Island Park 2014

Another year!  It started about 12 years ago when a bunch of friends went up to our families cabin in Island Park, Idaho and spent a few days snowmobiling.  Every year since then I've gone up with various friends for a weekend of sledding fun.  This year was a little different.  This was the first year I didn't have the "friend that shall remain nameless".  The one friend that was there every year and the only friend that chose to support my X-husband.  It's a bromance (what now I don't know) I can't understand but I'm determined to make new memories and new experiences with the friends that have stayed supportive to me.  

IT WAS A FREAKING BLAST!

This year it was just Kelly and I.

In honor of new memories we called it:

WTFWW Tour 2014

(whatever the f@#$ we want)

BAM!

Instead of writing a new piece, I am just including the letter I wrote to my family and adding pictures.  


Family,

Hello!

Cabin report from 1/31 - 2/4.

This year it was just my girlfriend Kelly and I going to the cabin.  We arrived Thursday evening and even though I checked the amount of snow fall I missed judged the amount of snow AND the amount of snow built up from the plows keeping Cascade clean.  Needless to say we were stuck in the driveway and we drug our stuff into the cabin.  Lesson learned. 

Kelly trying to help me dig out the car

Next morning.  It's still stuck!

We tried the snow blower.  The snow was too deep or something.

At the cabin there is a 4 wheel drive Jeep Wagoneer.

What could go wrong??

Nothing, but it didn't work.

So the tractor pulled me out and then blew the driveway clean.

Call Greg the plow guy before you go up, no matter what the Internet says.  There was at least 8 inches of new snow when we got there.  We tried everything to get unstuck and I'm pretty sure I heard circus music.  But that's OK.  Learn learn learn.  

Kelly - Look..SNOW!  (hehe)

Now THAT is a snow blower

Never get tired of watching it.

The next day Greg came by and pulled out my car and gave the driveway a good cleaning.  

The cabin was fine. Everything was clean.  A couple of doors weren't shut but it was overall in fantastic shape.  We did throw away the expired milk.  The snow blower works great except when the snow is that deep.  We were thrilled to get it started.  Wagoneer works great.  

Late start out on Friday but we swung by Elks and bought Montana stickers for the 2 RMK's.  They worked awesome too.  They were the only sleds we used.  We had lunch in Last Chance and then swung around back to the cabin.  

Ready to roll

Beautiful day!  Last Chance looking at the Snake River

Celebrating Idaho with Baked Potato soup and French Fries!

Sexy pose?

Saturday we headed up to West Yellowstone for brunch and stopped off at Two Top on the way. It was sunny and calm but oh so cold.  On the way back we had a long trip back through Meadow Creek.  

Awesome day!

Stopping at Rea's Pass

Calm and clear day at Two Top.  It was frickin freezing though!

Sunday we did a quick loop about 45 miles, working our way through Sawtelle.  Ponds for the awful Superbowl and back to the cabin early.

Duck Farts

Un-celebrating the crappy Super Bowl.

Sunday morning snow!

Monday we set out to try a few trails I hadn't been on in forever.  It worked out pretty well.  We set out up to South Plateau Trail via Black Canyon and it was amazing!  Although the website said that it was freshly groomed I doubt that.  We went into west and hit a new lunch place and then went sound to do a the Lions head loop and down to Valley View then Meadowcreek.  Well, the loop was amazing and fun!  Then when we turned to hit up Valley View we realized how bad the blowing snow was and how hard it was to see the trail.  Of course we didn't turn around and at some point we ended up on US 20 on the side of the road traveling in the snow drifts in blinding snow praying we wouldn't get hit by a car.  (ADVENTURE!)  I could not for the life of me find the one spot we needed to cross to the other side and so we stayed on 20 for about 8 miles.  A long 8 miles in deep drifts.  Thank goodness we had the RMK's.  We finally came up to a big group of rentals crossing the road just before Meadowcreek.  Kelly and I crossed the road and joined them.  While they crossed the road I went up to Kelly and hugged her in gratefulness to be ALIVE.  For some reason that made them think we were lost or something!  (hehe).  We followed them to the Meadowcreek Lodge and then waved thank you and goodbye and we made our way to Stage Stop without any more worries.  Stage Stop is sure having trouble with their gas pumps but we were able to fill them up and get the sleds to the cabins.  We did his some amazing powder (remember, we aren't so much powder people) and quickly learned how to drive through deep powder that flies over you it so deep.  We ended up at the cabin just covered in snow.  We didn't put the sleds away that night.  Kelly's helmet kept fogging up and she was just freezing from cracking the face shield.  Good news - no frost bite!  This is where I thank Dave for telling me what kind of helmet to get and to use goggles.  I stayed warm with 3 layers of thermals with my snow pants and 2 layers of thermals with my down vest, down coat and gortex coat.  We also had 2 balaclava's and neck gators.  I believe it was a high of 17 while we were there.  Mostly single digits.

Snowy Monday

Kelly and I taking a break as we try out some new trails

Bad Ass Gals on Sleds

So beautiful

Post lunch snuggles

It did snow Sunday and Monday and when Greg came by to blow out the driveway so I could get the car out there was another 12 inches or more since his last clearing.  Getting the sleds in was...successful.   Although one sled is facing the back of the garage.  Sorry. We shoveled A LOT of snow just to get the doors down.  We filled them up with oil.  It was -3 that morning and there was quite a breeze.  They ran amazingly well and big thanks to those that keep them going.  

That is the amount of snow we got DURING our visit.

Sleds tucked back in their garage.

We cleaned up the cabin in great detail.  I restocked the upstairs bathrooms with TP and paper towels.  

