After spending the summer at home we have packed the car and hitched up our teardrop. We are poised for a Sunday afternoon departure.  Because we weren’t able to visit the five National Parks in Utah last spring, Stephen and I are headed towards Arches NP near Moab to begin our exploration. While keeping the weather in mind, we hope to hike our way through Utah.

First, here is a rundown of the past summer. Stephen ushered 37 games for the Minnesota Twins baseball team and loved every part of the job. The light rail delivered him door to door in 35 minutes which made for easy transportation and no parking headaches. There are several job assignments within guest services where Stephen served; sometimes he was an elevator operator and carried fans from one floor to the next. Other days he scanned tickets at the entry gate and then watched over a section ensuring that guests were safe and in their ticketed seat. Once in a while he made wheelchair runs for those who needed assistance but the most unusual job was in the basement monitoring a door that led to the dugout box seats. Not many fans walked through this door but it was right next to the food service warehouse. Stephen watched in amazement as dozens of employees  rolled out carts piled high with hotdogs and ice cream sandwiches.  The carts were used to re-stock all the  concession stands scattered throughout the park. He was amazed to see the “behind the scenes” of such a large venue.  Stephen’s entire Twins experience was positive and he looks forward to working again next summer.

Commuting to work

While Stephen was at Target Field, I spent many hours training for RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa). This is a week- long ride at the end of July that starts in the western part of the state and moves eastward.  Thousands of riders  participate from all over the world and Iowa rolls out an amazing welcome mat. This is my third year and I hope to ride again next year.  Because of logistics we were not able to tow the Vistabule during the ride but I need to figure out a way to bring the camper next year.  Pitching a tent at the end of a long day and sleeping  in a cornfield is a challenge.  After cycling 70 miles a day, I need a soft bed with a cool fan blowing on my face.  Nonetheless, it’s a terrific week and if you’re interested in joining this ride here is a link to the RAGBRAI website.

Dipping the back wheel in the Mississippi

We crossed three more National Monuments off our list this summer.  Blistering heat and ruthless mosquitos made for very short tours of all three places but we still enjoyed learning about the history of Pipestone, Grand Portage and Valley Forge.

As for the Vistabule, we had some leak repairs completed in June.  After spending a rather rainy week  in Thunder Bay, Ontario we can declare the camper leak-free.  Bert and the gang at Vistabule did a great job of repairing even the smallest problem. We  are anxious to get on the road and begin our second season of wandering and exploring. Stay tuned.