Thankfully there were a few days in Coeur d’Alene BEFORE the winds changed and they began blowing in from the east – bringing all the smoke from the fires in Montana, Wyoming and Canada with them;-(

One day was spent in Spokane golfing Indian Canyon, which came highly recommended by one of those ‘eclipse’ friends who grew up in the Spokane area.  Sandy did not lead us astray with this beautiful, well maintained municipal course.  Nor did he miss the mark with the lunch recommend in Spokane on the river – Clinkerdagger’s;-)

The 10th hole on this beautiful muni course adjacent to downtown Spokane, WA.

They even cued the train to give added color to photo opportunities.

And then the smoke blew in – – BLAH – – making the round of golf at Circling Raven much less scenic – –

The wildfire smoke was getting thick — kinda like golfing in fog.

In search of new experiences, we tried a lake dinner cruise on Lake Coeur d’Alene.  Interesting – but not a must do.  Not sure if it was the smoke or the ‘not too talkative’ captain (providing NO information on the lake) that left things a little flat.  The sun set did provide good opportunities for Gary and his camera.

The smoke did supply added color to the sunset – –

– – And – there was an almost full moon.

The fires in the west are many, producing large amounts of smoke blanketing the US  clear into the middle of country and creating VERY unhealthy air.  Below are two pictures taken four days apart showing Quackers’ view from the front of the Bus.  The first was before the smoke rolled in and the second is after – –

On an earlier day along a river, Quackers had a nice view downstream.

4 days later between Coeur d’Alene & Mt. Rainier Quackers’ view was very limited.

AND – we are breathing that stuff;-(

E & G hoping for clean, clear air and an end to the fires

The visit to Yellowstone NP was WONDERFUL!!  But – all good things must come to an end and Coeur d’Alene was calling.  On the way, though, there were a couple of rounds of GREAT golf to play.  So – this is how the 2 days went – –

–Drive an hour early in the morning from West Yellowstone to Big Sky, MT —

–Play golf at Big Sky resort – one of Arnold Palmers early designs —

Big Sky on a beautiful morning.

Beautiful Course.

–Eat a quick lunch, drive 2 more hours to Anaconda, MT and ‘camp’ there for the night.

–Be a part of the ‘Dawn Patrol’ at Old Works – one of the Golden Bear’s courses with the nicest people —

Dawn patrol tee time at the Old Works – one of the BEST courses anywhere!!

Black sand in all the bunkers.

The ovens from the old mill works are on the hillside in the background.

This one was after Gary’s golf ball. Had to wave it off with a golf club.

–Drive another 4 hours and set up camp at Blackwell Island RV Resort in Coeur d’Alene.

Whew!  A crazy 2 days – but now we have several days to chill – and maybe play a few more rounds of golf;-)

See ya later – E & G

“Yellowstone is a geological smoking gun that illustrates how violent the Earth can be.”  That explosion 640,000 years ago devastated the landscape and left remnants of boiling hot springs, fumaroles, museum spots and geysers to serve as reminders that another cataclysmic event could occur.

In those early years, it was the extravaganza of geysers and hot springs that made Yellowstone stand out.  It is still the same today – as what is Yellowstone without Old Faithful and the many geysers of Geyser Basin?

Before getting to the bubble, spew, spout, spritz and fume there was one more falls that had to be seen – Firehole Falls on the Firehole Canyon Drive.  Here the Firehole River, warmed by hot water from springs and geysers along its course, drops into the canyon providing these nice falls.

Then the scenery turns to meadows with sweeping views of – – STEAM!  Fountain Flat Drive takes one to Ojo Caliente – the first of our boiling pools this morning.

The Ojo Caliente pool was a short warm up walk from the parking area.

Just how warm is the water from the geysers?  Warm — and slimy;-(

Next – Lower Geyser Basin – – –

Lots of fuming.

—- and lots of that devastation and boiling ‘pots’ and pools at Fountain Paint Pot Trail.

How does the beautiful new growth survive in this environment where the trees in the background died off?

The multi-hued Silex Spring.

Any hot spring could become a mud pot with the right balance of acidity, moisture and clay.  However, the constant flow of water keeps most springs clear.

