Teton National Park

On Sunday we drove to the Teton National Park. What a beautiful place! Our friend and fellow Boomer, Betty went there with us and was a great tour guide. We saw moose, elk, a coyote and some beautiful scenery. We met Gene and Martha at Dornan's restaurant for lunch. The food was good, the company great and the mountain view thru the window of the restaurant was a sight to behold. All in all it was a great day. We were tired at the end of the day but filled with visions of nature.

Scenes from Yellowstone

Yellowstone National Park

Leaving Washington State

On the day after Labor Day we left Washington State on our way East to Yellowstone NP. Nancy took some final shots of Lake Coeur d'Alene just over the Idaho State Line. Thes shots were taken from the truck window at 50 mph

Leavenworth, Washington

The fast flowing Wenatchee River flows through Leavenworth.




Our adventure started with a suite at the very romantic Alps. Tom held the camera while Nancy sipped champaign.






There are three towns that we know of that use Bavarian architecture as a theme, Frankenmuth, Mi., Helen, Ga. and now Leavenworth, Wa. Many years ago the citizens of Leavenworth decided to take advantage of the beautiful Cascade Mountains that surround their town and adopted the Bavarian theme to turn their town into a tourist attraction. This week, on our two days off, the Doyles traveled to this interesting area.

Day Trip to Idaho

Working here at Central Ferry Park in SE Washington. We get two days off every week so we can take advantage of this beautiful area. Last Tuesday found us over the state line and into Northern Idaho near the town of St Maries at the Southern end of the absolutely gorgeous Lake Coeur dAlene.

The Palouse

These pictures were taken from Steptoe Butte, just south of Spokane.







Palouse is a word you have probably never heard. Hell, my spell check doesn't know it because right now there is a red line under it. It is probably because there is only one area in the whole country like it. The palouse was formed more than a million years ago at the end of the last ice age. It is believed that a huge glacier covered what is now the states of Montana & Idaho and as the top of the glacier melted it became a vast sea. When the Western edge of that glacier melted that sea of water came roaring across Idaho bringing with it huge amounts of top soil witch was deposited over what is now SE Washington & Northern Idaho. When Lewis & Clark came through here they were amazed at the complete absence of trees. There are a few trees here now, planted by the people who settled the area but mostly it is as it was for thousands of years.

The Newest Member of the Doyle Family

Tug of war with Daddy's foot.

He sleeps really well.

Lately we have been thinking about getting a puppy. Then the decision seemed to be made for us when our good friends, Kathy and Bruce Johnston told us about a friend of theirs who was looking for homes for 9 pups. The upshot was that Nancy and Kathy traveled over 200 miles to Missoula Montana to pick up Toby. He is half Border Collie and half Black Lab. He's getting used to his new home, well, actually he has taken most of it over. He's very smart and a little headstrong. He goes to work with Nancy almost every day at the campground office and he loves riding in the golf cart. He plays with his "cousins" Ginger, Daisy and Patty (Bruce and Kathy's dogs) almost every day.

Monida Pass

Life is full of ups and downs. We know this because on April 17 we crossed Monida Pass. (It gets its name from "Mon"tana and "Ida"ho). Yes, it is on the state line.





After sitting it out for three days in Pocatello, Idaho waiting for a late spring snowstorm to pass thru north of us, we left and drove north on I-15.




We reached the summit with no problems. The elevation was almost 7000 feet at the top. Some of the grades were 6% and 7% but mostly the ascent was a gradual climb. Same with the descent.



This beautiful mountain lake was crystal clear.




Nan took these pics through the truck window at a speed of about 50 mph. Thank goodness for the 1000 shutter speed.




It seemed like it took forever to get to the other side of the mountain.







The scenery was just awesome. The roads were clear and dry and the weather was sunny and warm.

Valley of Fire

After leaving the Las Vegas area we traveled east towards Utah. Since we had some extra time we stopped at a campground in Overton, Nevada, on the northern tip of Lake Mead. The other day we drove over to the Valley of Fire State Park, about 8 miles west of town. After stopping at the Visitors Center we headed out into the park, stopping along the way to stare at the beautiful scenery. Pretty awesome, huh? Thousands of years ago these rock formations were under water. As the water receded, some of the rock eroded away, leaving the present formations.











Now we know why it is called the Valley of Fire. The colors bouncing off the unusual rock formations are a rainbow of orange, red, purple, yellow and brown, changing with the direction of the sunlight and shadows.