Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho(end of the trip)

Morning came early.  We were headed home. After enjoying breakfast at "The Bunnery", we packed up and headed towards Loveland.  We were traveling on the same back roads that we had traveled on the week before.  Isn't it always surprising when you notice something different on the same path that you have always traveled.  I knew we would see different icons and we did.

Coming into Dubois, I noticed to the left a gas station that had a huge Jack Rabbit with a mask on.  I knew that Katie and I needed to be photographed with this rabbit.

Our next stop would be Lander to have an organic lunch at "The Rise".

As we entered into Colorado, I reflected on where we had been and all that we had seen.  I thought of what President Eisenhower once stated "It is a pity that every citizen of each state cannot visit all the others, to see the differences, to learn what we have in common and come back with a richer, fuller, understanding of America--in all it beauty, in all its dignity, in all its strength, in support of moral principles."

This is so true.  Traveling gives you an appreciation of what you have.  Last year, I did achieve visiting all 50 states.  They are all different and they all have their different stories and their own beauty.  

Thank you for allowing me to relive my trip and my adventures.  Now, it is your turn to put together a road trip and see America!

Dubois, Wyoming

The Rise - Lander, Wyoming

 

Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho-(Part 5)

It was still dark when we walked into town to look for a restaurant for breakfast.  As we walked into the Salmon River Coffee Shop, the owner took our temperature before entering.  This seems to be the protocol for a lot places.  Fortunately, we had no fever and we entered with the others that were already there.  Bringing us our coffee and taking our order, we enjoyed watching everyone else as they entered.

The day was clear and the sun was trying to break through the clouds as we loaded up to drive to Jackson.  One more night on the road.

Another beautiful day to see the sites.  Driving south on Highway 28, we zoomed by this windmill with a water tank next to it with the words "Petticoat Junction".  My mind flashed back to the early 60s when I use to sit in front of the family's console television and watch this tv show which was in black and white.  Who remembers this sitcom?  It was about the railroad that came through town and the going on at the rural Shady Rest Hotel.  I have such fond memories of this show that ran September 1963 to April 1970.

About two hours later, we drove into Mud Lake, Idaho.  Now this small town of "358" residents saw a lot of activity of people on August 21, 2017.  Mud Lake became part of the "path of "totality" during the total solar eclipse.

Most of the towns in Idaho are small, but we noticed as we got closer to Jackson, Wyoming, the towns' population grew.  A lot of people move to these towns in Idaho to be closer to the Tetons and Yellowstone and the cost of living is less than actually living in Jackson.

Two towns that were close to the Idaho and Wyoming border were Driggs, Idaho and Victor, Idaho.  Driggs has a population of 1,876 and it is home to artists who paint and photograph the mountain views, streams and Teton River.  Victor has a population of 1,731.  Waiters and waitresses work in Jackson and live in these two towns.  Victor was named after George Victor Sherwood, who was a dedicated mail carrier despite the threats of Indian attacks or raids.

Entering Jackson from eastern Idaho, the view was breathtaking.  The Tetons lined the horizon.  There were a few clouds but overall the there was some blue sky and it seemed like we could see forever across the valley.

It felt good to be back in Jackson.  We checked into our favorite hotel, The Antler Inn.  This hotel is over 50 years old and is very rustic looking.  You feel like you have gone back in time.  We enjoyed a good meal and listening to music before tucking ourselves in for a good night's sleep.

Tomorrow, driving to Loveland, Colorado.

Petticoat Junction

Entering into Jackson from the west.

Driggs, Idaho

Victor, Idaho

Jackson, Wyoming

Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho(Part4)

The scenery from the Idaho border into Salmon was breathtaking.  As we are driving along the river, all I could imagine was Lewis & Clark.  They followed the Salmon River to the present site of Salmon.

Salmon is a small town with population of 3,100.  It is also the home to the Sacajawea Interpretive Cultural and Education Center.  Elmer Keith, the creator of the .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .41 Magnum was from Salmon.

