Tuesday, August 16 we said our goodbyes to Renee and retraced our steps back to Bozeman where we turned south and followed the 
Gallatin River. Nearing Yellowstone we stopped for a break near
white bluffs on the other side of the river.We drove to a Forest Camp three miles north of West Yellowstone.. We stayed there three years ago and found they had electricity at many of their sites. It seems the word has spread as all of those sites were full. Just didn’t get there early enough. We were full and it didn’t bother us to stay without hookups especially since we were only staying one night.
Gallatin River. Nearing Yellowstone we stopped for a break near
white bluffs on the other side of the river.We drove to a Forest Camp three miles north of West Yellowstone.. We stayed there three years ago and found they had electricity at many of their sites. It seems the word has spread as all of those sites were full. Just didn’t get there early enough. We were full and it didn’t bother us to stay without hookups especially since we were only staying one night.
Wednesday, August 17 we headed south west toward Idaho Falls taking a detour to see the 
Lower Mesa Falls, 65” high, of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River from high above and the
Upper Mesa Falls from close up. It is 114” high.
Before arriving in Idaho Falls we saw real
“IDAHO POTATOES!” growing in the fields. There is plenty of water to pour on the fields so they looked lush
Our next stop was a much needed trailer wash where the truckers get their big rigs clean. This was the first opportunity to get the rig clean since we entered the lower 48. We were in line for about two hours with all the
big rigs. Afterwards we sparkled and didn’t have any more Alaskan dirt on us anymore.
We headed to our friend Chad Landon’s home up on a hill with a
beautiful garden.
We had met Chad three years ago in the Tetons and have corresponded with him since. He fixed great tacos and we stuffed ourselves.
Chad has a new love life and her name is Merania. We still have a hard time pronouncing her New Zealand name. She was born there, but didn’t live there long. Her parents liked the native name. We wish them the best and look forward to seeing her again.
Since Chad lives on the bluff overlooking Idaho Falls, the view from
his yard was so pretty from our trailer as Olivia worked on the blog.
Thursday, August 18 Chad went to work and we took off into Idaho Falls to increase their tax base. Our first stop was for Olivia to have a pedicure and Fred decided to have one also. A Vietnamese couple worked on each of us at the same time. They spoke good English and we had a good time visiting with them. When the lady started working on Fred’s toes she found a lot of dirt under his toe nails. She asked him, “What have you been doing, where have you been?” He said, “I have been to Alaska and that is gold!” she had a good comeback of saying, “I don’t want that black gold!” Both of us were glad we had good clean and buffed feet.
kept looming over the lower mountains, but we gave up on the washboard road and turned around.
Saturday, August 20 we left this park heading east to the Teton Pass. It was not a bad climb, but going down Fred was very nervous. When we ended the steep decline we could smell the brakes.
Driving north from Jackson we made a stop to photograph the
Teton mountains in their glory. The sun was right 
and the sky was clear with a few puffy clouds.
At Moran Junction we turned east to find the Hatchet Forest Camp. We found it just after the turnoff, but we thought there were a few more spots. After a long drive up the hill we finally found a place to turn around. Back at the campground we actually found about five of the ten sites vacant and one fit us to a tee.
About two in the afternoon we headed back about two miles to a big RV park where Terry and June Rainwater from Florida had parked. We had met the Rainwaters our 2nd day in BC at a Provincial Park. We ended up traveling with them for about ten days from Glacier View Campground to Whitehorse. We had kept in touch with them and figured this was a good rendezvous place. We drove over to the national park campground of Coulter Bay to scout it out for the next three nights. It was as if we had been with them the whole trip. They are going home to sell their home and buy a fifth wheel and pickup and become fulltime RVers.
Sunday, August 21 we packed up the trailer and parked in the Colter Bay Museum parking lot while we attended the National Park Christian Ministry Sunday service in the amphitheater.
The Rainwaters met us there when services were over. We went together to get adjacent camp spots in this huge campground. We were in spot 324 where we could just barely see the top of one of the mountains from our window. As it turned out the campground was not full and we could have our choice with no problems. Oh, thank goodness school is starting and we should not have a problem from here on out, except Labor Day weekend.
Up in the afternoon we went back to the Museum where we saw an excellent movie about the 1988 Yellowstone fire. On the lower floor we visited with a Shoshoni Indian Lady making jewelry. June and Olivia each found a perfect pair of beaded earrings.
Monday, August 21 we took the Rainwaters to
Jenny Lake for the perfect picture. These mountains are just that. So pretty and majestic.
