50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 8

     The next morning there was still no one to pay for our site. Thanks New York! Off we went to see the Thousand Islands at Alexandria Bay. This town was also crowded, parking was an issue until I saw a space right next to the river. We got out to snap pics of Boldt Castle across the water and chatted with a couple scuba divers preparing to dive. I found a piece of sea glass in the river. The magnificent multi-section bridge to Canada is here and we ended up underneath it, on the water’s edge again. There we found bird lovers had erected a tall pole holding a platform upon which an osprey was nesting. A very intimidating bird! Great pictures!

Clean waters of the St Lawrence River

     At Clayton NY we found the Antique Boat Museum but passed on touring it. We had a picnic lunch in Cape Vincent on the river’s edge in a park which faced Wolfe Island, in Canada. My husband kept asking: “this is a river?” It is very wide indeed! Wolfe is the largest of the 1000 Islands and is itself 48 square miles and home to over 1400 people.

     We took the long scenic drive out to Tibbetts Point Lighthouse (circa 1827) which was so serene. A pleasant spot of lilacs, spirea, and orange poppies, and historic buildings of course! Many homes along the road had docks or decks out over the crystal clear river water. I could live there, for sure. But I don’t have millions of dollars, so I just enjoyed the setting.

     Sackets Harbor is rich with history from the War of 1812. Enjoyed soaking it in at the battlefield site and fort.

     Before it got too late I pulled into Westcott Beach State Park, just as the gate personal were quitting for the day and waving everyone through. Okay, so we got a site not on the beach but in the trees this time. After getting the tent up, we drove over to the sandy beach and I had a nice swim in the warm, clean water. At sunset I walked on the shore of Lake Ontario to take photos, and witnessed sea gulls absolutely vandalize a camper’s table which was loaded with snacks and other food. The gulls had a feast! I bet these foolish campers never again leave food out like that!

Sunset at Westcott Beach

Next morning I had a nice hot shower in the nice accommodations. When we left I prepared to pay... and still nobody to collect a fee! Well, thanks again NYS!!

     To satisfy my curiosity, I drove into Southwick Beach State Park campground, south of Henderson and was very impressed. The lady at a beachside camp site said you have to reserve the site within the first couple hours it is open for reservation or you probably will miss out. Yikes! Popular spot! There are some rare dunes here also. Very nice park! On my bucket list!

     Upon exiting the park I saw a turtle trying to make its way across the road, so I stopped to video it and keep a few more cars from driving over it as it lumbered into a swamp on the other side. I like to think I helped, but it has probably made this trip many times without me!

     Further along the lake near Pulaski we paused at the Salmon River, or Heh-hah-wa-gah which means “where swim the sweet fish” in an Iroquois tongue. Then through Fair Haven where that Beach State Park was not going to let me in without a fee! Onto Sterling NY where the little red schoolhouse was not open for tours but was charming just the same. Then Sodus Point where one can easily understand the lake side homes being very threatened by high water levels on the lake, yet they persist. In the attractive little village of Pultneyville I admired the old, old homes and the historic markers - War of 1812 again — at the shore. I’ve always envied the quiet life these residents seem to have. There are some places in New York I could see myself living! (Maybe notwithstanding the taxes there!)

     Back to Monroe County NY and a couple days to recuperate from the adventure. (This usually means I needed to do laundry!)

     On June 13, my sister and her husband ferried us out to Mendon Ponds Park, a Monroe County park, since I had never been there. A glacial era kettle pond there called Devil’s Bathtub is also distinct in that it is a meromictic lake. Only one in a thousand lakes have been discovered to have layers of water that do not mix - the definition of meromictic. This results in a rare habitat. A trek down a steep bank brings you to this pond where rare carnivorous plants live but none got me!

Me and the meromictic Devil's Bathtub

     The next day we took a drive out to the far western reaches of the local area and Checked out Brockport (where I attended the fall semester of 1975), Bergen, and Leroy. We circled back and met my cousin at Costco in Rochester. We spent the rest of the day with her and had a nice dinner out.

     On June 16, I again pitched my tent at my brother’s. With my sister and her husband and my brother, we all had a little picnic in his backyard.

     The next day was hot but my husband and I hit the road toward Canandaigua and explored the east side of the lake, heading east across the landscape strewn with vineyards. The Finger Lake region is a prime country for wine grape growing. We stopped for pictures at the 1874 Overackers Corners schoolhouse, just the typical little red brick one room schoolhouse of your imagination. It remained in use until 1938. We drove home up part of the western shore of the long and magnificent Keuka Lake was just too inviting on the 90+ degree day so we stopped at Red Jacket Beach Park, in Penn Yan. I went for my first swim in a Finger Lake!

