All Posts – Page 3 – Pick-up and a Pop-up

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Posted on June 26, 2023June 26, 2023 by Matt Oliver

Blog Post: Eli

After West Virginia, we stopped in Indiana to see some friends of my Uncles. Kathy, Jim, Phil and Jen were great hosts with beautiful homes right on Grandview Lake. We were able to jet ski, have a night ride on their boat, and sit in their lakeside hot tub! We had a nice night and were thankful for their hospitality. The next day we made our way to my Auntie Kat and Steve’s house in Missouri. After meeting their new dog Ozzie, we had a Kansas City BBQ for dinner. My dad took my Uncle Bubba to the airport the next morning and we drove a few hours to get to a stop over campsite in Kansas.

The next day, we arrived at Great Sand Dunes National Park and were early enough to rent a sled and two sandboards. I feel like I am on Tatooine when I’m at Great Sand Dunes, and I was excited for my cousin Josh to experience this other world. Once we set the trailer up, we made our way across the river to the dunes. This was my third time to the dunes, and I was eager to start sand boarding. Josh caught onto sand boarding quickly and after a few runs on the small hills, we started riding bigger ones. It was extremely fun and riding down the dunes was a blast. That night, we celebrated my Mom’s birthday with a big spaghetti dinner, salad, garlic toast and ice cream cookie sandwiches (her favorite).

On the second day, Josh and I headed out to sandboard in the morning. As the day went on, the wind picked up, so we headed back to camp. My parents hiked to Zapata Falls while Josh and I chilled out. That evening, my Dad and I went out and boarded together. Early the third morning, my Dad and I went out for some last runs. I was able to conquer Suicide Hill which is an extremely steep hill that had given me trouble in the past. We were happy that no one got hurt while we were sandboarding. The towering snow-covered mountaintops around us really made us feel small. Overall, it was an extremely fun experience for the entire family.

We made it to Great Sand Dunes National Park

Josh and Eli on the boat

Matt catches a fish in Grandview Lake

Eli and Josh get ready to head to the dunes

Eli sandboarding

Matt gets ready to sled down the dune

Josh sandboarding!

Eli sandboarding

Eli watching the sunset

Korin hiking to Zapata Falls

Matt and Korin hiking to Zapata Falls

Zapata Falls

Circleville, West Virginia: VIA FERRATA

Posted on June 20, 2023June 20, 2023 by Matt Oliver

Blog Post by: Josh and Eli

What you’re about to read about may be shocking, disturbing, and mildly annoying. The case files of the Via Ferrata have been a closely guarded secret until now. Reserved for only the most bloodthirsty of parents determined to kill their teens, their names: Teenager Terminators. These are their stories.

*Dun Dun*

*Switches to Josh: We wake up in the morning groggy but alive. We started our drive scared and wondering if we would make it back alive or in boxes. We were scared for our eventual death or injury.

*Switches to Eli: As the van doors open, Josh and I are thrown out and our blind folds are taken off. We’re forced to walk on the trail in the Appalachian Mountains, and we approach the two granite fins, that have claimed countless teenage lives. Josh exclaims, “No wonder we were brought here. I knew they were tired of us. Nefarious scally-wags.”

*Switches to Josh: We set off climbing straight up the trail, like sheep brought to the slaughter. We did not know when they would unclip us and push us down to our inevitable deaths. We come around the first turn and look down at the countless memorials of the fallen teens. Teen screams still echo throughout the canyon.

*Switches to Eli: “No wonder they brought us here, it’s where they could dispose bodies without getting noticed! There are countless memorials that no one could ever keep track of!” This couldn’t be happening. We thought this place was based on ghost stories we heard as kids. I look back at Josh and his face looks like a ghost. We had to find a way out and fast. But how? I quickly survey the area looking for anyway to escape, but then, “JOSH! We have to make it to the bridge!” We both nod as we frantically scramble for the bridge trying to get to the other side of the canyon.

*Switches to Josh: “Run before they get us!” We both start running fast, trying not to fall down the twelve hundred foot drop.

*Switches to Eli: The bridge starts to sway, and rock as we sprint across. The creaks echo through the canyon. Uncle Bubba had gained on us and was eager to cut the bridge ropes. We were going to have to jump for the edge. As we jump, I fall short, but Josh grabs my hand, and pulls me up. We had escaped, but now we had to survive the rest of Via Ferrata. “Let’s get this done.” Josh announces. We start to navigate the deteriorated trail as we come to grips that our own fathers were trying to kill us on Father’s Day. Hiking on the side of the mountain, I get sewing machine leg and my hands start to slip as I look down. Every step I take, the world seems to collapse around me. The creaking rungs and mind-numbing drops produces adrenaline that I can feel coursing through my veins. Each rung is a battle to hang on to. Through jagged rocks and cliffs, we press on. As we climb up, we see an opening. We pull ourselves up the final rung and both collapse next to each other. We were at the top. We had escaped the Via Ferrata and our fathers. Legend still has it that Teenage Terminators are still there today.

