The Jungbauer Family Website

Memoirs of a Metropolitan Matrimony

Prelude to the Metro

Stay tuned . . . there's a lot more to come

Signs of the seasons

Drippy Tippy

The annual Cancer Gala included the annual black tie cruise. Just moments after we picked up Buzz and Jane, we felt a few raindrops. We didn't even have time to leave the pier before we were showered and soaking wet. Thanks to Steve for covering the cockpit while the rest of us ran for cover.

Nate is Great

The first time we met Tracy's fiance, Nate, was at Eric's graduation from law school last May. We were impressed by his quiet, gentle nature and the way he took Steve aside to profess that his intentions toward Tracy were honorable. We were a little worried though, that he was a little too quiet to join such an outspoken, opinionated and frequently ostentatious family.

Worry no more. Nate has proven that he can hold his own and that we will still love and respect him when he's gone back to Georgia!

Nate's Labor Day weekend challenge began with a tour of Tippy in the Boston Whaler. The look on his face as they departed was a little uncertain, but with Captain Rachel at the helm, Sarah as First Mate and scurvy dog Shadow just along for the joy ride, somehow, he managed to return without turning green.

Next stop: Lake Tippecanoe Country Club for a round of golf. No photos available, but Eric retreated to the men's bar after only a few holes to watch football instead. Nate lost (???) the lead on the 18th hole to let his future father-in-law win. Tracy says Nate is quite the competitor, so the next match might be a bit different.

Then for the REAL challenge: coming home to a deck full of "family."

Not only did Nate have to meet the parents, but also the grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins and a few extras. We even had 8 Minnesotans. (Senator Mike and Vicki, Josh and Sarah, Aubrey and her fiance Eric, Ariel and Caleb) In all, we had a quaint group of 21 for dinner the first night and the crowd just kept revolving for the rest of the weekend.

We also tubed and ate and played Nintendo Wii and ate and went to "boat church" and ate and Jet Skied and ate and even gave Nate a hair cut.

. . . and of course there were just a few photos taken.

This is one of my favorite snapshots.

Josh, however, "Jungbauered" all of us (even my father) by proving to have the biggest toy in his backpack!
(Click thumbnail below)

Nate and the rest of the clan even formed their own cheerblock for the seaon finale of The Lake City Skiers. (It probably seemed a little hokey to a landlubber like Nate, but it was best for him to see all sides of his future in-laws before he says "I do.")

Obviously, Nate is to be commended for enduring so much in just 3 days. He was thrown into the midst of our family feet first and quickly learned to swim, but he really won my heart when he learned to barefoot too!

I told Nate that I could teach him to barefoot on the first try if he could just do two things: #1) Sit in a chair (What man isn't already a pro at that?!?) and #2) Listen (Ohhhhh.......not so easy!)

Well, Nate was up and barefooting on the first attempt and if he hadn't already endeared himself into my heart already, that sealed the deal!

Nate was not the only competitor in the crowd. Bubby took the gold at sunrise.

Josh also glowed with the sunrise.

.....but nothing compares to the glow on Tracy's face.

Welcome to the family Nate.

Pirateology

The Lake City Skiers had their final show of the season over Labor Day weekend before an overflowing crowd. Here are some highlights of the National Championship show.

In the exhibition "junior show" before the main event, Sarah decided to jump. She had tried it 3 times, so why not?

(Hey, we're a low budget club . . . so I don't get to quit my day job!)

 

Posted by Erin at 10:18 PM | Comments (1)

Back to Back

Division I, here we come!!!

In the Spotlight

About a month ago, the Lake City Skiers starred in a commercial which is now being aired on Fort Wayne's Channel 21. We don't get Channel 21 with our rabbit ears, so thank goodness for high-speed internet.

Check it out at www.lakecityskiers.org. Hit the "Promo Video" tab on the top left of the home page.

Ski ya later!

Back to the mountains

We may be back in the lowlands, but the girls and I are still on a Rocky Mountain high after spending the day barefooting with Ron Scarpa.

We got home from Colorado at about 11 pm last night so I was dreading the thought of trying to get Sarah and Rachel up this morning for the barefoot clinic with Scarpa. I was out the door before 6 am to make the first ripples in the lake, and the girls were to drive the Boston Whaler over to Little Tippy by 8:30. Amazingly, they were up and walking out the door when I made my first "wake-up call" at 8:00. (Very encouraging!)

