Travel log 2019june: YELLOWSTONE part 2

Next up the southern loop. This was Geyser Day.

We headed west to Norris where we parked and walked a small distance before descending into the back basin. It’s a flat depression with one and a half miles of boardwalk taking you across the basin ground and saltwater flats. Steam spouts were everywhere and there was a fair amount of shallow standing waters. Here and there big sinkholes were visible where the thin crust had collapsed. A little patience rewarded us to see the eruption of one of the geysers: a bubbling steaming hot fountain that spurted fifteen feet into the air for a minute or so before subsiding and repeating ten minutes later. Norris basin is the hottest and oldest of the Yellowstone thermal areas and most of its surface features are in excess of 200 degrees F. We missed out on Steamboat geyser, even though it is one of the tallest, it is not nearly as regular and predictable as Old Faithful.

We turned south to get to the big guns. Our first stop was at the Fountain Paint Pot. Blue, some orange and rusted brown colors on the bottoms of gurgling water ponds and their runoffs awaited us in between white barren surroundings. Onto the Grand Prismatic Spring where a footbridge took us over the Firehole River. We passed the Turquoise Pool and Opal Pool to get to the Grand Prismatic 

Spring. Blue! Yellow! Red! Green! And everything in between. It is totally amazing. At the edge of the parking lot there was a Bison calmly grazing away in the grass less than 20 yards from the passersby. He seemed totally docile, like something in a petting zoo. A couple of weeks later I saw a YouTube incident where in a similar situation the Bison took offence to a young girl walking past. He charged her without warning, tossed her in the air and then casually strolled away.

Time for the big one! Old Faithful. The area around is well developed with big parking areas, lodges, hotels and other amenities. There is also an elaborate boardwalk and path system. We hanged around and low and behold within a minute of the predicted eruption time the geyser came alive and with a big hiss it built up to a rushing fountain, shooting boiling water and steam more than 100 feet into the air.

On our way back we had one more stop from where we walked to the Mud Volcano, the Dragon Mouth Spring and the Sulphur Caldron. They were all true to their names, the sites were intimidating, and the smell was really BAD!     

Last but not least was the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. A two-tier waterfall that tumbles into a giant canyon with yellow colored rocks. Green pine forest surrounds it. I do not have words to describe the beauty and splendor of this site. It’s simply spectacular from any of the vantage points. So pretty, so very pretty.      

Next morning, we had an early start back so we could make it in time for our flight but not before we could observe a big Elk ambling across the front patio of our neighboring cabin.

I believe Yellowstone was the very first National Park. What a stunning idea!

Travel log 2019june: YELLOWSTONE part 1

The flight into Jackson Hole was picturesque. Dropping in between snow covered mountains gave meaning to the “Hole” of Jackson Hole.

The town was not big but even so, it was lively. We collected our rental car and headed north.

The Teton Mountains towered on our left for the first half of the drive. At 13,770 feet they were snow capped in June and some of the 10 permanent glaciers were clearly visible. They have no foothills which make for very dramatic sights as they jump up from the valley floor. The abundance of rivers and lakes make for post card shots everywhere. Along the way there is plenty of turn outs with great photo opportunities. Gradually the trees closed in which gave the feeling of driving into a forest. We did see some Elk along the road, but the Moose evaded our prying eyes.

Shortly after passing through the Park Entrance a narrow valley appeared on our right and when the riverbed suddenly elevated, we realized that we had passed a substantial waterfall.

The road winded on upwards through the heavily wooded area, past lakes and over rivers, until we reached the shores of Yellowstone Lake at an altitude of 7,700 feet. With an area of 136 square miles it is quite a dominant feature.  The west side of the park is mountainous, this is where Old Faithful is at. The southeast is much flatter especially around the lake. The northeast is made up of mountains and big valleys occasionally cut up by the mountain ranges. The wildlife is abundant. We saw more Elk and Bison along the way to Canyon Lodge where we were staying for three nights.

The next day we did the Northern loop. Over the Dunraven pass and past Mount Washburn and then into the Lamar valley.

Shortly after the turnoff there was a black Bear right next to the road, a little later some big horn sheep crossed right in front of us. In the flood plain of the Lamar River we saw lots of Bison.

We headed west over mountains and rock formations, spires standing guard over the way. Through valleys and over deep gorges to Mammoth Hot Springs. At first glance the springs did not seem like much but walking up to it revealed 50 hot springs that had cut through the travertine and had built up sediment displaying an incredible array of terraces in various colors and forms. What seemed like dirty foam from a distance was in fact sculptured rock. It was well worth the time we spent there.

