Tuesday's Travel

Tuesday Morning, Terry and I backtracked our way out of Eugene and headed east. The ride up Route 126 along the McKenzie River to Sisters wet but grand. From there we took a more northerly route heading toward Ontario and then Idaho Falls. We didn't make it because we stopped at the John Day Fossil Beds along the way. So we stopped in Jerome, Idaho instead.

John Day Fossil Beds Visitors' Center

The visitors' center was well worth the stop. The displays are excellent and the early Age of Mammals found in the area are well documented.

Wednesday morning we left Jerome heading to Jackson, Wyoming for lunch and then north through Grand Teton National Park then on into Yellowstone Park. Jackson has grown considerably since we last visited in 1993. But the Tetons are just as beautiful.

Grand Tetons

Yeah, there was lots of snow even down along the roads driven by visitors. Snow was also abundant throughout the southern parts of Yellowstone Park. Much of Yellowstone Lake was still covered with ice as was smaller Lewis Lake.

Lewis Lake, Yellowstone National Park

We drove to Old Faithful and stopped to walk the short geyser trail, to watch THE geyser erupt, and then have dinner at the Old Faithful Inn.

Old Faithful

Old Faithful Inn

We tried to get a room at the Lodge but they were booked for all but the most expensive rooms and we opted not to spend $250 for just one night. Instead, the clerk at the Lodge called the Mammoth Springs Hotel and found us a room with a bath for half that amount. So, after dinner at the Inn, we drove north to Mammoth Springs for the night. Our trip would have been more swift, but all the animals came out to play. While the snow virtually disappeared as we headed north, the bison and elk came out for the evening show...and everyone was stopping to enjoy the action.

More on that and Thursday's drive to Gillette.