What Happens in Vegas -- Goes on the Blog!

As normal, we always try to get a short vacation in just before the holidays. This year we had hoped to go somewhere close but with nice weather so we could take the Wing. Las Vegas was the destination winner. As everyone knows, Las Vegas is a Gambler's dream trip, so why are we going? Well, Vegas has alot more to offer than slot machines and dinner shows.

Just before we left, snow set in and even worse, Keith got orders to report to Wyoming for work for three days. Not to be discouraged, we loaded up the truck, left our beautiful Wing at home and headed out. Our first stop was in Cedar City. The weather was not cooperating at all and we battled snow, wind and cold most of the way. At least when we arrived in Cedar City, we were able to enjoy some great Mexican food and margaritas at our favorite restaurant, Lefty's Hideout. Next morning, more snow, more cold, more wind, but at least it improved the closer we got to Vegas.

So now is where we will fast forward through the part about shopping for food, moving into the condo, driving through the world's worst construction to get Keith to the airport, me spending 3 lonely days in Vegas, driving again through construction to pick Keith up at the airport and now to the fun stuff!

The first road trip out of Vegas was to Death Valley. For a place with such a dark name, it was really quite beautiful. We enjoyed traveling through some unique mountains and hiked over slopes littered with rock from the Ice Age. Our first stop was at the Lodge and then the Visitor Center and Museum where we discovered we were 190 feet below sea level.

Sitting out by the truck, we had a close encounter with a Road Runner. We were so surprised when she came right up to us and tried to hide in our shadows (obviously, she was looking for a hand-out). Our little escort followed us around as we looked at the old equipment that was used to mine and haul Borax from the valley. We passed lots of signs warning about rattlesnakes, so we didn't get in too much hiking.

After spending a day traveling through Death Valley we headed back to Vegas for dinner and some casino cruising. Yeah! We were winners (for a day at least)!

The next day we headed up Green Canyon and then on to Hoover Dam. We were amazed at the construction that was going on and really look forward to our next visit to see the progress on the new by-pass highway.

The last day we spent down on the Strip and walked in and out and up and down all the streets, enjoying the sidewalk entertainers, some great food spots, shows and exhibits and of course the "people watching" was pretty good too.

The week just flew by, but it was good to get away. Now it's time to get back home and start planning for Thanksgiving Dinner!

Until next time - Happy Travels!

Too Much Open Road - Not Enough Daylight

For a mid-October day, it was especially warm, sunny, windless and cloudless. The choices were to (a) stay home and do yardwork or (b) go cruising. Since yardwork will wait for us, no matter what other plans you have, we decided to go for a ride.

We left Price and headed south on Highway 6 towards Green River. When we stopped for a stretch at Cresant Junction, we flipped a coin; Heads, Grand Junction or Tails Moab. Tails it was, so we hopped back on the bike and started for Moab. Besides, it can't be a complete day, without lunch (breakfast) at the Moab Diner. While enjoying our "brunch" we had the opportunity to add to our "Life Lessons".
Life Lesson Learned while in Moab - If an adult male chooses to grow a beard, he should not braid it into three spikes and adorn it with beads and dangling jewels! Bejeweled braids belong on a little girls head - not on a man's chin!

So after leaving Moab, we continued South to the LaSal Junction then East towards Old LaSal, Naturita, and Paradox. At the Junction we headed north on Hiway 141 towards Gateway. This is another one of those areas that we have never traveled through. Every corner offered up new specatular sites. Steep red cliffs, a deep river gorge, "muffin top" rock hills and billiant Fall colors (not reds but bright yellows and golds everywhere you looked).

The road was narrow, curvy but in very good condition. It was especially nice because we didn't have alot of traffic (except for the occasional road hunter).

We stopped at Gateway Lodge (really nice place) to call home since no one really knew where we had gone. Since this was the only cell service we had for the last 100 miles, it was a good place to stop, call and stretch. There is a really nice Lodge (hotel), resturant, antique car museum, general store and fuel. What more do you need?

We followed the Dolores River and saw quite a few old mines in the tops of the hills. Every once in a while, you could catch a glimpse of the Dolores River flum that the miners used to float the ore downriver. The flum, built around 1890, runs for 7 miles and hangs off the sheer rock walls of the gorge. Took my breath away, just thinking of the people who built it.

