The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/23/11

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Most of the day was spent hiking up to Mount Washburn. We hiked this years ago and I guess I forgot how hard it was. I would recommend this hike to everyone though because it was awesome. We had 360 degree views when we got to the fire tower.

Along the trail we saw a buffalo. Then as we hiked the steep trail, we saw lots of people stopped way ahead. Then we realized that a coyote was heading straight towards us and away from them. I dug out the bear spray and we picked up some rocks in case it got aggressive (before we started this hike we were told to report any aggressive coyotes on the trail) but it decided to get off the trail and go a different way. Further up the trail we saw a yellow bellied marmot and an eagle. Then we came across a huge group of bighorn sheep. As we continued to hike up we found another group. There were lots of little babies and they were playing in the snow. Then on the way down, we saw a lot more sheep in two different places. I guess we saw about 40-50 sheep today and Don had to hold me back from getting any of their wool to knit! Darn!

Of course not too far from the end, I took a tumble on the loose rocks and landed on my knee, hand, and hip. Nothing major was hurt but I’m sure I will be a little sore tomorrow.

For dinner, we decided to eat in the restaurant in the Old Faithful Inn. Both of us chose the prime rib dinner buffet for $25.95 and it was delicious. First we started with the red pepper gouda soup that was so tasty. There was a Caesar salad, twice baked potatoes, wild rice, green beans almandine, and stuffed mushrooms to go with the prime rib which melted in your mouth. I’m glad we decided to do this tonight.

What I Learned Today:

· I’m not as young as I used to be and that hiking up a mountain that I did ten years ago is much different now.

· Wild animals are not as afraid of people as we think. I guess the sheep are desensitized to tourists by now because we were able to walk on the trail to get by them and they didn’t run away.

· There is still a lot of snow in the higher elevations than I expected.

· As I get older, I need to be more careful walking down the mountains on loose rock.

· The views from the top of the mountain is something that is magical.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/22/11

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Today was an absolutely beautiful day! I woke up feeling so much better and everything we did was wonderful. After breakfast in our room (oatmeal and fruit and hot chocolate), we headed towards the Mammoth Hot Springs area. I was a little disappointed in the terraces because it is not how I remembered it. The last time we were here, they were glistening terraces of white, gold, and oranges but today they were white and gray. They seemed dead and inactive. After seeing this, I wondered if someday, Old Faithful might end up in the same condition and that we need to appreciate it while it is still erupting on a predictable schedule.

Then we ended up in Gardiner, MT for lunch at the Corral Drive In. Our hamburger baskets and 2 drinks cost $24 and the burgers were huge. Later we wished we had just gotten a $5 sub from Subway which would have satisfied us just as well. On the way back, we saw the Boiling River where we wanted to swim (the glacial waters join the hot springs water in the river) but it was closed because the water was too high. So, we headed towards the Tower area and saw the Tower falls (the end of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone).

When we returned to the hotel, we sat out in the lobby and enjoyed the action all around us. For dinner, we had triscuits and cheese in our room.

Today we saw black bear, buffalo, elk, ground squirrels, and a grizzly bear!

What I Learned Today:

· Change happens whether we want it or not.

· Change can happen in our lifetime even if we don’t expect it.

· Some slow drivers are just inconsiderate and won’t pull off to the side so others can pass, even if there are signs reminding them to do so.

· Woodrow Wilson created the National Park Service in 1916.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/21/11

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It was cold again this morning but pleasant. I woke up with a sore throat and a headache so we didn’t get much hiking done today. Instead we drove to Jackson, WY (2 hour drive from Old Faithful) and did some shopping as well as getting gas. It was 50 cents cheaper there than in the park. After lunch we drove to Jenny Lake and the loop road. On the way back to Old Faithful we stopped often to take pictures. We got back around 6pm.

What I Learned Today:

· The National Elk Refuge is outside of Jackson.

· Elk shed their antlers each season.

