Big Sky Adventure Day Three - Yellowstone, Old Faithful and Upper Basin.

I woke up before the sun rose and had great photo opportunities with the clouds remaining from the storm and looking like it could be rainy day. The morning also was one of many cold mornings which required socks, actual pants, and my heavy wool sweater and it was still August. After a hotel room hiking breakfast special of Cap’n Crunch, and a bagel with peanut butter and banana, we headed back to Yellowstone and up to Old Faithful. It was the goal to have a slow day after being in the car so long the day before. So with that in mind, we took a few small hikes on the way up to the Geysers.

One of the walks was remarkable because the hike consisted of walking a bit along a stream and then heading down hill for 100 feet for a pretty little waterfall named Moose Falls. It is actually just north of the South Entrance on Crawfish Creek and passed over by the majority of visitors. It is kind of nice to have a waterfall just off the road all to yourself. I shot a lot of photos, rambled around and watched the storm come in a bit.

After that we settled in for the 45 mile drive to Old Faithful with a few stops along the way. The geographer in me was lucky enough to cross the Continental Divide three times. There is a striking lake that is filled with lily ponds that runs on both sides of the road. When the lake floods, the water in the lake flows in two different directions, the first going towards the Pacific Ocean and the other flowing to the Gulf of Mexico. They tell me that this is one of the few places that do this.

As we approached the Upper Geyser Basin, we drove past two Bison near the edge of the road. We continued on and just made it to Old Faithful Inn five minutes before Old Faithful went off. From the reading I have done, Old Faithful is popular not because it is the most frequent, nor the tallest, nor the prettiest, but it seems that it stood slightly away from all of the geysers in the area. Old Faithful teased the viewers by starting to go off and then fizzle down for about five minutes. And then when it went off it just shot straight in the air. I imagine if I had gotten closer to the viewing area I may have been wowed, but I just wanted to get a hot cocoa afterwards because damp misty mountain moisture is just plain cold.

After my hot cocoa, we then went out to the Geyser Hill and the walk behind that. We took loads of photos and then it started to rain, but only sporadically. With the overcast skies, the odd precipitation and the cold temperature the pools and springs were very steamy and hard to see.

We decided that our main meal (the one we pay for each day) would be a lunch in the restaurant. After lunch we went to a few more geyser areas which were less crowded and more impressive. On the road the two bison from the morning were now on the shoulder and caused quite a traffic jam. I am just glad that we have a nice zoom lens which kept us a safe distance and off the road.

As we were driving back to the ranch, the sun came out and we decided to detour by less than a mile and revisit the West Thumb Geyser area again, and I was equally impressed and it officially became my favorite part of the park. As we got on the road we said goodbye to Yellowstone and thought our two days there was sufficient to see the Park and get a feel for what it has to offer. If I were to come back, I would probably do some real canyon hiking.

Dining
I am going to go off target and say that in most National Parks the restaurants, tours, lodging and camping are not run by rangers, but by concessionaires. Some are very good and others are average to say the least. The company that has Yellowstone has several other parks in their portfolio and while I have to say that they meet expectations, I found the food in the Dining Room of the Old Faithful Inn for lunch a bit ordinary just like I would find a reliable steady chain restaurant that overcooks your food for fear of bacteria.

So with that in mind, I will instead discuss the magnificence of the actual building itself.

The concessionaire has several tours of the building which everyone should take if they have time. The buildings architect Robert Reamer used his unique “parkitecture” style on the building where he studied and found inspiration through by the natural surroundings of the area and then started to design a building. Parkitecture is reflective through many of the National Parks and it is a shame that many of the new hotels remind me of garden apartments in the suburbs.

The construction took just a year and the first class hotel opened for the 1904 tourist season. The main chimney which has hearths on all four sides and is over 76 feet in height was made of rhyolite and is the main part of the soaring wood lobby. The interior lobby is made of lodge pole pine which grows perfectly straight and a consistent width.

