Home Sweet Home!

Friday and Saturday, August 7-8, 2009
Home Sweet Home!

We woke early Friday morning and started driving towards I-80 and then eastward towards South Dakota. I-80 has sections which are sometimes closed. Wind barriers along sides of the expressway indicate that at various times high velocity winds may be the possible reason for closures. Anyway, I found that interesting. Lawrence drove till about 10 am, I took over till 2 pm and he drove till 8 pm. Knowing that unless we drove all night we would never arrive home for Moriah’s birthday, we kept moving. I drove till 11:30 pm, Lawrence took over and drove till 5:30 am (moving also from Mountain time to Central time). I took over driving through St. Louis, Missouri and enjoyed seeing the St. Louis Arch glitter in the sunrise; even if I did enjoy it alone due to everyone sleeping. How Lawrence was able to drive virtually all night is beyond my comprehension, but I’m grateful. He was a trooper again to take over driving at 10 am and continued till we reached home a few minutes before 6 pm! With Lawrence having almost no sleep since Thursday morning, myself only 3 hours, we attended an outdoor movie with Moriah and family – “Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian”. A wonderful close to a fabulous trip!

Blessings,
Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

Look! A Bear!

Thursday, August 6, 2009
Look! A Bear!

Before 7 am Lawrence started driving back into the park. By 7:30 am we were enjoying the East Entrance drive in the “light” instead of the previous evening’s darkness. Boaz woke up and enjoyed the sightseeing with us! We rounded a bend and “voila!” a baby grizzly bear sauntering close to the road and only a few feet from us! By baby bear we mean that it was more like a teenager; big enough to be self-sufficient without its mother, but not full grown. The baby grizzly might have been as leery of us as we were excited. Unable to stop the RV quickly we had to drive to a turnabout which fortunately was very close. By the time we had returned the uneasy bear had begun heading up the hill ripping out a few plants to eat on the way. We hung out windows taking pictures – good close ups!!! As we came to a stop in the “middle” of the road, a white car of some sort behind us was forced to a stop. He started angrily honking his horn; I was hanging out the window and out of the corner of my eye saw him motioning to us something – then, he saw the bear!!! It was hilarious to see the change in his demeanor. Ti said when we finally left the newly created traffic jam, the white car did not follow us! Tabitha said it was hard to imagine the bear capable of violent action – it looked so cute and cuddly.

Passing Yellowstone Lake we stopped, enjoyed the beauty, various rocks, and the “men” went swimming or as they called it chilling out!

Finally, my personal favorite – the geyser area! First stop Midway Geyser Basin which boasts Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest and most beautiful hot spring in the park, 370 feet wide. Next we walked Fountain Paint Pot Trail enjoying mud pots, hot pools a fumarole, and geysers. No one knows when Fountain Geyser will erupt, but its display is one of the most impressive in the park, eruptions 20-50 ft lasting 25 minutes or more. We hit the jackpot! I overheard a tour guide, see the eruption, and tell her group that seeing Fountain Geyser was a rare treat. I liked watching this geyser more than Old Faithful.

Last stop was Old Faithful. We conveniently arrived five minutes before eruption and watched the display with hundreds upon hundreds of people! Thankfully we had about 4th row viewing, standing room only.

With the conclusion of viewing Old Faithful, our vacation is now over and we’re heading home. Bought a few gifts and headed out of Yellowstone cutting through Grand Teton National Park! Bad mistake! Road work caused extensive delays and we reached our campsite in Dubois, Wyoming, at 9 pm – Longhorn RV & Motel. The facilities are nice. Boaz and Titus were amazed by all the stuffed animals in the office – pheasants, Canadian geese, a Longhorn cow, and hippopotamus (head only). There was also a carved eagle and a Longhorn statue.

Our goal is to be home by Saturday afternoon to share in Moriah’s birthday, but that will require extensive driving! So, tomorrow night may find us in a WalMart parking lot!

Thank you to all of you who shared our travels with us! It’s been fun!

