The Great Outdoors

Our second week out west we spent with family, camping in the Bighorn Mountains above Buffalo, Wyoming.

Rainy hike to a waterfall.


The Beckman's (Tuff's Sister Jeri Lyn and family)


Tuff spotted a heard of Elk on our drive back to camp.


In the picture below you can see just how many elk were in the heard. We guessed about 80 head. The photo was taken from 1000 feet away and in rainy conditions.


Tuff's cute nieces Shawnee and Kaydee


The camping gang, including Tuff and me, Jerry, Melody and Amara; Jeri Lyn, Philip, Kaydee and Shawnee; Jay and Lorna.


A mommy moose we spotted while driving to a hiking location


The mommy moose's baby hiding in the brush


Moose territory and also part of our hike


Moose droppings....haha


When camping was over and we were back in Colstrip Tuff, Shawnee (Tuff's niece) and Wyatt (Tuff's cousin) fished the surge pond. The rest of us who could not fit in the boat lounged on the beach.



Large and Small Mouth Bass


Baby Kaydee with the catch of the day


We departed for Staples Thursday, July 15th so I could take my Basic Rider Course and get my motorcycle endorsement. Before the course I had zero experience with motorcycles. I was successful and by the end of the course on Sunday I passed my skills test and got my endorsement.

Lining up for drills...my bike was a Suzuki 250.


Taking some instructions on staying inside the cones, just kidding!


After the course Jake Huebsch (high school classmate) let me take his Yamaha 550 for a spin.


Sunday after class Tuff and I drove to Brainerd to visit my friend Tony and his family.


By Tuff's request we threw a few lines in and caught some sunfish. Tony is fishing from a tube in the picture below.

Pumpkin Seed Sunfish, named for their body shape which resembles a pumpkin seed.


Not his day for catching big fish


To keep up with the theme of fishing, Tuff and Jake headed to the Crow Wing River Tuesday evening. The catches included Walleye, Northern, and Rock Bass.


Baby Northern


Another baby Northern

Then the next day Tuff fished on the Crow Wing River again, this time with our neighbor Nick. Tuff caught a 19" Walleye and Nick cleaned it for Tuff to enjoy for dinner. Tuff says he has Walleye fever. Right now I don't have the picture of Tuff's big fish but will post it next time.


Also Tuesday my Auntie Barb cut our hair. Look how short Tuff's is! Not.


We stopped by Uncle Joe and Aunt Barb's to see their new kitties, Buddy Boy and Cali. My nephews Beck and Finn loved them.


Thursday we golfed in Becker at Pebble Creek with my Dad's athletic director friends. They play several side games during their golf rounds, which is too hard for me to keep up with. Below is a picture of Dwight winning and collecting all the money; the boys say that Dwight always wins.


To prepare for my parents big garage sale Saturday Tuff is making his famous cinnamon rolls (recipe he got from his mom).


To be continued....

We leave on Sunday back for Pittsburgh. Tuff must check in to training camp on Friday, July 30th.

Travels Continued

Tis the season for roasting marshmallows.



My Uncle Dave and Aunt Sandy were up in Staples for a week to help move Grandpa Hasselberg into assisted living and hopefully his wife Georgia will be soon to follow. We all got together a few nights, along with Uncle Joe and Aunt Barb at my parents house to sit around the fire.


Below is a picture of my family helping Grandpa get ready for a garage sale.



A few days in a row we biked into town to Staple's little coffee shop The Stomping Grounds.


The rest of our week in Minnesota we spent visiting more family and friends.

We drove down to Hugo to see Krista and Brad (Krista was my college teammate and roommate). Not too long ago they got a little dog named Annie, a mini Australian Shepard, which Tuff fell in love with.


Krista took Tuff and I around Stillwater, Minnesota to see where she works and see the sights near the St. Croix River. We stopped to get ice cream at Brown's Ice Cream, known for there generous scoops. Below Tuff is holding the single scoop!


We also enjoyed a nice lunch on the river.


After we left Stillwater and Hugo, we stopped in Anoka to see Tuff's Uncle Merv and Vicky.


Tuff and I posed by the giant Walleye on Lake Mille Lacs.


We got to see our friends Bryan and Tina and there little one Lyric on her birthday in Brainerd.

We took a day trip to Bemidji, Minnesota to visit my college teammate Brittany and her husband Eric. They own a locksmith business so Eric let Tuff cut a key.



Here we all are standing in front of the keys with Kelly, Brittany and Eric's new addition.


Kelly falling asleep after dinner.


For good times sake we golfed a quick nine holes at Bemidji Town and Country!


July 1st we took off for Hettinger, North Dakota to visit Tuff's high school friends Matt and Katie Shahan. They took us around town to see all the sights. Around there the towns are about 40 miles apart so Hettinger has just about everything you need. I think they said 60 businesses and only 1200 person population.


There are even Steeler fans in Hettinger!


The next day we drove to Colstrip, Montana where we've been enjoying family and the trampoline at Tuff's sister Jeri Lyn's.





For the Fourth of July we drove to Uncle Roger and Aunt Darlene's house to celebrate. The boys put on a great fireworks show. It was also Tuff's dad Jerry's birthday!

Jay (Tuff's brother) and Lorna came later with crabs all the way from Newport, Oregon.


After the fourth spent a few days in Billings with cousin Donnie and his wife Kassia. We hiked around the rims on Tuesday, which was really fun.


Great sights to see including a beautiful Two-tailed Swallowtail Butterfly.


A blossoming Prickly Pear Cactus.



A shot of the Beartooth Mountains from the rims.


West side of the rims looking East towards Billings.


We head out tomorrow for a weekend of camping with the Harris' in the Big Horn Mountains. Hopefully we'll get some great photos of wildlife.