Glacier National Park: Grizzlies and Disappearing Ice

We are now in the Jackson Hole area, the final leg of our five-month odyssey of the West. Doesn’t seem possible that we have been gone that long. Although it’s been great, I have to say I am getting a little road weary and looking forward to getting home sometime around September 20.

Our last big stop was in Glacier National Park in northern Montana. This is one place I’ve always wanted to visit but I’ve been a bit hesitant because it has over 300 grizzly bears and about twice that many black bears, and people indeed have been attacked and killed by bears in the park. But we were too close not to visit one of the crown jewels in our National Park system.

We spent our first week on the west side of the park. Of course, we didn’t get a good view of the beautiful scenery that week as it rained for five straight days. Just glad we had an RV to retreat to instead of a tent. However, one day we ventured out on a ranger-led hike on the Highline Trail, which starts at Logan Pass. It was completely fogged in with forecast of rain all along the trail throughout the day. But the ranger said the hike was on, so off we started, a group of about 10, in dense fog and drizzle. But as it turned out, the hike was phenomenal, as the fog and rolling cloud banks lent a surreal “Lord of the Rings” quality to the hike.
Also, the ranger warned us that this trail had been posted for bear activity, so when we encountered bear scat at four different places on the trail, we made sure our bear spray was handy and we maintained a loud chatter to avoid surprising any bears, which is not a good thing! Apparently it worked as we never encountered the offending bear(s?).

The weather much improved when Jim’s high school best bud, Jerry Bolling, and his wife, Pat, brought with them the wonderful weather they had been experiencing during their month-long trip throughout Alaska. At that point, we all headed over to the east side of the park, which I think is nicer as it’s not as crowded. We spent a week there, and the weather was glorious as were some nice hikes we did with the Bollings. One was a repeat of the Highline Trail. This time, we saw firsthand how the park system handles problem bears.

It all started while walking up the Loop Trail, when a ranger came up behind, carrying a shotgun over his shoulder. Not something you see every day. Apparently, a grizzly sow and her two cubs had been hanging out by the chalet, where we were headed for our lunch break. The bears had been hanging around the chalet and Highline trail for the past week and he was going up there to do some hazing of the bears. This is actually aversion training in which rubber bullets and cracker shells are shot at the bears with the hopes that they associate unpleasant experiences with hanging out where humans frequent. (Of course, who’s really the trespasser here?)

And sure enough, not long after we had finished our lunch, a guy ran up to the ranger saying the sow and her cubs were about 100 yards down the trail. After that, things got exciting. The ranger ran down the trail with his gun at the ready. I’d say he got within 50 yards of the mother, when he fired off the first shot. But it didn’t seem to faze her as she only went a short distance before she turned around and took a good look at the ranger. I fully expected her to charge him. But the ranger shot off another round of rubber bullets and cracker shells, which give off a deafening charge that echoed throughout the valley. She got the point and finally took off over the ridge. For a while her cubs hung back. One even stood up on its hind legs to check out the ranger more closely. But finally they too followed their mom over the ridge. And when we saw how easily they rambled up that steep slope, I have a new respect for how fast and strong those animals are.

Glacier is an amazing place, a real "do-over." But alas, global warming is taking a toll on the features for which it is named: Of the 150 glaciers that were there in 1850, only 26 remain today. And by 2030, they predict Glacier will be glacier free.

We’re hanging out here for a few more days to spend time with Hannah before heading off to visit Jim’s parent in Arkansas, then home. Looking forward to seeing everyone. All in all, Jim has done well, considering his back. Just has to pace himself. We have an appointment at The James on September 23, where he’ll get more tests and another treatment.

See you all later!

Highline Trail, in the clouds



Sailboat on Lake MacDonald: While watching, the board capsized! Was towed in upside down, everyone safe.


Mountain Goats on the Trail. Too Cute!


Big Horn Sheep on the trail


View from another trail


Highline Trail on a sunny day

The Cascades and Northern Exposure

We are finally out of the heat wave, heading up to Glacier National Park, after spending time in the Cascades of Oregon and Washington.

