Grand Tetons, Jackson Hole, Driggs, ID, Ennis Mt

Left Yellowstone with a bride that was ill. Will likely head for home when Betty is better.

Yellowstone

Betty and I had a nice drive up the great plains to Yellowstone. We camped at Bridge Bay in a tent site after signing the mandatory Grizzly bear area warning. Our camp site was at 7800 feet, which meant hard breathing and cold nights! Betty limited her picture taking as the camera can not do justice to the scenery. This shot was the Yellowstone River just off Yellowstone Lake at the 5:30 am start of a tour to teach us outdoors photography.

Our tour was delayed a bit and we skipped most of the wild flower shots because we came across this Grizzly and watched her for more than an hour. We followed her slowly in our 1938 tour bus and watched her eat grasses, dig up roots and meander along. As we watched, 100 yards down the side of the road in the direction she was traveling, came a doe with two fawns. they were distracted by us and got pretty close before they spotted each other. After a short chase, the bear gave up as the doe and fawns high tailed it.

A mangy coyote in the road.

This is my favorite shot of Old Faithful, sitting on the second story patio of the Old Faithful Lodge, sipping a Moose Drool Pale Ale!

We spent several hours getting stone and dirt removed from Betty's hand and knee and x-rays from a fall after a late night Rangers program. The fall was bad enough, but it was stopped by hitting her head and shoulder on the concrete wall of the rest room. This and the long hikes probably brought on the Mountain (altitude) Sickness.

Another natural bridge! I actually climbed up into the waterfalls, but mosquito's attacking my camera person made her miss it.

Lot's of waterfalls.

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This guy came within about three feet of us on our motorcycle, Betty was not thrilled!

She was also more than a little excited with the 1200 foot drop from our motorcycle with rocks as the guard rail.

Wet North Dakota and The Montana High Plains and Great Falls

Our Plans changed slightly in North Dakota Due to the flooding and wet ground. We drifted south to Jamestown, ND then headed on back roads to Grand Falls Montana. The picture below is Betty standing on the biggest Buffalo jump, where Indians drove buffalo before the days of horses. This ledge dropped off several hundred feet and was over a mile long.

Below is Betty standing near the Great Falls that slowed down Lewis and Clark in their exploration.

This was our fancy campground in Great Falls. We have just finished six days in a tent.

The road to Great Falls

This is the Missouri River

Still Wandering

Spent a couple of days in Hobart Indiana mooching from my brother in-law Al and his wife Janice.Visited with our nieces Jenni (who was so excited to see me she broke her ankle in a couple of places!) Michelle and their daughters Katie and Megan. We then headed to Minneapolis for a visit with our neice Lisa. A nice dinner, a death march down town in the incredible heat and humidity, then a tour of the Walker exhibit. Betty and I hopped on the Harley and rode 40 or 50 miles to find the dealer closed for the weekend.

Monday am we headed north through the kazillion lakes up to US route 2 and on to devils Lake. Big suprise, the flooding is still going on causing a detour south on 25 miles of mud where there was a highway to Jamestown, ND aka Buffalo city. This am we broke out the bike for some touring, then loaded up and headed for Bismarck to set up our tent, We toured the river Missiouri River area and found more flooding. On to Miles City Mt tomorrow.

Wandering west

Betty and I have putted along on back roads from Hampstead, NC to Boone NC for a short visit and to spend the night. Next day we continued on US 421 retracing my trip with my buddies to Shady Valley and the infamous "Snake". The snake is one of my favorite ride I have made, even in my truck! We continued on secondary roads through Tennessee and Kentucky with a stop and a hike up to the Natural bridge. We spent a night in Frankfort, Kentucky, then on to mooch off our great brother and sister in laws Jan and Al in Hobart Indiana. We broke out the bike for a nice afternoon ride and visited with our nieces Jeni, Michelle, Megan and Kati.

Heading out on US 30 W we tried to bypass the horrible traffic and construction around Chicago with only partial success. We had a nice dinner in Minneapolis with our niece Lisa who has just opened her own Law firm. Today we will hike in the am then ride the bike this afternoon.

Heading Back to Montana and Wyoming

Last years trip though Montana and Wyoming did not allow time to explore. Loaded up and headed back in the morning.

On the road again!

Heading for the Caribbean probably Wednesday the 26th of December.

New Blog has been set up at caribbeancruzin.blogspot.com

Lots of time at sea between posts and internet access!