We continued through the canyon ending up in Grand Junction, then back to the freeway, beating it for home.

If you have about 8 hours (starting in Price) this is definately a daytrip worth taking. Of course if you want to make it a weekend, the Gateway Lodge would be a great place to stay.

Want to go for Lunch?
(code words for "Get on the Bike and Let's Roll")

After a couple of days during the Holiday Weekend of completing all the domestic duties around the house (mowing lawns, laundry, vacuuming and putting up tomatoes) it was time to go for a ride.
We had thought of going to Heber City, but Kelly and Joe both have the sniffles, so we headed south (sorry, kids!). We left Price and took Hiway 6 towards Green River then on to Grand Junction. We stopped at the Rest Stop by Crescent Junction for a stretch and some water. Everytime we stop there, I think of Big Tex, a semi-truck driver we met almost a year ago.
It was November, and a beautiful clear (not so cold) day and we thought a ride to Moab was in order. We stopped at Crescent Junction, Keith and I both grabbed a bottle of water, and walked to the observation deck. When we returned to the bike, there was a gentleman standing by the bike.
"Hey Man, I see these beauties all the time on the road, but I never have had a chance to see one up close. What a beauty! Tell me all about the bike." Big Tex said in a deep Southern drawl.
Keith told Big Tex all the "Man Facts" about the bike (horsepower, weight, speed, etc.). Big Tex took it all in and was looking over the bike, top to bottom. Then he said "So, lady, do you like it too?"
So, I got to tell him all the other things, heated leather seats, heated grips, GPS, intercom, etc. Big Tex was all smiles by this time!
By the time, Big Tex was ready to leave he had decided he needed to get a "Wing" of his own. He also left us with some great advice.
"Help us truckers see you motorcycles. Don't drive to close behind us, because we can't see you. Don't dawdle to long at our sides, because we loose you in the blind spots. Give us plenty of turn space and we will do all we can to keep you safe on the road!" Big Tex said.
We parted company with his blessing, "God Speed, Man, ride safe and keep smiling".
God Bless you too, Big Tex, wherever your 18-wheeler carries you!
After stopping for a break, we decided to head to Grand Junction for lunch. We pulled into "Dave's Famous BBQ". What a great dinner. Slabs of ribs, baked beans, cole slaw, corn on the cob - everything on the low fat/low calorie diet menu!
After a awesome dinner, we refueled and headed for home! What a great way to end the long weekend!

Home a week and wanting to go back.......

Here's some of our favorite pictures from our week in Montana and Yellowstone! Enjoy!






Wells Fargo Office and Stage Coach on Main Street in Virginia City











Fire Hole Drive in Yellowstone












Sylvan Pass in Yellowstone












Persistence pays off when you're looking for animals












Really warm day by Cascade Falls in Yellowstone













Overlook by Mary Bay

People (Characters) We Met on our Roadtrip

Mary, the Flagger Lady
We were on our way to Tetons National Park when we had to stop for road construction just south of Yellowstone. We, of course, were the first car in the long long line waiting to get to the Tetons/Jackson Hole area. Our truck windows were down which must have been the invitation to the Construction worker to start a conversation.
"Hello and Welcome to Montana's Grand Central Station, gateway to the Tetons, Jackson Hole and the biggest road construction project in the state. Where are you headed?" Mary said.
"Tetons National Park" we said.
"Oh nice! I live in a new trailer, just up there by the bridge - not new actually - but new to me - my employer owns it - but it's really nice. Last night, though you'd a-thought there was a kegger going on - and me tryin' to sleep and all - well anyway, I started to listen - kind of spooky, but I never get scard of stuff like that - but spooky noises, kinda funny (chuckle *snort* chuckle, knee-slap)- well anyway, it was getting really noisy and I'm trying to sleep so I started to hoot like an owl and the noises would stop but just for a minute - and (this is when her radio started going off and a guy on the other end saying "How many cars you got? Hey, I said how many cars you got? Mary? Mary, how many cars...." but instead of answering, she just turns down her radio and continues with her story) and the noise just kept getting louder. So this morning, I got up really early and started opening up the cupboards and the cabinets and ya should a-seen the mess! (Radio is still going off, by the way, but Mary still isn't answering.) So, I pulled out the garbage, stuffed up the holes with SOS thingers and I guess I made it mad because it went off - the biggest dangest squirrel - and I mean the biggest dangest squirrel I ever seen!"
Oh, did I mention the guy on the other end of Mary's radio is STILL asking about the number of cars? So the pilot car finally shows up and is leading over 60 cars, bikes and semis. Mary lets out a huge sigh and says "Well, you have fun in the Tetons, really pretty they are, but don't take the bridge road, it takes too long - be careful - you'll be on your way in a few".
Off Mary goes to the pilot car driver and by the amount of time it took him to pull away and turn around, I'm sure he heard all about the "biggest, dangest squirrel" too!
God love ya Mary, but pity the poor car that's first in your line!