     We drove home up part of the western shore of the long and magnificent Seneca Lake, the longest Finger Lake and deepest lake whole within New York State. Over 600 Feet deep!

     June 19 we again headed west. I did not really think we were going all the way to Niagara. I was just enjoying the scenery. In Cuylerville, along a pleasant creek, I learned more gruesome Revolutionary War history than I really wanted to learn. Here is the massive old Burr Oak tree, also known as the Torture Tree, where Seneca Indians (Allies of the British) slowly and painfully killed two American Colonial soldiers employing the tree in their process. The vigorous tree is one of the oldest in the state. The American Revolution was 240 years ago and the tree is at least 275 years old. Impressive!
Warsaw NY does indeed have a winding steep hill going straight into the center of town, so I no longer have to visualize why there have been dramatic accidents and large trucks are banned. So across Oatka Creek and up the other side of the valley we went.

     Soon we crossed the Lake Erie watershed line at a high point where many, many windmills were spinning. The Orangeville Wind Park is controversial. The nearby residents complain. Apparently some are sensitive to the low frequency vibration of the blades. Hmm.

     Traffic in the Buffalo metro area was a bear, so I took a break by visiting a Depew NY Walmart and buying a nice Buffalo Bills t-shirt. Eventually we got to “The Falls” where I learned they take credit/debit cards for the parking meters now. We headed down to the Niagara River which was most foamy and white-watery! Fred sat on a bench in the shade by the torrent and I headed to the brink of the Falls for pictures. Such a worthy sight to see! I briefly thought of Sam Patch, the daredevil who survived jumping into the falls in 1829. I passed his grave every day on my way to school. He was buried in the Charlotte Cemetery because he did not survive jumping into the High Falls on the Genesee River later that same year.

Niagara River

     After buying a large number of postcards (of course), I headed to Lockport. I discovered the widest bridge in North America! It spans the Erie Canal near the famous locks. I tried to get some interesting pictures and made a little video.

     Before getting back to my brother’s we also checked out the Iroquois Wildlife Refuge near Alabama. We had dinner at a local restaurant near Batavia Downs that was totally forgettable. My brother said he’s had good food there but I must have come on an off day. Awful! And I am pretty easy to please. On the road these local eateries are usually good bets but that meal, meh, would have been happier with Burger King.

     The next day I just had to go to Canandaigua and tour the Granger Homestead and Carriage Museum. Built in 1816 by the former US Postmaster General Gideon Granger. The home is a fine example of Federalist style. The carriage collection is outstanding too. I could spend hours there, soaking in all that history. A personable docent gave me a private tour, since they weren’t very busy that day. I was thrilled! I truly am a history nut.

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 7

     On June 5th we toured the region west of Rochester. First we had to wait for a couple Canada geese families to cross Edgemere Drive in front of our car. I dutifully filmed them and made a quick, cute YouTube sequence. 

     Our first stop was at McDonald’s in Hilton NY for a discounted Senior coffee. I judged McDonald’s the best cup of Joe at a reasonable price in the US.

     We crossed the canal in Brockport and I took a swing through the college there which has radically changed since I attended in the fall of 1975. I recognized basically nothing. The trees are certainly much taller after 42 years! It is huge campus though. I could not find the Mclean residence hall for the life of me. I lived there 4 days a week for one semester.

     When we got to Holley NY I followed some signs saying Holley Falls - which I had never heard of before then. It was beautiful! You drive down into a deep glen, and the world seems to fade away. It’s just splashing water, maybe a pair of ducks, the stream flowing away. There were picnic tables for public enjoyment but we just feasted our eyes...and my camera... alone.

     Then we visited the Erie Canal Lift bridge park and realized we had finally found Podunk! A State of NY historical sign informed us that, long ago, Italian immigrant settlers lived there in a community referred to as “Podunk.” The trek across the grass in the park from my car to the lift bridge was perilous due to the presence of multiple “land mines.” Also known as piles of Canada geese droppings. They are large and in charge when a flock settles on the lawns near water in western NY!

     We stopped in Le Roy NY at a park to snap pictures in a park and of Oatka Creek that flows through the center of town. I snapped a picture of the site of the first Jello-O factory. Yes, Jell-O originated in a small Western NY town around 1899.

