Duluth Vacation 2010

Well it was a great family vacation in Duluth this year. Pat and Tim rented a house on the isthmus on Lake Superior. We had gorgeous views of the lake right from the front room of the house and just a quick walk across the backyard to get to the sandy shores.

The girls have cousins up in Duluth so we have been there many times but we enjoyed a lot of new experiences. Just getting to stay right on the lake was one of them. It was really the first time the girls got to play in the water there because it is typically so cold for weather and water temperature. On the day of our arrival though it was near 90 degrees and thus a perfect beach day.

We got to dine at some great locals including Grandma's which is a restaurant right in canal park at the lift bridge. We enjoyed the scenery of a number of container ships and smaller boats voyage through the canal as we dined.

The girls got there first experience sailing as we chartered a 32 ft Beneteau' Oceanis. Captain Jerry was great. He let us do most of the sailing and the girls were both naturals. Kyila became the first 8 yr old on his boat take it under power through the canal. She did so great. It was something we will all remember especially Heidi!

We enjoyed a scenic trolley ride of the city, the Aquarium on the Lake, the Look-out Tower and eating S'mores around the fire pit.

What can't be put into words I will leave for pictures!

Kansas 2010

It was a short trip this year back to ole' T-Town. It was nice that much of the Kuhn Family could be there. I can't believe that none of us said that we needed to take a family photo. There were several good picture of Stella and more importantly ME!

First night back I stopped in Olathe to spend the evening with Pat and Tim. Very nice that Paul, Jaime and Stella could be there that night as well. Stella of course was the center of attention. I only threw one fit, just one.

Then it was on to Grandma Kuhn's, we all made the journey over to Topeka. I am not sure I have ever seen such a big smile on Grandma's face. Sure was nice to see.

Later that night Stella had her bottle and I had a can. It sure tasted good...smooth.

A few more pics for everyone to enjoy!

Vacation to South Dakota

The Kuhn family left on June 23rd (Heidi's Birthday) for the Black Hills and Mt Rushmore. It was about a 11 hour drive on the way out due to several bathroom stops as well as some sight-seeing on the way. Our first real stop was Mitchell, SD located just off of I-90 and is just about in the middle of the state from east to west. The reason for our stop...thats right you guessed it...The Corn Palace. The tradition of building a Corn Palace goes back nearly 120 years. Each year the Palace takes on a different face as the theme for all of the corn murals changes with each year.

Then we moved on to the Missouri River with our stop in Chamberlain, SD. This was the spot that Lewis and Clark stopped to cross the Might Mo. The city itself wasn't much but the view of the river was impressive. Pictures cannot do it justice but here is my attempt to do just that.

About an hour past the Missouri River we encountered the Badlands. These dry rocky sedimentary terrain has been eroded by over time by wind and rain leaving majestic formations that look almost other worldly. The view just from your car through the National Park is picturesque but there are many trails and walk-ways that allow you to experience the formations up close and personnel. Again the pictures cannot do this experience justice but maybe they will inspire you to take a trip there yourself.

We also went to Wall Drug which is a drugstore more famous for the signs on the way to Wall Drug than the destination itself. It was more of a stop to say we stopped. The girls loved taking pictures there with all the life sized carved western figurines. I enjoyed taking the pictures.

Then it was on to Keystone which is the town at the foot of Mt. Rushmore. We made that our home base for the next two days. We had a lot of great experiences including the monument but also the girls took a helicopter ride which was there highlight.

We went to Bear Country USA which is a drive through zoo and it was really a fantastic experience. Lots of animals including the bears which come right up to your car.

We took a drive that same day up to Deadwood and walked through the famous old town which is still vibrant and revitalized. Kyila and I toured 'Boot Hill' or Mt. Moriah Cemetery which is where Wild Bill Hickock and Calamity Jane are buried.

The scenery in the Black Hills State Forest made us never want to leave. I was ready to buy an Airstream camper and move out there for 3 months. The drive home was not nearly as fun as the anticipation to our destinations but we enjoyed talking about the experiences we had. Thankfully there were fewer bathroom breaks which helped us get home sooner and into our own sweet beds.