Our inaugural trip with our new truck and fifth wheel is well underway and we’ve already covered a lot of ground. From our visit with Sam in Colorado we made a beeline to Lincoln, Nebraska. In addition to being one of Steve’s favorite places, we caught a concert with one of our favorite artists, Kenny Chesney. We enjoyed a pre-show drink with our niece Elise and her boyfriend Jarrot and his family, drinks served by our other niece Hannah at the bar where she works. No photos to prove it! Kenny always puts on a great show and we enjoyed seeing him perform with Kelsea Ballerini.
Pretty good seats!The”I Go Back” TourKelsea on stageKenny never stopsOn stage together
The next day we headed up to Elkhorn to spend a little time with Steve’s brother and his family. We spent Mother’s Day celebrating the Moms in the family by eating some great BBQ, playing in the gym and golf simulator, and hanging out with the kids.
Nathan, Lydia & SteveJarrot, Nathan, and EliseNathan’s got a swing!
We wish we could do this more often! And, we even stopped off at Steve’s favorite store, Husker Hounds.
But we had to move along…to Green Bay, Wisconsin, where Steve ran a marathon in his 28th state and I did the 5K.
Obligatory pre-race photoStart lineReady to run
The highlight of this race is a run through the home of the Green Bay Packer’s, Lambeau Field. The stadium is a sight to be seen, from inside and out, and we felt lucky to have the opportunity to see if from all angles.
Steve at mile 25Running through LambeauConquering Lambeau
On the following day we took the Legendary Tour of Lambeau, which gave us access to the luxury suites, the visitor’s locker room, the press box, once again, the field. Along the way we learned about the Packer’s history and how they have survived as one of the oldest NFL teams without an owner.
HUGE pro shopPressboxVisitors Locker Room
They are owned by shareholders and the City of Green Bay, and because of this unique situation, the small town revolves around the beloved Packers.
Packer’s tunnel to the stadiumOn the field again
We took the bikes out one morning and explored the trails along the Fox River. Interpretive signs along the way taught us about the city’s history.
We also hit up the famous Kroll’s restaurant which stands in the shadow of Lambeau Field. We were introduced to fried cheese curds and butter burgers and will now never taste anything as good (or as greasy). And, you can’t go to Green Bay without a stop at Titletown, the entertainment district adjacent to the stadium.
Fun at TitletownKroll’s cheeseburger
We left Green Bay as fans of the Packers, fans of cheese curds, and fans of Wisconsin. And our explorations here are just beginning.
We’ve been offline for a few months, mostly staying stationery at home in Prescott to celebrate the holidays and enjoy the luxuries of “home.” But you can only stay put for so long before the itch returns to hit the road. Plus, the weather in Prescott has turned cold and icy, so it was time to head south!
We are spending the next few months at the Playa Bonita RV Park, on the beach in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico. We’ve owned our condo here for 20 years, and it was time for some renovations. We’re staying in the fifth wheel while the condo is under construction and it’s been a fun new way to experience our little Mexican town.
Playa Bonita is one of about four RV parks here in Peñasco, and it’s been here forever. Many of our fellow campers are here for months, Americans and Canadians escaping the winters up north. It’s a super fun environment, and we’re really enjoying the group bike rides, weekly “shot” bingo, and happy hour at the beach at sunset. The water man delivers a bottle to our door for $1, propane man will refill our tanks without moving, and we had our rig washed and waxed for a fraction of the cost in the US. Even the dogs are enjoying the Mexican lifestyle, with $15 haircuts at the local dog spa.
One day Steve discovered a leak somewhere in the bowels of the trailer. He worked hard to find out where the leak originated and then we were able to hire a guy to come fix it. Problem solved!
One weekend we fully participated in Roger Clyne’s January Jam, a three day music event that features one of our favorite bands. Good food, good drink, and great music right outside our door made for a fun few days.
Most days we head about a mile down the beach to the condo to check on the progress and to workout in the gym. It’s been good to be here to supervise the construction as it seems there is always something to decide or adjust. We’ve had to pick out countertops at the local shop, which allowed us to watch the craftsman at work.
Overall the remodel is coming along very well, appears to be on schedule, and is looking pretty good! Our crew has been very professional and appreciative of the daily goodies and Friday afternoon beers. Here are some pictures of the work being done and you can be sure we’ll post “after” pictures!
Of course there’s been lots of time for the beach, soaking in the sun, and enjoying the slow lifestyle that is Puerto Peñasco! We are grateful that Mitch made the trip down to visit for a few days and brought us some needed supplies from Costco. More visitors are expected in the next month and we’re looking forward to seeing our friends!
We probably won’t have much more to report for awhile as there’s not much variation day to day – sun, fun, relax, repeat. But rest assured, we are enjoying every minute!
