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Newest Set:
Miska - December
Miska - December
12/01/23

Miska - November Miska - November
11/01/23

Miska - OctoberMiska - October
10/01/23

Miska 2023 - September Miska 2023 - September
09/01/23

Miska 2023 - AugustMiska 2023 - August
08/09/23

India and Taj Mahal 2023India and Taj Mahal 2023
03/18/23

Germany (and Iceland) 2022Germany (and Iceland) 2022
12/01/22

Brasil 2022 - after BHBrasil 2022 - after BH
10/18/22

Brazil 2022Brazil 2022
10/07/22

Bathroom in the AnnexBathroom in the Annex
11/13/20

2020 Summer and Fall and Winter in the Pandemic2020 Summer and Fall and Winter in the Pandemic
08/23/20

Long Island 2020Long Island 2020
07/24/20

Balcony GardenBalcony Garden
05/05/20

Baltimore 2020Baltimore 2020
02/09/20

Train show at the NY Botanical Gardens Train show at the NY Botanical Gardens
12/07/19

Mohonk - Winter Wonderland Mohonk - Winter Wonderland
12/04/19

Oktoberfest 2019Oktoberfest 2019
10/06/19

Cool pictures of our apartment Cool pictures of our apartment
10/06/19

Burle Max at NY Botanical GardensBurle Max at NY Botanical Gardens
09/14/19

Papai In MemoriamPapai In Memoriam
08/04/19

Aussie Parents' VisitAussie Parents' Visit
05/15/19

A New Car!A New Car!
04/24/19

San Francisco San Francisco
02/10/19

Iceland Five-OIceland Five-O
01/26/19

Twin CitiesTwin Cities
10/12/18

Oktoberfest 2018Oktoberfest 2018
10/07/18

TerceiraTerceira
09/11/18

Ferry to TerceiraFerry to Terceira
09/10/18

São JorgeSão Jorge
09/07/18

PicoPico
09/05/18

[...]
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Road Trip, Day 8

Upper Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Upper Falls, Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
(Click to view)

Yellowstone to Grand Tetons


We got up eagerly this morning with the anticipation of a bathing in the hot spring fed river again. We actually got out of the motel before nine, that's how motivated we were! We got to the bathing spot at 9 o'clock. We stayed about an hour, soaking in the churning water. We realized this is the Ur-jacuzzi, the effect they are all trying to simulate, but will never quite equal: on one side you have a mini-waterfall of scalding hot water, on the other you have a stream of cold mountain water. They mix together all bubbling and burbling, and you can move around to find the perfect spot temperature-wise. And then when you need to cool down or warm up, you just move a little toward the appropriate side.

The hot spring bath was worth the price of admission. I'm very glad now we took the north route in through Montana -- it's not as crowded, it has hot spring bathing, and we also managed to miss a lot of the bad weather.

So, after leaving the stream -- reluctantly -- we headed off for another full day site-seeing around the park. Today we went to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Lots of spectacular waterfalls and grand vistas. We didn't even stop for bison today.

The sun was out in force today. Combined with the hour long hot bath today, including some swimming against the stream, and hiking along to canyon views, we both were quite tired by the end of today. I especially got kind of cranky from too much sun and having to drive into the bright, setting thing. ("I'm a poor lonesome cowboy, and a long long way from home!") We also hit some of the famed Yellowstone traffic on our way out (I guess when you have somewhere to go rather than just ambling along the park you notice the traffic), and on top of it all it was very windy. We stopped on the shores of the Yellowstone lake (Pumice Point) to take a break from driving, and it was like a storm.

It was also windy along the canyon. At one point, since I had left the tripod in the car, I decided to use a fancy mode of the camera to take a combined double picture, first the left half then the right half, so we could have a picture of us together (no, it wouldn't be simpler to just have someone take it for us -- and that's not the point!). But I couldn't for the life of me match up the angle from the first shot Fernanda took of me, and meanwhile ever more tourists are showing up, blocking the shot. I never did get the shot, I had to leave in failure, after hanging out on that outlook for what must have been close to half an hour in the end. Fernanda was ready to divorce me, I'm sure.

When we finally had enough of the canyon, around 4 or so, we headed out of the park down toward the south entrance, to hit Grand Teton National Park next. But the park is huge, and so it took the better part of the rest of the afternoon just to get to the exit. Then on to Teton, where we got a little confused about what were cities, what was in the park, what wasn't (Jackson Lodge vs. Jackson Hole), so it turns out with the time we had left, we were still in the park, and the only hopes of lodging were lodges in the park, only it happens today is Saturday (is it really? how interesting...), and everything is all full up. So camping it is. Only it's supposed to get down to near freezing tonight (you could fool me, I soaked up enough sun today to radiate for years it feels like), plus they like to scare you with tales of bear ripping up your tent, or at least urinating on it. (Fernanda had a dream just before we got to Yellowstone about a bear clawing our tent and having to fight it off with a pocket knife, so she's really sensitive about the bear warnings.) Largely because of the temperature issue and us only having one sub-zero sleeping bag (we packed for a vacation in August), we opted instead to go for these tent cabins. They are partial tents with one side of walls, and a wood-burning stove. They also cost more than some hotel rooms we've had, and showers are $3.50 each on top of that. That's what you get. Pay closer attention to the days of the week, and magically be different places accordingly.

I must say I put on quite a little snit at first with these tent-cabins. I'm not too thrilled about poor sleeping conditions, plus I had a headache and was hot and bothered from all the sun and wind today. But I've calmed down some now, accepted this is the third night in a row I won't have internet access, and am resigned to get the night over with and move on. 

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View Calendar

Previous Entries

:-(
06/19/21


Açores
08/29/18


Our New Bathroom Saga
11/17/16


Europe 2015
03/16/15


The Berkshires
10/18/14


Road Trip South
03/23/13


Greece!
07/26/12


Our Trip to Ireland
08/09/09


Google Map of our Trip
09/17/07


Road Trip: The End
09/15/07


Road Trip, Day 27
09/13/07


Road Trip, Day 26
09/12/07


Road Trip, Day 25
09/11/07


Road Trip, Day 24
09/10/07


Road Trip, Day 23
09/09/07


Road Trip, Day 22
09/08/07


Road Trip, Day 21
09/07/07


Road Trip, Day 20
09/06/07


Road Trip, Day 19
09/05/07


Road Trip, Day 18
09/04/07


Road Trip, Day 17
09/03/07


Road Trip, Day 16
09/02/07


Road Trip, Day 15
09/01/07


Road Trip, Day 14
08/31/07


Road Trip, Day 13
08/30/07


Road Trip, Day 12
08/29/07


Road Trip, Day 11
08/28/07


Road Trip, Day 10
08/27/07


Road Trip, Day 9
08/26/07


Road Trip, Day 7
08/24/07


[...]
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