The lighting at the time was electric and was top of the line, but those fixtures continue to be used today, which makes for a very dark inn at noon. Reamer was inspired by the forest, and used local woods to create the building including the railings and decorative features from branches of trees to create a forest feel for the lobby.

This building is a treasure and the scale is so large that it is almost difficult to imagine a seven story lobby as you are standing in the middle of the room.

Photos taken 216 Hours in Car 2 1/2

Two Words

I am getting ready to go to my twentieth high school reunion this weekend. I am looking forward to going and actually getting to know my former classmates as adults, and forgetting who they were as hormonal pre-adults guided more by popularity instead of embracing their uniqueness.

I went to a small school and graduated with approximately 125 other students that could not wait to leave and become full adults or college students. I always tell my friends from bigger high schools that even if we were not friends, we still knew everyone and something about them. Over the past twenty years it seems that I have forgotten a great deal of high school and the people that were my classmates.

With the advent of adults being on facebook, I have been lucky enough to get to know a group of fabulous women and men that have blossomed into people that I look forward to talking to, going places with and are nothing like I remember them.

I recently found my yearbook and was looking at the senior superlatives and realized that after four years people are summed up into one or two words. I remember those people by those two words because I never really took the time to know them in high school and did not continue many friendships for 19 years.

Looking at the yearbook, I see pictures of classes and groups, and wonder where I would have sat back then and what assumptions may have been made because I sat next to one group of people instead of another group. The thought of would I have been welcome sitting at one lunch table over another started to rear its ugly head. I sometimes look at the pictures and realize that the four years were simply required of my life and became a stepping stone to something better. I would like to credit serving my time in high school as one of those character building moments that taught me that life stages are like stepping stones to whom you are meant to be. I really believe in high school that I became a forward motion thinker instead of one who looks back and thinks about what has been.

So when I go into my reunion, I need to keep an open mind that the “Class Clown” is now the Director of Community Living for a large non-profit. Our “Class Cutie” is now a single mother who is just finishing training for her dream career as an EMT and realizing that she is in control of her own destiny. The “Class Flirt” is a woman who is willing to follow her dreams and open a retail business selling products she has a passion for. The “Homecoming Queen and one half of the Class Couple” did not marry her high school star athlete boyfriend, but married a man who is smart, loving, an incredible father and encourages her as a mother and a writer. I also look and start to ask did our “Most Talented” go on to star on Broadway or ever record his own songs? Have the “Most Likely to Succeed” really successful and are they happy with what they have achieved? I have learned that success in no longer measured in money, but in how you get to live your life.

I try to think about what two words may have described me at 17 and I no longer have a clear picture. I know I did not really understand fashion, I did not go to many parties with my own classmates, I had a boyfriend in my class but most people do not remember that we dated. I am pretty sure that the words people would use then, could never describe the person that I have become and who I am happy being.

Recently on facebook people asked their friends to describe them. I posted that status and was very happy with the words that describe the person I have become. They ranged from genuine, witty, unique, inspirational, compassionate, sassy, plucky, interesting (in the good way) caring, thoughtful, vivacious, honest, feisty, jaunty and authentic. These are the superlatives that I am proud to have earned by learning who I am and enjoying the experience.

I have promised myself to see each person for who they are and not who they may have been. I can only hope that they see me for who I am. The 37 year old me, has decided that if we gave out superlatives I would like to be Class “Sassy Pants”.

Big Sky Adventure Day Two - From the Top to the Bottom of Yellowstone

Day two was full of excitement and started very early since we were all awake and dressed by 7:00 am. The one hard part of traveling in certain areas of the country is the preparations you must take for bears. It seems that bears do not just like food, but bears love water bottles, the scents of fashion magazines and handi-wipes. I actually saw a car attacked by a bear and the door was hanging only by the hinges. So after emptying the car the night before, I was now reloading the car at a very cold and early hour. We spent the majority of the day seeing the sights from the north entrance to the south entrance and keeping a solid eye on the sky with the forecast calling for an impending storm that was coming in from the west.