Lower Mesa Falls, 65” high, of the Henry’s Fork of the Snake River from high above and the
Upper Mesa Falls from close up. It is 114” high.
Before arriving in Idaho Falls we saw real
“IDAHO POTATOES!” growing in the fields. There is plenty of water to pour on the fields so they looked lush
Our next stop was a much needed trailer wash where the truckers get their big rigs clean. This was the first opportunity to get the rig clean since we entered the lower 48. We were in line for about two hours with all the
big rigs. Afterwards we sparkled and didn’t have any more Alaskan dirt on us anymore.
We headed to our friend Chad Landon’s home up on a hill with a
beautiful garden.
We had met Chad three years ago in the Tetons and have corresponded with him since. He fixed great tacos and we stuffed ourselves.
Chad has a new love life and her name is Merania. We still have a hard time pronouncing her New Zealand name. She was born there, but didn’t live there long. Her parents liked the native name. We wish them the best and look forward to seeing her again.
Since Chad lives on the bluff overlooking Idaho Falls, the view from
his yard was so pretty from our trailer as Olivia worked on the blog.
Thursday, August 18 Chad went to work and we took off into Idaho Falls to increase their tax base. Our first stop was for Olivia to have a pedicure and Fred decided to have one also. A Vietnamese couple worked on each of us at the same time. They spoke good English and we had a good time visiting with them. When the lady started working on Fred’s toes she found a lot of dirt under his toe nails. She asked him, “What have you been doing, where have you been?” He said, “I have been to Alaska and that is gold!” she had a good comeback of saying, “I don’t want that black gold!” Both of us were glad we had good clean and buffed feet.
On to the other chore shopping and finding the stores with the Idaho Falls street names. Target, Wally World and Albertsons. Back at Chad’s home we prepared steaks, yellow squash, baked onions, little new potatoes, pink salad & sliced tomatoes, onions and avocados. A part of the meal was from Chad’s lush vegetable garden. We enjoyed visiting with Chad and before we went to the trailer we said our goodbyes as he was to go to work before we arose. His job is with a nuclear weapons security firm. We hope he comes to visit us sometime in the winter as well as all the other friends we have met on the road.
Friday, August 19 we departed Chad’s home and drove north to highway 26 where we found a very nice dump and fill. We wish every county had one for residents and tourists. Thanks to Bonneville County.
We found our camp for the night just inside Wyoming at the Trail forest campground. It was small with only about 12 sites, but a little creek ran past our spot. It was just off the highway to Jackson.
After setting up we drove back to Victor and north to Driggs trying to see the west side of the Teton’s. One of them
Friday, August 19 we departed Chad’s home and drove north to highway 26 where we found a very nice dump and fill. We wish every county had one for residents and tourists. Thanks to Bonneville County.
We found our camp for the night just inside Wyoming at the Trail forest campground. It was small with only about 12 sites, but a little creek ran past our spot. It was just off the highway to Jackson.
After setting up we drove back to Victor and north to Driggs trying to see the west side of the Teton’s. One of them
kept looming over the lower mountains, but we gave up on the washboard road and turned around.
Saturday, August 20 we left this park heading east to the Teton Pass. It was not a bad climb, but going down Fred was very nervous. When we ended the steep decline we could smell the brakes.
Driving north from Jackson we made a stop to photograph the
Teton mountains in their glory. The sun was right and the sky was clear with a few puffy clouds.
At Moran Junction we turned east to find the Hatchet Forest Camp. We found it just after the turnoff, but we thought there were a few more spots. After a long drive up the hill we finally found a place to turn around. Back at the campground we actually found about five of the ten sites vacant and one fit us to a tee.
About two in the afternoon we headed back about two miles to a big RV park where Terry and June Rainwater from Florida had parked. We had met the Rainwaters our 2nd day in BC at a Provincial Park. We ended up traveling with them for about ten days from Glacier View Campground to Whitehorse. We had kept in touch with them and figured this was a good rendezvous place. We drove over to the national park campground of Coulter Bay to scout it out for the next three nights. It was as if we had been with them the whole trip. They are going home to sell their home and buy a fifth wheel and pickup and become fulltime RVers.
Sunday, August 21 we packed up the trailer and parked in the Colter Bay Museum parking lot while we attended the National Park Christian Ministry Sunday service in the amphitheater.
The Rainwaters met us there when services were over. We went together to get adjacent camp spots in this huge campground. We were in spot 324 where we could just barely see the top of one of the mountains from our window. As it turned out the campground was not full and we could have our choice with no problems. Oh, thank goodness school is starting and we should not have a problem from here on out, except Labor Day weekend.
