tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-75288079666122744132012-01-27T22:22:04.010-05:00The Grunwalds' adventures traveling and exploring the United States.Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.comBlogger3921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-6939611297115184482012-01-24T18:57:00.003-05:002012-01-24T19:04:50.754-05:00

It was a busy day today, and so I didn't have a whole lot of time for a real adventure. I did, however, take the time to explore the Carlsbad Cemetery a little bit. The goal of my exploration was to see the graves of a few local celebrities that played an important role in the development of my workplace: Carlsbad Caverns National Park. My first stop was a search for the grave of James Larkin

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3134441 -104.386766 32.5279031 -104.070909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-11853891572571529582012-01-23T22:04:00.001-05:002012-01-23T22:04:29.371-05:00

This morning at 7:45 Robby arrived at our house for our trip to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. After a stop to pick up Helen, we were on our way into Texas and the beckoning trails of GUMO. We arrived at the trailhead parking lot at about 9:00 and quickly hit the trail. It was an easy start to the hike, but things got a bit tougher as the trail steepened. After about 45 minutes on the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Van Horn Rural, TX 79847, USA31.9039118 -104.868812631.7960733 -105.0267411 32.0117503 -104.7108841tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-39253471128598255552012-01-18T21:07:00.000-05:002012-01-22T23:29:10.947-05:00

Today Noelle and I enjoyed another delicious breakfast. We then packed up and vacated our little room. We headed up Museum Hill. We got up there before the museums actually opened and so we killed some time with a visit to a nice little park.  There was a Santa Fe Trail interpretive sign, an interesting modern art sculpture,   and the Korean War Memorial. After we left the park we

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Santa Fe, NM, USA35.6869752 -105.93779935.583801199999996 -106.0957275 35.7901492 -105.7798705tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-76120319397167399802012-01-17T23:04:00.000-05:002012-01-22T23:04:40.070-05:00

Noelle and I awoke in our small hotel room and got ready for a day out on the town. The breakfast at The Inn on Paseo was excellent and gave us the fuel we would need for our day exploring the oldest capital city in the United States. We headed out walking to the Santa Fe Plaza. We walked around a bit and checked out the monuments that had been placed there commemorating the end of the Santa Fe

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Santa Fe, NM, USA35.6869752 -105.93779935.583801199999996 -106.0957275 35.7901492 -105.7798705tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-27402413817653599562012-01-16T22:23:00.000-05:002012-01-22T22:24:58.204-05:00

Last night after work Noelle and I packed up the car, dropped Parker off at our friends' house, and made the long, boring drive up highway 285. At Cline's Corners we got onto the interstate and headed for Albuquerque. We stayed at the Travelodge Midtown for the night. In the morning we woke up, ate the free breakfast and then headed north for Santa Fe. We drove in a mixture of rain, sleet and

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Santa Fe, NM, USA35.6869752 -105.93779935.583801199999996 -106.0957275 35.7901492 -105.7798705tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-12361821038052279782012-01-10T23:45:00.000-05:002012-01-10T23:45:02.040-05:00

Today Noelle, Kris, Kris' friend Mike, and I headed down into Texas to Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We had intended to attempt the hike up Guadalupe Peak, but when we got to the park we realized it was pretty windy and decided to hike to Devil's Hall instead. It was an easy hike, slightly uphill on the way to Devil's Hall. We passed an interesting madrone tree. In the shadiest

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0U.S. 180, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Van Horn Rural, TX 79847, USA31.914867503276223 -104.8332595825195331.887913503276224 -104.87274158251954 31.941821503276223 -104.79377758251952tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-64557319702412126032012-01-09T22:17:00.000-05:002012-01-10T10:28:12.012-05:00

Today Noelle and I took my brother Kris and his friend Mike to our workplace Carlsbad Caverns. I decided to try and take some photos. I used my Canon point and shoot on the low light setting along with my little Ultrapod tripod. I think the photos turned out pretty good considering it was my first attempt. Devil's Spring Devil's Easy Chair Witch's Fingers Green Lake Room Noelle

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad Caverns National Park, 3225 National Parks Hwy, Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.1777193 -104.442558331.9626873 -104.7584153 32.3927513 -104.12670130000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-70703389445465271952012-01-05T00:07:00.000-05:002012-01-05T00:07:36.461-05:00

I just had to get outside to do some hiking today. We got up somewhat early this morning and hit the road so we could make the most of our limited winter sunlight. We drove up Dark Canyon Road and into the Guadalupe Ranger District of Lincoln National Forest. We headed past Queen and then turned onto the Guadalupe Ridge Road. We passed several overlooks including the Five Points Vista before we

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Unnamed Rd, Lincoln National Forest, Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.032090918485 -104.8136901855468832.018630918484995 -104.83343118554687 32.045550918485 -104.79394918554688tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-56842566106525618292012-01-03T19:50:00.003-05:002012-01-03T19:57:57.223-05:00

Noelle and I, along with our good friend Robby welcomed in the first adventure of 2012 with a trip to the neighboring town of Artesia. We decided a trip to the Chaos Cafe would be a first eat out for the year. However, when we arrived in town, we found the cafe closed. Instead we headed to the nearby Wellhead restaurant and brewery. We ate a good lunch there. I got the chicken & green chile

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Artesia, NM 88210, USA32.8423345 -104.403296232.7889715 -104.4822602 32.8956975 -104.3243322tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-87858048735811882322011-12-27T21:32:00.000-05:002012-01-03T19:56:35.096-05:00

I was really wanting to get out of the house today for a little adventure. Noelle was not feeling well and so this would be a solo adventure. I had recently read about an old, remote cemetery in the Lincoln National Forest outside of Queen and figured I would go and see if I could find it. I hit the road and got some gas in town before heading up Dark Canyon and into the Guadalupe Mountains.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Unnamed Rd, Lincoln National Forest, Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.09166447320484 -104.7778129577636732.084938473204836 -104.78768345776368 32.09839047320484 -104.76794245776367tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-21093315991025568142011-12-26T16:41:00.000-05:002012-01-03T19:59:22.919-05:00

Wanted to get out for a little hiking action today, but I was afraid that the roads leading into the mountains would still be treacherous and snow covered. As a result, Noelle, Parker and I stayed close to home and headed back to La Cueva Trails. We hiked a loop along a different section than we had hiked previously. For most of the loop we made first tracks in the snow. We saw some cows,

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Unnamed Rd, Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.380323890267 -104.2827415466308632.373619390267 -104.29261204663086 32.387028390267 -104.27287104663085tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-56144614551275164472011-12-25T12:11:00.001-05:002012-01-03T19:59:38.563-05:00

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3134441 -104.386766 32.5279031 -104.070909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-55464843355627038582011-12-24T12:05:00.000-05:002012-01-03T19:59:13.085-05:00

Believe it or not, it's going to be a white Christmas here in Carlsbad, New Mexico! About 7 inches of snow is decorating our house and the surrounding desert plants.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3134441 -104.386766 32.5279031 -104.070909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-47325325484609213202011-12-19T22:57:00.003-05:002012-01-03T19:58:47.319-05:00

Tonight Noelle and I went out with some of our friends from the park to Christmas on the Pecos. It's a Carlsbad Christmas tradition for the last 20 years and we enjoyed the festive lights. It was cold out there though!

