Fishing, Swimming, & Tubing at the Lake

Our days at the lake have been filled with water fun!  Caleb tried out his tubing skills behind Grandpa’s boat while the dogs anxiously looked on! He has been swimming, swimming, and swimming!  With a little help he constructed his own boat and took it for a sail.  That’s not an ordinary sail- that’s a duct tape sail! The guys have gone out fishing, bringing back Walleye for dinner… but they didn’t take the camera.  We’ll have to work on that.

At the Lake- Sioux Narrows, Ontario

We crossed the border into Canada on Friday morning, on our way to the lake!  We settled into our spot at Tomahawk Resort on Lake of the Woods and called family to let them know that we were here!  Caleb anxiously packed his clothes because he decided that he is staying with Grandma and Grandpa at the cabin.

One of our purchases this Spring were two Sea Eagle 370 kayaks.  They are inflatable which is perfect for storage in the fifth wheel.  Although we tried them out at home, we hadn’t yet tried them with the dogs :-)  This is a picture of the “first ride” and they all stayed dry!  Now that I know the dogs won’t “dump” the kayak, I take Russell while Chris takes Laser.  Of course when Chris went out with Caleb, both dogs started swimming along!  We are using the kayaks to get from where we park our truck out to the island with the cabin. 

Caleb is really getting into the solo kayaking and can turn on a dime.  He gave me a tour of the island tonight, complete with expert narration.

The guys have gone fishing and caught enough Walleye for a yummy father’s day dinner.  But Caleb has lots of swimming, kayaking, fishing energy and concentrated on catching the “boathouse” fish at the cabin too!

We will be here in Canada for a few weeks, spending time on the lake.  Forecasted temperatures are for the low to mid 70’s, with part sun and cloud as they say in Canada and chance of showers.  Caleb thinks this is perfect swimming weather!

On the Border- Baudette, MN

We spent two nights at the Larimore Dam RV area.  This seems to be a popular spot for locals, so we were glad we landed mid-week.  We went down to the water for a swim, but only Chris and Caleb ventured into the water. I thought the water was a bit too brown and had too much algae… so I soaked up some rays on the picnic table.  This morning we listened to the weather radio and waited for a few storms to pass.  We found our window of opportunity and headed east to the Grand Forks area for a shopping stock-up before entering Canada.  Super Target stop over, we traveled north-east into Minnesota to the border town of Baudette.  We pulled into the Timbermill Community Park, which is a town park that just added RV sites.
This is a border crossing town and we are taking advantage of some USA services before entering Canada.  Since we are part-timers, there is no good mail forwarding option available through the USPS, because they will only “hold” your mail for 30 days and if you have it forwarded then you have to be in one spot to get it!  So we have a good friend collecting our mail and sending it to us in USPS Priority Flat Rate Envelopes every few weeks.  We also need to comply with the Canadian firearms rules and Chris was able to work with the local Sheriff’s Department to store his firearm.  Our weather radio has been on and we’ve been listening to the tornado warnings for the area.  We seem to be in a good spot and are prepared to go to the shower house if needed, but the storms are moving around us. 
Tomorrow we will cross the border into Canada, earlier than we originally anticipated, but Caleb is anxious to swim and fish!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park- North Unit

After leaving West Yellowstone, we headed north towards Bozeman, Montana to resupply the cupboards with a trip to the local Costco.  With the cupboards restocked, we were ready to keep driving!  So as many will say, plans are in Jello, so on we went.  We stopped for the evening after a long driving day in Miles City, Montana.   After a fine overnight spot, we drove on to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park- North Unit near Watford City, North Dakota!
That’s where we spent the last three nights enjoying this great park.  We dry camped in their Juniper Campground and were greeted to buffalo outside our door!  Caleb explored the badland vistas from an overlook structure built in the 30’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). Although we are all still wearing sweatshirts in this picture, the sun came out warming up the air so that we could wear short-sleeved shirts for the first time since leaving Arizona!
Spring has come late to the badlands as well and the wildflowers are in full bloom!  The temps in the mid 60’s to low 70’s made a few hikes very enjoyable.  We attended a ranger led walk on the Little Mo trail to learn about the plants and animals and then we hiked the self-guided Caprock Coulee Trail.  The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is truly a gem.  They don’t get too many visitors so there is space for you to be alone with nature.  The area is very laid back and although initially one may think that there isn’t much to do, there is! 
We learned from 3 different Campfire Programs put on by the Interpretive Rangers: nighttime animals in the park, Theodore Roosevelt’s first days in the park, and a day in the life of Lewis and Clark!  We were captivated by the great story-telling of Ranger O’Connor for the Lewis & Clark tale!  We learned how to make our own char-cloth and how to start a fire without a match!  He let Caleb throw the spark using a knife and magnesium block into the char-cloth!  Caleb also purchased a book on knot tying and is learning all sorts of new ways to tie things up!
We had a couple of buffalo come through camp, and hang out in camp!  We noticed that the buffalo at this park are harder to find, they have lots of hiding places in the buttes.  They also aren’t as used to, or tolerant of, people!  We saw 4 bulls running from the picnic area towards the campground and the camphost had to run to get out of the way! 
The Juniper Campground is lined with Cottonwood trees and Juniper as the name suggests as well as this long, lush grass.  This was perfect weather to enjoy this campground!  We said good-bye for now to Theodore Roosevelt North Unit on Tuesday morning and landed for a few nights at the Larimore Dam Recreation Area near Grand Forks, North Dakota.  The mosquitoes are hungry and we had to turn on the air conditioner!

