Blog Archives

Memorable Moment in MTA History

9/20/2011

It's not often that one gets to meet a wolf but we did this summer. We were scheduled for a group tour at the Colorado Wolf & Education Center near Divide, Colorado. As a student group we were invited to come out an hour early and have a "meet & greet" session with a real wolf. It was great.

All the boys had a chance to give this wolf a pet and then we got to tour the rest of the facility and see all the wolves, some coyotes, foxes, and other neat animals.

We even made it into the Center's July newsletter.

Check it out.

0 Comments

400th Geocache last summer, hopefully 500th next summer in Wyoming or Montana?

9/18/2011

0 Comments

Went geocaching yesterday for the first time since Colorado this summer. This photo was of my 400th geocache found out west. It reminded me of what a great time that trip was and how much fun it was with all those great kids. These four decided to geocache with me instead of going horseback riding. Leader Ray Thompson was with us and he took the photo. We had our own great fun trying to find this geocache before we got caught up in an afternoon thunderstorm. You'll see raindrops on some of the shirts.

This coming summer I'll hope to find my 500th geocache when we're out in Wyoming & Montana. Three of these four boys are already signed up to join me. I can't wait!

0 Comments

Dubois, Wyoming - A Must-See Main Street and we'll be there!

9/17/2011

0 Comments

It was neat to open up my email yesterday to find a travel email from the great state of Wyoming naming Wyoming's top "Main Street" towns, and one of those towns was Dubois. We'll be visiting Dubois this summer spending one night there after our two nights in Cody and before our final two nights in Jackson. Here's some of what the article said, "A large 'Wyoming Wonderland' sign greets you in Dubois, an authentic Western town in the northwest that is known as a gateway to Yellowstone. Take a stroll down the dusty boardwalks of the main drag while you browse local shops for cowboy wear and handmade treats. Find gifts at Welty’s General Store, which has been in business since 1889, local lore says that outlaw Butch Cassidy to frequented the shop.

You can read more about Dubois and its Main Street designation at this link.

And why you must wonder do I have this guy riding on a giant jackalope? This photo was taken in Dubois, Wyoming the last time we were out there. Hopefully that Jackalope is still up for some riders. We'll be ready.

0 Comments

Memorable Moment in MTA History

9/13/2011

0 Comments

This is another blog in my every-so-often "memorable moment in MTA history" series. Throughout our Europe by Eurail trip in 2009 we found street musicians everywhere. But this moment in Amsterdam was very special. One of our boys, Mark Gilbert, had only a few months earlier started taking mandolin lessons and we happened upon a guitarist-mandolin duo. The mandolin player was happy to give a turn to this American musician. It was a really great moment in MTA history.

0 Comments

Every so often a life lesson

9/12/2011

0 Comments

You might not think doing laundry is such a big deal, but to some of the boys on these trips...it's a first. Our trips are usually 12-14 days long and that means a trip to a laundromat. So taking care of their clean clothes when they come out of the washer and dryer is something more than just mundane...it's a life lesson. And over the years I suppose I've helped kids wash clothes for their first time in a dozen states and three or four foreign countries.

These scene is from a laundromat in Estes Park, Colorado.

0 Comments

Some long timers...

9/10/2011

0 Comments

It was really exciting today to have an "old" camper Wilson Pickelsimer "like" the MTA page on facebook. Wilson was the first MindStretch Travel Adventures trekker in modern times (meaning beginning in 2004) to go on four trips. In fact he was on four consecutive trips: Colorado in 2007, Wyoming-Montana in 2008, Europe by Eurail in 2009, and Alaska-Canada in 2010. He's been around.

But Wilson's record of four consecutive trips was tied this past summer when Mark Gilbert came on his fourth trek. And Mark is planning on breaking Wilson's record. He's signed up as a "junior counselor" on our upcoming adventure to Wyoming & Montana.

It's nice to have such long-term young men.

Here's Wilson in Alaska in 2010. That's Mendenhall Glacier behind him.

0 Comments

2012 Open Enrollment is Underway...

9/4/2011

0 Comments

The first few invitations to families have been dropped in the mail for the 2012 adventure to Wyoming & Montana. There aren't many going out because it's exciting to say that the trip is almost full now. I'm not sure how many is full, but last summer we had 17 boys with us in Colorado and that seemed pretty full to me.

So as of Saturday and the mail drop we had 13-14 boys already enrolled (still waiting to hear from one). I'm just assuming we have room for three or four more kids. And that's a great position to be in.

And it's a great trip too. I've actually lost track of what number of trip this is to Wyoming & Montana for me, but I'm thinking this will be my seventh or eighth. And if I had time, I would go seven or eight more times before hanging it all up.

So if you know of families with sons looking for an incredible experience, send them our way while there's still room.

Okay, this picture might be a little silly. That guy was riding a giant jackalope that can be found living out West. This one was residing in the cowboy town of Dubois, Wyoming. The boy in the saddle liked that trip so much as a just-finished fifth grader that he's returning as a junior counselor this coming summer. In fact, several boys from that 2008 trip are returning for this adventure. And that is just about a first in this "been-there, done that" kind of world.

I am really pleased about that.

0 Comments

Memorable Moment in MTA History

400th Geocache last summer, hopefully 500th next summer in Wyoming or Montana?

Dubois, Wyoming - A Must-See Main Street and we'll be there!

Memorable Moment in MTA History

Every so often a life lesson

Some long timers...

2012 Open Enrollment is Underway...

Mark Levin

Archives

Categories