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3134441 -104.386766 32.5279031 -104.070909tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-16087879862725823112011-12-13T23:29:00.000-05:002011-12-14T23:39:28.867-05:00

I woke up this morning. Ate some breakfast and walked Parker, before hitting the road in a dense fog. It had been a while since I had hit the trails and I desperately wanted to go for a hike. I drove up towards Queen, broke through the fog and parked at Red Lake ( which is neither red nor a lake). From there I hiked along the rough forest road down into Turkey Canyon. From Turkey Canyon I made

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Eddy, NM, USA32.199040517408264 -104.6877650545898231.716204017408263 -105.25272355458982 32.68187701740826 -104.12280655458981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-51207713480771425542011-12-06T22:05:00.002-05:002011-12-12T18:02:44.764-05:00

After yesterday's snow, Noelle and I were excited to head up to the mountains and try some cross country skiing. We set the alarm for 6am this morning and had coffee brewing for an early trip up to Cloudcroft. I checked the New Mexico Department of Transportation's highway conditions website and found US 82 to be open but icy and snow-packed near Mayhill. The trip was a go! Right from the start

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Cloudcroft, NM 88317, USA32.9573133 -105.7424854999999932.9474863 -105.76611999999999 32.967140300000004 -105.71885099999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-23519547330992951942011-11-29T17:33:00.002-05:002011-12-05T10:50:05.672-05:00

Today Noelle and wanted to gt out and do some hiking but wanted to stay close to home. Well, you can't go for a hike any closer to home than the La Cueva Trails which are located just down Standpipe Road from our house. We packed a pack with water and made the short drive to the rough road and parking lot before we hit the trail. The La Cueva trails are, admittedly, not the most scenic around.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3401311 -104.30328399999999 32.5012161 -104.154391tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-43550691860882349452011-11-23T22:32:00.001-05:002011-11-23T22:33:00.003-05:00

Got up to another beautiful Organ Mountains morning! We ate breakfast and drank hot beverages before taking a family photo with the beautiful mountains in the background. Then it was time to do some hiking. We started the 4.5 mile Pine Tree Loop as the sun warmed the air. It was the third time I've hiked the Pine Tree Loop, although the last time was over 6 years ago. The views were just as

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com2Aguirre Springs Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88011, USA32.4016535 -106.550510632.370384 -106.55763859999999 32.432923 -106.5433826tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-64171851695401185432011-11-22T21:23:00.001-05:002011-11-23T21:50:57.006-05:00

We woke up to brilliant blue skies and alpenglow on the eastern flank of the mountains this morning! I got breakfast ready and boiled some water for coffee and tea. The hot beverages sure hit the spot on a cold morning. We spent some time eating and lounging around camp before hitting the trail. The plan was for us to hike up to Baylor Pass together. I would then hike up to Baylor Peak

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Aguirre Springs Rd, Las Cruces, NM 88011, USA32.4016535 -106.550510632.370384 -106.55763859999999 32.432923 -106.5433826tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-47789684450690264632011-11-21T21:01:00.001-05:002011-11-23T21:53:08.163-05:00

This morning Noelle and I packed up our camping gear for the long drive to Las Cruces and my favorite mountain range in New Mexico: the rugged Organ Mountains. The morning started out drizzly in Carlsbad, but by the time we made it to the small, depressing town of Hope the clouds started to lift. We rode in sunshine up to Cloudcroft but found ourselves back in the clouds by the time we got to

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Las Cruces32.30315725851871 -106.5839864394531631.66851625851871 -107.06357743945316 32.93779825851871 -106.10439543945316tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-45682978714458068392011-11-20T20:58:00.000-05:002011-11-23T20:59:43.213-05:00

We found this friendly guy in our bathroom!

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-17317110681564356232011-11-18T22:39:00.001-05:002011-11-18T22:40:26.094-05:00

Today Noelle and friends Robby and Chris packed into the old Civic and headed to the remote Dog Canyon section of Guadalupe Mountains National Park. We were there to do some hiking, an easy 6.4 mile round-trip hike to Lost Peak. I had hiked up to Lost Peak alone, probably about 7 years ago. Today's hike was much more interesting though, thanks to some great hiking companions and good

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Dog Canyon Ranger Sta, Dell City, TX 79837, USA31.9039118 -104.8688126000000131.8106653 -105.02891210000001 31.9971583 -104.70871310000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-66966483473690181922011-11-15T20:17:00.000-05:002011-11-15T20:17:05.047-05:00

This morning Noelle, Parker and I packed a daypack and some water and hit the road headed for the nearby Guadalupe Ranger District of the Lincoln National Forest. It was an interesting drive on the Dark Canyon Road and State Highway 137. Soon we found ourselves entering the forest boundary. We parked at Red Lake and hit the trail which is really just a rough road. We were not the only ones

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Eddy, New Mexico, USA32.19878631167519 -104.6877650545898231.71594981167519 -105.25272355458982 32.68162281167519 -104.12280655458981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-62413527159983492982011-11-14T21:17:00.000-05:002011-11-14T21:17:52.786-05:00

Today was a town day. We spent all day in Carlsbad. Around lunch time Noelle and I went and played a round of disc golf at Carlsbad's 12 hole course. It was a pleasant little course and the wind made it play a bit tougher than it would had the winds been calm. After our round of disc golf we headed home where we rested for a bit. I needed to get our for a little more adventure though, and so I