     Finally we got to Batavia NY and the old Holland Land Office building on West Main St. The beautiful stone building dates from the 1810s. The Holland Land Company owned almost all of Western New York at the time. Today it is a small but interesting museum with colonial American and Native American exhibits. A display of the Iroquois Snow Snake game was something new for me.

Cannon in front of Batavia's Holland Land Office

     Afterwords we had a meal at a locally owned eatery, along with a few dozen NY State lawmen. We felt very safe!

     The next day we joined four members of my family in a restaurant to celebrate my cousins birthday, which was actually the month earlier. At each birthday they do a get together. They are all in the 70’s - except me.

     On June 7 we began my long anticipated tent camping trip to the Adirondack Mountains. My first discovery was a historic star fort in Oswego NY, on a bluff overlooking Lake Ontario. How did I live in only 75 miles west, in Rochester, for 23 years and not ever visit this? The fort was originally built in 1759. In the early years it was a British garrison. I need to go back and tour this large impressive fort!

     In Mexico NY I carefully drove around an Amish buggy. I did not know before this that there was such a large number of this interesting group living in this part of NYS.

     I admired a row of four Greek Revival churches in the village of Holland Patent NY. The stone churches ringed a central village green with an 1890’s gazebo. This place was dripping with historic buildings.

      Onward we drove up state route 28, past Remsen where a girlfriend of mine has a vacation home. Then up into the sunny Adirondack Park proper we climbed, beyond Old Forge to Inlet, NY. There we claimed campsite #2 in the state run campground on Limekiln Lake. And what a serene site it was! The loons called out on the lake and a tired and content Carol fell fast asleep in her tent.

     June 8th was a long, lovely day of a loop drive around the southeastern Adirondacks. We enjoyed views of Raquette Lake, Blue Mountain Lake, and Long Lake. Lunch was at scenic Buttermilk Falls on the Raquette River. A couple older men came along in a canoe and had to portage around the falls past our picnic table. The chain of lakes is a popular canoe trip. 

     From a scenic point in Newcomb we could see all the way to Mt Marcy, the highest peak in New York State at 5344 feet. I found the defunct old Frontier Town theme park in North Hudson. All I could do was access the large parking lot and reminisce about the “Indian Village” and Old West main street and my first ride in a real stagecoach. (We are talking late 1950’s I think.)

     We got to the pristine clean waters of Schroon Lake. My family had rented a cottage on the lake a couple times when I was a child. I wasn’t sure where, so I called my brother and he gave me directions to the area. I found the location, the beach where I swam, the giant “mountain” I tried to climb behind the cottage. Such fond memories!

     Before we got back to the campground, I passed a sign advertising a Fish Fry at 7th Lake House. So I pulled a u-turn and we settled down to a fabulous meal on the back porch. It was $40 altogether but you just can’t get such a treat, and such a view, back home in Arizona.

     On the morning of the 9th I struck camp and we headed north. Sad to leave the loons at Limekiln Lake but more adventures ahead! There was Tupper Lake and Saranac Lake, where we ate a lakeside picnic. Then we found ourselves at Whiteface Mountain. Although not the highest, because it is set apart, there is a 360o view from the peak. The top is accessible by paved road in season. I paid my $20 toll and up and up we went. There are many pull offs with great views. We could even see Vermont! They say it is sometimes possible to see the skyscrapers of Montreal on very clear days! 

     The wind was steady at the 4600’ peak. I climbed a bit of the way up the trail to the very top, but didn’t want to leave my sweetheart on the cold stone bench for too long. Down below we took a peek at the Whiteface Mountain Ski Area across a bridge over the rushing whitewater Ausable River. This was the site of the 1980 Winter Olympics. As I drove through the traffic-choked town of Lake Placid NY, it was hard to imagine such a small venue hosting the world today.

      As I headed north we passed North Pole NY where I have another childhood memory of Santa’s Workshop. But I only remember being impressed with the tame deer on the grounds, and less by Santa in mid-summer!

     Further north we wound our way toward Ogdensburg and eventually to Jacque Cartier State Park on the St Lawrence River. Directly across from us lay the Ontario, Canada city of Brockville. I put up the tent amidst a flurry of mayflies. I have never seen such a horde of the critters in my life! There was no one to collect our fee so I tried to find a dropbox for our check. There was none to be found! We got the last open spot directly on the water.

