Continuing journey from The Dalles to Crater Lake

We had breakfast and packed up, left the hotel.

So first stop went to visit the Columbia Gorge discovery centre and museum

It has a trail to walk along the river and a history of the area in themed rooms.

We only spent an hour here as we have to travel but wished we could have spent longer 

The 197 turning to the 97 was the route we took to Klamath Falls.

We kept getting glances of mount st Helen and sadly many burnt hillsides. We went  along  a slow road called criterion pass to connect with the 97

We are travelling the  mountain range called Cascade Range. It is very hilly and covered with rolling hills all yellow grass and many farms with cattle and  horses 

By the time we reached a town called Bend smoke was all around. We are wondering how it is going to be in Yosemite? The visibility was poor in the distance

We travelled for miles on this straight road with pine forests either side as far as the eye could see and smoke everywhere 

It was very upsetting to see the effects of global warming and the devastating forest fires.

After the junction turn to Eugene the air cleared and the smoke was no more very suddenly! Such a relief blue skies great visibility and sunshine 

Not far to go now as we were near crater lake but our hotel was south of this on a lakes area.

The lake at Klamath lake is huge and we saw great blue herons and egrets 

And now we are in a best western hotel at Klamath Falls

We have booked a coach trip around the rim of crater lake tomorrow so excited….

We set off before 7am for a long drive to the Dalles towards Portland Oregon 

After tracking the huge lake round Kalispell we entered the West plains Blackfoot Indian land and headed to a town called paradise 

The land was cattle ranches with black cattle and calves standing out on the yellow grass they were feeding from.

We passed several hot springs and followed wide rivers along the coeur d’Alene mountains …very picturesque scenery 

The train tracks crossed the road and the wide meandering river, on steel cantilever bridges. It was the Lo lo national forest. Pine trees everywhere over all the hillsides 

We reached the highway to Spokane exiting in 180 miles 😏

Into Idaho state and it was very smoky  in the valleys. The  clocks went back an hour to pacific time.

Coere d’Alene is on a huge lake and loads of water crafts it was a big city Then into Washington state 

Spokane was a huge sprawling city and not at all attractive. We now went up onto the Colombian Plateau

The plains are cornfields miles of flat lands

and dusty. It was very hazy with smoke and the sky was grey with smoke.

We called at a restaurant for lunch it was a Mexican one. But we had waffles so I didn’t eat any chillies 🤣. It was 84*f hot but at least cooling down from the 100s

We crossed over the port of Kennewick on a long cantilever bridge.( The kind that a cargo barge got caught under and destroyed )

The next huge river and bridge over it marked the border of Oregon 

We were 100 miles from our destination of The Dalles Oregon the temperature was 95*f 🥵 A strong warm wind too

We followed the huge Columbia river and for miles its grassy embankments were burnt 

Can you see how long the train is on the far bank?

We saw  many bridges across this wide river, grain stores, fishing with Seine nets, wind turbines, a few dams, water sports all along this wide river.

Mount St Helen began to dominate the scenery, its volcano erupted in the 1960s

At last we arrived at the hotel in The Dalles

For an overnight stay 

My photos are mostly taken through the car windows as we drove by …so hope they are ok 

Missing you all but know you are busy at school now so sending hugs and kisses to my family xxx

Last full day at White fish. We shall be sad to leave this ski apartment. It has been so relaxing having our own place for 6 nights.

Booking. com have come back to us about the hotel fire and will (quite rightly)refund our money plus any extra it cost us for alternative accommodation. So no worries about the situation any more.

Today we headed out to the east  to Two Medicin lake calling at historical Izaak Walton’s railway hotel. Successful/lovely

We entered the east entrance to glacier Park 

All best plans had to be changed. The parking areas were full at the lakes and the wardens were turning all cars round.

This is Blackfoot Indian country 

We decided to go to Browning and look at that town. It has a plains Indian museum there. It is on route Canada but we weren’t going that far 🤣

But again plans scuppered, everything shut as it is Sunday 

So we found a bakery at kyiyo and I had huckleberry pie so yummy. We sat outside near the aspen trees with a dog laid out near us

Not exactly our plan ……that was to relax by the two medicin lake all afternoon…

but still nice.

We saw a freight train that was pulling about half a mile long of train wagons

We took the return route to white fish and relaxed in our apartment 

It’s Saturday at Glacier in the Fall 

Today we followed the river from Columbia falls and down Blankenship road to west glacier we stopped where the 3 forks of Flathead river meet. People were on dinghies down there

Vince spotted a snake it was thin black grey about 2 foot 

We followed the road to west entrance and stopped at Agpar village at the end of McDonald lake 

It was lovely to sit in the autumn sun and chill out with an ice cream and Montana  coffee.