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Eddy, New Mexico, USA32.39532725532884 -104.2408565456543131.912490755328836 -104.80581504565431 32.878163755328835 -103.67589804565431tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-39445689089379814132011-11-11T22:54:00.001-05:002011-11-14T21:18:44.705-05:00

Today I had a doctor's appointment in Lubbock, Texas so Noelle and I woke up at 5 am, packed the car full of recyclables and headed into the Lone Star State. We forgot about the time zone change as we headed into Texas, but we were still somehow able to make the appointment on time. We got lucky that we left with plenty of time to spare. The actual doctor's appointment was short so we had some

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Lubbock, TX, USA33.5778631 -101.855166533.4605526 -101.99505599999999 33.695173600000004 -101.715277tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-33547164093458940682011-11-09T22:58:00.023-05:002011-11-14T21:20:03.288-05:00

Yesterday evening, after we left Bitter Lake NWR, Noelle and I headed back through Roswell and then east to Bottomless Lakes State Park. We got a campsite in the small tent campground and then set out exploring some of the small water-filled sink holes near our campsite. It was quite a beautiful scene as the setting sun painted the red rocks a brilliant glowing orange. Once the sun set the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Chaves, New Mexico, USA33.34038753927006 -104.3354183095703432.55552803927006 -105.25753780957034 34.125247039270064 -103.41329880957035tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-44916321691910051802011-11-08T23:09:00.001-05:002011-11-14T21:21:14.122-05:00

Noelle and I have spent three winter seasons working at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, so we were a bit puzzled as to how we spent about 18 months living in southeast New Mexico and never made it up to Bitter Lake. We rectified that situation today. This morning we packed up the car and headed north. It was a bit windy as we entered the refuge. We checked out the nice visitor center and then

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Bitter Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 4065 Bitter Lakes Rd, Roswell, NM 88201-0504, USA33.437824036489744 -104.4062944636718333.388367536489746 -104.43788896367182 33.48728053648974 -104.37469996367183tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-57223106879013956852011-11-01T21:09:00.004-04:002011-12-12T18:07:18.184-05:00

Today Noelle, Parker and I woke up, packed up our campsite at Oliver Lee Memorial State park and headed over to White Sands National Monument. It was the second visit to White Sands for Noelle and I. On our previous trip we hiked all the hiking routes and spent the night in the monument's backcountry. One thing we had failed to do on our previous visit, however, was to sled the dunes. We would

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1White Sands Missile Complex, White Sands, NM 88002, USA32.74954353443987 -106.3587447781250131.966061534439874 -106.68627177812502 33.53302553443987 -106.03121777812501tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-76924562210491513102011-10-31T21:19:00.047-04:002011-11-14T21:23:14.280-05:00

This morning Noelle, Parker and I packed up the Subaru and headed up into the mountains near Cloudcroft to do some hiking. our first stop was the Trestle Recreation Area where Noelle and I had hiked several years ago. We headed past the replica train station and into the cool, pine-scented forest. As we hiked we got into some snow! It sure is quite a contrast up here compared to down in the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Cloudcroft, NM 88317, USA32.95760137344924 -105.746605373046832.94777437344924 -105.7702398730468 32.967428373449245 -105.7229708730468tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-5067191911509084332011-10-27T11:09:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:35:52.417-05:00

The Front of the House The Entryway House Number with Bats Living Room Kitchen Bathroom Bedroom view 1 Bedroom view 2

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.394296981713225 -104.2535567382812532.313754481713225 -104.32800323828124 32.474839481713225 -104.17911023828125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-91370042697579581272011-10-25T22:26:00.013-04:002011-11-14T22:36:27.344-05:00

This morning Noelle and I had an enjoyable breakfast. We lounged around and drank coffee and relaxed on the porch. Eventually we decided to go for a walk and so we headed out to the Riverwalk for a nice stroll along the Pecos River. The temperature was perfect. We headed downstream to the southern end of the trail and then crossed the river on the dam there before heading back upstream. Once

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3401311 -104.30328399999999 32.5012161 -104.154391tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-73951554499749229002011-10-24T22:21:00.001-04:002011-11-14T21:25:14.393-05:00

After our hike in McKittrick Canyon, I convinced Noelle that we should go try and find the Polancio grave which I had unsuccessfully tried to find in September. We drove away from the canyon and headed to the Guadalupe Mountains National Park visitor center to use the restroom. From there we headed past the tall peaks of the Guadalupes to the small, unmarked Guadalupe Canyon Trailhead. We parked

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Culberson, Texas, USA31.86236648955392 -104.8337025664062631.19384748955392 -105.28078756640626 32.530885489553924 -104.38661756640626tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-26544236369835914752011-10-24T21:59:00.004-04:002011-11-14T21:26:18.140-05:00

This morning, Noelle and I had a leisurely breakfast outside on our patio before heading south into Texas and Guadalupe Mountains National Park to check out the fall colors in McKittrick Canyon. After using the restroom and checking in at the contact station, we hit the trail. The cool of the morning was already starting to fade by the time we made our first crossing of McKittrick Creek. As we

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Dog Canyon Ranger Sta, Dell City, TX 79837, USA31.979282 -104.7546699000000131.886035500000002 -104.91476940000001 32.072528500000004 -104.59457040000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-58071979517685995232011-10-18T21:37:00.002-04:002011-11-14T21:27:17.921-05:00

A bit over a month ago I ascended to the highest point in New Mexico, Wheeler Peak. Today I decided to go on an adventure to the lowest point in New Mexico which just happens to be just south of Carlsbad on the border with Texas. This adventure got me thinking about state low points and I realized that I've been to several of them without thinking much about it. One that comes to mind immediately

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Eddy, New Mexico, USA32.00013306004929 -103.9835317332152731.517296560049292 -104.54849023321528 32.48296956004929 -103.41857323321527tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-56528822317538555972011-10-11T20:35:00.002-04:002011-11-14T21:28:43.405-05:00

Several years ago Noelle and I visited Alamo Mountain to check out the abundant rock art found on her slopes. Today I returned to Alamo Mountain, not only to look for petroglyphs, but also to ascend to the summit. I camped last night near the base of the mountain and this morning as soon as I felt I had enough light to safely start my ascent I started to make my way up the mountain's

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Alamogordo, United States32.03296486013983 -105.6336492553222731.33779836013983 -106.39868175532227 32.72813136013983 -104.86861675532226tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-8627685786602302932011-10-10T20:13:00.045-04:002011-11-14T22:37:47.415-05:00

