While touring through Corpus Cristi, TX, we made a short visit to the Padre Island National Seashore at Malaquite Beach.  The water temperature today was only 55°F so we didn't do much other than wade into the water up to our knees.  It didn't take long before your toes went numb.  The park ranger mentioned the fact that in the summer the water can be as warm as 85°F.  The extreme temperature fluctuation prevents much of a coral reef from forming offshore, which explains why we weren't doing very well hunting for shells.  Padre Island is also known for bird watching and turtle migrations.  Unfortunately, the only critters we observed during our visit were bird-sized mosquitoes.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

Laura digging in the sand.	Anna flinging shells.	Nene shell collecting.
Molly tiptoeing into the cold water.	We've come this far, we have to go into the water.	The Condon family walking the beach for shells.

While in Texas visiting my sister Jane and her beautiful family, we visited the Topsey Exotic Animal Ranch.  It is located in Topsey, TX, approximately 8 miles northwest of Copperas Cove, TX.   We've been here before a few years back and had such a good time, we just had to return.  If you visit the ranch, be prepared for a good time with lots of laughter.  You'll be chased by the animals (like in Jurassic Park) begging to be fed.  The emus and ostrichs might mistake your fingers for food.  The zebras will climb right into your car.  And the sloppy camels will eat everything in sight.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

A camel taking a bite out of the seat in our automobile.

A begging goat.

When this creature comes near your vehicle, watch the paint job.

While visiting Texas back in the summer of 2007, I had a desire to pass through Crawford, TX to find the geocache that was located near the chapel just west of President George W. Bush's Prairie Chapel Ranch.  I did manage to find that geocache, but what was more exciting was discovering the gem in Crawford's city park, Tonkawa Falls.  A very fun swimming hole in the summer, our winter trip this time proved too chilly to go for a dip.  All politics aside, if you ever get the chance to visit Crawford, TX, I highly recommend it.  I suppose even if you're a partisan, Republicans can enjoy all things George W. Bush and the Democrats can get their fix at Cindy Sheehan's Peace House or the historic Crawford City Jail.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

Crawford city limits	A Texas Longhorn near Crawford	A family photograph near Tonkawa Falls
Nene & Laura locked up at the historic Crawford City Jail		Bart at The Peace House

Following the Halloween Hoopla geocaching event in St. Paul's Crosby Farm Park, Nene, Ryan, my mother Norvina and I took the walk to visit the Lair of the Three Headed Woman.  We actually climbed into and visited a giant crevice, or gorge, carved out of the sandstone bluff under Shepard Road.  I don't think this location has an actual name but the term The Lair of the Three Headed Woman comes from a geocache that is hidden within the gorge.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

Nene enjoying the geology as Ryan climbs into the gorge.

Nene and Ryan at the end of the gorge.

Bart and Nene in a rare photo opportunity together inside the gorge.  Teddy also made the climb!

This photograph was taken on Saturday, October 24th, 2009.  The entire Flentje family dressed up for a Halloween party excursion located in the Cannon Falls area.  Boo.

This photograph was taken on Saturday, September 26nd, 2009.  Anna, Laura and Bart enjoyed a nice bicycle ride down in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge near the Louisville Swamp Unit.  During our ride we stopped and checked out the Jabs Farm ruins circa 1880's.

This photograph was taken on Saturday, August 22nd, 2009.  I hosted and attended the 2nd Annual Minnesota Canoe-in Geocaching Event located in Miesville Ravine Park.  I had the pleasure of having in my company paddler and friend of the family Ryan Condon, and my lovely daughter Laura.  We paddled the 6.7 river mile run on the Cannon River from Cannon Falls to the Miesville Ravine landing.

While enroute to Sibley State Park on highway 55, having just come from Lake Maria State Park to the east, I come upon an accident along side the road.  It turns out that the Wicked Witch of the West was texting while driving and had an accident.  The accident occured about a mile east of Lake Koronis at N45° 19.540 W94° 38.224.

During my Great River Road tour, it is safe to say that the highlight of the trip was the adventure that took us to the South Pass Lighthouse.  Located some 35 miles south of Venice, LA, the southern most point in Louisiana, it is only accessible by boat on the Mississippi River.  It is a mere half mile from the Gulf of Mexico. 

While researching the area prior to our trip, I noticed a 5 star difficulty and 5 star terrain rated geocache sitting out there in the river delta not yet having been found called The Guiding Light  (GC1V92T).  I thought about that geocache for days half heartedly thinking to myself, it would be a blast to find this cache and possibly be the first to find it as well.  In order to get to the lighthouse, chartering a boat would be necessary.  After researching charter services available in the area, I initially concluded that it would not be economically feasible to pull off this adventure.  But after many hours of contemplative thought and discussion, we would chalked this up as being a "once in a lifetime event" and booked the charter with Captain Dan of MLC Charters. 

During the 36 mile boat ride down river, Captain Dan provided a great history of the area.  He pointed out several historical locations and was explaining the geology and hydrological behavior of the river.  When we approached the lighthouse, it was clear the storms over the years had removed nearly all evidence of a previous civilization I had seen in pictures.  Including the dock and piers for we couldn't land the boat on shore.  I had to wade through the last 15' of gator infested waters.  I managed to make it to the lighthouse without being eaten alive and after a short search, I had found my 3000th geocache, and was first to find to boot.

Enjoy the photographs (click the thumbnails for larger view)..

The end of the Great River Road	Approaching the lighthouse	Pulling into the lighthouse
Wading up to the lighthouse	The stairs leading up to the lighthouse	Bart is FTF on his 3000th geocache find
Standing on the upper deck	Looking down from the upper deck	Looking up from the upper deck
Wading back to the boat	Grandma Norvina, Molly and Bart	Group photo with our boat captain

As I progressed south on my Great River Road tour out of St. Louis, MO towards Arkansas, our plan took us briefly into Kentucky.  It was well over 50 miles out of the way but it was required for the Great River Road Challenge I was working on.

Out of Cairo, IL on route to Kentucky, we visited Fort Defiance State Park, which is located literally at the southern most point of Illinois, at the confluence of the Mississippi and Ohio rivers.  Apparently this area was known at Camp Defiance during the American Civil War but is more well known as the point where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark spent five days studying celestial navigation.  Using navigational tools of their time (no GPS), they successfully obtained the first latitude and longitude data that they used during their expedition.

We crossed the rivers and entered Wickliffe, KY.  Just out of Wickliffe, we stumbled upon Fort Jefferson quite literally by accident.  Our goal was to find the closest geocache located just inside Kentucky, which brought us to this historical overlook.  Fort Jefferson was built during the American Revolutionary War to protect the inner United States against the British.  It was abandoned after one year after having been taken by force by the Chickasaw.  Eighty years later, it later served as a Union Army post during the American Civil War.  Very little evidence of the fort remains today but in 2000, the Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross was completed to memorialize "lost loved ones."

Enjoy the photographs (click the thumbnails for larger view)..

The entrance to Fort Defiance	Molly walking on the river bank of the Mississippi and Ohio river confluence	Bart sinking into the riverbank
Bart and Grandma Norvina standing where Lewis & Clark obtained first latitude and longitude	The Fort Jefferson Memorial Cross near Wickliffe, KY	River traffic as seen from Fort Jefferson near Wickliffe, KY