On our way back we were slowed down by roadworks and in a narrow spot we came face to face with a Bison. He walked purposefully towards us as if intending to walk straight over us before he veered off and we could pass safely. We returned to the lodge and after a quick regroup we drove south a couple of miles where we parked at a lookout and spend a late afternoon hour just sitting and staring over the scenic river valley enjoying pretty nature. At one stage there was a Coyote/Wolf in the tall grass on the other side of the river stalking the Canadian geese. We could not come to an agreement amongst ourselves whether it was a wolf or coyote.   

The Restaurant at the Lodge was reasonable. The food was tasty, and the pricing was average. We had our dinners there and breakfasts at the next-door buffet.

DAY 9 – From NASHVILLE, TENNESEE TO BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA – 208 miles

9/08

Wil Says:

Thursday was a leisurely day.

We planned to play golf but the Clubcorp course we reserved did not have rental clubs. We took our time driving from Nashville to Birmingham, Alabama. The road was rather pretty. Lots of downs, some ups and lots and lots of trees.

Off to the City club for dinner. Downtown was quiet. Parking was easy and a kind soul directed us to the correct elevators that took us to the 32^nd floor. Only two other tables occupied. The service was great. The food was great. The view was great. The company was exquisite. All over a good evening.

A "selfie" in the mirror:

That’s it for today

Anita Says:

We made a slow start seeing that we only had 208 miles to do today.

Our dear friend Gary gave us complimentary tickets to the Cheekwood Gardens in Nashville. I wanted to go and Wil went reluctantly along. Wil and “hot and humid” do not go well together. But he was a sports and enjoyed the mini train railroad of which I took a “thousand” pictures. It was so fascinating to me, I guess because it reminded me about my inner child.

Then I dragged him onto the Art trail which took us through the woods and we came across interesting sculptures

and a small glass bridge

flowers and 

other surprises

We eventually left Nashville by 11:45 and headed south into Alibama.

The continued to be astonished by the amount of trees and green.We crossed big rivers again - it seems there are no small rivers around here.

My beloved hubby treated me to a delicious dinner in a ClubCorp dinner club on thr 32^nd floor. The view was over the city. For as long as I can remember, I love the view out of a high building. It was great hanging out with him on a date! 

DAY 8 – NASHVILLE, TENNESEE

Wil Says:

9/07

Wednesday was our first non-travel day. We went down to the complimentary hotel breakfast and soon we thought we were in a hospital lobby.

We picked up our food from the buffet and grabbed chairs at a long high table. The woman opposite immediately started talking to us and Anita, bless her kind soul, responded and asked her about herself. She was there visiting her son in the ICU of the nearby hospital. The guy 3 chairs down listened to the conversation and soon joined in that he was a 2 month survivor of an heart transplant. While these people were shedding their personal medical trials and tribulations a guy walked in looking like he just got up from the table of brain surgery. All bandaged up.

It was a relief when Gary picked us up to take us on a tour of the city, showed us his house and took us to lunch. After dropping us off it was nap time again.

As the day was fading we took the shuttle to downtown. Main street is packed with bars and live music blasting from everywhere. 

We strolled around for an hour or two before returning to the hotel for the evening. 

That’s it for today.

Anita Says:

Today, we stayed put and enjoyed a day of rest while visiting an old friend and exploring the city.

The weather was still good, but we are not used to the hot and humid.

The hotel was a little “odd”. I picked a hotel close to Music Row, but what I did not know was that it was center to all kinds of Hospitals – cancer centers, heart transplant center, etc and teaching hospitals from the VanderBilt University.

Lest did I know that the Lord had a plan, he brought several people over my path during breakfast that morning that needed prayer – a mother whose 25 yrs old son had a stroke and was in ICU, another patient who was there for a check-up after a heart transplant, one more patient with some or other head contraption looking like he is from a scene out of Matrix.

As if the introduction at breakfast was not enough. During the day my cough and sore throat worsened and on our quest for a pharmacy we ended up in a store where they provide IV feeding for cancer patients/medication for kidney transplants and they sent us to one of the hospitals.

Still not done yet, at the end of the day as we were on our way home from a night out in town, the hotel buss stopped at the cancer center to pick up a visitor who stayed in our hotel. Mmmmm….God always has a plan.

Gary picked us up around 9:30 am from our hotel for a visit to his home and a tour through the city. Gary was born and raised here, so we trust that he knows the area quite well. He is an architect friend of mine (I worked with him at John Wayne Airport) who moved here in January after retirement. We enjoyed driving through his quiet, oldish neighborhood, but very neat. According to Gary, his close neighbors are all original residents (homes were constructed in the 50ties) as was his aunt from whom he inherited the home.

The inside of his home is out of an “architect’s magazine” – no words to describe.

He received the “home of the month” award from his Home Owners Association.The lots are so big, and it is so green! I think the west coast starved me – I couldn’t get enough of the green.

We detoured through the city

on our way to the Parthenon, an exact replica of the original one in Greece.

The building was surrounded by a tranquil lake and peaceful park.