I woke up this morning and decided that I was in the mood for adventure. I decided that I didn't want to drive too far, but that I wanted to see something new, experience something I had never experienced before. After some contemplation I figured that Otero Mesa fit the bill perfectly. I packed up my camping gear and a jug of water and hit the road. I drove south along the Guadalupe Mountains

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Alamogordo, United States32.024378497844005 -105.5157178893554731.329211997844006 -106.28075038935548 32.719544997844004 -104.75068538935547tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-14051699610557996422011-10-03T21:51:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:38:46.189-05:00

This morning, after a delicious breakfast at the Pecos River Café, myself along with my friends Robbie and Chris headed south into Texas for an ascent of Guadalupe Peak. It would be Chris’ first attempt at the summit of Texas, but Robbie and I had both hiked up Guadalupe Peak before. My most recent ascent being just about a month ago when I successfully summated both Guadalupe Peak and El Capitan

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Dog Canyon Ranger Sta, Dell City, TX 79837, USA31.88992070908926 -104.8609161766601731.79667420908926 -105.02101567666017 31.98316720908926 -104.70081667666017tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-1006260581958737802011-09-20T19:37:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:39:50.140-05:00

The guilt from yesterday's illegal ascent of Sierra Blanca was really eating away at me this morning. While I had originally planned to attempt ascents of two different mountains today, I revised my plans a bit and decided to only make an ascent of Round Mountain G, another mountain (more of a hill really) that I had gotten details about on Summitpost. I drove through the Mescalero reservation

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Alamogordo, United States33.14763294159922 -105.8859485717407632.45246644159922 -106.65098107174076 33.84279944159922 -105.12091607174075tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-33145484888438120602011-09-19T19:05:00.046-04:002011-11-14T22:41:31.358-05:00

For a long time now the possibility of ascending Sierra Blanca, the highest point in southern New Mexico, has intrigued me. While I fully understand that the peak is located on the Mescalero Apache reservation, the information which I have read on the internet including Summitpost.org has all made it seem as though the reservation officials tolerate people making the ascent up Sierra Blanca. And

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Sierra Blanca, New Mexico 88340, USA33.3742461 -105.8094325000000133.2308926 -106.04289200000001 33.517599600000004 -105.57597300000002tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-46648094261816133682011-09-13T21:47:00.046-04:002011-11-14T22:42:26.698-05:00

When I woke up in my tent this morning I decided that I was not in the mood for another strenuous hike above treeline. While I had originally planned to hike up 12,711 foot tall Gold Hill, I decided instead to head down to Santa Fe and hike the easier Atalaya Mountain. And so, after a quick stop at Taos Plaza, I made my way south. I made a quick stop at Camel Rock and the nearby casino to use

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Santa Fe, NM, USA35.6869752 -105.9377989999999835.6154597 -106.02664899999998 35.758490699999996 -105.84894899999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-57726315054045825022011-09-12T18:00:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:43:25.056-05:00

I woke up at 4 am this morning, ate a quick breakfast and set out on the road for the trailhead for Wheeler Peak. Having never seen the trailhead area before, I had a bit of difficulty finding it in the dark. I ended up driving the rough road to the Williams Lake trailhead before backtracking to the correct trailhead down at the end of the Taos Ski Valley parking lot.When I finally hit the trail

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Taos, United States36.5568549 -105.4168409000000136.0653534 -105.84596390000002 37.048356399999996 -104.9877179tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-75517146227289913972011-09-11T19:16:00.016-04:002011-11-14T22:44:15.866-05:00

Last evening after work I hit the road and headed for northern New Mexico. While I’ve lived in New Mexico before, having worked three previous seasons at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, I’ve never been in New Mexico in the summer when the high northern mountains are safe and accessible for someone like me (without technical mountaineering skills) to climb them. I woke up this morning at a small

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Taos, United States36.6100269 -105.543618636.1185254 -105.9727416 37.1015284 -105.1144956tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-73582336498498743222011-09-07T20:43:00.022-04:002011-11-14T22:49:45.911-05:00

A few weeks ago, after learning that I would be moving to New Mexico, I began searching for some areas to explore in the Carlsbad area that I hadn’t been to before. As I was researching a bit about the Butterfield Overland Mail on the internet, I learned of the grave of a Butterfield Trail traveler who was killed in the vicinity of Guadalupe Canyon. I jotted down some information and made mental

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Dog Canyon Ranger Sta, Dell City, TX 79837, USA31.881573005687123 -104.8238320372314531.788326505687124 -104.98393153723146 31.974819505687123 -104.66373253723145tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-73763763410719014182011-09-06T20:18:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:50:42.506-05:00

Having worked at Carlsbad Caverns National Park in three previous winter seasons, I figure that I have hiked up Guadalupe Peak four or five times in the past. Today was a day for another ascent to the highest point in Texas. This time, however, I had another goal in mind for my hike: an ascent of the nearby, iconic El Capitan. I drove to the park in the morning and was the first person to sign

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Dog Canyon Ranger Sta, Dell City, TX 79837, USA31.868638516406243 -104.8537063988281431.775392016406244 -105.01380589882814 31.961885016406242 -104.69360689882814tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-33830121330798150032011-09-05T17:11:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:52:00.328-05:00

This morning I wanted to go on a little adventure, yet stay close to home. I had read about some trails new trails that have been built on the BLM lands that you pass on the way to Slaughter Canyon, so I decided to go check them out. I parked in the small parking lot there and then hit the trail following an old road. It was interesting to see some desert plants again. I saw some mesquite with

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Eddy, New Mexico, USA32.08280694245086 -104.4737780969483131.599970442450857 -105.03873659694831 32.565643442450856 -103.9088195969483tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-26841939349838632502011-08-31T20:06:00.011-04:002011-11-14T22:52:38.835-05:00

Some images from Eric and Noelle’s new home of Carlsbad, NM. The Pecos Flume and a Roadrunner A Potash Train Pecos River Heritage Park Jim White Statue The Riverwalk

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlsbad, NM 88220, USA32.4206736 -104.228837532.3401311 -104.30328399999999 32.5012161 -104.154391tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-50011728698623390872011-08-30T19:30:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:53:43.124-05:00

