In July of 2024 we took a leap and purchased a 2021 Wildcat Arctic Cat Trail SxS with the intent of taking in out on trails around Arizona and exploring our great state. We rented one a couple of years prior and really had a great time, so we started looking to buy one so we could go wherever whenever. We just never found the time, life got in the way and we have no space to store a trailer, so we rely on rentals, but they are hard to come by when you have the time.

Fast forward to July of 2025, and this is the first time we had a chance to take it out. All the stars aligned; we had the time, a rental was available, and the weather was perfect!

We decided on the Pyeatt OHV Trail just outside of Payson. It is about 25 miles, is moderate in difficulty, and gave us an opportunity to go be amongst the trees and streams. It was a fun ride. We stopped for a few pictures, dipped our feet in the cool stream, had a small picnic lunch and overall had a really good time.

Along the way, we stumbled upon a winery called Below The Rim Meadery. It was tucked away in a place that felt so remote you wondered how they managed to stay open. The people were very nice, the food was great and it was a perfect way to spend some time just listening to the wind through the trees. Highly recommended if you are ever in the area.

Cindy loves the mountains, the smell of the pine trees and listening to the wind rustling through the trees. I really enjoy sitting by a mountain stream and watching the water cascade over the rocks and obstacles. This was a great trip for the first adventure out with our side x side.

My toast to Tyler & Kirsten...

Tyler recently wrote a note in my birthday card. It was one of those notes that remind you of how much that person means to you. As I stand here watching him begin this next chapter with Kirsten, I can’t help but hear those words echo in my heart.

He told me he felt lucky to have me as a father—but the truth is, I’ve always felt lucky to have him as a son.

Tyler said that as he’s gotten older and life has grown more complicated, he’s become more grateful and proud—but the truth is, it is me who could not be more grateful and proud.

Tyler called me his moral compass—but as I look back, I see him as a model of a true sense of right and wrong and how to treat people.

These are things I never set out to be or do as life went on and I became a husband and father. But reading those words from him brings me joy and is one of the greatest honors of my life.

To me, it is the greatest reward as a parent, seeing the kind of person your child has become as they have grown.

And now, I see him becoming that compass. I see it in how he treats others, how he listens, how he carries himself, the relationships he has developed. And, most of all, in how he loves Kirsten.

Tyler & Kirsten,— watching the two of you together overwhelms me with pride and joy. There is an ease between you, there is joy and respect. You are both so humble and full of heart. I have no doubt that the love you share will be a beacon for others—just like your words have been for me.

May your love always feel like home. May your life be filled with laughter, your hearts with kindness, and your days filled with the kind of joy that brought all of us here to celebrate you.

Day 1:   Friday, May 30, 2025
Today we left for Des Moines. We took off early in the afternoon on our way to Gallup, NM. This was just a stopping point to get us down the road so we wouldn’t have long days on the road during our trip, giving us time to stop and see things that we discovered on the way. We had dinner at the Hotel el Rancho , which was a neat local/historic restaurant with a Mexican flare.

Day 2
We got an early start with breakfast at a local diner and then and headed to our next stop, Elk City, OK. We traveled along Route 66 and stopped in Tucumcari, NM where we stopped and visited the Blue Swallow Hotel , the inspiration for the movie, Cars. We also saw a place where Clint Eastwood once stayed while filming a movie and stopped at a local trinket shop.

We went on towards Amarillo, TX and stopped at Dream Maker Station , a local souvenir and gift shop in Adrian, TX. From Adrian, we drove to Amarillo where we stopped briefly at Cadillac Ranch and then had a great dinner at The Big Texan and saw a guy attempt to down a 72oz sirloin dinner in 60 minutes. (unfortunately for him, he failed and had to pay the tab!)

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Day 3
Continuing along Route 66, we left Elk City on our way to Hot Springs, AR. On the way we stopped in Oklahoma City to see the Oklahoma City Memorial , a very stoic and humbling moment for us.

The route took us through Ft Smith, AR where we stopped to see the Fort and Courthouse were Judge Isaac C Parker better known as the Hanging Judge, held trials. There was a nice museum and we took some time to walk the grounds and see various old buildings and historical markers.

We ended the day sight-seeing in Hot Springs, taking a ride up a 24-story observation tower that gave us a beautiful view of the Ozark Mountains and surrounding area. Dinner was at The Ohio Club , where we enjoyed a wonderful live performance by a local musician.

Day 4
Monday took us on a drive through the beautiful Ozark Mountains. We made many stops along the way, taking in the sights and vowing to come back during the Fall to see the changing colors.