Blessings,
Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

Yellowstone National Park

Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Yellowstone National Park

Driving in through the North Entrance we stopped at the impressive stone Yellowstone arch and took plenty of pictures. Our first village was Mammoth Hot Springs visitor center for information. A herd of elk were lounging around grassy areas enjoying the commotion they made. Rangers were exercising crowd control! While I hopped out to take close ups of the elk, a Ranger walked up to the driver side of the RV and asked Lawrence, “What’s your plan?”, meaning get a move on. Lawrence came back with, “I’d be happy to go if you can get my wife in the RV!” He said, “Where is she?” “She’s right behind the RV.” Unknown to me that a Ranger was trying to give me a warning, he walked around one side of the RV, as I was walking around the other to RV safety. 

All but three campgrounds were full so we headed immediately for two near Tower-Roosevelt. A huge crowd of people were jamming the road with cars lining both sides. Bo and I jumped out to see the spectacle, which turned out to be a bull elk lying under a tree chewing cud – a great picture taking opportunity.

All campgrounds were sold out, so we headed for Canyon Village to see the acclaimed Lower Falls and Upper Falls. To our surprise we saw a bison lumbering slowly along the roadside as if he owned the place. Heading straight for our RV!!! Everyone excitedly rolled up window shades and pushed screens back so we could hang out with our cameras! When the bison reached our RV (just 3 ft away) he slightly hesitated, sized us up, and headed off the road to stroll uphill to make a WIDE detour around our RV. He was afraid of our size, but not quite as fearful as the bison fifteen years ago was afraid of our 35 ft. bus and “ran” past it!

Our first viewing of the falls was Lower Falls from the North Rim Drive. We hiked down to the top of the Lower Falls – amazingly breathtaking with fascinating streaks of green water rushed over the edge. From this viewpoint the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone National Park is seen – Yellowstone Canyon. The variegated yellow canyon walls were uniquely different, without dimming in comparison to the Grand Canyon wonder of the world in Arizona. We also drove to the South Rim’s Artist Point where a view of the yellow caldron sides of Yellowstone Canyon framed the Lower Falls at the end – one of the top picture taking sites in Yellowstone. We took our appropriate share of pictures. Then it was off to Uncle Tom’s Trail – a hiking trail boasting a straight drop to the Lower Falls – over 300 steps, mostly perforated steel steps/stairway dropping 500 feet. The ascent is very strenuous! Titus ran down and back 99% of the entire trail (cross country starts soon). When Boaz and I saw him return as we were still near the top (stopping to take photos), he was “very” winded. Uncle Tom’s Trail was strenuous, but fun. The view at the bottom platform was worth the hike down and back allowing us to see, hear and feel the power of the Lower Falls. The ascent is very strenuous – straight up! Lawrence was sweet to slow down for my crawling return, while Boaz ran ahead

A crowning touch to help conclude our adventures in Yellowstone today was coming upon another traffic jam of cars pulled off to the side. One man excitedly ran back across the field to his car to grab binoculars. Lawrence yelled, “What do you see?” The man replied, “Wolves attacking an elk!” We hurriedly piled out of the RV and ran for the spot. The location was so far we couldn’t really see with the naked eye. The same man was so gracious to share his binoculars with all of us so we could see the elk swimming in the river away from the wolves with a brown wolf and a black wolf watching from the bank. I took a picture and found that when blown up we can see a blurred picture of the elk on the bank closest to us with specks for two wolves attentively watching from the other side.

Previously two wolves had attacked a lone elk, one even jumped on the back of the elk (with vicious results). The elk jumped in the river to escape. We arrived when the elk had just jumped in the river. When the elk was safe on the other side we did not stay to watch further. I personally think the elk had been wounded and the end might not have been pleasant. The compilation of this incident and Boaz’s compassion for the elk stimulated conversations about animals in the wild, food chain order, etc.

Before darkness closed in totally we pulled in at Sulphur Caldron and then walked the Mud Volcano Trail. Even though interesting, this might have been the least favorite for all of us partly because approaching night obscured the fascinating colors. Sulphur Caldron is almost as acidic as battery acid and as its name implies – stinks! The Mud Volcano Trail area smells unpleasant as well, yet not as much as Sulphur Caldron. Our children tended to walk through with their sweatshirts covering their noses.

