Year Two - Days Sixty-Three thru Sixty-Five

We drove to Colorado Springs to spend a few days.  Our first day, we went to the Cliff Dwellings in Manitou Springs.  They were very cool!  Amazing what the native people were able to accomplish and the knowledge they gathered about their surroundings and plants in order to survive.

The second day we drove to the top of Pike’s Peak.  What a gorgeous drive!!  When we got to the top, there was snow on the ground and it was windy and in the 20’s – brrrrr!  On the drive back down, it started to snow pretty hard for a few minutes and Sam was loving it!  J

Unfortunately, there were some problems with business back home, so I had to fly home on October first for a few days.  I flew out of Denver, and returned 8 days later to catch up Jim and Sam in Durango, CO.

Days Forty-Seven thru Fifty-Two - Year Two

This week has gone by in a blur and I can't remember which day we drove where!

One day we went to Norris Geyser Basin and Mammoth Hot Springs.  There were lots of boardwalk trails through the geyser basins that we traversed at Norris, and we also walked the trail to see Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser when it is erupting.  The last time it erupted was in 2005, and we didn't see any action while we were there. The visitor center at Norris was really cool and informative, showing the last eruption of Steamboat as well as lots of history of Yellowstone.

We saw a few big horn sheep on the drive to Mammoth Hot Springs!

Mammoth Hot Springs was awesome, with a mountainous geyser basin, showing amazing formations and colors.  The landscape looked like a winter scene, with the white ground and dead trees.  Old Fort Yellowstone is located at Mammoth Hot Springs, and a big elk herd settles down each night right in front of the lodge there, much to the delight of the tourists!

On the leg of the drive from Madison Junction to West Yellowstone, there are two areas where the elk settle in for the night, and we have seen them on our drive home each night.  There are over 3000 bison in the park, and we have seen several herds wandering around, sometimes right in the road.  On the drive home, we saw a young wolf walking around a meadow hunting for small prey.  My pictures weren't very good because the sun was behind him, but he walked pretty close to the parking area - all the people were thrilled!

Another day we drove to Canyon Village in the park, and checked out the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - magnificent! We walked one trail that was basically a switchback straight down over 600 feet to the top of the falls - whew!  Later, we drove around to the other side of the canyon, and there was a trail about five times longer that boasted over 1000 stairs to the river - PASS!  The stair climbing is much harder in my book than walking a sloping trail.  :)  There were lots of beautiful overlooks, though!

On the drive home, we stopped at a pullover spot that was crowded with folks to see a couple of bears way off in the distance.  A park ranger was there, explaining there was a bison carcass out there, and the bears and wolves had been eating it for a couple of days.  There was a grizzly at it right then, and a black bear off to the side, waiting for its turn.

Another day we drove to Fishing Bridge area, driving along Yellowstone Lake.  What a humongous lake!  We did a small 2 1/2 mile hike through the woods and fields in the area, watching for bears.  We spotted a snowshoe hare, and it let us approach it pretty close before zipping away.  Yellow bellied marmots were supposed to be in the area, but we didn't see any.  Lots of squirrels and chipmunks, though!

We drove home through the Hayden Valley, where we had seen the bears the day before, and there was more bear activity again to see.  We also saw a herd of bison running in the distance, so we stopped to see it we could figure out the cause and found it - two wolves flanking the herd!  The bison all gathered up tight in a bunch, putting the calves in the middle, and a few bulls patrolled the outer perimeter.  The wolves wandered away.

Sam has been busy collecting the stamp cancellations in his National Park Passport Book, so we drove out to Tower-Roosevelt the next day to collect those stamps.  Unfortunately, this lodge was closed, and there was road construction, so it was a bust.  We cruised out to the northeast entrance gate to drive through the Lamar Valley, which is heralded as the wolf mecca, but we didn't see any wolves that trip.  We did see lots of pronghorns and bison, however.  That valley was HUGE!  It was also a nice drive through some mountains - what a beautiful area!

Every day on the drive home we see the elk at their usual hangout near the West Yellowstone exit.

One day we drove up to Big Sky, to check it out.  We were going to ride a tram to the top of the mountain there, but found out once we got there that it only ran once a day (already gone) and that it was not a tram the whole way up - part of the trip was on the ski lift.  Sam said "No go."  :)

We went from there to Virginia City, which is a cool old west town with most of the buildings still preserved from the 1800's.  While there, we took a train ride to Nevada City, and got a little history lesson on the gold found there over a century ago.  Pretty cool!

Another day we checked out the Bear and Wolf Discovery Center here in town, which is a nonprofit organization which has animals that cannot be returned to the wild for various reasons.  Some of the grizzly bears were enormous!  It is a really nice place, and they are expanding next year, adding an otter area.  Sam really enjoyed it!