We had a great lunch with Gary and returned to the hotel for an afternoon nap to escape the humid heat of Nashville.

In the afternoon we walked downtown. The buildings impressed me.

And I loved the bicycle station. Check out a bike here, explore the city and park whenever you are tired check the bike back into a similar station same or different venue.

Downtown was bright and musicky. It was a cacophony of sounds as the one bar’s music drowned out the next.

This was not exactly our scene on a Thursday night.

Until we speak again.

DAY 7 – From MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE TO NASHVILLE, TENNESEE – 279 miles

Wil says:

09/06

Tuesday was a short day and we chose to deviate into Kentucky.

The land was very green and much more trees than I expected. 

In Kentucky we passed through the Land between the Lakes National Recreation Area.

First crossing over Kentucky Lake that is at least a mile wide with an imposing bridge spanning between two causeways and exiting similarly over Lake Barkley.

Both these lakes are long and thin and more than 100 miles long. 

The land in between is heavy forest. It was a pretty drive.

We reached Nashville and with the temperature pushing 100 we took an air conditioned nap before we went hunting for a place to eat. We found a nice steakhouse with a cowboy theme 

and after a good meal we turned in for an early night.

That’s it for today.

Anita says:

From Memphis we headed northeast to set foot in Kentucky and continued then back south east to reach Nashville. It was a much shorter drive (279 miles) and we took our time to get on the road. By now we are really smooth in getting ready in the morning after breakfast to get on the road.

Backroads were again our friends. 

And green. Never a shortage of green.

Some of the homes were well taken care with well manicured lawns

We stopped for lunch on a small crossing. I was so happy to "see" a (South African) pie (American tampenade) and bought two for lunch. One turned out to be a burrito with beans (ugh…still not accustomed to the beans) and the other was a pizza roll. It does not help if you buy food without your glasses.

We were entertained by Amish “pick-up” truck:

We passed through Jackson. How many Jackson’s are there in the USA?

Wil chose to take us through the shape of a U through Kentucky and we crossed the Land Between the Lakes:

before we dropped down south.

We went for dinner at a local place where I tried out “chicken fried chicken” with loaded mash and onion rings on top – mmmm, good, but so rich.

After dinner we strolled through music row which housed several recording studios. On a banner outside each studio, the winners of accolades are showcased.

More artwork towered in the parks and on traffic circles

Until we speak again.

DAY 6 – From OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA TO MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE – 532 miles

Wil Says:

9/05/2016

We turned east. After an hour we turned right, once again leaving the Interstate for backroads.

Farmland gradually gave way to more and more trees as we approached the Ouachita National Forest. The roads were more hilly and windy as we weaved in and out of the National Forest.

We came across small towns and even one bigger town called Mena. At every small place with a filling station and general store I expected to see a banjo player on the porch.

Some roads were quiet and others more busy as we followed Google maps to traverse Arkansas. Close to Little Rock we popped out of the forest and back on the Interstate. We stopped to fill up with gas, not at Shell or Exxon but at a “Kum and Go”.

At the end of Arkansas, we came to the Mississippi, and we crossed over into Tennessee and pulled into Memphis. Anita navigated us to Beale street which is partly a pedestrian mall. 

There were several bars with loud music

and apparently no restriction on drinking beer in public. Of course I did not indulge since I don’t drink beer . . .

Walking down to the river was hot work the temperature into the 90’s [35+ Celsius]. Our hotel was 10 miles out of downtown and after check-in we found the local Pizza store. 

   

That’s it for today.

Anita Says:

Out of Oklahoma City we headed east, through Arkansas to Tennessee – it was long drive again, yes again – the USA is a huge country. Each of the States feels like a country of its own, has a life and culture of its own.

Oklahoma was seeded with Indian Casinos right and left of the I-40 and the Indian Nation Turnpike. Yip, we run into or maybe unto “turnpikes and pikes” instead of parkways, freeways or high ways.

Navigation was hard today, since Wil chose the most interesting route through the Ouachita National Forest. 

We lunched in Mena, “a bigger town” in the National Forest. Frankly I was too scared to stopped at the smaller towns.

I enjoyed the dense foresty roads, but did not like the more than 20 possums with a skunk in between road kills.

Sometimes I doubted if Google navigated us on the right road, but as soon as we reached Little Rock, Arkansas, I knew we are moving in the right direction.

12 Years ago when we decided to emigrate to the USA, I invested in Bill Clinton’s biography (please bear with me, I did not know better J - I thought it was a suitable way to understand the politics of the USA) and well, he came from Little Rock, Arkansas.

On our way to our hotel in Memphis which is known as the home city of Elvis Presley

we decided to explore Beale Street. Mmmm, every place has its own street artists and aroma too. 

Beale street was busy, we stumbled onto Memphis “walk of fame”.

I liked this one

On our way to the banks of the Mississippi

Happy days until we speak again.