Photo Lesson

CODY, WY - - So, you might ask, how do we get all those great shots...the ones which look like we're right on top of the subject??? We use telephoto lens (400mm) to get the up close and personal / in your face shots. We stay a safe distance from subjects that could become unfriendly. The telephoto lens I'm using to take this photo of Lydia makes it seem she's closer than she is.

Our trip from West Yellowstone, MT, through Yellowstone NP to Cody produced some elk and a large herd of buffalo photo opportunities. Click on the link to Lydia's blog for more.

Cute wildlife photo

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT - - Here's my entry in the 'cute wildlife' pic contest. This male/female Baby Big Horn Sheep was playing "joe Cool" while the rest of the herd grazed on. See Lydia's blog for more of yesterday's wanderings.

Rainbow Falls

WEST YELLOWSTONE, MT - - One of the fun things about wandering is that you can take side roads which lead to interesting places. Lydia picked out one on our way from Driggs, Idaho to West Yellowstone which showed two waterfalls along it...but failed to mention the cattle lurking and lolling along the road at various places. Lower Mesa Falls was interesting, but Upper Mesa Falls was the place for taking pictures. The morning sun was in just the right place to create a 'rainbow' in the spray.

Colors

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, WY - - We're staying in West Yellowstone, Montana and exploring Yellowstone NP for a couple of days. America's first national park covers 2-million acres. We're at the North entry point to the park. There are three others, with the East entry area, our next destination, close to 100 miles away. It's easy to see how you could spend a lot of time here.

Yellowstone sits atop an active volcano although the last eruption was eons ago. However, that doesn't mean there isn't hydrothermal evidence of activity in the form of geysers, fumaroles, mudpots and hot springs. The acidic and mineral laden waters create vivid color combinations in some areas as seen above.

Mt. Owens

MOOSE, WY - - Friday's activities took us to Jenny Lake and Cascade Canyon in Grand Teton National Park. Once into the canyon part of the trail, Mt. Owens and it's snow pack area could be seen from any number of angles. The Fall colors are also making an appearance.

Baby Moose Jam

MOOSE, WY - - Double-click on the photo and look to the right of the guy in the red shirt down at the edge of the pond for a young moose calf. People were lined up and down the road and cars were scattered all over the place just so people could get a glimpse or a photo of the baby. One might say: "Only in Grand Teton." But in our travels in Alaska, Canada and a number of U.S. national Parks we can assure everyone that "moose jams, bear jams, and other animal jams occur frequently. What will look like a major traffic accident is only a "sighting."

"Fortunately for baby he or she didn't stop munching to give these folks more than a cursory glance.

Grand Teton NP: A photographers paradise

MOOSE, WY - - The Snake River and the Tetons with Grand Teton in the center.
Lunch time for a herd of wild, semi-wild or domestic horses.
Where there are fences, they are usually wood and wire.

Captions, anyone??

MOOSE, WY - - In Grand Teton National Park the law enforcement officers get called on for all sorts of jobs. We're not sure what's going here but....maybe the conversation is going like this: (EO, left) "It's your turn. I went over the fence last time." (EO, right) "No way I'm going over. He looks big, mean and he's watching us. You ever try to get buffalo hoof prints out of your uniform??"

We didn't stay around long enough to see what the outcome was.

Somewhere in Idaho

ON SR30 IN IDAHO - - We encountered a version of "Little House on the Prairie" and the "Fat (or pregnant??) Cow Blues" on our way to Bear Lake and then on to Jackson, WY for the night.

Doing Easy time

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - - Today, we played tourist. We drove to San Francisco with the express idea of visiting Alcatraz. Once an 'escape proof' federal prison for those who would do anything to be free, today it is part of the National Parks system. Al Capone, 'Machine Gun' Kelly, Alvin "Creepy" Karpis, 'Bugsy' Segal and plenty of others spent time at Alcatraz. There were escape attemps by lesser know criminals. None (apparently) made it to freedom. The fate of three prisoners who 'escaped' in 1962 and whose remains were never found are the only ones who might have made it. Some believe they did and were smart enough to never say a word or get into trouble with the police again. Prison officials believe they drowned.
The prisoners all arrived by boat. So did we. But our trip was much nicer. And we got to leave after our short visit was over.
The most interesting part of the trip was a self-guided tour while listening to a very well made tape and following the instructions of the moderator, once a guard at Alcatraz, as he led us on and through the history of the place know as "The Rock."