Biker Dude
While taking a rest break by Cascade Falls, a Harley rolls to a stop next to us. The guy gets off, takes off his jacket, lights up a cigarette and starts up a conversation about the park, the roads (he had had enough of the construction as well), the weather and almost everything else he could think of. He told us he had left Southern California, followed "The 1" up the coast, cut across Oregon then through Glacier and down to Yellowstone. His route will take him through Wyoming, Utah, Colorado with his final destination somewhere in Alabama. After visiting with some friends, he will return to his home in Southern California, racking up almost 6000 miles in the process. He's averaging 600 miles a day, so far! We started feeling "NumBum" just talking to him. Travel Safe, Man!!

The Old Man by Tower
We were on the bike, traveling from the North Gate of Yellowstone and heading towards Tower when we stopped for gas (and to watch the Buffalo). Keith had just pulled the gas cap off when an older Greek gentleman came right up to Keith and started asking questions about the bike. "How many cylinders? How fast? Do you l-o-v-e it?" asked the old man.
Keith answered all his questions with a nod and a smile. The old man's smile grew as he ran his hand along the windshield, over the handlebars and along the leather seats. All he could say is "Bee-ooooda-fel, bee-oooooda-fel".
As Keith is finishing up with the refueling, I noticed the old man had brought his family over to stand by the bike as he told them what he knew about it. None of their smiles could compare to our Old Friend's beaming face! Beautiful!

Father Todd
On our bike trip through Ennis, we took a detour to Virginia City. Fun little town, full of history and some fabulous old store fronts to look through. You could hear the fiddle player in front of the saloon as you walked up and down the streets. We walked to the end of Main Street and saw the old Episcopal Church a block off Main. We took some pictures and then went inside. We weren't in the church for more than 2 minutes, when Father Todd came out to introduce himself and tell us about the church, the history of the building, the furnishings, the beautiful stained glass windows and pipe organ. He showed us the back of the organ and the 100 year old carpet that is still in the back vestibule. Father Todd proudly told us that he was in charge of the largest congregation in Virginia City - 10 faithful followers, which accounts for 10% of the towns population, the largest congregation in town! Father Todd then told us about the history of Virginia City and with a little prodding he told us the more colorful history of the town, Sheriff Plummer and his Road Agents. He told us about one of the Agents, George "Club Foot" Lang and how the later historians identified his and the other unmarked graves on Boot Hill. As proof, they took the Club Foot from the grave and now have it displayed in the museum, along with other "bizarre and grizzly items from the area".

Life Lessons We Learned While on a Roadtrip

Life Lesson #1: Adult Males who enjoy riding Big Bad Screaming Hogs, should not, under any circumstance, no matter what the outside temperature, wear Shorty-Shorts!

Life Lesson #2: Overweight women (not referring to the garden variety plumpstresses, but the 280-300 pound varieties) should never, ever try to force "The Girls" into a form fitting, fringed, black leather vest. Furthermore, said Road Warrior Fashion Divas, by polite social rules, should not be allowed to perch themselves on the back of any type of motorcycle.

