Evaluating the Year 2013 Bucket List

In order to come up with a numeric quantification of how we fared with our Year 2013 Bucket List, we've giving everything a "Ten Scale" point value.  Ten points will be awarded if the list item was completed.  Lesser points will be given according to a subjective assessment of our efforts to meet the spirit and intent of the list item.  Zero points will be given if the item wasn't met or was dropped from the list.

There are 33 "scored" items on this list.  The total points added up to 156.2 and therefore the final annual score was 4.73.  This translates to a "C" grade for the year.  That's OK.  We would like to get into a ""B" rating in Year 2014. 


Day Hike More Often w/Susun  (5)

(We did a better job in 2013 but need to do even better in 2014, hence the medium grade.)

Play more cribbage, croquet & darts w/Susun  (5)

(We'd like to get this item considerably higher in Year 2014.)

Improve bowling avg. to 150 (1)

(We scored so low in this because we our efforts were VERY lame in trying to reach this goal.)

Play golf at least 20 times  (1)

('Twas a terrible year for this goal.)

Camp at least 50 nights (7)

(The 7 points is simply based on math.  We camped 35 nights so that rates a 7.)

Visit Salmon Country at least four full weeks (28 days)  (5)

(We only visited Salmon Country for twice--hence the 5 points.)

Camp at Riverside at least three times (6.6)

(Camped there twice.)

Drive The Reclamation Road both ways (5)

(At least we drove it one way.)
 
Visit Ken & Julie's cabin  (10)

(We did visit their cabin, hence the 10. THANK YOU, Julie & Ken!)

Visit Heather's Place at least twice (10)

(Got that one done.  THANKS, Heather!)

Write 300 personal blog posts (6.6)

(The final 2013 tally will be 200 personal blog posts.)

Write 100 blog posts on the Salmon Thang (2)

(We might have notched 20 posts on that website.)

Write at least 100 posts on other blogs (2)

(Lame performance!)

Drive the Pass Creek-Double Springs loop (10)

(Great Trip!)

Explore and camp in Sawmill Canyon (10)

(Ditto)

Drive the Antelope Pass-Copper Basin-Trail Creek loop (10)

(Ditto)

Do at least three overnight backpacking trips (0)

Maybe this will change in 2014

Explore Italian Peaks area. (5)

The Bannack Pass Road Trip helped us get at least 5 points out of this one.

Journey to the geographical Center of Idaho (0)

This was dropped from the 2014 list.

Kayak or raft Snake River Canyon  (0)

Ditto

Float South Fork from Palisades to Byington Bridge (0)

Drive the Arco-Minnedoka Road (0)

Explore the area between Kilgore & Rexburg (5)

(We're giving ourselves 5 points on this one for the Road Trip on the other side of The Centennial Mountain Range.)

Visit site of proposed Grand Canyon Escalade (0)

This has been dropped in 2014.

Visit Grand Canyon for a few days (3)

(Got to the North Rim for a day.)

Hike the Wilson & Bear Mtn. Trails (0)

(These goals carried over into 2014.)

Drive The Young Road both ways  (5)

Made it one way.

Drive the Perkinsville Road to Williams & back  (10)

Great trip.

If you get a Middle Fork or Main Salmon trip, GO!

The above item gets no points because there was no invitation.

Explore Tex Creek WMA in much greater detail  (6)

Our Skyline Drive Road Trip earned us points for this item.

Become much more familiar with Pleasant Valley Country (5)

The Marvie Trip into Montana earns points for this item.

Visit Yellowstone at least twice.  (10)

Barely made it this year.

Continue Grand Teton & City of Rocks camping traditions (5)

We're giving ourselves 5 points here because of substituting the Dubois and Teton Valley trips.

Spend a 5 nights at Bryce Canyon Nat'l Park (6)

Only got 3 nights.

Bucket List - 2014

Here is our Bucket List for Year 2014.  Our Bucket Lists are always composed of outdoor activities and Road Trips and, as such, differ greatly from the normal New Year's resolutions list.  We evaluate the Bucket List every quarter and amend the list as necessary.

This year's bucket list is divided into Arizona and Idaho sections.

Arizona

Visit The Land of The M Diamond
Do more Sedona area day hiking and day hike more often.
Explore our local area more by foot and Samurai
Thompson Ladder Trail
Tonto Basin Spring trip
Superstition Hike
February Grand Canyon hike with Wayne.
Hike the Wilson and Bear Mtn. Trails
Drive the Jerome-Perkinsville-Williams Road again.
Day Hike in Lower Sycamore Canyon Wilderness.
Apply in December for a Wave permit April 21 or 22. (Done)
Learn the Navajo recreation permit system. Get permit for April  and November visits.
Visit Grand Canyon South Rim
Aim to stay at least 3 nights at Bryce Canyon
South Coyote Buttes in November 2014
North Rim in November 2014
Get those Vermilion Cliffs routes documented and ready for April and November visits
At least five tent camp nights.
Drive again to the top of Squaw Peak
Explore the Juniper Mountains west of Prescott.
Visit Gary & Robin's new place near Snowflake.
Be ready to accept any invitation for a river trip on the Verde, Salt or Grand Canyon.
Get a passport - Visit Connie & Michael in Rocky Point
Play more cribbage, croquet & darts w/Susun
Improve bowling avg. to 150

Idaho

Go to Jackson in Late April to bicycle the Jenny Lake Road before it opens to cars.
Stay overnight in Jackson at least one night for above trip.
30 tent camp nights
Visit Julie  & Ken's Place once a month.
One Marvie trip per month.
At least one trip to visit Marti in Boise and Doug & Judy in Mountain Home.
One Salmon River camping trip so we can do an inflatable kayak day trip.
Float South Fork from Palisades to Byington Bridge
Drive the Arco-Minnedoka and/or Carey-Kimama Roads
Camp in Upper Medicine Lodge Creek, explore Italian Peaks
Canoe more often in Idaho Falls at John's Hole.
Play golf at least 10 times
Visit East Fork Country at least twice
Camp at Riverside twice (remember to make reservations in January!)
Visit Yellowstone at least once
Visit LSRP at least twice
Do a summer camping trip to The Tetons.
October trip to Teton Valley
Skyline Drive loop through Calamity/Falls Creek
Pinedale, Wyoming area trip
Wyoming Red Desert trip
Birch Creek area canyons
Play more cribbage, croquet & darts w/Susun
Be ready to accept any invitation for a river trip on the Middle Fork or Main Salmon.

(Editor's Note: Here are the changes for the Idaho Bucket List in 2014 versus 2013:)

• Salmon Country visits have dropped out of the mix in 2014.
• We will not be updating the Salmon River website or Facebook.
• We will be doing no forest fire coverage next summer.
• We are not setting Bucket List goals for blog posts.