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2010. Tom, Andrea, Brian, Becca,
Karen, Dustin, Mary. Norway. |
As our family grew up and moved away from home, we organized regular family get-togethers. But instead of gathering at our house or a cabin up north, we arranged a trip to some place we'd like to explore and invited our extended family to join us. We tried to plan the trips during our granddaughters' spring break or summer vacation so that as they grew older they could see many corners of the world.
Our vacation destinations varied - from Wisconsin to Alaska to Norway and beyond. Sometimes we had glorious sun, other times we had fog and rain, but we found ways to enjoy the adventure in any weather.
2000 - North Shore
Our first extended family trip was simple - a drive to the North Shore with Dustin, Andrea, 4 year old Karen, and 20 month old Becca. We went to Duluth, Tettegouche State Park, Split Rock Lighthouse, and of course, Gooseberry Falls.
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| 2000. Dustin, Andrea, 4 yo Karen, and 20 & Becca, driving to the North Shore. |
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| 2000. High Falls. Tettegouche State Park, Minnesota. |
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| 2000. Mary, Karen, Andrea, Becca, and Dustin along the Baptism River on a hike to High Falls. |
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| 2000. Mary, Becca, Andrea, & Karen touring Split Rock Lighthouse living quarters. Minnesota. |
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| 2000. Andrea, Karen, Mary, and Becca at Gooseberry Falls State Park, MN. |
2000 - Renaissance Festival
True, we visited the Renaissance Festival from home, but I don't get on elephants very often!
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| Andrea, Becca, Mary, Karen on an elephant at the Renaissance Festival, Shakopee, MN |
2001 - Golden Eagle Lodge, Gunflint Trail, MN
See Boundary Waters Canoe Area post.
2002 - Elroy Sparta Bike Trail, Elroy, Wisconsin.
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| 2002. Andrea Towed Karen along the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail, Wisconsin. |
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| 2002. Then Karen learned to ride her bike! Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin. |
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| 2002. Dustin Towed Becca along the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail, Wisconsin. |
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| 2002. Time to walk the bikes. Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin. |
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2002. The girls head toward the light at the end of the tunnel while we get ready.
Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin. |
2003 - Lake One Loop, Boundary Waters Canoe Area
See Boundary Waters Canoe Area post.
2004 - Elroy Sparta Bike Trail, Elroy, Wisconsin.
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| 2004. Karen, Mary, Andrea enjoying the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail, Wisconsin. |
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2004. Becca on the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin.
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| 2004. Andrea, Karen, and Becca walking through a tunnel on the Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin. |
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2004. Karen and Becca are both riding bikes. Mary and Andrea in the background.
Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin.
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2004 Day 2: Becca gets a tow from Andrea. Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin.
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| 2004 Day 2: Mary and Karen walk through a tunnel. Elroy Sparta Bike Trail. Wisconsin. |
2004 - Fenske Lake and North Shore
See Boundary Waters Canoe Area Post for Fenske Lake. On the way home we visited Tettegouche State Park, Splitrock Lighthouse, and Gooseberry Falls State Park.
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| 2004. Karen and Becca at High Falls, Tettegouche State Park, Minnesota. |
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| 2004.Becca, Karen, and Andrea on a tour of Splitrock Lighthouse, Minnesota. |
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| 2004. Becca and Karen at Gooseberry Falls State Park. Minnesota. |
2005 - Canadian Rockies
Some of the most beautiful hikes in the Rocky Mountains begin at Lake O'Hara in Yahoo National Park, which is a seven miles from from the parking lot. Space on the bus is limited so these hikes are best enjoyed from the small Lake O'Hara Campground, which is close to the trailhead. In 2005 we were able to reserve two campsites at the campground for a couple of nights.
We met Andrea, Karen, Becca and Dustin in Calgary. On the way to Yahoo national Park we stopped at Moraine Lake in Banff National Park.
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| 2005. Dustin. Moraine Lake. Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. |
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2005. Becca and Karen. Moraine Lake. Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada.
Then we headed west to Yahoo National Park and took the bus to Lake O'Hare Campground. After setting up our tents, we headed out for a hike around the lake. Mary, Karen and Becca headed back to camp while Andrea and Dustin wore Tom out taking the Alpine Loop Trail to Lefroy and Oesa Lakes.
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2005.Karen, Becca, Mary, Andrea (and Teddy Bears). Hiking around Lake O'Hara,
Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada.
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| 2006. Andrea and Dustin on the Alpine Loop Trail, Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
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| 2005. Tom at Lefroy Lake. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
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| 2005. Dustin and Andrea at Oesa Lake, Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
The next day we climbed above Lake O'Hara to the Opabin Plateau. Andrea and Dustin hiked all the way to Opabin Lake, while Mary, Karen and Becca took a shortcut back to camp, where the girls enjoyed playing with some campers their own age.