Life Lesson #3: When planning your motorcycle roadtrip vacation, consider your itinerary carefuly and pack only those things that are essential (ie: clean underwear, fresh T-Shirt, extra socks, rain gear, etc). If your packing list includes, golf putter, fishing pole, sleeping bag, tent and mountain bike, it is probably not a good idea to load it all on your MOTORCYCLE! I don't think welding a bike rack to your motorcycle frame is included in the warranty.

Life Lesson #4: Lane Splitting IS legal in some states and applies to motorcycles ONLY! This law does not apply to big Dodge Ram Diesel pickups, pulling a 30 foot travel trailer, 2 4x4 ATVs and 3 canoes! Come on folks, the word "vacation" does not translate into "hitch up, throw a rope around and tie down every BIG BOY TOY you have acquired in the last 20 years of your life". If you can't leave home without it - stay home!

Life Lesson #5: Just because a person can afford the biggest, baddest, hottest motorcycle on the market, does not mean that person should RIDE the biggest, baddest, hottest motorcycle money can buy. If a person has to throw a few extra dollars to color match and chrome out TRAINING WHEELS for his Cruiser, he/she obviously does not have the mental or physical fortitude to drive/ride a Cruiser. Make the world a safer place and buy a Volkswagen!



Life Lesson #6: Bears, Wolves, Elk and Buffalo are NOT the most dangerous animals in Yellowstone. The most dangerous animals in the park are HUMANS! For some reason, there is a select group of people who insist on bathing in STUPID JUICE and cause everyone else trouble.


For instance:
a. When you are standing on the sidewalk and the sign in front of you says "DANGER- Thermal activity beyond this point-closed to all foot traffic" you should not step over the sign and meander out into the Thermal Area for your Bio-Break!
b. If you plan on visiting Yellowstone and want to take "National Geographic" quality wildlife pictures, invest in a camera that costs more than $19.95! If your camera is the size of a credit card with zero zoom and poor resolution, it doesn't give you free access to push your way through the line of spectators to get "up close and personal" with the wild animals. These people should stay home and spend their vacation dollars on a nice, well illustrated wildlife book.
c. If a person HAS invested in a nice camera in order to get great wildlife pictures, DO NOT hand said camera to the 4 year old kid, expecting the child to get "up close and personal" with the wild animals. In this situation, it is OK to remove the child from the situation and thump Dad on the head with a rock!

Life Lesson #7: A Garmin GPS is an invaluable tool to help a driver navigate through traffic, unfamiliar areas and huge cities, but when you put in a destination, asking for the quickest route, and a large mountain is looming up between you and home....one should consider if the recommended route (quickest, shortest and most scenic) is the SANEST route to take. In other words, 47 miles of dirt road is not as QUICK as 80 miles of pavement!

Life Lesson #8: While on vacation, even a rainy day is a great day! If it weren't for the rain, you would never have rainbows.

Day 8 - Last Day in Montana (and we have mud pots!)

After a good dinner and a good night's sleep, we were both ready to get on the road again. We left around 10:00 and went straight to West Yellowstone then back into the park. Our first stop was in the Geyser Basin at the Fountain Mud Pots. These Mud Pots aren't much to look at but they sure put on a good sound show. With the extra rain during the week, most of the Mud Pots were quite "noisy" and sputtered and spouted mud everywhere. Don't ask me why I like these , but I sure do!

After viewing a few mud pots and geysers, we turned toward Fishing Bridge, past Mary Bay and towards the East Gate of Yellowstone. There was very little traffic in this direction. We were surrounded by Buffalo as we passed the bridge. They were walking up the road, laying on the side and running through the trees and if one decided to cross the road, the whole herd would follow. We saw lots of calves with this herd.
We stopped for a rest at Sylvan Pass because Keith was convinced there were Big Horn Sheep on the mountain. We didn't see them at the first stop, but a mile down the road when we stopped again, there they were. Seven ewes at the top of the mountain, out in the sun and walking toward the summit. We had to use the spotting scope to watch them. It was great to see them!
We made our way back to the Fishing Bridge and stopped for an early dinner. We then headed back to Tower, hoping to see some more wildlife in the late afternoon. We got as far as Hayden Valley when we stopped to ask what everyone was looking at and we heard "wolves". We pulled the truck in and didn't have to go any further. We spent the next several hours watching and waiting for the 5 wolves to show themselves. We found out later, that these wolves are considered a group rather than a pack, because they have not yet made a den or raised pups. They relocated themselves in the Hayden Valley after being pushed out by a larger pack of wolves in Mammoth. After climbing to the top of a hill and setting up the spotting scope, we were rewarded with a great view.
After sunset, we headed back to Big Sky and to pack up for home. We had the best time in Montana. So much to see and so much to do!!