All in all the Via Ferrata although fun was an adrenaline inducing adventure that brought all of us to our limits. Overall, we would rate this adventure a 9/10 skulls, perfect for murdering your young teenagers.

Special Thanks to Michael Bay for making this movie-blog thingy a possibility.

The NRocks Via Ferrata Adventure begins!

Matt enjoys his Father’s Day ice cream cookie sandwich

Start of Summer 2023

Posted on June 19, 2023June 20, 2023 by Matt Oliver

When we began planning the trip back in November, we weren’t exactly sure what it would look like. Once we realized that Samantha wouldn’t be camping with us this summer, we prepped for my brother-in-law and nephew to join us during the first leg. We will miss Samantha, but she is doing amazing things as she landed a fantastic neuroscience internship at the University of Alabama.
We picked up Jon and Josh in DC at the start of the trip. They had flown in the night before and spent the morning seeing several DC sights. We made our way to the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia. The Seneca Shadows campground had nice sites close to the Via Ferrata hike. The hike boasted rugged cliffs and steep terrain, which required us to be secured to a fixed cable. The hike perfectly blended excitement and natural beauty, making it an unforgettable adventure. Stay tuned to hear all about it!

Summer adventure begins!

Seneca Shadows Campground

Home!

Posted on August 6, 2022August 8, 2022 by Matt Oliver

After 44 nights camping this summer, we are back in our home state of Delaware. Like many trips, the end of this one is bittersweet especially as Samantha will be moving to college in just a few days. We are very thankful that we had no injuries, no significant sicknesses, and safe travels. This year we were blessed to see our parents, sister Kathleen and brother-in-law Steve, Bill and Donna, and Uncle Dan and Aunt Heidi. We hiked 116 miles! We drove 7,895 miles which included 17 states. We visited 2 National Forests, 1 State Park, 1 National Monument, 2 National Landmarks and 7 National Parks. As a family, we have now visited 50 of the 63 national parks. In addition, Matt and I have now been in all 50 states!

Let us know what your favorite places are and maybe we will visit them next summer!

VIDEO BELOW

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve

Posted on August 5, 2022August 6, 2022 by Matt Oliver

New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is in the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia. It was established as a National River in 1978 and became a National Park in 2020. Despite the name, the New River is one of the oldest rivers on the continent. The national park protects 53 miles of the New River and over 70,000 acres of the gorge that the river created. The New River Gorge is home to some of the country’s best white-water rafting. I wanted to stop at the park on our way home last year, but we just couldn’t make it work. So this year, we made sure it was on the itinerary!

When we researched the park, we realized that there were no campgrounds within the park boundaries. We decided to reserve a campsite at Adventures on the Gorge which is a resort and outfitter company that offers all sorts of accommodations including cabins, campsites, glamping, and houses as well as many different types of activities. We were supposed to arrive at the resort on the 2^nd of August but were delayed a night due to some truck issues. Long story short, we pulled into a KOA around 11:30pm on the 2^nd and got up very early the 3^rd to make our white-water rafting trip. Upon arrival, we were all very tired but excited to get on the river. We got our gear, safety orientation, and headed for the bus to take us upstream for a full day on the river. It was a hot day, and the river water was a refreshing temperature. After the first set of rapids, we were all awake, wet, and full of anticipation for what was to come. Matt and Eli even were brave enough to do some “swimming rapids”! Between rapids, our guide told us all about the history of the gorge and the people who worked in the coal mines along the river. After lunch we were allowed to jump in and float down the river and later, we climbed up to a rock and jumped in. The last few rapids were class V and quite intense, but we made it through without anyone falling out of the boat. To top off the amazing day, we jumped out of the boat and floated downstream under the New River Bridge! We all agreed that rafting was a fabulous way to see New River National Park! That night we were all beat and were in bed by 9pm.

The morning of the 4^th, Matt and Eli headed out for a fish float trip at 7am. The fishing ended up being so-so as they only caught eight fish. Samantha and I headed to the resort pool to lounge the day away. The boys joined us after lunch and into the afternoon. That night, we celebrated Eli’s 14^th birthday with hamburgers and dairy free ice cream. We capped the night off with the MoonTrek Adventure which was an obstacle course challenge with the magic of a moonlit forest night. There were several courses in the tree canopy that included bridges, nets and ziplines. Our family had a blast navigating through the obstacles!