We stopped in Eureka Springs, a place Cindy visited with her Grandfather, and spent time browsing local shops. We ended the day in Branson, MO. with dinner at the SaltGrass Steak House , with great food and a wonderful table on the patio at Branson Landing.

Day 5
We spent our first day in Branson walking the shops downtown and then went to Top of the Rock for a self-guided tour through Lost Canyon where we saw beautiful scenery and met some interesting people along the way. Lunch was at Arnie’s Barn located on the resort property. The Barn is the actual 150-year old barn moved from Arnold Palmer’s property in Pennsylvania!

The day was capped off with a dinner cruise on the Showboat Branson Belle It was a wonderful evening with great food, a live show and beautiful views of Table Rock Lake.

Day 6
The last full day of our journey took us through Springfield, Sedalia and Columbia Missouri. Stopping at the Grizzly Industrial facility was something John has always wanted to do, we spent a short amount of time admiring all of the tools and then headed to our main destination for the day, Sedalia, MO.

Cindy’s family is from Sedalia so we wanted to spend the day driving around town seeing homes that her parents grew up in, schools, parks and other places they spent time at while growing up. We stopped at two cemeteries to pay our respects to the loved ones that gave her so many great memories while growing up. The day culminated with having dinner with a cousin she hasn’t seen in many years. It was a great evening catching up on family and memories.

Day 7
We departed Columbia early in the morning, headed for the final and most cherished of our destinations; Des Moines, Iowa and the wedding of Tyler and Kirsten. We will write about that event in another post.

It was a fun and exciting trip full of many memories. In all, we drove over 2,100 miles and spent over 45 hours behind the wheel, but it was worth every mile and minute of the journey. We love traveling, and having an opportunity to drive and pull over at any time to see the country-side is what we enjoy so much.

In April We flew from Phoenix to Rapid City to celebrate Mom’s 90th birthday. It was a short trip, (we left on Friday and returned Monday), but it was a fun and memorable time

Friday afternoon we made the obligatory stop for lunch at Taco John's. Not Cindy's favorite (understatement!), but we always make sure to get taco's for John when we visit Rapid.

Saturday all of the Chleborads and Stoners gathered together fun and games and to spend time with Mom. Austin wasn't able to make the trip and we missed having him around, but he was in all of our thoughts all day long. Along with family, a few friends stopped by as well.

We played games. We laughed and we had great conversations, remembering life growing up and talking about the future.

Brian made gifts for the nephews, Danyel made t-shirts with trivia from 1934 and we played beer (water) pong in the garage for what seemed like hours!

This trip was much needed for us and we always love visiting Rapid City (just not in the winter!). It is good to see those that we love so much, and we don't get that opportunity often enough.

When we found out that Tyler and Kirsten would soon be heading off to Iowa, we knew we wanted to send them off in a memorable way. We came up with a challenge: come up with an exciting and fun idea for a family trip. We presented our ideas and then voted for the winner. When it came down to the final planning, we decided to save some time and money and landed on Las Vegas as the destination.

Cindy, Danyel, Tyler, Kirsten and I made the trip. We stayed towards the North end of the Strip at Treasure Island, which gave us plenty of opportunity to walk many, many miles over the four days. I think that was more walking than I had done in quite some time; but it was well worth the time together! (We even had the obligatory group t-shirts to wear - thank you Danyel!)

One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the Blue Man Group. It was an unforgettable night—not because of the energy of the show, but because Tyler got pulled up as an audience participant! Watching him on stage, not exactly sure what to do, but seemingly having a blast, gave us all a good laugh and made for one of our favorite memories of the trip.

We also visited the Mob Museum, where we explored the history of organized crime and law enforcement in Vegas. It was full of stories that sparked our curiosity and made for good conversation.

We spent an evening at the Lost Spirits Distillery & Museum (now closed)—an immersive vaudeville-like experience that blended art, science, and a bit of rum. Well, maybe more than just a bit. It was like stepping into another world. Upon leaving we decided food was in order, so we had quite a fun and entertaining drive to the nearest McDonalds; the radio turned up loud and everyone had a great time.

Between shows and museums, we walked for miles (thousands, I am convinced), enjoying the Las Vegas experience, just being together and having great conversations. We ate incredibly well and walked many miles. More than anything, we cherished the time together laughing, exploring, and just enjoying each other’s company.

This trip was about celebrating our family and strengthening the bonds that will hold us together. It was the perfect send-off, and we’re so grateful we took the time to make it happen.

Tyler and Kirsten got engaged while on a vacation with friends in California. It was September 17th of 2023.