Gone but Not Forgotten

Hello and welcome to the blog.  Happy Memorial Day!  It is a great time to step back and give thanks for the many brave people who have kept us safe these many years.  While technically Memorial Day was meant to honor those who died in service of our country (and Veteran's Day is for all veterans), it's good to honor all veterans all the time.

Today I stopped by Dad's marker and "planted" some artificial flowers.  The cemetery was decorated beautifully.  Feeling a bit guilty for not visiting more often, it was good to take a few minutes and remember many pleasant moments.  Dad and Mom are gone... but not forgotten.  I'm sure they would be proud that Sis and I have continued on.  Every day the efforts of Dad and Mom bless us in some way.  It was a good era in time for growing up and living... despite the Cold War, some nuclear fears, etc.  We grew up in the "good old days" and owe a huge debt of gratitude to so many who have served our country.

God Bless the USA!

So what's on the horizon?  Prior to transitioning to a new role at work, I've got a week off to rest up starting next weekend.  The weather looks fantastic.  With lows around 60, it's a perfect time to do some free camping.  Jesse and I are going to do a lot of fishing but this time it won't just be for trout...  There are also some new, fun places to visit, including a tractor museum.  We're going to be cooking some tasty meals along the way, such as a "Strawberry-Rhubarb" whole grain breakfast waffle made with Iowa rhubarb and fresh organic strawberries.  Stay tuned!

For now, thanks for stopping by.  Safe and happy travels always!

Brad, Jesse James, and Jennifer
Jones County, Iowa

Sometimes Ya Gotta Quit The Quitting

This was Woody's plate at the Big Spring Trout Hatchery

Hello and welcome to the blog today.  It's been an interesting week with plenty of developments.  On the last post, I'd indicated that there was a job change in the works.  Well, there sort of is... but not as expected.

After conversing with Management, I've accepted a parallel transfer to a less physically demanding job at the same employer.  It will mean about the same hours and pay,... and the opportunity to work with the same friends.  The icing on the cake is that my job continues to be just 1/2 mile from home.

Resonating through my mind most of the night (and as I retire) is a manager's words "I don't want to lose one of my good people."  I hope to never forget those words and how much they meant to me tonight.

Serena's little solar cross at our favorite campground in NE Iowa

Earlier in the week I had a couple of days off and was kind of distressed while applying for work, the intention being to change jobs.  That did not go so well.  None of the jobs around here pay as well.  There would be a commute... and the nature of the work was not as appealing.  That's why I headed north to relax a bit and rest the mind.  My two week notice was counting down all too fast.

The first stop was at Dutton's Cave.  The sun was going down and the gnats were fierce.  I had to look at my little pal Serena's memorial and was happy to see the solar cross was functioning perfectly.  It's a special place... Everyone needs a location to reflex / relax / cry / meditate.  I'd planned to sleep here but unfortunately, I saw some evidence of recent drug activity and decided to camp elsewhere.

Campground at Big Spring Hatchery

A short drive away was the Big Spring Hatchery and campground.  This is a favorite place to fish and rest.  The primitive campground is just $5 and has a spectacular view of the Turkey River... On the next visit I plan to fish the river for bass and walleye.

A killer clown from the movie Krampus

I'd arrived at the Big Spring campground as the sun went down.  Setup with the van is basically non-existent.  Within a couple of minutes, I was sitting in the easy chair, sipping a cocktail, and watching the scary movie "Krampus".  While this evil, double-jawed clown was killing, a twig fell on the van and scared the crap out of me!  Nonetheless, the sleep that night was peaceful... While isolated, this campground is one of the quietest and safest places on earth.

There's nothing like a good outdoor hearty breakfast

The next morning I went fishing in the Turkey River.  The trout were not biting worth a darn but the gnats sure were.  Around 7 AM, the appetite took over and I took a break to cook a terrific breakfast of bacon, hashbrowns, farm fresh brown eggs, and pancakes.  It sure hit the spot!  Knowing the mascot dog Woody was sure to make an appearance, I fixed a second plate... He devoured it in 15 seconds.

Big Springs Hatchery Building and Raceways

The drone picture above was taken near the river, looking back at the hatchery.  Water runs from a huge spring through each one of these concrete raceways.  Hundreds of thousands of trout are raised in these structures.  Trout are sensitive and require clean water.  With fresh spring water constantly flowing, the many fish flourish under optimal conditions.  The DNR staff feed them every morning.  As the water exits the fenced-in raceways, the flows are combined and dump into the Turkey River.  Multiple times per week, stocking trucks load up fish and deposit them in various area streams.

The Turkey River (below the hatchery)

The limit of 5 trout was caught well before lunch time and it was necessary to return home to check on the cats.  I hope to roast some fish the next time when camping, perhaps with Jesse or Jennifer along.  The ones from Tuesday will go into the smoker Wednesday morning.

