Christmas Day 2011 in Ormond Beach

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The sun is shining.  It's 80-degrees.  It's Christmas Day. The tourists are happy.  This is the weather they've come south for.  We're happy too, but we wish it was a bit (60-degrees) cooler.  In the past. we've gone to Fort Desoto Park (near St. Pete on the other coast) to camp.  This year, it's stay home and feed medicine to the elderly royal household - - The Queen and The Princess.

So, we've been out and about near home lately, but not too much is happening. Even the usual flocks of migrating birds seem to think it's too hot to be winter so they've stayed away or gone some place else.  Of course, we do have a few Royal Terns looking for snacks and plenty of butterflys out for nectar.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - From our home to yours, a very merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.  Thanks for reading and following the blog.  2012 and new adventures are just around the corner. 

Thanksgiving Weekend

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - Wandering around on Thanksgiving weekend:  (1) St. Augustine Lighthouse; (2) Sunrise on the Halifax river in OB; (3)  Great Egret on the St. John's River near DeLand trying to find the right place to scratch...without sticking itself.

Back to work

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - The Princess casts a long shadow

 Egret in the bush at Merritt Island NWR

Pelican lift-off: Port Canaveral

Back in the Sunshine State

ORMOND BEACH, FL - - We're back in OB after five months, 15,000 miles, two jobs and lots of roaming, rambling and wandering.  We've avoided high humidity and temperatures for as long as we could.  Florida has welcomed us back with great weather (if you're on vacation) but we've been used to wearing fleece and long pants for so long that t-shirts, shorts and sandals with no socks takes a bit of time to get used to.  Fortunately, we have at least 6-7 months to do that before we plan to head out again.

Update

ST LOUIS, MO - - We're alive and well in St. Louis visiting Lydia's relative.  To get here we crossed the rolling plains of Kansas; camped in Ellis and stopped in Lawrence (think Kansas Jayhawks) before working our way into Missouri for another night of camping.  Now, we're eating home cooked meals and sleeping in  rel bed...for another night at least.  After a short detour to the Chicago are it's off to north Carolina and then home.  The days of great scenic photos and animal shots are probably over. 

Cars and scenery

 MANITOU SPRINGS, CO - - Today's travels took us from early morning ice-covered windows in Leadville over a couple of 9,000' plus passes to Mantou Springs near the base of Pikes Peak.  (We were here on our way to Yellowstone in the Spring and got lucky that the same in-town campground had a vacancy.)  On our way we stopped for lunch at a US Forest Service info area where the view sums up our day's trip.  Quaking Aspen bracket a look out across the South Park Valley.  In the background is Harvard peak, one of the over 14,000' peaks in Colordo.

The 1926 Ford Model T Tudor Sedan (below) was gassing up in Leadville just before we left.  Note the wood spoke wheels.  It certainly is in better shape than the slightly wrose for wear model pictured in an earlier post.

Interstate facts

LEADVILLE, CO - - We spent a good portion of today (Tuesday) on I-70 as we made our way from Filmore, UT to Leadville.  At the Spotted Wolf Canyon viewpoint one could get a good idea of therigors of building the road.  On the left is the San Rafael Ridge, a 30 mile long ridge; on the right is Spotted Wolf Canyon.  When the road was started, workers could stand between the two and touch each side.  Once completed in 1970, the two lane road connected Fremont Junction with Green River Junction (UT).  An additional two lanes were added in 1980. 

Low milage, good air conditioning

FILMORE, UT - - Spotted in a field near the entrance to Great Basin National Park in Baker, NV.  Probably need  little work.  Given that we were in an area with 'rattlesnake' in it's name I didn't venture any closer than the front seat of the Magic Bus...it was Lydia's turn at the wheel.

Colorful bush, BIG problems

TONOPAH, NV - - This colorful plant - - rabbit brush - - is seen everywhere here in Tonopah.  We first encountered it in the Eastern Sierra mountains when we worked at Yosemite NP in 2008.  To some, it's just a nuisance. To allergy sufferers like me, the pollen is a catalyst for bouts of sneezing and puffy, itchy, watery eyes.  And allergy remedies, both over the counter and prescription, don't have the firepower to combat this nasty weed.

On the road to Tonopah, NV

Catching up #2

FLORENCE, OR - - A shiny Caddy and a "Low Rad" Merc before the invitation-only car show.

Catching up #1

FLORENCE, OR - - The day before the invitation-only car show in Florence.

Wave viewing

FLORENCE, OR - - Pacific Ocean waves pounding on the volcanic basalt shore of the Devils Churn create spectacular images.  Signs warn of rogue or sneaky waves with enough height to sweep unsuspecting photographers out to sea if not careful.  The area is part of one of our favorite spots on the Oregon Coast - - Cape Perpetua in the Suislaw National Forest. The area was named by Captain James Cook, who in 1787 passed the headland on St. Perpetua Day (in honor of the third century (female) Christian martyr and eventual Saint.)