I woke up this morning finally feeling recovered from my gluttony at the Big Texas Steak Ranch last night. I headed north out of town and headed for Lake Meredith National Recreation Area and Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument. I had a reservation for a tour at Alibates at 10 am, but I wanted to see what the NRA had to offer so I headed towards a spot I found on my map and guide called

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Sanford Recreation Area, Canadian River Breaks, TX 79036, USA35.5766506312306 -101.7005236842529135.5166376312306 -101.77956018425292 35.6366636312306 -101.62148718425291tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-77429058843593927062011-08-29T19:37:00.003-04:002011-11-14T22:54:36.513-05:00

I was glad to be leaving the dirty, hot and boring strip of Kansas that I called home last night. It was good to pass into Oklahoma, even if it was still hot as hell. I ate breakfast at a Cracker Barrel and then headed south to Oklahoma City or OKC as some call it. I headed straight for the Oklahoma City National Memorial, site of the 1995 bombing at the hands of a domestic terrorist. I have to

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Arts District, Oklahoma City, OK, USA35.47287275161346 -97.5168567534423135.46598525161346 -97.52363475344231 35.479760251613456 -97.51007875344231tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-60008366994059701722011-08-28T19:58:00.001-04:002011-10-17T14:05:50.005-04:00

I hit the road early this morning and quickly passed into Missouri. I stopped at the first rest area in Missouri and found it to be clean and pleasant. It was a prairie part of the state and the steel sculptures in the rest area played up the area’s prairie heritage. There were sculptures of bison and Native American hunters on horseback.  After the short break I headed south and soon found

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-66134425357380206842011-08-27T14:46:00.011-04:002011-11-14T22:59:54.481-05:00

I left Mom and Dad T’s this morning headed south to New Mexico and my new job at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I had mixed feelings as I got in the car and headed out. I felt excited to be embarking on a new adventure as a permanent National Park Service ranger, yet it was sad to say goodbye to Noelle. I don’t know when I’m going to see her again. Upon leaving Galesville I drove into Minnesota

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Le Roy, MN, USA43.5233333 -92.5152777999999843.4798038 -92.57542429999998 43.566862799999996 -92.45513129999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-32239417830000473392011-08-24T19:07:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:55:15.719-05:00

It's been a great two years! Duluth you are a wonderful city with plenty for outdoors minded people like myself and Noelle to do. You will be sincerely missed! In preparation for our imminent departure, Noelle and I spent much of our free time over the last two weeks enjoying all the things that make Duluth Duluth. We visited the Rose Garden where Noelle took some time to stop and smell the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Duluth, MN, USA46.78667189999999 -92.1004851999999846.67092439999999 -92.29077319999998 46.902419399999985 -91.91019719999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-712110915034991252011-08-23T19:21:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:01:50.602-05:00

This morning Noelle and I woke up after a not-so-restful sleep. Every sound Parker heard in the woods forced him to get up, move around and try to see what had made the sound. We packed up the tent under a gray sky while thunder clapped around us. Luckily we got packed up before the rain started to fall. We drove into Cass Lake for a supermarket breakfast and then headed north towards Blackduck

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Ansel, MN, USA46.708133888276116 -94.6876164137695546.662244388276115 -94.75102341376954 46.75402338827612 -94.62420941376955tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-11665384829354239302011-08-22T19:12:00.018-04:002011-11-14T22:59:08.858-05:00

Friday was my last day at work and since I had some extra time before we pack up and head south, Noelle and I decided to go on one last Minnesota road trip. We packed up the Civic and headed west to Grand Rapids and Schoolcraft State Park a small but pleasant park on the Mississippi River. We hiked the short hiking Club Trail there and enjoyed the views of the river, the wildflowers (mostly

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Schoolcraft State Park, Deer River, MN 56636, USA47.2233244 -93.8029593999999647.214241900000005 -93.80834139999996 47.2324069 -93.79757739999997tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-66567366280755491842011-08-17T23:08:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:58:37.014-05:00

Before we leave Duluth in a few days, Noelle's advisor Bruce wanted to get us out on the lake for a sail on Superior's beautiful blue waters. We couldn't have asked for better weather. While I'm not feeling ready to go out and buy a boat of my own, it was fun to be on the lake and even play the role of captain for a while.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Duluth, MN, USA46.71088740398845 -92.0113824564452946.59513990398845 -92.20167045644529 46.82663490398845 -91.8210944564453tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-63218970679727273622011-08-06T22:12:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:00:40.331-05:00

This morning Noelle and I headed to the beach for one last stroll. Today turned out to be our best day of beachcombing yet. We found a lot of interesting shells and even some wildlife we hadn't yet seen. We found some shy hermit crabs living inside some old whelk shells. We also found our first horseshoe crab washed up on the beach. There were a lot of birds on the beach as well. I think they

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Margate City, NJ, USA39.320739092060336 -74.5115971850585839.306831592060334 -74.52775418505858 39.33464659206034 -74.49544018505857tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-27653491134096028272011-08-05T22:04:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:02:31.056-05:00

This morning Noelle and I headed to the boardwalk. To get there we used the free, but underused, trolley bus that the city offers. The boardwalk "is the shore" to many people and I knew we just had to walk it at least once while in Ocean City. It was interesting to do some people watching, but the best part of the boardwalk is the food. We got some Mack and Manco's Pizza, sampled some fudge,

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Ocean City, NJ, USA39.2776156 -74.574600139.2280306 -74.62648159999999 39.3272006 -74.5227186tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-74843074758666955452011-08-04T21:56:00.004-04:002011-11-14T22:57:44.221-05:00

Last night Noelle and I went on a guided beach walk that started where the city beach ends and Corson's Inlet State Park begins. We learned a little bit about some of the shells that we found on the beach and some of the things that live there as well. Today the waves were a bit rough and Noelle and I decided to head out to see what we could find. What we did find was a lot of jellyfish washed

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Ocean City, NJ, USA39.22178337671747 -74.6374281639648439.17219837671747 -74.68930966396483 39.27136837671747 -74.58554666396485tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-73728232396405951952011-08-03T21:03:00.002-04:002011-11-14T22:56:01.786-05:00

Today Noelle, my mother and father, and myself took the drive from Ocean City down to the southernmost part of the Jersey Shore: Cape May Point and the beautiful Cape May Point State Park. It was pretty crowded at the park with lots of people in the nature center. There were some interesting exhibits in there as well and I learned a thing or two about the different animals that live in the area.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Cape May Point, NJ, USA38.9373346 -74.969341838.9311971 -74.97558029999999 38.9434721 -74.9631033tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-87308407793872760602011-08-02T21:42:00.001-04:002011-11-14T22:56:56.361-05:00