It was fun to get away on Monday and Tuesday.  A person needs to rest and sometimes step back just a bit.  It's good not to have to change jobs... and to break the cycle of walking away from jobs... Sooner or later a person just has to quit the quitting.  I'm lucky to work with a great group of people doing work I enjoy... and know they value my efforts.

That's about it for now.  On Friday, I'll be in a neighboring town at a cool 80s rock concert.  More about that will be coming up toward the weekend.

Take care and thanks for visiting!

Brad, Jesse James, and Jennifer

Jones County, Iowa

Fun with Jesse and Johnnie

Jesse likes the "kitty condo" (a jungle gym) at Hills, Iowa

Hello and welcome to the blog!  The last couple of days Jesse and I went for a little overnight trip to Muscatine, Iowa to visit buddy Johnnie.  It was a fun time because we didn't have anything really important to do or places to go... no stress.  The trip was badly needed.  Work has been extremely intense and I've been in a lot of physical pain and having frequent anxiety attacks and such.  Life's been pretty tough lately.

Believe it or not, I've been too exhausted to fish lately... so this trip the kitty got his chances for recreation.  Jesse ended up playing at five different places.  That settled him down to where he was content to ride on my left leg and watch the scenery go by.  Jesse really seemed to enjoy himself - an encouraging sign for future trips!

Johnnie (and Jesse near the right rear wheel)

Johnnie and I hit a bunch of thrift stores and enjoyed a nice meal at an amazing  Oriental restaurant in the Davenport area.  He had Chinese food and I loaded up on sushi and raw oysters.  Jesse?  I sneaked him out four nice cooked shrimp... and he was pretty happy.

While "junkin" at the Salvation Army, I picked up another waffle iron and to carry it, a small laptop bag.  It's going in the van for all the future camping trips.  After the sun went down, Jesse camped in the van last night... I was lazy and slept in Johnnie's guest bedroom.  As a non-smoker, I think it might have been preferable outside.  :)

This morning I cooked Johnnie a bunch of waffles (for freezing) while he was trying to wake with a bad hair situation.  The waffles that we ate were adorned with strawberry cream cheese, fresh strawberries, and some whipped cream.  He's now a fan of breakfast waffles.  

A fun picture of Johnnie's bad hair day

After saying goodbye, I drove west and hit the Riverside Casino for lunch.  They had sent me a couple of free buffet coupons.  Lunch was delicious.  The icing on the cake was the 2 cent slot machine.  I put in $20 and after a few minutes, I hit $156+ on the machine.  That paid for the trip!  

From there it was on to the nearby Riverside Star Trek Museum.  I've mentioned the town of Riverside a number of times.  Back in the Star Trek IV movie, Captain Kirk (played by William Shatner) said, "I'm from Iowa.  I only work in outer space."  Immediately, Riverside petitioned Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and it was decided this town will be the future birthplace of Captain Kirk... on March 22, 2228.

NCC 1818 - The USS Riverside marks the Riverside Star Trek Museum

Here are a few pictures from the museum.  It costs nothing to tour but you'll want to spend some money there if you like Star Trek!

Time Capsule to be opened on March 22, 2228

What a cool collection!

The original series (left) and TNG (Star Trek - The Next Generation) uniforms

Museum and the USS Riverside NCC 1818

If you're in the area, the museum is a "must see".  It's packed with Star Trek memorabilia and the collection keeps growing.  I ended up buying a T-shirt, a button, and a cool yard ornament.

A starship watching over my herb garden!

It was a very enjoyable trip the last couple of days!   I feel a lot better after having given a 2 week notice at work the other day.  A person wants to do his/her best at a job... but when a company deliberately understaffs a store, it's not my problem when the shit keeps hitting the fan on a near daily basis.

Now it's possible to focus on moving on to something more uplifting.  I'm pretty excited!

After looking at the forecast (highs in the 80s, lows in the 60s) the weather is looking great the next few weeks; there will likely be more fishing and stealth camping soon.

Thanks for visiting today!

Safe and happy travels always!

Brad, Jesse, and Jennifer
Jones County, Iowa

Waffle Iron - A Useful Camping Accessory

Who can resist a warm strawberry waffle for breakfast... especially when
it's relatively low carb?!?

Hello and welcome to the blog today.  I've recently picked up a gadget for the kitchen but will probably buy another for the storage area of the van.  It's that useful... and you can get them cheap at the Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc.

It's a round waffle iron.

Recently I'd been craving pancakes and waffles but the carbs were a killer, especially considering the low fiber content.  But that's all changed for the better after watching an episode of "Shark Tank" on ABC...  I love the show where various entrepreneurs hawk their products and the sharks (investors) make offers to help the growing businesses flourish.  One such business is Kodiak Cakes.

