Teal Sky

The Journey Home

Motoring back to Denver from British Columbia, we decided to take the less direct route. We enjoyed a visit with our friends in Seattle – watching the Super Bowl in 3-D, designing an addition, eating well and relaxing. We then continued down the coast to Salem, enjoying Oregon's capital. We decided not to go to the ocean but instead headed to the Oregon Botanic Gardens where surprise: the only Frank Lloyd Wright house in Oregon is located. A horticulturist recommended a state park to visit before we crossed the mountains, which were luckily clear, to Bend - guess all the snow was up in Canada. John Day Fossil Beds NM were quite fascinating, like a bit of the Painted Desert that got shifted to the North. Stopped in Pendleton to do some birthday shopping for our Moms before picking up Lewis and Clark’s trail across the Bitterroot Mountains. We had an awesome lunch and good visit with our friends in Missoula before ending up in Livingston on a Saturday night (sing it, Jimmy).

This was our second winter visit to Yellowstone NP. Incredible. Seeing the animals, hearing the stillness, absorbing the solitude - it is really a magical experience. We heard the wolves howl and saw the trackers monitoring their activities. There were lots of wildlife photographers looking for the ultimate opportunity - we saw it early one morning when we caught sight of a coyote and realized he was heading to an overnight kill. We stopped and watched him tear at the carcass. We got out and looked for wolf tracks, since they are usually the first to bring down the prey…and sure enough, we found the tracks along the edge of the road in the snow: definitely much larger pads than a coyote. If that isn't enough for your senses, the beautify of the hot springs with ice frozen from the mist and the colors of the minerals offsetting the white of the snow has a mysterious quality that doesn't seem natural. Snowshoeing to remote places really allow us to experience a tranquility that is appreciated.

Pacific Northwest

Wolf Tracks in the snow -- Yellowstone NP.

Schedule

Itinerary Highlights.

Fun things to do.

Happy Travels,

Pam and Henry