Mom & Dad get-a-way

To Harper's Ferry again...Only this time, we went up Friday night and got to snowmobile all day on Saturday. This was Saturday, 2/1/14. (Click here to see the post from the trip before - Harper's 2012)

And I'm telling anyone that has been snowmobiling before... this trip, could not have been any more perfect. There was a light snow when we got started. The temperature rose to 20-degrees, there was NO wind. I have to write that again, there was NO wind!!! Hip-hip-hooray! :D There was sun and the trails were freshly groomed, as in, we were the first ones to ride on some of them... it. was. amazing. 

I lovingly call our Indy 500, Grandpa... he's still got a lot of get-up and go, but comparing him to the rest of sleds on the trip... well, let's just say I had to prove to everyone that this sled could still keep up ;) (Not really, but I did prove that!)

But unfortunately, the 500 did need a few tune-ups... this being the first time. A new spark plug was needed. Notice the Arctic Cat mountain sled on the right?? Matt Kress bought that one accidentally a few years back. He wrecked it in Wyoming, luckily wasn't hurt too terrible, and brought it home, b/c the place didn't want it back. He loves it now!

Just a few stops to check out the maps ;) Gorgeous snow, can you tell?!?

pretty fitting, so I kept it in here :)

Kelly on their ski-doo... have to mention that this was Kelly's first snowmobile 'trip' and she did a wonderful job! She's ready to do it again, so I'd say that's a huge thumbs up :)

Dawn Gerkie on an 800?!? I didn't even know such a thing existed... wow, is all I can say. Her husband, Daryl, and her have 5 kids, got married at 18 and have been snowmobiling together ever since! Way fun to have them along and hang out. Oh yes, I must mention they ALSO have a boat, and Dawn loves to salamon ski... I begged to go along ;) I think I just might get to go this summer! :D

Our 'selfie' (dislike that word!) while the boys were trying to figure out where we were going :)

Matt & Kelly... can you see the snow coming down? Just beautiful...

It was just before this stop that we flew under a bald eagle flying... amazing.

Ooops! I hit the gas and wwwrrrrrrrrr...... definitely not firing on all cylinders again. I cut someone off, caught up to Chris and said, "it's doing it again!" Matt pulled up and I said, "I think we need to buy another spark plug." And he said, "well you're in luck! There's a shop right there!" (?!) How does that happen? Regardless, very thankful it did.

30-minutes later, this nice gentleman came out, b/c a new spark plug wasn't working. Ended up it was the cap on the plug? Or something like that. Anyhow, he was super nice, everyone learned something, aside from starving ;) everyone was happy and we were on our way again.

Pretty view that you can't really see here.

Our 100-mile loop went from our cabin, to Waukon (where I wanted to stop but we didn't ;), to Lansing, where we DID stop to eat Pizza at the Safe House Saloon and ended at Harper's Ferry.  So here we are on our final stop of the night! Oh yes! And Megan & Daniel met us on the trail between Lansing and Harper's... Dan had to coach the bball team that morning.

The group! Fantastic time... always a little daunting when you have to leave that last stop ...when you are all warm and ready to sit down, but yet you have to drive just one more time ;) but we made it...

And while we were gone, the girls stayed with Grammy and had an amazing time! Here was a picture she sent me :) It snowed a perfect 2-inches at home too... so much so that they couldn't really go sledding, but they went through the timber and over the creek :)

And Lauren also learned how to play the piano! They made up an entire concert, complete with tickets, signs and seats... But I messed up by not going with Chris to pick them up as they had the concert ready for when we GOT there :( Will know better for next time.  Thank you Grammy & Grandpa for making our vacation possible! :D