Day Forty-Six - Year Two

Today we opted for an off day – paperwork and some trip planning.  I read a lot of material and laid out a plan for the rest of this stay.  We want to cover as much of the park as possible!  :)

Day Forty-Five - Year Two

Today, we opted for another scenic drive outside of Yellowstone.  We drove south to see Big Springs, ID and then Mesa Falls in Idaho.  Big Springs reminded us of the natural springs in Florida, with its crystal clear waters.  Upper Mesa Falls was the most beautiful falls I have ever seen.  Sam declared the best, even over Niagara Falls!  Wow!  It has the most awesome setting – just indescribable, and I don’t know if photos can catch it.

We then drove to the most remote ranger station in Yellowstone Park, called Bechler Station, that can only be reached by driving 14 miles down a gravel road.  Our purpose for this trip was to get Sam’s passport book stamped (his goal is to get all of the stamps in Yellowstone).  When we reached the station, the ranger told us they didn’t have a stamp at this location!  Misinformation!  We checked out Cave Falls while we were down that way, then drove the back roads a LONG way to reach the south entrance to the park. 

This was a trip of about 35 miles and it took us two and a half hours.  Some of this “road” was more like rock crawling you see on tv!  Wow!  It was interesting!  We then drove through the park to go back to

the campground, and we didn’t get back until pretty late.  Sam was actually napping during part of the rock crawling drive – kids!  J

Day Forty-Four - Year Two

We spent our first full day in Yellowstone Park, and decided to go for the most popular attraction here – Old Faithful.  We actually spent most of the day driving and stopping along the way all along the geyser basin.  There are lots of geysers and thermal pools, and they are so beautiful!  It was extremely windy today – 40-50 mph – so the warmth from the geysers actually felt pretty good!  J

Once we reached Old Faithful, we ate lunch at the lodge, and then went outside to view the geyser erupt.  It was pretty cool!  Sam was ecstatic!

The colors were absolutely beautiful, and the pics don't do them justice!

On the drive back to the campground, we stopped to view and take pics of a herd of elk that had settled in for the evening on a small island in the river.

Day Forty-Three - Year Two

Today we opted for a drive to see Earthquake Lake, which is an area north of here and not located within Yellowstone Park.  This was recommended to us by our campground host, who was quick to point out all the points of interest in the area when we arrived.

This area suffered from the most powerful earthquake recorded in the U.S. in 1958 (a stronger one has since occurred in 1964 in Alaska).  The earthquake happened at midnight along a river and lakeside, where campers were stranded and some were killed by a landslide.  The landslide dammed off a river, creating a new lake they named Earthquake Lake.  The story and the scenery was fascinating.

Day Forty-Two - Year Two

We finished our trip to Yellowstone today – woo hoo!  We are actually camping in West Yellowstone, MT which is a small town at the west entrance to the park.  Our drive in took us right through the park, and it is magnificent!  It was a pretty slow drive, because folks stop all along the way to view wildlife whenever possible, and there are not always pull off areas.

We couldn’t pull over in the RV, but we saw lots of bison, and some elk along the way.  We caught a glimpse of a bear (would have REALLY liked to stop at that one!!) and the scenery was breathtaking!

Day Forty-One - Year Two

We started off on our final leg of the western excursion to Yellowstone!  Today, we drove about halfway, with a stop at Devil’s Tower for some exploration.  What a cool rock!  This is where they shot the outdoor scenes for the movie “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”  Sam hasn’t seen that movie yet, so we will have to rent it to watch it with him.

After a couple of hours hiking and exploring, we headed back on the road.  We opted to drive into Yellowstone on Highway 14 rather than use the interstate route, so we crossed over the Big Horn Mountains.  What a view!!  Some slow, tight turns and a steady climb for a few miles, but it was awesome!  Unfortunately it was getting a little late on our descent, so we had to finish the last couple of miles down in the dark – not recommended in an RV.  The mule deer were everywhere, and we had to be super careful and watchful not to hit any.

We decided to camp overnight at Greybull, WY at a local KOA.  It was a really nice place, although we were only there for the night.

Day Forty - Year Two

Our last day in SD, and we used the day to catch up on paperwork and cleaning chores before driving out tomorrow.  We had dinner with Matt and Michele in town at a cool place called Firehouse Brewery.  It had a great atmosphere, and their live musician was a guy with a guitar and a great voice, along with a repertoire of songs across all genres.  There was a festival going on in the downtown area, as well, so it was packed.

We said our sad goodbyes to our friends, wishing they could enjoy the rest of the trip with us!  I know Sam is missing his time with Luke.  A big Thank You to Luke for spending so much time with Sam – he had the best time ever!!

Day Thirty-Nine - Year Two

Today we drove to the Badlands National Park to check it out.  It was about an hour’s drive from Rapid City.  What a totally different environment from the surrounding area!  It was very desert-like and dry, with open canyons and very little vegetation.

