Me on the same bridge as Jack

I just got back from a wonderful trip to Scotland and got the opportunity to play the Old Course there at St. Andrews. It was a once and a lifetime experience. I got this photo on the Swilcan bridge which is the bridge pver the burn there on hole number 18. My caddy Susan took the photo. I think I shot 82 on the Old Course and I had three birdies. I will try and post more photos later.

Me and The Wisconsin Girls...

This is one of my favorite photos from the Red Rock Ride that Susan and I did this summer. We had a great time with these four girls from Wisconsin. They are from left to right; Diane Hietpas, Sharon Smudde, Cheri Miller, adn Melanie Sweere. We rode with these girls every day and it was great to get to know them. We look forward to doing a reunion ride with them and everybody else in a few years.

Here is the reason we need bear spray...

While in Wyoming recently Susan and I and a couple of the kids decided a hike up the Grand Tetons to Surprise Lake would be a great way to fill the day with some physical activity. Susan bought bear spray before the hike saying we would need it if we encountered a bear. I proceeded to make fun of her for buying it and when she told me it cost $40 I really could not believe she had spent that amount of money on something we would obviously not be needing.

Well we had been on the trail about 20 minutes when Susan informed us that there was a bear up ahead on the trail. After settling the kids down I got the bear spray out of the backpack and walked up the trail a little bit and sure enough there was a bear cub right in the middle of the trail. Bad sign indeed. If there is a cub then momma is around some where. The cub sat on the trail a minute and was soon followed by the mother grizzly and another cub. They finally got off the trail and after another group of hikers went up the trail we soon followed hoping the bears would eat them and not be hungry by the time they got to us.

It was a great hike and after 4 and a half miles of climbing we made it to Surprise Lake. The elevation there is almost 9800 feet and it was a tough hike but we made it. Susan was truly vindicated in her purchase of the bear spray as we actually saw 7 other bears on the way up and down the mountain.

Bear spray? Why in the world would you buy bear spray?"

Good question. Check back for the answer to this question.

The Red Rock Ride

Susan and I participated in the Red Rock Ride a couple of months back and this is a photo of us at Bryce Canyon in Utah. I will be posting some more photos later but if you get the chance you need to sign up for this horse back ride. The scenery is unbelievable. You ride at Bryce canyon, Zion canyon, the Dixie National Forest, and the Grand Canyon.