22.9.2015 Yellowstone National Park ( Mountains and Canyons Day )

Bright sunshine but the morning temperature was 32 F ( 0 C ). 

I had to drive with the heating on for quite some time but luckily after some time it got much much

warmer.

Today I made a left turn to head towards the northern part of the park to concentrate on the mountains

and canyons but geysers and hot-springs can’t be avoided in Yellowstone and they are following you.

The most impressive stops on todays was Mammoth Hot Springs , a large complex of hot springs on a 

hill of travertine created over thousands of years out of mineral deposits created by the around 170 F hot

water. Very colourful as ell with the colours created by algae living in the warm pools and have given them

colours of brown, red, orange and green. Mammoth Hot Springs is also a little town with the oldest still

existing commercial building, a hotel, in the park. Build long before the Park was actually created.

Here, right next to one of the houses, I had my next animal encounter: an elk with his female herd ( or

better harem ? ). Lying there peacefully and chewing away some grass. The Park Service had blocked the

road and some rangers held watch. They explained that some elk herds came that close as they are living

close by but the majority is hardly seen. What an experience.

Driving the road went already through various narrow valleys, climbed over mountains and lead in sharp bends

and curves around them. Then in just in front of me again a little hold-up. A few cars moving slowly and people

watching closely the roadside: mountain sheep, a whole herd. A ranger closely watching. With a turnout just in 

front of me, I parked the car and walked back, equipped with my camera ( including zoom ). The ranger made

sure that the traffic moved slowly along and that the group of people didn’t to close. Not because of the sheep

but there was another creature lurking around: a little brown bear. Thanks to my zoom I was able to take a few

pictures, one of them below. What an experience ! 

After a few miles the first signs announcing the Yellowstone River Canyon appeared. Following the signs to

the Northern Rim Loop the main car park was quickly reached. 

First to the Lookout Point. Wow ! Obviously not as big ( or gigantic ) as the Grand Canyon but still more then

impressive. Intrigued I then walked down to reach the point right next to the Lower Fall to be only yards away from the

point where the water thunders down. As one can image not only one picture was made but several ( an understatement ! ).

One of them, an overview, I have uploaded below.

Driving along the Loop I visited several other viewing points, each time looking the canyon from an different angel,

each time different light, each time different colour and each time a new spectacular experience.

With all that excitement the time had passed very quickly and it was, at least for me, time to head back. As there are

speed restrictions in the whole park it took some time to reach the western gate of the park in West Yellowstone.

Tonight is also my last night in the Three Bear Lodge. Tomorrow morning I will start driving to the Grand Teton National

Park who is basically an extension to Yellowstone. On my way  to Mousse ( a little tiny village in Grand Teton where I

will staying ) I will be passing the Yellowstone Lake, another highlight.

In Mousse I will be staying for two nights in a log cabin. Whilst they have electricity they don’t have I learned, TV and

Internet. Will I survive this ? YES but the up-date of my Blog and my tour tracking will be delayed until Friday.

So long.

 

 

21.9.2015 Yellowstone National Park ( Geyser and meadows day )

I was greeted with bright sunshine when I stepped out of my lodge room but it was cold ( 41 F / 5 C ) but fortunately that was about to change for 

the better during the day.

After breakfast I headed for the west entry to the park, a short drive just down the road from my lodge. Entry fee is steep  ( $ 50 ) but the nice ranger

at the toll booth explained that the ticket is valid for 7 days and does include the Grand Teton National Park ( my next destination of Yellowstone )

as well. With this in mind I happily parted with my dollars and went off.

Despite the fact that since Labour day the kids are back to school and the major holiday traffic is over I was surprised how many people are still

vacationing.

The road follows for a few miles the Madison River and then one has two choices: left or right. I had already decided yesterday evening when

looking at the park map to concentrate today and the meadows and geysers. So I turned right .

Tomorrow will be peaks, canyons and rivers. One has to be organised. Right ? !

Driving through the peaceful, still and serene landscape one doesn’t realise that below the surface a completely different world exists. The

Yellowstone is the result of a gigantic volcanic eruption and most of the park is the crater ( or caldera ). The magma chambers are only a few miles

below the surface and as recent as in 1985 volcanic eruptions have happened and changed the park at places dramatically. Leaves one with

the question when the next one will happen.

These eruptions do occur even daily in much much smaller scale like for example of the Old Faithful Geyser, my first destination point but the traffic came all

over sudden to a complete stop. Traffic jam in the park ? Accident ?

Slowly, stop and go, the traffic moved forward through the forest until part of the plains appeared and the reason for the hold-up: Bisons. A herd of

about 20-30 animals happily grazing right next to the road. Obviously every car almost stopped ( me as well ) to take some pictures. But one had to move

on and soon I reached the geyser area with Old Faithful.

