Experimenting with Noir filter

Some of the rock formations taken in monochrome using iPhone Noir filter!

Navajo Trail

Some of the stunning scenery we passed through on the Navajo and Queen's Garden trail

Navajo Loop and Queen's Garden Trail

This spectacular trail is referred to as the best 3 mile hike in the world! I can totally agree with that! Starting at Sunset Point going down 700 ft along the Navajo trail takes you through numerous switchbacks amongst the hoodoos. At the canyon floor we doubled back on the Wall Street trail to go back up a mile or so to view the impressive alternate and narrower Wall Street canyon. Returning to the canyon floor we followed the trail through the Queen's Garden, did a short spur to visit Queen Victoria and then passed through numerous holes in the rocks to begin the ascent to Sunrise Point. This end of the trail is the most impressive as you are surrounded by all variety of rock formations and towering hoodoos. It took us best part of 3 hours as we stopped so much to take in the changing sights and to get our breath back at 7,500 ft altitude!

Back to Bryce!

Back to Bryce Canyon because it's just such an unbelievably stunning sight! And it's a convenient stopping point on our way south from Utah to Arizona as we keep in synch with the 60 to 70 degree weather! Last time we visited was Sept 2016 with the tightly packed itinerary of the Airstream South West Adventure caravan. Not being in a group of 60 this time around we have time to enjoy planning our own agenda, hikes and activities! Clear weather and 40 to 70 temperature make it perfect!

The Temple

If you are not a member of LDS then you cannot enter the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City but you can check out a complete cutaway model in the visitor center. This gives an excellent overview of the complexity and variety of functions that the Temple hosts from baptisms, prophet meeting room, service sanctuaries and internal architecture.

Mormon Tabernacle Recital

Took the opportunity to listen to a daily half hour organ recital in the Mormon Tabernacle - this a loaf shaped building home of the famous Tabernacle Choir. The organ recital was designed to show off the organ's amazing capabilities with six keyboards and the building' acoustics - the last piece was an amazing rendition of "Amazing Grace".

Into the mountains

Knowing we had 24 hours of rain coming, we took advantage of a chilly Saturday to head up the stunning Provo Canyon and then on to the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, around the 6,000 ft. Mt. Timpanogos. First stop: Bridal Veil Falls, a 607 ft. double cataract waterfall with just turning leaves on both sides
Second stop: Robert Redford's very rustic Sundance Resort. We wondered why there were so many visitors until we saw it was the annual Harvest Market complete with music, food, and this friendly barn owl. The General Store was most disappointing! The catalog is much better!
Glad to make it home just as the rain was starting.

BYU

Met up with our favorite "grand daughter" IJ for a high energy tour of BYU campus and it's remarkable facilities! Has a huge student population of 33,000 and operates like a small city with an obvious rhythm and atmosphere dedicated to serious academics! A light rain during the afternoon translated into snow on the surrounding Wasatch mountains above 6,000 ft giving a frosted ring to the valley... then on to Provo Temple where a wedding was in progress and an early delicious dinner at Good Thymes!

Antelope Island sunset

We spent three nights on Antelope Island and enjoyed the many climatic changes, from high winds to heavy rain, blissful warn breezes to inspiring sunsets, bisons and antelopes, beautiful evening sunsets! A place to remember and maybe visit again one day...

Yellowstone break

Many spectacular turnouts to stop on the Yellowstone National Park roads and admire the views.....

Hike around Antelope Island

Plenty of bison on Antelope Island! Had Margaret drop me off at the trailhead for the 2.8 mile Lakeside Trail around Buffalo Point - after a mile I became conscious of the number of bisons on either side of the trail! A loud thud warned me of trouble ahead! The thud was caused by bison droppings! Continuing on the trail I made diversions into the hills to avoid more groups of bisons and at one point I came around a corner and was confronted by a resting herd. In unison they decided to rise and take off at a gallop - fortunately in a direction away from me which was very comforting! Eventually the terrain became rocky and not optimum bison gazing territory so gladly I made my way back to camp!

Winter to summer!

