Camping a Recipe for Summer Treats & Reads

TWRP BLog hop banner July 2016

My hubby, our dog, bird, turtle and I love to trade the jungle of civilization for a few days of paradise relaxing in the cool quiet of a Rocky Mountain campsite with a mesmerizing book and evening campfire.  That’s my idea of Summer Treats and Reads. Okay, let me qualify what camping is to us.  We have a fifth wheel trailer with all the creature comforts required, left tent camping behind a long time ago. LOL

Favorite camping areas in Colorado are: Rocky Mountain National Park a stones throw from Estes Park is a great hiking and biking destination. Twin Lakes in the Pike & San Isabel National Forest is wonderful for kayaking and mountain biking.  Both these areas are dry camping, no services but with a generator or solar panels you are all set.

Another fun place is Steamboat Lake, a Colorado State Park, the kayaking is good, hiking with your furry friend is excellent.  Electrical is available on some sites.  Not far away is Pearl Lake, nice kayaking area, lots of wildlife early morning or around dusk.  No motorized boats allowed.  It’s also primitive/dry camping but there are several sites large enough for a 30 foot fifth wheel trailer.

These are just a few of the exciting camping area’s in Colorado. Last week we enjoyed a fun filled vacation at Lake Vallecito which I detailed in the prior post.

Mueller State Park is close and a great weekend trip to the mountains.  Cheyenne Mountain State Park is centrally located for visiting all the Pikes Peak Region has to offer and is open all year around. It is usually our final destination of the season.  The park offers full hookups, tent pad and campfire ring on each site.

Now for the Treats:  Chocolate Cherry Dumpcake Recipe. Quick and easy.

2 cans (21 ounces each) cherry pie filling

1 package (about 15 ounces) Triple Chocolate Fudge Cake mix or your favorite Chocolate Cake mix.

3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13 X 9 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Spread the pie filling in prepared pan, top with cake mix only, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with chocolate chips.  pour butter over top, covering cake mix as much as possible.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.  Cool at least 15 minutes before serving.  Make 12 to 16 servings. Now for just my husband, myself and a couple of friends, we cut this recipe in half and use a 9X9 inch baking pan or a cast iron dutch oven. Yummy!

For Reads: Obviously, I’d like you to check out my books,

A Demon's Witch_perf5.000x8.000.inddAWitchsJourney_w10497_medA Demon’s Witch, Charm Me (its on sale for .99)A Witch’s Journey. Otherwise, The Wild Rose Press has lots of wonderful authors with a wide variety of books. I like cozy and regular mysteries, paranormal romances books categorized as fun reads.  I’m not into thrillers or weepy books. Happily Every After and feel good novels are what I read, anything else, I can get by turning on the television or internet and I don’t call that entertainment.  Just me.

Please visit the other blogs listed below for fun, games and prizes. To be entered to win the $10.00 Amazon gift card I’m giving away, like my facebook page and sign up for my quarterly newsletter on my webpage at https://www.tenastetler.com.  Winner will be drawn at random and notified at the end of the blog hop. Also the author’s of The Wild Rose are giving away a Kindle Fire as a grand prize. Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below.  Good Luck! See you next time with tales of the unexplained.  Got your attention now! <giggles maniacally>

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Check out all the fabulous writers and their blogs
                        in the SUMMER BLOG HOP below!

