TR Ironbutt Cannonball run: Grand Teton NP
Further
You anticipate, you plan, you pack, and then you play the cards that you get dealt. Grand Teton National Park was our destination. We figure on taking off right after work on Friday and getting a good 6 hour dent in on the drive. Google said it would take around 14 hours , Liars...
Things did not start off as planned. I finished my shift and the old truck turned over but would not fire up. Ruth had to finish loading the gear and dogs by herself then come get me in “Max”. I left my old truck in the work parking lot and off we rolled.
We hit traffic, bad traffic Its 216 miles to Sparks Nevada. It took over 5 hours. On the internet is said you could boondock in the Nugget parking lot, well their signs said otherwise but we saw the parking lot security guys and asked for permission. They were really cool and told us where we could park for the night on their lot and not get disturbed and they notified the graveyard crew to not bother us. Very nice of them
We set off at 7:30 am after 6 hours of sleep. Google said 10 hours, they lied again We rolled in at midnight.. call me Iron Butt
Miles of high desert rolled by with the AC blasting away as it was over 100*
I had this zombie stare for hours on end
I was starting to wonder if there really was going to be light at the end of the tunnel
even the dogs passed out
Idaho, I don't care what the sign says. 70 is my max comfort level
Idaho Falls at around 7pm Great box even better pizza...
We made it in exhausted. Walked the dogs then passed out at around 1am.
So much for recovery time. We had an invite to go kayak the Snake river with friends so I was off to the park office at 8am to get our inspection and permits. Luckily we had to go thought the boat inspection station in Idaho and the park accepted their inspection paperwork and we just had to pay fees to get our permits.
We launched just below the Jackson Lake dam on the Snake River and had a great float
one of our party did turtle and after getting helped back into her boat a bilge pump was put to work
Jackson Lake and the Tetons
me and Ruth
The following day being horse people we had to take a short trail ride at Flagg ranch
Then we hustled down to Coulter Bay to go on a hike with an interpretive Ranger out to Swan Lake. We had a great time.
Lilly pads, Great Moose feeding area
Thats a major Wild Fire off in the distance. That is smoke not clouds
the Ranger giving one of his many talks on the plants, animals and geolgy of the area
great views
Beaver lodges
Always wear your Bear Spray
Early the next morning we struck out on a 7 mile hike to work up an appetite for breakfast
This is a mated pair of Sandhill Cranes
such beautiful country
Well when we got back to camp another RV.net resident had rolled in and we got invited to paddle the Snake again. Twist my arm...it was Cliff Bars for breakfast... So the Two B's and Ruth and I set off down river
Hobie Mirage pedal drives make slow flat water sections very nice
We had a Bald Eagle jump off a branch and swoop on by us
https://youtu.be/BM9RfSi_c2k
Video from on the River
https://youtu.be/2nQIfgsaqW0
After paddling I did a bit of fly fishing. Too bad there was no catching involved but none of the drift boat guys were having any luck either. Later in the evening with storm clouds moving in it got a bit creepy. I was out by myself in Grizzly country with thickets right behind me. I heard something moving on the other side and decided to take a brisk walk back to the camper. Yes I had bear spray on a holster on my waders.
a half hour later and I was near the dam and feeling much more relaxed
Spillway video
https://youtu.be/MF_NUzm7gwY
We sat by the river and grilled up some chicken breasts that I sliced up into a chopped salad for dinner
One of the nice things about the Flagg Ranch area is that you are right next to Yellowstone's south entrance. Day trip!! In retrospect, Yellowstone is stunning but the crowds really bite, It's almost as bad a Yosemite in the summer but the drivers in Yellowstone are the worst. The day trip was awesome though. We did the southern loop counter clockwise
Elk were the first animals that we encountered
Stunning vistas
Buffalo
no I ain't moving, you go around
Swans
Upper Yellowstone falls area
Falls Video
https://youtu.be/t1riF8yNUU8
Big Fat Marmot
the only way to travel
or not
Finally we hit the Geysers, OMG the crowds were insane. We only hit the Biscuit Area
Osprey
There was even a line to leave Yellowstone. Get a pass or keep your receipt handy. This guy could not find his and was arguing about having to pay twice
All things come to an end and it was getting time to head home. I was not going to pull another Iron Butt Buzzcut Cannonball run back to California across the desert so we decide to take the backroads
as Robert Frost wrote
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
We headed west into Idaho and on to Oregon using highways 20 and 26 spectacular drive, few cars, the Malhuer River canyon was awesome.
As we left Grand Teton a herd of elk gave us a send off
The folks that run the Vale Trails RV park in Vale Oregon deserve big props. We assumed that they were on Pacific Time, nope Mountain Time. We learned that when we called to find a space. They waited over an hour after their closing time to get us settled in a full hook up spot, it was 100* out and 30 amp service for the AC was mighty nice. Funny thing was that we camped next to another TC from California he was also the second owner hand both of our rigs were originally sold by the same Lance Dealer in the Central Valley (same sticker on both Lances)
Malhuer River
I love the High Desert. Both Lake Albert and Goose Lake on 395 above Alturas are seriously low after years of Drought. Honey lake by Susanville is now bone dry
Wildfire just north of Reno on 395
For our last night out we went up to the Donner Summit Sno Park area at over 7000' off I80. It dropped down to a lovely 50* vs 100* on the valley floor. All we needed was to open the windows and run the fantastic fan
home with a seriously filthy truck
I planned on washing it today but it took me all day just to off load everything, change the oil and go check on my other truck at work. Wouldn't you know it, the sucker fired right up and I drove it home...