Some facts about Idaho.  The state's population is 1.75 million.  The capital is in Boise.  State nickname is "Gem State" because almost every known type of gemstone has been found in Idaho, including the largest diamond in the U.S.  More that "72" gemstones are mined in Idaho.  The state fruit is "huckleberry" and the state produces 1/3 of all potatoes grown in the U.S. 

After unpacking at the The Stagecoach Inn, we enjoyed our walk into downtown and had dinner at the "Junkyard Bistro". 

Salmon, Idaho

Salmon, Idaho

Outside Salmon, Idaho

Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho (Part 3)

 As we headed west from Yellowstone and headed towards Bozeman, the weather and the terrain began to change.  The temperature continued to drop and the white fluffy flakes began to hit the windshield.  The trees seemed to get taller as well.

After driving about 2 1/2 hours, we arrived in Bozeman where the snow was coming down.  On our way to the hotel, we came across a field filled with sandhill cranes that were migrating.  These are the tallest birds in Yellowstone.  They like open grasslands and fresh water marshes.  They breed at 2 to 7 years old and lay two eggs, but normally only raises one.  They can live up to 20 years old.  They are 4 feet tall with a wingspan of 6.5 ft.  The large wing span make them very skilled soaring birds.

It was getting dark as we pulled into the parking lot at the hotel.  Bozeman's population is 52,000 with the county at 112,000.  In 2010, the county population was at 89,500.  So the area has grown in the past 10 years.  It is home to Montana State University with an enrollment at 16,000.  Bozeman is the most likeable place to live because of the fly fishing, hiking, mountains, biking, snow activities, hunting and Yellowstone is so close.  Bozeman averages 63 inches of snow per year with an average of 188 sunny days per year.

The state of Montana has a population of 1.1 million.  The capital is in Helena.  Billings is the largest city with a population of 110,000.  The downtown of Bozeman was adorable and so eclectic.  We enjoyed a fresh and delicious dinner at the BlackBird.

After a good nights rest, we woke up to snow and 17 degrees.  Even with the weather, we decided to take the backroads to Salmon.  Google map showed that Salmon was 245 miles from Bozeman.

It was Sunday morning and it was quiet on Highway 84.  There is something about driving in the snow and looking out onto the open roads and the Big Sky Country(Montana's nickname).  

Looking at the Road Atlas, I knew that we would be traveling through several small towns.  Virginia City is small with a population of 190 people.  Back in the 1850s, gold was discovered near Alder Creek, so Virginia City became a boomtown.  It was once the capital of Montana until it was moved to Helena in 1865.

Sheridan was a little bit larger with a population of 700.  This lovely community is surrounded by seven majestic mountain ranges.

I can't forget about Twin Bridges with a population of 400.  It is well known as the fly fishing Mecca for trout anglers.  It was named for two bridges built by the Lott Brothers.  The first bridge was built over Beaverhead River on the west side and the second bridge was built on the High Road over the Big Hole River.

Taking Highway 41 from Twin Bridges, we were approaching Dillion, Montana when this huge sign on the side of the road said "Special Event" with an arrow pointing south.  What could this "Special Event" be?  As we rounded the bend of the road, to the right of us was a maze and pumpkin patch.  My husband continued to drive 80 mph.  He wasn't planning to stop.  Katie and I finally persuaded him to go back.  We wanted to make some "memories" at the maze.  Pulling up to the parking lot, a lady in her western attire approached us and welcomed us to their "special event".    

I had just seen a Hallmark Movie about a family that built a corn maze into a snow maze.

The temperature was in the 40s, so we bundled up before climbing out of the truck.  We purchased our tickets and proceeded through the maze.  It was so much fun to hear children and grown-ups laughing and enjoying themselves as they tried to escape out of the maze.  

After spending about an hour enjoying the event, we drove into Dillion and had lunch at a restaurant that was recommended to us.  Mac' Last Cast was definitely a great suggestion.  

