Sept 9-23, 2021 - Grand Teton and Yellowstone

Grand Teton and Yellowstone - 2021
From September 7, 2021 through September 23, 2021

Starting: Fresno, CA
Ending:  Fresno, CA
The Trip : Our People : Thoughts : Trip Log : References : Abbreviations

The Trip:

Our daughter Andrea and her boyfriend Lawrence took two months to travel a portion of the United States. On the way back they were going to visit the Grand Teton and Yellowstone parks. They invited us along.

We traveled three days from Fresno to meet them at a campground in Grand Teton, Gros Ventre. From there we went and visited many part of Grand Teton and also went to Yellowstone for a couple of days.

Lawrence's family had an emergency, so he needed to take off to the Bay Area. We continued the tour which included Craters of the Moon and John Day NM. We spent a couple of days in Bend, OR before heading back to Fresno. 

 
Our People:

• Sherri
• Gary
• Andrea
• Lawrence
  

Thoughts:
This is definitely a we must return to area. Grand Teton felt much more impressive than one large stone mountain. While Yellowstone we felt we just scratched the surface.

 
Trip Log:

Our journal is given by each day.
 

Date	Campsite	Car Miles	Hike Miles	Notes
Sept 7, 2021	Las Vegas, NV	398		Waited near Baker for a wreck for an hour or more.
Sept 8, 2021	Fillmore, UT	313		Side trip to Cedar Breaks. Lots of smoke.
Sept 9, 2021	Gros Ventre, Grand Teton, WY	431		Pretty much a straight drive to Gros Ventre.
Sept 10, 2021	Gros Ventre, Grand Teton, WY	49	3.93	Visitor Center at Moose, Taggart Lake Loop.
Sept 11, 2021	Gros Ventre, Grand Teton, WY	78		Tried to hike at Jenny Lake-too crowded, so we explored via the car up Signal Mtn and back to Gros Ventre CG.
Sept 12, 2021	Colter Bay, Grand Teton, WY	50		Moving campgrounds to Colter Bay. Went by way of Lower Slide Lke, Mormom Bar and Oxbow Bend.
Sept 13, 2021	Colter Bay, Grand Teton, WY	183	Short walks, about 2.5 miles total	Yellowstone, Old Faithful, Middle and Lower Geyser, Gibbon Falls, Yellowstone Falls and Bison
Sept 14, 2021	Colter Bay, Grand Teton, WY	40	2.67	Jenny Lake boat ride and hike
Sept 15, 2021	Lewis Lake, Yellowstone	68	.85	Moved to Lewis Lake, visited West Thumb
Sept 16, 2021	Arco, UT	236		Start trip back home
Sept 17, 2021	Ontario, OR	264	1.54	Stopped at Craters of the Moon
Sept 18, 2021	Prineville, OR	266	2.12	Stopped at John Day NM
Sept 19, 2021	Tumalo State Park, OR	37	2.68	Drove to Bend. Day hike on Deschutes River
Sept 20, 2021	Tumalo State Park, OR	70	2.38	Andrea at sub in-service. Walked a trail at Sparks Lake
Sept 21, 2021	Roseburg, OR	199		Visited Jason. Stayed with Roses
Sept 22, 2021	Eureka, OR	251		Drove to David's
Sept 23, 2021	Fresno CA	459		Drove Home
	Total	3,392	18.67

References:
For those of you who might be interested in some aspects of our trips, here are some references which you can consult:

• Dirt Cheap Photo Guide to Grand Teton National Park  by Jeff Clow
  
• Web Site: Nature Photography By American Artist Jeff Clow
  
•  Web Site: Grand Teton Photography: Fantastic Photo Spots
• Web Site: Jackson Hole Traveler: Best Places to Photograph in Grand Teton National Park

Abbreviations:

• NPS - National Park Service
• NFS - National Forest Service
• NM - National Monument
  

Pictures

 

 

Sept 23, 2021 - Day Seventeen-Eureka to Fresno

Title: Sept 23, 2021 - Day Seventeen-Eureka to Fresno

Hike Info : Description

Trail head: David’s House

Hike Info:

Type: Car

Car Mileage:  459 Miles

Description:

Woke up a little before 7:00 and did my lightning check-no lightning expected and none shown. I got up and took a shower and felt all refreshed for the day. We have cold cereal for breakfast. Then say our farewell to David.

We intend to make all the way back to Fresno today, about 8 hours of driving. But we will stop first in Albany to see Lawrence and his parents. We put in an order through Lawrence for a place called Junket-we all order sandwiches.

Sherri has started out driving. We stopped in Del Rio for coffee at Shotz Coffee. They really enjoyed it. Sherri drives until we need gas at the Ukiah Costco. Then Andrea takes over and drives to Albany where we meet up with Lawrence and his parents. Karen is not feeling well, but we get to each Lunch and talk with Hank. Good to see Lawrence as well-he does not look worse for wear.