After Bend, our first stop was Mt. Hood, which despite the heat, was still open for skiing and snowboarding. It’s the only mountain in the lower 48 that has summer skiing. Incongruous sight seeing skiers in shorts and shirtsleeves. Classified as a dormant volcano (which on the average erupt every 50-200 years), Mt. Hood last erupted in 1780 so it’s about time for another. The mountain was also open to hiking. We did a nice trail early morning (before it got too hot) up to the base of the snow field. Not only did we have great views of the area and another nearby volcano, Mt. Jefferson, the mountain was bursting in wildflowers, especially mountain lupine.

The Mt. Hood area is where the old Barlow Road passes through, which was used by homesteaders on the Oregon Trail. A tough road, many ran into trouble trying to bypass the Columbia River on this road. Turns out the Barlow Road just about did us in too. We wanted to get to a remote campground that sounded really nice. Only caveat, we had to drive one mile on an unpaved road to get there, which turned out was part of the old Barlow road.

However, we’ve taken the Honey on gravel roads before, so we decided to give it a go. (the campground is called Devil’s Half Acre, which should have been a tip off to avoid it altogether.) Once we started down the road, we realized this was something we shouldn’t be on: Steep, rutted, and very rocky. But once we started down, we were committed as there was no place to turn around. Our only option was to get to the bottom, turn around, then get back up.

Once back on pavement, we heard a loud thumping: Flat tire? Nope! Turned out a large rock was wedged between our two left back tires (the Honey has duelies in the back). Jim worked and worked to get it out. Nothing doing. Finally, a nice young couple came by. And with help, we deflated one of the tires and jacked up the Honey so Jim could get better leverage on the rock. Which finally worked. No more unpaved roads for the Honey!

After Mt. Hood, we went on to the Columbia River Gorge area, just east of Portland. Beautiful area. It’s the place where Lewis and Clarke finished up their journey to the Pacific Ocean.

The place has lots of trails, featuring numerous waterfalls. My favorite was the hike to Tunnel Falls. The trail is an engineering marvel. To maintain an easy grade through the canyon, the builders blasted ledges out of sheer cliffs, bridged a colossal gorge and even chipped a tunnel through solid rock behind 120-foot Tunnel Falls. Thank goodness they also installed cables into the wall, providing a secure handhold for traversing along the narrow wet ledge on the other side. The thundering vibration of the falls was really awesome and gave me a real respect for the sheer force of falling water.

As many of you know, I am a diehard fan of the 1990s TV series, Northern Exposure. So, when I learned that after St. Helen’s, we were only 20 some miles from Roslyn Washington, where the exteriors were shot, I had to go. Loved it. Even got to have a beer inside The Brick, nosed around a gift shop that was the former office Dr. Joel Fleischman (still has his misspelled name on the window), and had my picture taken outside the Roslyn Café. A real Oasis! Turns out they have a Northern Exposure festival every summer (just missed it). Maybe next summer?

Mt. Hood and wildflowers


Rock in tires


Victory!


Multnomah Falls in Columbia River Gorge


Tunnel Falls


Ranger Talk gave us only view of Mt. St. Helens


My Northern Exposure

Crater Lake: Don't you make my brown eyes blue!

Just a quick update. We’re now in Bend, Oregon, getting laundered up, charged up, and stocked up. The usual for when we do a stop over in a town/city.

Since my last post, we have headed inland from the California coast and up to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon. Amazing place.

Crater Lake is actually a caldera, or volcanic basin, created when the 12,000 foot high Mount Mazama collapsed 7,700 years ago following a large eruption. The lake is fed only by rain and melting snow, with no inlets or outlets. So, with an average snowfall of 533 inches per year, it’s no wonder that it’s almost 2000 feet deep, making it the seventh deepest lake in the world and the deepest in the United States. The lake averages more than five miles in diameter, and is surrounded by steep rock walls that rise up to 2000 feet that comprise the remains of the caldera’s rim.

But the most amazing feature is the water’s intense blue color, the result of the lake’s great depth, the purity and clarity of its water, and the way solar radiation interacts with water. I never imagined that water could be naturally that blue.

