Priceless Once in a Lifetime RV Adventures

One thing for sure is that we have adventures that we would have never had if we stayed in a regular stick and brick home. We visit places in the RV that we probably would have not visited if we were on a regular one week style trip. Here are some of our more memorable adventures.

KEY WEST,FL. On our way to Key West we stopped at Bahia Honda State Park and got the opportunity to snorkeling and participate in the mini lobster season. I got to be the boat Capt. and Kathy got to help measure the lobster to verify they were of legal size. Along with our friends, Tim and Judy we caught 48 lobster! The boat belonged to Mario and Luis who were kind enough to take us all with them.

While enjoying the snorkeling experience, this reef shark swam below us, Talk about getting your attention!

We were volunteers/workampers at Ft. Zachary Taylor State Park and one night some illegal Cubans came ashore at the park. They were apprehended and shipped off to Miami for documenting, which is exactly what they wanted to happen. Now we get to haul off their rickety boat that surprisingly survived the journey from Cuba. Strangely, we discovered a large amount of condoms on the ground in the park. Not sure why, or what they were used for, but we really don't believe they had some big beach orgy to celebrate their arrival to America. We learned that if Cubans reach land, they get to stay, unlike Mexicans or others who can be deported.

PANAMA CITY,FL

While volunteering at St. Andrews State Park in Panama City, FL we got to witness and assist in a turtle hatching on the beach. Now that was such a special experience! We hatched 125 babies that night. Aren't they so cute?

CANON CITY,CO. While we were working at Mountain View RV Resort in Canon City, Co we had the opportunity to visit the Rock Mountain Wolf Preserve in Guffey. Wow, what a hair raising experience getting into cages with real live wolves! Volunteers or interns gave us the free tour, it is a great experience and they do appreciate a donation to help them run this facility.

This little hummingbird was found on the ground exhausted and couldn't fly. Now I am not a veterinarian but we happened to have a hummingbird feeder, so we held it to the feeding tube and it started feeding. After about ten minutes the little bird started to move again and then flew away. It was such a wonderful experience to help the little bird.We put out new hummingbird feeders and really enjoyed our daily visits. I wish I could be 100% certain this same bird kept returning, but I am not. This also occurred in Canon City, Co.

BRAZOS BEND STATE PARK,TX

I will never forget finding this alligator that caught a large turtle for lunch while working the trails at Brazos Bend State Park in Texas. I felt bad for the turtle, but it made for a spectacular photo opportunity and it is the circle of life. Those orange balls are eggs from the female.

We also found a snake that caught a frog for lunch...yummy!

Even in the civilized world of fancy RV resorts, the circle of life goes on. This hawk caught and killed this dove for dinner. The kill took place on a guest's patio. I also saw hawk's snatch a dove off of a overhead power line, it was amazing how fast that occurs.

One of the most beautiful places we have visited is Glacier National Park, Mt. There you can see all types of beautiful animals including big horn sheep and mountain goats,etc. 

This cool guy seemed to just stop and pose for us.

Wolf Kisses - Rocky Mountain Wildlife Foundation, Guffey, CO

Another early day of fun with Tom and Mary Ann! We rode up to Guffey, CO with them at 8:00 am, and those you you that know me know I don't do mornings :-)  We met a couple of interns, Mandy and Sandrine, from Rocky Mountain Wildlife Foundation at Rita's Cafe in Guffey, CO. They had a presentation about the history of the Foundation while we ate a wonderful breakfast. We then followed them a couple of miles to the sanctuary to meet the wolves and wolfdogs.
What a wonderful experience!! It is a wolf and wolfdog rescue sanctuary I highly recommend a visit if you are ever in the area. They require visits by appointment only and it is free admission (they gladly accept donations). You get up close to most of the wolves and wolfdogs, even getting licks from them and then they want a belly rub. It is very sad that several of these came from an abuse home but Mark Johnson rescued them and bringing them back to health, both phyically and mentally. It was also interesting to learn about "imprinting". Two of the four wolves that were in a litter were removed from their mother before they opened their eyes so that the first thing they would see would be a human. This makes them be able to interact with us without fear. The 2 that imprinted with their mother are very nervous around humans, not knowing how to respond. 
This is definitely something to put on your bucket list!

Kathy getting kisses from "Momma" an abused wolfdog

Bruce getting accepted by Momma

They love to be loved on.

 

A wolfdog with one blue and one amber eye

Lakota is a little standoffish but beautiful

Tom and Mary Ann with Lakota

Lakota letting me know I'm accepted by her

The black wolf was imprinted with her mom so she just watches

Chowing down on a 40 lb chunky of horse meat

I think this is Apache, but she loves her belly rubbed.

The 2 wonderful interns, Brandy (from New Jersey) and Sandrine (from France). 

Florence, CO and Bishop's Castle

Fun, Fun day with our friends, Tom and Mary Ann! We started our day at 8:00 am with breakfast at Big Daddy's Diner in Canon City, CO. This is our 3rd time there to eat and great food and service! From there we drove to Florence, CO for the opening day of their Farmer's Market. We did buy some nice looking tomatoes and got to meet this beauties!

   

Rocky Mountain Wildlife Foundation  had brought a couple of their wolves, Apache and Cherokee, to demonstrate that they can be tame if they do not imprint with their mother. This occurs by them not seeing their mother the first thing upon opening their eyes. It was very interesting and they have a sanctuary in Guffey, CO that I hope we can go visit. These are pictures of them that I borrowed from their website.

We strolled through all the antique shops in Florence and went to the ACE Hardware just to use their restrooms. We all ended up buying a couple of outdoor rocking chairs that were so comfortable and collapsible for easy travel. They made us one heck of a deal. Guess that will teach that antique store to not let me use her bathroom. LOL.
Our next stop was lunch at Maverick's in Silver Cliff, CO. Food was just as good as the first time but the serve was not. That was too bad since our first time there we had such a personable waiter. They do have a very interesting hamburger bun that we never seen before - a Pretzel Bun. It is a good place to eat, just do not be in a hurry!
We then drove over to Bishop's Castle. A very scenic drive but don't rush on the road! There were 3 cows walking out in the road and it is a very curvy road! Bishop's Castle is very hard to describe and I highly recommend if you are ever in the area just go see if for yourself. The story that I was told was that this guy, Jim Bishop, decided to build with rock that had fallen along the sides of the roads but that once the State of Colorado found out he was taking rock from the right of ways he was told to stop. He didn't like this so the battle began. He has built a "Castle" of rock and it is impressive yet a bit scary too. The walkways are welded metal grates that are a bit shaky in some places. One of the railings was missing so a wooden ladder was strapped in it's place. There are beautiful stained glass windows and impressive sky lights. Jim Bishop was there working on a new project, not sure what it is but my guess is that it was a moat. Will be interesting to see what it ends up being.

Bishop's Castle

His Proclamation

Steep, skinny steps!

Beautiful windows!

 

Interesting architecture throughout the castle

After we got back to the RV park, we grilled some steaks, had salad and a potato salad (which was very good Mary Ann!). I think I'll have to fast tomorrow, we ate so much today!  A few games of Corn Hole to round out a great day.

Mary Ann beating Kathy at a game of Corn Hole.