We love it when we have visitors on the road, and in this post, we’re excited to share our adventures with my cousin Mitch. He flew into Fairbanks just a day before Sam left us. Together we shared a great dinner and show at the Salmon Bake at Pioneer Park. We were sad to see Sam head south but so grateful for our time with him.
Dinner at the Pioneer Park Salmon Bake
With Mitch our first stop was the North Pole! It’s actually a big gift shop in a suburb of Fairbanks, and it was a great place to stock up on gifts and put in a few requests with Santa.
Catching up with Santa
After our visit with Santa and time to restock our provisions, we set out back towards Denali with a quick stop at the Magic Bus at the Denali Brewing Company and the National Park visitors center.
Mitch photo bombs at the Denali Brewing Company
From there we began our trek across the Denali Highway, the 135-mile, mostly gravel route that was the original path to the park. Along the way we camped at two primitive campgrounds, took in the amazing views, and got in a little fishing. Mitch even caught his first fish with his new fly rod!
First try at fishing in AKCoffee stop on the Denali HighwayFresh caught fish!Lunch breakAt the campsite
Our next stop was back to one of our favorite places from our time here in June. We stayed at the Salmon Grove Fish Camp, along the banks of the Klutina River. From here the guys went on a rafting trip down the river to catch the big ones: King Salmon. It was a long day but both were successful, and we’ve enjoyed some incredible dinners since! This was the first time for both guys to catch Kings so it was pretty exciting!
Mitch, the fishermanHunting for KingsMitch caught one!!!Spectators along the Klutina RiverSteve catches a King!
Copper Center is quiet little town, which we explored on foot in about 30 minutes!
Welcoming committee in Copper CenterCopper Center Museum
Valdez was our next stop and the drive itself was spectacular! The road winds through Keystone Canyon, with waterfalls on both sides.
We were lucky to arrive in Valdez on a sunny day so that we could take in the snow-capped peaks. We had just enough time to fit in a quick bike ride and check out the town.
Biking in ValdezBears are common in Valdez
The next day Steve and Mitch went on another fishing charter, this time for Silver Salmon. They had sunny skies most of the day and each caught their limits. What a haul! For those who are keeping track, we’ve now sent nearly 50 pounds of fish home, some of which has been shared with Mitch and Sam.
Mitch catches a SilverThe haul for the dayWow!Steve’s silver salmon
After the successful fishing venture, the skies turned dark and the town was socked in with clouds for the remainder of our stay. They say it rains a lot in Valdez, and they aren’t kidding. But it wasn’t too cold and we were prepared, so the weather didn’t slow us down much. We unknowingly timed our visit to Valdez to coincide with the annual Gold Rush Days, a four day celebration of Valdez’s history. As part of the celebration, we participated in the Wine (and more) Walk through town, which gave us an opportunity to mingle with the locals, support local charities, and sample Valdez-brewed beer. Even in the rain it was fun!
Downtown ValdezValdez in the rainMitch and SteveEnjoying Gold Rush DaysValdez Brewing Company
A highlight of any trip to Valdez is going on one of the local tour boats to see wildlife and the nearby glaciers. We opted to go on the Lulubelle, and we weren’t disappointed. Granted, it was a L O N G day on a boat…almost 11 hours with a captain that did not stop talking the entire time!
Aboard the LulubelleLulubelle Captain FredWaterfalls!Mitch on the bowAll aboard!
However, we saw things we couldn’t have seen on other tours. The highlights of our day included humpback whales, orcas, sea lions, sea otters, harbor seals, and puffin.
The most unique part of the excursion was slowly plowing through the thick ice field at the Columbia Glacier. Along the way we met nice people and enjoyed unbelievable views.
Columbia GlacierBreaking the iceLots of calving
Valdez is a beautiful place. We were lucky to snag a campsite at the Bear Paw II RV Park, right alongside the boat harbor. We spent hours just watching boats of all sizes come in and out of the port. Surrounded by at least five glaciers, the port area is where the action is at in Valdez.
View from my bedroomValdez HarborValdez ViewsAll sizes of ships in ValdezBoat action in Valdez
Across the harbor we visited the Solomon Gulch fish hatchery. Here, hundreds of thousands of silver salmon return to the hatchery each year. The mass of fish attract all kinds of other creatures including sea lions and bears. Watching this fat sea lion chow down on salmon was a highlight of our visit there.
Sea lion gorging on salmon
Mitch returned home safely, after a cancelled fight and quick change of travel plans. We loved having him with us and hope he has memories to last a lifetime.
We’re now beginning our very slow trek south but still have some fun stops ahead.
Marnie and Steve Travel 