      We viewed two ocean-going freighter ships nearer to the Canadian side. Seeing such ships is impressive to inland folks like us. Later that evening, I heard a splash and figured kids were throwing rocks in the river. Then I saw the source of the splash! A beaver gave another flick of his tail and then he was gone.

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 6

     The first day in Rochester was for rest, unpacking, relaxing, finding those lost jeans and enjoying the Lake Ontario beach.

     May 23 found us being chauffeured to Highland Park in the city. The official “Lilac Festival” time had passed but most of the lilacs were still lovely and the rhododendrons and azaleas were perfect in their pastel purples, pinks, and reds.

Lilacs

     May 24 was sunny but still a bit brisk by the lake. My sister and brother-in-law took us out along Lake Road to Beechwood State Park. This undeveloped park is a former Girl Scout camp that both my sister and I had camped in (separately) decades ago. It was hard to remember the facility but I did recall the part wooden, part canvas tents I had stayed in and she remembered the hall where she had bunked. We found them, and all the man-made structures, are in decay. The shoreline of the lake is littered with fallen trees. The “beach” was gone.

     I picked up a souvenir cobblestone. Western NY is famous for the hundreds of unique cobblestone structures built here in the mid-1800’s. We went to the Maxwell Creek picnic area for lunch and nearly froze off our keisters due to that lake breeze. Lots of orchards along the lake were in bloom. It was a pretty drive, for sure.

     Over the next few days, we got to visit with family and just enjoy the beautiful Rochester spring weather. Over Memorial Day weekend we went down to Nichols NY to visit husband’s sister and to Athens PA to see husband’s brother. He finally got to go fishing! Actually it was his brother casting, but he reeled in a nice bullhead in the pond at the Sayre Sportsmen’s Club. (He had been moaning the whole trip about not bringing his fishing gear along.) I learned about Trap and Skeet at the range at the Club. Trap looks like it is a lot of fun! I very much enjoyed seeing my siblings-in-law. He has the best siblings!

     Back in NY I pitched our tent in my brother’s back yard near Bristol (or Honeoye NY.) Despite one rather fierce thunderstorm, the tent held up and no leaks. My brother has a home on a hillside that was previously just a summer retreat. Although it has been remodeled, it can get crowded with 3 people. Fortunately my tent was very comfy.
We spent many an hour on his deck watching out for birds, or deer. On May 31 we had the neighbor’s 3 domestic turkeys come for a visit. I made an amusing video of their antics in the yard. That evening we went to Naples NY for dinner.

Panoramic of Canandaigua lake

     The hills and lake views in the Finger Lakes region are stunning.

     June 1st my brother chauffeured us out to Seneca Falls, NY. We shopped at Sauders Store, a Mennonite country store that sells fresh produce, bulk food goods, Pennsylvania German meats and cheeses, etc. I got real Maple Syrup, granola, and of course postcards. I now had dozens and dozens of postcards accumulated along the trip and more to come! I loved this store! We went into the town and I got to do an abbreviated tour of the Women's Rights National Historical Park.  

 

Me in front of Suffragette Flag

     The first Women's Rights Convention was held there in 1848. The men waited in the car! Weather was drizzle, rain, & thunderstorms. Rain overnight but tent was dry and fine.

     Then we shuffled on back to Rochester, actually to the beach in Greece NY. I took the scenic route out of Honeoye because I trusted my memory of verbal instructions. Toured around Ontario County. You really can’t drive between my brother and sister’s homes without getting detoured somewhere. It is an hour drive and there is no straight route. All the roads curve in Western NY. And there are about 45 different optional routes, most of which my family has taken me on so I was thoroughly confused. But eventually I got over the river and through the woods to whichever house I intended to arrive at!

     June 3rd we enjoy a special luncheon hosted by my niece in North Chili NY. I love this part of the county. It is where Roberts Wesleyan College is located, just south of quaint Spencerport on the canal. Somewhat further out is the College at Brockport, SUNY. Or as it was known in the fall of 1975 when I went there as a freshman, SUNY Brockport, which is also a canal town.

     The next day my sister and her husband took us on a tour of Braddock Bay Park west of them. 

     It is a small bay which is being managed for its outstanding bird watching opportunities and there is also a marina. I didn’t see any raptors but apparently it is a hotbed for sightings.

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 5

     We headed north past the Tom Miner Basin where husband’s brother has gone elk hunting in the past, onto Livingston which is a good size town on Interstate 90. We had lunch at a fast food place and met some rude foreign tourists but they could have been just ignorant.