The bubbling glop of the Fountain Paint Pot.

The Twig, Fountain and Morning Geyser’s. They seemed to be trying to go off all at once.

Then there was a VERY unexpected experience.  Firehole Lake Drive appeared and looked like a nice little diversion off the main road – perhaps a less traveled adventure.  Little did we know what was in store for us!!  The warm up was this brilliant blue cauldron looking for all the world like an inviting hot tub to relax in – –

The very colorful Firehole Spring.

Then – just a ways out was White Dome Geyser with its colorful cone and thin, high spray.

An unexpected ‘spew’;-)

But, then the real show!  The Great Fountain Geyser (with its Surprise Pool), which goes off every 11 hours or so.  The predicted time of eruption this morning was between 10:25 and 10:42.  It was 10:30 – we were just in time – just by accident;-)!!!

The Surprise Pool. The “surprise” was that this pool went from very calm—–

—to exploding with sizable waves as the Great Fountain Geyser erupted. It was stunning!

Next the granddaddy of them all – Old Faithful (named and celebrated for its steadiness rather than a predictable schedule of eruptions).  Almost all facilities around Old Faithful display the next expected eruption time, which is approximately every 90 minutes – all depending on the size, length and volume of the last eruption.   Again,  we arrived just in time to get to the upper deck of the Old Faithful Inn for an excellent viewing spot.

Old Faithful – she speaks for herself!

A busy Monday –  at least a thousand people waiting to see Old Faithful.

The area around Old Faithful has grown significantly over the years.  The Old Faithful Inn opened in 1904 with a second wing opened in 1914.  The method of visitation to the Park also changed significantly over the years – from train and covered wagons in 1883 to automobiles in 1915.  Probably nothing this fancy in 1915 – but something similar became the touring vehicle shortly thereafter – –

Great replica touring vans with a canvas roof that slides back for good views all around.

After a brief lunch break at the historic Old Faithful Inn it was time to get back to more bubbling, spewing, spouting, spritzing and fuming.  Biscuit Basin was the jumping off point for the afternoon hike to Mystic Falls.  Of course Biscuit Basin was home to more beautiful ‘spa looking’ pools.

The Sapphire Pool was along the boardwalk to send us on our way.

Our destination — Mystic Falls.

A pleasant hike up the canyon alongside the Little Firehole River.

A VERY “cool dude” on the way back down the canyon.

Another fabulous day in Yellowstone.  Again, we encourage all to take advantage of the wonderful resource we have in this country of our National Parks.  It is particularly encouraging this year that so many improvements are in process at the parks.  They are truly assets we do not want to lose!!  Get out and enjoy them — ALL!!

Loving the National Parks – Elizabeth, Gary & Our Ever Steady, Magic

Yellowstone NP – established in 1872 as the WORLD’S first national park!!  At that time, the states it is included in – Wyoming, Montana and Idaho – did not yet exist as states and there were few settlements nearby.  Travel by horse or foot was the only way to venture into the rugged terrain of the area.  Surprisingly (that’s sarcasm Sheldon;-)!), the Northern Pacific RR completed a line to the park’s north border in 1883 and visitors arriving via the train usually had a package including stagecoach tours of the park.  Today we arrived in Magic – a stagecoach of a different form.

One of the park’s most breathtaking sights is the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone where the turbulent Yellowstone River roars through 20 miles of golden-hued cliffs.  About 640,000 years ago, a huge volcanic eruption occurred emptying a large underground chamber of magma and spreading volcanic ash for thousands of miles.  The roof of this chamber slowly collapsed, forming a giant caldera which was altered and weakened by erosion and the hydrothermal activity in the area for as much as 160,000 years.  The current canyon begins at Lower Falls and ends downstream from Tower Fall.

The multi-hued rocks of the canyon result from the hydrothermally altered rock and sediments – thus the orange, brown and green colors – –

Vista from the North Rim Trail of the Canyon looking downriver.

Osprey perched on the rock pinnacles had great views of the river- – and to fish.

The beginning of the 20 mile canyon – the Lower Falls – and our hike destination – – –

The Lower Falls from the North Rim Trail.