Since my bum ankle still precludes my doing much hiking, I found real joy in just finding a nice shady spot along the rim trail and taking in the view. Meanwhile, Jim did a few hikes, including one that was ranger-led up to one of the peaks of the caldera’s rim.

I’d say the highlight of our time there was taking a swim in the lake itself. There is only one access point to the water: the one and one-half mile Cleetwood Cove Trail, which leads to the boat dock (they offer 2-hour guided boat tours) and a rocky beach. I didn’t actually swim: just sat on a rock and soaked my ankle, which was great therapy as the water temperature averages 38 degrees. Jim of course went for a swim and even jumped off a 20-foot high cliff popular with the more daring minded.

Now, we are headed up north: First to Columbia River Gorge. Hopefully, my ankle will be well enough to let me do at least some shorter hikes. Of course, that’s wine country too, so if I can't hike, at least I can find solace at some of the wineries along the way.

From there we plan to get to Mt. St. Helen’s and then over to Olympia National Park. From there, it will probably be time to head back east, hopefully stopping at Glacier National Park and then Jackson before heading home. Can’t say when that will be. Probably last of August or first part of September.

For now, things are good. The Honey is puttin’ along. We just need to get out of this heat. Oregon is experiencing a real heat wave. In Bend today, the temp is getting close to 100 degrees, and in Portland, it’s suppose to get to 104! So, after getting all our housekeeping-type chores done, we’re heading for the high country of the Cascades on our way up north.

Love hearing from you all.


Crater Lake and Wizard Island, a cinder cone that formed after last big eruption.


The Pinnacles: Spires of fossilized ash


Swimming Beach at bottom of crater


Jim taking a dip in Crater Lake: Brrrr!

Hiker's Misery and A Walk Among the Giants

It’s been a while since I’ve had computer access, so am way behind in my blog. Since my last post, we have been in Yosemite National Park (July 6-14), King’s Canyon National Park (July 15-17), driven up Rt. 1, the California Coast highway (July 18-19), and now finishing up time in Redwood National Park. (July21-22).

At Yosemite, we spent time away from the craziness of the Valley, camping at Tuolumne Meadows and Crane Flat. Although the campground was crowded, there were convenient hiker shuttles from the campground to trailheads that get you away from maddening crowd. While there, we did two nice hikes, one to Tuolumne Falls and another to Cloud’s Rest. Since this is a 15-mile hike, I was a little intimated by the thought, especially since one section had a 800 feet elevation gain in one mile. But, we caught the very first shuttle to the trailhead, and took our time. The trail was beautiful, but the best was at the end. Cloud’s Rest is a rock outcropping that gives a spectacular view of the Valley. I didn’t go all the way out to the end point, as it involved walking (some crawl) over a rocky section no more than five feet wide with sheer drops on each side. Of course, Jim went all the way out, and got some great pictures. Although I had great views from my perch, I did regret later that I didn’t just grit my teeth and do it anyway.

On July 13 headed for a 2 night stay at Upper Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley, a place I'd rather avoid due to the crowds and amusement park-like atmosphere. However, it does offer access to some nice trails, including one highly recommended, Four mile/Panorama Trail. This too is a 15 miler, but I was feeling more confident after the Cloud’s Rest Trail. I was soon to find out just how far my confidence would take me. The first part of the trail takes you up to Glacier Point and then connects to the Panorama Trail. The trail offers spectacular views of the Valley and waterfalls. Along the way are stops at several water falls. It was at the second falls, (Nevada Falls) where I fell and sprained my ankle. I tried to get up and hobble the shortest way down, the Mist Trail, but there was just no way. The trail basically goes over rock and boulder fall. As slow as I was going, there was no way we would get down before dark, or even that night. And we weren’t prepared to spend the night out. So, nothing else to do but call 911 (thank goodness for cell phones).

The response was good. In about an hour, a Search and Rescue guy came up the trail with a medical kit. He taped my ankle, gave me some Ibuprofen, and said I shouldn’t try to go down the Mist Trail. The alternative was to go back up and catch the easier, but longer, John Muir trail. Since I was able to walk, it didn’t warrant a medi-vac out (I agreed.) So, Jim and I started out at about 6:00 for the slow, 4 mile trek out. The last mile and half was in the dark. We had just a small penlight, which didn’t do a lot for visibility. About a mile from the end, we encountered a group who had a bigger head lamp and they stayed with us until we got to our campground., which was at 9:30. Never so glad to see the old Honey.