· The Indian Arts Museum at Colter Bay was exceptional.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/20/11

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It was nice and chilly this morning (43F when I got up but I heard it got down to 38F). We got up early and went to meet a ranger for a hike this morning. When we got there we found out that the original hike was changed due to bear activity in the area (this is where the hiker was killed a few weeks ago). We had a delightful hike and saw the Upper and Lower Yellowstone Falls. I didn’t find out until later from friends that three people fell over these falls yesterday!

After the hike, we drove around and did some hiking to geysers and sightseeing spots. In the late afternoon we hiked to an observation point and both of us heard what we thought was a mountain lion growl. Needless to say, we continued on the trail quickly until we got to a safe area!

In the evening, we sat in the lobby of Old Faithful Inn and listened to the piano player. A fire was started and it was cozy way to spend the evening.

What I Learned Today:

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is 20 miles long.

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone only took thousands of years to form while the Grand Canyon took millions of years.

· The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is anywhere from 1500 – 4000 feet wide.

· It is a shame that people don’t follow rules like “stay behind the guard rails” and lose their lives by being swept over waterfalls.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/19/11

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We decided to eat breakfast in our room since the cost of food in the park is so outrageous. Using the coffee maker to boil water, we fixed our instant oatmeal (adding walnuts and fruit) and hot chocolate which filled us up. Then we headed for the Mystic Falls hike with the ranger.

We started out first thing seeing a snake! Then we hiked to the falls and then the ranger turned back but encouraged us to continue up the mountain to the overlook. It was pretty steep but well worth the view. By the time we got back to our car, it was lunch time. We drove to West Yellowstone, MT out of the west entrance to the park (14 miles from Madison) where we ate lunch, found a supermarket to refill some supplies and filled up with gas for 3.89 a gallon (it was 3.99 a gallon in the park.)

After lunch we headed up to Norris and did some hiking around the geysers and waterfalls. About 5pm it started to rain so we headed back to Old Faithful in time to get settled and then attend the ranger program on Yellowstone Art.

What I Learned Today:

· There are no poisonous snakes in Yellowstone.

· There are 900 geysers in the world and 500 of them are in Yellowstone.

· A 10 year old fell into one of the geysers and died one year.

· Big birds build their nests in the top of old snags.

· Mosquitoes are bad in Yellowstone this time of year.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/18/11

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We got up early and decided to have breakfast at the Geyser Grille only to find out that they didn’t open until 8 and it was 7am. So we decided to have a breakfast at a picnic table. Then we found out the mosquitoes were in full force and had to gulp down our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and run for the car.

At 9am, we met a ranger for a hike around Harlequin Lake. It was a fun hike. We saw a pair of osprey and their nest, a bald eagle, a red winged blackbird, a loon, a cormorant, and ground squirrels. After the hike we had a nice picnic lunch where there were no mosquitoes. Then we stopped along the ride back to walk around scenic geysers. At 4pm, we decided to do another hike around geysers in the Old Faithful area before joining a ranger on a hike at 5:30. We hiked on our own about 7pm to the Morning Glory geyser and then back to our hotel. We were too exhausted to even go find some dinner. We walked too many miles to count today and I hope we can get out of bed tomorrow!

Tomorrow we plan to do the Mystic Falls hike with the ranger and then do some more geyser hiking. That is, if we can still walk.

What I Learned Today:

· Rain that doesn’t reach the ground is called Verga

· Ospreys have a dihedral wing pattern which looks like they have elbows.

· Beavers come out at dusk and dawn.

· Blue dragonflies are called Bluets.

· Old Faithful is not the largest geyser.

· A geyser is predictable only if it has its own water source.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/17/11

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We left Cody and headed for Yellowstone this morning. First we stopped at the Buffalo Bill Dam which was awesome. A shuttle took us to the visitor center that had been blocked off to cars since 9/11. We were amazed how much water was being dropped from the dam.

After the dam, we drove to the park. It seemed like a long ride, maybe because we didn’t get much sleep last night. Don had bad leg cramps and I was miserably hot and too lazy to get up to turn on the air condition.