Critter Count: Big Horn Sheep, Buffalo, Elk, Wolves

(This picture was taken 10-2008, of the same pack near Mammoth and given to us by a friend. Thanks, Kim!)

Day 7 - Montana Roadtrip

The sun is out, but we both are suffering from "vacation hangover". I guess that means we're having a great time! After a slow start to the day, we hopped in the truck and set out to find Wade and Cliff Lakes.
After traveling past Hebgen Lake and Quake Lake, we turned onto a dirt road marked "Antelope Basin". Well, if nothing else, it sounded promising. We did see lots of Antelope but Keith decided we were heading the wrong direction if we were to find Wade Lake, so back to the highway. We headed back to Ennis and with the help of the GPS (see I told you I love to travel with this thing), we found some smaller unmarked lakes.
We followed the dirt road, crossed "Three Dollar Bridge" and finally found Wade Lake. After looking around for awhile, we went back to find Cliff Lake, then back to the highway, heading back to Ennis.
We stopped in Ennis for lunch at "The Sportsman Lodge". Our waitress had grown up in Ennis, so she could answer all our questions. After lunch, we headed back over Ennis Pass to Belgrade then down Highway 191, along the Gallitan River to Big Sky. It was a slow, lazy day. We enjoyed watching the canyon and the river and the hospitality of Ennis.

Critter Count: Antelope, Buzzard, White Tail Deer

Day 6 - Montana Roadtrip

With nothing but sunshine in the forecast, Keith unloaded the bike and we headed north along the Gallitan River to Bozeman then on to Gardiner and the North Gate of Yellowstone. We stopped at Mammoth Lodge for lunch (can we all say $10 hamburger? Fries, drink, napkins extra!) and then off towards Tower, Canyon and West Yellowstone.
It was a great ride, not too much traffic and lots of animals out and about. We pulled over for a break around Cascade Falls and a Harley pulled in behind us. The driver got off the bike, lit up his cigarette and struck up a conversation. "Did you see that buffalo on the road? He tried to get me and when I revved up the engine, it just made him mad!" Yup, we saw him too, and that's why you use a Dodge Ram pickup as a shield.

The tourist traffic in the park was quite a bit less today, so it made it nice when we wanted to pull over and look at the river or the mountains - you didn't have 100 people asking "What are you looking at?". Everything just seemed to move at a slower pace and it was enjoyable to hear the sounds and breathe in the smells of the park.
We were heading towards the West Gate and found the large herd of Elk by the river again. The same cow and twin calves were attempting to swim across the river and #2 was still as awkward as before. This time though, we saw some young bulls resting under the trees.
We pulled in to watch the Elk and the "Crazy Tourists". "Stay on the bike, this could get ugly" is the last thing Keith said as he got off the bike to grab his camera. Keith with the camera, me with the binoculars, watching the spike Elk, 6 cows, 4 calves and more fools than you could shake a "Stupid Stick" at. One lady had to push her luck with trying to get too close and had the young bull jump up and turn towards her. Time to leave before we had to pick up the pieces!
We stopped in West Yellowstone, picked up some groceries and headed towards home. What a great ride!

Critter Count: Elk, Buffalo, Geese, Ducks

Day 5 - Montana Roadtrip

Another beautiful day in Big Sky. It took awhile to decide which way or what mode of transportation we would be using (bike or truck). After a few "what if's" we chose the truck and back to Yellowstone then South to the Grand Tetons.
We enjoyed our quick trip through Yellowstone and out the South Gate and then we hit the dreaded road construction, known in Montana as "pavement preservation". I figure if you travel 30 miles on a mud slick, pot holed, rocky patch of mountain pass, it cannot be considered "pavement". Afterall, don't you first need to HAVE pavement in order to PRESERVE pavement? Anyway, in this version of "mud bogging" we got to meet "Mary, the Flagger" and her co-worker "Mr. Giggles" who looked like a member of ZZ Top rather than a construction worker. He also thought it was hilarious when a Mercedes or Audi had to go slip-sliding past his section of road work. He did tell us, however, that the cheapest gas was in Colter Bay - a whole .32 cheaper than everywhere else (that made it $2.64 for regular)!
When we finally broke through to actual paved highway, we were excited to see a moose feeding in the river! People were pulling off the side of the road, pulling out binoculars and spotting scopes to watch her. By the way she was acting, we all assumed she had a calf near by. So exciting to see her!