Yellowstone National Park- Mammoth Hot Springs & Baby Elk!

Wednesday we drove up to the Mammoth area and tucked in amongst the historic residences, this mama Elk just had her spring baby!  This baby is between 1 and 2 hours old.  Baby was practicing getting his feet working.  Baby Elk bed down for 2-3 days before travelling with mama, whereas baby bison are ready to go within 2-3 hours.
This baby was learning quickly and kept trying to bound around the grassy lawn. The Mammoth area is where the army set up camp to protect Yellowstone when the park was first established.  There are many historical buildings from the fort, including this stone chapel which is still used today.
We walked on the lower terrace boardwalk to see a different side of Yellowstone’s thermal features.  In this area, the thermal waters mix with the limestone creating travertine terraces.  The colors are only evident on areas where the hot springs actively flow because they are caused by microorganisms.
As with the rest of the Yellowstone ecosystem, this area is always changing.  A portion of the trail was closed because the terraces had built up onto it, some areas can have up to 3 feet of terraces deposited in a year!
A view of Chris and Caleb along the lower terrace boardwalk.
From the top of the boardwalk one gets quite a view of the historic Mammoth settlement below and the mountains in the background. We drove to the north entrance at Gardiner for a view of the historic arch where Teddy Roosevelt mortared the cornerstone.  Can you see Caleb by the door on the left?  We have seen pictures of the arch but never realized how massive it is! 

Along the drive back to our campsite we saw female and baby Big Horn Sheep frolicking along the rocky cliffs.  Back at the campsite Chris & Caleb saw a moose in the willows by the Madison River.  Did I mention we decided to stay put a few more nights?  This area has so much to do!  Today, though, we are going to hang out at camp and look for wildlife around here.

Yellowstone National Park- Geysers & More!

Today the sun was shining so it was a perfect day to view the thermal springs with their brilliant colors!  We walked the boardwalk around Old Faithful and saw it erupt from the backside. 

We also saw many other geysers such as this one, the Beehive.  We started at Old Faithful and worked our way north today, stopping at the Fountain Paint Pot for a gurgling, clay filled pool.  Pictures of Yellowstone surely don’t illustrate the sounds and smells of it’s many wonders.  The sulphur smell of the thermal features may seem like stinky eggs at first, but then one knows that the smell means great beauty lies ahead!  The sounds vary from bubbling and plopping of the Fountain Paint Pot to the hissing of steam straining to escape a fumarole. 

  We also visited the Midway Geyser Basin to view the famous Grand Prismatic Spring.  It is one of the largest pools and one of the hottest, so there is always plenty of steam.  Right above us as we walked this boardwalk, two Ospreys chattered overhead.  Back at our campsite, an Osprey was spotted with it’s trout dinner in its talons.

Caleb finished up his Jr.Ranger requirements and was sworn in by a ranger at the Madison Jr.Ranger Station.  Now he’s prepared to flash his badge to help protect our national park! 

These Bison, earlier in the day, were right behind where Caleb is standing in the photo above.  We’ve been to Yellowstone before, but don’t recall ever seeing as many bison calves as this year.

Grotto Geyser puts on an entertaining show on the Upper Geyser Basin.  It shoots and sprays this way and that, popping up here and then there, masking itself in steam and then clearing up.  We sat and watched Grotto’s antics for a few minutes before walking on.

Do you see the baby leaping in the background?  These bison were swimming across the Madison River.  And when mama decided to cross, baby had to take the plunge too!  The water is high and the current is swift, so when one mama and baby crossed they didn’t end up at the same spot on the other bank!  So they snorted and ran to meet up with each other again.

We have decided to stay one more night here in West Yellowstone.  Tomorrow is supposed to be pretty clear before the rains move back in towards evening.  Where to after that?  We are planning a spelunking adventure, so follow along!

Yellowstone National Park

Sunday we left Gros Ventre campground in the Grand Tetons under the cover of clouds with rain steadily falling.  We drove north and entered Yellowstone through the South entrance.  Snow blanketed the grounds and the temperatures dropped.  We continued through the park and exited through the West entrance at West Yellowstone, Montana.  Proceeding through town and two miles up highway 191, we reached our camping destination, Bakers Hole National Forest Service campground.  It sits on the Madison River which is swollen from the rain.  There was a flood warning, but it seems the banks will hold swift current back today.  This view of the Madison river is from the side of our trailer.  This campground will easily accommodate any size RV.  Electric sites are available, but we chose a dry camping spot for $16 a night. 

