Sunday, August 23/2015 - Saturday, August 29/2015

Heading to the races

For some reason,  these raceway pictures are posted on Sunday's blog.  This actually was on Saturday.
We headed over to the track around noon.  The qualifying races were in full swing and I was more than excited to see what was to come.  This is my first time seeing the races and I was sooo looking forward to this experience.

Saskatchewan Intermational Raceway

The starting line

The whole race experience was new and I swear I could not keep the smile off my face.  I loved the sights and the sounds of the track and sitting in amongst many friends and other race enthusiasts in the beer gardens was awesome.   It was wall to wall people.  The stands were packed and I am sure the track made a ton of money that day.

The many different cars was awesome to see and to hear them thundering down the track was great.  I sooo loved the sounds of the hopped up engines and the exhaust systems was incredible.

One of the many "burnouts"

The burnouts were great and just watching the light tree to see who beat the light and who got the red was fun.  I loved all parts of the day!!

Bernie driving Gloria's Demon

Amy Schwab in her little car!!

One of the many "cool" cars

The jet cars

The jet cars were nothing short of incredible.  The sound alone made your chest vibrate as they thundered past the stands.  WOW, was all I could say.   They certainly were the stars of the show.  They made a pass down the strip during the day, but it was the night time pass that really stole the show.  The smoke and thunder, the fire and lightning was incredible.  Truly, a must see for everyone at least once in their lives!!   I am soooo glad that we were able to come and see Kimmy race and take in the whole track experience.  It was great.

Even the cops were racing

One of the jet cars

Another jet car

Tow Mater - Jet car

Kimmy in Linus

Night time and showing the lights

Headed down 8 Mile

Sunday found us headed back to Leoville.  This kids are all meeting at Clearwater Lake for a week at the lake so hopefully we will get to have at least one ride with them.
John and I and Dave and Shirley decided to go for a quad ride on Monday.  Jace was supposed to be coming for my quad so that they had another one to ride when everyone showed up but we didn't wait for him.  We left the key in the quad and headed to 8 Mile.  Perhaps we will meet the kids somewhere along the trail!!

At the Huard Shelter

Stuck and the water is coming in!!

The side by side is full of water.

Getting towed out of the water hole near Huard Shelter

Met up with the kids at the Clearwater Hill

Clearwater Lake

On Mystery hill

View from the top of Mystery Hill

This years forest fire burn at Island Lake.  Too close for comfort!!

Coming to the boat launch at Island Lake.  Not many trees left.

Poplar Lake

Amy found a shoe!!

Justin and Alyssa and Jace and Kimmy

Amy

Crossing Moose Creek

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Tonight's sunset

Buck Lake and then home

We eventually did meet up with the kids on Clearwater hill and we then headed over to Mystery Hill where John decided he wanted to try climbing the face of the hill with the new side by side. Although I did have a bit of trepidation in regards to this, I did not get the chance to jump out before John was headed up.  The little machine handled the climb "like a boss" and we were soon sitting pretty at the top!!
It was over to Bug Lake next then down to Island Lake where I wanted to see this years forest fire burn.  Man, Dave said it was nasty but one can not really grasp the scene until you actually see it. Yikes so much destruction.  It was eerie seeing the standing dead trees and oh so quiet.
We then headed over to Poplar Lake and the kids decided that they would follow us to there, have one more beer then head back to Clearwater.  John and I would head home via the grid.  It was time for us to head on home.
Amy found a show at Poplar and decided that she needed to take it home with her.  Holy Buckets, we all had a good laugh about that damn shoe!!
We parted ways and John and I headed for home.  We could not just drive by Buck Lake without stopping in there so, sat on the hill and had a refreshment and watched the start of sunset.
Got home in time to start a fire and wait for John to cook supper.   Life is good!!
The rest of the week was consumed with working at the home.  No rest for the wicked!!

Sunday, August 16/2015 - Saturday, August 22/2015

The 3 Mile welcoming committee

This week started off with work!!   Man, that seems to be the gist of the summer!!  
We did manage to get one quick trip out into the forest this week.  John and I tried to find a way around 3 Mile.  3 Mile has been notorious for giving us nothing but grief getting through so we thought we would try and find a way around it.
We were met by a herd of cattle that decided to stand in our way!!  They had all the little babies behind them!!  It was cool how the Moms stood to protect them.

It was a great day for being in the forest and we never did find a way around the bog of 3 Mile.

Along the old railway right of way

We took a quick trip down the railroad right of way and took a few pics of the many ponds.  The ducks were out in force and we even manage to see a sweet like buck running through one of the fields.  He was not impressed with us breaking into his solitude.

Can't miss a photo op like this!!

Of course John had to have a pic of him climbing the rocks.  Nothing like a last photo op for the day.
We headed back home and called it a day.
The rest of the week was work and on Friday we headed into Saskatoon for my new glasses and the races on Saturday.  Life is good.

Sunday, August 9/2015 - Saturday, August 15/2015

This week found us once again, in the new SxS and out on the trails.
On Monday, we joined Dave and Shirley and Gary on a trip into "The Block".  We could not have asked for better weather.