Before the traffic gets bad in the Bay Area, we take off, around 3. Andrea is driving till we leave the Bay Area. Pretty smooth driving for the Bay Area. For the final couple of hours I drive the familiar roads of I5, 152 and 99. We arrived home in Fresno after 7pm. Feels good to be here.

Sept 22, 2021 - Day Sixteen: Roseburg to Eureka

 

 

Title: Sept 22, 2021 - Day Sixteen: Roseburg to Eureka
Hike Info : Description

Trail head: Dennis and Bonnie’s House

Hike Info:

Type: Car 

Car Mileage:  251 Miles

Description:

It is nice to have a leisurely morning. I woke up a bit before 7, and then read for a while before emerging from our room. I tried to do my lightning reporting again, but not getting e-mails from the site. If I do not get anything by the time I get back to Fresno, I will rattle their cage.

When we emerge, we find that Bonnie has created a quiche with a muffin, a very nice breakfast. Dennis is building his third airplane. So we spent some time down in his shop, the garage part of their Barn, where we slept last night. Both a very intensive year long project, as well as an interesting occupation.He is now riveting the wings. Just observing what he has to do, this is beyond both my patience and abilities. But Dennis is getting great satisfaction out of this.

Dennis is going over to a friend’s house to help with removing a camper shell. I tag along. It is good to meet friends of a friend. While we are there for only a few minutes, you can see the genuineness of the relationship.

When we get back, we pack up the car and say our goodbyes. It is almost 11 by now. The first stop is a little backtrack to the Roseburg Costco to get gas. It is 60 cents cheaper than Eureka. Well worth it.

Now it is down I-5 until we get to Rogue River. This is where my cousin lives, along with her son’s coffee shop Rogue Roasters. We go right by the establishment, but no one seems interested in coffee. So we continue on. I will need to write a note of apology for missing them. But with our start, I do not think we will be able to stop in.

Our way cuts a diagonal over to Crescent City. We follow Highway 199. For lunch and a break from driving, we find a side road and go up it aways to a turn out. There is an interpretive trail and a ravine.. We only eat, not walk. But we do get out and stretch our legs some. When we cross into California, we go through California vehicle inspection for fruit. Then on our way. Another rest stop and then through the Jedediah Smith State Park/Redwood National Park. Beautiful area.

Then we make it to Crescent City. I think Google decided to take us through the back roads of Crescent City-my kind of roads. But not seeing the bigger picture, I wonder where Google is taking us. But eventually we get to Highway 101. And now we are heading south towards Eureka.

About ten miles south of Crescent City, we stop at a turn out and enjoy a 30 minute break from driving. It is nice feeling the ocean air and hearing the scream of the gulls. We just bask in the sun for a while. Then back in the car and head south to David’s.

When we get to Redwood National Park, we take Newton Drury Parkway through the park. Serene. ferns and sempervirens cover the landscape. While slower, and I go slower yet, it is better just because we do not wiz past the beauty. We do not become immersed in it like we would walking, it is just a reminder of what we are missing by not going slow. Pleasurable drive down.

As we leave the park, there are a couple of elk beside the road. This elicits some “Look!”, but not really a good place to stop, so no chance to gawk at them. In about 45 minutes, right before 5pm, we get to David’s house. He has dinner ready for us. Ribs and bread and cauliflower. He cooks really good.

When I look down at my phone, I see lots of emails from my lightning data requests. Guess I will not need to rattle their cage. David suggests we take a walk at Sequoia Park and which we accept. Nice 45 minute of walking around.

Then it is back to David’s house for our family Zoom call-only Rachel comes on. We talk for half an hour and then fold. During that time, David provides an apple pie and vanilla ice cream. Did I say that he feeds us good?

Our discussion is about tomorrow-what is the air quality going to be like in Fresno tomorrow? Right now it looks really bad. So we delay a decision until tomorrow. Then it is off to bed, a little before 10pm.

Sept 21, 2021 - Day Fifteen-Bend to Roseburg

 

Title: Sept 21, 2021 - Day Fifteen-Bend to Roseburg
Hike Info : Description

Trail head: Tumalo State Park Campground

Hike Info:

Type:Car

Car Mileage: 199 Miles

Description:

Today is a short driving day, about 4-5 hours of driving. There will be a couple of segments to this trip..

Andrea on her run

When I get up, I try to pull my lightning data-no luck. I am able to request the data, but never get the email back. Andrea goes out for a run while I ponder why I cannot get my data. Something to wonder about. It is cold, but not as cold as yesterday morning. I take a shower to feel better and fresher. Sherri and Andrea have the remains of yesterday’s lunch. I have oatmeal.

