved Rock Marathon was held in the town of Ottawa, IL and the race ran through the beautiful Starved Rock State Park, where we also camped. We were joined by Steve’s high school running buddy Kent Ferris and the guys “enjoyed” doing the race together, if you can enjoy running 26.2 miles up and down big hills. 

A side note: Kent also ran state #20 in Des Moines with Steve.

Packet pickup
Start line
Mission accomplished!

With #48 in the books, Steve has just two states left to complete his goal of running a marathon in all 50 states. We’ll hit Vermont and Massachusetts the fall. But first, Traverse Bay RV Resort is beckoning. 

On our way north we stopped to see our Baja buddies, Yujing and Jim in Kalamazoo. Yujing prepared an incredible meal of Chinese Hot Pot that was a super fun experience. This is what RVing is all about…the fabulous friends you make and the unique experiences you have along the way. Thanks guys!

Jim, Yujing, me & Steve with hot pot ingredients in the foreground

We plan to spend another summer in Traverse City with our friends, enjoying the lakes, trails, and wineries. Have a great summer everyone!