Dave & Joyce's Great Loop Adventure
.... and other Bucket List trips!

 

 

Welcome to Dave and Joyce’s blog.  This blog was initially created to capture our Great Loop adventure.  However, it has now transformed into our “Bucket List adventures” blog.  Many people followed our Great Loop blog and have told us how much they enjoyed it.  That somewhat surprised us … and totally pleased us.  So we decided to continue the blog with post Great Loop trips … i.e. “Bucket List”.  We hope you enjoy our new adventures!

A note about navigating the blog:   Since the beginning, the blog was an active journal, updated daily whenever Internet service was available.  The latest information is always posted at the top of the blog page to make it easier for viewers to see our daily/weekly progress.  However, when viewing it later, the format is a little awkward.  For example, to see the pre- Great Loop blog, scroll down to the archive section and click on the last link July 2010 .  After the page is displayed scroll down to the bottom and begin viewing by scrolling back to the top.  This will give you a better sense of the trip since it is the true time sequence of our travels … we hope this makes sense … Enjoy!

 

Cell: 317-403-0128
Email: davejoyceajohnson@gmail.com
 

 

 

01-25-2015
Joyce and Dave enjoying dock side
Great day!  Dave went golfing with Alice, Joe and Elston (Joe's brother).  Sunny but a little cool (65 degrees) ... overall wonderful weather.  Dave had fun but don't ask him his score:-(

Joyce and Dave decided to have happy hour dockside.  Beautiful view.  Comfortable, light jacket weather ... doesn't get any better than this!
Joe and girls fishing
Later, the girls, Darby and Pepper visited us along with Joe and Alice.  The girls are Jack Russel Terriers ... and are a stitch.  Joe is casting with a plastic worm and "the girls" are intently watching and anticipating a fish (Pepper is actually shaking).  Before Joe sets the hook, both girls seem to know a fish is about to be caught.  They get so excited barking and jumping that Dave worried they might fall off the dock:-)  Joe didn't disappoint them and caught two nice size bass.  What entertainment!

01-21-2015
Sandhill Crains

Sandhill Cranes are very common down here, but these two guys were pretty aggressive.  Joyce was reading and decided to go inside as the birds approached.  Probably a good thing, because the large birds began pecking on our glass windows ... hard pecking!  Probably harmless, but why take a chance ... beautiful birds.

Fishing has been slow, but Dave hopes to have enough for a fish fry next week for our friends Judy and John Flaherty.
01-18-2015
Watch TV or the sunrise?  Easy ... turn off TV.  Last several mornings we had beautiful sunrises.  Dave went fishing a couple of days ago and didn't stay out long because of wind, but did manage to catch a 17 inch largemouth bass.  We were curious to taste fish out of this lake (last years lake produced fish, but had a earthy taste).  Cooked it up last night ... and it was delicious.  After mass today Dave thought he would try again before the waves kicked up ... but he only lasted 1/2 hour.  His little porta-boat can't handle much wave, so he gave up and headed back to shore.  It appears like the wind is going to determine fishing days ... much like salt water fishing in larger boats.

Go Colts!!!
Sun rise

01-13-2015
Egale on top of boat house

It is hard to see, but Joyce is watching an eagle perched on top of the boat house.  They see them a lot around here, so we might get a closer image later.

Dave finally got his boat moved and onto the lake.  His first day of fishing produced 3 largemouth bass.  But he didn't do his homework.  He thought the size limit was 16 inches, so he released them.  Later he looked it up on the Internet and found out the limit was 14 inches.  Oh well, six filet's that got away!   More fish stories later.  Today it is a little chilly (low 70's) and windy ... so it is a no-fish day.
01-10-2015
We had dinner with George and Pat at one of our favorite restaurants (Key Colony Inn) Thursday night and on Friday morning headed for our Lake Placid rental cottage.

The cottage is really nice ... and so are the owners/neighbors, Alice and Joe.  At the right, Birthday girl Joyce (yep, she is once again a year older than Dave) stands in the front room of the cottage ... what a view (talking about Joyce of course .... good recovery, Dave)!

More pictures later.  Dave hopes to get pictures of eagles that are quite often sighted around here.
Front room of cottage

01-07-2015
aboard Yesterday's Dream

Today Dave and Steve went "dingy" fishing under the seven mile bridge.  The fishing was slow and the weather turned rough.  We decided to head back but still had to navigate through white cap waves ... bumpy ... but hey, we caught one fish each ... still haven't been skunked!  Later that evening, aboard "Yesterday's Dream",  Steve cooked a wonderful meal; poached salmon in dill sauce over rice and sweet pea pods .... delicious!  Meeting them tomorrow morning at Porky's for breakfast. 

Tomorrow we leave for our cottage on Lake Placid.
01-06-2015
Gulf side party
A great turn out for the Banana Bay party, thanks to Pat Hospodar.  Above Donnie talking to Pat and Skip while George and Joyce grub for food:-)
Gulf party what a view
It was great to see old friends .... we missed all of you!  Of course, as always, the food was great.
A funny story about a parrot named "Margarita" which will be told later if we get the picture of her.  It was suppose to be delivered by email but hasn't arrive at this time ... more later!

01-04-2015
George and Pat
We finally made it to Florida.  Our first stop was at Joyce's sister Judy where we spent a couple of great days at their gulf coast home enjoying the wonderful views and good food.  Then on to our favorite place in the Keys, Banana Bay marina visiting all of our boating friends.  Above, (authors) George and Pat. aboard Reflection,  got us all caught up on the latest news and changes  .... which was a lot!   More on that later.
Steve and Sharon
Next stop, a quick hello to Steve and Sharon aboard Steveadore.

And at right, we stopped for a quick "hey" to Hoosier neighbors Skip and Karen.

We are really looking forward to visiting more with everyone.  Pat has a party planned for Tuesday and we are sooo looking forward to that. 

We are somewhat "road weary" so plan to hit the hay early tonight  ....   go Colts!!!!
Steve and Linda
Next stop, Linda and Steve who we spent a lot of time with doing the Loop.  It was so nice to see them again and look forward to spending more time with everybody.
George and Nancy
And of course we had to say hello to Nancy and George (remember ... diver George) aboard Jenna Star.
Skip and Karen

12-25-2014
Pam and Jamie's gang
Merry Christmas to all!  Joyce and Dave traveled to all our children's' home and, of course, forgot the camera or simply forgot to take a picture at some homes.  Above Pam and Jamie's gang.


Leaving for Florida Jan 1, 2015!!!
Angie and Rob's gang
Angie and Rob's gang on Christmas evening.  We actually cooked chicken on the grill ... not too cold out and really good chicken.

We visited Keith and Lori and recorded Andrew playing the piano.  He has been playing only 6 months ... hard to believe.  Grandpa doesn't really understand his new camera.  It quit recording around 15 seconds ... so he posted a couple of short clips:
Andrew - part 1
Andrew -part 2
12-24-2014
family line up
Christmas Eve lunch at Keith and Lori's home.  Missing only six people ... good turn out ... in spite of some that had to work.
Jerry and David
Grandson Jerry in a conversation with son David.  Chase warming himself in front of the fireplace and Keith hiding right of the picture.
first great grandson
Kayla with mom (Pam) and aunt Karen ... and first great grandson in the oven!
Outlaws
Grandson Aaron and outlaws (in laws) hanging around the food table.  A very nice Christmas Eve at the Johnson homestead!