Up in the afternoon we went back to the Museum where we saw an excellent movie about the 1988 Yellowstone fire. On the lower floor we visited with a Shoshoni Indian Lady making jewelry. June and Olivia each found a perfect pair of beaded earrings.
Monday, August 21 we took the Rainwaters to
Jenny Lake for the perfect picture. These mountains are just that. So pretty and majestic.
Upon recommendations of our friend Sharon, we made a reservation and had lunch at the Jenny Lake Lodge. While waiting for our table we noted for two people to stay in this lodge it would cost $620 per night, but did include breakfast and dinner. Dinner otherwise is $150 per person.
June was enamored with the 
moose shaped butter. It was a very good lunch. The waitress said the National Park rules did not allow for rare burgers so Fred was disappointed in his blue cheese buffalo burger.
moose shaped butter. It was a very good lunch. The waitress said the National Park rules did not allow for rare burgers so Fred was disappointed in his blue cheese buffalo burger.
After lunch we noticed
smoke to the east that had not been there before lunch. When we asked we found it had been burning for three days and had already burned 250,000 acres. The color of the smoke just above the hill was pink. We certainly hope it stays on that side of the park.
smoke to the east that had not been there before lunch. When we asked we found it had been burning for three days and had already burned 250,000 acres. The color of the smoke just above the hill was pink. We certainly hope it stays on that side of the park.
From there we drove to the boat dock to take the
ride to the other side of Jenny Lake. Olivia was able to catch the sparkles of the spray as we enjoyed the ride. June & Terry walked to the Hidden Falls. We picked a few huckleberries and Fred enjoyed teaching a few children about the berries. Fred said these three young New York girls are natural berry pickers and told them how impressed he was with their ability to learn so fast.
Tuesday, August 23 we told the Rainwaters goodbye as they headed north into Yellowstone and we went south. We stopped in Jackson and received an excellent forest service book for the area. South of Jackson we turned east at Hoback Jct to hunt for Hoback Forest Campground. This was where Cecil, Olivia’s Dad, wrote in his book that Teenya wanted to go for her honeymoon. It was not what we pictured, in fact only one spot worked for us so we drove on. We also looked at Kozy Campground and it was less desirable. The Forest Service lady told us there was also a BLM campground when the road crossed the
Green River. Sure enough there it was. On a
flat piece of land with NO trees and the temperature was in the 80’s. The saving grace was the wind was blowing constantly. The host said there was frost on the tables that morning. Quite a contrast.
New Fork Lakes and view the narrows behind them. As we neared Pinedale we noticed extra tall fences made of hog wire. Construction on the main highway included bridges over little draws. This puzzled us until we realized they were constructing underpasses to allow animals to cross the road safely for them and humans. We had seen this type of construction in Canada. Later we found the idea for this project came from those Canadian fences.Our first stop was the Visitor Center to obtain maps and other information around Pinedale. They were very helpful in informing us about this area.
ride to the other side of Jenny Lake. Olivia was able to catch the sparkles of the spray as we enjoyed the ride. June & Terry walked to the Hidden Falls. We picked a few huckleberries and Fred enjoyed teaching a few children about the berries. Fred said these three young New York girls are natural berry pickers and told them how impressed he was with their ability to learn so fast.
Tuesday, August 23 we told the Rainwaters goodbye as they headed north into Yellowstone and we went south. We stopped in Jackson and received an excellent forest service book for the area. South of Jackson we turned east at Hoback Jct to hunt for Hoback Forest Campground. This was where Cecil, Olivia’s Dad, wrote in his book that Teenya wanted to go for her honeymoon. It was not what we pictured, in fact only one spot worked for us so we drove on. We also looked at Kozy Campground and it was less desirable. The Forest Service lady told us there was also a BLM campground when the road crossed the
Green River. Sure enough there it was. On a
flat piece of land with NO trees and the temperature was in the 80’s. The saving grace was the wind was blowing constantly. The host said there was frost on the tables that morning. Quite a contrast.
The motorhome next to us was occupied by a vacationing young couple from Oklahoma. They were here because he fly fishes and the Green River is as good as it gets in the thinking of many.
Wednesday, August 24, we took off to sightsee.
We drove north from Cora to see the
Wednesday, August 24, we took off to sightsee.
We drove north from Cora to see the
New Fork Lakes and view the narrows behind them. As we neared Pinedale we noticed extra tall fences made of hog wire. Construction on the main highway included bridges over little draws. This puzzled us until we realized they were constructing underpasses to allow animals to cross the road safely for them and humans. We had seen this type of construction in Canada. Later we found the idea for this project came from those Canadian fences.Our first stop was the Visitor Center to obtain maps and other information around Pinedale. They were very helpful in informing us about this area.