Both girls quickly got back on their feet (literally) even though they really had not barefooted at all since Scarpa's clinic last year. They both did short-line deep-water starts off the boom and ended the day with long-line deep-water starts on shoe skis not much bigger than their own feet! The water was a little choppy, but they were fighters!

Both Sarah and Rachel even said they might practice again before Scarpa comes back next year.

Great day, but I stopped by the office . . . the mountains are calling.

Rocky Mountain High

School's out for summer . . . and while everyone else was enjoying 90 degree weather in Indiana, we enjoyed an unexpected winter squall on our way to Steamboat Springs, CO.

The climate (and temperament) however, quickly changed.

Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Everyone says that if you love Colorado in the winter, you will love it even more in the summer.

I first fell in love with Steamboat as a teen. For almost twenty years, our family spent a week every spring skiing in and out of Townhouse 28 in Storm Meadows. We made moguls of family memories together and my dad and I celebrated many birthdays together on the mountain. Steamboat and I even shared our 40th together a few years ago --- and even though it had been almost ten years since we had been there, it still felt like home.

So . . . for a homesick, homebody like me, I was elated when our friends invited us to be their guests on Storm Mountain.

The unexpected winter weather proved to be short, but dramatic.

Our hosts, Bill and Marsha, redefined "all-inclusive" by showing us overwhelmingly genuine hospitality and 10-star accomodations. We quickly felt at home and immensely enjoyed their company over gourmet dinners, hiking, horesback riding, fishing and while simply enjoying the view. I truly believe that they enjoyed pampering us as much as we enjoyed being pampered!

Marsha and Bill in the kitchen --- one of Bill's favorite spots.

Brandy (and Rachel)

We were also blessed to share this time with my parents.

(Mac always goes on vacation with us too.)

HIKING

HORSEBACK RIDING

MORE HIKING . . . more challenging

TRADITION: Stones from June Falls

Along the way . . .

FISHING

CATCHING!!!

Life is Good!

ONTO THE NEXT ADVENTURE:

White-water rafting down Clear Creek in Idaho Springs.

Rachel had a BLAST and is ready for bigger rapids. Sarah doesn't like the wetsuits, helmuts or cold water, but still had fun too.

From Clear Creek, we headed to Longmont to visit our friends Brandon & Kim and their girls Sydney & Reagan. We were greeted with HUGE hugs and kisses from the girls even though the last time we visited, Sydney was just a baby and Reagan wasn't even a twinkle yet.

Our reception was so warm (94 degrees) that we headed to Water World for the day.

The Lazy River

The Lazy River ala Reagan & Steve

The next day was 50ish and raining --- a good day for 4-wheeling.

Steve and I chickened out when we hit these rapids the first time, but Brandon and Steve went back and powered through it.

Sarah and Rachel were content to stay on the fire trails while we chased in the Hummer.

We also amused ourselves playing Nintendo Wii on Brandon's BIG screen . . . . and playing with Sydney and Reagan.

Our last look at the Rockies: the view from Brandon and Kim's house.

Winners

Rachel recently entered an essay contest. In my opinion, she is the winner, hands down!

I get tears in my eyes every time I read this. What an awesome gift!

Diversions

Sarah and I spent the weekend near Michigan City at a volleyball tournament. The girls played 8 games on Saturday and were so pooped that they could barely even shop the outlet mall. Even with three teens (Sarah, Logan and Kaila) in one hotel room, it was a quiet night.

This morning, while the girls were still sleeping, I headed to Lake Michigan for a run. I pulled into the park at Mount Baldy where I have been several times before, but was amazed at what I saw.

Full-grown trees were "swimming" in the sand. (The early morning lighting was so awesome it even made a great photo on my cell phone, but unfortunatley, I left my real camera at the hotel. I went back to Mount Baldy about an hour later, but the lighting wasn't nearly as good.)

My running trail . . . . .came to an abrupt halt.

The living dune smothers anything in its path; the shifting sand is stunningly and clearly powerful.

Don't let the 2-D photo fool you. These dunes are definitely, dwarfing 3-D!

I was surprised to discover that neither Logan or Kaila had ever been to The Dunes. I drove them by for a quick peek but I'm sure they still cannot fathom what is on the other side and beyond.

