Fog & Foliage: A Long Weekend in Bar Harbor, Maine

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Mid October, the Wagner siblings were blessed with an amazing opportunity to visit family and explore everything that Bar Harbor, Maine has to offer in its most colorful season. Our delight with the effervescent landscape began as peeks from the airplane window revealed rolling hills covered with hues of vibrant reds, yellow, and orange. The scenic drive down Route 3 from the airport in Bangor, ME into Bar Harbor confirmed that our aerial views were even better up close.

Our gracious hosts greeted and toured us around their beautiful Victorian home adoringly named “Woodbine” after the ivy that adorns pieces of the exterior. Woodbine’s ideal location steps from downtown and the Ocean made these walks a frequent outing of choice. One nearby attraction we especially enjoyed was going to see the Bar Harbor land bridge at high and low tide. At low tide, the seas part and a land bridge emerges that beckons pedestrians across to Bar Island. Along the way we enjoyed observing crabs, starfish, and shells exposed on the previously water covered rocks. A short hike to a look out point on Bar Island rewarded with panoramic views of Bar Harbor.

Another outing we enjoyed was an evening aboard the Acadian – a wildlife viewing cruise around the Bar Harbor bay. This off shore perspective allowed us to see the Porcupine Islands, many magnificent homes and wonderful scenery in pieces of Acadia National Park. The wildlife aspect also did not disappoint – we spotted porpoises, seals, deer, lobster traps and eagles along the way.

After being out and about in the brisk, Autumn weather, our evenings were spent sharing stories and memories on the cozy front porch at Woodbine. Refreshments and conversation flowed easily as we recounted the day’s adventures and prepared for our decadent dinners together. Although each meal that Uncle Wil cooked was superb, the Lobster experience was so lively and full of laughter that it sticks out as an easy favorite. The Blueberry cobbler he prepared the following evening truly deserves a blog post of its own. Needless to say, we did not go hungry. Each meal left us with full bellies and even fuller hearts.

Amazing Acadia was one of our biggest adventures and we spent a full day exploring this centennial National Park by car, foot, and (attempted) flight. The overcast day gave us a unique perspective on the landscape as mist adjusted visibility based on time of day and elevation. Our summit to Cadillac Mountain corresponded with a fog so thick we had to pay close attention to our foot paths and a blustery wind that whipped across the brush covered boulders. Overall, it was a wonderful encapsulation of coastal Maine. Until next time, Bar Harbor.

Wisconsin takes on the Wild West

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During the last few weeks we’ve had the joy of having some of our favorite Sconnies join in on our western adventure.

In July, we met Beth in Cheyenne, Wyoming where we celebrated 125 years of the “Daddy Of Them All” – Cheyenne Frontier Days. This multi-day rodeo/concert/best of the west festival wowed and delighted us. We belted “Friends in Low Places” while stomping our boots in the Cheyenne dirt mere feet from Garth Brooks himself. We sat front row above some of the rodeo world’s gnarliest bulls and watched in awe as each event unfolded. We slept in tents in a makeshift campsite and showered with a garden hose. We collectively spent more time traveling than at the actual event. We would, without a doubt, do it over again. In the words of a country legend: should’ve been a Cowboy.

  • 20 years ago in Cheyenne!

The weekend following Cheyenne, we had the opportunity to host Kevin in Boise! By UTV, scooter, and foot we traversed the greater Boise area to squeeze every last drop out of what southwestern Idaho had to offer in just two days. A highlight was getting to meet up with one of Kevin’s friends for a UTV ride in the Sawtooth Mountains. The misty mountain air brought relief from the Boise heat, extreme adventure and endless memories.

August kicked off with another Beth adventure – this time in Boise! Not one to be outdone by Kevin’s mileage we also kicked the itinerary into high gear and spent her four day trip covering some serious ground. A few hour trek to Stanley included soaking in Kirkham hot springs, hiking the Sawtooths, and stargazing as we camped fireside in the Idaho wilderness. We faced our collective mild fear of heights with a ziplining experience and then closed out the weekend by eating and drinking our way around downtown, the greenbelt, and Hyde park. Low on sleep and high on fun, we truly had the best time soaking it all in.

Thanks to our amazing visitors and adventure buddies, these last few weeks out west have truly been some of the best! We are so thankful for the memories and so excited to be back in the Midwest with everyone soon!

Wine Safari at Zoo Boise

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A delightful evening discovering a bit of behind the scenes at Zoo Boise while sampling wine and snacks from around the world. The wine was lovely and accentuated nicely by our animal encounter with a pair of spunky giraffes. Paired well with good company and a toasty Boise evening.