We arrived at the Old Faithful Inn and checked in. Our room was very nice but a little over priced at $170 per night. There is a bed that they claim is a Queen size but it seems like a Full size bed to us. There is no TV but it does have a private bath.

We saw Old Faithful erupt about 3 times while we checked out all the lodges, restaurants, and the visitor center. We checked out the ice cream shops at all 3 places in this area but the lines were ridiculous! They need to add more ice cream shops. We walked the geyser loop trail and it was pretty. After dinner we went to the ranger evening program. Then we sat outside on the upper porch to watch Old Faithful erupt one last time.

What I Learned Today:

· The colors of the mud pots are caused by iron sulfites, iron sulfates, and iron oxides.

· There are about 100 wolves in the park.

· The park was not as crowded as we expected.

· There are plenty of eating establishments available.

· There are plenty of ranger led activities each day all over the park.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Dam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/16/11

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Another day in Cody paradise!! Marci and her Boxer, Benny, picked us up around 10:30 and headed on the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway to the Top of the World (on the road to Red Lodge). There were tons of motorcycles but there were plenty of places to pull over and get great photos. There were magnificent views that are impossible to describe. After that we headed to Cooke City for lunch but it was too crowded to find a spot. So, we went on to Silver Gate and had lunch at the Log Cabin Café. After lunch we drove to Yellowstone Park to Lamar Valley. On the way we saw two black bear cubs and tons of buffalo. Two buffalo walked the middle of the road on the yellow line and headed right to our car! But they went around us without any harm to them or us. Then we went to Marci’s cabin on the river and it was beautiful. There also was a sweathouse that looked wonderful to use and was right on the river. We headed back to Cody and dropped Benny off at home with Mitch (and his brother and nephews) before heading to the Silver Dollar Bar for dinner and drinks. It truly was a wonderful day!

What I Learned Today:

· Snow with pink on top is caused by lichens.

· There are lots of buffalo in Yellowstone.

· Marci’s sweathouse is a sauna right on the river.

· Buffalo like to scratch against cars.

· There is still snow in the Beartooth Mountains.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Snow by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/15/11

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We had a glorious day in Cody, WY! We went to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center which consists of 5 different museums (admission $18 per person). It was a wonderful place and well worth the money. We went to a Bird of Prey presentation first and learned about birds of prey. Then we went through the Museum of Natural History. There was also a Firearms Museum with the best collection of firearms I have ever seen. There were about 2000 firearms displayed upstairs and another 1200 downstairs. When I asked one of the docents when the collection started, he said in 1916 and only half of them were displayed. We left to eat lunch and then returned to see the rest of the museum. We saw another presentation about Annie Oakly.

After the museum we went to the Sierra Outfitters Outlet store and Walmart. By then it was time to eat dinner and see the shootout at the Irma that happens nightly. After the shootout, we went to the nightly rodeo and had a wonderful time!

What I Learned Today:

· Golden Eagles can see a rabbit move from 2 miles away.

· Some vultures are not birds of prey.

· Birds of Prey have beaks that serve as their fork, knife, and spoon.

· Owls have feathers made in a way that makes their flight silent.

· Birds of Prey catch the food with their feet.

· Bulls can jump fences. (That was exciting to see!)

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/14/11

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We left Thermopolis this morning and drove to Cody, WY which took about 2 hours. We checked with the Irma Hotel to see if they had a room for us because we were a day early and they did. But tomorrow we will need to move to the room we will have for the next 2 days. Then we walked around town and ended up at La Comida for lunch. After that we went back to the Irma to check in because they don’t allow check ins before 3pm. Then we went to the Silver Dollar Bar which is historic and we met a nice couple originally from Canada but were fulltime RVers now. At 6pm, Marci picked us up for dinner and took us to Cassie’s where her husband Mitch met us after work. The prime rib practically melted in our mouths! After dinner we drove around the town and saw how beautiful the area was. We saw deer and rabbits along the roads right into town. On Saturday we will spend the day at their cabin in the Beartooth Mountains.

What I Learned Today:

· Cody is a bigger town than Thermopolis.