King’s Canyon has the giant Sequoias, which are truly magnificent. I was able to hobble around Grant’s Grove, which has the General Grant tree, the world’s second largest Sequoia (267.4 feet high and 107.6 feet circumference at base). What’s sad is that a lot of these trees were logged in the late 1800s, and you can see groves of these giant stumps. Turns out the wood is not really good for much anyone. The trees are so massive that when they fall, they splinter, rendering the wood useless for commercial purposes. While looking for the Chicago Stump, we found an nice secluded camp spot on a back Forest Service Road surrounded by massive pine trees. The Chicago Stump is from a massive tree cut down in late 1893, and parts sent to the Chicago World’s Fair. However, the crowds didn’t believe it was real as “no tree could ever be that big.” So it was called the California Hoax.

Our tree journey now took us along the Redwood Highway along the California coast. While these trees soar over 300 feet (taller than Sequoias), their bases are not as massive. But still just as impressive. A trail we took this morning, called Cathedral Trees, was indeed like being in a massive cathedral, with sunlight filtering through the trees onto the forest floor covered with giant ferns.
Now, it’s on to Crater Lake National Park in Oregon, where I hope by then my ankle is healed enough to get in some hikes. More later.

View of Yosemite Valley from Cloud's Rest


View of Half Dome from Panorama Trail


Giant Sequoias



Jim on Sequoia Stump


Chicago Stump(sorry for poor picture quality but shows size of stump)


Jim and Connie with Sugar Pine Cone (it's not a Sequoia Pine Cone!)


Jim and Lacey on Beach (on California Coastal Highway)


Jim among Redwoods

A Walk Among the Ancients

We are now in Bishop, California, spending the night to get provisioned and laundry done before we head up to Yosemite National Park. The town is located in a valley between the White Mountains to the east and the Sierra Nevada range to the west.

We finally got out of Utah on June 25, when we arrived at Great Basin National Park in Nevada, just across the Utah line. It’s a relatively new national park, created in 1986. Its very remote location makes it one of the least visited and least developed of the national parks. The main attraction of the park is a Bristlecone Pine grove, with many trees in the 3,000 year range. It’s also where the tree I mentioned earlier, Prometheus, unbeknownst at the time as the world’s oldest living thing, at 4,862 years of age, was cut down. (read more at http://sonic.net/bristlecone/Martyr.html).

The Park’s name comes from the fact that all precipitation within the 200,000 square mile boundary drains internally. Bounded by the Great Salt Lake to the East, the Sierra Nevada to the west, and the Snake River Plain to the north, all precipitation in the region evaporates, sinks underground or flows into lakes (mostly saline). Creeks, streams, or rivers find no outlet to either the Gulf of Mexico or the Pacific Ocean. Didn’t know that.

We took a nice hike there through the pine grove that ended at a rock glacier at the base of Wheeler Peak, which is 13,063 feet. The park is located next to the very small town (pop 200) of Baker, Nevada, which boasts the darkest skies in the lower 48 states. As a result, it’s a mecca for stargazers, and on our last night there, the Park Service hosted a public star gaze that brought attracted professional and amateur astronomers who set up their telescopes for anyone to look through. Way cool. Saw Saturn’s rings, the Swan Nebula, as well as various star systems and constellations. We also toured the park’s Lehman Cave, which is known for its elaborate and rare cave formations.

From there, the call of the Ancient Ones brought us to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White Mountains of California, which is home of Methuselah, now the oldest known living thing, at 4,767 years of age. We weren't sure if we actually saw the old man as his exact location is kept secret. Not surprising considering that the visitor center there was burned to the ground by an arsonist two years ago.