Whitewater, Wilderness and Other Idaho Wonders

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With only one month remaining of our Idaho Adventure, we have compiled a list of our top 30 delights and highlights. Here’s what has made our time in the gem state extra special so far:

  1. Unexpectedly getting to live in the heart of downtown Boise – leading to easy exploration right from our front door.
  2. Learning how to survive and thrive through six weeks of hotel living
  3. Hot hotel breakfast (if anyone has a lead on Hilton’s secret sausage gravy recipe send it our way)
  4. Basque Block and cuisine – croquettes and sangria slushees always hit the spot
  5. Stanley Road Trip
  6. Camping
  7. The opportunity to spruce up our camping kit with a fancy new camp stove that can have hot coffee ready in under five minutes (anyone interacting with Al in the morning is rejoicing over this technological advancement)
  8. Paddleboarding at Lucky Peak State Park
  9. Weekend visits from some of our favorites
  10. Floating the Boise River
  11. Dog Island
  12. Trying our hand at Bar Trivia (Go Team Cheeseheads!) and realizing we’re much better suited sticking to the beer drinking aspects of bar going
  13. Idaho Wine Trail
  14. Mad Swede meatballs
  15. Sunday Morning hikes in the hills
  16. The Twilight Criterium Bike Race: an exciting and intense sunset bike race around the Idaho State Capitol
  17. Boise Hawks Game – Al caught a foul ball!
  18. Potato races at aforementioned ball game
  19. Adding to our “Ways we have eaten potatoes in Idaho” list: chips, fries, tots, smashed, beer – it really is a versatile little veggie
  20. The Greenbelt
  21. Hot Springs
  22. Blissfully cool mornings after weeks of 100+ degrees
  23. The opportunity to travel home for a fun and family filled Fourth of July
  24. Moving into our airbnb with yard space and more than one room (plus two bathrooms! We’re living like kings over here)
  25. Exploring Hyde Park
  26. Mike finally finding a bar that sells Busch Lite
  27. Whitewater rafting the South Fork of the Payette River: Class III/IV rapids, an impromptu mid river cliff jump, and one unexpected swim
  28. Redfish Lake Lodge
  29. Mountains
  30. Never-ending adventure

Sawtooth Stunners: Camping & Hiking in Stanley, Idaho

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For everything we had dreamed of when imagining our summer out west, Stanley, Idaho delivered ten fold. With breathtaking panoramic views of the sprawling Sawtooth Mountain Range, crystal clear lakes, scattered hot springs, and more hiking than one’s two feet could allow you to explore, this idyllic map dot stole our hearts. Our trusty adventure dog in tow, we weren’t able to participate in some of Stanley’s other offerings such as whitewater rafting, horseback riding, or fly fishing on this trip but we left with plenty of recommendations for our next go round. Thankfully, all of the trails and campgrounds in this area were dog friendly and even the boat shuttle that we needed to reach our first trail head welcomed Daisy on board free of charge.

Still regarded as one of Idahoan’s best kept secrets, it seems that someone has spilled the beans on Stanley’s charm (and boy, are we thankful they did). But for those of us that plan a trip on the more last-minute side, finding accommodations during the peak season can be tough. On a Thursday afternoon, we passed many a “full campground” sign before finding a single spot remaining at our new weekend oasis: Sunny Gulch Campground. Camp was set to the sound of the Salmon River babbling behind us and the sight of the Sawtooth’s looming above. Then it was a ten minute drive up the road to Redfish Lake Lodge where a scouting mission for the next day’s hike turned into an evening of laughter with new friends on the lodge’s veranda, overlooking a picturesque lake and mountain vista.

The following morning began with the ceremonial creaking and groaning associated with sleeping on the ground after you’ve begun greying and was quickly cured by crisp mountain air and piping hot instant coffee. We returned to Redfish Lake where we hopped aboard a skiff and were ferried across the lake to the Redfish Inlet and subsequently, the trailhead for our daily hike. This 14 mile hike brought us past rushing waterfalls and open meadows. It included steep elevation gains that rewarded immensely with stunning views. The sweet smell of wildflowers would waft by with each refreshing breeze. At one point, a makeshift river crossing required Mike to make a heroic water rescue of Daisy after we misjudged her size against the current. Thankfully, both made it shore side unscathed (although, Mike’s phone did not fair as well). Adrenaline pumping with renewed respect for the river, we continued on and were even more thankful to reach our peak destination at Alpine Lake. There, we took a moment to relax at 8,500 feet; our traditional peanut-butter-sandwich+whiskey backpacking provisions made a perfect picnic as we soaked in the pristine lake and snowcap views. After a quick dip in the icy cold snow melt-off, we descended and returned to camp to cook fireside and unwind under the stars.