We arrived at Moose, Wyoming and turned into the Tetons National Park entrance. We wanted to pick up a map so we took a break and went into the new Visitor's Center. A ranger told us about a dirt road we could take, virtually no traffic, and a great opportunity to view some wildlife. Hey, that's why we brought the truck! He highlighted the road, told us where the 5 wolf packs were known to be and off we went!
The dirt road was in great shape and it followed close to the Snake River. We watched antelope in the meadows and lots of geese and ducks along the river. We stopped in one area and while Keith was scoping the trees, we heard howling (Keith says coyote, I say wolf). It was pretty eerie but exciting to hear!
We continued along the dirt road and eventually joined back into the main highway through the Tetons National Park. Traveled along past Jackson Lake then back into "Pavement Preservation Hell"!
As we waited for the third of six stops, we checked the GPS to see if there was a detour around this madness. Well, lookie here- a route that cuts along the south border of Yellowstone! This is probably a good place to say "GPS units LIE"!! Yes, we saw some fantastic mountain country. Yes, we passed some great streams and lakes (Tillery Lake was beautiful). Yes, it was fewer miles, but it added about 2 hours to our return trip to Big Sky! We got home about 11:30 p.m., tired, hungry but certainly happy with all we got to see and do during the day!

Critter Count: Moose, Elk with calves, Geese, Ducks, Osprey, Pelican, Antelope

Day 4 - Montana Roadtrip (and still no mudpots)

(Music in the background) "What a day for a bike ride....." Wow, when you see the turquoise blue sky and the spectacular mountain peaks around Big Sky, there is no way you can stay inside. Wahoo!!! Last night, Keith had the maps out and decided it was time to hit the open road and see the area around Ennis.

After a hearty breakfast, we left the

condo around 10:00 a.m and made our way North on Highway 191 to 84, then South to Ennis. We then turned towards Virginia City where we walked the streets of the old historic town. Keith remembers visiting this town as a kid and going to a melodrama in the Town Theatre, hearing all about Sheriff Plummer and his Road Agents and having fun poking around the old shops.
We took a private tour of the old Episcopal Church with Father Todd. Afterwards, we took the bike and went up the dirt road to Boot Hill, where the Road Agents were buried and looked out over the valley and surrounding mountains. We could hear the Narrow Gauge train rolling into town.

After we left Virginia City, we rode back to Ennis and pulled over at the City Park for lunch by the Madison River. We watched 3 little boys wade out into a fishing pond and catch "Craw-thingies" and listen to their moms fret over muddy feet, dirty socks and soggy shoes.
From Ennis we traveled through the Madison River Valley and found the Fishing Lodge that Keith and his family visited while fishing the Madison River and Wade Lake and canoeing on Quake Lake. The fishing lodge is now a private club for Fly fishermen, but the old cabins are still there.

On our way we passed great places like "Greek Creek", "Storm Castle Mountain", and "Gooch Hill". We were interested in eating places like "The Gourmet Gas Station", "Buffalo Bump Pizza" and the "Half Moon Saloon". And who could pass by "Blazing-Paddles" for a river trip?
After passing Hebgen Lake, we turned back towards West Yellowstone for fuel and since it was early we went back into Yellowstone. We saw a bald eagle fishing the Yellowstone River and cow Elk with their calves all along the river. Had to laugh when a cow Elk took her twin calves for a swim - the first calf did just as mom had done, but the second calf was all legs and splashing water.

