Dane and Elaine's Travels With Sputnik: 2008

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Branson, Missouri; December 2008

For Christmas this year, we got Thursday & Friday off. Never a couple to squander a 3-day weekend, we headed off Friday to Table Rock State Park to fulfill two missions with one camping trip. First, Elaine has always wanted to see the Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City & the Branson area. Second, we needed to camp one more time in a Missouri State Park to earn our 3rd annual Missouri Camper award. We had weather varying from wonderful to wild & windy, a range of activities from Christmas lights to lakeside walks & all in all, a priceless weekend.

Christmas lights at Silver Dollar City

The train float in the Christmas Parade at Silver Dollar City

Our camp site at Table Rock Lake State Park

Cooking Grant MacLaren's Johnny Cakes

The water fountain at Branson Landing has shows on the hour.

Our view of the fountain from our table at The White River Fish House Restaurant

The Titanic Museum

Watch for low flying aircraft!

The Branson Belle

See Dane's Notes on Boats

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year
from Dane and Elaine

to all of our friends, family, and fellow Tabbers.

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Babler State Park; Wildwood, Missouri. November 2008

"He that careth for the sick and the wounded watcheth not alone. There are three in the darkness together and the third is the Lord."

Babler State Park was donated in the memory of Dr. Edmund Babler by his brother.

It was a cold and rainy weekend. We set up the tent room, plugged in the space heater and listened to the rain on the canopy. Dinner was saute'd salmon with rice pilaf. Breakfast was bacon and eggs and fresh baked cinnamon rolls.

Elaine has the table set for dinner.

A cheerful hiker?
I really am having a good time.

We had a nice two and a half mile hike on the Virginia Day Trail.

This one's for Ella Brown. We are watching Indy 500 Highlights from this years race.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

St. Francios State Park: Bonne Terre, Missouri. October 2008

We wanted to go camping near our home so we decided on St. Francois State Park in Bonne Terre, about an hours drive. It was a beautiful fall weekend in eastern Missouri. Night time temps were in the 40's. We hiked about 6 miles over the weekend. The park is on the Big River, the same river that runs behind our house.