  • Ferry from Redfish Lake Lodge ($19/pp, dogs ride for free!)
  • Amazingly clear water – could spot fish a few feet down
  • Lily Pond
  • The River meeting Redfish Lake
  • Post water rescue kisses – so thankful
  • Taking a swim in *freezing cold* Alpine Lake

Our second hike of the weekend began in Iron Creek Campground, a destination found at the end of a dirt road a few miles outside of Stanley. This treck was a bit more mild than the day before with a relatively moderate terrain and clocking in at just over ten miles. The views and destination were nothing short of amazing however, and we enjoyed another mountain top picnic at Sawtooth Lake where mounds of ever-present snow cooled and refreshed us as we relaxed against sun drenched rocks. Daisy was disappointed by the lack of swimming access at this destination but we made up for it with a nice river soak on the way down. For the human hikers tired legs, a soak in boat box hot springs later that night was just what the wilderness ordered.

  • Catching a peek of another lake a few miles from the top
  • Our trusty hiking lunch tradition

Weekend R&R

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We enjoyed this past weekend with a little R&R in the form of Rodeos and Raffles. Friday night we drove a few miles out of Boise to enjoy the Eagle Rodeo. Tucked into the hills in an unassuming location along the highway, the arena came alive with rodeo fans and festivities. The sun setting behind the rolling foothills made a perfect backdrop for a fun filled evening.

Saturday morning we headed west the the town of Nampa where the annual Idaho Wild Sheep Foundation banquet was taking place. Minimal mutton knowledge aside, we were thrilled to have the opportunity to be invited by a family friend – and who can turn down the opportunity of a great raffle? The event was held outside at the Ford Idaho Center Amphitheater and had nearly 600 people in attendance. We had a great time getting to learn about the conservation and stewardship of wild sheep and listen to hunting stories from all around the world. Al played a strong game in the silent auction but ultimately lost out on the ram’s head carving she was pining after. The raffle gave us a touch more luck and we ended up walking away with a survival knife fit for a jungle safari and much greater appreciation for Idaho’s wild sheep.

Pine Flat Hot Springs

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With a few free days to play with, we decided to take the plunge into our first hot springs experience. Coming off of a holiday weekend, we weren’t sure how crowded campgrounds would be and decided to shoot for a destination with plenty of options. About ninety minutes north, a stretch of river boasting a number of hot springs and campsites fit the bill so we loaded up the truck and set out. Luckily, the majority of holiday weekend traffic had already headed home and we arrived at our top pick destination (Pine Flats Campground) to find plenty of open space and spectacular views.

Our campsite was shady and flat, boasting a nice firepit area and the refreshing sights and sounds of the Payette River gurgling just a few yards away. The trail to the hot springs was located at the edge of the campground and required a bit of climbing and coordination but the end result was completely worth it. Tucked into the bluff along the rivers edge, a cascading waterfall fills picturesque rock lined pools with delightfully warm and crystal clear hot spring water. We enjoyed trying out a few different pools and then settled into one to relax and watch the sky turn from daylight to dusk to a spectacular smattering of stars. As night came, the steam rising from the springs grew with the dropping temperatures and created a beautiful misty fog. The roar of the waterfalls hitting each pool coupled with the rushing river below became a symphony that surrounded us as we submerged into the hot spring water and marveled at all nature had to offer.

Week One: Outdoor Exploration

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After a slightly hectic and somewhat stressful first week of housing issues and assimilating to new work life, the wide open spaces of natural Idaho were a welcome place to decompress. Our first exploration into the foothills surrounding Boise required only a 15 minute drive to find a plethora of winding trails and scenic views. It is an incredible resource to have so close to the metropolitan area and we enjoyed being able to feel totally engulfed in nature just a few miles from our downtown hotel.

As the week heated up, we ventured about twenty minutes outside of town for a beach recommendation at Lucky Peak State Park. With Daisy riding shotgun, the realization that dogs were not allowed at the beach was at first disappointing but prompted us to discover an amazing mountain top lake area with plenty of off leash roaming space. We enjoyed a day of sunshine, views, and plenty of swimming.

Boise or Bust

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After a refreshing, fun and family filled few weeks home in Wisconsin, we set out to our new destination: Boise, Idaho. The 25 hour drive was broken up over three days and included pit stops in Deadwood, South Dakota and Big Sky, Montana as well as a last minute detour to see a small piece of Yellowstone National park. We experienced temperatures ranging from 72 degrees leaving Wisconsin to 23 degrees and a surprise foot of heavy snow in Montana. Boise welcomed us Saturday with mild weather and panoramic mountain views. Our first days have been spent stretching our legs with many walks around the new neighborhood, getting prepared for the work week ahead, and eating potatoes (of course).

We can’t wait to see what Boise has to offer!