We took Firehole Road and drove past Firehole Falls then on to Firehole Lake Drive and watched the geysers erupt. We talked to a retired gentleman who now works for the park as a "Geyser Watcher" and logs statistics about the various geysers throughout the park. Gee, maybe when Keith retires, he can be "Geyser Geezer" too!

What an absolutely perfect day!!

Critter Count: Short Eared Owl, Hawks, Antelope, Bald Eagle, Elk and a suicidal mouse that Keith was able to maneuver around to miss!

Day 3 - Montana Roadtrip

It rained all night, so this morning was on the chilly side and heavy clouds hung on the mountains. The sun popped out about 10:00 a.m. and so did we!
Today, we headed back into West Yellowstone and into Yellowstone National Park. We were just a few miles into the park when the "Buffalo Ahead" sign started blinking, cars jamming on the breaks and crazy tourists were jumping out of their cars to take pictures of the Buffalo!
It has been 5 years since our last visit and it did feel good coming back to this unbelievable, ever changing park. We stopped in all the wide spots so Keith could scope out the mountains and the valleys for animals. We tried to stop at the Old Faithful Lodge and geyser but there were so many people there, we couldn't find a parking spot, so off we went. A park ranger said it has been their busiest season in the history of the park - 973,000 visitors in July - and I think they were still all at Old Faithful!
We were driving toward Hayden Valley and traffic was at a stop. There had to be at least 150 cars lined up trying to get through a section of the valley with 200 buffalo lounging in the road, on the hillsides and on the river bank. Park Rangers were at each end of the "Buffalo Blockade" trying to move buffalo and herd people out of the road. With a wide spot in view, Keith pulled the truck in and we pulled out the cooler and had lunch, watching the whole "rodeo" unfold. An hour later, the buffalo got bored and moved off, the people got back in their cars and we wrapped up lunch!

Critter Count: Coyote, Deer, Geese, Buffalo, Great Blue Heron, Sand Hill Cranes, Elk

Day 2 - Montana Roadtrip

After breakfast and a thorough check of the truck and trailer, we "tried" to leave Idaho Falls. When I say "tried" it was because we asked the GPS (which I love traveling with) to find us the closest gas station. After a 20 minute detour through industrial warehouses and a residential neighborhood, the GPS announces "destination on the right". It was actually a baseball field and no gas station in sight! Well, that was fun (but we did see some great old homes and beautiful flower gardens)! So we backtracked to the freeway, found another exit with a "fuel" sign and rolled in using whatever fumes were left in the tank.
We traveled through Targhee National Forest on our way north. Beautiful forests and incredible mountains all along the way. The picture of the deer at the top are some of the many we saw. Make note that they're hiding behind a "no hunting" sign!
We continued through the Gallatin National Forest, Ashton, and West Yellowstone. We followed the Gallatin River to Big Sky, Montana. The river valley offered incredible views at every turn! Steep mountains, sheer cliffs, thick pine forests and one of the most beautiful rivers we have ever seen. The Gallitan River is known for world class fly fishing opportunities. Now I know why we have a fishing pole and tackle box in the "Vice Trailer"!
We arrived in Big Sky under some cloud cover, but it was still an opportunity to off-load the bike and head out for a ride.

Critter Count: Ducks, Hawks, Osprey, Pelican, Swans, Deer

Finally - a Vacation!!

Well, the day has finally arrived for our get-away roadtrip to Montana. August 22nd (one day after our 33rd Wedding Anniversary) we loaded up the truck, the bike trailer (from here on it will be known as the Vice Trailer), cameras, scopes, binoculars, golf clubs, fishing pole, and a few clothes, to head North!
We left Price at 10:00 am, just as planned but with all the construction and a huge traffic jam on I-15, we arrived in Idaho Falls at 4:30 pm. We checked into the hotel and walked to O'Bradys Diner for dinner. Fun little place and THE best steaks and Idaho Baked Potatoes we've had in a long time.
After dinner, Keith checked the "Vice Trailer", secured it for the night and we called it a day.

Today we decided to head out of the heat and go north. We started up Indian Canyon and really enjoyed the cooler temperatures as we climbed through the canyon. The trees and grasses were so green from all the rain we've had. We enjoyed passing patches of wild flowers blooming on the sunnier side of the road.

