black hills, needles climbing area

oops, no climbing for us!

when we arrived in hill city south dakota, it was frigid and cloudy.

we spent the day assessing where we were going to climb, buying woolen gloves and drinking a lot of lattes. as we drifted off to sleep we heard heavy thick slops of liquid hitting the tent, reminiscent of sleet.

we woke up in snow, mind you one week prior we had to drive with the a/c on!

we quickly went to the library, used the internet and found better weather in Jackson Hole - so off we went, with another latte in hand!

sylvan lake, black hills south dakota

this is where we camped in south dakota in Custer State Park. Black Hills area.
a remarkable, stunning and highly under rated part of the country. this made the list!

sunrise outside yellowstone

first grizzly

very exciting to see your first ever grizzly bear! this was just outside yellowstone national park on the shoshoe river. he or she was just snacking on some berries and following a game trail.

red hills & grizzly lake

heading east from teton national park, we entered teton national forest so that we could enjoy a day hike away from the rv crowds and so that the dogs could play (dogs are not permitted in national parks). this area, red hills, was very dry and had more of a desert floor, full of sage brush and quaking aspens - my favorite! this valley had numerous ranches and a spectacular view of the tetons. A+.

happy hour on shadow mountain

bob preparing the manhattans for our happy hour

sunset on shadow mountain, just outside Jackson Hole Wyoming.

in perfect view, Grand Teton standing at 13,770 feet tall.

grand teton

bob on the summit of the Grand Teton

teton sunset

from our campsite, sipping a manhattan and getting a free show

teton sunrise

teton national park is just so stunning that it is impossible to capture it's beauty with a photograph. bob and i spent 4 days here, and inevitably end up back every year. Sentimentally this is where bob proposed, although that does not define our attachment to this countryside. we woke up at 5 am to drive down from the wee mountain we were sleeping on and to skirt our way up to Jackson Lake to get a good view of the sunrise on the Tetons. on our way we saw our first silver wolf and were able to drink our french press in absolute solitude hearing nothing but moose, loons and various other strange squealing animals.

columbia river george

final stop before heading home. sleeping in the george, just 150 miles outside of Seattle. a fine destination for climbing, seeing concerts in the amphitheater or just being a red neck looking for a place to get drunk, look out for broken glass and old cars that have been pushed off the exposed cliffs. Daphne feeling finally relaxed back in the van on the ferry crossing.

spruce goose !

international airport, great breakfast,

strong coffee,

beer battered fish & chips,

coldest port townsend brew on tap

&

the best view in town.

maritime !

so, finally she takes the town, my Maritime ! we've had a darn time figuring her out and getting her to run steady for us. but alas, she turns over with just a twist of the key and idels perfectly...i couldn't be happier. Bobby has really adopted the pop out windows as an appropriate spot to stick his muzzle for the fresh sniffs ~ i on the other hand, just love putting all the VW vans in town to shame as they putter up the hills. now it's time to pull out the old canvas pop top, copy the template with some sail cloth and install some new ceilings and sleeping arrangements ~ cannot wait to take her out of the city limits...as for now, just putting on some miles and enjoying not biking home with a 30 pound box of raw turkey necks !

tent with a view

Mount Zion, Olympic National Forest.
Mom & Bobby sharing sourdough toast.
view of Mount Baker from the tent.

as the morning settled in, the clouds shifted.
Daphne awoke as if she had never exerted a muscle in her life,
i prayed for quiet, another french press & the ability to take with
me the clarity i was absorbing.

mount zion sunrise

7 am & graced with impeccable views.
from every direction we could see, Port Townsend, Whidbey Island, the San Juans, Seattle, Bellingham, Canadian Cascades.......

mount zion

Mount Zion.
a beautifully short, dense and steep trail to the summit
of 4,274 ft.
elongated by snowy forest roads, we parked 3 miles away from the trail head,
amongst shot gun shells and "donuts"...and made the trip a
little longer.
whilst making dinner the alpenglow was stirring as well.

exit stage left

as we left Mount Zion, we got a tremendous view
Seattle skyline & Rainier...no matter
how many times you see her, she is always
remarkable!