A campsite was never found in Yellowstone and lacking cell phone coverage made it difficult to call outside sites for reservations, so we drove slowly out of the park using the East Entrance. Exhausted at 11 pm we pulled over in the parking lot of a log cabin type hotel with convenience store and just went to sleep (i.e. no hookups). Around 1-2 am rain pinged on our roof lulling us into a deeper sleep.

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

En Route – Yellowstone

Tuesday, August 4, 2009
En Route!

Collapsing in bed at 3 am in the morning, doesn’t exactly encourage early risers! After showers, breakfast, a few games of putt-putt (Titus won the first game; Tabitha won the second) we adventurously and unknowingly took the longer scenic drive, Hwy 89, to Yellowstone National Park. The drive was peacefully beautiful with expansive rolling hills covered in brush and grass dotted with brown or black cows or large round bales of hay; farming areas in patchwork green; or the dense forests of the Lewis & Clark National Forest. Belt Creek meandered along Hwy 89 in and out of the forests and mountains; its shallow water skipping lightly over rounded rocks and stones. We stopped once so Titus, Bo and Priscilla could wade in the water, walking over the rounded rocks as the water gently rushed around them. Ti and Bo plunged completely in the “cold” water.

Enjoying hours of God designed landscape we arrived at Yellowstone’s Edge RV Park, located 30 minutes from Yellowstone National Park’s north entrance. This campground is one of the nicest we’ve stayed in. Beautiful flowers everywhere, a gorgeous creek nearby. Hopefully we can do laundry, make dinner and be in bed early!? 

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

Banff National Park, Canadian Rockies

Monday, August 3, 2009
Banff National Park, Canadian Rockies

Last evening’s sunset coupled with a full moon rising was captivating! Tabitha on the couch and I in the back bedroom fell asleep staring out our respective windows at the breathtaking night view. Well, I fell asleep. Tabitha was awake for the late night rainstorm with accompanying winds that rocked the RV – I re-awoke to that entertainment!

Morning came early. Lawrence and I started driving after 7 am hoping to see bears and other wildlife along the way in the early hours. I guess our eyesight isn’t nifty for catching sights of wildlife. After enjoying mountain views, shimmering aqua Waterfowl Lakes and briefly stopping again for excessive picture taking., we reached the highest road pass leading to Peyto Lake. At this point we dragged (metaphorically speaking) everyone out of bed for an upward short hike and a family pic at the end of the trail! Peyton even though glacier-fed is a brilliant turquoise due to the glacier’s retreat leaving a delta area which filters out the rock and debris leaving the beautiful turquoise color. The plant life was fascinating on the way up. Evergreen limbs are slightly scooped upwards to catch the snow and insulate branches from the harsh cold and wind at this high altitude. It can snow any day of the year – which explains why we had to wear jackets to walk this trail.

Our next stop was Lake Moraine and climbing to the top of Rock Trail, the most photographed spot in the Canadian Rockies. Now we know why! There were two ways to climb to the top of Rock Trail – first, balance yourself on logs jamming a creek flowing out of Lake Moraine and then literally scramble over piles of rock totally covering the side of the hill to the top. Titus, Boaz, Tabitha and Silla chose this first way! Lawrence had dropped us off and was parking the RV a mile away (yes, there was a significant parking problem) the first time we climbed to the top; not wanting to risk wetting my camera, I chose to walk the path around to the backside of the mountainous hill and join our children at the top. On the return, our kids begged me to climb down the rock pile with them and balance across the logs. Lawrence arrived and we climbed again the rock pile to take an important family picture. Yes, we asked strangers to take pictures of our family with my camera! Scrambling over those rocks I kept exclaiming over the beauty of so many purplish rocks! Too bad I couldn’t bring back a small boulder with me!