1.
Sorchias Wild Rose Summer Treats Post | Visit blog
2.
RV Memory | Visit blog
3.
Tricia Schneider | Visit blog
4.
Anna Durands Spunk & Hunks | Visit blog
5.
Judy Ann Davis Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
6.
Spicy Summer Treats with Mia Downing | Visit blog
7.
Linda Nightingale. . . Wordsmith | Visit blog
8.
Jana Richards – Journeys with Jana | Visit blog
9.
Summer Memories of books well read @ Peggy jaeger. com | Visit blog
10.
Summer on Cape Cod ~ Kathryn Knight books | Visit blog
11.
Summer Fun at the Beach, with Katie OSullivan | Visit blog
12.
I Believe Ill Go Canoeing – C. B. Clark | Visit blog
13.
Summertime Love is Sweeter with. . . Frozen Mango? @ Kimberly Keyes blog | Visit blog
14.
Wild Rose Summer Treats Blog Hop @ Brendas Blog | Visit blog
15.
Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
16.
Midsummer Magic on the Isle of Skye! | Visit blog
17.
My Guilty Summer Treats from Lori Sizemore | Visit blog
18.
Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
19.
Hywela Lyns post for the WRP Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
20.
Wild Rose Press Summer Treats & Reads | Visit blog
21.
Camping is a Recipe for Summer Treats and Reads | Visit blog
22.
The Snarkology | Visit blog
23.
Summer Survival Tips @ Nitty Gritty Romance | Visit blog
24.
Wild Rose Press Summer Treats and Reads Blog Hop | Visit blog
25.
Nell Castle – Summer of the Sweat Lodge | Visit blog
26.
Myth, Magic & Wonder Susan Edwards, Breathing Life into the Past | Visit blog
27.
Romance with Spice, Sydney St. Claire | Visit blog
28.
Author Kat de Falla | Visit blog
29.
Anni Fife. Exciting new author of Steamy Romance with Irresistible Heroes | Visit blog
30.
Summer Vacation, Victorian-Style, AND a Giveaway | Visit blog
31.
Wildfires, Monsoons, and Mojitos – Author Susabelle Kelmer shares how she keeps cool in a climate that is on fire! | Visit blog
32.
Casi McLeans recipe for Hot Reads and Cool Treats | Visit blog
33.
Cool Summer Reads: Jeannie Halls Romantic Suspense Blog – Where Hearts Tremble From More Than Attraction | Visit blog
34.
Summer treat – Adult Slushie | Visit blog
35.
How to Rediscover the Magic of Bicycling | Visit blog
36.
Charlottes Tips on How to Stay Cool in HOT New York City | Visit blog
37.
Caryn McGill | Visit blog

 


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Posted in Camping, For Fun, My Say What Blog, The Pikes Peak Region and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , by with 18 comments.

Rocky Mountain National Park – An Enchanting Adventure

The quiet beauty of Rocky Mountain National Park (RNMP) is spell binding whether during the summer months or when covered with a fresh

Afternoon Storm Headed Our Way

Afternoon Storm Headed Our Way In Rocky Mountain National Park

blanket of newly fallen snow.  My husband and I plan at least one camping trip to RMNP during the summer and we stay in Moraine Campground at the edge of an expansive meadow.  Down below you can see Elk herds and the cars moving slowly by the area.  More than once, we’ve opened the fifth wheel door to find ourselves face to face

View From Our Campsite

View From Our Campsite in RMNP

with a bull elk or an entire elk herd.  That is an interesting experience.  Usually we back off, shut the door, quiet the dog and wait for a few minutes for the elks to move on.  It’s an adventure we wouldn’t trade for the world and keeps us coming back year after year for at least the last 15 years.

Fourth of July Weekend is our excuse to explore the 415 miles of wilderness, which is located about 140 miles north of Colorado Springs on the Western edge of Estes Park.  By the way, Estes Park has a fantastic fireworks display over Estes Lake on the fourth of July.  It’s a fun time for all, if you don’t mind the throngs of people.  Some years we join in the festivities, others we remain at our quite campsite and watch the marauding wildlife.

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

Yellow-Bellied Marmot

You can’t miss the drive up Trail Ridge Road, the highest continuous paved highway in America. Above tree line, you’ll marvel at the small but vibrant yellow, blue and red alpine flowers able to survive in this harsh climate along with the hearty Yellow-Bellied Marmot. We’ve even seen, but only once, a little furry Pika, but he was camera shy. If you are quick enough, you might catch a glimpse of a long tailed weasel darting between the rocks.

Hearty Alpine Flowers Above Tree Line

Hearty Alpine Flowers Above Tree Line

Alpine Flowers

Alpine Flowers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We especially enjoy the evening ranger talks in the pavilion not far from our campsite. The history, landscape, wildlife and what you can expect in Rocky Mountain National Park are just a few of the topics.

The weather can be volatile in Rocky Mountain National Park.  We’ve left our campground in warm sunshine traveled up Trail Ridge Road, only to encounter hail, lightning, thunder and then snow all in one afternoon.  The storms are spectacular, if you like that sort of thing and we do, but you must always be prepared.  Always pack with you a parka, warm clothing, snacks and water, even if you are just going for a ride.  The warm clothing also makes sitting around the campfire in the evening a lot more enjoyable.

There are family friendly trails, Ranger –led Programs, and six campgrounds, two of which are tents only and the other four accommodate RV’s varying in size.  Man’s best friend is not allowed on the trails, but dogs are allowed in and around the campgrounds, which our dog is perfectly happy with.  She enjoys the ride up Trail Ridge Road too, as does our parrot.  They each have their own backseat window, so there are no disagreements.

Bear Lake

Rocky Mountain National Park’s Bear Lake

Bull Elk

Bull Elk

 

If you are looking for high altitude adventures, great camping, stunning views and a wide variety of wildlife, Rocky Mountain National Park should be your next destination.  Reservations are highly recommended during the summer months.

 

 

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