A is for Apple

I am forever a lover of fall... hoodies, changing leaves, hot drinks... As much as I have come to accept (and enjoy) Montana fall for what it is, it just can't quite live up to fall in the Midwest. Therefore, when Ashley offered to fly me out to see her this last weekend, I did not debate very long before accepting her invitation. 

I flew into Milwaukee on Thursday night, and on Friday morning, we headed "up north" to Door County. Lighthouses, colored leaves, shorelines... what's not to love? One thing that I really wanted to find was an apple orchard - one of the "U Pick" kind. Ashley found me one, even if it was a little out of the way. We spent quite a bit of time wandering among the trees, relishing the sights and scents of fall. We eventually selected a couple of perfect apples and returned to where we detoured. 





As we came back to the main highway, waves were topping the breakwater, and a bright red lighthouse gleamed in the sun. So we stopped once again. I was having fun photographing the waves coming up on the sand, but I got a little too intent on the one in the lens and didn't see the one that soaked my pantlegs and filled my shoes! Oops!

Saturday morning dawned cool and damp and we debated between an indoor museum or risking getting wet at the zoo. We took our chances on the zoo. We had a pleasant afternoon, and despite the clouds, we stayed dry.

Yes, it is captive, but it's pretty. 

After a scrumptious pasta dinner at the restaurant where Ashley works, we were ready for the trip's main attraction: a Chinese lantern festival at the Boener Botanical Gardens. Besides the intricate light displays, we also enjoyed a live show with ballet, juggling, and martial arts. And - drumroll, please - homemade apple pie egg rolls with caramel dipping sauce! So very delicious! Ashley commented at this point that the whole trip was beginning to center around apples. This is a problem? 

Sunday came all too quickly, and after church and a nice lunch with my great-uncle and aunt, I was back on a plane headed west. As I arrived in Billings, I was filled with gratitude for the privilege of travel. But I was also very glad to be back home in Montana, even if the leaves are JUST yellow! 

BONUS PICTURES :)

Moonrise over a bay in Door County

It wouldn't be Chinese...

...without a dragon or two. 

Ouch!

Me and my girl <3

Mastering the Morrison Monster

Ever since we bought our first ATV four years ago, we have heard the legend of Morrison Jeep Trail. In fact, when we took our "safe rider" course shortly after we bought the machine, one of the "this is what you must never do" examples was a story about an ATV tumbling down the switchbacks on Morrison Jeep Trail. Despite its reputation, we knew that we would one day ride that trail. Someday... when we had more experience... 

When we started planning a ride for this weekend, we thought we would just go down to the Pryors again. But then a friend texted to suggest Morrison Jeep Trail. Well, if 3600 miles in four years isn't experience enough, we might as well just forget ever riding it! So we made our plans.

However, when Friday morning came around and I was still feeling apprehensive, I turned to the internet. The first video I found was a TV series episode in which the crew took a couple of Toyotas -- one with a trailer, no less -- and a BMW street bike up the road. Well then! If they made it with THAT set-up, riding it on ATV's should be a walk in the park!

We were up really early on Saturday morning, and we "circled the wagons" at McDonald's. There were six of us, with one more meeting us at the trailhead. The weather was perfect, albeit windy, as we unloaded and started up the trail. Come to find out, our new friend Karhu had been up the trail before, so we were no longer riding completely blind. The first four or five miles of the trail followed the Clark's Fork River and we were pleasantly surprised to spot a small family of mountain goats on the cliffs above the river. 

Then we turned toward the mountain side and started up. And up, and UP! We gained about 2000 ft in just two miles of swithbacks. We all made it to the top without incident and took a few minutes to catch our breath (as much as the surrounding scenery could have taken it all away again). Then it was on to the next set of steeper, but not so tight, switchbacks.

About half-way up the first set of swichbacks. 

Near the top, three very nice mule deer bucks crossed the road in front of the group. We followed them a little way before they gave us the slip. Dan had a clear view of them through the trees, but unfortunately, I did not, and I had the camera. We came back to the machines to discover that Dan had a flat tire. We pumped it up and set off again. We caught up to the rest of the group at a creek crossing. Dan's tire was already going flat again, so most of us ate lunch while Dan and Grif found the puncture in the tire, plugged it, and pumped up the tire again. 

Lunch time. Pastor Jeff House, Mike, and Karhu (aka Fearless Leader)

Storm clouds were gathering as we finished our lunch, but we pushed on a little farther. Eventually though, we decided it was time to turn back. None of us really wanted to come back down the switchbacks in the rain, let alone in the dark! We dodged raindrops all the way down. As we regrouped at the base of the switchbacks, a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning motivated us to hurry for the trucks! Alas, there was now no dodging the raindrops! We got back to the trucks soaked! (Thanks a lot, Black Cloud!) We loaded up, and as we were leaving the parking lot, we noticed a complete double rainbow stretched across the road. It was the perfect ending to another wonderful day in God's great outdoors.