What makes these trees so amazing is that the oldest trees grow where survival is the most difficult (9,500-11,000 feet elevation, alkaline soil, minimal rainfall.) Contributing to their longevity is their slow growth (some add just one inch of tree rings over a century) and their ability to cut off nutrients to parts of the tree, so that most of the wood is dead, except for a ribbon of bark that keeps one part of the tree alive. This reduces the amount of water and nutrients that the tree needs to survive. But it is this “dead” part of the tree that creates some astonishingly beautiful shapes and forms. This is due to the wood’s high resin content, which means it doesn’t rot but instead becomes beautifully sculpted and polished over the eons by the elements.

In fact, Bristlecone pine wood can remain intact for thousands of years and it is because of this that scientists have assembled a continuous tree-ring chronology extending nearly 10,000 years. Not only has this played an important role in climatology but also helped to correct a flaw in radio carbon dating that showed many archeological sites were actually 1,000 years or more older than previously thought. Yes, Bristlecone Pines have become known as the trees that rewrote history. So, you can see why these trees have intrigued us so much. And walking through one hillside in the White Mountains that contained some of the oldest trees inspired awe and reverence. It’s a place where time really doesn’t exist.

After White Mountains, we crossed the valley to the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains where we camped for three nights to hike in the Big Pine Creek Canyon area. Big Pine Canyon is the location of the southernmost glaciers in the U.S. and the largest in the Sierra Nevada. Two hikes we did there gave us good views of the glaciers as well as took us through some nice mountain meadows bursting with wildflowers.

We’re really looking forward to getting to higher country, as today the temperature in Bishop was 96. This isn’t surprising as the town is located in the same county as Death Valley, which at 282 feet below sea level is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere. Interesting is that just 76 miles away is the highest peak in the continental U.S., Mt. Whitney, at 14,496 feet. Go figure.

Jim Hiking in Great Basin National Park


Rock Glacier Trail, Great Basin National Park


Bristlecone Pine in White Mountains


Connie admiring an Ancient One


Sunset in White Mountains


Curse those Varmits! (Sign posted in campground)


North Fork, Big Pine Creek Canyon Trail

Utah's Canyonlands: Please Release Me!

Cedar City, UT: Just a quick update before we finally leave Utah. We’ve been in the state since June 8. There is so much to see and do in this state that we could spend an entire month and still not see everything.

Our first stop was in Canyonlands National Park, where we spent a total of 8 nights, six nights in the Island in the Sky District and two in the Needles District. (The Park consists of three districts carved out by the Green and Colorado Rivers: Island in-Sky, Needles, and the Maze. Island in the Sky is actually a two-tiered mesa whose top tier is at 6,000 feet. It overlooks sheer sandstone cliffs over 1,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. We camped at Willow Creek Campground, which by National Park standards is rather primitive in that it has no water or other services. Just restrooms. But it did feature an overlook onto the cliffs that looked down onto the next tier of the mesa as well as the Green River Gorge. Our primary activity included some nice hikes and finding nice places to view the sunsets. It was here that we discovered an antifreeze leak in the Honey. Which meant, after leaving I-Sky, we had to stop over for a day in Moab to get it fixed (or so we thought).

After Moab, it was on to the Needles district, which I think is the nicer of the two districts that are accessible by paved road (the Maze, an area that lives up to its name, is only accessible by 4-wheel drive vehicles). At Needles, we spent one day riding our bikes through the Park, which was really nice because it has fewer people and hence, fewer cars on the road. The second day we hiked a nice trail that took us through the Needles, which are really colorful spires of Cedar Mesa Sandstone that dominate the area. And, it was here too that we discovered another antifreeze leak, so it was on to the next town south, Montecello, Utah, where we think the problem has finally been fixed (keep your fingers crossed!) We’re also discovering that part of the adventure of this trip is traveling cross country in a 1987 RV with almost 100,000 miles on the odometer.

While waiting for the Honey to be fixed in Montecello, we received good news from Jim’s doctor that the bloodwork he had done in Jackson before we left came back fine. His PSA is undetectable, so it looks like the treatments are keeping those nasty cancer cells in check.

After Montecello, it was on to Escalante State Petrified Forest and then Red Canyon which is adjacent to Bryce National Park. Since we’ve been to Bryce before, we decided to explore the surrounding area, which is in National Forest and just as nice but not as crowded as Bryce.