Meanwhile, Rachel stayed home so that she could go to her friend Miranda's house for the night . . . and spend the night on the town in the limo!

I left her my camera.

(There were lots more.)

Steve was left behind to do guy stuff --- clean the garage, fertilize the yard, play with fire . . . . .

Still not sure what happened, but soon after we got home tonight, the back forty was in the midst of a wildfire. The Jungbauer fire department responded promptly and decisively. No casualties or property damage other than an acre or two of burnt grass.

Yal-ku is very cool

Ten Grand returned to Akumal, Mexico. This year we were almost at the end of the road (Akumal only has one main road) and overlooked Yal-Ku Lagoon.

There wasn't quite as much solitude as the photo would suggest, but it was still very peaceful and a pleasant change from the pounding ocean-side surf of the past two years.

During the day, the lagoon swarmed with almost as many snorkelers as fish. Whatever your pleasure, there was plenty to watch.

Our "penthouse" view of the lagoon

Guess who was usually on the sun deck

Guess who you couldn't keep out of the water

Guess who was content to enjoy the water from the distance . . .

Gramma playing Sudoku. Grampa playing on his Mac.

. . . and when we needed a break from the sun, countless games of "Golf" and "Spite & Malice."

Samantha got to SCUBA for the first time

Jeff was content to stay on the beach . . . with the babes!

One of our favorite beach bars . . .

Steve and I got the bird's eye view from La Buena Vida

. . . and the kids got a swinging view

Another fun adventure: a day on Cozumel.

Two years ago we explored Cozumel by scooter. Last year, Eric and Steve ventured back to the island to explore the aftermath of Hurricane Wilma. Not surprisingly, they rebuilt Cozumel very quickly. We were disappointed to see the quaintness of the "undeveloped" side of the island devoured by real highways heavily patroled by police.

Nonetheless, we were still carefree as we journeyed around the island topless . . .

Body surfing was great too!

A fun day . . . but we were glad to return to our placid little lagoon.

Time to go home . . .

Adios . . . . .

Belated Birthday Box

Auntie Carol had a momentous birthday in January.

BBB

Fifty is nifty
Because it’s the only word that rhymes,
But we still hope your birthday was happy
And filled with real good times.

Bucky’s had quite a few adventures
And made a friend or two,
But home is where the heart is
And Bucky belongs with YOU!

If you are rabid with curiosity, click HERE for more insight into our family secrets!

Another world

BIG WORLD (little me)

About a year ago, Denny Wilson, the senior pastor at WCC challenged our congregation: "Step out of your comfort zone. Stop focusing on yourself." He challenged us to look at our world and our lives from a different perspective and to help refine our focus on living a purpose-driven life --- a life with signficance.

Steve and I just returned from our first mission trip. The experience was beyond what words or pictures can describe, but it had an eternal impression on our hearts and our faith. Here is a glimpse of our week in Honduras. We extend a sincere invitation to share our experience with you personally.

First of all, since the trip involved Jungbauers, you know that there HAD to be drama. This time the drama began before we even left. One week prior to leaving, we discovered that you cannot travel to Honduras unless you have at least six months before your passport expires. I’ll spare all the sordid details, but after many phone calls and FED-EXs we received our passports just hours prior to departure.

We flew into San Pedro Sula, a city of 800,000 people founded in 1536. It is about ninety minutes from the northern coast of Honduras and in the lowlands surrounded by mountains and banana plantations. Temperatures never dip much below 80 degrees.

According to the guide book, it is the “most dynamic business city in Honduras” and ”much maligned by travelers as a place to get out of as quickly as possible.” It has the highest crime rate in Honduras, so armed guards seem as common as stop signs.

Forty percent of Honduras’ GDP is generated in San Pedro Sula primarily from banana plantations and maquilas. Maquilas are factories that assemble clothes from fabric imported tax-free and then re-exported tax-free. Forty percent are owned by the US and indeed, many of Steve’s NIKE wear was “Made in Honduras.”

Local vendors and mobile vendors

Honduras is full of contrast. Modern yet primitive. New yet old. Rich but poor. Hopeful but hopeless.

Icons like Coca Cola, Pizza Hut, Wendy's, and Office Depot seem to dot every corner yet are frequently adjacent to abandoned, dilapidated shacks. Peddlers stand on street corners selling fruit or water. A Catholic church stands in the center of every town. Just a few blocks from our hotel was this Warsaw icon.