There were kayakers and people swimming it looked so pleasant and relaxing 

Next west glacier to McDonald lake

We saw loads of butterflies today mostly orange ones and dragon flies. I’m trying to photograph the ideal forest picture… very hard

We stopped up above the McDonald falls

then headed back to white fish

Hungry fish reservoir going to the sun road and glacier Logan loop visitor centre

Friday at glacier n p

First stop to buy deet fly repellent then cooper mountain coffee from a coffee shack drive through. I got bitten yesterday 😎

Next stop flathead reservoir dam at hungry horse town and the lake below

We saw a red dragonfly, humming birds and other tiny birds 

Hungry horse lake was pretty

We entered the west side of glacier 

The going to the sun road  today was more enjoyable as we knew what to expect and not so fearful

First we stopped at McDonald lake . The water was so still and perfect reflections

Then the climb up zigzagged roads….

At the magnificent summit we were able to get to the visitors centre and explore the paths up there. 

We saw many wild flowers and the views were out of this world.

This time we did not travel to the east but returned down the going to the sun road 

On the way back to apartment we both felt the world is a beautiful place 

Road to the sun glacier national park 

We managed to get a pass to the park last night and so we were allowed in the west side today

We stopped at the viewing points and got loads of photos of McDonald’s lake and the famous coloured pebbles

McDonald falls was fabulous. Vince went down to be at the waters edge. Not me!

We stopped at Logan’s peek and saw the steep loop trail 

After climbing a short way we stopped at angels peek

Then heavens view

We were almost at the top 

Next we still climbed and then got to the visitor centre. It was a full car park so we we sadly moved on

At the next available stop we seemed to be behind the that mountain and looking at fresh scenes. Vince truly had driven me to the top of the world.

Heavy runner mountain 8610ft 

At the top the views were immense I don’t think my photos show the scale and depth

It was wonderful a huge amphitheatre

And down we went descending into st Mary’s lake and the great divide

Wild goose island is a tiny island within the lake. The water is so deep navy blue in colour. Then a long but easy drive back to our mountain apartment 

Hope you like the photos….

Glacier park east and entrance two medicine lake 

Looking good today, a nice autumn feel and the sun is shining 

As we couldn’t manage to get a  pass last night with all the events we weren’t able to enter the west side of the park and so we headed east 

We stopped at a few places to admire the views along the river. The aspen trees are turning golden quickly now 

Izaac Walton lodge is an historic famous train stop for hikers. We explored here and had coffee and danish pastries 

Next stop bear creek 

Now onto two medicine lake.  The temp was 64*f but sitting in the sunshine on a grassy bank was perfect just relaxing by the lake.

The towering mountains are dominating the landscape and this is the continental divide. We are coming here again tomorrow and taking the higher road further along. It was nice to have a lazy day

Travelling from Cody Wyoming to Kalispell Montana

We laughed as the country song that came on was “Hey good looking what you got a cooking how’s about cooking something up for me” we both spontaneously started singing it! Funny what you have stored up your memory 

We left in a warm very windy day and a gorgeous sunrise. Saw two bald headed eagles on a dead tree . The road to Billings was flat and easy driving apart from the wind gusting….

then the wind abruptly dropped.

Once we got to Billings we picked up the freeway 90 and sat nav said turn left in 256 miles 😏

We passed by masses of fuel wagons on the train lines going on for ever!

Past Bozeman the road rambles on across plains of grasslands

Montana is in the mountains, the Rockies and the freeway climbs through rocky out crops with high mountains in the distance 

We went through smoke and thunder and eventually we left the highway to get to kalispell now only 2 hours to go .

Long story short after 7 hours travelling we got to our hotel and……

Found it burnt down in April. 

So on booking.com we found an apartment in the ski village up a mountain.

After great difficulties we got a code to enter and we are here for 6 nights.

More news tomorrow 😩😩our apartment is lovely so don’t worry xx

A Day in Yellowstone NP 

Our last full day today and we explored the buffalo bills state park

and then into Yellowstone via the east entrance on the sylvan pass following the Shoshone river 

We stopped at the lakes above at 8530 ft. 

It was nice and cool up there. We wondered where the bears were. The ranger told us it was too hot for them and to come back 7pm time

Now we were about to descend and stopped at an outlook over the great yellowstone lake. A lot of recent burnt tree damage here 

I got talking to a man who told me his father , when he was alive , had all the lenses and camera gear. I asked him if he had been a photographer and he said…. 

No he was just a simple farmer who liked to goof around!

So that’s what me and grandad/vince are doing with our cameras! Just goofing around as we travel 😂

We stopped by steamboat point. Ugh sulphur smells coming from the lakeside below.

Mosquitoes are biting me today, only me no one else! I have fly repellent on but still being bitten.

We saw loads of dragonflies flying around and the autumn colours are appearing now. 

We returned the same way, (as to do a huge circle was too many miles and we have a long journey tomorrow.)

We have found out the thick haze we keep finding since Idaho falls is smoke in the atmosphere, we should have realised. This is why we are getting deep sunsets.

Well today’s blog has been more like a chat to you all with a few pics thrown in . 

Hope you enjoyed reading it 

I will enjoy my last breakfast here tomorrow surrounded by lions rhinoceros antelope zebra warthog panther crocodile and a huge elephant head! Bizarre…..

So here are some of my images of the rodeo. We had a brilliant time there!

because it was so dark and the lit stadium my photos are not competiton standard …very grainy…

but hope you enjoy…