We left Gardiner and entered into the historic North Entrance of Yellowstone Park, where the gate says “For the benefit and enjoyment of the people,” This is a park that everyone should make every effort to get out of your car and walk past the first overlook. There are over 2.2 million acres, which is the size of Delaware and almost all of Rhode Island combined, so it is almost impossible to see it all. If you have a car there are copious trail heads and pullouts that allow you to enjoy as much as one can. It has been stated that the average National Park visitor does not walk more than 500 feet within a park. If you want to connect with nature, history, geology or what makes us diverse, get out and walk to truly experience the park. The first five miles of the park from Gardiner to Mammoth is packed with things to see and do. On this stretch we crossed into Wyoming for the first time in my life, we crossed the 45th parallel, which is the geographic spot that is halfway between the equator and the North Pole.

There is also a great 40 minute morning hike that will get your blood pumping and your joints moving. The walk to the Boiling River is a relatively flat hike that is one mile round trip along the Gardiner River to the springs that come out and create pools where the cold river and hot water combine. As we walked down the trail we could see steam rising above the hill and passed several people dressed in shoes, towels and bathing suits. The opportunity to soak in a hot spring is always a pleasure and the water here closely resembled the perfect bath that never cools to tepid. There are two pools for people and the opportunity to soak in geologic wonder should never be passed up. Maryann also took her favorite picture here of a bather (serious back country hiker) leaving the pools in his hiking boots and his bath towel wrapped around his body. Taking this side trail was easy, enjoyable and showed us the magnificent joy that nature can provide for free.



Our next stop was in Mammoth at the old Fort Yellowstone. Before the National Park Service was created, the U.S Army used to staff and protect the park, and Ft. Yellowstone was and still is the headquarters of the park. The road has a significant junction here where visitors can go south to Norris or east to Tower Junction. As we approached the area, the terraces of the Mammoth Hot Springs were visible over the former parade field and offices. As we parked outside the hotel to stop in at the visitor center (we missed none of them on the trip), the sidewalk was closed due to an elk herd that had come to visit and lounge on one of the grass areas. I was not sure what they were other than oversized deer with heads like a camel. Most of the elk were female and seemed very passive, until one got up and started walking towards the tourist, which caused the Ranger to yell at them and they slowly returned and rested on the grass again.

The Mammoth Hot Springs are a large set of terraces that top of a hill and have slowly eroded the mountain face into small pools and water pockets for 1,000 feet down. With a series of boardwalks and stairs I set off to experiencing the terraces. For once I will break my rule that the beauty is usually off the road and around the bend and just past the hill along a trail, but I thought the best terraces are the first set you approached and could see from the road.



After getting to the top of the springs, we headed eastward to junction at Tower Roosevelt. This brought us higher in elevation and also into more pine forests. We passed several waterfalls and then took Blacktail Plateau Drive which was an old road used by Indian Tribes moving after hunting season and one of the original roads in the Park. The road brought us into the first area for us to see of the 1988 Fire. It was really interesting to see how the old trees suffered and many of them are still standing while new pine trees have taken root and are now filling in the blank spaces left behind. This fire was started by lightning strikes in dry conditions and burned over 35% of the park with 250 different fires. It is obvious to see that nature wins over man, but that natural rebuilding will take place.

As we headed down to Canyon, we hiked along Antelope Creek and then drove to the top of Mt. Washburn. It was amazing to see as far as the eye could see. The view was awe inspiring and was one of those moments that you cannot capture on film what your eye is bringing in. As we descended and passed through the Dunraven Pass we descended into the Yellowstone Caldera which covers an area that is 34 x 45 miles of the Park, it is also the tenth largest in the world, and is connected with several others which run along the Snake River Basin (this is not the last one we will see on this trip). It turns out with all the geysers, hot springs and live magma underneath the surface that this is a hotbed of volcanic and earthquake activity.
After that we entered into Canyon which runs for 20 miles along the Yellowstone River which has a magnificent Canyon that you can approach from the east and west sides of the river. There were several vantage points to see the waterfall.

