thumb butte....

Starting the day a bit lazy, I awoke later than planned.  I believe my days off tend to start this way, a bit unfortunate.  But then the day happens, a dizzying whirlwind of adventure, spontaneity and some good wholesome fun.  Grabbing some grub from the Ranch before heading out, Melinda and I chat about the day ahead.  Leading the way we take Highway 89 north toward Prescott.  The road is long and winding the entire way, my kind of highway.  From Congress Highway 89 clings to the Bradshaw Mountains, over Yarnell Hill and into People's Valley.  Ranches line the roadway, set to a backdrop of mountains in the distance.  Upon arriving in Prescott, the increase in elevation is apparent.  The air a little thinner, the day is chilly and breezy, the kind of weather that turns your nose and cheeks pink.  We decide to head to Thumb Butte, Gurly Street leads us west out of town.  A small recreational area sits at the base of Thumb Butte, there are multiple day use picnic areas, parking and a few trailheads from this site.  Thumb Butte, trail 33, is less intense if hiked to the right, this is a more gradual increase.  The area is a great spot for outdoor activity that is close to town, many people bring their dogs here for a walk.  Depending on the season is it possible to climb to the top of the butte.  In winter and spring, hiking is permitted, however climbing the butte is not, the closure is due to Peregrine Falcon nesting.  On this day, we are lucky enough to see a falcon floating on the breeze, hunting.  Educational exhibits dot the trail and we are also able to learn about the flora and fauna of the area.  Different types of cacti and shrubs are scattered throughout the hike.  And trees such as Alligator Juniper, the bark of which looks of brown alligator skin, is quite intriguing.  The types of plants at this elevation (5354 ft.) greatly varies, a crossover area, it contains both desert and alpine species.  After the hike I make a quick stop in town for hot water to make tea, a great way to warm up, then set a course for home.

Resources:
< City of Prescott >
< Yavapai County Native >
< & Naturalized Plants >
< Trails.com >
< US Forest Service >

oh, give me a home....

The morning is cold; I wake to an inch of snow on my car.  Heading west, I start my day.  Out of Gillette I take the interstate one last bit toward Buffalo, WY.  Once there I will follow winding two lane highways to my destination.  Paying no mind to the snow that morning, I am unaware of what the day will bring.  From Buffalo I take Highway 16 through the Bighorn National Forest.  Snow still covers the Powder River Pass, elevation 9,666ft.  Along the highway, forestry roads are the only sign of the presence of people, most for camping and snowmobiling.

Dropping out of the pass the weather changes to a more spring like feeling.  Highway 20 heads south from Worland toward Thermopolis.  Entering the area the scent of sulfur is in the air.  Thermopolis is well known for its’ hot springs, including the world’s largest mineral hot spring.  Stopping for fuel, I see a city basketball tournament lining the road through downtown.  Competitors playing three-on-three as fellow citizen’s watch perched in their lawn chairs, cheering.  South out of Thermopolis I continue through Wind River Canyon.  The road follows the river here, winding and narrow.  So narrow in fact there are tunnels along the route, I see a truck driver lowering the pressure in his tires to make clearance.  Beyond the canyon passing Boysen Reservoir and Boysen State Park, I continue toward Riverton.  Though it is one of the post populated areas I have driven through today, it takes only minutes to reach the opposite side of town.  Again heading west, I leave Riverton on Highway 26.  Taking a look at the map I see every road I have taken today.  Highway 26 is the only major road through this area.  The openness does not denote barren land, but a land full of the wilds that once covered this country.  The only sizeable town along Highway 26 is Dubois, WY.  Here they say Do-boys, a long standing mockery to a former post master.  It’s said soon after gaining the title he changed the name of the town, along with towns in both Montana and Idaho, to his own.  Furious, townsfolk refused to pronounce the name correctly.  

Beginning to gain elevation, I near Togwotee Pass, this is where my knowledge really begins.  With a new job and a new area, a little homework goes a long way, and the rest is discovered throughout the season.  Togwotee Pass, elevation 9,658 ft., still covered in snow, is the only area along the way I have passed not one, but two snow plows.  It is also the latest in the year I have ever seen a snow plow being used, the first of May.  Togwotee Mountain Lodge, I later learn is open all year and caters to snowmobilers and folks dog sledding in the winter.  In the busy summer season this lodge and others, like The Hatchet Resort, are cheaper options still close to the parks.  Just over the pass, I catch my first glimpse of the Teton Range.  Grand Teton peeking around the next bend, its height disappearing into the snow clouds above.  A few minutes later I pull off in a turnout, a large wooden sign welcoming me to my new home stands just inside the park boundary.

Up the road I drive through the park entrance station, a friendly ranger welcoming me, I introduce myself and inform her I am working at Signal Mountain Lodge for the summer.  Today is the first day the Inner Park Road is open and the South Entrance to Yellowstone will still be closed for another two weeks, weather permitting it to open.  From here I still have eight miles to my destination.  Driving lower than the speed limit, I observe everything along the way, making note of what is marked on the park map.  I pass Oxbow Bend, one of the most notable places in the park.  Here you can spot moose, elk, bears, pelicans, osprey, bald eagles, beaver and other animals, it is a favorite for many photographers, with Mt. Moran in the background.  I turn off onto the Inner Park road, driving south over the dam.  Jackson Lake is a natural lake; however Idaho owns the top 30ft. for irrigation purposes.  From another turnout I take in the view, still in awe, the range is completely covered in snow and the lake lay frozen solid.  Continuing further I pass the Chapel of the Sacred Heart.  Soon a right hand turn brings me to my destination; the snow is still coming down as I pull into Signal Mountain Lodge.