This morning my Dad drove Noelle and I up to near 3rd Street and Bay Avenue in Ocean City to rent a ocean kayak from Bay Kats. It was our first time kayaking salt water and the start of our trip was a bit rough. There was a large expanse of open water with a stiff breeze. There were also a lot of people zipping around in personal watercrafts which created waves that made for some difficult

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Ocean City, NJ, USA39.285853734062336 -74.5780333275390639.236268734062335 -74.62991482753905 39.335438734062336 -74.52615182753907tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-29201054032121015862011-07-31T21:20:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:06:21.402-05:00

Vacation time for Eric and Noelle and so we packed up our bags and flew out east for a little R&R at the Jersey Shore. Yesterday we flew from Minneapolis to Philadelphia. My parents picked us up at the airport and we drove straight down to beautiful Ocean City, New Jersey. Growing up the only place we ever went for a family vacation was the shore. I thought that everyone went to the shore on

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Ocean City, NJ, USA39.21912359074009 -74.6473845238281239.16953859074009 -74.69926602382812 39.26870859074009 -74.59550302382813tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-68883433078533482242011-07-24T20:52:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:03:42.900-05:00

This morning Noelle and I headed into Wisconsin to drive to the Hayward area and canoe a section of the beautiful Namekagon River. We arrived at Camp Namekagon by 9:30 and were on the river by about 10. The trip started out with a slow flowing section of river that was a nice warmup for the small Class I rapids that were still to come. In the calm sections we found some water lillies. Despite

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com2Springbrook, WI, USA45.96030672410488 -91.673979767089845.918133724104884 -91.73754776708981 46.00247972410488 -91.6104117670898tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-69314001450100618402011-07-23T20:27:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:04:32.088-05:00

It was a cool and windy day. Quite a change of pace from the extreme heat we just experienced in Duluth the previous several days. Noelle and I decided that we would check out the new Castle Danger Brewery and look for some agates while we were in the area. The drive up Highway 61 was uneventful, but once we got out of the car at Flood Harbor State Wayside it was quickly evident just how windy it

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Silver Creek, MN, USA47.119236 -91.5067589999999946.898835 -91.63766799999999 47.339637 -91.37584999999999tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-75133396583852073022011-07-17T21:21:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:06:50.069-05:00

This morning we packed up our stuff and headed out to do some hiking. Our first stop was the short mile long round-trip up Blueberry Hill to an overlook of Northern Lights Lake. Even at 8 a.m. the heat and humidity were oppressive. The bugs, particularly the deer flies were a bit bothersome as well. After we had returned to the trail-head parking area we decided against heading further up the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Grand Marais, MN, USA47.7504469 -90.3342726999999947.7345814 -90.36094969999999 47.7663124 -90.30759569999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-83705432631418601472011-07-16T20:36:00.002-04:002011-11-14T23:07:51.682-05:00

With our upcoming move down to the desert, Noelle and I wanted to make one more trip up the North Shore of Lake Superior. With hot temperatures forecast for the weekend we thought the cool temperatures near the shores of the big lake would help keep us cool. And so, this morning we pointed the Civic north and headed up Highway 61. Our first stop was the pebbly beach at Beaver Bay. On a previous

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Beaver Bay, MN, USA47.260379891547196 -91.2940922290527547.2512123915472 -91.31054222905276 47.26954739154719 -91.27764222905274tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-71689490505729514072011-07-10T22:36:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:09:00.065-05:00

It looks like our days in Duluth are numbered, so today made a great day to get out and enjoy the city Noelle and I have called home for a little less than two years. The weather today was perfect for a summer day at the beach. Although we had originally planned to canoe a section of the Namekagon River near Hayward, Wisconsin, I'm kind of glad those plans did not work out. Today's weather

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Park Point, Duluth, MN, USA46.71733782388432 -92.0349963846923646.68138782388432 -92.07324638469237 46.75328782388432 -91.99674638469236tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-21028999718057266062011-07-04T23:45:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:09:32.793-05:00

A photo of the robin's nest and the babies under the deck at Mom Theres' house.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1Galesville, WI, USA44.0816282 -91.3490375999999744.0697937 -91.36748359999997 44.093462699999996 -91.33059159999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-20160242408880182522011-07-03T23:33:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:05:31.448-05:00

Noelle, her brother Kyle, sister-in-law Sarah, nephew JT, and I went to Perrot State Park this morning to get out on the water. After a stop at the nature center and a look at a few wildflowers like this butterfly weed we headed back to the entrance station. We had discussed paddling the water trail and were lucky enough to get the last two canoes available for rental. It was JT's first time in

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Perrot State Park, Trempealeau, WI 54661, USA44.0176312 -91.4700571999999944.0069902 -91.49267169999999 44.028272199999996 -91.44744269999998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-44323096348562388502011-06-26T22:34:00.001-04:002011-11-14T23:10:33.040-05:00

Last night a thunderstorm went through. While there was a good amount of lightning and thunder, we didn't get much rain. The sky was dark and gray though when I got out of the tent so I quickly ate breakfast and packed everything up to try and beat the rain. As I hit the road it looked lie rain was imminent. I started to wonder if it was a good idea to try and do some more hiking. Eventually I

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0Carlos, MN, USA46.00115270893117 -95.3510203533203445.957598208931174 -95.41338535332034 46.04470720893117 -95.28865535332034tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-61447703127958846812011-06-25T21:14:00.003-04:002011-06-26T22:35:17.688-04:00

Yesterday after work, I paced up a few things, ate some dinner and than hit the road headed for west-central Minnesota to log some Hiking Club miles. Noelle had left earlier in the day to go to her parents' house for the weekend, so I would be making the trip solo. The start of my trip, I must admit, didn't go quite as planned. Outside of Walker, Minnesota a deer ran into the side of my

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-16348074149377294302011-06-19T22:21:00.000-04:002011-06-19T22:21:12.568-04:00

It was yet another weekend of bad weather in "the Northland" this weekend. Cold, rain and fog meant for less-than-optimal outdoor adventure conditions. We decided to stay close to home instead of hitting the road. Yesterday there was enough of a break in the rain that we were able to do some "urban hiking" around Duluth. We walked down to Superior Street to watch Grandma's Marathon, watched a

