The Summer Solstice found us driving
Highway 16 from Buffalo, Wyoming to Clear Creek trail head, where we hiked along
the exquisite creek rushing through a prairie meadow. We then drove through
Wyoming's Bighorn National Forest and, at 9750 feet, temp in the mid-40's, we
found a patch of icy snow with people skiing on it! Ginnie's first snow!
We crossed the Crazy Woman and Ten Sleep Rivers into high desert with
oases of heavily irrigated farms. We stationed in Cody, leaving Ginnie in
day care (no dogs allowed in National Parks) and headed for Yellowstone,
crossing the Shoshone River past Buffalo Bill Reservoir, making it into the
park in time for a freezing picnic, temp in 40’s. The Park is HUGE: It took
us an hour to drive from Cody, then two more to get to Old Faithful! In the two full days we spent in the Park,
we managed to see only the “Lower Loop.”
But, what a sight! We saw Yellowstone’s
Grand Canyon and dozens of geysers topped by Old Faithful, and buffalo,
pronghorn, elk, a gray wolf, and a grizzly (no pix of the bear – too far away –
but we had our binos and watched as the bear slowly lumbered toward a huge bull
bison, until she thought better of it and turned off into the woods!) On Highway 209, zig-zagged in and out of
Montana into Idaho, crossing the Continental Divide (for the 5th
time!) to revisit our favorite campsite in Massacre Rock State Park, along the
Snake River and sage-scented high desert.
Found American Falls Reservoir, nestled between huge mining operations
and power plants. Near Twin Falls, ID,
discovered dramatic Shoshone Falls (deeper than Niagara!) on the Snake
River. Driving on the Lincoln Highway
(Hwy. 30) we passed farms of corn, wheat and tons of taters, into Elko,
interesting mix of cowboy, mining and Basque culture. Just outside of Elko is a hidden gem,
“Lamoille Canyon” in Humboldt National forest, from desert into lush canyon
with streams and waterfalls and great hiking.
On Highway 80, through historic Winnemucca and Lovelock, into Reno where
the river runs through it and everyone is in it: kayaking, wading, dogs
included! Back on 80, crossing the
Truckee River, lunch in Auburn, and, finally, HOME!!
Stats:
63 days
21 States
9984 miles
$669 gas
186 gallons gas
total spent $9185, $146/day
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| Clear Creek Park SD |
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| Clear Creek SD |
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| Ginnie & Skier & Snow, Big Horn Nat'l Forest, SD |
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| SD high dessert prarie |
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| WY mine |
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| WY high desert farm |
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| West Thumb Geyser, Yellowstone |
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| Yellowstone elk |
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| Yellowstone geyser nostalgia |
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| Yellowstone kayakers |
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| Buffalo Bill Reservoir near Yellowstone |
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| Yellowstone grey wolf |
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| Old Faithful |
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| Yellowstone's Grand Canyon |
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| Sleeping Giant near Yellowstone |
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| Ginnie at Massacre Rock, ID |
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| Massacre Rock, ID |
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| Idaho Potato Museum, Blackfoot |
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| Elk for sale, Shoshone Falls, ID |
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| Shoshone Falls, ID |
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| American Falls Resevoir |
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| American Falls Resevoir |
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| Ginnie at American Falls Reservoir, ID |
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| Ginnie at Lamoille Canyon, NV |
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| Lamoille Canyon, NV |
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| Brothels in Elko, NV |
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| Winnemucca, NV |
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| Ginnie, Lovelock, NV |
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| Nevada dessert home |
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| Reno, NV |
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| Ginnie & miner, Auburn, CA |
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Ginnie, Joss House, Auburn, CA
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