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| 2005. Karen and Becca. High above Lake O'Hara. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
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| 2005. Opabin Plateau Hike. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
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2005. Dustin at Opabin Lake. Opabin Plateau Hike. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada.
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On our last day, McArthur Lake was the destination for Andrea, Dustin, and Tom. Mary, Karen, and Becca joined them for the first half of the hike.
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| 2005. Andrea, Becca, and Karen. Lake McArthur Hike. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada. |
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| 2005. Andrea and Dustin at Lake McArthur. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada |
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Before we left Yahoo National Park stopped at beautiful Emerald Lake and stunning Takakkaw Falls.
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| 2005. Becca and Karen at Emerald Lake. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada |
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| 2005. Mary, Andrea, Karen, Becca at Takakkaw Falls. Yahoo National Park, British Columbia, Canada |
We drove back to Banff National Park where we said goodbye to Dustin and met Brian.
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2005. All together for a short time - Tom, Dustin, Brian, Karen, Andrea, Becca, and Mary.
Vermillion Lakes, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. |
Tom, Mary, Karen and Becca stayed at Castle Mountain Campground while Andy and Brian had access to electricity at nearby castle Mountain Chalets. We took a couple of hikes, visited Lake Louise, and checked out the Bow Valley Parkway.
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2005. Mary, Andrea, Becca, Karen, Brian and his Birthday.
Castle Mountain Campground, Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Mary Brian, Andrea, Becca. Karen. Hiking in Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Karen enjoying Lake Louise, Banff National Park. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Becca at Sherbrook Lake. Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Becca and Brian, Bow Valley Parkway. Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada |
After Brian headed home we drove north on the Icefields Parkway and camped at waterfowl Lakes Campground. The next day we toured the the
Athabasca Glacier and stopped at Peyto Lake and Bow Lake. Then it was time to head back to Calgary where we dropped the Gilberts at the airport, turned in the U-Haul trailer, and started our two day drive home.
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| 2005. View from Waterfowl Lakes Campground along the Ice Fields Parkway. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Becca & Karen. Columbia Icefield Tour, Ice Fields Parkway. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Karen at Peyto Lake along the Ice Fields Parkway. Alberta, Canada. |
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| 2005. Bow Lake along the Ice Fields Parkway. Alberta, Canada. |
2006 - Pacific Coast
In 2006 we spent a few days in Eureka, California visiting Dustin at Humboldt State University in Arcata California, where he was teaching. Since Humboldt Bay and Arcata Bay are a critical stopover for birds during spring migration, we probably saw more birds three days than before or since.
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| 2006. Dozens of Long-billed dowitchers land at The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, California. |
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| 2006. Long-billed dowitchers at The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, California. |
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| 2006. Great egret at The Arcata Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary, California. |
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| 2006. Migrating Birds gather at the beach which helps form Humboldt Bay, California. |
After a couple of business engagements on the west coast, we flew to San Francisco to pick up Andrea, Karen, and Becca. Over the next week, we would drive north along the coast to Portland, Oregon, (re)visiting Dustin on the way.
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| 2006. Karen and Becca at the Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, California. |
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| 2006. Becca, Karen, and Dustin. Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California. |
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2006. Mary, Karen, Andrea, Becca, Dustin in front of the Founder's Tree.
Humboldt Redwoods State Park, California. |
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Dustin, Andrea, Karen (hidden), Mary, Becca, wading up Fern Canyon,
Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California. |
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| Karen, Andrea, Mary, Becca, in Fern Canyon, Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California. |
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| 2006. Becca, Dustin, and Karen. Redwood Creek. Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park, California. |
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| 2006. The scene at Redwood Creek, Prairie Creek Redwoods, state Park. California. |
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| 2006. Becca and Karen exploring the Sumeg Village at Patrick's Point State Park, California. |
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| 2006. Patrick's Point State Park, California. |
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| 2006. Andrea, Becca, Dustin, Mary. In Dustin's office. Humboldt State University. Arcata, California. |
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| 2006. Becca, Lady Bird Johnson Grove, Redwood National Park, California. |
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| 2006. Big Tree. Prairie Creek State Park. California. |
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| 2006. Mary, Karen, Becca, Andrea, Battery Point Lighthouse. Crescent City, California. |
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| 2006. Becca and Karen rock scrambling near Crescent City, California. |
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| 2006. Karen on Mill Creek Trail. Jedidiah Smith Redwoods State Park, California. |
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| 2006. Oregon Caves National Monument, Oregon. |
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2006. Becca & Karen in an Emigrant wagon. End of the Applegate Trail
near Grave Creek Covered Bridge, Sunny Valley, Oregon. |
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| 2006. Becca & Karen at End of the Oregon Trail Interpretative Center, Oregon City, Oregon. |
