![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVjigJBqq_M6h7Q9j9PShzsLlmukzujWiFOZOYhlEm1dA2KV8UpMZ70liiPXi2LQwQ8bPLKaMHqPLfiruM1n47JsyJYb16OpHLTnHya1q-f7EFIoeubbEAimE1N8UAGMVqSgk1Rjhzy3k/s400/usa4.jpg)
I thought it would be fun to look back at 2008 and remember my favorite adventures this year. I found that my favorites fell into 2 categories -- Places I've always wanted to go, or places that surprised me.
Here's the countdown:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT7VtfOaQIydT6VwkfGlYo3rpiOto9p2Y0OcBw48rBZSUlW01Zk9y6tJaniHAE6jvZWtHsFRi_cfHdGoDXAcwQB_sMRODFj4k1lVQ9zvKzlYVxSJq00nbCK6oEBS3y1_evFs54MFD-Yf8/s400/IMG_0089.JPG)
Number 10 -- My very first
NASCAR race in Phoenix.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaV_kaamHgxZNQmhgZMTcHi0yx94Tg6ZY8o1mob4mBNdz-mF0DdEE3nFhjbbJL6VUKbag8uo8UdQivK8Vg-rQKYIS3GqahCnMkMr1XIm94yWPEPysGQMNjAXrxPKjahEVobwXUJ22KHtEi/s320/IMG_2148.JPG)
Number 9 -- The
House on the Rock in Wisconsin.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghVJ4ihsMJ82zHfadoYl-hbnRZ5oiyq9NFYXyuGB3gMPQc8QKXWvJp9RneOZwFZQ7vpKpLiCZOoILDAl_Z2kcjUruc3KGW_AdJi_VDYKe8ytlcqrYBldwFOvT_di9qUqWB2ljww_6KB4-R/s320/IMG_1560.JPG)
Number 8 -- The gathering at Paul's house, near Chicago. We had lots of fun on his property
here and
here, went to Chicago
here and
here, and visited
Place de la Musique.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0c-je1si3kBxoQioNNX3IJYC88iLgCb5s5Zu3vk-7P04E9Cait9NDjPlnqw41gJl4v-hikgutlUood7-8l9U4jr_zmFbEdTaCb8HavBniSP9ASk0nADbAkwAHjTrM0Y6LxE93oBNERzxq/s400/IMG_4552.JPG)
Number 7 -- Grand Marais, in northern MN. It's a great
town, and the WINs were there during the annual
Fisherman's Picnic.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTNNFwTZjeFhDqh0YHSOFVAhrCY9IR7dyK3ljVM-K3OELORNDPqpPb5ins92Wtnhhq6Ic6sbLicOTopOoFEUVgpMjwM3OG_WIx8o9zT1hAzU1SCv1WRNSoJ7COD51bV2F-c5gIj8KMO4lq/s320/IMG_1071.JPG)
Number 6 -- Branson, MO. I had never been here and it was amazing. In addition to shows in
town, I went to
Silver Dollar City, where there was a
Bluegrass Festival going on, and I rode the
Ducks.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpf4F2DJOaFyMmC5_KqRuFfbuGP-e3_Q1_EWYTA_AS5BiksIinhP4HG3Mt9iDcgWJQOcjsVnhh-bOoVsMWRxjLVAJo_-e6YO4iWbc1iaqvTK4VB5mkfg0hgDcLDPEsV8Tr2tyoUpxaURFA/s400/IMG_0611.JPG)
Number 5 -- The zip line at
Historic Mill Creek Discovery Park in Mackinaw City, MI.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip9YT2VGf-oIpqqHUKk0KE4HlnyJIFq2-6YbHrIIQKadPFEqHNwzTzpKngWiC-lfWbDfrWBo7nEnqtAuoIguJFJLzzqb9VRmGU7BwCOgLRLbt-nza3hJY9r6Ticv_QUsk_nfq_0GwGbp4/s320/PICT9070.JPG)
Number 4 -- The
hot springs at Safford, AZ.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgDlqGM5M3BmhAA5WZqyNgHQyNMbNtpjAEr-htTiVPR60M5un_68sba_yQskOk48AL75WDjhySbQpUxH_xrxX2S4PhwctJSf6JTFuswhM2zFLyhKfMbzQ1iIHwTlXDeC4QAdM_IFfUqIkP/s400/PICT0384_2_3_tonemapped.jpg)
Number 3 -- The 4-wheel drive trip to
Crystal Mill in Marble, CO, a popular photographic destination that I have wanted to see for a long time.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYBlX0qr0bdurx2s4E9SpZIjFftKhdRZ9BeNYT7NkxjkihtGmNWsgM48RD2crs5ctmY1uT9wow0NuLXobt1uisM76DEUi3_IBm5Q7WweddAGqS8NakaadRkp8kEJPUyS8fJmzu4owEB4g/s320/IMG_0130.JPG)
Number 2 -- The Dance Rally in Bandera, TX, the
Cowboy Capital of the World. What a great time I had! It started out with a
weenie roast, then there were lessons, nights out on the town
here and
here, a
Fifties dance, and a
Wild West Dance Hall Night.
And my number one adventure of the year? (Drum roll please!)
Ely, Minnesota, gateway to the Boundary Waters! The #1 vacation destination of Charles Kuralt, he wrote that "The people who live here say that you could paddle a canoe for 100 years and visit a different lake every day." Maybe a slight exageration, but not much, in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. I went on a
float plane trip, and if that wasn't enough, I also went on a short
helicopter flight.
What a great idea! Sounds like a pretty perfect year!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely makes living in a house look boring.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog, I've been reading it for a little while now, and with a planned visit to America later in the year, I'm sure that I will get some good ideas of places to visit.
Diana, you've got a few listed that I'd like to do...Bluegrass Festival & Cowboy Country. Already did the Nascar Race in 2003, lol.
ReplyDeleteYou definately can say "I had a Great year!"
2008 will be a hard act to follow but I'm sure you will find a way!! Happy New Year!!
ReplyDeleteJanuary 2, 2009 6:10 AM
There were some Branson shows that took me by surprise! I was pretty impressed with some. Did you go to any of them?
ReplyDelete