Available at Target, this is one mix you will
probably never waste!

A half-cup serving of this fiber rich mix is diabetic friendly - just two exchanges.  It's "complete" meaning you don't have to add milk or egg (unless you want to boost protein that way).  Another nice feature is that it is 1 for 1... For every measure of the mix you add an equal amount of water.  That's convenient for campers who prefer to not carry a lot of kitchen gadgets (I only have a 1/4 cup measure in the van).  The ease of use and great flavor and nutrition makes this mix a terrific companion for those of us who are out in nature.

Nothing is sacred... He loved the bacon, egg, and cheese breakfast sandwich

Some might say, "Well, aren't waffles just for breakfast?" and rightfully so.  But this mix has an earthy, whole grain flavor that also tastes like terrific quality bread.  I've used it for breakfast sandwiches (bacon, egg, and cheese).  Last night a waffle was the "bread" for two Kosher hot dogs.  Other plans include adding some seeds (such as flax) and using a waffle in place of a hamburger bun.  By varying the cooking times and water, one can make the waffles delicate for breakfast or sturdy enough for a ribeye steak sandwich for dinner.  It's fun to experiment and enjoy the "fresh bread" smell and taste any time!.

With the waffle maker's easy clean-up, simple use, and the convenience of Kodiak Cakes, I'm looking forward to many delicious breakfasts to come whether at home or in the great outdoors.  The next project?  I'm making tender Swiss steak and, of course, will try it with a nice multi-grain waffle "tortilla" for lunch tonight at work.

That's about it for now.  Later this week Kitty Jesse James and I are going to head to southeast Iowa and do some camping and visit our buddy Johnnie.  I'm checking out some new spots to do some river fishing, and hopefully bring back some catfish or sturgeon.  There should be some more good pictures!

Take care and thanks for visiting.  Safe and happy travels always!

Brad, Jesse James, and Jennifer
Jones County, Iowa

Some Spring Fishing and a New Trout Dish

Hello and welcome to the blog.  I've been busy with spring fishing and wanted to share some pictures, as well as a delicious trout preparation method.  Monday's trip north to fish should not have happened if one had listened to the weather forecast.  Rather, I opted to check the radar before leaving and thumb my nose at mother nature and the weatherman.

Lower Buck Creek near Garnavillo, Iowa

I started angling this morning and had a blast.  Nobody else was fishing!  It was likely a combination of the forecast and gloomy conditions.  The trout were hungry and it did not take long to gather five decent fish.

A redwing blackbird (male)

Nothing relieves stress like being outside in nature.  Work has been very intense lately and some nature therapy helped a lot!

After lunch, I drove past Dutton's Cave and paused at the marker for my little kitty, Serena.  She had to be put down about a year ago and I sure miss my old travel buddy.  Now there's a solar lit cross by our special spot.  She loved to camp and play there.

After arriving back home around 5:00 PM (when the 9AM rain finally arrived!) the cooking fun started.  I really like this new trout dish because it was something I concocted based on favorite ingredients.

Rainbow trout smoked with alder wood

After gutting the fish, overnight I soaked all 5 [each fish was about 1/2 pound] of them in a brine of 1/3 cup kosher salt to 1 gallon of water.  After rinsing the brine off the next morning, the trout are smoked with alder wood at 250 degrees for about three hours.  After cooling the fish, I crumbled the meat and made this tasty meal:

5 medium trout, smoked and deboned (no skin)

1 package of Uncle Ben's microwave brown and wild rice medley

2/3 stick of butter

1 bunch of green onions, all parts chopped

8 ounces of mushrooms, chopped

salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

The butter is melted in a skillet.  The onions and mushrooms are cooked down over medium heat until the onions are tender and the mushrooms are soft and have released some liquid into the skillet.  Add the packet of Uncle Ben's prepared brown and wild rice.  Stir to warm.  Add the smoked trout, stir until warmed, and season with salt and fresh cracked pepper.  It's heavenly!

One of my favorite ways to enjoy trout.  It's even better on the second day!

That's about it for now.  I'll be doing some camping next week and will be visiting buddy Johnnie.  It's likely that kitty Jesse James will ride along.  He's been instrumental in helping with the cooking endeavors as one can see in the picture that follows.  It was a struggle to keep him away from the fish.

Take care and thanks for visiting!  Have a terrific weekend.

Brad, Jesse James, and Jennifer

Jones County, Iowa

He's the trout taste tester

Run for the Minnesota Border!