· The Irma Hotel is on the national register of historic places and every evening the have a “gunfight” show in the street.

· Buffalo Bill built the Irma Hotel.

· Cassie’s was originally a house of ill repute in the days of Buffalo Bill.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/13/11

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We had another lazy day today in Thermopolis. We went to Hot Springs State Park and walked to the swinging bridge and some of the springs. Then we went back to the hot mineral pools at the Fountain of Youth RV Park and spent most of the morning there. Don spent most of the time in the water while I dipped in and out. We met a family who was originally from Paris and now living in Ohio but were on vacation. They are heading to Yellowstone too so we might cross paths again. After lunch at Butch’s in Kirby, we decided to go find a Laundromat and do some laundry. Then we drove around some more until we were tired. We tried to visit Lucy’s Sheep Camp so I could check out the fiber but it was closed.

What I Learned Today:

· I still remember some of my high school and college French when I practiced it on this French family.

· All mustards are not created equal. The one my hubby uses has no calories and the one at lunch had 45 calories.

· I am so thankful that I have my own washer and dryer at home.

· It is more fun to do laundry when you have company.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Steam by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/12/11

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We had a lazy day today in Thermopolis. First we went to Hot Springs State Park and went into the hot mineral pool for 20 minutes (We were only allowed 20 minutes). Then we went to the pool at the RV Park which is owned by our hotel (Fountain of Youth). I wondered if we would come out looking younger like in the movie Cocoon. We spent the rest of the morning there and met a nice couple to talk to which was interesting. After lunch at McDonalds we drove through Wind River Canyon which was absolutely beautiful and ended up in Shoshoni, WY. Then we turned around and came back to Thermopolis.

What I Learned Today:

· People believe in the healing properties of the mineral springs.

· The sulfur in the water made it smell stinky even if it felt good.

· The actual spring water can be up to 130F.

· Canyons are beautiful to drive through.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original Photo: Fountain of Youth by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/11/11

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Don had terrible leg cramps all night long and I was up at 5am so we didn’t get much sleep last night. When I got out of the tent, I was surprised to see so many photographers with tripods taking pictures of the Devils Tower. The clouds were heavy over us and it rained a little during the night but they moved on and the sky got clearer by the time Don woke up. We packed up the tent and headed toward Thermopolis. We stopped at Donna’s Diner in Gilette for breakfast and a couple in a van next to us asked us about our Prius. The server was so friendly and we enjoyed talking to her! Then local people came up to Don and asked him about our Prius! The drive over the mountains was beautiful and we saw mountains with snow on them again. We arrived at some road construction and had to sit there for about 15 minutes so we talked to the man holding the stop sign about things to do in Thermopolis and places to eat. When we arrived in Thermopolis we ate lunch at the A&W diner/bowling alley where you called in your order on a phone located at the table. When your food is ready, they bring it out to you and you pay just like the old car hops did.

Then we drove around and explored. We went to Hot Springs State Park where the hot mineral springs are. We also drove to the buffalo pasture and saw the buffalo. It was very scenic. After dinner at our hotel, we called it an early night since we didn’t get much sleep last night.

What I Learned Today:

· Road construction workers are like tourist info centers and usually enjoy giving advice about a local area.

· Mom and Pop hotels can be cheaper and have better service than some of the chain hotels (the water pressure is great here! We also have a microwave, refrigerator, HDTV, and free wifi, with our king size bed for only $60.

· We have some awesome scenery in the USA!

· The mineral springs in Thermopolis is supposed to have some healing powers. (We shall see…)

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Hot Springs State Park by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Wyoming– 7/10/11

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We drove about 6 hours today to Devil’s Tower in Wyoming. The movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind was filmed here. It was amazing how big this huge geologic feature was! First we set up our tent at our campsite and then we hiked around the base of the tower. It was interesting how different it looked from different sides. While we hiked, we looked up and saw about 8 people rock climbing up the tower. I don’t think I have the strength, or the desire to do something like that.

