Returning to C2T Ranch: A Perfect End to Camping Season

We went on our last camping trip of the season and returned to a place we had only visited once before but loved so much that we had to go again. We stayed at C2T Ranch on the Saline from October 17 to 19. This is a HipCamp site we first visited in 2022, and we were excited to go back. This spot never disappoints. It is on a working ranch where we saw and heard cattle roaming the land. At night, after going to bed, we heard coyotes in the distance. It was a fun spot, and we ate well too.

We decided to rent a U-Haul so we could all travel together in one vehicle, which worked out great. We went with Erin and Greg, who joined us on our first trip to C2T Ranch in 2022, so we all had good memories to revisit. We left early Friday morning and already had plans for lunch in Plainville, Kansas, where we ate at The Handle Bar Tavern and Eatery. It is an excellent spot north of Hays, Kansas, where we enjoyed drinks and delicious food. The Handle Bar Tavern and Eatery has a large menu, and everything the four of us ordered was excellent. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in western Kansas.

Check-in for our HipCamp was at 2 pm, and we arrived right on time. It looked just the way we remembered from our first visit. We set up quickly and were ready for the evening with fresh hamburger meat delivered by the HipCamp host. We did this the first year and remembered how good the burgers were on the open range. Along with the meat, we ordered potatoes to cook over the campfire.

Since we had an early start Friday morning, we did not stay up very late that night. I think we were all in our tents by 1 am. It was getting rather cold, so we were ready to call it a day. It was a fun first day of travel, camping, and relaxing.

Saturday morning we all got up somewhat early to make pancakes. Waking to the sound of cattle far off in the distance was something I had never experienced before. We all talked about how, during our previous visit, we did not recall hearing any cows. We guessed they were in a different pasture in 2022, which is why we did not hear them then. This time they were loud throughout the night and most of Saturday. Mid-afternoon the winds started, just as we expected, and that helped drown out the cows, but then we had to deal with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph. Chairs were flying around, items blew off tables, tents came unlatched, and even a few tumbleweeds rolled through our campsite.

We managed to play some cornhole Saturday afternoon before the winds really picked up. We had a few tournaments, but as the wind strengthened, we realized the game had to end because the bags were turning in the air and landing in random directions. It was still a fun afternoon as we listened to the sounds of the ranch, played music, and enjoyed games.

Saturday night we planned to cook pork tenderloin for dinner over the campfire. Greg took the lead in preparing the pork, and we got the fire ready for cooking. The pork turned out juicy and flavorful, and everyone enjoyed it. Erin and Carrie made instant mashed potatoes that paired perfectly with the pork.

After dinner and cleanup, we sat around the campfire enjoying the warmth. Having an unlimited supply of firewood is a real treat at this HipCamp because it allows us to keep the fire going as long as we want without worrying about finding more wood.

When Sunday morning rolled around, we were all sad to pack up and head home. As we packed, we talked about how we need to do the Hays, Kansas trip again and stay for more nights. We will see when we can fit that into our camping schedule since this year was busy with multiple trips. We enjoy camping so much, and I look forward to doing it again next year.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week.

Blues, Friends, and Good Times at King Biscuit Blues Festival 2025

I’m behind on this week’s update since I was away camping over the weekend, so here’s another short recap of the prior week.

The 2025 King Biscuit Blues Festival took place over two days this year: October 10 and 11. That’s one day shorter than in previous years. After almost not having a festival at all, it was great to enjoy two days of music, friends, and blues.

Corrie didn’t attend this year, which meant Carrie didn’t either. Eddie and I headed down on Wednesday even though the festival was only Friday and Saturday. We planned to meet up with Tommy, Eddie’s childhood friend, Tommy’s nephew Eddie, and Bart, a family friend. We stayed together for four nights in a VRBO. Two nights on our own before the festival started gave us time to relax and get ready for the fun.

The house was in Dundee, MS, right across the river from Helena, AR. It was our first time staying there for the festival, and it turned out to be a great spot. We spent time relaxing by the lake, enjoying the sun patio, and watching baseball at the house while we prepared for the weekend.

Thursday is usually busy with the festival kicking off, but this year was different. We had a laid-back day with lunch in downtown Helena and plans for dinner at Kathryn’s that evening. We called ahead and heard their voicemail say they were now open Thursday through Saturday. Perfect! We left a message for reservations. But when we arrived Thursday night, they were closed. We were so disappointed because we had really been looking forward to that meal. Instead, we headed back to the house and had leftovers from the night before.