     Driving east on I-90 we headed away from the tallest mountains. Went by Billings, the largest city in Montana at just over 100,000 people. It appears to be a major energy center with many oil refineries. Nearby the interstate takes a southward bend and it took us to Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Crow Agency, MT.

     The weather there was overcast, with a sharp damp wind. My husband only got out of the car to use the restroom. We did the car tour, which also took us out across the Crow reservation where we met some Indian horses on the road. They looked like tough ponies!

     The grazing looked terrific though. The rolling, treeless green hills were beautiful, but I felt a sadness, almost like in a cemetery. And the many tombstones scattered in the grass helped that feeling. Native people and US Army soldiers alike shed their blood here in June 1876. The Battle of Greasy Grass (Custer’s Last Stand) was pyrrhic victory for the allied Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho. I saw the land, so beautiful —and I understood the need to defend it. I photographed a clump of bright yellow wildflowers. They seemed an appropriate color since yellow can signify remembrance (as in the song Tie a Yellow Ribbon round the Old Oak Tree). I think Little Bighorn was the most surprising of all the sights I saw on my trip. Prettier and more serene than I expected.

     Onward we travelled, southeast on I-90 to Buffalo, WY where I found another Super 8 for a most reasonable $70 for the night of May 18th. It was the last motel I’d pay for until late June.

     The clear warm morning saw us headed for South Dakota, past the “Famous Faces” which I have seen and did not find great urgency for my husband to view. I was afraid the walking to the viewing spot might be too much for him.

Jackalope

     But we stopped into Wall Drug and I drug him around there awhile. Pictures with the “Jackalope”... what —they aren’t real? What about Donnie Darko? Night of the Lepus? Or even further back - Harvey the rabbit? All in fun, and a western favorite, the jackalope is a mythical rabbit with horns. (Usually not as big as the one on the picture!) Wall Drug advertises free ice water on billboards for miles ahead of the highway exit. Military veterans even get a free cup of coffee and one free doughnut. My Navy Vet husband indulged. But my coffee was only 5¢ anyway. I ordered lunch and my entree was a delicious bison burger. Maybe from a local bison, who knows? We enjoyed the series of shops. We would have wandered around longer, husband was enjoying it despite his disability, but I wanted to get to our next campsite, in Badlands National Park.

     Immediately after entering Badlands National Park the Rocky Mountain Bighorn sheep were everywhere! As human visitors we were supposed to keep our distance but they nearly ran us over. They were totally unconcerned about the tourists. What delightful animals!

     We were in awe of the rock formations. We saw layers of colorful rocks and clays, steep canyons footed by bright green springtime grass, rocky spires and a splendid mosaic colors of red, brown, grey, yellow, etc. The weather was perfect, sunny and 70℉. 

     I put up our tent, warmed up ravioli from a can for supper. Deer were grazing in the distance. The grassy campsites were so lush we were happy to find a dry spot for the tent.

     The next day we took our time touring the badlands. I took some video. I used the telephoto to get “dog” pictures in the expansive Prairie Dog town, quite a noisy colony! We had a picnic lunch under a large rock formation without another person in sight, nor any sound but the wind in the grass. It was perfect!

Lunch spot

     On the opposite side of I-90 from Badlands Park is the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. Here is the last remaining Minuteman II ICBM system in the United States and a sobering museum of the Cold War. My better half stayed in the car, but I did a quick look-see at the site.

     Then by 1 PM I began to drive. We paused at Chamberlain SD after crossing the Missouri River. There, at a roadside center, is the Dignity sculpture, a 50-foot high stainless steel statue of an Indigenous woman in Plains-style dress receiving a star quilt. Very impressive! The best roadside attraction I saw on the trip.

     Then I drove. And drove. And drove, into the night. I listened to music, comedy, and news on the Sirius XM radio. At nearly midnight I saw farmers in Minnesota still out in their fields either planting or preparing to plant. The lights on their massive tractors illuminating the fertile fields. I tried to stop at a rest area in Wisconsin for a nap but there were so many loud tractor trailers nearby. There wasn’t much chance. My husband slept though.

     As we closed in on Chicago, the day began to dawn, and the rain began to come down. I dodged around the city as best as I could under the “better route” guidance provided by my friend Kim who lives in the area. It was rush hour by then and toll booths were everywhere! It was nuts. I have never seen anything like it. Go three miles, another toll. Raining cats and dogs, another toll. Luckily didn’t miss that turn, oh, another toll. I was so glad to get to, I think, Gary, Indiana and stop at a McDonald’s for coffee and breakfast!