From the first big beaver season in 1824 to the last Rendezvous in 1840, this area was the center of theRocky Mountain fur trade. Six of the 16 summer Rendezvous were held at the confluence of the Horse Creek and the Green River. For mountain men who trapped during the long cold months for the best fur, the summer Rendezvous provided an opportunity to sell beaver hides, re-supply for the coming year, meet old friends, and celebrate. Rendezvous lasted up to a month and were attended by as many as 3000 trapers, traders, visitors, and Indians coming from hundreds of miles in all directions.
Since 1936, The Green River Rendezvous has been commemorated each year with a celebration the second weekend in July.
Mountain Man in Pinedale is dedicated to interpreting and preserving the history of this colorful era. Not only did they tell of the Mountain Man, but it included the oil information in the county since 1996.
From the Museum we drove up around
Fremont Lake, one of over 1,300 lakes in Sublette County. Fremont Lake is the deepest glacial lake (608 feet) in the contiguous United States. This road took us on a skyline drive and a view of the
Wind River Range.
On the way back to the trailer we stopped in the community of
Daniel which was the actual location of one of the first Rendezvous. Fred wanted to get gas, but this
station was no longer open. Daniel appears more of a ghost town of Sublette County which includes 80% public land, BLM, NFS and State. We especially enjoyed this town because our grandson's name is Daniel. Now he has a town named after him!
The Museum of the
Mountain Man in Pinedale is dedicated to interpreting and preserving the history of this colorful era. Not only did they tell of the Mountain Man, but it included the oil information in the county since 1996.
From the Museum we drove up around
Fremont Lake, one of over 1,300 lakes in Sublette County. Fremont Lake is the deepest glacial lake (608 feet) in the contiguous United States. This road took us on a skyline drive and a view of the
Wind River Range.
On the way back to the trailer we stopped in the community of
Daniel which was the actual location of one of the first Rendezvous. Fred wanted to get gas, but this
station was no longer open. Daniel appears more of a ghost town of Sublette County which includes 80% public land, BLM, NFS and State. We especially enjoyed this town because our grandson's name is Daniel. Now he has a town named after him!
The Oil & Gas Industry’s share of property assessed for Taxation in 2009 was 97.23% of this county. Wyoming is an oil and gas state! Only three counties have no production.
dam and the bridge over a small inlet. Thunderheads were covering the sky so we headed back to the trailer. We experienced some cooling breezes and sprinkles.
This has been a large post and we hope you can get all the words and pictures.
Please comment on any of the events of our past two weeks. We love getting mail!
To respond please click on either email address:
Olivia@bobheck.com or Fredharrington@yahoo.com
Back at the campground, Muddie (from heaven) painted a 
glorious sunset for us to enjoy.
Thursday August 25 we moved about 50 miles down the road to another BLM Campground. This one had more sites, had shelters around the tables, cost only $2.50 and was on a lake, but was 30 miles from anything and mostly deserted.
After we parked, we drove into Kemmener to see
J.C.Penney’s first store. This Mother Store is now a Penney’s outlet and Fred found the big sale advertised on the window. The structure of the store was like the old one in Waxahachie without the second floor. The workers said there was a basement, but it was only for storage. Down the street was the
Penney’s home.
Back at the campground we waited anxiously for the sun and the temperature to go down, as we only had the open windows to cool us off. We know it is hot in Texas, but they have electricity and air conditioning to make it bearable
Friday, August 26 we drove south over flat desert to Green River where we stopped at a visitor center for information on the Flaming Gorge. The area by that name includes the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As long as we were in Wyoming the lake to our left was basically out of sight. After passing though Manila, Utah we drove though many layers of the past like windblown sands and where dinosaurs roamed. We were surprised to find ourselves going
downhill, where did the road go?
On the south side of Sheep Creek Bay the road took us uphill
over 1000”. The road took us east through forests on the south of the park. We followed the side road at Red Canyon and found three campgrounds. We chose the second one which had tent sites along the canyon rim. There were only a few RV sites and we were fortunate to take the last one.
After setting up we drove our pay envelop to the drop rather than walking across to the box because there was a
small herd of female and young big horn sheep grazing across the path. See our trailer in the background. We drove the few miles to the Red Canyon visitor center and went immediately to their appropriately named
WOW window.
The whole building was placed over the
tip of the bluff. The ranger told us the big horn sheep winter along the lake at the lower elevation, then climb the wall under the visitor center to mow the yard around the center in the summer.