Dillion is one of the largest cities in Montana with a population of 4,300.  They city was named after the Union Pacific Railroad President, Sidney Dillion.  The town served as a central location for transporting goods to nearby boom towns.  While many of the gold mining towns around Dillion died, this town was able to thrive due to the railroad and talc mining in the area.  Dillion was once the largest exporter of sheep wool in Montana.  It is also home to the University of Montana Wester with an enrollment of 1,500 students.

Getting back into the truck after lunch, we knew we had about another two hours before arriving into Salmon, Idaho.  To be continued...............

Bozeman, Montana

Maze - Dillion, Montana

Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho (Part 2)

We spent two nights in Jackson.  On our first full day, we got up early and headed to Bubba's for a delicious breakfast.  The avocado toast is the best.

After breakfast, we drove to the Grand Tetons and spent the day hiking and enjoying the beauty of the majestic mountains.  One can enjoy every angle of the Tetons by driving through the park.

It is because of John D. Rockefeller, Jr that the Tetons is a National Park.  He visited Jackson Hole in 1920.  He was so upset with the way the landscape was being developed that he began buying the land.  Years later, he donated 32,000 acres of the valley to the federal government.  He wanted to make sure that the area would be preserved for future generations.

There are so many different areas throughout the Tetons to visit.  You could actually spend days.  One of the prettiest areas is Jenny Lake.  This lake was formed 12,000 years ago by glaciers.  The lake is 78 miles deep and about 1,192 acres.  Jenny Lake was named after a Shoshone Indian who married an Englishman.  Jenny and their six children died of smallpox in 1876.

After hiking around Jenny Lake, we drove to Jackson Lake Dam to enjoy the sandwiches that we had purchased.  The Snake River emerges from the dam and flows about 800 miles through Wyoming, Idaho, Oregon and Washington to its mouth on the Columbia River in eastern Washington.

Our last stop for the day was Colter Bay Village. Due to the pandemic everything was closed in the village.  We enjoyed walking around the water and observing the Grand Tetons.  This village was built in the 1950s to expand park visitors and to introduce automobile tourism.

We drove back to Jackson to enjoy dinner and then listened to music at the "Million Dollar Cowboy Bar".

The next morning it was raining and the temperature had dropped into the 40s.  We were driving through Yellowstone Park to arrive in Bozeman, Montana that evening.

You can spend days in Yellowstone Park.  We were only spending a few hours.  I have been to Yellowstone many times, but each time it is always a new experience as if I am seeing it for the first time.  Katie had never been there, so I was excited in sharing the park with her.   I knew we only had several hours there and I wanted to make sure she saw Old Faithful.

Let me give you a little history about Yellowstone.  It was signed into law on March 1, 1872 by President Grant.  It was one of the first national parks in the U.S. and some say that it was the first national park in the world.

96% of Yellowstone is in Wyoming; 3% in Montana and 1% in Idaho.  Yellowstone makes up 2,219,789 acres.  It is 63 miles(north to south) and 54 miles(west to east).

The park contains many features, such as Old Faithful; 290 waterfalls; has one of the world's largest petrified forests and there are so many more features.

We arrived at Old Faithful and the parking lot was packed.  We had just missed the eruption of the geyser.  We enjoyed walking around and seeing the hot springs, as well as running into buffaloes, as we waited for the next eruption of Old Faithful.  

The Yellowstone Lodge is a spectacular hotel.  It was closed, so we weren't able to enjoy the beauty inside the inn.  This lodge was completed in 1904 at a cost of $140,000.  The wood structure and the seventy-six foot tall lobby is a masterpiece.  The hotel is one of the largest log-style structure in the world and is a National Historic Landmark.