We didn’t have time to do and see everything New River National Park and Preserve has to offer but we had a great time while we were there. We will be back to do more rafting and ziplining!

Matt and Korin in front of the New River Bridge

Kansas City, Missouri

Posted on August 5, 2022August 6, 2022 by Matt Oliver

After leaving the mountains, we had a very long drive and arrived at Kathleen and Steve’s house in Kansas City after dinner. My parents were already there! We sat on the porch that night catching up all the while missing my oldest sister Kristin and her family. The next morning, Matt, Samantha, Eli, and my parents headed to the World War 1 museum. Matt and Eli had visited last year but wanted to go back to go experience the virtual reality program that put you on the western front in the trenches. The experience was realistic, eye opening, and haunting. Overall, the museum was informative and gave them the opportunity to understand that time period and the realities of war. That night, we were spoiled by Steve who smoked two racks of ribs for us all to enjoy!

The following day, we ran some needed errands including groceries and had the truck serviced. We also spent time with Grandma and Papa playing cards and talking. That evening, we headed to Steve’s parents’ house for tacos. They were fabulous hosts, and everyone enjoyed the tacos. Our time together was short but I’m so glad we were able to spend a few more days with my family!

Our “campsite” at Kathleen and Steve’s house. See my parents motorhome in the back?

Great Sand Dunes National Park

Posted on August 2, 2022 by Matt Oliver

A few days ago we arrived at Great Sand Dunes National Park. Once we set up at the campsite, we rested after the grueling 9-hour drive. The next morning we rented some sand boards and toboggans to ride the dunes. We decided to start by going down small dunes AKA: bunny hills. All of us rode down the hills to get the hang of it. Dad and I visited last year so we had an idea of what we needed to do. Later, I took the toboggan up to a more steep area I named Suicide Hill. We spent some time going down the hills but had to head back to the trailer because of lightening. That afternoon we went to the Visitor’s Center to check it out.

The next day we decided to move up to Cardigan Tunnel which is an extremely long and steep run down a huge sand dune. We took turns going down and soon it was Sam’s turn to go. She bent down, started sliding and flew down the mountain passing me with tremendous speed. All the sudden she caught a corner and epic proportions of sand were kicked up into the air. The sand cleared and we saw that she had slid and fell before coming to complete stop. She was on her stomach, but ok. Soon after, we saw rain coming, so we decided to head for the trailer. We spent the rest of the day in the trailer napping, playing cards and hanging out.

On the third day, me and my dad decided to sand board from the top of the dunes. Once we hiked to the top, we could see the entire other side of the dunes! It is as if an alien world had opened consisting of sand dunes, an unnatural landscape. We decided to go down the tallest and steepest mountain in the park called Reapers Cliff. My dad went first. He thought it was super-fast and fun and slightly dangerous. It was my turn next. As I went down on the toboggan, I felt myself speeding up rapidly…10mph, 15mph, 25mph, 30, 35! I felt my eyes dry up from the amount of wind blowing on me and my hair was blowing backwards! I started to feel myself start to faint as I tried to convince myself I couldn’t possibly be moving this fast. My hands dug into sand behind me in order to balance myself. I knew that if I lost my balance the next thing I’d see would be the inside of a hospital room. After a long haul, I reached the bottom and tried to catch my breath. A few seconds later, I found myself back in the alien dune world. I sat there on the toboggan at the bottom of the hill for a while after that contemplating my life. Soon, while still on the highest dune in the park, a massive thunderstorm moved in. It was bad. My dad and I sand boarded down the mountain carving the sand dunes and trying to race the storm. We made our way down the hills and started sprinting to our campsite. The rain was pouring on us and we were completely soaked! We jumped into the truck, and we were safe. Right away, we drove to return the sand boards. What a day!

THE RESULTS ARE IN, AND GREAT SAND DUNES SCORED A 9.5/10 AND THE FIRST EVER “S” TIER RANKING FOR Simply the Best.

Korin walking on the dunes before the storm

Maroon Bells, Colorado

Posted on August 1, 2022August 1, 2022 by Matt Oliver

We left the Grand Tetons and headed toward Silver Queen Campground near the Maroon Bells. The Maroon Bells are said to be the most photographed mountains in Colorado, so we wanted to check them out, do a few hikes, and maybe visit to the nearby town of Aspen.

