Yellowstone Flashback - The Wildlife

The following is part of a series of posts about the trip Wayne and I took to Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

It's not all bison at Yellowstone.  Everywhere we went we saw a variety of wildlife including elk and mule deer...

and even a coyote making his way across the valley.

The Fishing Bridge campground had bison filing right through the parking lot, but Wayne was just as happy sitting outside the camper and hand feeding the chipmunk peanuts.  I kept telling him he shouldn't feed the wildlife but he wouldn't listen to me.

When we were exploring the Lamar Valley we came across these mules all packed and ready to go, probably for a guided fishing trip.  I thought they made a nice composition.  It got me wondering what it would be like to see the landscape from horseback, but since I haven't ridden in 30 years I'll probably stick to hiking.

Down by Yellowstone Lake we saw a bald eagle, and it was pretty easy to spot fish in the Yellowstone River too.  The only thing we didn't see was bears and wolves.  Have to leave something for the next trip, right?

Well, that wraps up my series of posts about Yellowstone.  We didn't do any hikes except up and down a few of the popular viewpoint trails at the Grand Canyon.  I have a book on my Amazon wish list of the hikes in the park and look forward to getting back there and trying some of them out!

Linking up to Saturday's Critters.  While I was catching up on Eileen's blog I caught a post of hers about Pic Monkey's website which answered the question of how everyone was doing those photo collages.  I'll post about my cameras I tested using collages tomorrow! 

Yellowstone Flashback - The Magic of Mudpots

The following is part of a series of posts about the trip Wayne and I took to Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

The Fountain Paint Pots area of Yellowstone is a little different than what one expects from this National Park.  Silex Spring overflows most of the year and the overflow causes a hot environment where thermophiles thrive and cyanobacteria forms mats of orange and brown.

Some microorganisms use hydrogen sulfide which rises from deep within the earth to convert the gas into sulfuric acid which breaks down rock into bubbly clay.  In the early summer they may be thin and watery from abundant rain and snow but by late summer and fall the mud is quite thick.

When we were at the mudpots it was windy and sunny so I brought my umbrella along for the walk.  The smiles on other tourists' faces when they saw my polka dots added to the fun.

Red tailed hawk

Even in an environment as hostile as this it's not just bacteria that thrives.  More wildlife in the next post!

Yellowstone Flashback - Elk Herd

The following is part of a series of posts about the trip Wayne and I took to Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

I told you my next Yellowstone Flashback post would feature wildlife and I'm a gal who tries to keep her promises.  While in Yellowstone we drove from our campground at Fishing Bridge up to the entrance at Gardiner to meet a man about about renting a spotting scope.  We didn't end up renting it, because minutes before our meeting we came upon this scene on the side of the road.

Why pay to "spot" wildlife when they hang out by the side of the road in the middle of the day?  This spot was between the Albright Visitor Center and the Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance.  Elk are very common in the Mammoth Springs area of the park, coming right in to the populated area and making a nuisance of themselves sometimes.

I had rented a 500mm lens for my camera before our trip and as I stood in the back of the truck with my tripod I got quite a few looks and some brave souls even came over to ask questions.  I don't claim to be an expert by any means, but a cooperative herd and a quality lens means all you have to do is push the button.

A young bull was trying to make a run at the ladies, it was fall after all, but the dominant bull kept a close eye on his harem and ran off the intruder easily.

 Bull elk weigh about 700 pounds, their antlers can weigh as much as 40 pounds alone.  Now that's something to bugle about.

The bull elk's bugle is impressive and we heard it a few times while at Yellowstone that September.  We left the herd alone when they started bedding down in the grass, first one laid down and disappeared, and then another and another.  When we passed by again half an hour later we didn't see a single elk but I'm sure they were there.  It was amazing how easy it was for them to hide from our view in the tall grass and shrubs.

Yellowstone Flashback - Volcanic Landscape

The following is part of a series of posts about the trip Wayne and I took to Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

So, before I start talking about Yellowstone, please take the time to ooh and aah over the minor changes I made to my blog's appearance.  I had enough time on my hands to sit down and figure out how to change the colors of my links and text to make them easier to see.  Aren't you impressed?  I don't know why I couldn't figure it out before.  I must be extra smart today. I do love my template though and can't imagine a time when I will change that.  The greens and browns just go well with the nature photography that is my usual fare here, and though it works okay for other folks' blogs I just can't live with all that white that is on the newer layouts for myself.

Discharge from Excelsior Geyser makes its way to the Firehole River

Now let's talk about Yellowstone, land of geysers, mudpots and hot springs.  Looking for a pleasant walk?  We really enjoyed the boardwalk at Midway Geyser Basin.  The half mile trail runs past Turquoise Pool, Grand Prismatic Spring, and alongside the crater of Excelsior Geyser.

