Day 2 : CN Tower and when a City Pass is worth it

 Same day! But after doing a ton of walking on the Island I (Lilly) was ready to head back on the street car for an early night. Erik made the great point that Toronto, being super spread out, we should see everything we can in one area. The CN tower, once the tallest man made building in North America, mad with the influence and money of multiple train companies is considered "must do!

While I was resting my tired feet, Erik found a great deal on the City Pass attractions-- CN tower, Museum of Toronto, and Casa Loma. I was in with the Museum!  CN tower was really cool with incredible views of the entire area. So ... yes... worth it 

Day 2 Toronto Island and the CN Tower

 I would like to say my hubby is great at making pancakes for breakfast. Even if it is odd Canadian corn pancakes that stick to your ribs all day. We managed to figure out the street cars (basically busses attached to cables), busses, subways. We realized Toronto is really spread out. REALLY spread out. So knowing which line was going which direction was tricky. It meant longish rides but we were usually tired from walking so it was a nice break. 

So we made it out to one of the most recommeded activities -- Toronto Islands. You can take on of three ferries out and then enjoy your day. At one time these islands (really all connected and about 5-8k across) housed homes, then the city of Toronto decided to take it over as a public park. Civic back and forth in sued, so now a few homes (lots of boats) are still there with the rest of the island containing a small amusement park (think Grandma and Grandpa taking the kids) surprisingly clean beaches, and lots of nice walking. 

View of Toronto Skyline from the ferry

On the dock of Center Island

Lake Ontario looks like the ocean to this Texan

We talked with a few of the life guards who seemed to feel it was an easy gig. There typically aren't as crowded of beaches as we would expect on a "lake". 

Our biggest takeaway is we should have rented bicycles at the beginning of the day. By the afternoon (when we were pretty foot sore), most if not all of the bikes had been rented out. There were some very cool houses on the island that made us marvel at how difficult it would be to update, rehab, etc older homes (think 50+ years) on an island. 

Monson Summer Vacation 2024 -- Part 1 Erik and Lilly Go to Canada -- again Day one

 This is Lilly writing. Erik and I left for Toronto, Canada July `12 - 22nd. I titled this "Part 1" as Erik and Luke will be joining Boy Scout Troup 7 for the South Dakota Black Hills the end of June - Mid July. Then Erik and Luke will be going to Miami for Boy Scout Sea Base. Yes, Erik is a lucky guy. 😊

Early on in the year we decided upon Canada as we needed to use up an Air Canada voucher. I just didn't trust the airline for anything to Europe Going North it was. We began to realize with all of our Alaska adventures we may well have seen more of Canada than most Canadians.  Our itenerary

Fly into Toronto. Enjoy the metropolis that is Toronto and the Lake that looks like the ocean to this Texas gal. Rent a car and drive to Niagara Falls (bucket list item for me ... but no barrels for Erik). Finally drive to Kingston which is known for kayaking, fishing, and history on the St Lawrence seaway.

We flew in Wednesday night and one uber ride later we were lugging our backpacks and one inflatable kayak (you read that correctly) into a lovely airbnb - a basement efficiency owned by Max and Zielika. They left a lovely bottle of wine. So after a glass, we ventured down a few blocks in search of some groceries and swarma. We found this part of Toronto is very bike and walking friendly (lots of people out walking dogs) but not very car friendly. Our Airbnb host later told us, Toronto is such a spread out city with really bad highways, that people either ride bikes or use the public transit. 

More to come on our Toronto adventure. 

                                            49.5 lbs.  Just under!

Disorganized sports - Colorado Style 2014

From our Colorado July 2014 Vacation -lost, and now published:
I am guest posting for my fantastic husband while we are away on vacation. Just when it has become unbearably hot in Texas (end of July beginning of August) we are fortunate enough to be able to go north. This year we spent our first week in Colorado (Ouray and Gunnison). We visited with our wonderful friends, The White and Lehew families. The kids and dads got to do one of our favorite disorganized sports...Kayaking.  We use inflatable double seaters that are closer to canoes in size. We have previously lashed the two together to make more of a raft but this trip the dads and kids rafted in individual canoes down part of the Gunnison river next to the KOA south of the airport. It is right near what is called a "white water park". If you are in Gunnison you will know where this is immediately. Because of the rain Gunnison had prior to our arrival, the river was up and running.

So first trip out, immediately after setting up campers, I might add, was Shane and son (we'll call Flounder) in one Kayak and Erik and two sons (Friendly Bear and Rockin Raccoon) in the other.

Things started off well!
(pictures to come - we had three cameras with us this trip.Only one has worked consistently)

When I went to pick them up about an hour and half later at Wilson's Landing, things looked a little wet. Rocking Raccoon ( the 7 year old),steps out of the Kayak dripping wet, with only one shoe, no shirt underneath his life jacket. Friendly Bear, (the 10 year old), was also drenched and the hubs looked a little sheepish. The Raccoon stated " we tumpted! ".

(Finished out by Dad:) Yes they did. Shane and Flounder made it over the final rapid. Erik and the boys got a little side ways and tumpted over right in the falls having a full yard sale.  Some fishing stuff lost, both boys were baptized in the rapid more times than they wanted.  The rest of the river run went fine, but those two minutes are the big adventure and the story that must be downplayed to this day....