Obviously, San Pedro is not a tourist town. You won’t find menus in anything other than español and even a NASCAR driver would be challenged to survive the roads, sidewalks and parking lots. (Headlights and tail lights are optional, drivers create their own traffic lanes and one-way streets are just a suggestion.)

We were very glad to have interpreters, taxi drivers . . . and Guardian Angels!

Trinchera, is a “village” about 30 minutes outside of San Pedro Sula. This is where we spent our week working. Most of us would call it a ghetto. You cannot tell where it starts or ends; it seems to go on forever, but just runs into another village that looks the same with a different name.

The houses are rarely more than a few feet apart or more than a few crowded small rooms. Most have dirt floors and are constructed from scraps of wood, metal, fabric and plastic. There are open sewers that the children cheerfully run through like mud puddles. Many cook over fire pits. Laundry is done by hand and strung anywhere to dry. Children take care of the children. Trash and chickens are everywhere and despite the primitive living conditons, most houses have a TV --- and a barbed-wire security system. The “affluent” have houses of cement (with broken glass and razor wire security systems) and maybe even have a car. Large public buses from "outside" squeeze through the moguled streets of the village multiple times daily, but for most, Trinchera is the only world they will ever know.

The streets are studded with small shops in the front part of the houses. Some sell handfuls of groceries and many sell Coca Cola or Pepsi. Some serve food or have a small selection of clothing or other small household items. In one form or another, you’ll find all the “modern conveniences of home” like a cell phone vendor, electronics store, barber shop, bakery, billiards hall, gym and of course, an internet cafe. There is even a meeting place for AA and a strikingly new medical clinic, though it’s usually closed due to lack of staffing.

You can even get ice cream and cotton candy.

Our first interaction with the people of Trinchera was in small groups walking through the streets and stopping at houses to share staples of beans, rice and prayer. No matter how meager their living status, we were always warmly welcomed inside of their homes.

Sunday night we attended one of their church services. We arrived after the service began and were escorted through the crowded congregation to reserved seats in the very front of the church. Our comfort zones shattered and we were acutley aware that we had no idea what we had gotten ourselves into. As we looked out at the congregation, however, their overwhelming love, energy and passion for worship --- their love of God --- quickly calmed our insecurities. We later discovered that they expected us to arrive late so to show us special attention and honor.

The little girl in green, Alejandra, immediately stole my heart that night. I sheepishly snapped this photo trying to capture the passion of the moment. Note how their focus is not on us or anyone other than our Almightly God.

This is the Pastor and his "Praise Team" standing on the cement-block stage in the open-air dirt-floored church. Note how crisp, clean and white everyone was despite the primitive living and sanitary conditions.

The offering baskets overflowed that night --- a fore-taste of things to come.

Monday morning we returned to Trinchera. Most of the men were on the construction team and the women, teens and a few brave men were on the children's ministry team which held a Bible School for the kids. We were told to expect about 50 kids for the first session and perhaps another 50 for the second session.

Here is the church in daylight . . . . with at least 50 kids already waiting for us the first morning.

Before long, the church was busting at its seams with at least 150 kids on the first morning.

When we returned after lunch, the church was completely empty. Our hearts sank.

A few kids started to trickle in, but then Wilmer, one of our locals, drove around town in a pickup truck playing his trumpet like the pied piper. Within minutes, we were overflowing with kids from all directions.

The following morning when we drove in, not only was the church FULL of kids waiting for us, but they loudly clapped and cheered for us as soon as they saw our van. We could barely even get to the stage because they had put their chairs right up against it.

They could never seem to get close enough to us. We felt magnetic.

During our time with the kids, we taught them songs, watched a movie about the life of Christ from a child's perspective, colored pictures, made beaded cross necklaces, played with balloons and bubbles, made a prayer tree and shared the love of God.

The kids' favorite song was Yo Tenga Un Amigo, (I Have a Friend Who Loves Me) which they also learned in English. They loved to sing and when they did, it gave all of us chills despite the blistering heat. (You HAVE to see and hear the video.)

While we were busy with the kids, Steve worked with the construction team to "remodel" a house and put a new roof on the school. He redefined dirty and smelly. In keeping with Jungbauer "traditions," he was also the only one that got injured. (He cut his finger on a piece of sheet metal so I had to glue his finger back together.)