Turquoise Pool

The main attraction here is Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in Yellowstone and the third largest in the world.  Of course, size isn't everything, right?  It was the colors that drew me in.

Grand Prismatic Spring

The color comes from the bacteria in the microbial mats, and it depends on the ratio of chlorophyll to carotenoids and on the temperature of the water.  Different bacteria will thrive at different temperatures and the water temperature cools as it reaches the edges.  

No swimming in these pools please, temperatures range from 142F at Turquoise Pool to 199F at Excelsior Geyser.

Excelsior Geyser

Excelsior Geyser was once the largest geyser in the world, but the last major eruption occurred in the late 1800's.  Now it is just a hot spring, pouring 199F water into the Firehole River.  Watching it literally bubble and boil was fascinating and a reminder that this land was alive and dangerous.

Basalt columns from cooling lava flows peek out on canyon walls, and the Yellowstone River cuts a wide swath through the volcanic landscape.

Most folks come for the geysers, but I loved the severity of the landscape, the way the earth steamed and the water simmered.  And, of course, the wildlife, but more about that next time.

This is my fifth post about Yellowstone, if you missed the other posts you can click on the Wyoming label below, click this link to get the first Yellowstone post last February, or type Yellowstone in to the "search this blog" box.

The Four Elements - Reno

I've been thinking about Reno now and then since Cory and I visited it back in the spring.  Why?  I can't get that Truckee sourdough bread out of my mind.  I haven't had a slice of bread to rival it since we left there.  Truckee Sourdough Company products can be found throughout Northern California and Nevada, in a wide variety of grocery stores and restaurants.  If you live in that region or are traveling through make sure to locate some and try it.  Oh, and pick up a loaf for me and pop it in the mail, would ya?

They've done a great job of supporting artists in Reno, and I even found a link that lists the location of some of the public art in the downtown area.  At the park across from the place we rented when Cory and I were there last year was a mural depicting the four elements.  It was painted in 1998 by Youth Artworks.

WIND- Something those of us in the upper Midwest are very familiar with!  Something we always seem to be battling at home and while we're on the road, wind has its uses, and I always enjoy seeing the big wind turbines along the highway and knowing that they provide clean energy.  No, they might not be gorgeous but they look a heck of a lot better than billboards...or nuclear power plants.

EARTH- All good things grow from the earth and we need to take good care of it.  I'm a big fan of recycling and it always breaks my heart when RV parks don't participate in a recycling plan because Wayne doesn't want to "drag garbage around" so it ends up in the garbage. Sometimes I think it's an area-wide issue and it's something I'm trying to remember to look into before I make reservations.  Besides recycling here is a list of 10 Things You Can Do to Help Save the Earth.

FIRE - It's interesting that the artist chose to use a Native American in this representation as in general they did not have the four elements as part of their folklore.  Of course fire has been important to all cultures for heat and cooking but Native Americans focused more on passing along fundamental cultural truths in their use of symbolism.  (Any inaccuracy in this statement is wholly mine and I take full responsibility for my ignorance if need be!)  On a personal note, I've been very interested lately in the effect fire has on our ecosystems and how staging controlled burns can improve wildlife habitat, control invasive plant species, and reduce wildfire potential by keeping forested areas cleared.  Less fuel for the fire means fires that are less intense and less likely to spread far.  Native Americans did use fire purposely to keep land clear for growing crops and to stimulate berry growth as well as to keep forests clear for easier hunting.  Cool fire mythology story link to "How the Coyote Stole Fire" here.

WATER - All I drink is water along with a daily cup of decaffeinated tea or the occasional Starbucks decaf soy mocha. Access to clean water is something we take for granted in this country.  I recently bought a Brita water jug for the refrigerator and always walk around with my own reusable Nathan water bottle as well.  Want to know more about how other countries' water quality fares?  Click here.

More hippie-esque ramblings another day, I suppose.  See other murals at Monday Mural.  More Yellowstone Flashback posts to come, just thought I'd mix it up with a mural since I haven't posted any in awhile.

Wright in Racine

I've lived here in Wisconsin within an hour drive of SC Johnson's headquarters in Racine for the last 25 years and never made my way over to check out their renowned buildings.  Yesterday Katrina was looking for something to do so I suggested we go give them a look.

The Research Tower with the Administration Building behind it -
Fortaleza Hall's lovely curving wall on the left

The Golden Rondelle Theater where we met up with the tour is another relic from another world's fair.  Not the famous one in Chicago, but the 1964-65 New York World's Fair.

H.F. Johnson Jr. wanted to do something a little different from the standard fair display and had the 18 minute film To Be Alive! made to show at the fair.  The film was about peace and the joy of being alive, a stark contrast to the turbulent and violent times of those years.

After the fair it was dismantled and brought back to Racine where it still shows films to the company and the public today.  But the big architectural show on the grounds of SC Johnson is the Administration Building which was designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1936 and finished in 1939.