Iowa on the left... The trees on the right are in Minnesota

Hello and welcome to the blog.  Today my sister and I are in Decorah, Iowa.  Those who have followed this and the VanTrekker.com blog know how special this place is... There are many things to see and do... and the fishing is awesome in this area.

Today (Tuesday) I split off.  Sis and my brother-in-law went to see the Vesterheim Museum - a fascinating glimpse into the history of Norwegians migrating to this area.  It's a must see when in Decorah.  Sis was impressed.

My sister from Kansas City

Yesterday we visited the Dunning Springs waterfall in Decorah.  Kitty Serena used to love visiting here and would boldly drink from the waterfall.  Jesse was terrified by the noise and hid under the van the last time he was here.

One could get used to this comfort!

The last couple of days we've been staying at the Hotel Winneshiek in downtown Decorah.  It's central to many attractions.  This room has its own jacuzzi.  It is heavenly but just like the last time, I fell hard getting into the hot tub, striking the left femur and bruising a knee.  But it's amazing how the pain dissipated in time to fish.  (I forgot to think about the soreness!)

I took off this morning to go fishing in Allamakee County, the farthest northeast Iowa county.  It's about 20 miles from here. Starting right at the Minnesota border, I fished and walked a total of nearly four miles, eventually catching five decent fish.  Here is a picture of one of the rainbow trout and a brook trout.  The brookie is the one with the white spots on a more lavender colored body.  The rainbow is more colorful and has the black spots.

Chicken corn chowder - a camping favorite that fits in a 1.5 quart slow cooker.

While the rest of the family had their Tuesday lunch at Old Armory Barbecue (a terrific restaurant), I was content to eat some tasty soup after cleaning the day's catch of fish.  Last night I had prepped veggies and chicken in the hotel room.  The soup simmered in the van's slow cooker all morning while fishing was occurring.  Barbecue sounded good but a warm pot of homemade "from scratch" soup on a picnic table sounded a millions times better!

With our paths diverging today (mine was the less traveled, of course) all three of us enjoyed ourselves.  They are vowing to come back again.  I most certainly will be!   We're going to get together next fall and likely visit this area at that time.  But in the meantime, after Sis returns home, the plan is to make some plans for a new fishing venue.  A word about that and then I'd better call it a night.  We're going fishing at 7 AM tomorrow!

On the way to our little trip north, the three of us had stopped in the town of Elkader, the Clayton County seat.  Using the Syma drone's camera, this picture of the river, the courthouse, and downtown captured Elkader's charm.

Turkey River @ Elkader, Iowa in Clayton County

A newly completed riverwalk leads one to the left side of the river.  The catfishing below the line of rocks is said to be fantastic during the warmer summer evenings.  I plan to find out!

For now it's off to bed in preparation for taking Sis to Trout Run park tomorrow.  I've promised to smoke whatever fish she catches.

Thanks for visiting!  Safe and happy travels always!

Bradford, in Winneshiek County, Iowa

All Fired Up

Anamosa Volunteer Fire Department Pancake Breakfast

Hello and welcome to the blog today.  My sister and brother-in-law are in town and we're preparing to take off for a few days in trout country.  There are museums, trout streams, good food, waterfalls, all sorts of cool things to look forward to this week but first, here was a breakfast we enjoyed this morning.

My sister!

This morning's pancake breakfast was to benefit the volunteer fire fighters of the town where I live.  The proceeds are going to upgrade the air system (compressor and tanks of air used for breathing).

My cool brother-in-law

The three of us enjoyed a terrific meal.  Being a big eater, I went back for seconds and gave them another donation (not required).  When the money taker said "You don't have to" I replied that old Doc ****** told me the other day that I'm the size of two men so I figured I should pay twice.  The cash goes to a great cause.  The turnout of people was amazing.

At the moment I'm packing for the mini-vacation this week.  We were going to take two cars so I can split off on Tuesday and hit a distant trout stream.  There are so many things that would have to be shuffled around it seemed a more logical bet to take the van rather than my little car.  It's optimized for outdoors and fishing activities anyway.  It's going to be a fun time.  There should be some cool pictures later this coming week.

Princess Jennifer with her heart shaped birthday crab cake... and tom cat Jesse
drooling over it.

Today is the one year anniversary since my beloved cat Serena passed away.  I'll always miss my little doll but right behind her, Jennifer came into the world one year ago on May 2nd.  She's awesome company.

Jennifer Stefanie was named after Stefanie Powers who played "Jennifer Hart" on the TV show "Hart to Hart".  She stole my heart and this little birthday treat seemed appropriate.  It used a very expensive can of refrigerated crab meat made into cat (and people) friendly crab cakes.  Talk about a hit!

Thanks for stopping by.  Happy and safe travels!

Brad, Jesse James, and the birthday girl, Jennifer Stefanie

Jones County, Iowa