carbondale vacations
fall 2000 and spring 2001

in the past year we have taken not one but two trips to carbondale to visit egon. first michael and I went last fall with just the dog and spent three days. I was about 7 1/2 months pregnant and couldn't do too much riding (I did ride a little) but we had a relaxing weekend away - the girls were away with their father on a trip. the following spring after baby ziggy was born and became baby kane, michael and I took the girls, new baby kane and the dog and stayed with egon for four days over the memorial day weekend.

for the fall trip, michael and I started out from home in the tiny two-seater honda prelude as soon as we got up in the morning. we set up ares with his dog bed in the back seat and packed all of our junk into the trunk. we made it to egon's in time for dinner saturday night and egon cooked. I always love having dinner with egon. egon had planned to take a couple of horses for a schooling in the morning to a nearby mini-eventing facility and wanted to know if I was interested in coming along.

we got up early and I was a little nervous leaving michael alone at the house while I was off playing with the horses. not that this situation is anything new to michael (ahahaha!). but off we went to the barn in the early morning, packing horses, tack, and plenty of egon's favorite horse convincer - a big bucket of sweet-smelling grain. I was surprised to find that egon had purchased a new horse trailer and truck - not only a new horse trailer and truck, but a *matching* horse trailer and truck !! wow.

being hugely pregnant (7.5 months in october 2000) with baby ziggy, I was not able to ride but I enjoyed myself immensely watching egon and the girls ride the young horses and pop over the very nice cross-country fences at the southern illinois hunt property. it was a longish morning and I was concerned about whether michael was enjoying himself back at the house all by himself. I should not have worried as when we returned, I found him happily hanging out by the lake with ares, drinking a beer, and fishing the beautiful fall day away.

michael and I took egon out to dinner at the local mexican restaurant and we had a nice night eating tacos and burritos, drinking mexican beer and talking. afterwards while driving home egon became so engrossed in his conversation with michael in the car that he didn't even notice when his car rolled quietly into the car in front of us and gave them a good solid BUMP. luckily, the folks that we ran into were very understanding and we made our way home to the house.

our last day of the trip, michael and I drove out to the hunt country to meet the southern illinois hunt for brunch. it was a wonderful drive and ares seemed happy to be on the road.

online carbondale vacation photos