Andrea has the campsite for two more days-but we are not staying. It is time to make our way home. So we take our time leaving. It is after 11am before our packed car pulls out.But then again, we are not in a big hurry. Sherri is driving. We go up highway 20 until Sisters. As we pass through, we sample the aroma of a bakery. (On a later visit, Andrea says the bakery here is out of this world, particularly the Ocean Rolls.)

Leaving Sisters, we continue on highway 20 for a ways until we cut off onto highway 126. Both 20 and 126 go through mountainous terrain. The road is good and the scenery is enjoyable. A little less than three hours after starting, we get into Eugene. Our cousin Jason has indicated that he likes the Chapala Mexican Restaurant. So we order food from there for us and Jason’s family and then off we go to his house.

Interesting clouds-Radiatus

This is our first visit to Jason and Kat’s place in Eugene. They moved here awhile back with their children. They are a high energy and fun family. We spend an hour or so with them, eating lunch and conversing. I inadvertently ate one of their family’s meals instead of my own. Sorry. We end our stay by taking a family picture, of course.

 

 

Sign outside of Jason and Kat's house

We headed down I-5 to Roseburg to stay with our friends. He was the best man at Sherri’s and mine wedding; she was the photographer. It has been awhile since we have seen them. Bonnie fixes us a homemade pizza. Then Dennis needs to go to a meeting of a local group who has built their own planes-he is the president, so it is rather bad form to miss one’s own meeting. I tag along and enjoy watching Dennis in action. The presentation is interesting; about how the failures of the Boeing planes a couple of years ago and what could be learned.

The five of us talk for a while before heading off to bed. They have built a combo garage and house over the garage. This is where we will sleep. Very nice and fully furnished. Bonnie and Dennis use it to house friends and missionaries who pass through Roseberg.

Sept 20, 2021 - Day Fourteen - Bend and Sparks Lake

 

 

Title: Sept 20, 2021 - Day Fourteen - Bend and Sparks Lake
Hike Info : Description :  Extra Photo's 

 

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking
Trail:  Ray Atkeson Loop Trail

Trail head: Sparks Lake Parking Area

Destination: Loop
Distance:  2.38 miles
Start Time: 4:53
End Time:  6:13
Travel Time:  1:20 (1.78 mph)
Moving Time: 1:11  (2.01 mph)
Elevation Rise: 662'
Descent: 366‘
Maximum Elevation: 5,489'
GPS Tracks

 
Car Mileage: 70 miles

Description:

The reason why we came by Bend was that Andrea and Lawrence will be doing a temporary stay here in a month. Andrea will be employed as a substitute teacher during her stay. But before she does, the local District needs to have her go through a morning of training before she gets into a classroom. That is this morning.

Sherri and Gary in relax mode

I get up first, but quickly followed by Andrea and Sherri. Breakfast is prepared. Then Andrea takes our car to Redmond-you know, that area where we saw the burnt area yesterday. This leaves us with plenty of time just to relax and soak in the sun. The sun is pretty nice, but the air is cool, so we get ourselves bundled up. We spend time reading and gazing around and then reading some more. Also the shower calls us.

Sherri and Andrea-Lunch at McKays

All of this relaxing takes up the morning. Andrea comes back after noon time. She looks a bit like "this was not necessarily a waste of time, but there was very little new here for her." So she is ready for lunch, as we are. And she has a place in mind. There is a place just down the road called McKay’s Cottage. It is a combination of indoor and outdoor seating. We choose outdoors. The food must be good as we wait half an hour until almost 2pm to eat.The tables have a fire pit in the middle of them with a place to set plates around the edge of it. With the coolness of the day, this is good. 

 

McKays is noted for their pastry. So Sherri and Andrea have a scone with some of their berry jam. They are happy. Lunch is served. All of it is pretty tasty. In keeping with the day, it is a relaxing time.

 

Lava bed around Sparks Lake

 

 

After eating, we need to fill up with gas. There is a Costco in Bend. So we headed there. But we miss a vital piece of information: it does not have a gas station. There is one close by, so we fill up. This little excursion probably cost an hour of time, still we got to see a bit more of Bend.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Southern Sister

And now onward to Sparks Lake. We travelup Cascade Lakes Scenic Byway-it is a nice drive. We pass by the Mt Bachelor Ski Area. Then we hit a Forest Service dirt road,Forest, 46-400, going a couple miles down that.it is mostly good. Only in a few places did I have to wander the road to find a semblance of smoothness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andrea picking her way through lava bed

There is a wide place and a sign where we park. The trail which we will go on is the Ray Atkeson Loop Trail. This is named after a local photographer. As we travel this trail we understand why. Between the scenic views of the lake and the presence of two of the Sisters, there are plenty of places to stop and photograph. Also the term “Loop” is a bit of a misnomer. The trails go into more of a figure-eight. The first part of the loop is along Sparks Lake. The lake is a bit low, but still holds my interest. There is much volcanic rock, both to be interested in and to be cautious around. Then the trail meets a crossover. We have the time, so we go around the bigger loop. It moves away from the lake into a maze of lava rock and ravines. Interesting seeing these. As we circle around the far side, the Sisters and Mt Bachelor come into view. And then we descend back down to the parking area where the car is.