The North Rim Trail has a couple of side paths that take one into the Canyon for even more awesome views of the Falls.  One of those is Red Rock Trail which drops 500 feet in .4 mile with lots of steps and a hardy slope.  BUT – the views are worth the effort!!

Who is that handsome couple??

The result – a great eye level view of the Lower Falls.

Our destination – the Brink of Lower Falls.  Here, depending on the time of year, between 5,000 to 60,000 gallons per second of water plunges 308′ over Lower Falls into the Canyon!  To stand at the brink you descend 600′ and feel the roar and spray of the water. Truly a heart-pounding experience as the river drops into space;-)!!

Down river from the Brink of the Lower Falls through the mist.

Looking down from the brink of the Lower Falls – what a force of nature!

A South Rim trail gives you wonderful views from a slightly different point of view.  Unfortunately the hiking trail was closed for repair work – so we had to settle with the drive along the South Rim to Artist Point for the comparison vistas.

The Lower Falls from Artists Point on the South Rim.

The orange and brown colors of the rock were quite vivid this time of day.

The Upper Falls can be seen from the Brink of the Lower Falls trail.  While majestic, the Upper Falls are only about 1/3 the size of the Lower Falls falling 109′.

A quick view of the Upper Falls and then we decided to give our legs a break….

After about 7 miles of hiking and lots of elevation change, a quick lunch at Canyon Village followed by a car ride from the Canyon Country to Roosevelt Country and the Lamar Valley was in order.  Lamar Valley is truly ‘where the buffalo roam’!

The bison knew they owned the road.

Rutting season and these two big bulls were duking it out.

The dust really flew as they collided.  Think they can get concussions??

A buffalo family;-)   The calf-almost as big as Mom-is still ‘nursing’!?!

Different herd down the road and two more males butting heads.

Lamar Valley, known for its rolling hills covered with sagebrush and its sparkling streams,  is the place to see animals – –

This female Bighorn sheep posing on top of the rock.  Got my best side??

The Pronghorn Antelope are plentiful in the park.

As mentioned above, the original visitors to the Park may have arrived via the train and had a package tour that included stagecoach tours of the park.  Guess this is the more modern version??

Horse drawn wagons heading out from the Roosevelt Inn.

What a wonderful day.  And the fitting end was to see the ending of the current Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, which begins at Lower Falls – where the morning was spent –  and ends downstream from Tower Fall – the last stop of the day.

Tower Fall – 132′ surrounded by volcanic towers.

An exhausted, awe inspired E & G from Yellowstone NP – the First and the Best;-)

Grand Teton NP – established in 1929 – owes its existence to John D. Rockefeller, Jr.  Rockefeller visited Jackson Hole in the 20’s and was dismayed by the haphazard development marring the landscape.  With a vision to protect the spectacular Teton scenery, he began buying land – later donating over 32,000 acres of the Jackson Hole valley to the federal government.  Thus the Grand Teton NP, where the majestic Teton Range rises impressively along the western edge of the scenic valley creating striking, magnificent views that provoke wonder and welcome the visitor – –

Welcome to the Grand Teton National Park.

This landscape was born out of geologic forces.  The 2.7 billion year old rocks found in the core of the range are some of the oldest in North America.  It’s story begins 100 million years ago with the collision of tectonic plates that caused mountains to rise and the valley floor to drop.  Then starting 2 million years ago, massive glaciers began sculpting the mountains and creating the landscape that is quite picturesque today.

Stunning view across Jackson Lake to The Grand Teton range.

The view from our dinner spot, The Mural Room, at Jackson Lake Lodge.

The peaks of the Teton Range stand nearly 7,000 feet above the valley floor.  Unencumbered by foothills, they rise through steep coniferous forest into alpine meadows strewn with wildflowers, past blue and white glaciers to naked granite pinnacles.  The Snake River, having begun its journey in southern Yellowstone NP, winds leisurely past the Tetons on its way to Idaho (lunch yesterday;-)  ).  The braided sections of the river create wetlands that support moose, elk, deer, beavers, cranes and geese and ducks.