     We drove by several recreation vehicle manufacturers along I-90 in Indiana and maybe Ohio. Annoyingly, the route is all toll road these days, until Cleveland. In Cleveland the signage was so bad that I headed off to Youngstown instead of Erie, PA. This was the only wrong turn I made on my trip. The last time I drove this stretch of I-90, a few decades ago— it was not a toll road!

     Along the interstate, which parallels Lake Erie, I could actually smell the lake, the water. Maybe it is from being a desert dweller for so long. But I could definitely smell that lake. It wasn’t a bad smell, just lots of fresh water smell. A smell I knew very well in my youth in Charlotte NY.

     So eventually I get to Rochester NY on the evening of May 21 and my family is aghast that I have been driving straight through since Wall, SD. It was about 1500 miles. Hey, when I want to get somewhere — there’s no stopping me!

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 4

     Along the road I took several pictures at outhouses (dunny, privy, or rustic “restroom”) because I had to stop often for my husband. It gave me photo opportunities that other more "healthy-bladder" folks might miss! One photo was at the Grand Teton Park sign with a substantial snow pile in front of it.

     One of the first sights I wanted to show my husband in Yellowstone was Old Faithful. It was erupting as we approached but he said he could not see it. I got a good parking spot but he wasn’t well enough to go out to sit and wait for the next eruption. There were no rooms available at Old Faithful Lodge where I stayed in May 1976. I was staggered to learn the cost of a room there now is over $300 a night. The weather was spitting rain with a cold north wind, so I took us out to West Yellowstone and we stayed at a Super 8 there that had just opened for the season. No pool. But a very high room rate! It was a log building style motel, very fitting and clean and nice. The manager did give me some fresh baked cookies. He gave us a nearby room so I would not have to walk far. But the room rate left me gasping. That’s a tourist area for you! In the morning there was an extremely heavy fog. It had rained overnight. So a motel was warranted but I still smart from that expense. I compounded things by forgetting a full thermos cup of coffee on the car roof and driving off. It basically ruined our new “Dinosaur National Monument” cup before we ever got to use it. Ugh.

     Regardless, off we went to explore Yellowstone! Mud volcanos, Dragon’s Breath Spring, Emerald Spring, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, Yellowstone Lake, big ol’ wild Bison, Trumpeter Swans, Norris Geyser Basin... all so amazing. Unfortunately not all the campgrounds in Yellowstone were open for the season yet. Winter had been harsh and not all the Park roads were open yet either. Even some restaurants and concessions stands remained closed. We waited in line at a busy lunch grill at the Canyon Junction Visiter Center. When an employee saw my husband with crutches he seated us before more able bodied tourists. It was so kind of him.

The Madison River, at an outhouse stop.

     Headed up to Gardiner, MT out the north entrance of the park to find a motel for the night. It was twice the price of Rock Springs, but the Gardiner Super 8 at least had a pool, and was not as eye-wateringly expensive as West Yellowstone. I swam in every motel we stayed at that had a pool. We had a great dinner at a restaurant overlooking the park and we watched elk with their young grazing out in the meadow. After dinner we went out to take closer pictures of the herd. One calf was only a couple hours old.

     We had been gone one week.

     On the morning of the May 18th we went back into Yellowstone Park to see the Mammoth Hot Springs which we had skipped the day before. The weather was iffy, and it spit rain, still - it surprised me that tourists were scarce. 

All alone at Orange Spring Mound. With a robin singing though. 

     Maybe the north side of the park is the least visited in the early season? Many times we found ourselves alone, looking at water boiling out of the ground at our feet. What an amazing place!

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 3

     On May 13 we headed north across beautiful Ashley National Forest and then down to the southern end of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area at Dutch John, UT. We ate a picnic lunch at the Flaming Gorge Dam, a stunningly beautiful location!

Link to my Flaming Gorge video

     Driving north on US 191 toward Green River/Rock Springs WY, there are several dirt roads that head west toward the Gorge Recreation Area. We explored a couple, getting down to the waters edge. A very few people were there to play. The major part of US 191 is at high elevation and we experienced snow flurries and below freezing temperatures. Remember we had left home where it was over 100℉. I was reveling in the cool air!

