Traveling West

Friday, Saturday, Aug 12, 13

These are travel through days, about 350 miles each day. Friday through Idaho, known for its’ potatoes. The scenery was pleasant, if uninspiring. But the people are very friendly.

Saturday, as we entered Oregon, following the National Historic Oregon Trail, more or less, things became more interesting. This trail was surveyed by the Lewis & Clark Expedition and followed by settlers seeking gold in the 1800’s. Hills grew into mountains, road grades became steeper and passes became deeper. And then we reached the Columbia River!

We found an Army Corp of Engineers campground, LePage Park, and were asked if we minded taking the last available spot. Look what we got! Waterfront, pull through, with electric and water for only $11. The recreation areas that accompany damns built by the Corp are some of the best we’ve visited.

The view from our dining room window was exceptional!

Notice the windmills on the hill. Folks in Buffalo seem to object to the few on the sight of the old steel mills on Lake Erie. But in other parts of the country, they are used extensively. We’ve seen them in every state we’ve driven through.

 It was a very restful oasis before moving onward.

The Best for Last

Thurs, Aug 11      Happy Birthday, Berry!!

We’re on our way out of Yellowstone today, so we’ve saved some of the best geysers and hot springs for last.

Once again, Old Faithful had spouted before we arrived, so we took a walk around, seeing some of the nearby points of interest.

Just as we nearly caught up with the Ranger Walk around the area, Old Faithful rewarded our patience by erupting fantastically! The view from behind is even better than we had seen from the Lodge earlier.

We considered taking a classic Yellow Bus tour, in one of the antique vehicles owned and operated by the park, but the cost and timing didn’t fit our plan.

And of course, how could we leave without a meal at the Old Faithful Inn? So brunch in the dining room it was. And the opportunity to call and wish our “chosen” granddaughter Happy First Birthday! How we miss the smiles, giggles and hugs of this special little girl!

Best of all was Grand Prismatic Spring! While Grandpa parked the RV and returned phone calls (who knew we’d be in cell phone range here?), I hiked up the walkway camera in hand, and was blown away by the sights!

Turquoise Pool truly is!

Opal Pool is like looking into a fire opal.

Prismatic Spring’s color is the result of heat-tolerant microorganisms, yellow the hottest, blue the coolest.

 After those awesome sights, we headed for the west gate, and out of Yellowstone. Our plan was to find a sight recommended by our new friends Henry and Jan, near Lake Henry up Sawtell Road. We found the road, and the peak, but because we needed tire repair on the “toad” (the Saturn VUE), we were unable to climb to the top. But we could see that there must be incredible views up there.

Hot Springs and Sausages

Aug 10  The North Gate        

This day’s itinerary included the Mammoth Hot Springs and the North (original) Gate.

It began chilly and foggy, but clear blue skies.

We were surprised to see a coyote emerge from the foggy brush!

The steam from small geysers along the bank added to the rising fog off the cool waters.

It’s surprising to see which plants survive, and how they are changed by the heated, mineralized water. Here grasses turn colors and wildflowers bloom beside hot pools.

The Mammoth Hot Springs are an ever-changing landscape shaped by the volume and temperature of the waters seeping through layers of limestone, the slope of the ground, objects in the water’s path, and heat-loving microorganisms. This is one of the world’s best examples of travertine deposits, a material highly favored by decorators for tiling.

Located near the springs is the Park Headquarters. Before Park Rangers, soldiers protected this Federal land, and this was Fort Gardiner.

As we sat at a picnic table having lunch, an elk decided to come and play nearby.

The North Gate was designed to include the information demanded by Teddy Roosevelt, and is now a one lane entry point leading to the Ranger’s huts where fees are collectd.

Just outside the West Gate is the small town of Gardiner. We stopped here to pick up a few groceries, including some homemade Italian Bison Sausage, which we had for dinner. Very lean, and spicy!!

On the drive back to camp, we took some side roads for some lovely vistas.

Yellowstone experiences forest fires frequently, the largest in 1988 which dramatically changed the appearance of the landscape. But fire is Mother Natures’ way of cleaning house and making way for new growth. So first wildflowers, then small pine trees begin to appear, and the hills are one again covered in lush greenery.

And as we again passed Roosevelt Lodge, we watched the trail riders return, under the careful guidance of a good looking cowboy!

Geysers and Canyons

  

Tues, Aug 9

Yellowstone National Park, the world’s largest park of 2.2 million acres, was established in 1872. It sits astride the Continental Divide, and is centered by a 45 by 30 mile Caldera, a smoldering collapsed crater of a major volcano. Geothermal curiosities, such as geysers, hot springs, hissing fumaroles and bubbling mud pools, act as pressure valves for what brews beneath the earth’s crust. Seventy-five percent of the world’s geysers are in Yellowstone.

But the park’s boundaries also enclose craggy peaks, pristine lakes and rivers with thundering waterfalls, deep canyons, grassy plateaus and vast forests. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including bison, elk, deer, bear, coyote, and wolves, to name a few.

Starting out north on the Grand Loop Rd, on a chilly morning, we first came across geysers at Mud Volcano. 

Here we also peered into the Dragon’s Breath!

Across the road is Sulphur Caldron, and like most here, these geysers reek of rotten eggs, and many tourists can be seen holding their noses.

Next we crossed Hayden Valley, along the Yellowstone River, where Buffalo roam, causing traffic jams daily!

The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone begins at the Upper and Lower Falls, is 24 miles long and up to 1,200 feet deep.

We travelled all the way up to the Roosevelt Lodge, built for a visit by President Teddy Roosevelt, who first decided that this land should be preserved as a National Park.

Old Faithful is the most famous of Yellowstone’s geysers. When it erupts, about every 68 to 98 minutes, it spouts 3,700 to 8,400 gallons of boiling water up to 184 feet high.

Beside it sits the Old Faithful Inn, built in 1903. The 100 year old Inn, a giant log building, set the precedence for the great lodges of the national park system.

Grandma had waited over 50 years to see this sight,

 and the day ended with a perfect sunset on Yellowstone Lake.