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-12159356071375576362011-06-12T19:02:00.000-04:002011-06-13T19:02:29.647-04:00

Originally I had planned on heading over to Perrot State Park to explore the canoe trail there. Noelle and Mom didn't seem to be into the canoe idea and so we decided instead to continue on our recent theme of art environments and visit the Wegner Grotto, and interesting art environment near the town of Cataract, Wisconsin. Of all the offbeat, concrete art gardens that we've been to in the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-27382806109282239002011-06-11T21:44:00.000-04:002011-06-13T18:45:00.446-04:00

After checking out the awesome Prairie Moon Sculpture Garden, Noelle, Mom and I headed further north along the banks of the mighty Mississippi to the Creamery in Nelson, Wisconsin where we got some delicious garlic cheese curds and ice cream. Dairy products are wonderful energy sources for hiking. From the Creamery we crossed the Mississippi and headed into Minnesota to Through the town of

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-69434351188278203822011-06-11T20:49:00.000-04:002011-06-13T18:45:27.775-04:00

Last night after work Noelle, Parker and I headed down to Mom and Dad T's in Galesville. This morning Mom, Noelle and myself headed out for some adventure. Our first stop took us up Highway 35 north of Fountain City to the Prairie Moon Scuplture Garden. We learned about this place through a brochuere we found at the Concrete Park a few weeks ago. Like the Wisconsin Concrete County Park, Prairie

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-38656012438989323412011-06-05T19:41:00.001-04:002011-06-05T19:44:59.788-04:00

After a night of some sleep and some listening to the various animals at Waptit Park Campground make strange noises throughout the night I packed up my stuff and headed out. I decided that on my way north I would make a detour over to Taylors Falls and walk across the highway 8 bridge into Wisconsin to do some hiking at Wisconsin's Interstate State Park. Last year Noelle, Parker and I did some

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-47012808155140575102011-06-04T21:18:00.000-04:002011-06-05T19:19:19.557-04:00

After my hike at Charles Lindbergh State Park I headed south on US10, headed for Lake Maria. When I arrived I checked in at the park office only to discover that all the backpacking campsites were taken for the night. At this point I wasn't sure what I would do, but decided that since I had driven this far I may as well go for a hike. I decided my hike would be a combination of the 2 mile Hiking

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-90674316231413179352011-06-04T18:56:00.000-04:002011-06-05T18:57:04.444-04:00

This weekend was supposed to be a camping with Noelle and Parker weekend, but unfortunately Noelle got sick with sinusitis and so my adventure for the weekend would be a solo one. I decided to stick with our original plan of visiting Lindbergh State Park and then heading down to Lake Maria and grabbing one of the backpacking sites for the night. And so early this morning I packed up the car and

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-27930498942647690042011-05-30T20:54:00.006-04:002011-05-31T21:11:21.440-04:00

A few weeks ago Noelle had gone to Goodman, Wisconsin for an assignment for school. On the way home she passed through Philips and visited this place with her friend and classmate Gayle. Noelle showed me some photos that she took of the concrete statues there and I knew that I had to go there to see them for myself. I am really glad I did. I really enjoy stuff like this. It reminds me a little

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-65429877665074634202011-05-30T20:35:00.000-04:002011-05-31T20:53:11.732-04:00

Today Noelle and made the drive from Wausaukee back to Duluth. It's a long drive and instead of making it a straight trip we decided to break it up with a stop for a hike and a trip to Wisconsin's Concrete County Park. While we have visited Timms Hill before, we've never done much of a hike up it. We were determined to change that today. From Wausaukee it was a pleasant drive through small

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-15639640923943814522011-05-29T20:21:00.001-04:002011-05-31T20:35:00.258-04:00

Friday after work, Noelle, Parker and I packed up the Subaru and headed east Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and back into Wisconsin headed to Noelle's relative's house in Wausaukee, Wisconsin. We were headed there for Noelle's cousin Leah's graduation party. We had a great time at the party yesterday and today we were ready to do some hiking. After consulting our guide book we decided

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-63159153766654539362011-05-21T19:48:00.000-04:002011-05-21T19:48:27.904-04:00

Originally Noelle and I had planned on going on a road trip this weekend. We were leaning towards visiting Itasca State Park again to do some hiking in a less buggy environment than the one that existed on our previous visit. However, with a high chance of rain for the weekend we changed our plans and decided to stay home. We used a break in the rain to get outside and do some exploration of the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-14270840679023143472011-05-19T19:20:00.000-04:002011-05-21T12:30:37.389-04:00

On my runs along Skyline Parkway near the Copper Top Church I've often noticed that it sounds like cascading water on the downhill side of the parkway. I'd had always wondered if there was a way to get to the possible falls location without trespassing on anyone's property. Finally, I figured out a way to get to them. On my walk to work I pass a dead end street that I figured must lead to near

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-45964173703902031482011-05-18T20:18:00.006-04:002011-05-21T12:20:17.975-04:00

 Noelle took this shot of a striped skunk wandering through the backyard. Luckily she looked outside before she let Parker out!

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-46504617256349183572011-05-15T22:59:00.001-04:002011-05-15T23:02:38.327-04:00

It was a beautiful, though cool morning and Noelle, Mom, Parker and I had to take advantage of it. It was windy so we ruled out a visit to Park Point. Instead we decided to head over to Congdon Park, even though all of us had been there before. We parked on Fourth Street and started walking downstream towards the small canyon section of trail where we crossed Tischer Creek on three bridges. We

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-20258818241718100112011-05-14T21:35:00.000-04:002011-05-15T09:42:49.177-04:00

Today Noelle, Parker, Mom and I headed out to Jay Cooke to do a little bit of hiking on this chilly spring day. I really wanted to hike the trail that heads down to the river from the Oldenberg Point overlook because we'd never checked it out before. And so we headed out on a muddy trail descending some steep stairs to the river. Once at the river level we found a nice rock outcropping from

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-20031507509213785142011-05-08T17:39:00.000-04:002011-05-08T17:39:50.773-04:00

Another nice day meant that I just had to get outside and explore a bit. I was able to convince Noelle to come along with me even though she was a bit wary of my planned adventure for the day, an exploration of a few waterfalls in the Duluth area that we'd never been to before. We grabbed our Waterfalls of the North Shore book, a camera and headed out with our first destination being the Sucker