He erupts with a certain predictability every 1 ½ hours ( +/- 10 min ) and as the last one had just happened a little while ago I used the “waiting time"

to go the Visitors Centre. The National Park Service does a fantastic job in explained all the in and outs of the park using various objects and pictures

and does even show some fantastic movies one of which I watched. Fantastic photography so that I decided to visit the souvenir shop and buy the

DVD.  At the predicted time I was at the spot and sure, almost on the minute, he erupted. Firstly slowly but then…  Gigantic. 

Makes one wonder how it looks below.

As mentioned today was geyser and meadows day so I visited a couple of other spots where one can see what nature has in stall in regards of colours,

consistency and smells. I have put some pictures below.

All these places are in one part of the park but not necessarily a few years apart so that a little driving was necessary and if one has fun time flies they

say. So all over sudden in was very late afternoon and time to return.

Not only me I thought but others as well because again: hold-up. A few cars in front of me a herd of bisons crossed the road: gracefully, one

after the other, in almost slow motion not taking notice of the cars at all.

When this “obstacle” was gone traffic moved again but not for long. A lone bison bull walking peacefully and gracefully in the middle of the road, almost

on the yellow line. Driving past him I could look into his eyes. Really !

From now on no more hold-ups and I reached the Three Bear Lodge safely.

Such an eventful day required a great dinner well. The Lodge has a very good restaurant so that I decided to indulge a 10 oz Prime Rib, Wrangler Cut,

medium cooked and washed down with a local beer: Old Faithful Golden Ale from the Grand Teton Brewing Co.

Simply bloody fantastic.

Enjoy the pictures !

 

 

 

20.9.2015 Idaho Falls, ID to West Yellowstone, MT

Glorious sunshine, blue sky, temperatures around 68 F.

Fantastic !

Todays drive is if one takes the direct way only a 2 ½ hours drive. I took a long detour. According to my GPS 5 h but it took

me much longer, not because of the longer distance but because of the sights.

It started with a gentle climb into the Idaho mountains on I-15. The (I)interstates ate comparable with our motorways and if

one wants to see something not necessarily the right road. But not in my case. First of all there was hardly any traffic and 

secondly the scenery was fantastic. Mile-long cattle farmland on both sides and high mountains, some with snow covered

peaks on sometimes both sides as well and above all that the blue sky and the sun. Not that we do not have fantastic scenery

in England as well, no, but its the sheer size of everything which makes it simply overwhelming.

At the Monida Pass ( 6833 feet ) I crossed from Idaho into Montana and followed the road until I reached the Dillon exit.

Leaving the Interstate behind me the drive continued on a normal country road. Cattle farming and horse breeding for miles

along the road. Alongside the road very x-number of miles just the entry to a race with interesting names above the typical

arch: Blue Creek Farm, Moonshine Farm etc.etc.  “Ruby Range” how this land is called is almost flat.

Having reached “Virginia City” one has to stop and explore. This whole town is a former gold town and now an open air museum.

Read here for more details: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_City,_Montana

People are still living in Virgina City, just about 200, but all buildings along the main road are the museum. Fascinating.

Heading on a steep climb around a bend followed and one is presented with an breathtaking view: the Madison Valley with

the snow peaked Madison Range. The range extends 80 miles (130 km) from West Yellowstone, Montana to

Bozeman, Montana and is flanked by the Madison River on the west and the Gallatin River to the east. The highest point

in the range is Hilgard Peak at 11,316 ft (3,449 m).

I took several pictures ( one is below ) and absorbed this fantastic view for a long time for heading on. At Ennis I left the road

and headed Route 247 in a southernly direction through the Madison Valley. Cattle and sheep farms every now and then on 

both sides of the road with the Madison Rage on the left and the smaller Gravely Range to my right. The road: like drawn with 

a ruler.

The road went into the Madison River Canyon and the Earthquake Lake. Back 1959 a very powerful earthquake made almost

a whole mountain slide into the canyon. The landslide created a dam, the Madison River couldn’t flow anymore hence the lake

created. One can still see where all that happened.

The road follows the river  and and then finally my today’s destination the town of West Yellowstone is reached. 

My motel, the “Three Bear Lodge” was quickly found. For two full days I will be staying here to ex[lore the Yellowstone Park.

 

19.9.2015 Boise, ID to Idaho Falls,ID

Bright sunshine and blue sky when I was ready to leave. Temperature very pleasant, around 65-68 F.

I left Boise in an easterly direction on Route 20/I-84 which follows at times the Oregon Trail, that route taken

by the original settlers when they came to this part of the country. About 40 miles later the I-84 / Route 20

are going different ways. Following the I84 to Idaho Falls would have been quicker but I stuck with the old

Oregon Trail one, the Route 20.