Monday morning we ventured into Yellowstone, slowing for the Bison sleeping in the meadow along the Madison river, and stopping at the Madison Jr. Ranger station.  Caleb earned his patch here a few years ago, but now that he is older, there is a different patch to earn.  He listened to Ranger Molly talk about the Ravens in the park.  With the clouds and the rain hanging on and following the advice of a ranger, we decided to visit the thermal features on a sunnier day.  North through Norris and on to Canyon for a stop at the Laundromat.  Then to the Falls…

We hiked down to the Brink of the Lower Falls located in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.

  The falls were amazing!  Enormous amounts of water careened over the edge passing next to canyon cliffs still covered with snow. 

Of course once you walk down, you have to walk back up!  The trail’s elevation change is 600 feet and the length is 3/8 of a mile one way.  So it’s a steep climb up!Looking up the canyon from Inspiration Point…

  and then towards Old Faithful!  Along the way we stopped in a picnic area to walk the dogs when crack, crack, thunder, boom!  A tree fell in the forest pretty close, but luckily not too close!  There are many fallen trees that seem to have just uprooted themselves and fallen over.  There was also a fire in the area last year that scorched some of the forest.  But the small healthy pines that line much of Yellowstone are proof that the massive fire of 1988 cannot destroy the beauty of Yellowstone. 

After viewing an evening presentation of one of the most predictable and frequent geysers on earth, Old Faithful, we were treated to a rainbow over Old Faithful Lodge.  From there we were headed back to the campsite.  Caleb asked, “How long from here?”  I replied, “About 45 minutes.”   Well, that figure didn’t account for the Buffalo jam! 

Spring Showers in the Tetons

Our stay in Grand Teton National Park has been marked by cool, cloudy days with numerous spring rain showers.  The temperature has hovered around 50 degrees and we’ve bundled up in our sweatshirts and rain coats.  The clouds have hidden the majestic mountain peaks and only give us a glimpse every once in a while.  The picture above is a baby Great Horned Owl.  There are actually two in this hole and, at the time of this photo, mama was off in a neighboring Cottonwood tree.  Some avid birders camp out with massive telephoto lenses attached to their cameras mounted on tripods for hours on end watching the owl site.  We, on the other hand, were more interested in the moose!

  This mama and baby swam across the Gros Ventre River as soon as more onlookers appeared.  The rains have swollen the rivers and creeks and the baby had a difficult time fighting the strong current, but safely made it to the other bank.  We’ve seen a couple other moose as well and they always seem to be a cow and a baby. 

This Yellow Bellied Marmot camouflages well with his surroundings!  He is right in the middle. Yesterday after driving up to the Colter Bay area, we ventured into the town of Jackson to see the nightly cowboy shoot out.  Chris and Caleb are standing under one of the four arches made from Elk antlers in the town square.  But the shoot out cowboys must have softened up a bit from yesteryear because they decided the light rain was enough to call off the gunfight! This will be our last night in Grand Teton National Park.  Caleb has read Sign of the Beaver and is in the middle of a book given to him called The Education of Little Tree.  We’ve also spent some time playing Uno, Monopoly Deal, There’s a Moose in the House, and The Scrambled States of America Game.  We will be heading north to Yellowstone National Park near the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.  We’re hoping for a break in the clouds for one last view of the Grand Tetons!

Grand Teton National Park- Wyoming

When we entered Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, we all agreed that we wanted to see a moose.  After getting settled in the national park’s Gros Ventre campground, we ventured to the visitor center.  As we walked towards the entrance, a gentleman told us there was a moose with a baby just off the boardwalk.  Sure enough, our wish was granted as mama and baby waited for us by the visitor center!  The Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center at Moose is one of the finest we’ve ever seen, with floor to ceiling windows for a panoramic view of the peaks. After gathering maps, Caleb completed a junior ranger scavenger hunt and then we were off for a scenic drive along Jenny Lake. 

The bison are easily viewed along the road to the campground.  The babies are feisty and run all around and across the road! 

 After dropping the dogs off at the trailer for their afternoon nap, we ventured back to the Jenny Lake area.  We rode the pontoon boat across the bay to hike up to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. 

 We ventured back along the lakeside trail to the truck for about a 3.5 mile hike. 

It has been a cool spring and the trail was still partially covered in snow, so Caleb snuck a snowball and tossed it at his dad!  A snowball fight in June!  We have seen spritely Yellow Bellied Marmots playing hide and seek with the humans, curious Uinta Ground Squirrels, baby owls nesting in a campground Cottonwood tree, mama and baby Moose snacking near the Snake River, a herd of Elk moving through the valley, Bison meandering through the Sagebrush, a Bald Eagle soaring above the Gros Ventre River, and a Pika chirping in the rocks along the Hidden Falls trail! 

As the rain falls this morning, we are cozy in our fifth wheel, glad that we are no longer tent camping like some of our park neighbors.  Caleb is completing his junior ranger activities and should be able to earn his patch today.