We had lunch at a local eatery in the town of Interior, SD, population 60.  While there, we met a couple of local cowboys/auctioneers who told us some local stories.  It was an enjoyable lunch, and very informative!  J

Year Two - Days Fifty-Three thru Fifty-Seven

We continued to explore Yellowstone Park, going on a few hikes and a lot of scenic drives.  One day we hiked to a beautiful falls that was about a mile away from Grand Prismatic Spring.  On the way to the falls, we hiked straight up a large hill (more like a small mountain) to get some great photos of the colorful spring from above. 

On our way out, we drove toward the Grand Tetons National Park.  Along the way, we were winding our way through some mountains when we came upon a small herd of Big Horn Sheep!  We stopped at the Grand Tetons National Park for a little hike and to check out the visitor’s center.  We then drove to spend a few days in Fort Collins, CO.

Day Thirty-Eight - Year Two

Today we decided to chill and do some needed shopping, laundry, etc.  Sam got a new bike since he has outgrown his old one, and new sneakers – same reason!  J  Jim got a new toy – Garmin GPS.  I got to do laundry – something wrong with this picture!!

We went to our friends’ house for Chinese food dinner and wrapped up the day.

Day Thirty-Seven - Year Two

Today we went hiking up Harney Peak, 7,242 ft. – the highest point east of the continental divide.  It was a six mile hike round trip, and we went with Matt, Michele, Luke and a friend of Luke’s.  On the way up, we met another hiker and his wife.  After some conversation, we found out that he is a motivational speaker and has hiked up Mt. Everest!  He was really nice, and told the boys some cool facts and stories about his adventures.  He and his wife are travelling the 50 states, and hiking the highest point in each state.  Cool!

After lunch at the top, we hiked back down so we could get back in time for Matt and Luke to have soccer practice – whew!  We needed naps!  J  Later, we went to their house for fish dinner – walleye – great stuff!

Day Thirty-Six - Year Two

We went boating out on the lake with Matt and Michele and their kids, Ellie and Luke.  They have a blow up raft/ride that the kids rode on for a while – what a blast!  After some conjoling, Jim got Sam to ride on it with him, and they had a great time!

It was a beautiful day and the boat riding was great!  After going home for a nap, we went over to their house and made spaghetti dinner – yum.

Day Thirty-Five - Year Two

Today we drove the wildlife loop in Custer State Park – the weather was a little cooler and we got an earlier start so we could see some of the animals.  We saw tons of bison and several pronghorns.  One large herd of bison was lying in a grassy area at the roadside, and we took several pics.

The wild burros were at the roadside begging for attention, so we had to open the windows and oblige.  The prairie dog town was busy with the little critters, and they were barking and slapping their tails on the ground to warn of our presence.

We decided to hike a small loop trail in the prairie, and it was a good hike, though a little hot.  Afterwards, we drove back by the area where the bison herd had been, and they were on the move headed to where we had just finished hiking.  That would have been some hike if there were 100 bison walking around us!

Sam spotted a couple more birds for his list while we were there, too.  After the hike, we went down to Wind Cave National Park and took a cave tour.  It was a pretty long tour, and we enjoyed the hike in the cool cave.  We saw a lot of one cave formation, labeled “boxwork” and found that 95% of boxwork in the world is located in this cave.  Wind Cave is the fifth longest cave system in the world, and still has lots of unexplored territory.

Day Thirty-Four - Year Two

The temperature was going into the 90’s, so we opted for an indoor adventure on this day.  We got a late start, so we decided not to go to a cave (further drive) and went to Keystone to tour the Big Thunder Gold Mine and do a little gold panning.

The mine tour was quite interesting and educational – two men spent 32 years digging out the mine with crude hand tools – sledge hammers and spikes.  Gold was discovered in mines on both sides of their claim and across the street, but they never struck it rich with their mine.  They found a little gold, but it was low grade.

Sam had a great time gold panning afterwards, and stayed at it for a couple of hours.  He found a few flakes, so he was happy!

We went to Matt and Michele’s house for dinner – yum!  Sam got in play time, and so did we!  J

Day Thirty-Three - Year Two

Our first day of sightseeing and we went where all the tourists go in this area – Mount Rushmore!  It is still as beautiful as I remember, and it was Sam’s first time here, so it was great!  It was a beautiful day, and we hiked the presidential trail through the woods.

That day there was a book signing by a man who had actually worked on creating the monument.  He worked on Teddy Roosevelt and mostly on Abraham Lincoln.  Cool!

After leaving there, we went to Hill City and had lunch at a local diner.  On the drive over, we say a mountain goat, which is a rare sighting!

We then decided to drive over to see the Crazy Horse Monument that afternoon.  Jim and I had driven by it before, but we had never visited the museum or stopped in.  Reading about the history of the artist and his family was fascinating!  There is progress being made on the carving every day, and it is massive.  Some Lakota Indians performed some ceremonial dances as well.

We finished the day at Matt and Michele’s house with pizza.  Sam got to play minecraft with Luke, so all was well!  J