You anticipate, you plan, you pack, and then you play the cards that you get dealt. Grand Teton National Park was our destination. We figure on taking off right after work on Friday and getting a good 6 hour dent in on the drive. Google said it would take around 14 hours , Liars...
Things did not start off as planned. I finished my shift and the old truck turned over but would not fire up. Ruth had to finish loading the gear and dogs by herself then come get me in “Max”. I left my old truck in the work parking lot and off we rolled.
We hit traffic, bad traffic Its 216 miles to Sparks Nevada. It took over 5 hours. On the internet is said you could boondock in the Nugget parking lot, well their signs said otherwise but we saw the parking lot security guys and asked for permission. They were really cool and told us where we could park for the night on their lot and not get disturbed and they notified the graveyard crew to not bother us. Very nice of them
We set off at 7:30 am after 6 hours of sleep. Google said 10 hours, they lied again We rolled in at midnight.. call me Iron Butt
Miles of high desert rolled by with the AC blasting away as it was over 100*
I had this zombie stare for hours on end
I was starting to wonder if there really was going to be light at the end of the tunnel
even the dogs passed out
Idaho, I don't care what the sign says. 70 is my max comfort level
Idaho Falls at around 7pm Great box even better pizza...
We made it in exhausted. Walked the dogs then passed out at around 1am.
So much for recovery time. We had an invite to go kayak the Snake river with friends so I was off to the park office at 8am to get our inspection and permits. Luckily we had to go thought the boat inspection station in Idaho and the park accepted their inspection paperwork and we just had to pay fees to get our permits.
We launched just below the Jackson Lake dam on the Snake River and had a great float
one of our party did turtle and after getting helped back into her boat a bilge pump was put to work
Jackson Lake and the Tetons
me and Ruth
The following day being horse people we had to take a short trail ride at Flagg ranch
Then we hustled down to Coulter Bay to go on a hike with an interpretive Ranger out to Swan Lake. We had a great time.
Lilly pads, Great Moose feeding area
Thats a major Wild Fire off in the distance. That is smoke not clouds
the Ranger giving one of his many talks on the plants, animals and geolgy of the area
great views
Beaver lodges
Always wear your Bear Spray
Early the next morning we struck out on a 7 mile hike to work up an appetite for breakfast
This is a mated pair of Sandhill Cranes
such beautiful country
Well when we got back to camp another RV.net resident had rolled in and we got invited to paddle the Snake again. Twist my arm...it was Cliff Bars for breakfast... So the Two B's and Ruth and I set off down river
Hobie Mirage pedal drives make slow flat water sections very nice
We had a Bald Eagle jump off a branch and swoop on by us
https://youtu.be/BM9RfSi_c2k
Video from on the River
https://youtu.be/2nQIfgsaqW0
After paddling I did a bit of fly fishing. Too bad there was no catching involved but none of the drift boat guys were having any luck either. Later in the evening with storm clouds moving in it got a bit creepy. I was out by myself in Grizzly country with thickets right behind me. I heard something moving on the other side and decided to take a brisk walk back to the camper. Yes I had bear spray on a holster on my waders.
a half hour later and I was near the dam and feeling much more relaxed
Spillway video
https://youtu.be/MF_NUzm7gwY
We sat by the river and grilled up some chicken breasts that I sliced up into a chopped salad for dinner
One of the nice things about the Flagg Ranch area is that you are right next to Yellowstone's south entrance. Day trip!! In retrospect, Yellowstone is stunning but the crowds really bite, It's almost as bad a Yosemite in the summer but the drivers in Yellowstone are the worst. The day trip was awesome though. We did the southern loop counter clockwise
Elk were the first animals that we encountered
Stunning vistas
Buffalo
no I ain't moving, you go around
Swans
Upper Yellowstone falls area
Falls Video
https://youtu.be/t1riF8yNUU8
Big Fat Marmot
the only way to travel
or not
Finally we hit the Geysers, OMG the crowds were insane. We only hit the Biscuit Area
Osprey
There was even a line to leave Yellowstone. Get a pass or keep your receipt handy. This guy could not find his and was arguing about having to pay twice
All things come to an end and it was getting time to head home. I was not going to pull another Iron Butt Buzzcut Cannonball run back to California across the desert so we decide to take the backroads
as Robert Frost wrote
Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
We headed west into Idaho and on to Oregon using highways 20 and 26 spectacular drive, few cars, the Malhuer River canyon was awesome.
As we left Grand Teton a herd of elk gave us a send off
The folks that run the Vale Trails RV park in Vale Oregon deserve big props. We assumed that they were on Pacific Time, nope Mountain Time. We learned that when we called to find a space. They waited over an hour after their closing time to get us settled in a full hook up spot, it was 100* out and 30 amp service for the AC was mighty nice. Funny thing was that we camped next to another TC from California he was also the second owner hand both of our rigs were originally sold by the same Lance Dealer in the Central Valley (same sticker on both Lances)
Malhuer River
I love the High Desert. Both Lake Albert and Goose Lake on 395 above Alturas are seriously low after years of Drought. Honey lake by Susanville is now bone dry
Wildfire just north of Reno on 395
For our last night out we went up to the Donner Summit Sno Park area at over 7000' off I80. It dropped down to a lovely 50* vs 100* on the valley floor. All we needed was to open the windows and run the fantastic fan
home with a seriously filthy truck
I planned on washing it today but it took me all day just to off load everything, change the oil and go check on my other truck at work. Wouldn't you know it, the sucker fired right up and I drove it home...