We rolled through Duchesne, Roosevelt and Vernal then headed towards Flaming Gorge. This is the second run through the Basin we've made this year, but the first time was spent shooting in and out of rain storms (and yes, we left the camera at home). Today the skies were clear and no rain in the forecast!

We pulled over at the top of the mountain and decided to go on to Manila rather than to the Flaming Gorge Dam. It was the right decision because we saw some really amazing mountains and valleys. We had to stop to take some pictures of "Red Valley and the reservoir. It was quite the view!

We cruised through Manila and then turned for home. We stopped again at the top of the mountain and spent some time looking down in the valley where the historic Swett Ranch was located. We enjoyed seeing ducks, geese, hawks and deer all along the way. Of course, having to stop in the middle of the road to allow cattle and deer to cross in front of us was not exactly "enjoyable".

We stopped in Vernal for an early dinner at Stockman's then headed home! We drove alot of miles through some pretty amazing country today. The GoldWing's odometer shows 8,200 miles, so the bike has to go to the shop for a service check-up!

When the day starts with a clear sky, warm sun and no wind, it must be a great day to go for a ride. We left Price and headed south through Emery and to the I-70 Junction then on to Loa, Hanksville and Capitol Reef. This is the second ride we have made to Capitol Reef in two weeks. The first run was made under some cloud cover and we ended up chasing a storm (or was the storm chasing us?) all the way. We had to stop in Loa and pull on our rain gear then we fought the wind, rain and even hail the rest of the way home. We had also forgotten to bring our binoculars and the camera! So it just makes sense, then, to call "overs" and make the trip a second time!

During our first drive through Capitol Reef, Keith and I both realized that we had never been there before. Kinda crazy that we have spent so much time in Southeastern Utah, but never enjoyed the scenery around Hanksville and Torrey. The red rock formations are quite different from those around Moab and with all the rain, the hills were green and lush. Spectacular views all around! We followed part of the Fremont River and saw deer, hawks, geese and ducks. The road was a little less crooked than this tree but in good condition (except for the every present Tar Snakes).

We took a break by the entrance to Capitol Reef and watched Fence Lizards poke in and out of the scrub brush. I walked down the path with some tourists from Canada when a giant 4 foot orange headed lizard monster (OK, so it was as big as my forearm and only 14 inches long) wandered out on the path. I'm not a really big fan of the whole "Jurassic Park" thing, so, when this Big Boy stood on the path, I proceeded to climb over the Canadian tourist. Apparently, he didn't like lizards either because he started yelling "Gila Monster, Eh!!!" and ran for his car! Of course, Keith isn't convinced of the existence of the giant because, believe it or not, we couldn't locate the lizard again, no matter how many sticks we used to beat the bushes! We did, however find the miniature versions of the lizard, so at least my story was plausible.

We stopped at Ray's in Green River for a stretch and dinner. We were pleased to see our friends, Jim and Starla walk in. They told us about the great time they had in Panguich while watching the Hot Air Balloons. Yes, we have added the event to our "To Do" list for next year! Got to plan ahead, you know?!?

Another great day cruising the back roads. We rolled into Price a little later than we had planned, but all in all, the day was most enjoyable and the scenery most memorable! This is certainly a ride we will want to do again!

Well, it may be Father's Day, but what better way to celebrate than getting the GoldWing gassed up and ready to roll! We headed to Scofield, then up over the mountain towards Fairview. The temperatures just kept dropping as we climbed through the canyon so at the summit, it was time to pull over and add a layer of warmth.

We continued on to Mount Pleasant then off the main highway to head west to start the Nebo Loop, heading back towards Payson. The road was in very good condition, with lots of things to see around every corner. We stopped at the summit and enjoyed scoping Mt. Nebo, still covered in snow. There were quite a few waterfalls cascading down the steep cliffs of the mountain. Keith is positive he saw a Mountain Goat but we couldn't see well enough through the small binoculars we carry on the bike to be sure. Let us just say that "it" was a very different shade of white than the surrounding ice and snow on that particular slope.

This route will definitely be on our "Do Again" list when the Autumn colors start. It is a very enjoyable ride, whether on a motorcycle or in a car! Good times by Mt. Nebo!!