As we headed south again, we entered into the Hayden Valley which is stunning by having the river and flood plains and fields of natural grasses which encourage animals to graze and hunt in this area. We actually saw a single bison lying in a field and then a few minutes later saw a herd of bison on top of a hill. The one thing you have to pay attention to is the cars that will come to a complete stop in the road if they think they even see something that may resemble an animal.




We then stopped at the Lake Hotel which is the oldest hotel in the park and had local beers in the sunroom that overlook Yellowstone Lake. As we started the 21 mile drive around the western side of the lake we could see the storm moving in over the park and so we decided to press on with less stops along the way. We did stop at West Thumb Geyser Basin, which was my favorite part of the park. It is one of the smaller geyser areas, but it this basin runs up to the shore of Yellowstone Lake, which makes it a stand out. It is about a mile along and the boardwalks take you only a few feet from the paint pots, fumaroles, hot springs, and pools. As we left the basin, we headed south out of our park to our hotel for the next four nights.

We checked into Flagg Ranch and got a cabin right on the edge of the Snake River flood plain which had a back porch with rocking chairs and a view of the Mt. Moran in Grand Teton. The ranch had hiking trails, camp ground, fishing and horses for guests to use. It had a restaurant which was the defining low point of our vacation and we never had another meal there again, but got more creative in our meals.

Dining
Before we headed out toward the south, we stopped at a picnic site which was filled with fellow picnickers and a lovely giant raven who sat on the stone next to the picnic table. I remember from childhood that on long car trips we would take an ice cooler in order to have food before there was ten fast food restaurants were on every corner. This time we brought food to save a bit of money on breakfast and lunch, but to also ensure that we knew what was in our meals. This was a simple meal of salami slices, cheese, bread, tortillas, peanut butter, strawberry jelly, apples and grapes. It was enjoyable to have lunch under the open skies surrounded by mountains. After the lunch we passed a field with two bison roaming across the field.

Photo Count 210 Hours in Car about 4 1/2

Big Sky Adventure Day One - We Found Paradise.

We flew into Bozeman early in the afternoon and landed in a valley. The best thing about small airports is that while you are getting your rental car your luggage is already spinning around the conveyor belt ready for pick up. Once we got our luggage, we waved to the rental agent and could see the brown Subaru Outback in the first parking space. Small airports usually require changing planes in huge airports like Denver, but you are out and on the road within 20 minutes of landing.
After leaving the airport, I was completely amazed at how the flat land went immediately into mountain. On the east coast we have shore, small hills, so-so hills, some big hills and then rolling mountains. As we were driving along the service road, it came to me that here you have flat land and then boom, a mountain and then BOOM another mountain. There and nor foothills, no transitions, just high elevation plains and then BOOM, the mountains rising another 6,000 feet above you.
Before the circular root could begin a very important stop had to be made at the Wal-Mart. Now many may oppose corporate or location policies, or just hate the store because of what it stands for, but when you are not in a booming metropolis and need an ice cooler, beer, wine, paper products and food, there is rarely a better place to get you in and out with a completed shopping list for a reasonable cost.

As we left Bozeman and Wal-Mart we drove east along I-90 to Livingston, Montana we started to cross the Gallatin Range which was filled with Pines and a hundred shades of tan. As we came down the range we entered into another valley which was breathtaking and had an educational rest area that talked about Lewis and Clark’s activities in the valley. With a quick detour through the historic and well preserved and active town of Livingston we turned south to reach Yellowstone border by night.