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-78312048281055237532011-05-07T18:23:00.003-04:002011-05-08T17:42:35.771-04:00

Noelle and I had a chance to do some local hiking today. We drove north towards Two Harbors, turned up Homestead Road and eventually made our way to Fox Farm Road and the Fox Farm West Trailhead. It was at this point almost a year ago that I finished my thru-hike of the Superior Hiking Trail. A new section of the trail has been constructed since then, and although it is not yet officially open,

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-38243374845283013712011-05-01T22:36:00.000-04:002011-05-01T22:36:41.019-04:00

I really wanted to get out and do some hiking today despite the cold May temperatures. Noell, Parker and I grabbed a few things and headed out towards Gary/New Duluth to hike a portion of the old DWP railbed south of the tunnel that runs underneath Ely's Peak. On the way we stopped at the Thompson Hill Rest Area so I could walk Parker a bit while Noelle used the restroom. We then headed to

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-54121724931698636102011-04-24T21:26:00.000-04:002011-04-25T21:47:37.433-04:00

A beautiful warm, spring day today and Noelle, mom and I took full advantage of it. We headed from Galesville into southeastern Minnesota again, but this time a our destination was a different state park: Whitewater State Park. This lovely park is the site of some major flooding just over three years ago. While some evidence of the flood can still be seen, it is still a wonderful place to

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-74104476248008005772011-04-23T21:48:00.000-04:002011-04-25T22:04:44.658-04:00

Today Noelle and I were on a quest to find spring. It's been cold thus far in Duluth and we just wanted to get out and do some hiking. We headed down south to Galesville for the second weekend in a row and headed back into Minnesota for a hike in Beaver Creek Valley State Park. The drive to the park was pleasant and we surprisingly passed a few snow drifts. We arrived at the park with cool

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-10078342981211434642011-04-17T20:11:00.000-04:002011-04-19T20:19:47.669-04:00

The calendar says it's spring and while the weather feels more like winter, Noelle, Mom and I just had to get out for a hike today. Originally we had planned on heading over to John Latsch State Park in Minnesota to hike the one and only trail up to the top of the bluff. Time constraints forced a change of plans though and we headed instead to the wildlife refuge. The main entrance to the

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-57420118114554047882011-04-09T18:47:00.000-04:002011-04-09T18:47:31.785-04:00

It was a beautiful spring day in Duluth today and Noelle and I decided to take advantage of it by getting out and enjoying the Lakewalk and the Glensheen Mansion. Neither of us had ever been to Glensheen and so we were excited to check it out. It is currently owned by the University of Minnesota Duluth, but was once the home of Chester Congdon and his family. The tour, while expensive at $15 per

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-78873125190009516702011-04-02T18:51:00.000-04:002011-04-02T18:51:40.532-04:00

Today Noelle, Parker and I headed over to Wisconsin for a walk along the beach at Wisconsin Point. While not much of the beach was actually accessible, our trip to Wisconsin made for an interesting day nonetheless. Last week's wind storm piled up huge dunes of ice. When I say huge, I mean really huge. Some of the ice was piled up at least 30 feet above the level of the beach. While Noelle looked

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-35660092270040542032011-03-26T21:49:00.021-04:002011-03-27T22:01:44.149-04:00

Today, despite the cold and wind, Noelle and I headed out with Parker for a walk on the Lakewalk. Noelle had been down there yesterday and saw the results of the wind storm that Duluth experienced earlier in the week: ice coating some of the benches, light posts, and other structures in Canal Park. I wanted to check the icy landscape out, and so we headed to the Rose Garden where we parked to

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-54332565087121129062011-03-19T22:51:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:51:31.610-04:00

Today was a day of mostly driving. We made it from near New Madrid, Missouri to Galesville, Wisconsin. We did however, find a few minutes to stop in Springfield, Illinois to visit Lincoln's Tomb and pay our respects.

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-39632189271444413962011-03-18T22:28:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:47:38.161-04:00

Spent a warm night in the tent and was lucky to find that there was not much dew or condensation last night and so the tent stayed dry. We packed up camp and headed south, back to Natchez where we got breakfast at Natchez Coffee Company before heading over to Melrose, part of Natchez NHP. The tour of Melrose was interesting and the grounds surrounding the house were worth exploring as well. From

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-42730255404884326792011-03-17T22:12:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:27:08.501-04:00

Packed up our campsite at Bayou Segnette State Park and headed through New Orleans to the Chalmette unit of Jean Lafitte, site of the Battle of New Orleans. It is a pretty small unit but we enjoyed exploring it. We started at the visitor center where we learned more about the battle before heading out on the auto tour road. We actually walked to the first stop on the tour road and then walked

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-42823971900479484522011-03-16T22:05:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:06:16.536-04:00

Woke up, ate breakfast and headed down to the Barataria Preserve, a unit of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve. We were excited to see some of the bayou plants and animals, especially the possibility of seeing an alligator. We started at the visitor center where we grabbed a hiking map and stamped our passport books. We than hit the trail, or in this case, boardwalk. There

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-45436715553076070922011-03-15T22:07:00.001-04:002011-03-22T22:07:44.472-04:00

Woke up to a chilly morning and drove out of the Parish Park and down to the Driskill Mountain trailhead. It was a pleasant, easy walk to the highpoint of Louisiana, Eric's 36th state highpoint. From the highpoint we drove around, getting a little bit lost as we tried to make our way to Natchitoches and the two units of Cane River Creole National Historical Park. Eventually we made it

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-5871440701020575392011-03-14T22:08:00.001-04:002011-03-22T22:09:35.755-04:00

Woke up refreshed after a quiet night of sleep in our motel room. We got some breakfast and then headed over to Vicksburg National Military Park. We checked out the exhibits in the Visitors Center and stamped our passport books before heading out on the auto road to tour the park. First we passed under the Memorial Arch and then followed the Union line to some of the different memorials and

Eric and Noelle Grunwaldhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13133956734062056035noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7528807966612274413.post-83626322281029142352011-03-13T22:09:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:10:54.686-04:00

Yesterday was a full day of driving from Galesville, Wisconsin to Blytheville, Arkansas. We stayed in a cheap Days Inn just off the interstate and the highway noise did not allow for much sleep. Still, we were excited to get going this morning with an hour drive into Memphis for a visit to Graceland and some barbecued ribs. Despite the fact that we had arrived early on a Sunday morning,

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