We did an old west cookout and wagon ride while in Yellowstone.
Horse riders, and wagon riders waiting:
Wagon ride:
Horse riders:
Horses and wagons:
A wagon used for bathroom handwashing:
Cowboy coffee:
Buffet:
More cowboy coffee:
Horses and wagons:
Chuckwagon:
Music:
Wagon ride back:
Taking the horses back:
A fun experience.
The Canyon area of Yellowstone National Park includes a village of shops and lodges, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, and Hayden Valley:
Canyon Visitor Education Center:
We saw these stickers, and (later) bought the Grand Teton and Yellowstone ones for the back of our truck canopy:
Otter Creek picnic area:
We found our initials carved on the table — no, we didn’t do that:
Reversing GIF of a bison having a dust bath:
Chittenden Bridge view of Yellowstone River:
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone:
Bison in Hayden Valley:
Bison on the road:
Mud Volcano area:
Bison on the road:
Check out the video from this area, including some cute otters.
In the northeast corner of Yellowstone National Park is the Tower-Roosevelt area, with Tower Fall and Lamar Valley:
Heading up Chittenden Road to the Mount Washburn trailhead:
On to the Tower General Store:
They have ice cream, which we had as a snack:
Tower Fall:
Interesting rocks:
Bison in Lamar Valley:
Halfway up the west side of Yellowstone National Park is the Norris Geyser Basin; like many of the areas along this side of the park, it is very popular, with a long wait for parking during the day; we visited on a couple of evenings, when things are much less busy:
Another nearby geyser basin is Artists’ Paintpots:
Next up, a video from this area.
Heading north from Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park takes us to the Midway Geyser Basin (including one of our favorite places, the colorful Grand Prismatic Spring), Lower Geyser Basin, and Madison:
The tiny Madison Information Station:
Madison amphitheater:
Firehole Canyon waterfall:
Firehole river:
Fountain Paint Pots area:
Nez Perce picnic area:
Midway Geyser Basin:
Grand Prismatic Spring:
Grand Prismatic overlook via Fairy Falls trail:
Biscuit Basin:
Next, see a video from this area.
We continue our tour of Yellowstone National Park with the popular Old Faithful area:
Old Faithful Visitor Education Center:
Old Faithful General Store:
Old Faithful Inn:
We had dinner at the Old Faithful Inn dining room, another reservation-only restaurant:
Beverage menu:
Dinner menu:
Appetizers:
Mains:
Dessert menu:
Dessert:
Old Faithful Post Office, where we mailed a Grand Prismatic Spring postcard to Mom:
Old Faithful geyser:
On another day:
A bison wandering through near the geyser:
Looking back at the inn from Old Faithful geyser basin:
Hiking around the geyser basin; there’s more to the Old Faithful area than that popular geyser:
The Black Sand Basin is also nearby:
See also a video from this area.
While staying in Alpine, Wyoming, we did a whitewater rafting experience on the Snake River. My first time.
The rafting trip was between West Table Boat Ramp and Sheep Gulch Boat Ramp:
A nice thing about staying at Alpine Valley RV Resort was a van to take us to the starting point, instead of having to go all the way to Jackson. We had the van to ourselves:
Everyone else arrived by bus from Jackson:
Boats:
Jenn with a life vest:
Ready to go:
On the river:
Selfie:
Swimming stop:
Our guide:
Pulling people back in:
GIFs:
Beaver den:
A slo-mo video of going over some rapids:
Professional pictures; Jenn and I are at the back:
Finishing:
Us afterwards:
The Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area is one of the largest expanses of temperate coastal sand dunes in the world.
South Jetty:
Umpqua Beach:
We hiked in Muir Woods National Monument in California.
A map; we did the Bridge 4 two-mile loop, returning via Hillside Trail:
Gift shop:
Pressed penny machine:
Woodpecker:
Sign:
While staying north of San Francisco, our Seattle Mariners happened to be in Oakland, so we attended a game.
Jenn’s game summary:
It was the final game, and a sweep of the A’s by the Mariners with another come-from-behind win. Taylor Trammell had a 2-run homer in the 3rd. A’s pitching was not good. Walked Trammell in the 4th to score Cal Raleigh. Bases loaded, Kolten Wong singled to score Teoscar Hernandez and J.P. Crawford. Kirby settled in after the 3rd, and Sewald closed it out. Sad to see so few fans at the crumbling Coliseum, but it was a good Mariners win. The A’s will be in Vegas in a few years anyway. I feel bad for the loyal Oakland fans.
Rooted in Oakland… but not for much longer, as they are planning to move to Las Vegas:
Tailgating:
The Coliseum:
A peek of the field:
Looking back from our seats:
Selfie from our seats:
We could see into the camera and ramp area, as the Mariners gave autographs on the way out:
Play ball:
We did a mobile order for food, which was a mistake; I spent over half an hour standing in line to pick up our food after the “ready” notification, while the ad hoc order line was moving much faster:
Finally, our chicken and fries:
Some slow-mo videos:
Sweep:
Mariners win!
Autographs:
Scores:
