Sunday... Rain Again

We have not done much today. When we woke up this morning it was raining and has rained at times the remainder of the day. It has been deeply overcast. We don't see such dark days at home like this except in winter. Sometimes it has looked as if it was getting dark like after sunset. We decided that we were just not going to try to go exploring in Yellowstone today and just come to the town of West Yellowstone (Montana) and just relax a bit and update this blog. Of all times for Windows 10 to update, it picked this afternoon to do it. I have been waiting for a very long time for Windows to complete the update but it finally did finish here at McDonalds.
If you have not been to West Yellowstone, I will try to describe it. It is a small town filled with tourist type stores, and everything we have seen is very pricey. Of course, they have to make their money for the year during the tourist season which makes it understandable why their prices are higher than most other places.
Yesterday, we did get a short break in the weather and went to Artist Point. That is the viewpoint for Lower Falls in Yellowstone. I knew that Inspiration Point was closed due to construction and I feared that was the viewpoint for Lower Falls that I liked so much in the past but it was not. Artist Point is the viewpoint that I liked to visit to get the beautiful photos of Lower Falls. Unfortunately, the lighting was terrible for a good photo. Below are a couple of photos of Lower Falls. I am sorry the photos are not better than they are.

Lower Falls

 Our Campsite In Yellowstone on a Sunny Day

   

Saturday... Cool and Rain in Yellowstone

We have had rain most of the day today and the temperature has been about 45 degrees. The forecast is for rain and snow tomorrow and Monday. We would much prefer the weather would be different. As I write this we're beginning to see some blue sky instead of all clouds.
I think I have said before, we don't have any hookups in national parks and that includes electricity. We have not had hookups since we stayed at Custer South Dakota on about September 15th. That means we have used the self-contained ability in the camper. But let me say I have not missed a shower any night yet. I am explaining this for those of you that don't camp. It will be much more of a challenge when it gets colder. We have a furnace but the challenge is keeping the two big deep cycle batteries charged without having sun.
We have driven 3281 miles so far. On Monday we will head back to Jackson so that I will be able to get treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday. Our plan on Wednesday is to head south after treatment and possibly go to the north rim of the Grand Canyon National Park.
I don't expect the weather today will allow for any photos.

Friday.. To Old Faithful and Other Geysers

We spent the day on the west side of Yellowstone from Madison Junction down to Old Faithful. We visited several geysers and of course Old Faithful. It has been more crowded than we remember anytime we have been here. There were lots of Asian people outnumbering what appeared to be US citizens at least 10 to 1. Most of them were taking photos of each other instead of the beautiful scenes that were in front of them. Some of the females were even striking poses as if they were posing for magazine photos. We saw many doing this. I guess it must be an Asian thing.

Last night the low temperature at the campground was 34. Worse weather is forecast for later this weekend with it getting much colder next week.

I meant to explain last night, I did the post last night from the McDonalds in West Yellowstone, MT. My data plan is running low so I will have to ration it.

Thank you all for your nice comments. It makes this worth doing.

 Old Faithful Inn

Wednesday and Thursday Catch-up

Wednesday...September 28, 2016...We moved from Jackson to Yellowstone and Madison Campground. The other main campgrounds in Yellowstone are closed for the season. The drive was sunny and warm. A very nice day for the 130 mile drive. At 8pm, we went to the amphitheater at the campground for a very interesting fireside presentation on buffalo that lasted about an hour. Before we went to bed last night we were treated by listening to elk bugling in the distance. Later on we also heard coyotes howling. What a treat to hear all these sounds from our camper.

View along our drive yesterday

 Lewis Falls

Thursday...September 29, 2016... Today started out at 35 degrees but got up to about 63. We took off for the northern part of the park. The closest route there has the road closed for maintenance so we had to go the long way which goes over Dunraven Pass. That drive took up so much time we decided not to go all the way to Mammoth Hot Springs. Instead, drove up Lamar Valley where the ranger doing the presentation last night said there were about 2,000 plus buffalo in Lamar Valley. It ended up being a good animal viewing day as you can see by the photos below. We saw some elk but did not try to photograph them. I figured we would get a better opportunity later. 

Gibbons Falls

Tower Falls

Tuesday Jackson and Treatment

We really appreciate all the comments you leave on the blog. We enjoy hearing from you and your thoughts about the blog. I have no idea how many actual people are seeing the blog other than the ones that left a comment.