On our way to Jenny Lake, more beautiful scenes – the wetlands.

The glaciers carved out areas that now serve as beautiful lakes fed by the mountain  streams.  They provide wonderful areas for all forms of recreation – including the perfect hiking trails around their shores.

The Jenny Lake Loop Trail gave us rain, wind & sunshine – but mostly lots of great views.

A little sunshine on the peak through the rain clouds.

The Jenny Lake Loop Trail was the perfect hike for this day.  A little misting during the first portion of the hike through the forest – so a bit of a canopy to protect us.  Then the Jenny Lake Lodge appeared about half way around the lake – just in time for lunch;-)

We veered off trail for a very good lunch at the Jenny Lake Lodge.

Across the bridge and back on the Loop Trail.

Hidden Falls.

The happy hikers.

Boy – what a wonderful, beautiful, exhilarating day!  The only thing to make it better is to end with a drink and dinner on the patio at The Blue Heron Lounge at the Jackson Lake Lodge watching for moose –

Cue the big bull moose.  Ginormous rack on this guy.

The stay here in the Grand Teton NP was way too short.  Colter Bay (the best RV park in the park) – we will be back!!  But, Yellowstone NP is calling.  So we are off again.

A fond farewell to the Grand Teton NP.  Yellowstone here we come.

The drive to our next stop, West Yellowstone, was diverse.  The Continental Divide was crossed not once – BUT THREE times!!

At almost 8,000′ the view is forest vegetation.

Then we descended into the Geyser Basin, where we found another one of those fantastic stops for lunch.

What a view for lunch …

…overlooking the Midway Geyser Basin.

Now Magic is parked in the Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park in West Yellowstone at another wonderful spot and E & G are off to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone tomorrow;-)

E & G saying – There is nothing better than a National Park!

After 2 really short months, Magic was on the road again.  First destination was Sun Valley, ID and the ‘Raney Ranch’ for the historic event of the Total Eclipse of the Sun.  Rather appropriate, don’t you think, that Sun Valley would be in ‘the band of totality’ for the viewing of the TOTAL eclipse of the Sun!  There were TEN eager partiers that rallied for several days of preparation, actual viewing and then reminiscing.  All at the generosity of Eileen and Tom.  A good time was had by all and it truly was magical;-)!!

Ohhhhhh – look.  It’s starting!

Here’s to the Total Eclipse.

The “diamond ring” effect at totality. (Good job Mr. Dickey!)

Once the celebrating was over – we were back to normal activities.  One morning took us out Greenhorn Gulch to the Cowhorn Loop Trail.  The day was perfect for such a hike with wonderful cloud cover – the scenery was pretty nice also – –

A panoramic view of the Greenhorn Canyon.

Nice vistas but, alas, no moose.

Since the Park City departure was a bit earlier than usual this year, the fall colors did not send us on our way.  They did, however, welcome us to Sun Valley.

Colorful foliage along the trail.

Another day took us to the Trail Creek Golf Course where we played in the shadows of the ski area with more beautiful views – –

Took time out for a round of golf at the Sun Valley Resort.

The time in Sun Valley was short, as Grand Teton NP was calling.  It proved to be just another ho hum beautiful drive.  One of our favorite things about traveling in Magic is the ability to pull off the road wherever we see a stunning spot and have lunch.  This day was one of those days as the Snake River presented itself in a fabulous setting with raptors overhead.

Our lunch spot on the way from Sun Valley to the Grand Tetons NP.

This guy soared overhead for quite awhile. 

Good thing lunch settled quickly, as the next stretch of road was — interesting;-(

Just topped the final summit on our approach to the Jackson Hole area.

It certainly was fun to be in the ‘band of totality’ for the eclipse and even more fun to share the magical experience with so many new and old friends.

Awed E & G

Has it really been more than a month since we last did a post??  Hard to believe – BUT, must be because we have been soooo busy!!

The theme of new experiences has continued – even into our dining experiences.  One evening was spent in the delightful setting of Log Haven in Millcreek Canyon with friend Sally.  (Picture does not do justice to the serene setting;-) )

Yummy dessert!  (Dinner was good too.)