     The local forecast was foreboding. We decided to get a motel in Rock Springs to ride out the storm. It did rain the next day. It would have been a nasty tent camp. In Rock Springs we toured the local museum which was surprisingly interesting. Located in a historic building - part of the old firehouse and City Hall I believe. This region is focused on harnessing fossil fuels; coal was the main product in the past. I bought a couple nice brownish & gold University of Wyoming Cowboys t-shirts at the local Walmart. They’ve become my favorite tees from the trip. I also picked up a couple new Wrangler blue jeans at a more reasonable price than I could buy them in Arizona. I had packed my jeans somewhere in my car and couldn’t find them, so thinking I’d forgot them, I bought two more. Later I found them but these two pair have become my favorites too. Though I am not much of a shopper, I was thrilled with the Rock Springs retail scene!

     We stayed two nights at the moderately priced ($65/night) Super 8 hotel. Free wi-fi, free continental breakfast, and a nice indoor pool. I was happy!

     May 15 we left for Grand Teton National Park, heading northwest on US 191 - along a heavily used Pronghorn Antelope Migration route. We made a game out of spotting the migrants. “Look! There’s a cantaloupe! There’s more!” Somehow it was more fun to call them cantaloupes and we said it so much, that I find it hard to say antelope now! So even though the first part of that highway was open high desert, the distant view of the mountains and the animal spotting made it so enjoyable. Nearing Pinedale, the scenery became seriously mountain- beautiful. In Jackson (Jackson Hole), the town is very crowded and unfortunately I was not able to get a parking spot near the park so we could get our picture by the arches made of antlers which is another famous roadside attraction.

     Once in Grand Teton we found the perfect campsite in the Jenny Lake (tent only) campground. And after I got the tent up, a deer meandered behind our site. We could walk to Jenny Lake from our site and we did. It was astoundingly beautiful, especially since the winter snows still reached to the shore in many places. This is not the same lake that the vast rush of summer tourists see. I felt very blessed to get these blue sky, snow white craggy mountain peak photos in the clean clear air.

     Our campsite was a handicapped designated site. I had never heard of such a thing before. The water spigot was there and it was a short walk to the restroom. It was perfect for us.

     We went to see Colter Bay on Jackson Lake and other scenic spots in Grand Teton. The weather was fine but the overnight forecast was for frost. Sure enough, the morning of May 16 was in the upper 20℉. I fired up a new little portable Mr. Heater “Buddy” which uses propane. It did actually make it fairly comfortable to get out of the sleeping bag and get dressed. Our tent is 10 feet square and is tall enough to stand inside. I brought a folding chair so at least one of us could sit if we got stuck inside during inclement weather. The chair ended up being our clothes horse more than anything. We slept on 2 inch foam cushions on the ground in 3 season sleeping bags. I have often slept in freezing temps in my bag and been very comfortable. The tent was completely acceptable accommodation throughout the trip.

     After dark at Jenny Lake we had a campfire from scrounged wood. And in the morning our campground neighbors who were Gen Y age, or Millennials, brought us more wood to burn. We were so grateful for their kindness.

     Sadly I decided not to stay another night in the tent due to the forecast for rain and snow. If I had more experience with my tent, or an expedition tent, I would have stuck it out, but not in a Coleman family tent, with a disabled husband. Most people would have thought it impossible that I even took him tent camping or on this very long trip. I don’t understand why only able bodied people should go on adventures.

     Since I knew about the scenic, famous homesteads in the park, I had to visit “Mormon Row” and get the classic shots of the barn with the Tetons in the background. The morning light was perfect and the shining mountains were glorious. 9:20 AM May 17th and we had now travelled 1320 miles.

     So on we went on to Yellowstone!

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 2

     We got a delightful, scenic campsite, #30, in the Green River Campground in Dinosaur National Monument. Cost $9/night due to my park pass for a half price discount. The only amenities were a fire ring, picnic table, a water faucet by the restroom, and flush toilets. I put up the tent and we walked over to the Green River. It was running high since this was still the snowmelt run-off season. I started picking up a few sticks for our campfire. I try to avoid buying campfire wood and haven’t done it yet!

     The sights we visited during the two days there (May 11-13) included several petroglyph rocks, an amazing pioneer homestead, a box canyon, a huge split rock formation (photo above), and the dinosaur bone quarry. The later being an incredible, large, tilted rock, housed in a building. All across the face of the rock are hundreds of dinosaur fossil bones from many species. The quarry is a spectacular collection, that was probably not fun for the animals who presumably all died in close proximity to each other 150 million years ago and were swept into the pile we see today! It is definitely a worthwhile park to visit.