Old Faithful is a geyser and it was the first to be named back in 1870.  It is very predictable of erupting every 44 minutes to 2 hours.  Eruption height is 106 to 185 feet.  About 1 1/2 hours later, Old Faithful began to make its grand entrance with lots of hissing and gurgling.  The eruption was as tall as the Tower of Pisa.  The people that were standing on the boardwalk watching the geyser were oohing and aahing.  It is a site to be seen.

After taking many photos and fighting the crowds, we drove up the road to "Midway Geyser Basin".  It is breathtaking!  You cross over the river and then walk almost a mile on the boardwalk to these spectacular hot springs and other hydrothermal wonders.  One is in awe of the spectacular colors. This is Yellowstone's largest hot springs.

It is amazing what one can see in several hours.  If we hadn't other states to visit, we would have stayed longer.  Next stop Bozeman, Montana.  .......end of Road Trip-Colorado, Wyoming & Idaho(Part 2).

Yellowstone

Grand Tetons

Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho(Part 1)

There is something about getting in your car and pulling out that Road Atlas.  I love the feel of the paper and seeing all the different highways that one can take to get somewhere.  I do enjoy my google map on my I-phone, but the atlas book gives me confidence.  You can say that I am old fashion!

2020 was the year of "road trips".  With the situation of the pandemic, one was not comfortable in flying and being in close contact with others.  Instead of cruises on a ship, we cruised in a truck across the land of our beautiful country.

My husband and I took about five road trips.  One of our road trips was driving from Loveland, Colorado to Jackson, Wyoming and then up to Montana, and west into Idaho, back through Jackson and home.  It was a lovely 6 day trip, driving 1,600 miles, driving through four states(Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Colorado).  Through our journey, we enjoyed two National Parks(Grand Tetons and Yellowstone), as well reading about all the small towns that we drove through.

What made this trip even better was that a young friend of ours from New York traveled with us.  She grew up in South Carolina and has been working in New York for ten years.  We were excited to share the west with Katie.  She had never been on a road trip.  We wanted to make sure that she would enjoy this experience.

There is something about packing up your car or truck, you feel like you can take everything.  I had a cooler filled with drinks and food.  I had made homemade chocolate chip cookies and deli sandwiches.

We headed north on Highway 287 towards Laramie, Wyoming.  Heading north on 287, the terrain began to change as we crossed over the Wyoming state line and kept driving northwest to Lander.

About two and a half hours later, we pulled into Lander to get gas and to stretch our legs.  As we drove through downtown, you noticed the various shops and restaurants.  One restaurant that we noticed was "The Rise".  Next time, we will need to stop there for a meal.   With a population of about 7,500, this town is located south of the Wind River Indian Reservation and is known for the art festivals and climber's festivals.  The town was named after Frederick W. Lander, who mapped the Lander Cutoff of the Oregon Trail.

Still traveling Highway 287, we stopped at Crowheart.  There is only one store in this town for "141" residents.  With one stop, you can buy your groceries or any other essentials, put gasoline in your vehicle, pick up your mail and more.  From the store you could see Crowheart Butte.  This was the site of the battle between the Crow and Shoshone America Indian tribe in 1866.  Another interesting fact is that Matthew Fox who played in "Lost" and "Party of Five" grew up in Crowheart.

After taking some photos, we loaded back up in the truck and headed towards Dubois.  Now this town is a little bit larger with a population of "971".  But in the summers, the population doubles.  The views and weather are what attracts people to this area.  Some interesting facts about Dubois are Butch Cassidy owned and managed a ranch on the outskirts of town, and Michael Horsack, drummer for the Doobie Brothers resided here.

Leaving Dubois, we noticed that we were driving uphill into Togwotee Pass.  The pass was covered with snow.  With an elevation of 9,658 feet, it had been snowing for about a week.  

We were only about an hour and half from Jackson.  I have driven this road to Moran Junction many times.  As you approach Moran, one is always in awe as you see the Tetons for the very first time.  There is no other view like this.  Katie's eyes began to sparkle as she got that first glimpse of the majestic mountains.  One is speechless.