Then there was the new venue in Kamas – The State Road Restaurant at the DeJoria Center, where there is free music every Thursday night.  All our ‘old’ RV’ing friends enjoyed the evening with us.

Relaxing and enjoying the music with old friends.

Just HAD to get in a little dancing.

Of course there were concerts.  Even though the venue was the same (SnowPark at DV), the acts were all new to us – Patti Austin ‘doing’ Ella at 100, Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), a Classical Mystery Tour and Diana Krall – –

Diana Krall performing at the Deer Valley Amphitheater.

Thanks to friend Sally, John Mayall at the Egyptian was also on the calendar.  AND – he was awesome!!  A couple of plays also crept into the agenda – ‘Cabaret’ at the Egyptian and ‘Book of Mormon’ at the brand new Eccles Theater in Salt Lake.  What a riot to watch this here in “Salt Lake a City”!!

Although there was not as much hiking in the last month – what was done was new.  A trek to Shadow Lake on the Park City Mountain – organized by the Budd’s – proved to be a beautiful hike with outstanding wild flowers and a charming little lake – –

Beautiful wildflowers.

What a crew!

We even took in a Bees (LA Angels farm team) baseball game when they played the Dodgers farm team – including a great burger dinner before at Lucky 13;-)  And spent an evening at a good old standard – The Park City Art Festival.  In between all of this – there was a VERY quick trip back to Scottsdale.  Just outside of Kanab this sign appeared – –

Interesting play on words. To bad we didn’t have time to stop and enjoy the – – pie.

And, of course, there were 14 rounds of golf!!  In order to get in a new course – a trip to Evanston was in order to play Purple Sage with Rheta and Tom.

Hole #2 at Park City Muni. Gary left a number of balls in the water on this hole this year.

This did seem to be the summer of the moose.  Probably saw more in the last couple of weeks than we have ever seen before.  It is so much fun to see these animals – somewhat close.  They are really HUGE and yet majestic – –

This youngster came out of the water and joined us on the 18th green at the Muni course.

Spotted these four bulls on the road from Empire Pass to Midway, UT.

The camera shy cow was not far away as her two calves enjoyed breakfast at the Mountain Dell Golf Course.

Our last round of golf at Park City Muni this year – this HUGE bull moose and the cow came to say ‘bye’.

And suddenly the summer is over for us here in Park City.  Day after tomorrow we pull up stakes and head north to Sun Valley, ID for the total eclipse of the sun;-)

See you after the ‘end of the world’ next Monday;-)  E & G

The 4th of July in a small town is still one of the most fun ways to spend such a special day in our country.  And this particular day in Park City is no exception.  The iconic picture of our flag on the White Barn on the entry way into the city begins the celebration – –

What a beautiful picture for Independence Day!! 

While we are trying to experience new adventures this year – there are some things that just can’t be changed.  And that includes the recurring 4th of July activities which start with the Pancake Breakfast in City Park – something we have done every year for about 20+ years!!

Pancake breakfast at City Park.

Then a short walk up to Main Street provides all the sights and sounds of THE parade – –

The high school band warming up reminded Gary of his days in the drum line.

Every year the crowd gets bigger and bigger.  This year it was hard to believe the number of people on Main Street – – and how they will clear them all off the street for the parade to pass by?!?!?!

The parade is due to start any minute. MOVE IT.

Other days of the weeks we continue our hikes that provide our exercise and beautiful scenery.

Hiking Deer Valley with stunning views of snowcapped Mt. Timp.

Fun and Fabulous concerts at Deer Valley provide great music and allow us to remember ‘old’ times – like the 60’s with the Beach Boys – –

We had FUN, FUN, FUN with The Beach Boys.

And, of course there is golf;-)  This Sunday Cash and Tor joined us for 9 holes and dinner –

Cash and Tor joined us at the PC Muni Course.

These last couple of weeks seems to be the time for animals to show themselves – – on bike rides, golf courses and even along the roads.

The young raptors are getting ready to fly the coop.

The sand hill cranes enjoying the Swanner Preserve.

Wild Turkey at the Wasatch Lake golf course.

The baby ducks are everywhere.