For the miles this road lets you click decently into the Idaho mountains, up onto the plaines. And then for about

140 miles in an almost straight line across the plaines. Who has seen the movie “North by Northwest” in particular

the scene where Cary Grant is waiting in the midst of nowhere and only a crop duster is moving about has an idea

what this landscape is like. Cattle ranches to the left and right, followed later by wheat fields. And, this makes it

spectacular: at the horizon the mountains of the Boise National Park with there snow covered peaks. Add bright 

sunshine, blue sky and the occasional cloud and you have an idea. The first picture gives an impression.

Two little towns, Hill City > population 85 and Carey > population 450 and the occasional farm don’t make one

call this part of Idaho densely populated.

Having passed Carey the landscape changes dramatically. Big, almost black rock formations and fields full of big and small

black coloured rocks appear on both sides of the road. One has reached the “Crater of the Moon National Park and Reserve"

Lava and ash erupted about 1600 - 2300 years ago have created this very unique scenery. The second picture below shows

a little bit.

After another 1 ½ hours drive I reached Idaho Falls, the end of my todays travels.

18.9.2015 Flight San Francisco to Boise, Idaho

An early start was necessary today.

Why ? My flight from San Francisco to Boise was scheduled at 10:00 am. s the SF Airport is

on the other side of the bay, I had return my car, one should be there about an hour before departure 

and last but not least I would hit the rush hour somehow required to leave at 6:30 am 

Everything went fine ( obviously ) and I reached the airport well in time. I even had enough time

for a breakfast in one of the cafes.

The Alaskan Airlines flight left on time. As the flight was not direct so a stop-over in Seattle was 

necessary.  The connection flight, also with Alaskan, was delayed due to the late arrival of the

incoming flight. The way the airline informed the passengers was exemplary:

“The inbound plane is delayed and expected at 14:05” ( instead of 13;20 )

“The airplane has just landed"

‘We are expecting re-fuelling and checks to take about 20 min. Expected departure time now 14:45"

etc. etc.

Other airlines in Europe should use the same approach.

Well on time, i.e. at the new expected departure time, the flight left Seattle for Boise, Idaho.

I also left the Pacific Time Zone and entered the Mountain Time Zone: 1 hour ahead of PTZ. Clocks needed

to be changed.

At around 5 pm I landed in Boise: bright sunshine and an outside temperature of 65 F. Very nice.

With the Boise airport not so big I quickly found my car rental agent who had the papers already ready.

Sign, present credit card and off I went for my tonights accommodation.

17.9.2015 San Francisco ( Last Day )

Also for today the weatherman was spot on: a bit cloudy with the sun occasionally peaking through till about

lunch time but then…. and it’s getting warmer. He forecasts for Saturday/Sunday temperatures in the upper 80th.

Wow, thank God I am leaving tomorrow.

Today I covered the bits and bobs I hadn’t seen over the last two days and revisited a few.

One item on the agenda was the old SF Ferry Building which is used these days only partly for ‘ferry” business

else it is, like most of the old piers, catering for the hungry, pulling money out of the tourists pockets via various

more or less good attractions and last but not least office space. Nevertheless the architecture of this building

is impressing.

Few of the good things are a farmers market, speciality cheese and bread shops, coffee shops which are x-times

better then the (in)famous Starbucks and at lunch time various street kitchens selling very interesting food, both

local as well as international faire. I indulged at lunch time an Porchetta Sandwich, a home baked crusty roll,

with obnoxiously porches, crackling, onion marmalade, curly cress and rosemary sea salt. How it was ? GREAT !

Having done something for my culinary taste buds I jumped on a bus which brought me to the Golden Gate Park

where I popped into the De Young Museum ( Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco ) to visit a special exhibition about

“JMW Turner: Painting Set Free”. Turner being one of my favourite painters.

Now filled both with the mentioned sandwich and art by Turner a more profane thing was next on the agenda: a

leisurely stroll along the bay shoreline to Fisherman’s Wharf to enjoy for a last time the great view towards the Golden

Gate Bridge and Sausalito and the bay in general.

Using the cable car to get over Nob Hill I reached Powell BART Station where I catched my train to Hayward.

Some light packing needs to be done tonight, the alarm set as I am leaving tomorrow morning at 10:00 from San 

Francisco Airport for Boise, Idaho.

16.9.2015 San Francisco

Like yesterday today started as far as the weather was concerned in exactly the same way: sun and blue sky.

What more does one want.

I decided that today is Cable Car Day, at lest part of the day. Being unto an extend an railway, tram and streetcar

enthusiast I thought it more then fitting tot explore this unique transportation system of this city. And that despite the

fact that I have already done this three times in the past i.e. each time I visited this city in the past.

I made a video about one of those car rides but unfortunately the blogging website doesn’t like movies so I was

only able to upload a picture.

But obviously this was not the only thing I did today. On the same subject matter I visited the SF Transportation

Museum and The Presidio.

Again an action filled day which I finished with a nice meal and beer in a local microbrewery in Hayward close to

my motel.