After driving for about seven hours, we were finally almost to Jackson.  The sun was beginning to set and the Tetons were north of us.  The Tetons extend over 40 miles from the southern border of Yellowstone.  What a view!  

Driving into Jackson, one of the first things that you notice is the town square.  At every corner of the square are elk antler arches.  Each arch is supported by a steel framework and constructed by a steel framework and constructed by hand using 14,000 pounds or more than 2,000 antlers each.

This small town of 10,500 residents attract more than 2.6 million visitors each year.  The area was originally populated by Native America tribes.  In the early 1800's, this area became an area for trappers and mountain men.  The women in Jackson were powerful in the early 1900's.  The town of Jackson elected the first all-woman city government(including town council and mayor, who appointed women to town marshall; town clerk and treasurer) in 1920.

If you like snow, this is the town for you.  The town averages about 72 inches of snow per year.

Another spectacular view is the National Elk Refuge.  In the winter, this wildlife refuge(24,700 acres) is home to about 7,500 elks.  In 1912, this refuge was created to protect habitat and provide sanctuary for one of the largest elk herds in the world.  One of my fond memories was back 1997, my husband's family and myself rode a sleigh through the elk herd.  It was so cold and we were so close to them that you could see the breath of each elk.

If you enjoy eating, there are several great restaurants to enjoy.  Some of my favorites are "Cafe Genevieve", "Thai Me Up", "The Bunnery", "Bubbas" and so many more.

There is so much more of this town that captivates your soul.  This is definitely another place to put on your bucket list. ............  end of Part 1 "Road Trip - Wyoming, Montana & Idaho".

Jackson, Wyoming - Town Square

Tetons

Saratoga, Wyoming - Road Trip

As I look out of my office window, the wetlands are still brown looking and the day is dreary with some snow and rain.  The trees are still barren and no leaf in sight.  I am so ready for summer.

Even though everything looks so gloomy, my trip to Saratoga, Wyoming came to mind.  In October, some friends traveled to Denver from Houston and we decided to take a road trip to Wyoming. That was such a fun trip.

Leaving Loveland, Colorado, we headed to Saratoga.  Our first stop was going to be in Laramie, Wyoming. Laramie is the home of "University of Wyoming".  It is the third largest city with a population of 32,711.  In 2011, Laramie was named as one of the best cities in which to retire because of its scenic location, low taxes and the university.  I wonder if the magazine stated that Laramie receives 64 inches of snow a year and how windy this area can be? 

As we left Laramie, we headed west towards the Snowy Range Pass and Medicine Bow National Forest.  We were in awe of the beauty of the changing color of the leaves.  With the blue sky and the steady breeze of the wind, the golden leaves danced before our eyes.

About two hours later, we arrived in Saratoga, Wyoming.  Saratoga is known for it's healing waters/hot springs.  Prior to the 1800s, the land around was frequented by the Indians, who soaked in the healing waters.  This area was known as Warm Springs, but in 1884, the town was renamed with the hopes of creating a smaller version of the New York spa town, Saratoga Springs.

This cute town has a population of 1,640.  The North Platte flows through Saratoga.  People come from all over to fish, hunt and to soak in the mineral baths.  The town's motto is "where the trout leap in Main Street".  In the winter, the town receives an average of 54 inches of snow.

Saratoga is a nice town with several choices of restaurants.  Everybody helps each other in this town.  Even during the 2020 pandemic, this town thrived.

We enjoyed two nights in Saratoga.  The men enjoyed a day of fly fishing and my friend and I toured the town and the small shops and enjoyed watching the deer as they walked through town.  The evenings were spent drinking wine and soaking in the hot springs.

On Sunday morning, as we were packing up a winter storm blew in with snow.  Everybody was excited to see the first snow for fall.  We headed back the way that we had traveled on Friday, not knowing that the winter storm had already came across the Snowy Range Pass.  The pass was treacherous with several inches of snow and slick spots.  We came across two Moose and a mob of deer.  After about three hours, we finally breathed a sigh of relief.