I didn't notice anything low or missing.  Everything worked.  

Whoever is next, enjoy all the amazing snow!  Just make sure you call Greg first. 

***************************

I sat with Kelly and we decided the amount of TIMES some things happened.

Times.
Kelly couldn't get out of the wagoneer.  (couldn't find the handle, haha)  TWICE                              
Times I said to Kelly, "I'm not wearing any pants"  TWICE 

       
Times we thought it wasn't a good idea.                ONCE

  See next 

                  
Miles we rode the blowing snow drifts on US20.   EIGHT 

             
Times peed in the snow.                                            FOUR 

             
Snowmobiles that passed me on lions loop while I peed.     EIGHT

  Lionshead Loop is a busy trail....BTW

When I pee in the snow I do the "Tebow"

Times we followed a tour group because the blowing snow was blinding.   ONCE

Times we were asked "are you two out there alone?"           ONCE 

Times we got stuck                                                                     ZERO 

New trails tried                                                              THREE

New trails created.                                                        TWO'ish

Times we had to crawl along behind the SAME slow rentals   THREE!!!

       Seriously - this couple on a rental sleds did not follow ONE sledding rule!!

Times we laughed out loud                                         TWO MANY TOO COUNT!!!

Thank you Kelly for making the trip awesome!  Hopefully next year we can have a few more friends join us and just keep on KEEPIN ON!!

What is your favorite winter sport?

Where is your favorite place to travel?

Blog on....................

13th Annual Sledding Extravaganza!!

Another year, another good time.  This year was a short trip with not nearly as many miles, but a blast to say the least.  The usual suspects were there, Gary and Kelly.  Known them both for about 15 years, been close to Gary for about that long too.  He usually brings his hot Italian girlfriend, but she had to work so it was just the trifecta of fun and excitement.  Kelly's nephew Mark joined us too.  

Friday started out with Gary going to pick up the sled that was fixed and Kelly and I were to meet him there.  I drove about 50 yards, hit some powder and a hill and WHAT????

My snowmobile crashes are equivalent to a ground level fall.  Just a tip over.  The powder was deep enough that nothing was hurt on the sled and of course I was laughing by the time Kelly caught up.  The only problem, we had to get the sled out.  I hate digging out a sled.  

Look at Kelly dig.  If she tells you the story about how she lifted the sled on her own and I pranced around like a princess I have to tell you that it is not accurate.  Although I could not have done it without her.

Boom!  Back on the trail.

The weather was cloudy with some sun that peaked out occasionally.  The weather was mild so we didn't freeze to death.  We finally met up with Gary and Mark and headed south.

Warm River Falls.

Comes right out of the mountain.  

I didn't forget about Ab Month.  I planked on the sled and Kelly had to take a picture.  I love this because we are both laughing.  We laughed a lot.  Gary shook his head a lot.  

After Warm River springs we headed to Mesa Falls.  Always beautiful.  I didn't take as many pictures as I usually do.  Probably because I have at least 150 just like this one.  I do wish I would have taken more with my friends that were with me.

We ended the day at Pond's Lodge having dinner.  We use to love Ponds and now all I can say is don't go there.  The food is way too expensive, they don't really care about their customers and that "hometown" fun is completely gone.  

Beautiful!

Next day we took a trip around Two Top and ate at Meadowcreek Lodge.  It's a restaurant that you have to sled to.  It's crowded every weekend and the food is awesome greasy diner cheeseburgers!  

On our way home, Mark decided to try and do some donuts, on his new sled, on ice.  Whoops!  Broken collarbone.  Thank god for helmets!  His "crash" was like mine, only he landed on ice. 

That night I wanted to grease up the massage chair at the cabin.  It's a wonderful thing after a day on the sled but it had a lumbar squeek that was loud!  Gary laughed at me, he didn't think I had a plan.  When he saw that I did, he couldn't help but jump in!  I love fixing stuff.  I love Gary.  

Love those curtains.  They are about to come back into style.  The shag carpet matches.  The cabin has personality and style!  

Next day was our quick trip to Two Top.  Two Top is an awesome mountain that you can see 360 degrees for miles and miles.  Unless there are clouds.  This trip there was mostly clouds.  We decided to give it a try anyway.  About half a mile before we actually get there, here was the view.

 Blue skies and snow covered trees.  I look like I'm wearing a gas mask.  Hahaha.  Hey, I've got a sledding helmet set up that works awesomely!  Absolutely no fog up on the goggles and very protective.

Around the corner and up the hill, this is what Two Top looked like:

Weather can change fast and we could see pretty good, it was just cloudy.  I've been up there before where you could barely see the person in front of you.  It can be scary and I always respect the mountain and the weather. 

After that we headed over to our newly found Super Bowl watching bar.  The Trout Hunter is in Last Chance and they were actually having a party with food, entertainment and drink specials.  BOOM!

YUMMY!  

We had a blast and met some great people.  They had a great half time and after SuperBowl band.

They had moonshine.  They shared.  I still have a hangover.  Great music too.

Yeah Ravens!!

Kelly and I really struggled the next day.  Too much fun, talking, moonshine and shenanigans.  I even lost my voice.

Funny Picture:

The ice machine at the cabin.  It's my dads nemesis.  He spends so much time getting it to work and it won't work for him and then it works for other people.  Hilarious.

It worked overtime for us.

Teehee

Thank you Gary, Kelly and Mark.  I had a great time and look forward to next year.  Hopefully there will be more miles and less broken bones and hangovers.

I absolutely have not forgot about Ab Month!  

I am keeping track, are you?

What is your favorite winter sport?

Blog on...................