After hiking, we went into Hulett for dinner at the Ponderosa and the meal was quite good. On the way back to the tower, we stopped and had an ice cream cone and bought some souvenirs. Then we returned to the tower to take lots more pictures! We saw the prairie dogs and it reminded me of the Whack-a-Mole game! Two were rubbing noses and I started singing Muskrat Love and got the giggles. At 9pm there was a ranger talk about porcupines which was interesting too.

What I Learned Today:

· The Devil’s Tower is more impressive in person than it is in pictures.

· The trees dropping all these white cottony stuff is cottonwood trees.

· There are rattlesnakes around Devil’s Tower (we saw one!)

· Watching prairie dogs is like watching the Whack-a-Mole game.

· Porcupines live in trees and their babies are born with quills which don’t get hard until they encounter air for a few days.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Devils Tower by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/8/11

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This morning we went to Rocky Mountain National Park through Estes Park on the east side. We started off the day by hiking with the ranger at the Moraine Visitor Center. Then we tried to find some place to sell me a diet pepsi but nowhere around had any so we went back out of the park to McDonalds where I had lots of diet coke to wake me up.

Then we headed back into the park to the Alluvial Fan. It is as beautiful as I remember it! The water gushing down the fan was magnificent. This alluvial fan was caused by a flood in 1982.

After we left there we went to Sheep Lakes where it is known that sheep cross the road there. When we arrived, a sheep had just crossed the road and we were able to see it and take pictures of it! There are even volunteers who stop traffic and allow the sheep to cross the street safely. It was pretty exciting.

After that we drove around the park looking for more wildlife but eventually headed back to Fort Collins. We got back in time before the heavy rain. For dinner we stopped at the Hibachi Grill which is just like the one we have at home.

What I Learned Today:

· Ponderosa pine bark smells like vanilla.

· Alluvial Fans are caused by flooding.

· Sheep are nervous animals.

· Abert squirrels eat ponderosa pine parts.

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Friends by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/7/11

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We started the day off with a self guided tour at NCAR (National Center for Atmospheric Research) in Boulder, CO. It was a nice tour but it involved too much reading displays. I had a little trouble focusing on the details but the displays were colorful I got a lot of web page links that I will have to check out and see if there is anything good to share.

Our next stop was at the Celestial Seasonings factory in Boulder for a tour. On the way there, Don spotted a yarn store for me and I’m so glad we stopped there. I found the little tool that I had lost and the people there were very friendly! It was a huge store with lots of varieties of yarn and fiber plus a huge classroom for classes in knitting, crocheting, spinning, and weaving. After the tour at Celestial Seasonings, we sampled a few of the teas that I wanted to try. For lunch we ate at Pasta Jays in downtown Boulder which was excellent food for reasonable prices.

We tried to go to Coors in Golden for a tour but the line was over an hour long in the hot sun so we skipped there and went to REI in Denver. This was the flagship store and I enjoyed seeing the huge rock climbing wall in the middle of the store. After that we were going to go to Hammonds Candy for a tour but we never made it.

Since there was a lot of traffic, I drove all day which wasn’t a problem. On the way to the candy store though, I got on the interstate and we saw a sign stating that a $2 toll was coming up. Then I saw the HOV lane (2+) was toll free so I sped across 5 lanes and got in the HOV lane. As we traveled north, I noticed that we were passing the exit that I needed to get off at for the candy tour so we just kept going. Poor Don spent the day holding onto his door and “helping” me drive.

We arrived in Lafayette and shopped at a thrift store where I bought some glass sticks that would look nice with some shawls and also a metal bank. Then we parked downtown and walked through the Farmer’s market before it began to rain. At 6pm, we met Craig and Lisa for dinner at Efraim’s which was very good Mexican food. The chili relleno with rice and beans was only $6 and margaritas were $4. It has been seven years since we have seen them and we had a great time catching up on news.

What I Learned Today:

· White tea has more antioxidants than green tea but is milder tasting.

· White, green, and black teas all come from the leaves of the same plant. White tea leaves are the baby leaves during the first week of harvest.

