Post 10 days in Yellowstone

Yellowstone is definitely a Park of diverse terrain.  Between all the Thermal features, forests, mountains, canyons and wildlife, it is a fascinationg place. A highlight was a climb up Washburn mountain--10,000 plus feet where we could see for miles and miles. See pictures I have included.  We also had a 7 mile hike into Shoshone Lake, which was through meadows, and forest.  I jingled with my bear bell, and did a lot of clapping to ward off any meeting with a bear!  I admit to that as a real fear I have, but it didn't stop us from hiking.  After 10 days in the park, The tourist population was increasing, so we decided to complete this part of our journey.  We are in Jackson to hook up, then intend to bike along the wonderful bike path in Teton National park, tomorrow as the weather will be warm.  Our next stop in Dubois, then Thermopoulis, and finally Cody, WY. for a rodeo on the 4th of July.  Glacier Nat'l Park may be our next stop, before heading East.  Note the Bison traffic jam, a common sight in Yellowstone!  Dee

Recent location!

Well, we are just out of the Yellowstone Park to Power up.  We had some great hiking in Teton National park, and then moved on to Yellowstone.  We spent a day walking around the Old Faithful area, where there are so many Thermal features like geysers, hot pots and mudpots.  Then we moved onto The Canyon Area where we did both Rim hikes on both North and South Rims.  Then, today, I went on a 2 1/2 hour hike with a Ranger who imparted all kinds of interesting information about geology, flora, fauna, etc.  Can't wait to do some of the back country hikes, although, I confess, I DO NOT want to meet a grizzly.  We have bear bells, which may make bears curious, and of course, Pepper Spray, but I am still nervous about meeting a bear.  Today, as we stopped to view a sulphurous group of mudpots, a male Bison ambled out of the woods and into the Parking area, where he created quite a stir! People think them docile, but they have gored people.  They are dangerous! 

       Here are a few pictures of first, Teton, then Yellowstone--and--me on a saddle bar stool in Jackson, having a beer in The Cowboy Bar!  Talk to you soon!  Dee

Ode to handsome, hunks in Wyoming

 Never thought that I would see

Sexy cowboys ahead of me.

On their horses runnin' cattle

Sittin' tall in the saddle.

They were "real" in western gear

Movin' steer from there to here.

I'm in the west, it's plain to see

Can I take one home with me? (cowboy that is!)

 

Thought you would like these pictures--we got to see a cattle drive from one place to another, just by being in the right place at the right time.  Cool here--we had hail today!  Some different than The Colorado Monument  and Vernal, Utah where it was 87 degrees.  It will be cooler in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone for sure.  Going to a Chuck wagon meal and Wild West show tomorrow night, in Jackson.  That should be fun. Bye Pardners!! The last picture is of Independence Monument in The valley of the Monuments, Colorado Monument.

 

 

Josie Bassett Morris

pioneer woman who built this cabin in 1913. Had 5 husbands, brewed her own aprcot brandy,tried+acquitted 4 cattle rustling times 2 in her 60's!

Brief note

Just a post about where we are currently--enjoying the convenience of a "cheap " motel in the form of a KOA campground.  These are all around the country, for those of you that are not "camping savy" which I was not, before this trip! They have everything--electric hook-up, free showers, a pool, laundry--real luxury for campers.  We had a great visit in The Colorado Monument--it was hot, so we hiked in the mornings, and took our leisure in the afternoons.  What a beautiful place it was--Monument Valley was just beautiful.  Now, we are in Vernal, Utah, on our way toward Wyoming and Yellowstone.  We aren't rushing, as it is still cooler there; in fact, they had snow recently.  So, we will visit The Dinosaur National Monument here, then proceed toward our goal.  Hope to see a Ghost Town, and a Rodeo somewhere in the scheme, and possibly visit a Wolf Sanctuary in Bozeman, Wyoming.  Lots of Wild West History here---Buffalo Bill even founded the town of "Cody" which I would love to visit. Hopefully, more pictures to follow. Dee P.S. Still coughing--must be the altitude here.  Denver is known as a "mile high."

Connecting again!

Well, here we are in Grand Junction, CO.  We had a great visit in Mesa Verde, CO. and then journeyed on to The Black Canyon of the Gunniston. I returned from CT. with a bad chest cold from my Grandchildren.  I seem to be vulnerable to "Day Care viruses "at this age in my life.  I tried to boost up my immune system before going, but guess I didn't take the "Emergen C" soon enough!

       Mesa Verde, (green table in Spanish) was fascinating.  The weather was hot and sunny--we had to climb a 32 foot ladder to get up to the Cliff dwellings, which were built by ancient peoples who lived on the Mesa, growing vegetables on the mesa themselves.  For some inexplicable reason, they decided to move from the mesas to cliff dwellings, and these amazing habitats were evidence of quite an advanced society.  I had to literally, crawl through tunnels to get to the dwellings!

        Black Canyon of the Gunniston is a lesser known park, with the main attraction, a very deep canyon carved out by the Gunniston River, which humans could not penetrate.  It is called "Black' because of the depth, and the darkness that the canyon walls seem to hold.  We did a hike into the canyon, which was very arduous.  Under normal circumstances, it would have been fine, but my chest cold made it very hard for me on the ascent.  I really should have waited to do this hike.  However, it was beautiful in the base of the canyon, as this picture of Allen near the Gunnison, illustrates. There was even a chain to help get one down!

      Next, we journey to Grand Teton, and Yellowstone.  The Colorado Monument seems like a place we want to detour, so think we will spend some time here before we journey onward, allowing me to get over my cold fully.  On the way to Grand Junction, we saw a sign that said, State Penitentary--please refrain from picking up hitch-hikers!  How appropriate! 

       

Beach bums

Two little urchins at the beach, picking shells and playing in the sand.