We've moved up the coast

MONTARA, CA - - Sometimes you get lucky. This is one of those times. Our lodging for the next two nights will be at the Point Montara Lighthouse Hostel. We've scored a primo room (right glass door in the center building) which overlooks the beach and the Pacific. This is a working lighthouse although from this angle I couldn't get the signal light in the picture.

Later today as the sun was setting, a fishing boat was heading home and a flock of gulls or pelicans had decided to shadow the boat in case anything fell/got thrown into the water. No seals or whales sighted yet, but tomorrow is another day.

Sandals in the sand

PESCADERO, CA

Who are you calling FAT??

PESCADERO, CA - - To liven things up for the spectators, these two young elephant seals decided on a little chest bumping action. And also tried to out-grunt each other. Noisy practice for when they are old enough to chase the females for real and fight for the right to court them. Anyway, check out Lydia's blog for the whole story on our first real day of freedom from YNP.

Sentence commuted

PESCADERO, CA - - We've escaped. The crew holding us in indentured servitude commuted our sentence after work on Sept. 14. Prior to that we had been forced to endure 8 hours of interrogation 5 days a week by a variety of individuals. The only way to stay sane and not do any of them bodily harm for asking the same stupid question 500 before him/her did was to give them food groups as identifiers. They were led by Taco, followed by Rice and then Curry. There were also questions from Champagne, Tea and Crumpets, Weiner Schnitzel, Pizza, Paella, a bit of Vegimite and always the Hinze 48 plus Alaska and Hawaii. And those are my final thoughts on driving a visitor transit shuttle in Yosemite NP.

Guilty

PESCADERO, CA - - I'm usually guilty of doing something 'dumb' before a big trip. So, I had to live up to expectations. No problem. I was packing the car last night for our escape and I left the map lights on. These aren't really bright so when I walked away from the car I didn't notice my goof. Monday morning, when I went back out to the car to move it so we could finish loading up for our escape I sure did. DEAD BATTERY!! Quickly followed by thoughts of how dead I was going to be when I informed Lydia of my latest screw up...especially since we were trying to get out of Yosemite as fast as possible.

Lydia took this bungle calmly and, once my ears stopped ringing and my hearing returned, told me to call the Bus Garage to see if I could get someone to help us jump start the Element. This did not work out but, fortunately, one of the company vans came through the parking lot and after telling the guy this was a life and death situation he agreed to help. So thanks to him because that's the only reason I'm still alive and all the body parts are working so I can write this blog. Moral of the story...If you know there's a black cloud following you then double check your every move.

May Lundy mining area

LEE VINING, CA - - One week ago we did another Lundy hike. The Lundy Canyon area also has the remnants of the May Lundy Mine, a silver mining venture. Equipment scattered around this area way up into the canyon was quite extensive. What we learned later was that if we had been able to find the 'faint' trail and scramble up another 800 - 1,000' higher we would have found the actual mine shafts.

Lundy Canyon

LEE VINING, CA - - Here are two 'beauty' shots from the hike we did to the water falls in Lundy Canyon on Tuesday. Go to Lydia's blog via the link on the page for the rest of the story.

Mine, all mine

LEE VINING, CA - - This week's first hike took us to Bennettville, site of another failed silver mining venture by the same company (Great Sierra Consolidated Mining Company) as the mining works we saw last week above Gaylor Lakes. This location was more accessible, thus the plaque outlining the venture. The mine went nearly a half-mile into a mountain face. Now, all that's left is the blocked off mine entrance and some rusted machinery.

Magic Bus

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA - - Stop 8. Yosemite Lodge. I surprised a few folks when I pulled my camera out of my backpack and left the bus to take a photo. Why not. Yosemite Falls, or at least the stain left by the water, shows on the rock wall between the trees over the center of the bus.

YOSAR

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA - - YOSAR is the acronym for YOsemite Search And Rescue, a vital department within the Public Safety unit in the Park. Here, one of the two YOSAR helicopters begins a descent into Ahwahnee Meadow with Half Dome looming in the background in the fading twilight. Both helos were being used in an operation at Yosemite Falls. We do not know the incident or the outcome of the operation, but seeing this helo hovering close to the sheer wall earlier in the evening certainly gave the impression it could be a tough rescue or body recovery.