View of some of the buildings from the parking garage

Photography is not allowed in the buildings, which is a pity because the photos on the company's website are uninspired and do nothing to prepare you for the innovative space.  However, I did find this link which provides some great shots as well as some great information similar to what we got on the tour.  The tour is free, and we just showed up without reservations and tagged along.

Dendriform (tree shaped) columns in garage as well as in the building

The tour moves quickly but the guide gave great information about the architecture interspersed with lively stories about the architect's failures and successes regarding the design.  I won't spoil it by recounting any of them here, you'll have to go hear them for yourself.  The tour also now includes the Research Tower built in the 1950's and a collection of furniture, sketches and other items from Frank Lloyd Wright's personal homes, Taliesin in Spring Green, Wisconsin (another place I haven't visited yet) and Taliesin West in Scottsdale, Arizona.

"Carnauba" on display in Fortaleza Hall - picture taken from outside

One of my favorite highlights of the tour though was the reflecting pool and vertical garden in Fortaleza Hall which was designed by architect Norman Foster in 2010 but I couldn't find any pictures online that even came close to doing it justice.  Of course at the end of the tour we asked one of the guides where they would go for lunch and she suggested the Reefpoint Brew House.

I was goofing around with the settings on a new point-and-shoot waterproof camera I ordered and one of the waiters walking by helped me out by striking a pose.  Michael made our afternoon complete by filling it with fun and laughter.  Their BBQ sauce assortment didn't disappoint either.

I'm pretty happy with the pictures I got with the Nikon AW120 camera, both inside and outside. None of the pictures in this post were edited AT ALL and I think they turned out nicely for a gray winter day in Wisconsin. I also purchased Canon's similar model, I'll be giving that one a test run today.  I'll write up more details later comparing the two for anyone who might be in the market for one themselves.

View of Lake Michigan from the Reefpoint Brew House -  Brrrrrr!

Lots of ice fishing going on here in Wisconsin, we even got to see the fishermen at the Reefpoint Marina giving the Lake Michigan fish a try.  The weather was actually above freezing, which was a welcome change even without sun and even though the wind still whistled along.  I put the finishing touches on my trip last night and I'm looking forward to those temperatures in northern South Carolina...which now includes stopping for 3 whole days in Gatlinburg on the way!

Yellowstone Flashback - Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone and Katrina Gets A Job

I'll take a trick from Linda's blog that she is using and preface each of the Yellowstone Flashback posts I have coming up with a disclaimer. (Thanks for the great idea, Linda!)

The following is part of a series of posts about the trip Wayne and I took to Yellowstone National Park in 2009.

Wayne was into the geysers when we visited Yellowstone but the big thing I was looking forward to was hiking Uncle Tom's down in to the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

I wasn't in the shape I'm in now, I was only a newbie at the hiking thing still, so I was a little nervous about those 328 steps.  Turned out the steps were fairly easy to manage, especially since they had benches at multiple landings.  What ended up being scary was the occasional dent in the stairs that were proof that decent sized chunks of rock still occasionally fell off the canyon walls.

You don't have to go at a certain time of day to witness a rainbow at the bottom of the Lower Falls, it's a near constant occurrence.  Still, it's the best rainbow I've ever seen.

Back at the top we decided we had to see the canyon from multiple viewpoints.  Artist Point was crowded with tourists, but just steps from the main viewpoint we saw a trail going in to the woods and just a minute farther along we had the place to ourselves along with this fantastic view of the canyon walls.

Our favorite little hike was the Red Rock Point trail that again goes straight down into the canyon.

We were pretty impressed with the work that went in to making the trail.  Of course looking at these pictures I'm wishing I'd taken more notes at the time because I've forgotten a lot of it.  Blogging has helped capture details in our later travels, making it easier to retain the memories.

Which view was this?  Who can remember?  It was all gorgeous, and I remember wishing I could climb right down into the canyon and touch those red walls.  And as stunning as the photos are, seeing it in person takes your breath away.  Maybe this year will be the year we get back to Yellowstone, and maybe it will be another year or two...but we will go back again and again I'm sure.

More Yellowstone photos to come, it'll help pass the days until I head for South Carolina in 2 weeks.  Katrina has decided to stay behind because she starts classes next week...and she started a job today.

Grand View

Where is she working?  She's helping me out at Eye Contact!  Of course as soon as we hired her she got two job interviews scheduled so I don't know if we'll get to keep her for very long.  We needed a little extra help, she needed a little extra money, and we'll be happy to have her for as long as we can.  And while I'm off playing in the mountains she'll join my other Not-As-New-Girl and they'll keep things running along in my absence.  And if her job interviews land her another part time job she'll still be able to help us out, at least until summer when we'll look seriously for someone to fill the position permanently.  The more help we get the more I can run off and play, right?