The valley we entered was roughly 50 miles north of the park boundary and was aptly named Paradise Valley. The valley lies between the Gallatin and Absaroka ranges and is absolutely beautiful. There are two roads that go from north to south. The first is 89 which is a State Highway with higher speeds and more of a straight drive from Livingston to Gardiner. The other is East River Road which runs along the east side of the Yellowstone River and along the west side of the Absaroka mountains. The Yellowstone River was previously known as the Elk River by the Crow Indians and was a traditional hunting ground for antelope, bison and elk. We drove along East River until we got to the town of Pine Creek and went to the Gallatin National Forest to hike the Pine Creek Trail to the waterfall. On the way up to the trail head, we drove on a narrow road with several switchbacks that rose above the valley providing superb views of the valley. After coming around a turn I noticed that there was a lone horse walking down the middle of the road. As we finished the next turn there was a group of four horses, or as I thought jackasses, walking down the road. At this point it was useless to try and pass them and had to wait for them to finish hanging out with the car. One horse decided that the bugs I had driven through would be tasty and proceeded to lick the hood of my car.



When we got to the trail head, we got out of the car for what we were led to believe was a quick two mile round trip relatively flat hike. Well, as hikes go this one sounded perfect to transition into higher altitudes before we got into the parks. Alas, as all ideas go, the trail was a bit different with about a 500 foot elevation rise and closer to 3 ½ miles round trip. The waterfall was worth the hike, and included a pine two plank bridge across the creek with the railing on only one side. As we hiked down the mountain, I thought about all the options I could have for dinner at the Pine Creek Lodge and Café.

After dinner we headed south along East River Road until we got to the intersection of Mill Creek which would take us back to Route 89. It is sometimes better to be on the main road instead of the back road as dusk approaches. The area has a lot of deer that I was not sure the Outback wanted to meet. Where we turned is a bridge over the Yellowstone River that is known locally as a great jumping spot. People run across the street and jump off the railing and into the river below. Route 89 runs parallel to the river on the west bank and passes through farms before entering the town of Miner and the Yankee Jim Canyon which we approached at sunset. The town of Gardiner is at the end of the canyon and just north of the entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to fly fish, go to Chico Hot Springs and hike a bit more. If I was to go back, I could stay several days in Paradise Valley and not get bored.


Dining
We got to the Pine Creek Lodge and Café just before they opened for Saturday night at 5:30. If I was looking for a mental Montana experience, this Roadhouse completely met my expectations. It was a former log cabin with extensions that had been made into a restaurant with eclectic decor, a small bar, a large screened in deck, four cabins for visitors and a big backyard for barbeques. You will not miss the property because they have a twenty foot sign lit with neon and a huge marquee. The owner previously worked at a resort and historic hotel down the street, and brought his extreme talent and creativity to this restaurant.

Luckily we got there early because it is a restaurant that fills up quickly with reservations. They do have an overflow in the backyard with a barbecue for dinners, live music every weekend and for the overflow of the restaurants for those that did not make reservations. What is great is that the creek that we had just hiked also runs along the restaurant for a great sense of accomplishment. Here we were able to meet our goal of eating regional food and products instead of what we could get easily back home. The first dish was the Elk Meatloaf in mushroom gravy with rice and vegetables. I am not one for meatloaf, but the chance to have elk was too much to resist, and I was duly rewarded for my daring into the traditional concept of meatloaf. The meat was not as gamey as I thought and the seasonings complimented the dish so well that I could be convinced to make this meatloaf my new favorite dish. I complimented the dish with the Madison River Brewing Company’s Salmon River Honey Rye beer.

The second dish was a cheeseburger with beef from the local butcher. Maryann ordered the burger medium and with Swiss cheese. It was great getting a dish that was almost all local, including the bun. The burger was big, thick, juicy and the perfect shade of pink. The third dish was the rainbow trout tacos, with the fish being caught within the area. The trout was crusted in cornmeal and pan-fried, served up with pepper jack cheese, avocado sauce and a corn relish. The tacos were gone in less than a minute and it was clear that this was an award winning recipe that can be found in One Fish, Crawfish, Bluefish – The Smithsonian Sustainable Seafood Cookbook. I thought we would just be finding a road side restaurant, but I was pleasantly surprised at how top notch the food was. I was actually too full to even contemplate dessert.

