Yellowstone

We moved from Grand Tetons to Fishing Bridge RV Park on Wednesday. Fishing Bridge has full hookups and absolutely no ambiance. It is also a very convenient location for touring Yellowstone.

Two PM found us settled in and ready to tour so we loaded up a picnic lunch and headed south along the western shore of Lake Yellowstone. Of course as soon as we got going it started raining. Thankfully we drove past the rain and found a nice picnic table overlooking the lake for our picnic lunch. After lunch we continued to Old Faithful Lodge for an ice cream cone and a look at Old Faithful Geyser.

Old Faithful Geyser

After viewing Old Faithful we continued our tour up the west side stopping to view a few other geysers.

Hot Spring

Thursday morning we were up at 6:00 AM to get ready for our visit to Lamar Valley. The rain the during the night created a veil of fog over the early morning. We drove carefully and captured images of what we saw.

Early Morning Bison

Bison in the Mist

Yellowstone River in the Mist

Morning Cabin

We continued our adventure over Dunraven Pass and down to Roosevelt Junction. There was a 30 minute delay for construction on the way down but then we continued to Lamar Vally with a stop for breakfast at the Yellowstone River.

Breakfast at Yellowstone

Then we continued on up Lamar Valley.

Lamar Valley

Bison Herd

Mary at Slough Creek

Slough Creek

Butterfly at Slough Creek

I got one shot of a Pronghorn near Roosevelt Junction.

Pronghorn

From Lamar Valley we headed for Mammoth Hot Springs and south toward Norris Geyser Basin. We stopped for lunch at Sheepeater Cliff where I got some good shots of the Scrub Jays.

Scrub Jay Lunch

Scrub Jay in a Tree

We made a stop at Yellowstone Falls to capture a few shots of the Lower Falls.

Yellowstone Falls

Then it was back to Fishing Bridge RV Park and dinner. On Friday morning we were off again at dawn. More mist on the river gave us some more good images.

Yellowstone River in the Morning

Our destination was Madison River where there are often Elk in the morning. We were not disappointed.

Bull Elk Laying Down

Bull Elk Bugling

Cow Elk Feeding

We also spotted an Osprey nest with two occupants.

Osprey Nest

While we were watching the Elk and Osprey a group of people in Ford Model Ts showed up.

Model Ts on Tour

Model T

We stopped at our favorite picnic spot on the Gibbon River for lunch.

Gibbon River

Back in Hayden Valley we spotted some Trumpeter Swans swimming in the Yellowstone River.

Trumpeter Swan

Back at Fishing Bridge we had a lovely dinner of barbecued shicken thighs. While I was cooking the Scrub Jays came around for their meal.

Scrub jay on My Shoe

On Saturday morning we packed up the Winnebago and headed west toward California.

Grand Tetons

After one night in Thermopolis we continued on to the Grand Tetons arriving at the Colter Bay Campground in early afternoon. We decided to dry camp for a couple of days at a whopping $10.50 a day (Golden Age rate). We did a short tour of the area but with storm clouds forming the light was not great for photography.

The story was different on Tuesday morning when we arrived at the oxbow lake near Moran junction. This is the iconic view of Mt Moran and the Grand Tetons. We were there at four different times on two days and got four different images.

Mt Moran Tuesday AM at 7:30 AM

Mt Moran Tuesday AM at 10:00 AM

Mt Moran Wednesday AM at 7:00 AM

Mt Moran Wednesday AM at 11:00 AM

After photographing Mt Moran on Tuesday we drove down to the Gros Ventre road to see if we could find any moose. No moose but we did see a nice herd of Bison.

Bison Herd

We continued on to Mormon Row and got some great shots of the barns with the Grand Tetons in the background. We went there again on Wednesday morning and the area was covered in fog.

Moulton Barn

Barn

Barn

We then drove to Moose Wilson road and got a brief glimpse of a black bear.

Black Bear

Then it was time to pack up the Winnebago and head for Yellowstone.

Devils Tower

Saturday morning we said goodbye to Oahe & Pierre, then headed west on US 14 & 34 to Sturgis, SD. There we caught I90 and headed for Devils Tower National Monument. We have been there a few times before but always enjoy our visit.

But things change. The KOA right outside Devils Tower is now way too expensive for what you get. We did have a view of the tower from our campsite however. Location, location, location.

View from our Campsite

After we got settled we hopped in the CRV for a visit to the tower. A mandatory stop on the way in is to check out the Prairie Dog village.

Prairie Dog

Chubby Prairie Dog

The hike around the base of the tower is just over a mile and gives you great close up views of the tower. 

Devils Tower

Devils Tower from the Boulder Field

After our hike we drove to Joyner Ridge for another view of Devils Tower. 

Devils Tower from Joyner Ridge

Devils Tower is an intrusion of igneous rock that formed millions of years ago. The tower is sacred to the Native Americans in the area and there are prayer flags hanging from trees around the tower.

Someone donated a bench with the following really cool dedication.