This young moose followed us along the 18th hole at PC golf course.

We let her play through when she approached us on the 18th green.

Another couple of weeks have passed and we have not had time to look up.

Busy and Happy – E & G from Park City

It’s GREAT to be back in Park City – our ‘summer home’ where some things never change!  Lots of golf, hiking and dining with friends.  BUT – in our continuing efforts to have NEW experiences – these activities wound up on our calendar.

A Kids Adventure Day provided our entertainment on Father’s Day as Cash and Tor (two boys we babysat when they WERE babies!) competed in the event – AND each took 2nd in their age group;-)!!

Tor sliding toward the end of the race.

The cheering section..Eli-B, Mom Sarah and Brother Cash.  (Cash was sooooo fast we missed his competition.)

Sunday evenings are danced away in the ‘Dancing Thru the Decades’ dance lessons with friends – –

A LOT of OLDIES (songs, dances AND dancers!).

Hiking continues to be a preferred cardio activity – but, this year we are trying to hit as many new trails as possible.  This day we ventured up Mill Creek Canyon and hit The Pipeline Trail half way up the canyon.  Just can’t beat the views on any of the trails around the area – –

The view toward Cottonwood Canyon and Brighton Ski Area.

Joined by our frequent hiking partner Sally – down the Canyon to SLC.

And, of course, the golf.  Since we have played almost all the courses in close proximity – we just look for new animals – or just a nice day – on the courses we play.

Beautiful day on the golf course at Mountain Dell.

How can one complain in the middle of all this good scenery?!?!?

Lovin’ life – E & G 🙂

There were a couple more wonderful days in Flagstaff – golfing, of course, with new friends Jane & Larry at their course, Forest Highlands.  Beautiful scenery and a fun day.  There was also a great Thai dinner at Pato with drinks before at the historic Monte Vista – again with Jane & Larry and more new friends.

It was now time to move on again – and todays destination was Jacob Lake on the Kaibab Plateau.  Even though we have traveled 89 and 89A many times between Flagstaff and Park City, we continued our efforts of ‘new adventures’ along the way.  Having passed the sign for ‘Lee’s Ferry’ many times – this time we took that right turn to see what was there.  Surprises awaited with more beautiful Arizona scenery in Marble Canyon – –

Big mushroom rocks among the rock formations.

– – – And there we were at Lee’s Ferry on the Colorado River.  This is the only place in hundreds of miles where one can easily access the Colorado River from both sides.  Therefore, it historically served as an important river crossing and starting in the mid-19th century was the site of a ferry operated by John Lee (thus – Lee’s Ferry!).  Boat service continued here for over 60 years until a bridge was built in the early 20th century.  Lee’s Ferry served as a military outpost for 19th century settlements in Utah and today is the boat launching point for those whitewater adventures through the Grand Canyon.   This day it served as our scenic lunch spot (E even took her shoes off and waded in the river!!)  – –

Our lunch stop – Magic along the Colorado River.

Enjoying the river scenery ….

….and watching the Grand Canyon bound river rafters heading down river.

Ahhh;-)  What a refreshing stop!  Now – on to Kaibab CampeRVillage and our new campsite home for a couple or days (another new experience).  Magic had a lovely spot in the pines at Jacob Lake with a one mile trail through the forest that took us to the best soft serve chocolate ice cream cones and homemade cookies at Jacob Lake Inn every afternoon;-)!!!  A little more strenuous hike was the East Rim Viewpoint hike which took us 2 miles in each direction with a 1400 vertical in those 2 miles;-(   This was definitely our cardio for this day – BUT, the reward was beautiful views – –

For some reason we decided we wanted to hike down to the bottom of the canyon…

….from up here to down there. Yikes

There were enjoyable sights along the way.

Including this beauty.

We DID make it out alive – although ‘dead’ the next day;-)

Thankfully the next day was a travel day – so more rest, so to speak.  And there we were – our home away from home – spot E6 at PC RV Park – –

Good to be back to our summer place.

Back in the cool, refreshing air of Park City for a couple of months – ready for golf, dinners, visits and whatever else comes our way;-)

Keeping you posted – E & G from Magic