It felt good to be back in Loveland, where the temperature was 68 and the wind was howling.  Another fun get away weekend!

Saratoga, Wyoming - October 2020

Texas Road Trip from Waco, TX to Amarillo, TX

If you have never visited Texas, you need to go.  Texas does offer a lot.  It is the 2nd largest US state by area(Alaska is #1) and 2nd largest US state by population(California is #1).  Texas shares borders with the states of Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, the country of Mexico and has a coastline with the Gulf of Mexico.  There are "2" National Parks in Texas, Guadalupe National Park and Big Bend, and more than "80" state parks.  

There are "16" interstate highways in Texas, as well as "45" U.S. highways.

As you can see, there are some great road trips that you can take throughout Texas.  You can do a one day road trip or a 7+ days road trip.  The choice is yours.

One of the day trips that my husband and I drove was from Waco, Texas to Amarillo, Texas was on Highway 6.  We chose to take the US highways instead of traveling the interstate.  Highway 6 runs from the Texas/Oklahoma border to northwest of Galveston, Texas(located on the Gulf of Mexico).  We were driving north Highway 6 to Interstate-20 and then we would change highways to arrive in Amarillo.

The 425 miles to Amarillo was very scenic.  We drove through so many small towns and each town had its own story and was very unique.  It was another hot and bright sunny day as we began driving northwest on Highway 6. 

Leaving Waco, Texas, the first town that we came to was Valley Mills.  This lovely town has a population of about 1,200.  It is the 749th largest city in Texas.  It is named for a flour mill that was established on the banks of the Bosque River.  Driving through the downtown, I enjoyed seeing the various murals

As you drive through these small towns, you wonder how they thrive.  There is a charm of no traffic, the quaint little stores and the openness of the surroundings.

Each town had its own personality.  It was interesting trying to capture all the "Welcome" signs as you drove into the town.  You could tell that each town took pride in welcoming people into their surroundings.  The courthouses were very impressive.  You can understand why these buildings were the center of downtown.  This was the area where everyone would come and meet up with family and friends.

Approaching Dublin, you could see the outline of a shamrock.  This town was a little larger than Valley Mills.  It had a population of 3,700.  As I travel through these towns, I wonder how did it get its name?  After googling "why was Dublin, Texas named Dublin?"  This is what google said "Dublin was founded in 1854 by A.H. Dobkins and named in 1860, probably for the warning cry at Indian raids, 'Double In' the cattle.  Thus was the town named, first spelled 'Doubling' and later changed to its present spelling."  Some other interesting facts are that Dublin is the former home of the world's oldest Dr. Pepper bottling plant and well-known golfer, Ben Hogan, lived here before moving to Ft. Worth, Texas.  The largest Ben Hogan museum in the world is in Dublin.

As you drive these two lane roads, you need to be alert and observant.  You never know when you are going to get behind an 18-wheeler or tractor.  Speed limit ranges from 55 to 75 mph.  As you pass through these small towns, the speed limit does drop to 35.  So be on the look out for a policeman, who may want to pull you over for speeding through their lovely town.

We went through several other small towns before reaching Cisco, Texas.  Cisco has a population of 3,900.  An interesting fact about Cisco is that Conrad Hilton bought his first hotel in this small town in 1919.  It was the Mobley Hotel with 40 rooms.  Now look at the success of Hilton.  The Hilton's have property all around the world.

After driving about 5 hours, we saw the dark clouds and lightning to the north.  We were headed into a Texas thunderstorm.  As we left the town of Anson, the sky opened up and the sheets of rain began.  Driving against the strong winds, pouring rain and 50 degree drop in temperature, we finally made it to Amarillo.  It had been a long eight hour drive.  The towns that we drove through and all the different landmarks made this trip worth it.  You can always turn a long day of driving into something entertaining!  Making it into a fun road trip made all the difference!