Mom was not given the full Gunnison rapid swamping details, but occasionally Rockin Racoon can hold back no longer and tells the tump over story as if he was there the day the Hoover dam broke!... Once upon a time, in a Rapid far too large, with an overwhelming force of water... The Texans had met their match!...   ;)

Chilli-Braised Pork Shoulder, smoked for 13 hours on the MUDSOG Smoker

Happy Memorial Day!  Overnight Ugly drum Pork shoulder for MM Day BBQ. Marinaded in Chili pepper paste, then fat side down for about 13hrs. Didn't even bring a thermometer. Used up maybe 1/3 a load of lump and ran at 1/2 vent open on bottom which is my go-to to get in the 220-250 range. These MUDSOG smokers are so cheap and easy to make I even made this one just to keep out at a friends lake house we attend twice a year.  Well worth the investment!

History of Monson Cookers...

Just thought I could give a little background into how I got to this UDS cooker into really displacing my Weber smoker and many others.  I've been pretty obsessed with this whole meat smoking thing since 2000, and so this isn't my first rodeo. ;)  Here is a history of my Smoker/cookers and experimentation notes in order:

2000- New Braunfels - Vertical Water Smoker - 3 x 16" Diam racks.  Med heavy, open on bottom like cheap Brinkmanns.  Hard to control charcoal fires.
- Converted using fish fryer burner to propane heat.  Sat over the burner and removable. - Much improved heat control.  This was before all the 3 in 1s that do this now, but same idea.
- Used too much propane and temp decreased as tank pressure reduced on long cooks.
 - Sold 2002

2002- Oklahoma Joe Offset Smoker - Big heavy traditional Off set log burner made of 1/4" steel pipes. 20"x40" heavy cooking grate. 20x20 firebox.  Lots of cooking space!
-Added propane log lighter, cast iron grates, drain ball valve.
- Added half upper rack, tuning plates, got it to about 80% even heat.
- Great cooker, but way too much heat tending. Every 45 min had a inconsistent fire and smoke.
- Sold 2005 when I moved.

- Did a whole small pig in it once for a party. ;)

2004 - 18" Weber Smokey Mountain. 2x18" grates - vert water smoker.

- Added bigger Brinkmann water pan and lid thermo.

- Runs on Charcoal and wood chunks w/pan of water.  Very even temps and easy to use.

- After 30 minute start up, temp locks in, can run 14hrs on just one fuel load.

 - Just an incredibly easy cooker.  WSM is the best commercial smokers IMO. 
- A little small at 18" and water pan gross to clean.

- Sold 2011

2006 - 22" Weber Kettle - Tried smoking with a new grill indirectly.

- Ok for ribs but just too much work and not practical for longer smokes due to fuel usage.
- black one, the Insides rotted out.  Later the Black lid and table became part of UDS.

2007 - Free 15" Orig Japanese Kamado ceramic cooker. (same as Big Green Egg, but before it)

-Needed guts.  Fixed it up and tried slow chicken twice, good results.

- Just too small for even med cooks with just one 15" rack.  Ash cleanup a pain also.

- Almost bought a BGE or a big Kamado, but the owner of one talked me out of it as he had started to use a cooker called the BDS or Big Drum Smoker, and I liked the simplicity of those (like UDS).

- Sold 2007

2008 Upright heavy Vertical smoker, custom made of 1/4" steel with rectangular firebox below rectangular cooking box and 4 tubes connecting them. 2 x 15"X 30" cooking racks.
- Bought as an opportunity for just $80 from a guy who used to do BBQ comp circuits.
- Added Log lighter and side burner.  Still needs tighter air control as too big of gaps.
- Plan to make into super Rib cooker based on perfect size to take about 20 racks of ribs on racks.
- Honestly I have no need for this beast, but I have more BBQ patio, so why the heck not? ;)

2009 - Designed and built my own Ugly Drum Smoker I called a MUDSOG.  Like a bigger WSM but with 2x 22" racks and no water pan.  Design can both Grill or Smoke!
- 55 Gal drum, charcoal basket, 22" Weber grill racks. Uses bigger 22" Weber lid for top.
- Runs on Charcoal and wood logs or chunks.  Goes up to 18hrs on just one fuel load. ;)
- Set it and forget it cooking like a big WSM, but no water pan to mess with.  Excellent!

Anyway that's all of them for now!  Isn't that enough? ;)

Goodby old Weber Friend. ...

Can you believe I sold my old Weber Smokey Mountain?  ... It just left the house last week in a Craigslist ad... kinda sad parting even though I didn't use the Weber anymore for the past 1.5yrs since I created the MUDSOG. We were such good friends as it was my go-to smoker for years since purchase in 2004.

It was hard for sure, and this definitely means I'm all in for the UDS.  I was so close to deleting the CL ad when I was looking at it that morning.  I had to come to the realization that it hasn't been used once in the 18 months since I made the MUDSOG.  I could see the idea of a smaller smoker than the UDS way back in my mind, but I still would probably just make a 3/4 18" size UDS.  I took this sad pic to remember him by. ;)  At least I do have some cash and a guy named Michael will burn meat in it now and gave it a good home...

BTW - Even though I bought it new, I believe it cost me just $25 to own for what had to have been about 7 years.  Way to go USA built Weber! ;)