All revved up

WALDPORT, OR - - It's amazing how a double espresso can  get things all revved up...like this Puffin in the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport Beach, OR.  Actually, the Puffin is taking a bath. The Aquarium was yesterday's main stop on our way down the coast.  Today?  We'll see what happens when the coastal fog lifts.  For now it's a coffee shop with wi-fi.  Check Lydia's blog via the link on this page for more photos.

On the trail of Chief Joseph and Lewis and Clark

THE DALLES, OR - - We spent Sunday following a scenic byway along a number of rivers including the Snake and the Columbia which Lewis and Clark traveled on their Northwest Passage to the Pacific.  Earlier in the day the trail combined with that which Chief Joseph and the Nez Perce traveled in a vain attempt to escape the U.S.Army and their orders to return to tribe to a reservation and away from their beloved land of their ancestors.  On our was we visited the Nez Perce National Historical Park in Spalding, ID. 

Heading West

OROFINO, ID - - Our jobs at Glacier National Park are behind us.  We finished yesterday and hustled away.  Two out of the final three days the weather was cold/windy/cloudy On Logan Pass; while some miles below the summit there were flowers to see (Fireweed) and green vistas.  The construction work on the Going-to -the-Sun road left our buses pretty muddy.  Note the "termination dust" on the peaks behind the bus...fresh snow was very visible on the high elevations.  But on our final day, it was mainly clouds and sun.  Now, we can get back to playing vacation for a month before getting home to Ormond.

Views from Piegan Pass hike

WEST GLACIER, MT - - Friday, we hiked to Piegan Pass.  The photos are in  reverse order so...going from bottom to top:  This is the trail once you get out of the tree line;  (mid)  Once out of the trees we could look west.  Down in the middle of this photo, if you use a magnifying glass, is where we and others parked.  Once on top of the pass we could have continued on another 6+ miles to Many Glacier Lodge.  Note the blue melt ponds, still with plenty of snow, in the lower left of the pic.  This is the area where we met our Columbian friend from the previous post, before turning around and heading back.

Don't feed the annimals.

WEST GLACIER, MT - - Columbian Ground Squirrels will eat just about anything.  They are good at begging...especially at places on the trail where people stop for lunch/snacks.  This fellow spied us as we stopped atop Piegan Pass.  You're not supposed to feed these guys or any of the animals in the park, but our buddy had his act really worked out.  First he got a crust of bread; then a cheese cracker with peanut butter and when these were scarfed up he put on his best "Please, just one more crumb" face.

There are camper vehicles and then there are CAMPER VEHICLES

 RADIUM HOT SPRINGS, BC, CAN - - We spent two nights camping at Tunnel Mountain Campground near Banff.  Besides a proliferation of very high dollar motor homes vying to be noticed most, there were the one-off types.  The Mercedes-Benz ark, above, was shipped over from Holland.  The rolling hotel, below, we've seen before in Canada.  This German-based company has at least two of these registered in Alaska and is quite popular with German tourists.  It comes with its own kitchen and everyone aboard gets their own little crypt to sleep in.

Revisiting

RADIUM HOT SPRINGS, AB, CAN - - There are plenty of things you can do on your days off.  This time we chose to head to Banff and Lake Louise (in Alberta, Canada) to check out some places we haven't seen in 4 years.  Emerald Lake Lodge area was just one stop.  The quiet is fine for those who like to canoe and the flowers are blooming everywhere.

Weather or not, part 2

WEST GLACIER, MT - - The weather (Tuesday) on our trip to the Canadian side of Waterton-Glacier Interntional Peace Park ranged from heavy storm clouds at the top of Logan Pass to a passing rain shower and rainbow at Chief Mountain to strong winds on Waterton Lake....Waterton was our final destination.

Baby pics

WEST GLACIER, MT - - This week's adventure took us to Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in Waterton (Alberta), Canada.  In Waterton, the young mule deer roam the neighborhood lawns and backyards looking for something tasty to eat.  In Glacier, the mountain goat youngsters have a harder time finding lots to eat.

Weather or not

WEST GLACIER, MT - - Some days at work it seems like the clouds are pouring down so much rain it feels like a waterfall...then minutes later the sun pokes through...and just when you think it will get better the clouds come rolling back in

Flowers

WEST GLACIER, MT - - There were no animals venturing within any distance of us on our days off, but flowers were everywhere.  Winter is gloomy here so when the sun finally shines just about everyone gets out the flower seeds for both home and town landscaping. 

Going To The Sun Road opens

WEST GLACIER, MT - - The Going To The Sun road opened yesterday, connecting the park's West Glacier and East Glacier sides and saving about 80 miles of driving.  Construction slowed traffic a bit as did the mountain goats frolicking and fighting on the side of the road near the top of Logan Pass.