It is an uneventful drive back to the camp. We munch on a few things, talking for a while before heading off to bed.

Extra Photo's

Sisters and lava rock at Sparks Lake

Sherri navigating the trail

Andrea on the trail

Lunch meal at McKays-Monte Cristo on the right

Scone and Jam

Sept 19, 2021 - Day Thirteen: Prineville to Bend

 

Title:Sept 19, 2021 - Day Thirteen: Prineville to Bend
Hike Info : Description 

Trail head: Parking Lot by Ben&Jerry’s

 

 

Hike Info:

Type: Hiking : Car
Trail: Deschutes River Trail
Destination: Undecided
Distance:  2.68 miles 1
Elevation Rise: 187 '
Descent: 186‘
Maximum Elevation: 3,645'
 ¹Data and maps are derived from Google Earth
Car Mileage: 37 Miles

Description:

Woke up a little after six this morning, stayed in bed while inquiring about lightning activity in my area of the Sierra-none, fortunately. Finally got up around 7:30. Today we head for Bend and camp at Tumalo State Campground. Andrea has been here before and really liked it. I think she is eager to show it to us. It is so good having a daughter who enjoys sharing the good things in her life with her parents.

We are not in a rush or anything to leave the hotel. It is only about an hour drive to the campground. We have breakfast, pick up some coffee-for those who indulge-and are on our way. When we pass Redmond-no, not the Microsoft Redmond, but Oregon’s, it looks like a large fire must have passed through an area just east of it. Andrea talks about Redmond as a possible, affordable place to live.

We continued on to Bend, turning north for a few miles until we came to the Tumalo Campground, our home for the next couple of days. The campground looks quiet, well taken care of and the site has plenty of space for a comfortable stay. Plus the campground has showers! We are still good from the hotel stays, but this is nice.

After getting the campsite set up, we go downtown to REI. Maybe, just maybe it has a replacement air mattress-nope. But as a side benefit, where we park is a Ben&Jerry’s. How can we pass that up? It is a pretty cool day, but we still enjoy the ice cream outside.

As we are enjoying the ice cream, our eyes turn toward the outdoor stairs in back of the building. I am thinking San Francisco is not the only place with interesting stairs. These stairs are painted a sort of baby blue with storks and stuff. Where do they lead, we wonder? Only one way to find out.

And that is to climb them, which we do. This starts us off on our walk. It leads to a bridge across the Deschutes River. Once on the other side of the River, we walk a paved path about 15’ above the river. This is a multipurpose path-walkers, bikers, a few kayaks are around-not on the path. A good day to go on a gentle walk, following the flow of the stream. It looks like all on it are also enjoying their time as well.

There is something about walking without purpose, just enjoying your company-I think I have said that before. You get to talk with each other, maybe not about great ideas or deep personal stuff. When you can just talk about the small things in your life, there is a good measure of bonding which will be drawn on when serious matters need to be addressed (no I am not foreshadowing anything.).

One of the thoughts which wanders through this old man’s mind, who also happens to be a father, is, is this place a good fit for my daughter? Not that I have too much say in the matter. But I do have my eyes on that. So far, it is really nice. Wonder how the winters are? (I am writing this close to Christmas, and the answer is, while we will have rain, they will have a combination of snow and rain-does not sound fun.) Still, at least, this Fall, it is pleasant.

We come to the end of the pavement and walk further on a dirt path. We go a couple hundred yards on this and then decide we are getting hungry. So back we go, retreating up the same route we came down. But there are some exceptions. First, there is a nice park, with bathrooms which are open. We make use of this. Also before we cross the bridge again, we wander a little ways further up. We have been seeing posters for various acts at an amphitheater. and here it is. Not a large one, maybe about as large as where Fresno holds its Shakespeare plays at Woodward Park. It does look like a fun venue, assuming the weather is not cold.

Now to find a place to eat. We wander around, via car, in downtown Bend. Eventually we come across a parking area and make our way over to an eating establishment called Deschutes Brewery. An assortment of food, but what really caught our taste buds was a giant pretzel with a cheese sauce. It all tasted good. We then traveled by the house where Lawrence and Andrea will be staying in Bend. It looks pretty good.

By this time, we are ready to head back to camp. We do a little wander around camp before going to bed. A pretty nice, low-keyed day.