· Healthy pine trees pitch out the pine beetles in their sap causing yellow popcorn shapes on the bark of the tree. If there is a drought and the tree doesn’t have enough water and sap, the beetles will attack the tree and kill it within a year.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).
Original Photo: Friends by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/6/11

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Today we left Granby and headed to Fort Collins. I knew the day was going to be good when the first thing we saw was this beautiful hot air balloon.

Before we left Granby, I called the Lonesome Stone Fiber Mill to see if we could come for a visit. I learned about fiber fresh off the alpacas and llamas and saw where the fiber is processed into yarn. While we were there we saw superwash being put through the carder and being made into top. I also saw this huge spinning machine where the fiber is spun into singles. Then we saw the machine where the singles are plied together. I was amazed at this huge niddy noddy where the yarn is made into skeins. Outside the store was some yarn drying that had been hand painted. I also learned that I could buy my own alpaca and almost talked my hubby into buying one for me. But first I want to check with my friend Caron to see if this is a good deal or not. I could buy a male alpaca for $200 and then pay $1 per day to board it. The only extra cost would be vet bills if necessary. They would shear the alpaca and then process the fiber for me if I want. I think that would be pretty cool but we shall see. I did end up buying some fiber from her before I left.

Instead of going through the middle of the national park, we went north through Rand and Gould. We had beautiful views through the Poudre Canyon area. On the trip we saw some mule deer and some hawks.

Since we took our time enjoying the trip, we didn’t arrive in Fort Collins until 4pm. After a week away from a big city, the traffic was overwhelming again! After dinner at Five Guys Burger and Fries, we settled into our room at the Hampton Inn which is pretty nice.

What I Learned Today:

· It is good to stop at US Forestry offices to see what is available in the area.

· They use guardian dogs to protect sheep herds. According to the advisory sign, “try to outrun the dogs!” (And this is not a joke!)

· It is useful to ask locals where their favorite place to eat is rather than where they recommend for you to go.

· Usually waterfalls are beautiful sights no matter how much water is falling!

· Wifi on smartphones and Ipads are great until you can’t get a signal in the mountains. That is when it is good to have a GPS system in the car!

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Hot Air Balloon by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/5/11

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This morning we decided to head towards Hot Sulphur Springs and Steamboat Springs for the day. The drive over the mountains and through the passes was beautiful! Of course I kept having Don stop so I could take pictures. When we arrived we stopped at the Colorado Department of Wildlife office and were told about a beautiful waterfall in the area. We parked downtown Steamboat Springs and shopped at the F. M. Light store which reminded me a lot of our Mast General Store at home. There were signs along the highway coming into town that reminded me of the old Burma Shave signs (the ones I’ve heard about because you know I’m much too young to have seen the actual signs!). After shopping we had a wonderful lunch at the Creekside Café. I had a combo meal which was an Apple spinach salad with Green chili and ham stew. The salad was very tasty and the soup had a lot of heat to it but it was good too.

After lunch we went to Fish Creek Falls and hiked a few miles. The waterfall was an awesome sight! I guess because the snow is melting and there is a lot of water but that was something to see! I’m not sure the pictures do it justice but it was great to see in person. I’m really glad we took the time to see it and glad our annual national park pass covered the $5 fee.

On the way back to Granby, we decided to take a scenic route and went back a different way through Oak Creek to make a loop drive. We found out that Oak Creek was a small mining town.

By the time we got back to Granby, it was dinner time and relaxation time. Tomorrow we will head to Fort Collins, CO and working on a scenic route there. I think we won’t take the Hwy 34 through the park but may go north to Walden and through Gould. I’m not sure what we are getting into but it will be an adventure!

What I Learned Today:

· It is good to stop at US Forestry offices to see what is available in the area.

· They use guardian dogs to protect sheep herds. According to the advisory sign, “try to outrun the dogs!” (And this is not a joke!)

· It is useful to ask locals where their favorite place to eat is rather than where they recommend for you to go.

· Usually waterfalls are beautiful sights no matter how much water is falling!