Arriving back in the USA about 9 am, we realized cell phone connection was lacking. We had just heard earlier that Luke was called to Army bootcamp a few days earlier than we had expected. So we drove till 2 am in the morning to reach an RV site that had cell phone connection. Thankfully we were able to talk to him the morning he left as he stood in line for breakfast 4:30 am his time and 2:30 am our time.

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark

Jasper National Park, Canadian Rockies

Sunday, August 2, 2009
Jasper National Park

Leaving Valemount, we have 100 miles left before reaching Jasper and the beauty is overpowering. (somewhere around Robson Park) Tabitha says, “This is real beauty! Not just a, ‘Oh, that’s pretty’ but a place one might actually want to live” (My comment – only in the summer!) Titus and Boaz periodically let out bursts of, “Wow! Look at that!” The river running beside us flows swiftly over rocks with a sparkling essence! It’s a color you don’t usually see in rivers – almost silver. Stopping to take a photo and a closer look, this sparkling river has an aqua silver toned look, with cleanness radiating. The grass and shrubs along the road emanates neon green. Mountains are fully clothed in dark forests with a lush paler green carpet showing amongst the base of trees. This beauty is unlike anything we’ve seen in the States, and we haven’t even reached Jasper yet. Rounding a corner a huge pale still as glass aqua lake mirrors the mountains and trees around it. Even though we miss Lake Lanier we’ll skip a dip! We’re afraid we would turn into popsicles. The next sign declares the name “Moose Lake”. Sunlight sparkling off the water shines like diamonds. We’ve never seen such green on sheer sides of cliffs. I don’t know if a person has ever seen the color green till they’ve seen it in this setting.

Now 30 miles from Jasper we’re passing Yellowhead Lake. The turnabouts are on the left and we just couldn’t make it in at the weird angle. Earlier we missed an easy turnabout and boy was I sad. In passing we missed a beaver dam!

It’s now 1 pm MT and we’ve officially entered Jasper National Park. “Twenty-five years ago the Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks were officially proclaimed one of the wonders of the world!” says the Parks Canada Mountain Guide. When we originally trekked in our 35 ft bus from Jasper to Banff fifteen years ago, this scenic drive was rated one of the top 10 beautiful drives in the world or so we were told – and our eyes bore witness!

These majestic awe-inspiring Canadian Rockies will be hard to explore in one day. Every turn highlights a different facet of a mountain(s) or different meandering stream swollen with milky white or silver glacier water which appears to glisten in the sunlight. Knowing our time is short we’ve enjoyed the immediate trails off the The Icefields Parkway. This parkway was started in 1931 specifically to cut a scenic road through the Rockies for spectacular enjoyment. Men were paid twenty cents per hour!

Ti and Bo have been eagerly anticipating stopping at Athabasca to view and play on the glacier. Heading off with gloves and snowboards, they returned to the RV downcast, disappointed in an unattainable glacier. Compared to Joshua and Caleb climbing on the same icefield and throwing a few iceballs, the glacier had retreated further, melted more in the recent heat wave here, leaving a river between them and the glacier. Lawrence said signs were posted warning about falling in ice crevices chasms and holes so deep, that it’s difficult to rescue a child before hypothermia overtakes. From a distance they saw men hiking on the glacier with helmets and equipment for safety. In light of the danger Lawrence and I are secretly glad they were separated from the glacier.

We’ve crossed into Banff National Park with the same continuing gorgeous view! It’s almost 8:30 pm now and we’ve traveled as far as Saskatchewan Crossing. The Crossings hotel is full, campsites are full, but “thankfully” The Crossings gift shop & restaurant said we can park our RV for the night in their gravel lot!!! And it’s free! Well, almost — by the time we fill with diesel ($1.18 per liter or about $4 gallon), examine the gift shop, and maybe eat ice cream, etc., we’ll have spent more than in a campground!!! 

