Dirt Roads ~ High Heels

Monday, September 24, 2018

Down to Devils Well

Up with the sun and the sounds of nature, the creek running cold and swift, we were about to start Day 2 of our long camping weekend. After breakfast and packing up camp, we headed East through Mark Twain National Forest. Not really knowing where we would end up, but knew soon we would need to fill up the truck with gas or we weren't going to make it far! We ended up in Roy, Missouri, a quick stop for some snacks and coffee and we were on our way to the Ozark National Scenic Riverways. There were many camping areas to choose from, but we ended up heading to Pulltite. As we drove through, we quickly realized how finding a spot was going to be a challenge. Most people have reservations, luckily there was one non-reservable spot left, Campsite #18. We looked at each other and said, we better take it! Even though we typically like areas a bit less crowded, we knew our selection would be limited so here we are, home for the next 2 nights!

We set up camp and headed to the Current river to cool off and let Lola swim around. It's busy this time of year; end of season canoeing and rafting make this a very popular spot to camp. We visited the General store for a few more goods; picked up some hiking info for the next day, and settled into camp before heading up the shelter house to listen to Ranger Jess talk about turtles. It's probably supposed to be for kids only, but I got a sweet sticker out of the deal so it was a win-win and very informational! Hot dogs over the fire for dinner and card games before calling it a night.

The next morning we made breakfast and prepared for the day. We took the short drive North to Devils Well near Akers. Devils Well was formed when the roof on a cavern which contained an underground lake collapsed, resulting in a sinkhole with an opening where you can view the lake, 100 feet down and 80 feet deep. Hence the name, Devils Well. There is a spiraling staircase that directs you for viewing and as you make your way down, the temperature drops drastically, and the cute little fall located at the bottom is ice cold. Take a flashlight, it's a small space and rather dark! Devils Well has been explored since the 1950's and in 1956, two species of blind cave fish were observed. In 2015, the Cave Research Foundation identified two more species; cave crayfish. It holds up to 22 million gallons of water and is part of the water supply system filling Cave Spring on the Current River, which can only be accessed by canoe or hiking.

On the next blog, I'll share more about our adventure on the Cave Spring Loop Trail, a 4.6 mile hike leading to Cave Springs and Overlook Junction.

Happy Exploring!

Shona

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Monday, September 17, 2018

Camping Gear, Zero Plans, and Missouri Highways

It's that time of year again, camping season. We took off for the long holiday weekend, Labor Day, without any reservations and decided to see where the back roads of Missouri would take us. Normally we wouldn't camp before now, it's way to warm, but the temperatures were going to be in our favor. The morning started off rainy but a few hours East and the sunshine decided to grace the sky.

As we made our way on Hwy 50, we decided to take a small detour to Hermann to grab a bite to eat at the local park there. Nothing better than a sandwich, chips and and an ice cold Banquet to satisfy a person. We needed to stretch our legs anyway and let Lola run around. Southbound on Hwy 19, we figured we had better decide where we wanted to set up camp for the evening. A quick google search in the Mark Twain National Forest led us to Red Bluff Campground. We had no idea if any spots would be available but took the chance. We drove up the park and actually found the perfect location. It was a smaller campsite but had some amazing views and a crystal clear creek running right across from where we landed. The BF made a quick run to talk to the camp host and I started setting up camp.

It was time to cool off, which meant a quick change into our bathing suits before heading to Huzzah Creek. The water was running and the temperature was perfect. The rocky bottom creek ranged in depths anywhere from 6 inches to maybe a foot, so it was great for wading and letting Lola cool off. As we made our way further down the creek, I was trailing behind; flip-flops are a bit of a challenge when wading. Never did I think I would look down into the perfect clear water to see a snake, popping it's head out of the rocks staring at me...you can imagine my reaction. Screaming, jumping, trying to run to shore, and avoiding the snake, all while trying to keep my shoes on without falling down. Picture that, you are welcome. It took me a minute to catch my breath before I realized there was one way back to camp, crossing the creek. I made the other two lead the way, and I followed closely behind.

After getting the fire started, we prepared dinner which consisted of Teriyaki Rice with grilled tomatoes, onions, and avocado. A night of card games was the perfect way to end the evening before hitting the tent and starting to read Hatchet, a wilderness survival novel by Gary Paulsen. I definitely recommend it.

The next morning we made a breakfast scramble of eggs, potatoes, and bacon; a few cups of hot tea, and a few hours of enjoying the crisp air before packing up and heading on our way to the next destination, which at this point, was still unknown. We would take off through Mark Twain National Forest and just drive; which lead us to some unexpected destinations before finding our home for the rest of the weekend.

Happy Camping!

Shona

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Thursday, August 16, 2018

Beach Days and Tropical Nights

For the final days of our adventure in Mexico, we decided to take it easy! After touring the Mayan Ruins, check out my previous blog post for the details on that, it was time to hit the beach! This meant finding the perfect spot, under a shade umbrella, listening to the sounds of the Caribbean and taking in the salty air. Oh and being served tropical drinks and food without ever getting up! After a few hours of complete relaxation, we had dinner reservations at Chianti.

Chianti is an Italian restaurant located at the resort, Hotel Nyx, where we were staying. We made our way at sunset which was perfect timing for a great photo before heading into enjoy dinner. The service was great and the food was even better. I started with Beef Steak Carpaccio followed by the Caprese Salad, while he opted for the Spicy Tuna. For the main course I chose the Neapolitan Ravioli which was very filling. A few cocktails ended dinner perfectly before we headed to end the night with the local bartenders.

The last full day in paradise, we spent entirely at the beach. After having an early breakfast and changing into proper beach attire, we found our usual chairs which we managed to have the entire time we were there and settled in. Hours of beach time, napping, eating, enjoying fruity drinks and a few tequila shots in between was the perfect Sunday. We did take a small break so I could get my most favorite souvenir, my maracas, made right there in Mexico! The next and final morning in Cancun {insert sad face}, we managed to get a late checkout. He had some emails to get to, so I made my way to the beach for a few more hours of sunshine, sand, and sea before he joined me for our last tropical cocktails beach-side. As we were leaving a storm rolled in but it was the perfect ending to one amazing adventure.