Back at the camp Fred grilled shish-ka-bobs for a very delicious supper.
Even though it was still hot, the breeze kept us cooler in the shade of a ponderosa pine. As other nights when the sun went down we had a pretty sunset and the temperature dropped allowing us to sleep.
Saturday, August 27 Gee it is almost September and it is still hot this far north. We spent a lazy morning. While Fred was running the generator he looked up and the herd of big horns were right in our camp. The nearest one was
more curious about us then we him.
We walked over to the rim and enjoyed a beautiful
view of the lake and canyon walls.
We drove east to the
Flaming Gorge Dam and enjoyed driving below the dam to attempt to see the people floating and fishing. It was very hard to see the water.
This Dam and Reservoir are part of a complex water development system known as the Colorado River Storage Project.
This dam was located here at Red Canyon partly to take advantage of the canyon’s curve, which made an excellent site for the spillway and diversion tunnels. The lake is 92 miles long.
Features are located throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin, encompassing parts of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The dam and reservoirs of the project are operated to provide water for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, hydroelectric power generation, recreation, fish & wildlife. Most of the costs and operating costs of the various features of the storage project are paid by the water and power users.
On the other side of the lake we could see the
glorious sunset for us to enjoy.
Thursday August 25 we moved about 50 miles down the road to another BLM Campground. This one had more sites, had shelters around the tables, cost only $2.50 and was on a lake, but was 30 miles from anything and mostly deserted.
After we parked, we drove into Kemmener to see
J.C.Penney’s first store. This Mother Store is now a Penney’s outlet and Fred found the big sale advertised on the window. The structure of the store was like the old one in Waxahachie without the second floor. The workers said there was a basement, but it was only for storage. Down the street was the
Penney’s home.
Back at the campground we waited anxiously for the sun and the temperature to go down, as we only had the open windows to cool us off. We know it is hot in Texas, but they have electricity and air conditioning to make it bearable
Friday, August 26 we drove south over flat desert to Green River where we stopped at a visitor center for information on the Flaming Gorge. The area by that name includes the Flaming Gorge Reservoir. As long as we were in Wyoming the lake to our left was basically out of sight. After passing though Manila, Utah we drove though many layers of the past like windblown sands and where dinosaurs roamed. We were surprised to find ourselves going
downhill, where did the road go?
On the south side of Sheep Creek Bay the road took us uphill
over 1000”. The road took us east through forests on the south of the park. We followed the side road at Red Canyon and found three campgrounds. We chose the second one which had tent sites along the canyon rim. There were only a few RV sites and we were fortunate to take the last one.
After setting up we drove our pay envelop to the drop rather than walking across to the box because there was a
small herd of female and young big horn sheep grazing across the path. See our trailer in the background. We drove the few miles to the Red Canyon visitor center and went immediately to their appropriately namedWOW window.
The whole building was placed over the
tip of the bluff. The ranger told us the big horn sheep winter along the lake at the lower elevation, then climb the wall under the visitor center to mow the yard around the center in the summer.
Back at the camp Fred grilled shish-ka-bobs for a very delicious supper.
Even though it was still hot, the breeze kept us cooler in the shade of a ponderosa pine. As other nights when the sun went down we had a pretty sunset and the temperature dropped allowing us to sleep.
Saturday, August 27 Gee it is almost September and it is still hot this far north. We spent a lazy morning. While Fred was running the generator he looked up and the herd of big horns were right in our camp. The nearest one was
more curious about us then we him.
We walked over to the rim and enjoyed a beautiful
view of the lake and canyon walls.
We drove east to the
Flaming Gorge Dam and enjoyed driving below the dam to attempt to see the people floating and fishing. It was very hard to see the water.
This Dam and Reservoir are part of a complex water development system known as the Colorado River Storage Project.
This dam was located here at Red Canyon partly to take advantage of the canyon’s curve, which made an excellent site for the spillway and diversion tunnels. The lake is 92 miles long.
Features are located throughout the Upper Colorado River Basin, encompassing parts of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. The dam and reservoirs of the project are operated to provide water for irrigation, municipal and industrial use, hydroelectric power generation, recreation, fish & wildlife. Most of the costs and operating costs of the various features of the storage project are paid by the water and power users.
On the other side of the lake we could see the
dam and the bridge over a small inlet. Thunderheads were covering the sky so we headed back to the trailer. We experienced some cooling breezes and sprinkles.
This has been a large post and we hope you can get all the words and pictures.
Please comment on any of the events of our past two weeks. We love getting mail!
To respond please click on either email address:
Olivia@bobheck.com or Fredharrington@yahoo.com
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