He also spent alot of time playing ball with the kids hanging around the construction sites.

The kids loved hanging out with (and on) Steve --- especially Darcy. (Talk to Steve for details.)

At the end of the week, we were all honored with a special ceremony and meal prepared by patrons of the school.

This church on the top of the hill was irresistable, so one afternoon, the ladies and I went on an adventure hike through Trinchera (and beyond).

Along the way, we ran into a helpful teen on a bicycle that redirected us (in a safer direction) and then a little further down the road we ran into another kind soul that then become our tour guide to the top.

She even recruited her family and more umbrellas for the journey.

Atop the summit, we found these boys flying their home-made kites.

And on the way back down . . .

. . . this is what we found laying in the middle of the steep downslope.

Mingling in the streets on the way home

On Thursday, we took the day off and drove out to the beach. It rained. (My typical day off.)

On our final night in Trinchera, we held in a "Crusade" with multiple local churches. At least 2000 people attended and the locals performed in a special dance ceremony while "our kids" danced with us.

All the gringos got up on stage and sang the kids' favorite song "Yo Tenga." The crowd begged for an encore. Some of us gave personal testimonies and all of us collected countless hugs and kisses.

More special faces and memories:

Our driver Javier with his sons, Javier and Gabriel.

Steve Petty and his fiance Reina

Steve is the pulse behind our mission in Trinchera. Reina grew up along the tracks in Trinchera.

Estella and her family outside their family store

Estella was a meek teen that barely spoke a word, but graciously helped us every day during Bible school. We tried to buy something from her store, but her mother insisted on giving us something instead.

A proud mother . . . full of hope, holding her six-week old infant . . .

I'm still trying to process our experience. It seems that what we received far exceeded what we gave. I don't know what kind of lasting impact we had on their lives, but I know they made a permanent impact on our lives. We were overwhelmed by the out-pouring of love and generosity: no matter how little they had, they joyfully gave.

But there is another world in Trinchera that is easily overlooked. It is not the world we want to remember, but the world that we should remember.

They did not choose where they were born, but we can choose how to use the gifts that God has given each of us. No act of kindness is too small. To love one another is to love God --- and if we refuse to extend love and grace to one another, we refuse to love God.

Love is more than a feeling. Love is a verb.

We must all live more simply so that others may simply live . . .

I didn't get to ski on New Year's Day, but . . .

Christmas Eve Ski

Turkey 2006

No, we did not get hit by a freak snow storm.

These are the infamous Jungbauer potato dumplings --- THE most important part of a Jungbauer Thanksgiving dinner.

Father and son bond over the art of making the perfect dumpling.

On my side of the family, the only real holiday culinary tradition is trash . . .

This is the "trash" that Gramma Stands always brought to family gatherings along with her ginger-soy veggie dip. The tradition continues.

Today, however there was something even more appetizing ---- served chilled at 46 degrees but under a 60 degree sunny broiler:

Steve's brother Mike joined us from Minnesota with most of his family: Vicki, Aubrey, Ariel and Caleb. Add Eric, Angela and Gramma Bev and we had an even dozen.

Pre and post dinner entertainment.

Footing Formal

Last weekend I taught a barefoot clinic for the Lake City Skiers.

I had a dozen footers from fourth grade to forty-something . . . I didn't make any money, but the pay-off was still great.

I had so much fun, I barely had time to get cleaned up for the 10th annual Cancer Gala.

Steve and I always go by boat and it is about the only time that I actually get in the picture!
(Who wouldn't want to be photo'd with such a handsome guy?!?)

More Headlines

From the Central Region Show Ski Association . . .

Lake City Skiers Win DII Nationals

The Lake City Skiers gave a stunning performance Saturday at the 2006 Nationals held at the Water Hawks show site in Evansdale, Ia.

With only two falls in their entire show the Lake City Skiers brought the crowd to their feet from the opening act as they did a barefoot pyramid slingshot around the jump. Things didn't stop there as act after act left the dock and returned to the main stage.

The Lake City Skiers won with a score of 1704. The team also took home every piece of hardware at the tournament with best male skier going to Jakim Wilson and best female skier going to Angela Malcolm. If you missed this tournament, you missed one of the best water ski shows ever performed. Congratulations to The Lake City Skiers from Warsaw, In.

The Ski Broncs finished 2nd with 1428 points and the Bayside Skiers finished 3rd with 1344 points. The Hartwick Huskies rounded out the competion with 1284 points.