No Apples, But Plenty of Saguaros....

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Well fortunately I did not get knocked out by an apple tonight, but I did have a great idea come to mind this evening.  The fact that I am more often a "toe in the water" type of gal has redirected itself to a "dive right in and do this" mentality.  Of course many folks I know have told me this for way to long for it to not be true.  Even when things are rough, I have many more options available to me now than many ever have.  I want to enjoy every bit of this experience and take from it all I can.  When age becomes more of a factor in everyday life I hope to never look back and wish that I would have done more.  I would rather regret something that I have done than feel I have missed out on my life.  Postponing one's life should never be a considered option.  

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The breeze plays us a gentle song as it carries away all our worries.  Opening my sails, they too have no worries, dancing with the breeze as we drift along.

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and so it goes....

They say you can't go home again, but when the road is the only place you really call home, have you ever really gone...?  My mode of transportation covered in decals from different places I have encountered, my tires wearing thin from all the miles and Rugby, my traveling mascot, gets chauffeured along the scenic route.  I find myself seeking the road less traveled for many reasons, beautiful scenery, fewer crowds and the unexpected rewards....  As I open my Rand McNally, I search for the roads dotted with green, the "scenic route" per their standards.  Challenging these experts of the American highways I coast along, enjoying the ride.  As for this picture, it is not along a green dotted line, but one of those scenic drives you would never find unless you made a wrong turn I suppose.  An adventure awaited at the top of this mountain, amazing views along the Gros Ventre River, up to Lower Slide Lake and along the western horizon, the Teton Range.  I am fortunate we did not find what we were looking for, but found a place more breathtaking and beautiful than we could have imagined.  As I sit on the ledge of these red cliffs I cannot help but think of something John Muir once said, "In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks."

it's not a location, but a state of mind....

 

Pfeiffer State Beach, Big Sur, CA

 

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	Allman Brothers Band, The - Blue Sky .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

 

I heard this song today and have listened to it too many times to count since.  Such an amazing song by one of the best bands of all time, in my opinion.  Every time I hear it I have an urge to get in the car and drive....to where, it doesn't really matter.  As I listen heading down the road, I reflect on how much more enjoyment is in the journey than in the destination.  Travel brings such satisfaction to me, roadtrips especially.  They bring back a feeling of freedom and relaxation, letting your mind sail along without a care.  It's one of the true pleasures in life to be able to escape from everything on your mind and feel at peace with yourself and with the world that surrounds you.  The photograph above is a place that can transport you to that state of mind.  The kind of place where CNN and MTV don't exist and no one cares what you are wearing, nudity included.  All that surrounds you is the beauty of nature and a sense of individualism amongst all the bustle of tourists.  Though many places such as Big Sur have been bogged down with such high tourism, you can still achieve that effortless feeling of calm.  The type of calm you can only describe after experiencing, though it can not be put into words.  The type of calm only I can feel as the breeze blows though my hair while the waves crash against the rocky shore, as I lay down to bed in Wyoming......

the magic of yellowstone....

We always read how Yellowstone is such a harsh environment, random summer thunderstorms, long hard winters, frigid alpine lakes and steaming geysers.  Yet beauty is found in all of these extremes.  In areas where geyser basins expand over time into forests, tombstones emerge.  The dieing, decaying trees become a vital resource for other organisms in the park.  These "treestones" lay idle as a reminder of what once was....

thinking of home....

I was thinking a little about home today, missing it a bit.  In doing so I thought of this picture I took before I left for Wyoming in April.  This is my dads rooster, King Leo, as my sister, Chloe, calls him.  My dad, Mike, bought him this spring at a livestock and flea market sale outside of Brazil, Indiana.  The drive was great, two lanes the whole way, which is quite enjoyable and the way it's suppose to be.  It was my last week in Illinois and dad, Chloe and I headed down in search of some yard birds.  As you can see the mission was a success and we came home with some good looking poultry.

The more excited the rooster gets, the higher his voice goes. He's got a little bit of a Barney Fife quality to him.

-Jeff Foxworthy

a small oasis...

Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park

Would you guess I was sitting on a large boulder in the middle of a river?  Two boulders were sandwiching a small amount of earth between, allowing for this tree and some small vegitation to survive there, and to not get washed away.  Another amazing thing about this spot is how different it looked from the other side.  The roots were a bit exposed and moss covered the rocks.  Though the river was rushing so fast around this oasis, I couldn't help but wonder how may small creatures call it home...

my toe in the water.....

Klean Kanteen Kozy

My first post is dedicated to this handy fellow.  You have become my right hand man, useful in many a situation.  I don't scald myself on you anymore when I fill you with delicious hot tea, you are handy at holding my ginger and whiskey around the campfire and of course you are so attractive.  Many times I have searched for something like you, only to end up with a bad taste in my mouth.  I finally realized it was just as my dad has always said, "If you want something done to your liking, then you will just have to do it yourself." 

And so I did.....