Photo Count 59 and Hours in Car 90 minutes

Will This Day Ever Be Easy

We have made it to another September 11th here in America. It is the one day each year where we walk on egg shells, always hesitant to schedule a meeting or a date for fear of being disrespectful. A day when we can forgive the most rude outburst, because you cannot be sure if the person next to you lost someone. This year was no different, and having a meeting and training scheduled, I felt guilty that we have the ability to write an appointment on my calendar when so many were lost to us on this date.

I woke this morning with more than the normal unawake lethargy I suffer daily. I woke to a non tropical storm but with tropical speed winds today, which means it poured rain and gusted wind at an uncomfortable force. It was a very angry type of weather. As I was getting ready, the news was cutting to New York at 8:45 for a moment of silence. The NYPD Bagpipe band was playing and the faces of sorrow and torment were there as the moment of silence was just beginning, I had chills spread through my body.

A few minutes later as I was debating the importance of which pants I would wear with my rain boots, the newscaster stated that eight years ago, America learned of a plane accident that changed our lives. This was one of those tragedies that you will never forget in your life and will replay over and over again. That day, as I walked down the hall of my old job someone told me I had to see the plane crash that was on the lobby television. As I watched with my coworkers a second plane come across the screen and into the World Trade Center and create an explosion. Never in my life had I felt so helpless and completely out of any control.

So this morning as the second moment of silence approached, it seems that the tears that were last cried eight years ago started again. Today was the first rainy anniversary that we have had. The gloom and dark and rain finally matched the moods of the victims families and loved ones. I always have wished the weather would not be so perfect and glorious on September 11th. With the rain, I felt the gloom and loss more than ever before that I could not shake the thoughts of this anniversary all day. Even my random shuffled music knew that I needed music with a deep meaning today. The first song on my walk to work was "Not Ready to Make Nice" by the Dixie Chicks and then "Message in a Bottle" by the Police.

I hope this day gets easier with each year, but I hope we never forget the sense of patriotism that was created that day.




"Forgive, sounds good
Forget, I’m not sure I could
They say time heals everything
But I’m still waiting"

from Not Ready to Make Nice

How to Begin

I imagine that the best way to begin a blog is to let people know what to expect from this site. Just as soon as I figure that out, I promise to fill you in on my purpose and aim. I have recently entered a crossroads in my life, which is where you can see doors being slammed in your face, or doors being left ajar for you to crash them open. I choose to see the doors in front of me opening up and allowing me to make changes in my life, do the things I have always wanted to do, or just allowing for real adventure. I am just about to go to my twentieth high school reunion, which is going to be the same exact day as when I am supposed to be laid off. I can only imagine the interesting answers for what I do that I will come up with. I am choosing to see all of this as one great journey to what I will be when I finally get around to growing up.

One of my favorite first date questions to ask is, "What would be your dream job?" I find that the answer tells you a lot about a person without having to prove too much. When I am asked that question, I never hesitate with the answer that I would be a travel writer who focuses on the local foods, dishes and flavors of an area while providing my own photographs. The thing that has always stopped me from trying is that I have no real confidence in my writing and I have mad food allergies to things that restaurants love to cook. Imagine writing about all the great food in Baja California while not being able to have the fish tacos, fresh squid and tomatoes.

My real loves of life (besides people) are all tangible things that make me feel grounded and accomplished in my life. My first love is food in the ways it grows, comes to our kitchens, is prepared and how it tastes. The second love is photography that I use as a record of a moment or time and also as my developing art. Traveling is always my expensive love because there are so many places in this world that I want to feel, see, taste and touch. Traveling expands your mind, outlook and understanding of cultural differences. My last real love is to get out and experience nature through a walk, a picnic or kayaking. This is what gives me a sense of balance and I consider the greatness of nature to be my personal church.

I would like to use this blog to talk about my loves and share them with you. I tend to travel and go on quick trips and hope that you enjoy my adventures. Please be patient with me as I develop this blog and my own talents.