Headlines from USA Water Ski

Lake City Skiers Win Malibu Division 2
Show Ski National Championships

The Lake City Skiers of Warsaw, Ind., won the team title Saturday at the sixth annual Malibu Division 2 Show Ski National Championships at Eagle Lake in Evansdale, Iowa. Lake City swept all of the team box scores and tallied 1,706 points to win the title in convincing fashion. Hosted by the Waterhawks Ski Team, the tournament featured more than 300 athletes.

So . . . we didn't make the front page of the Times Union, but we will have a feature article and photos in Thursday's "Leisure" section. Stay tuned.

Champs

Details to follow tomorrow . . . . . on the front page of the Times Union!

Dukes-2 wins D-II

Despite high winds, river currents, recreational boaters and a few unexpected guest appearances by the LCS swim team, the Lake City Skiers still held their reign as the Central Region Division II Champs.

Rockford or Bust

Beware Rockford: The Dukes are Back!!!

Off to Regionals . . . stay tuned.

Three is a charm

For the third year in a row, Ron Scarpa spent the week barefooting in Warsaw.

Most all of you know by now that my world revolves around Ron during the week that he is here. (I'm so glad that Steve understands.) Even Sarah and Rachel become zoned in on his every word and motion and tempoarily turn into androids! This year, Ron even got them to take the first step toward barefooting backwards --- and they loved it!

Ron reminisces over what it was like to have hair! And yes, Ron, Sarah IS taller than you.

The Dukes are Back

The Dukes are back . . . . . . . Daisy is gettin' hitched . . . . . . . . . and the Lake City Skiers were back on top again this weekend in their first tournament of the season.

Not only did the Lake City Skiers take home the big trophy, but they also took home the awards for Best Barefoot Act, Best Pyramid, Best Jump Act, Best Individual Act, Best Sound Crew, Best Showmanship, Best Tow Boat Driving, Best Pick-up Boat Crew, Best Dock and Equipment Crew, and Best Overall Show.
(The only award we did not take home was for Best Ballet Line, but that won't happen again! They just had a very rare, off day.)

Since we have only run through the show a handful of times, we are off to a strong start --- and Regionals on July 8th. In the meantime, you can catch the LCS show on Hidden Lake on Tuesdays at 6 pm and Sundays at 5 pm.

You may not catch as many pictures on my blog this year though. I have been "Deputized" to join the team and I can't seem to keep my head above water!

Meanwhile, Steve is nursing his hamstring back to health and serving as the team physician --- fixing skis.

A Dip on St. John

Thursday, June 1: The headlines of USA Today read:

That means the Jungbauers must be going on vacation. (And true to tradition, Steve injured himself 5 days ago. He tore a hamstring skiing with Rachel on his shoulders.)

Friday, June 2 . . . A long day of travel by airplane, taxi, ferry and finally by Jeep. Even though we were still on the same time, the sun set 2 hours earlier than at home (I hate DST!) and St. John was already asleep.

After 15 miles of steep inclines, sharp curves and rapid descents (Centerline Road alone, though only 7.5 miles long, has 179 curves!!!) we arrived at Estate Concordia on the southeast end of St. John at about 11 pm. Just like our "Cool Breeze" car rental, this was a self-serve check-in, deal-with-the-details-later island-style operation. (They don’t even leave the lights on like Motel 6 --- though they do remind you to bring your own flashlight.)

We grabbed our linen bag (no maid service) and before making the 104-step descent to our "Eco-Tent," I went to move the Jeep out of the middle of the road only to discover the transmission cable broke and wouldn't move out of Park. (Remember, it's a Jungbauer “adventure.”) The good news: at least we made it to our destination first!

Surprisingly, "Cool Breeze" had a replacement Jeep to us by mid-morning the next day and “fixed” the transmission cable with plastic wire ties before driving it back to Cruz Bay.

So WHY St. John in June? (Remember, I am a major homebody once the lake thaws!)

Last fall, Steve and I did a long get-away weekend in St. Croix. While there, Steve also did a triathlon and as the competitor that traveled the furthest, he won a one week stay on St. John. Sweet! (But it had to be used between June and September --- and it was for a campground.)