The shortest (and fastest according to Google Maps) route to Maroon Bells was south toward Rock Springs, catching WY430 to cross into NW Colorado. WY430 was a beautiful drive, but as we proceeded we could see that we would be driving through some rain. The rain turned to a downpour, and we were starting to see signs of flash flooding all around. As we rounded a bend the oncoming lane looked like a river rapid! We avoided the mess and made it to the top of the grade. Just then, we watched lightning strike a nearby bush, exploding it to bits, leaving nothing but a smoke cloud. As we neared the Colorado border, the road surface seemed to change….it was a dirt road! Yes, the nicely paved highway abruptly ended and we were rolling on the wet, pink soil of Colorado. It was well graded, but it was a 22 mile slosh over wet dirt. We merged onto CO318 (and blessed pavement again) only to be greeted by thousands of locusts crossing the highway. We were driving through Exodus!

By the time we reached the Maroon Bells, our trailer was also maroon from the mud. We arrived in the evening, and squeezed our magenta rig into a very tiny site and went to bed. The next day, Korin wasn’t feeling so great (some kind of allergy) so I made my way to Aspen and wow…I didn’t expect the amount of money in that town. It was like being at a Range Rover/G-Wagon convention. Not surprisingly, it was easy to find a bakery that made excellent vegan/dairy free pastries and served them with a smile! They were a bit on the pricey side, but they were worth it! Eli was totally pumped to have pastries for breakfast. As we waited for allergy medicine to kick in, we took another ride into Aspen to grab a burger at CP burgers. Again, excellent food, but at Aspen prices. We took a ride over to Snowmass to wait out the thunderstorms. Eli and I found a ping-pong table and had an epic game.

The next day we were all feeling much better, and we headed for the Maroon Bells, dual 14,000 foot peaks made out of Maroon Formation mudstone. The rock is very unstable, and difficult to climb because it breaks apart so easily. We decided to hike on the valley floor toward Crater Lake. It was beautiful, but crowded. We ended the day by splitting up. The girls went back to Aspen to do some window shopping, and Eli and I went to Snowmass. Snowmass is one of the largest ski areas in the United States, but we were there for summer activities. We decided to check out the Alpine Coaster. It was pretty cool! We enjoyed sliding at 28 mph down the coaster. After that, we took the chairlift to the summit, and we got another great view of the Maroon Bells! We ended the day together back at Maroon Lake. It was a gorgeous evening! We even got to see two beavers working the edges of the lake and diving in and out of their den. They were so cool!

Maroon Creek was in the back of our campsite at Silver Queen.

I’m not sure what happened here, but we survived.

Eli beat me in our epic, 15 game ping pong tournament.

Samantha and Korin on their way to Crater Lake.

Crater Lake at the base of the cloudy Maroon Bells.

Eli getting ready for the Alpine Coaster!

This is what the coaster looks like when you are riding it.

Eli and I at Elk Camp Summit with Maroon Bells in the background.

Beaver heading to their den on Maroon Lake.

Grand Tetons National Park

Posted on July 30, 2022 by Matt Oliver

We were sad to leave Bill and Donna’s but excited to see Giga, Opa, Auntie Kat and Uncle Steve at our next stop, Grand Tetons National Park. We drove south and made a quick stop in Yellowstone National Park. Our last visit to Yellowstone was on our first cross country trip in 2016. Eli was only 6 and while we were at the very crowded Grand Prismatic Spring, someone bumped into him, and he almost fell off the boardwalk! I ended up holding his hand for the rest of the walk. This time, I didn’t need to hold Eli’s hand (since he is now bigger than I am), and it wasn’t as crowded but it was very windy.

We arrived at the Signal Mountain Campground on Jackson Lake just before dinner. The campsite was small and quite complicated to get into but, Matt did his magic, and before I knew it, we were in. Kathleen and Steve were already set up in their campsite and after eating camp spaghetti for dinner we sat around the campfire mapping out our day hikes and catching up.

The next morning Kathleen, Steve and our family drove to the String Lake Trailhead. We hiked next to String Lake, and then Leigh Lake followed by Bearpaw Lake and Trapper Lake. Once at Trapper Lake we ate lunch, soak our feet in the stream that was feeding the lake and the boys all caught fish! On the way back, we found a beautiful sandy cove along Leigh Lake to swim in. All the lakes were beautiful, and it was a wonderful to spend time together. When we got back to the campsite, we connected with Matt’s parents who were staying in a nearby cabin. That night we had campfire surrounded by family…what a blessing!