We spent our 37th wedding anniversary (June 24) at Cedar Breaks National Monument, which is a natural amphitheater canyon, stretching across 3 miles. The rim is at over 10,000 feet and the canyon drops down over 2,000 feet. The eroded rock of the canyon is similar to formations at Bryce. A 4-mile trail took us to some stands of Bristlecone Pines, which live longer than any other known thing. Some local specimens are known to be more than 1600 years old. Story is one was cut down a few years ago for study and found to be 4,600 years old! (oops!) We stayed until everything had closed and people had gone, and (illegally I’m sure) took our chairs, a bottle of wine, and the dog to an overlook on the trail to watch the sunset.

We are spending today in Cedar City, Utah, waiting to get Jim’s prescription filled and getting provisioned for crossing Nevada into California. All for now. Talley-ho!

Island in the Sky Overlook


Anasazi Indian Ruins in Island in the Sky


Needles Hike


Pertified Wood


Red Rock Canyon Formations


Cedar Breaks



Bristle Cone Pine

Hawaii May 2009: Sea turtles, surfer dudes, nude hikers, Oh My!

We’ve been back on the mainland since Wednesday, June 3, after taking the redeye late on June 2. All in all, it was a good trip; however Murphy’s Law prevailed at times, mainly concerning lodging. The original plan was to stay at a hostel for five nights on Maui, then fly to Kauai, camping one week on the beaches and then the final week at Gary’s timeshare. However, due to conditions at the hostel, and security concerns at the beach campgrounds, we opted to stay in condos during the entire trip (cha-ching!)

During our stay on Maui, we enjoyed the beautiful beaches and also a popular tourist attraction, the Road to Hana, a very winding and narrow coastal mountain road that rambles through tropical rainforest and features over 600 curves and 46 one-lane bridges. Along the way are stops at waterfalls, scenic views, and fruit stands as well as several quaint towns. Gary was having a great time pretending our Rent-a-Wreck was actually a Maserati sports car.

However, the crowning experience was hiking the extinct volcano in Haleakala National Park, where watching the sunrise on the top of this 12,000 foot high volcano is the quintessential Maui experience. But since it required a very early start in order to get a parking spot at the summit by 5 am, we instead opted to sleep in a little later and experience the volcano on a more personal level by hiking down into the crater itself. It’s a 12 mile hike that took us through a landscape of vast lava fields and lava domes colored in a range of reds, purples, and blues that looked as if they were airbrushed on the cliffs and ridges. Considering this otherworldly landscape, it’s not surprising that we met a professor from the University of Hawaii on the trail who is working with NASA, researching the geology of the moon. Hiking down into the crater was pretty easy. It was the climb out that was tough: the last four miles had steep switchbacks on rocky, uneven trail that seemed to go on forever. But the sore muscles were worth the experience. This hike ranks up there with some of the best I’ve done.

On May 18, we flew from Maui to Kauai, which is called the “Garden Island.” It indeed is beautiful. Not as developed as Maui, with more mountains and over 50 miles of beaches, more than any other Hawaiian Island. This has to do with the Maui’s approach to development. All development must include a buffer zone to the beaches and no structure can be taller than a palm tree.

The island of Kauai is about 5million years old, the oldest in the island chain, which is why it has more deeply carved canyons and sheer cliffs that majestically jut out into the ocean. These cliffs are located on the north shore, which is called the Na Pali Coast. We had wonderful views of this part of the island, thanks to a one hour tour in a helicopter (with no doors), a half-day catamaran tour along the coast, and a 8 mile hike on the Nu‘alolo trail.

I also discovered how much fun it is to snorkel, and see the amazing array of colorful fishes. On the catamaran tour, we docked at a spot and snorkeled off the boat. Besides marveling at the fish, I was thrilled to hover over a sea turtle swimming below. It was so graceful, and attracted several fish who served as vacuum cleaners for his shell. Also, snorkeled at Tunnels Beach, which has a large reef that attracts an amazing array of tropical fish.

We also enjoyed watching the surfers. And I especially enjoyed watching Jim, who took a surfing lesson. Did really well and enjoyed it immensely. Are we talking about a babyboomer surfer dude in the making here?