     As we passed through Vernal, Utah, the nearest town of any size, I had to snap a picture of Dinah.

She is a tall, pink dinosaur on the east side of town. One of America’s great kitschy roadside attractions!

50 Day 8932 Mile Trip, Part 1

We took a notable vehicle trip  

from May 10 to June 29, 2018.

     We left town at 5:30 pm after stocking up at Safeway supermarket in Safford. The day was sunny, and miserable hot. High of 104℉/40℃. I was uncomfortable packing the car in the heat.

    Drove east toward Clifton AZ but diverted on the Mule Creek “shortcut” toward New Mexico. The drive is a winding, mountainous route but there’s no traffic unless you count Black Angus cows grazing along the pavement, or a few Javelina. Once in New Mexico we head north on US 180 which roughly parallels the San Francisco River. As daylight faded, we see many, many elk grazing. In the darkness their 500 to 700 pound presence in the grass along the road is a bit unnerving. Standing up to 5 feet at shoulder height, it would be very unpleasant to collide with one. 

     We wind back across the AZ border. In the small town of Alpine I get out for a good stretch and refreshments in the pine scented night air. We are at 8000 feet in the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. More elk notice our 2015 Nissan Sentra humming carefully along as we head north and come down in elevation. Near the junction with the road leading to Zuni Pueblo, we pass the unimproved road that leads out to our 40 acre parcel of land in Apache County that is mostly sand and Juniper trees. Traffic is virtually zero.

     At the town of Sanders we hop on Interstate 40 and head east for a short hop to Gallup, NM. Husband asks when I am going to stop for the night and then he falls asleep. The drive north across the Navajo reservation is uneventful. Upon entering Colorado the Ute Reservation has brightly lit casinos which are busy even in the wee hours. I decide to stop in Cortez, CO for a nap. It’s about 3 AM so I pull into the Chamber of Commerce lot and snooze for about 90 minutes before pulling out and heading northwest toward Dove Creek. In the early dawn light the scenery is absolutely beautiful. Green fields, farms, ranches. We roll into Utah and turn north again on US 191 at Monticello in the famous geologic area of Utah. I stop to photograph outstanding rock features like Church Rock, and Wilson Arch. 

     Then we come to Moab which is on the Colorado River. I chose to follow the longer, more “scenic route” way to get to Interstate 70. Utah State Highway 128 is one of the top 3 auto drives I have ever taken. I found myself in a deep, red rock, and close-in canyon along the river. It starts off along the southern boundary of Arches National Park. Mile after twisting mile, all we did was gawk at the scenery. And I took pictures and video of course.

     The 38 miles on I-70 to Loma, CO is wide open and not terribly memorable. It’s called the Grand Valley. Except for its size, it is hardly grand from what I’ve seen. The drive up Colorado State Highway 139 was also scenic as it went through high country that was just starting to leaf out on this 11th day of May. The weather was chilly, sunny, and windy at Douglas Pass at 8268 feet. Picture taken!

     Dinosaur National Monument Headquarters was in Rangely, CO so I stopped to get information. Then we headed west, back into Utah, to get to the road that accesses the monument which straddles the Utah-Colorado border.

     After 766 miles we arrived at Dinosaur NM. It was 2 pm.

Coronavirus

What is life like on the Double Barrel Ranch during the time of Coronavirus?

Actually, not much different. For those who don’t know, I am a full-time caretaker for my husband who suffers from multiple health problems. It is the honor of my life to be here for him although he cannot express his appreciation for the care I provide. I believe it is not necessary for reward to come for doing what humans have done for eons, to care for each other. It is what separates us from lesser creatures.

I am being careful, when I return from my weekly shopping forays, to not bring germs home. For myself, I am not extremely concerned about contracting the “invisible enemy”. I continued winter swimming all winter. I believe this greatly strengthened my immune system. I eat an extremely low carb diet which has normalized my blood sugar and practically eliminated inflammation in my body. I haven’t been this metabolically strong in 20 years. So if a killer virus is going to hit, this is the best time for me. But there is a lot we don't know about COVID-19 so I'm not taking any chances.

Spring is progressing here in my mid-desert location. Desert Marigold is currently in flower. (Picture of this plant hanging over my driveway horseshoes "tattoo".) Non-native gardens are enjoying the display of bearded irises. 

Let’s all be forgiving of those who are scared and those who are clueless. Let’s do our best to be here after the virus is defeated. The best in life is yet to come.