I’m eagerly looking forward to Lake Mordine near Lake Louise! I’ve heard that a certain trail overlooking Lake Mordine is the most photographed spot in the Canadian Rockies…

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

Canadian Wilderness

Saturday, August 1, 2009
Canadian drive towards Jasper

Ahhh, the beauty of Valemount where their slogan says, “Let the mountains move you.” Valemount appeared to be the last town we would find RV sites with possible showers (remember we have no hot water) and at least water and electricity, so we’d already planned to spend the night there (here). Driving into Valemount (I was driving) I saw an RV park off the road with the words “showers” underneath. I didn’t recognize the name of the few parks in the area, so I slowed immediately to turn in; at that moment I remembered the semi behind me!!!!!!! He seemed to be desperately trying to stop (it was downhill) and appeared tooooooooo close for comfort so I accelerated. Yes, I later fund a turnabout and returned. Canoe River Campground had a deafening wilderness silence! Strangely it was an eerie but pleasant stillness. The campground office was a true log cabin inside and out. Inside was a real stuffed grizzly bear they had shot. This bear had appeared out of nowhere, ate 33 of their chickens one night; came back the next night for more. Their cousin, a trapper, said if he returned a 3rd time he was a menace. Of course, their children were kept inside those few days due to the danger of a pesty lingering grizzly. That third night they shot him three times with the bear escaping. The next morning they tracked him down, finding him in poor shape; a final shot took him down. It turned out they found “10” healed bullet wounds in that bear. There was also a stuffed wolf – giant! Appaloosa horses are raised in an adjoining field (more about that later) and two horses had foals. This wolf kept hanging around stalking the horses. They threw rocks, fired guns in the air to no avail. Sadly, knowing they needed to protect their valuable horses, they shot him. I forgot the specific name of this wolf, but he appeared to have been kicked out of his pack and was all alone. Their store also displayed a number of smaller animals as well – beaver, otter, owl, etc. – and we weren’t even in a museum!

After hooking up our RV, we explored the area. Having raised animals and put up LOTS of fence (OK, I personally didn’t install fences, just helped pay for them) I was enthralled by the fence of the adjoining horse pasture. Cedar trees, not good enough for lumber, were cut into logs. Gigantic holes were dug about 3-4 feet deep and entire logs were dropped in the holes and covered around the base. Basically, posts were entire logs, notched on the sides and skinny trees were used as railing. I loved it! Too bad we missed the rodeo held earlier in July!

Walking to the creek, I was enthralled by the swift moving “wide” creek/river. Some of us quickly slipped one foot into the water and decided it was as cold as Crater Lake. The bench on the side of the swollen creek was made from a tree sawed in half! Very cool looking!

A minor drawback to this campground was the “cold” showers. 

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family

Butchart Gardens, Vancouver Island

Friday, July 31, 2009
Butchart Gardens

Next morning after breakfast we headed for the bus stop with the direct Bus 75 going to Butchart Gardens. On the way we enjoyed walking along the busy streets of Victoria, exploring shops, particularly looking for Canadian sweatshirts to buy for Ti and Bo, since they didn’t pack enough warm clothing for Canadian evenings.

Barely missing Bus 75 and hungry for lunch, we again were blessed to be recommended to a fish and chips restaurant voted “Best in Victoria” – Ole Fish and Chips! This time everyone ordered Pacific Halibut and onion rings. Delicious! Thankfully, again our children enjoyed “fish”!

Next stop Butchart Gardens! What is there to say about this historic 100 year old delightful landscape of sunken gardens, ponds, waterfalls, roses, and every conceivable flower the mind can dream?! We took what felt like unlimited pictures, amazed and in awe at every bend in the path. Tabitha’s love of flowers and instinct was soaking in all the colors and varieties imagining re-creating (ha, ha – basically only daylilies now) the flower designs in our own small yard. We lingered enjoying everything till the last bus left for the ferry, about 7:50 pm. We’ve seen gardens in France and England while visiting palaces, but none of them begin to rival Butchart Gardens. It is in a class all to itself, rivaled possibly only by what the mind can imagine.

After enjoying the evening ferry cruise and its night beauty while playing various card games, we arrived back at the Tsawwassen parking lot about 10:30 pm. Exhausted from our travels, we slept right there in the lot in our own RV till the wee hours of the morning! How long can one sleep with motor cars racing for the spaces, doors banging and excited people rushing for the ferry?