After escaping Yellowstone snow and freezing cold front we dropped down to Idaho Falls with one clear fall weather day trip to the Grand Teton. However the rain was following us so we slid south to Salt Lake and reserved dry camping on beautiful Antelope Island where only 26 sites are well dispersed, private and layered up the side of the hill for uncluttered views. First thing - put on shorts again and second - connect up the solar panel, then test the Honda generator, then free to relax under the sun pavilion. Feels like I have arrived in the Caribbean with soft gentle breeze wafting up from the yellow broom bushes and dried salt pans. I'm told to enjoy it while it last.... we may be running south again soon to Arizona

Horsing around in Jackson Hole!

Actually this should say Moosing around in Jackson Hole! Just helped a Japanese couple take their photo so they reciprocated.... not our usual style but got carried away at the time!

Grand Prismatic Spring

One of my Yellowstone favorites! A brilliant hot spring 300 ft across and ringed brilliant bands of yellow, green and orange algae!

Birthday celebrations!

Celebrating my 70th birthday at Yellowstone Hotel with a special lobster tail and bison tenderloin surf and turf!

Yellowstone Wildlife

Grizzly bears at the Yellowstone Discovery Center - these were bad bad bears that developed some bad dependency habits so they had to be captured and saved.

The bison were just having such a great time on the highway near Yellowstone Lake - a herd of about 20 bison managed by a few males who were being aggressive to each other competing to be leader of the pack.

These beautiful gray wolves had to be rescued from the wild because they lost their ability to survive in the wilderness. Male (left) drinking from the pond and dominant female (right).

Missoula Niece!

Margaret's niece Cara and husband Grant live in Missoula MT directly on our route from Seattle to Yellowstone! On the fly visit we checked out Cara's grocery store Good Food Store and spent a fortune, then checked in later that evening to their new house they moved into only a few days ago! Owen and Nora welcomed us to their new home on "Grant" street!

Cariad gets hitched...

We've known Cariad since the late 90's when we met her parents in St Barth's and Cariad came to St Margaret's School, graduated in 2004, went to Skidmore and volunteered with the Peace Corps to Niger... many years later she met Chris and now begins her new life in Seattle WA... We have enjoyed the tranquility of Lummi Island for over a week and helped Robin and Marsha with the wedding preparations and celebrated three days of wedding festivities! Now to brave the dreaded ferry back to the mainland and on to Montana and Yellowstone...

Taco truck arrives!

Cariad's wedding rehearsal dinner features a taco truck offering the full assortment of Mexican dishes - yum!!

Rare clear view

Mt Baker is often hidden from view but on the occasion of Cariad's wedding we get the full beautiful vista from Lummi Island. Some 32 miles distant from our location Mt Baker at 10781 ft emits the occasional plume showing their is still life in the young volcano!

Dinner near the Willows!

Being encamped 200 ft away from the highly acclaimed Willows Inn top tier restaurant inspires you to try a little harder! So we made a new potato, shallot, parsley and prosciutto casserole in our new Walmart $7 cast iron pan and put it on the gas grill for an hour, then we made Surryano wrapped scallops which also went in the grill for 20 minutes over foil and then were finished over the open grill along with our favorite steamed broccolini! It was 9 pm PDT by the time our dinner was served so the Willows guest dinners were on about course 15 of the 20 course marathon that started at 6 pm with the delivery of guests arriving by seaplane! We had a splendid evening and saved over $700 by staying home!!

Don't leave home without it!

"IT" is our Barista espresso machine that travels in the kitchen sink underway but starts every day with a delicious treat. Margaret has an almond milk latte frothed with a battery powered mini whip and I have regular milk both with Starbucks decaf French Roast Turkish grind! Worth getting up and starting the generator when boondocking! No comforts left behind!

Oyster prep!

Experimenting with Pacific NW oysters (long shell about 5") and although delicious and milky they were a little large for raw consumption! So I put the rest of the dozen on the gas grill and separately prepared in a saucepan my tasty dressing of butter, finely chopped shallots, parsley and prosciutto. When the oyster shells opened I put a spoonful of dressing on each oyster and allowed it to roast and simmer in the shell until the oyster meat is approx half its original size- now it's ready to serve on the half shell and wow!