Friday, the festival began, and we had a great time. There were some solid acts, including regulars we see every year like Anson Funderburgh. The weather was perfect, not too hot, cold, or rainy. Ideal for a festival.

Saturday was another good day of music and catching up with friends. With the schedule changes and uncertainty about the festival, the crowd wasn’t as big as usual for a Saturday night, but it was still a fun day and a great festival overall.

Until next time...

Sunshine, Leaves, and a Little Dog Named Oliver

Our little Oliver has been loving the fall weather lately. Earlier this week, Carrie took him on a walk through the neighborhood. Although they couldn’t find a spot on the patio at Salute, he still enjoyed the outing. Trotting through the fallen leaves and soaking in the crisp air, he was the big dog on the block. A few times over the past couple of weeks, we’ve let him outside, and he just sits in the sun with a goofy look on his face, completely content and clearly enjoying life.

This is also the kind of weather where, on a typical weekend when I’m trying to watch football, Oliver insists on going in and out of the house a dozen times. Eventually, I just prop the door open so he can come and go as he pleases. Of course, he’d still prefer that one of us be outside with him to enjoy the weather together.

Seeing the leaves fall is a welcome sight as we hope for a long, beautiful autumn and an easy winter ahead.

12 Down, 8 to Go: The Reading Challenge Continues

I continue my reading routine, reading every day. I would normally read only in the evening before going to bed, but over the past few weeks, I’ve been reading during the noon hour while eating lunch. I can usually get about 45 minutes of reading in during the week at lunch, so I’m hoping this will help me meet my reading goal for the year of twenty books.

As of today, I’ve read 12 of 20 books for the year. I’m currently reading two books that will help me toward my goal. The first is Their Shadows Deep by Peter Golden, which is a free book I got from Amazon a few months ago. It’s been interesting and keeps me engaged. I typically read this one at night before going to bed. The other book I just started is The Secret of Secrets by Dan Brown. I’ve enjoyed reading Dan Brown’s books, so when I saw this was released in September, I knew I had to splurge and get it early. I’m still early into the book, but so far, I’ve liked what I’ve read.

Last year, I came up way short of my reading goal, so I’m hoping this year I can meet or exceed it. I recently finished The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb, and I enjoyed it. Carrie told me after I finished that she had read another book by Wally Lamb, so I might have to try another one of his later this year.

Only a few months left in the year, so I have some work to do if I’m going to hit 20 books. The reading challenge tells me I need to read three books to get back on track. Gulp! I’m not sure I’ll get there, but I’m enjoying the process.

Carrie and me at Vita's Place Enjoying a Drink and Evening

To celebrate our twenty-third wedding anniversary, we made it a weekend trip to Kansas City. We had a wonderful time, ate at some great places, had drinks at fun spots, and enjoyed being on The Plaza for our anniversary weekend.

We left after work on Friday without dinner plans. Since the art fair was taking place that night, we thought we’d wander around, look at art, snack, and have drinks while we explored. It had been several years since we’d been to the area during the art fair, so we were a little overwhelmed when we arrived. It was a full-on party scene. After grabbing a drink and walking around, we got comfortable with the crowd and the vibe.

We took Oliver with us for the weekend. He had a good time at the hotel, though we were a bit worried we might get kicked out. Every time we left the room, we could hear him barking. Apparently, he settled down and slept while we were gone, because we didn’t hear anything from the hotel about a disruptive dog on either Friday night or most of Saturday.

After the art fair closed at 9 p.m. Friday night, we went to McCormick & Schmick’s, which is always a solid spot. We sat at the bar, had drinks, and ordered dinner. We didn’t think much about the time and were enjoying ourselves, but as other guests started receiving their checks and leaving, we asked about our food. There had been a bartender switch, and the new person didn’t realize we had ordered, so our oysters and soups had been sitting in the kitchen for a bit. They were still good, though the ice on the oysters had mostly melted. Still, it was delicious and a fun night.

After dinner, we headed back to the hotel bar. It was packed. There was a wedding and another event happening, so the bar was buzzing. We had a few drinks and then went up to check on Oliver. He wasn’t barking anymore and was curled up on the bed. He probably wore himself out earlier.

On Saturday, we had talked about doing brunch, but since we already had lunch and dinner reservations, we decided to sleep in a bit before starting the day. We met my brother Tim and my nephew Patrick at Grünauer, a German restaurant Carrie had been wanting to try for a few years. It was great to catch up with Tim and Patrick. Carrie was a little disappointed in the food, but I think we’d both give it another shot.