The following day Matt and Steve went fishing at Jenny Lake for most of the day. They did well catching large cruiser cut throats on flies. The Grandparents took Samantha and Eli to Coulter Bay to hike and explore. Then, they treated the kids to a nice lunch and dessert at the Signal Mountain Lodge followed by souvenirs from the gift shop. That night Uncle Steve made ribs for dinner with all the fixings, and we tried banana boat smores!

Early the next morning, Steve, Kathleen, and our family took the boat across Jenny Lake. From there, we hiked to Hidden Falls, Inspiration Point and then through Cascade Canyon. Along the trail, we were surprised by two large bull moose. We stayed out of their way but watched them as they ate and made their way along the trail. I am pretty sure this is the closest we have ever been to moose. All in all, it was a long 7-mile hike, but it was beautiful, and the weather was perfect. Matt and Steve stayed to fish along Jenny Lake while the rest of us took the boat back and went to the Visitor Center.

On our last morning at Grand Tetons, we all met at the Signal Mountain Lodge where Giga and Opa treated us to a huge breakfast. It was wonderful to enjoy coffee and food while looking out the window at an amazing view of the Grand Tetons. Steve, Kathleen, Matt, Eli and I took a drive towards the Moran entrance to the park where we visited the Cunningham Cabin Historic Site, John Moulton Barn and Mormon Row. We explored a little of the area and then headed back to String Lake for a swim. As people paddled by us in their kayaks and on their paddleboards, we guessed what state they were from. The water was cool, and the view was spectacular. Unfortunately, that night we had to say our goodbyes which is always difficult. We will see Kathleen and Steve again when we stop by their house on our way home, but it will be a while until we see Opa and Giga again. This stop was definitely extra special since we had the opportunity to spend time with family. We were SO GLAD they joined us on our 2022 trip!

Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park

Sheridan, MT, a little piece of heaven

Posted on July 28, 2022July 28, 2022 by Matt Oliver

We left Glacier National Park and headed south to see our good friends Bill Fraser and Donna Patterson-Fraser in Sheridan, MT. Bill and Donna live the quintessential Montana ranch life in the beautiful Ruby valley, surrounded by hay farming, cattle, moose, antelope, sand hill cranes, and arguably the best trout streams in the US. You know, paradise, but with mosquitos. We nestled out trailer next to their barn and were warmly greeted.

Bill and Donna run the non-profit Polar Oceans Research Group out of their house. For decades, they spent a good part of the year in Antarctica doing research on sea birds like penguins and giant petrels. You know, normal jobs. I first met Donna in 2011 on my first trip to Antarctica. She is a top notch ornithologist and tough-as-nails Antarctic researcher. She helped me tremendously my first season. I met Bill in person a few years later, and spent the 2015 and 2020 seasons with him at Palmer Station. He started going to Antarctica in 1974 and has an encyclopedic understanding of the polar system. You’ll be able to catch him in the Frozen Planet 2 documentary series coming out this Fall. I’ve continued to collaborate with both of them on Antarctic projects.

The first evening we treated to a tremendous dinner. Fresh roasted chicken! We heard the story of how they rescued their dog Frisky off the streets of Punta Arenas, Chile. They kept running into the same stray dog on their way through Chile. Apparently Frisky adopted them before they moved her to Montana. I would say it worked out pretty well for Frisky. The next day, we were treated to bear sausage and eggs with fresh chocolate scones. You read that right, Donna killed a bear turned it into sausage and then we ate it with scones. What kind of place is this?! I felt more manly just being in the presence of bear sausage. Later, Eli and I tried our luck on the upper Ruby River. Unfortunately, the fishing was tough because of very high wind conditions. But, we had a great time exploring, and seeing some submarine sized trout taunting us. That evening we were again treated to an amazing dinner. Antelope steaks, with mule deer chili. Seriously, how many game animals can we eat in 48 hours? They probably killed both with their bare hands. It was followed by fresh rhubarb crumble and cookies. All of it was dairy free, so Eli was in heaven.

As we were wined and dined Montana style, the name of our trailer came up. Most trailers you see on the road are called things like Puma, Cougar, Flex, Fuel, Torque. You get the picture. My trailer is called the Imagine. Seriously, what am I imagining? It doesn’t help that my last boat was called the Dolphin Sunset. Bill agreed that I needed to increase my manliness factor. Donna just rolled her eyes. Eli suggested that I hang truck nuts off the trailer bumper to indicate that I am the type of guy that will eat bear and antelope. Korin didn’t like the idea, so that settled it. Someday I hope to return to the Ruby valley with a better trailer name, and maybe to go on a hunt with Donna and Bill. Our kids loved their house, and now affectionally call their house the “meat house”. This part of Montana is truly awesome.