Gary and Ella flew out May 31, so Jim and I had two days to kill before our flight out. We spent it camping (at last) at Koke’e State Park, which lies at 4,000 feet and includes the Waimea Canyon that Mark Twain dubbed “the Grand Canyon of the Pacific.” An apt description. Enjoyed the quiet of the campground, and the cooler weather. At the campground we met a friendly and interesting German couple who were spending a year, traveling around the world. Both school teachers, they took advantage of a job perk in which they agreed to work for five years at 80 percent of their pay, saving every penny they could. They then were able to spend an entire year off, still at 80 percent of their pay. Those Europeans really know how to do things.

On our last morning, we opted for a short hike out to a view point, and on the way out we were greeted with an unexpected view on the trail: a young Anglo guy hiking completely nude! Not even shoes. Only had a small knapsack. What could you do but say “hi” and try to avert the eyes? Thank goodness he was going the opposite way.
That’s one of the things I like about camping. It seems there are more opportunities to meet a variety of interesting people (clothed and unclothed in Hawaii!).
Well, we are now wrapping up a week at Hannah’s. After Jim’s doctor’s appointment on Monday, we’re heading off to Utah, including Canyonlands and Coyote Buttes in the Escalante region. After that, who knows?
Will try to keep this blog updated as possible. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, especially the Honey (our old RV) We may need them.


Black Sand Beach: A Stop on the Road to Hana


Hiking the Haleakala Crater


View of Tunnels Beach and Reef from helicopter


View of Na Pali Coast from helicopter


Waimea Canyon

Greetings. This is my first foray into the blogosphere, so please bear with me as I learn my way around. I hope to improve the looks and features of the page as I find more time and consistent internet access. (I know, you’re thinking, ‘She’s retired. What’s this not-having-enough-time bit?’ Well, all I can say is that the days go flying by. Kind of scary actually.

We arrived in Jackson, Wyoming, April 29 (a nice birthday present!) after spending a week with Jim’s parents in Arkansas, and a night in Dillon, Colorado, visiting Sally and Huey, a couple we met on our first (harrowing) backback trip in the Grand Canyon. They were the ones who met us on the Hermit trail during our hike out, giving me a much needed boost for those last few miles.

For our first week here in Jackson, we had Hannah’s place to ourselves, playing grandparents to her dogs while she and Matt were mountain biking in southern Utah. Other than walking the dogs, our primary activity has been getting in shape for the hiking in Hawaii.

Since the trails at higher elevation are still snow covered, we opted to hike the buttes in town that offer some nice trails, including one close by called High School Butte. During this time of year, the butte is a popular hiking spot for people, their dogs, and even paragliders. And, with an elevation gain of about 750 feet in about a mile, it is a good workout.

We also did two hikes up the back side of Snow King, a ski resort in town that is now closed for the season, but still has sections of snow on the top. On one of the hikes, Jim made the mistake of starting out in shorts and a light jacket. Once we got on top, it was like a different world: windy, cold, and spitting snow. Needless to say, we didn’t stay up there very long. We also learned later that there have been cougar sightings in the area, which borders a designated wilderness area. So, on another nicer day when we hiked up with the dogs, we didn’t hang around long either as during a snack stop, we noticed a distinct, and strong, smell of cat urine. Time to go!

Blacktail Butte is another of our favorite hikes out here. It's located out of town and although separated by a highway, it is still technically in Teton National Park. Which means we can't take the dogs on the hike. We did that one day as well, but again ran into some snow. Not fun post holing in thigh deep snow. Once out on the bald, we stopped for a break and lunch, which offers spectacular views of the Valley and the Tetons.

Jackson is a great town. Not only is it situated in a beautiful area, it also has a vibrant arts, culture, and literary scene. Something interesting going on all the time. We even found a Quaker meeting, which we attended during our first Sunday here.

Well, that's all for now. We leave for Hawaii on May 13, returning to Jackson on June 2. After Jim has some tests and another injection at the hospital here in Jackson, we're taking off in the motor home for an extended road trip throughout the West. Not sure when we'll get back to Ohio, probably sometime late summer.

Looking forward to more adventure but do miss our family and friends back home. Probaby won't be able to update this site untill we return from Hawaii.