Vancouver Island

Thursday, July 30, 2009
Vancouver Island

Creatively we hung clothes on hangers to dry on the long arms of the side view mirrors of the RV last night. Having a heat wave here in Washington our air conditioner was running. With the RV not level, humorously, the air conditioner dripped water (more like a torrential downpour) off the roof of RV aimed specifically for the clean clothes! So after doing more laundry this morning we left by 10 am, crossed the border into Canada by 11 am, arrived at the Tsawwassen ferry by noon. Due to the length of our RV we paid for two parking places for two days of parking; just in case we decided to spend the night. This lot is somehow monitored electronically so they know who has paid in advance and who hasn’t; all others are towed away. I found this interesting since in the USA the only lots with which I am familiar are paid as one leaves. Putting a few essential items in small backpacks, we bought our ferry tickets for Swartz Bay outside of Sydney on Vancouver Island and boarded with anticipation for our 1 1/2 hour trip.

The trip was beautiful and relaxing. Water, sea gulls, more water, adorable islands, majestic islands with all types of homes – rustic, grand, quaint – tucked in coves, hidden into the landscape. And then Vancouver Island! Appropriate for us, we arrived with no money, but thankfully found an ATM machine to withdraw Canadian funds.

Taking the BC bus to Victoria our friendly bus driver shared helpful travel tips. Jumping off near The Empress we reminisced on our convention with GNLD eight years ago, when Lawrence, Josh and I actually stayed at the Empress Hotel with its lush landscaping, antiques and early 1900s architecture (I’m not an architect but I think it’s Victorian). We took plenty of pictures, then wandered the Inner Harbor enjoying the small craft vendors and various musical talent. The hotels immediately around the Harbour were full; finally weary and tired we found a delightful suite complete with kitchenette at the Royal Scot Hotel and Suites, Canadian based. My mom always says that national hotels are the best! Mom knows best! We love it! They had the cutest giant bear dressed in a kilt!

For dinner we walked along the Harbour seeking a locally renown fish and chip restaurant at Fisherman’s Wharf – Barb’s Place. True to its reputation the food was delicious! Even a few of our children who dislike fish enjoyed their meals! While ending our meal with ice cream cones (pas moi), we were enthralled with the various floating homes tied to the wharf decorated in eclectic designs!

With darkness approaching the “men” returned to the Inner Harbour for hourly performances. They watched juggling with fire while riding a tall unicycle! On their return to our suite they passed the Parliament building beautifully lit for evening enjoyment. Ti and Bo returned enthralled with the “lit castle”! The girls and I were tired, so quickly shopped for breakfast items, then returned to our suite. Sadly, we had missed blueberry season in Georgia, then missed it in California as well, only to arrive in Canada for peak blueberries. Yeah! Yes, you inferred correctly – we bought plenty of fresh blueberries!

Canada Here We Come …

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Lingeringly enjoying the remaining views as we departed from Mount Rainier last night, we stopped at a delightful RV park at Alder Lake (not found in Woodall’s North American Campground Directory). The swimming area was roped off, not with ropes but chains and wood logs. Titus and Boaz had a blast balancing themselves and running along the wood logs till they fell in the cool water. Of course they thought up competitive contests for their amusement. Washington State is experiencing a heat wave with temperatures normal for us in the southeastern USA. Heat seems to follow us wherever we go.

Driving the remaining distance to the Canadian border, we are now parked at Lighthouse by the Bay RV Resort. Doesn’t the name sound refreshing?! We’re doing laundry, eating our remaining food, playing cards, watching a beautiful sunset and basically preparing to cross the border in the am and leave our RV at the Tsauwassen Ferry Terminal. The ferry ride should be inspiringly beautiful! Exactly what we plan to do on Vancouver Island is still a mystery to be unfolded, but Butchart Gardens has been designated one of the stops. We’ll update again once we return to the USA.

Lawrence and Marjorie Clark and Family