First beverage stop

We scooted down along Deer Lake and then took Lilac Trail to Hooker Lake.  There were several mud holes along the way but the little side by side had no trouble with them.  It was kind of cool to be riding in a side by side again.

Deer Lake

We took several pics along the way and simply enjoyed what Nature had to offer.

Off Camber at Hooker Lake

The "old" truck in the block

Of course we had to make a quick trip to the old truck that has sat in the block for years.  We have taken a picture with the truck with every quad we have owned.  So, another one taken for the  archives!!

Just had to have the pic!!

It was here that I found my first ever four leaf clover.  I must say that I have looked for one for years and never missed a chance to look whenever I came across a clover patch.  Today, was my lucky day and after years of looking, I finally found one.  Good Luck will surely come my way!!

My first "four leaf clover".   Good Luck for Me!!

We concluded the day at the little white church.  The final beverage stop before heading home.  Unfortunately, Dave managed to tip his side by side onto the passenger side and both him and Shirley got a bit banged up.  No serious injury but injury none the less.  Shirley ended up with a mild concussion and a few scrapes and bruises.  Dave ended up with some bigger bruises and needless to say,  they will both be stiff for several days.

The rest of the week was taken up with work.  Life is Good.....

Saturday, August 1/2015 - Saturday, August 8/2015

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I got off work at 8:30 Saturday morning, had a quick sleep and was up and raring to go by 1:00 p.m. Lorne, Marilyn, Wayne and Theresa were scheduled to arrive around 2:00 so that gave me enough time to start functioning!!
They arrived and the party started.   It was sooo good to see these four again.  We have such a good time with them and we truly value their friendship.  I remembered to give Wayne the big piece of Mica I got from Arizona and of course, the Tshirt that MB scored him from a friend of hers.  He was thrilled.  In turn, Wayne brought me one of the many gourdes that I had given him that he managed to actually cut in half with one of his saws.  The inside did contain some crystals but the saw blade certainly did a number on them.  The colors though were pretty cool.
Eventually, the day light gave way to the dark and we were able to start a fire.  We sat around it while John cooked supper.  The potatoes were thrown on and then Gary, Dave and Shirley came over to meet everyone and have a chat while they cooked.  It was a lot of fun and I think Lorne and Marilyn and Wayne and Theresa got quite a kick out of our neighbours.
Supper was delicious with John cooking the steaks for everyone but Lorne who chose to have a chicken breast which he said was delicious also!!
While we were eating, John raised the question about the need to go home on Sunday.  If they stayed for one more day, we could take our guests out into the forest on the quads and show them some of our natural delights.
As it turned out, they all agreed to stay for Sunday and leave early Monday morning.
It was soon time to head to bed and as usual, it was John and Marilyn who had to stay up for "one more beer"!!  Those two are truly bad news, when they get together!!  LOL
Sunday dawned early and we were soon organizing our day trip into the forest.  It was decided that I would ride behind John and Wayne and Theresa would ride mine.  Lorne and Marilyn would ride in the Sami.  We headed out, hit the trail head and proceeded to show our BC friends some good old Saskatchewan forest.

Wayne and Theresa

Coming down the trail

Dodging the water hole - this one is deep

The trail provided a variety of terrain for us and it was a bit more wet than we thought it would be but we all managed to get through the puddles and enjoy the outing.  Marilyn was constantly thinking Lorne was going to tip the sami over but that never happened so she was grateful for that!!  I am thinking that this might be just a little too wild for her.   She really was never in any jeopardy but I think I did hear her threaten us with having their son Gentry take us out onto the BC trails if we ever get back their way!!

Lorne and Marilyn at the snowmobile shelter

A picture of Theresa taking a picture!!

Sami coming down the trail behind the Smith's

We arrived back home in good time without incident and everyone seemed to have enjoyed the outing.  It was now time for supper and John got the ribs on and once again, they were delicious.  No one went away hungry, that is for sure!!
Of course it was early to bed for everyone as the morning will come all too soon and the folks are headed back to Saskatoon around 8:00 a.m.   They have a 2 hour drive back to Saskatoon then a 2 1/2 hour flight back to BC.  Lorne is a pilot and enjoys a good flight every now and then.

Beverage time

Lorne leaning on the sami while Marilyn sits inside.

Chillin at Buck Lake

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The new quad.  An Arctic Cat Trail XT coming home

We had a new addition to the family this week.  John decided we needed a side by side and after seeing Dave and his latest edition, and what it can do, decided that we needed one too!!  So.... it was off to Meadow Lake and presto, we have a new quad.  An Arctic Cat Trail XT.  It is 50 inches wide so will still be able to get down all the trails in the States.   So many trails are limited to 50 inches so this machine fits the bill rather nicely.

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We took the quad on its initial trip to Deer Lake.  I had to work later that day so it was a short trip just to see how it rode.  It was awesome and I think we will be having some fun in this little thing over the next few years.