Today I received my first day of a two-day treatment for this week. All went well, and I got to enjoy that wonderful hospital food again. When I finish treatment tomorrow, we will head to Madison Junction in Yellowstone National Park. I don't expect it is going to be as nice and warm as it was here today. It must have gotten to around 70 degrees and sunny. We plan to spend five nights in the campground at Madison Junction. Most of the other campgrounds in Yellowstone are closed for the season. On Monday next week, we will return to Jackson Hole for the last two treatments.

Like I mentioned before, I am not sure when I will be able to post while in Yellowstone. I will do my best.

It looks like we have used half of the time we have for this trip as of yesterday (Monday, 9/26). We look forward to the remaining half. We plan to be back home about October 16th.

On top of the building in the photo below is the camera for the earthcam webcam. I often watched from this cam before we left home. It overlooks a traffic intersection and an arch made of elk antlers.

On our first trips to the western US, it surprised me how abruptly some towns ended. As you can see in the photo below, Jackson ends abruptly at the base of a mountain. The town is surrounded by high hills (or some call them mountains). This is why it is called Jackson Hole.  

 Best only to get this close to a stuffed moose. 

If you would like to see the live webcam that is on the building in the photo mentioned earlier, you can at http://www.earthcam.com/usa/wyoming/jackson/?cam=jacksonhole

You would have seen us several times when we drove past the cam or when we were there getting photos made at the arch. 

Monday Return to Jackson For Treatment

I will be getting treatment here in Jackson for the next two days. We went again to Mormon's Row in Grand Teton National Park before we left that area to make photos of another barn there. I have often seen photos of this barn on calendars and other places. A couple of the photos are below.
We used our extra time today to do laundry again and get a few supplies. We want to have everything finished by Wednesday when my treatment is finished so we can immediately head out to Yellowstone.

Sunday A Beautiful Day in the Tetons

The temperature here got down to 27 last night. It was cold! When we got up this morning, we were treated to a beautiful scene on the mountains from our view from the campground. I will try to show you the beauty in some of the photos below. The temperature got up to about 65 during the day and the sun was out all day. We rely on a solar panel to charge back the batteries that have been partly depleted the night before so we were really glad to see sun come back again. 

I want to tell you what happened tonight. I got the computer out to do this blog and the computer would not start. It would not do anything. I was thinking the blog from here on out during the trip would be done using only my smartphone and few if any photos. I did a search  on the Internet with my phone on the brand of computer I found a possible fix where I would insert a straight pin in a very small hole in the bottom of the computer and hold it for 30 seconds (to reset something). I did that and voila! It started just like it should. I feel like I now have a new computer and so thankful it is working again. 

I want to explain that when we get to Yellowstone (on Wednesday evening), I will not be posting each day. I will not be in a location where I can get cell phone service which gives me Internet service. I will do the best I can to keep the blog updated. 

Tomorrow, we leave this campground and go to Jackson in preparation for treatment on Tuesday and Wednesday. After treatment on Wednesday, we head to Yellowstone. The drive from Jackson to the campground where we plan to stay in Yellowstone is about 112 miles.

 

The next three photos are views of the mountains from Gros Ventre campground

Chapel of The Transfiguration 

Saturday Another Cold Day In The Tetons

The temperature did not get above 50 today but this afternoon it was sunny part of the time. The low last night was about 35. It snowed quite a bit on the mountains close to the campground. We drove up to the northern part of the national park today and made photos along the way. The mountain peaks were covered with snow.

We were treated by at least two moose visiting the campground today. One bull and one cow.

The photos below were made along the main road that runs through the park. In some places, the aspen were past their peak in color. 

 

Friday Rainy Day and Back From Idaho Falls

It has been a real cool and rainy day today with a high temperature being in the high 40s. We made the drive back from Idaho Falls to Gros Ventre campground mostly in the rain. When we got back inside Teton National Park we could see fresh snow on the mountains. It was quite beautiful. Near the campground, we saw two buffalo and also two moose. I'm sorry that I don't have any photos to post from today.

Thursday to Idaho Falls and Rain

Tonight we are in Idaho Falls, ID. We came over from Jackson and soon after we crossed over into Idaho, it started to rain. It has not been a day that I can write much about. We tried to be as productive as we could in the rain. We stopped and did laundry. We plan to head back to Jackson tomorrow after getting a few things while here. We try to do our stocking up at Walmart since they are the lowest prices we have found and Jackson is about 100 miles from the nearest Walmart.

We passed the smoke from a two forest fires on the way here today. Maybe this rain will help that situation.

Below are a couple of photos I made along the route today. It was raining but it will give you an idea what the Snake river looks like near Idaho Falls. The Snake river also runs through Teton National Park. One photo is looking up the river and the other is looking down the river.