· Wifi on smartphones and Ipads are great until you can’t get a signal in the mountains. That is when it is good to have a GPS system in the car!

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Fish Creek Falls by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/4/11

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It was another day in Paradise! After breakfast we went back into the park and did some hiking. Eventually we headed to hike to the highest point in the park. At the top, we had to scramble over some rocks and it was a little scary. There was a metal marker that told you what you were seeing in the 360 degree view around you. While we were there we even saw a marmot!

On the way back down we met three older gentlemen who were in the park for a reunion. They came from Michigan, Alaska, and New Mexico. It was really interesting to talk to them and I couldn’t resist showing them my close focus binoculars. We enjoyed talking to them so much we spent a long time on the side of the trail having a wonderful conversation! While we were talking, a huge herd of elk passed by right in front of us! The herd was full of males, females, and babies.

When we left there we went to the visitor center and had a nice picnic at the back of our car. We pulled out our lawn chairs and ate sandwiches and chips. Then we did some shopping before heading back down the mountain.

On the way down the mountain we stopped at a few trailheads and did some hiking. We walked through some snow to Lake Irene and the view was beautiful. On the way back we came across a bunch of pikas (little rabbit like animals).

Eventually we made it back to town and grabbed a couple of subway sandwiches to eat in our new motel room at Littletree Inn in Granby, CO. It is a nice room with a king bed, fridge, microwave, TV, and wifi for only $59.

This will probably be posted on Thursday so the next update of our trip will continue on Monday. Please come back if you are interested in reading more!

What I Learned Today:

· There are no poisonous snakes, or poison ivy, or poison oak, or poison sumac in the park.

· Moose can be aggressive.

· Sun reflectors in the windows of our car while parked really help keep the car much cooler.

· Picnic lunches are fun!

· It is fun to meet new friends on the trail!

Posted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Lake Irene by Pat Hensley

The Great Adventure 2011 Colorado– 7/3/11

For more pictures, click HERE.

We had an awesome day filled with Ranger led activities! I would highly recommend you doing them in any national park that you go to.

First we met at the East Inlet and hiked with Ranger Kathleen on the Glimpse of Paradise Hike. It lasted until noon and we hiked past Adams Falls which was gushing with water. Along the way, we saw lots of beautiful wildflowers like arnica, paintbrush, penstemon, and wild rose. We also saw a moose along the trail which was exciting for everyone.

Then we went to the Visitor Center where we had a picnic lunch and then watched the movie about the park until our afternoon hike.

This time we hiked with Ranger Mandy and learned about the many blooming wildflowers. In fact, July is a great month to observe wildflowers. When you go to my flickr page of pictures, you will see many of the flowers that we saw.

After that hike we drove up the road and saw some more moose and elk. We saw 6 moose in all today! We also stopped at the Baker Bowen Trailhead and was disappointed to find out it was underwater. There at the picnic table were two US Forest Service guys with two llamas and one guy told me I could pet them but I declined. I told him that I was a knitter and maybe the llama knew it and would be offended. He immediately smiled and told me that he was a knitter too and then told me of a fiber mill called Lonesome Stone right in the town where we are staying. Their alpacas stay at this farm during the winter months. I was so excited! On the way back to the hotel we drove past the farm/mill to see the alpacas and llamas and I looked them up on the internet. I will try to give them a call to find out when their yarn store is open.

What I Learned Today:

· The wildflower Paintbrush is parasitic and eats the nutrients from the surrounding plants.

· Certain pine cones need fire to release their seeds and this might take 80 years.

· Fir has flat, friendly needles.

· Spruce has square, spiky needles.

· The Colorado columbine’s flowers and seeds are poisonous.

· The pink lines in the wild geranium are nectar guides for the pollinators.

· Arnica is found in pine forests.

· Fairy slipper or Calypso orchid is a rare orchid.

· Paintbrush is only pollinated by hummingbirds.

crossposted on the Successful Teaching Blog by loonyhiker (successfulteaching at gmail dot com).

Original Photo: Mt. Baldy by Pat Hensley