After lunch, Carrie and I went to La Bodega for coffee and then headed to the Boulevard Brewing Beer Hall. I hadn’t been before, so it was a lot of fun to sample some beers and hang out for a while before heading back to the hotel.

We made it back in time to enjoy some complimentary cocktails during happy hour. Our dinner reservation was at Aixois, but first we stopped at Vita’s Place for drinks. We took an Uber there. It’s a fun spot we’d heard about from Carrie’s boss. After finishing up, we walked around the corner to Aixois. Great atmosphere and the food was excellent. I had swordfish, which was delicious. After dinner, we went back to Vita’s Place for another drink. I really enjoyed both spots, and the staff at Vita’s Place were incredibly accommodating, making sure we had a good spot at the bar.

Sunday, September 21, is our actual anniversary, but we skipped brunch again. Instead, we hit the road and stopped at Summer Moon for coffee. We got back to Topeka early in the afternoon, and I think all of us, including Oliver, slept most of the day.

It was a great weekend to celebrate our anniversary. I’m glad we were able to bring Oliver along and that he didn’t cause too much of a disturbance.

From the Caribbean to Camping: 23 Years of Us -- Happy Anniversary, Carrie

Sometimes it’s hard to believe that Carrie and I have been married for 23 years. Yes, I know — I’m getting older. It feels like just yesterday we met on a cruise somewhere in the Caribbean. Somehow, our paths crossed 24 years ago, and that chance meeting brought us together. So many great memories stem from that cruise back in 2001. It’s one of those moments that feels both distant and fresh, like it just happened. I still vividly remember our first meeting.

Recently, I revisited the website we created to announce our wedding — and yes, it’s still available at https://www.haverty.net/projects/wedding. Back then, it was hosted at wedding.haverty.net, but the domain wasn't carried forward in new site design. The site still exists, and it’s a nostalgic trip to revisit it and read both my version and Carrie’s version of how we met. Note: some links on the site, such as guestbook and gallery, no longer work.

Like any couple, we’ve had our share of ups and downs. I choose to focus on the good times and look forward to many more ahead. We love to travel, attend sporting events (well, Carrie tolerates them), read, hike, watch shows, and — most recently — we’ve gotten into camping. Over the past four years, camping has become a shared joy, and I’m looking forward to the day we can get a travel trailer and explore the country together. Retirement is still about 12 years away, but I know those years will fly by before we know it.

Looking back at the wedding website I created, I can’t help but laugh. The design was simple — not fancy — but it got the point across. Some of the links, like the photo gallery and guestbook, no longer work, but the core details are still there. It makes me smile to see how basic web design was back then and how far things have come.

Reflecting on the past 23 years, I’m filled with gratitude. We’ve traveled more in recent years, and I’m excited for the adventures still to come. I think back to our first anniversary trip to Costa Rica, where our friend Javier was our tour guide. What an incredible experience! Since then, we’ve taken numerous cruises together and discovered a love for Virgin Cruise Lines. I can’t wait to take another cruise with Carrie.

There are so many reasons I’m thankful to be celebrating our 23rd wedding anniversary. As we move into our mid-to-late fifties, it’s hard to believe how quickly time has passed and how much life we’ve shared. I love Carrie deeply and wish her a very happy anniversary.

Here’s to many more years of love, laughter, and adventure.

Spontaneous Saturday: Sports, Sunshine, and Pizza

The weekend started without many plans. By Saturday morning, though, we had decided to attend the first home game for Washburn volleyball. We had a great time going to the early match and watching Washburn win. No sports had been played in Whiting since the 1983–84 academic year (according to SID Gene Cassell on X).

Back in the early 2000s, I spent a lot of time in Whiting doing exercise classes, so it was fun to be back in the gym watching Washburn play. They were scheduled to play again at 6 p.m. Saturday evening, but we only attended the early game.

After volleyball, we headed to lunch at TaCo Topeka. While we were eating, we came up with a plan to visit a home owned by Erin’s aunt that has a pool. It turned out to be a fun evening filled with pool time, music, pizza, and laughter.

It’s always great when a weekend turns into something unexpected, and that’s exactly what happened. I’m planning for a more low-key Sunday—Royals on TV at noon, followed by NFL football for the rest of the day. My favorite kind of day!

Short post this week, but a lot packed into Saturday made for a tiring day. I’m ready to relax and enjoy watching sports on this beautiful day.