Wanderlust

Well, we said the crazies were coming to town when we drove in, so we tried our best to prove it all week.

Near the Bagnell Dam is a strip of road with a great variety of things to do – arcades, stores, bars and food. It kinda reminded me of an area in Manitou Springs, Colorado.

Even though *this* monkey isn’t real, we did see a real monkey at the condo – the security guard was walking around with a diapered one on a leash one night. Very odd.

They had a car show one night – one classic BMW was there complete with a sign, and Cujo entered with his racecar sans sign.

The condo was huge and perfect for all of us to fit in comfortably, with a great deck overlooking the lake and hundreds of slips. Kirsten and Jackson fished with Papa Joe – this is just one that we snapped a picture of before it was released back. There were also lots of turtles and ducks swimming around the lake. And that speck in the lake picture with YuYong and Joe is Cujo in the distance rescuing a pool ball. So, like I said, lots of wildlife in the lake.

The wilderness is rampant here, and we were able to do some hiking at a state park and get some pet ticks. Cujo ended up with the highest count – I think around 10. One had to be removed with tweezers. Ugh, poor guy. One trail here led us to an old castle that had partially burned down more than 60 years ago.

In case you didn’t watch the Putt Putt Tournament of Champions live at Pirates Cove, here are the highlights… There are a lot of mini golf courses here, along with many of the regular version of the game. I prefer the one that needs no carts.

Our rainy day was devoted to poker. Doesn’t this look scary like an underground high stakes game? We are just missing the sunglasses. Oh, and the smoky haze. Ummm, and the high stakes. But… we do have the alcohol piece covered.

Speaking of alcohol, there is a great winery here, off the beaten path called Casa de Loco. Apparently, it’s an old looney bin – what a perfect location, no? As we drove to it, there were questioning looks as we rolled past decrepit dwellings, but there was light at the end of the tunnel. They have lodging with amazing amenities, room for events like weddings, an old stone staircase that leads you down to the river, and of course killer scenery.

The guys had a Tribute to Dad Day and dressed up like they remembered him dressing when they were kids – big crazy long hair, cutoff Levi shorts with the pockets showing, a Harley shirt, and a wallet with the chain. I’m still not sure he thought it was as funny as the rest of us did, but he was a good sport if not.

Happy Fathers Day!

Alas, the week was over, and we all drove back to where we came from… Well, we haven’t made it quite *home* just yet, but back to where we started from. Home is a relative term anyway for some people.