FREE is my favorite 4-letter word, so with a gift certificate for free lodging and free airline tickets (frequent-flyer miles), we ended up here, in the Concordia Eco-Tents. Fodor’s probably doesn’t give it a 5-star rating, but we gave it a 500 star rating.

The Eco-Tents are like a network of treehouses perched on the mountainside overlooking the beach and ocean. There are well over 100 steps from the top of the matrix to the bottom and once perched inside our Eco-Tent, we felt like we were on our own private island.

We had 3 bedrooms (including a loft), a private bath and shower, a kitchenette with running water and a porch. No electricity, but solar power for lights and a reservoir of solar-warmed rainwater for showers --- and for the techno-junkies among us, the office also kindly served as a charging station, if needed.

It was a vacation from the TV, phone, computer, hairdryer, traffic lights, sirens and fast food, yet we felt like we were in the lap of luxury with unlimited panoramic views, refreshing ocean breezes, pristine private beaches and casual, yet gourmet dining.

Amazingly, my very girly teenagers, who would love to be pampered all day at a spa, did not miss the modern conveniences of home either. Instead, they enjoyed old-fashioned pastimes like reading and playing cards when it was time to get out of the sun and did not complain once about our eco-primitive accommodations. They thought our “treehouse” was cool!

Four-wheel drive is essential on St. John. Even most of the paved roads require 4WD and revel any rollercoaster. The roads on the less-commercialized east end are particularly steep and winding. "They" say the reason you drive on the left side of the road in St. John is so you can see how close to the edge you are.

I won't tell you how close to the edge we were here, but it was a LONG way from everybody else! Remember, it's a Jungbauer adventure . . .

--- and we thought Sarah and Rachel needed to learn how to change a tire.

If we had paid closer attention to the signs, perhaps our fate would have been different . . .

(Duh! You dip sh.......)

This is the salt pond below our Eco-Tent. The salt content is so high that salt crystalizes along the shoreline. It is rich in the minerals of the sea and reportedly very tasty, so we harvested some salt to take home. The brown color of the salt pond is not because the water is muddy. It’s actually very clear, but gets its unusual color from red algae.

From the salt pond, we hiked over to Drunk Bay. It is covered with “bodies” and all visitors are expected to leave their mark behind. The girls made a turtle, Steve resurrected a cross, and I left behind my footprint.

We cooled off by snorkeling in Salt Pond Bay and swam with the turtles and large schools of fish.

After lunch, we went to Cinnamon Beach where I saw a 5-foot shark --- but didn't have the camera to prove it.

Cinnamon Bay was very crowded compared to all the other beaches we visted, like Hawksnest . . .

. . . and Lameshur.

We eventually returned to Cruz Bay to deal with the sharks at the rental car agency --- and left with our third Jeep in four days (and another spare tire).

Our favorite dining spot was Asolare which overlooked Cruz Bay.

Lucy's was also spectacular despite it's humble atmosphere (that didn't even warrant a photograph except for the view.)

. . . and Haagen-Dazs can always be found in even the most remote locations.

We spent one day with Captain George touring around St. John by boat. He took us to beaches and reefs that you can only access by boat. We had originally hoped to island-hop in the British Virgin Islands, but high winds and ten-foot swells kept us close to home.

Amazingly, St. John is only 9 miles long and about 5 miles across which makes it similar in size to Lake Wawasee --- but with a much greater surface area (the highest altitude is 1300 feet.) The island feels much bigger than it is because of its vast topography but is largely unspoiled since 2/3 of the island is National Park.

Ram Head is the cliff we overlooked from our treehouse. It's a safe, but spectacular hike to the top which takes you across a blue pebble beach. The rocks make a unique soundd of "applause" as the waves wash over them.

We give St. John a standing ovation and hope to do an encore soon!

Holy Moley

Brain Freeze

This is a collage that Rachel made in school a month or two ago.
I guess she's ready for ski season!

Steve and I took our first barefoot run of the season today. The water temp was about 50 and the air temp peaked at about 63, but with the boat speed at 35 - 40 mph and a wet head, it still made for one HUGE brain freeze.

A word from your editor

Obviously, as editor of this blog --- which I maintain purely for the pleasure of my readership (with only a pinch of parental indulgence) --- I am not immune from harsh public criticism.

If you must know, my recent silence is because I am pouting about the impending doom of Daylight Savings Time . . . plus there a thousand other things still on my To-Do List!!!

La Buena Vida