Bench Dedication

Sunday morning we hit the road again with Thermopolis, Wyoming as our destination. Our route took us through the Bighorn Mountains with the highest pass at over 9.000 feet. We had some great scenery and found a place with a neat view for lunch.

Lunch View

Partying in Pierre

We made it as far as Sioux Falls, SD on Tuesday night and continued in to Pierre on Wednesday. We found a lovely campsite at the campgrounds just below the Oahe dam. This area was heavily damaged in 2011 when the Corps of Engineers had to release enormous amounts of water to prevent the dam from breaching. The campsite we used to like and a bunch of trees are missing. The area was flooded for the entire summer of 2012.

Our purpose in coming to Pierre was to visit dear friends Jim & Karen Stein from old Winnebago days. The only other reason for coming to Pierre is to go Walleye fishing.

Our party started with dinner at the Steins on Wednesday evening. On Thursday we drove up the east side of Lake Oahe and found a delightful picnic area on the shore of the lake. The picnic fare was designed to take us back to a great trip we had in France with the Steins in 2003. Before we left Minneapolis we went to Surdyks and purchased some pate de campagne, a nice ripe brie and a Livarot cheese that was out of this world.

Karen & Mary on the Rocks

Lake Oahe

Picnic on Lake Oahe

Toad

On the way back to Pierre we drove by some beautiful fields of sunflowers.

Sunflowers

On Thursday evening we had a delicious dinner at the Winnebago starting with grilled shrimp, followed by grilled pork tenderloin with grilled veggies and boiled new potatoes. The shrimp appetizer was accompanied by a Adelaida Version white wine and the dinner was blessed with a 1994 Chateau La Grange Bordeaux from my cellar.

Than we sat around the campfire, drank some more wine and enjoyed some nice chocolate.

On Friday our picnic lunch was on the Missouri River just below the Oahe dam but consisted of the same ingredients and a nice red wine of course.

Mary, Karen & Jim at Picnic

Dinner on Friday night was at the Grey Goose Saloon out in the country north of Pierre. Dinner choices were grilled walleye, prime rib and pork ribs. They did an excellent job cooking all of these. 

Back at the Winnebago after dinner we enjoyed a little more wine and chocolate.

Forest City

We bid farewell to he Minneapolis NW KOA on Sunday morning and hit the road for Forest City, Iowa. We had a first hand experience of Minnesota Dept of Transportation's inability to manage traffic flow in construction areas. The signage stunk and the traffic flow was very poorly managed.

Our first stop, after finally clearing the construction zone, was In Faribault, MN for lunch with close friend Kay Heiskari at the Faribault Country Club. The lunch was great and we had a nice visit with Kay.

Then it was on to Forest City. We arrived about 3:30 PM and settled the Winnebago in at Pamel Park right on the banks of the Winnebago River. Friends Neil and Leah Boyd came for cocktails with their son Brent and his son Michael.

Brent & Michael

Leah & Mary Relaxing

Then we went to Neil & Leah's home for a dinner of what Neil calls Camper's Stew (we call the same thing a hobo dinner) where potatoes, vegetables and meat (in this case Elk burgers) are wrapped in aluminum foil and cooked on a campfire. They went well with the Alamos Malbec I brought. Dessert was watermelon.

On Monday morning Neil and I met Ernie Utz at Clear Lake for a bicycle ride around the lake (about 14 miles). Ernie is a friend from my old Winnegago days.

Jack & Neil

Ernie & Neil

Our ride took us past the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake where Buddy Holly gave his final performance. On their way out of town their airplane crashed and all on board were killed.

Surf Ballroom

Our wives met us at PM Park for breakfast after the ride. PM Park has been owned by the Odd Fellows since 1888 and is leased to the people that run the restaurant. The breakfast was outstanding.

Back in Forest City Mary and I did a tour of old familiar places while waiting for a part for our Winnebago to be ready to pick up. We stopped at the Winnebago visitor center where the fellow working the front desk was someone we knew back in the early 1970s. He took our picture with the 1968 Winnebago Model D22 on display.

Our New Winnebago

Then we drove to the Westgate subdivision that I was in charge of building during my days as Operations Manager for the Winnebago Housing Division. We took a look at our old house which had been the model home for the subdivision. The house looks the same but the trees sure have grown.

Our Old House in Forest City

Dinner was deep fried Walleye with corn on the cob and potato salad. Another great meal. Jennifer, Michael's mom, joined us for dinner. 

Cooking Walleye

On Tuesday morning Neil, Leah, Mary and I had a farewell breakfast, cooked by Neil, in Pilot Knob State Park. In my old Forest City days I was the chairman of the Committee to Preserve and Expand Pilot Knob State Park so it was nice to see how the park has developed. The breakfast of French Toast, bacon, eggs, pineapple and coffee kept me going for the rest of the day.

Mary, Neil & Leah at Breakfast

Mary, Leah & Neil

We were packed and headed west by 11:30 AM on our way to Sioux Falls, SD for the night. Tomorrow we continue on to Pierre, SD for a visit with friends Jim & Karen Stein.