Wandering Retirees

Hailey, ID to Driggs, ID via Craters of the Moon National Park

We left Hailey , ID this morning headed for Driggs, ID at the western edge of the Tetons. Good roads and good weather made for a mostly fun ride through beautiful country. About an hour into our ride east, we stopped at Craters of the Moon Nat’l Park and it was a treat. Our first stop was the Visitors Center where we got great information (as always) from the Ranger at the front desk. We learned that the entire Snake River valley is a geological hotspot (no pun) that corresponds to the subduction of the Pacific plate under the North American tectonic plate.  The last significant earth quake in this region was in 1983 that caused a slight rise in elevation of some mountains in the Sawtooth range, and a drop in the Salmon and Snake River valleys. Volcanic activity increases about every 2,000 years or so in the Snake River valley, and extends east into Yellowstone Park. (Think of the super heated water that geysers through Old Faithful.)   

There is a hotspot in the superheated magma under the North American plate. The location of the spot remains constant, but the location on the plate changes as the plate creeps along. The hotspot is under the Grand Rift, a fault line about 40 miles long running east to west. At 2 inches per year, it’s been moving slowly for over 60 million years. The hotspot has been located under the Craters area for at least the past 15,000 years. There have been at least 8 eruptions in since then, the most recent about 2,100 years ago. Lava in two forms flooded the area in thin sheets that transformed an ordinary landscape into fantastical terrain. (the terms are Hawaiian and just tickle my ear bones.) “A-a”, pronounced “ah-ah”’is faster moving lava that cools in a way creates choppy/chunky fields that look jumbled and chaotic with abundant sharp edges and uneven footing. Think of the sounds you would make walking barefoot on sharp stones. The other is called “pa-hoe-hoe”, pronounced “pah-hoi-hoi”, which is created when thinner, slow moving lava flows from the vent. This lava is generally smoother and may create ropy structures. Both types are on prominent display and have created an unearthly, dramatic landscape. As you may have deduced from the eruption schedule, another eruption may be due in the near geological future – made us wonder if today was the day.

Toward the end of an eruption, a volcano will often throw hot gases and specks of lava into the air. Upon cooling, the specks fall to earth as cinders that can create a huge mound around the vent. We saw many, and climbed one about 600 feet high. It would have taken modern humans a very long time to build such a mound even with modern machinery. And the view from the top was awesome, not only because of the extent of the flows, but the significant amount of plant and animal life that has taken hold and flourished in this alien landscape that endures great extremes of cold and heat and fierce winds.. The tenacity and variety of life is beyond amazing. You need to come here.

We headed out a bit after noon to continue toward the Tetons. As I said, the roads are good and the riding was a lot of fun until later in the afternoon when the winds picked up. We were not in any danger, but had to back off the speed because the buffeting was pretty uncomfortable. Folks in big, fast cars were passing us at 80+ mph, maybe chortling at the slowpokes on the fancy bike. We were completely unperturbed: the view of the approaching mountains was inspiring and worthy of a relaxed pace.

We stopped in Idaho Falls for some fuel and rest, where we met up with 2 riders from Fargo, ND. Chris and Keaton are on the home leg of a week-long ride that took them to the west coast. About the age of our sons, they have been friends from a young age in a small town outside of Fargo. Motorcycle trips are one of their passions and they are ambitious; a weekend trip west to the Black Hills might total 1,500 miles. We congratulate them on their endurance. We had such a great conversation, beginning with admiring comments about our rides, and continuing through recommendations for what to do and see around Fargo. (We’ll be there on July 4th.) Once again, we find it wonderful that we have met so many wonderful, even nice, people everywhere we have gone in our country. All four of us commented on how many good people there are.

We arrived in Driggs around 6:00 and checked into our AirBnB, glad to take a load off. We stopped at the market on the way into town and loaded up two small backpacks with essentials, including chips, yogurt, dinner fixings and an adult beverage. Since our packs are full, Connie gets to carry the packs on the back of the bike while offering navigation instructions. That requires balance, coordination and finesse. Just saying. We met our hostess, Hannah, and hit it off immediately. We’re looking forward to a wonderful time here over the next several days.

See you in the papers tomorrow.

A combination of A-a and Pahoehoe

After a long climb up a cinder pile, who expects to see this?

Some of the worlds best preserved cinder cones.  Wow!

The view from the top of a cinder pile.

Words cannot describe the beauty of the cinder gardens. 

Our first good view of the Grand Tetons.

The view from our backyard the next few days.



Hailey, ID and the Sawtooth Mountains 

Today we headed up ID Rt 75 into the Sawtooth Range of the Rockies to Stanley, ID, and Stanley Lake. We saw what we consider the usual spectacular sights we’ve come to appreciate in this part of the country. The road winds through the twisties of mountain passes and descends into gorgeous rangeland through the rounded valleys ground out by the glaciers that covered the land as recently as 10,000 years ago. The road also follows the course of the Salmon River, running full to overflowing with winter runoff and recent rains. The Salmon flows to the Snake River, which joins the mighty Columbia River and, ultimately, empties into the Pacific. 

Stanley is a cute little town with a posted population of 63. Yep. By comparison, Dickens Drive has more residents. There are about 40 shops, stores, restaurants, and outfitters for the outdoors tourists who flock to the area. The area is very popular with campers, hikers and off road vehicles. In the absence of child labor, they must employ a lot of folks from the surrounding area. Nice folks, though. And the scenery all around is breathtaking. Not a bad fringe benefit.

The ride was about 160 miles round trip, with a bunch of stops to take pics and bask in the sights. The area, known as the Idaho Batholiths, an area of solid granite that has been pushed up by tectonic forces from the Pacific Plate sliding under the Continental Plate, and from the force of molten magma surging below. The magma didn’t burst through here in volcanos, but created a bulge in the earths crust. Deposits of rare metals and gems were found in these mountains, so it’s no surprise that mining was an early draw to the area.

The mountains were recently (in geological time) carved by glaciers and not enough time has passed for erosion and gravity to pull down and smooth the rough edges. As a consequence, the Sawtooth Mountains are the definition of rugged. It is so striking to see these towering crags jutting out from seas of green grasses and trees. And seen in series, they do resemble the blade of a giant saw.

We passed through Sun Valley on our way. It’s a very popular ski resort in a stunning setting. We saw a few of the trails on the north face of the mountain, some still with snow. Which almost didn’t stand out because of the great number of mountains that retain their snow covered peaks year round.

Tomorrow it’s off to Driggs, ID and the Tetons. And on the way, we plan to stop at Craters of the Moon Nat’l Park, where volcanic activity took place only about 2,000 years ago. See you on the morrow.

X

Hank again. Had another relaxing day and feeling much better. Thanks for the well wishes. The day was very warm for hereabouts: about 85 degrees and sunny. We suffered with some good grace. I won’t be snarky and ask how the weather was at home. 😀

We took a couple of short and pleasant walks in this pretty, almost famous resort town. Sun Valley ski resort is only a few miles away, so real estate is very expensive by our standards. A 2,000 square foot home down the street from our AirBnB is on the block for $430,000. Zillo figures $370,000 is reasonable. “Reasonable” is a relative concept.  

Connie took me out for supper in honor of Fathers Day to the Sun Valley Brewery Pub in town. Nice, delicious and relaxing. A happy down day.

Tomorrow we plan to do a little riding through the Sawtooth Mountains. Nothing adventurous, but we’d like to see some of this beautiful countryside. See you on the blog tomorrow.

The “velvet” covered hills/mountains around Hailey 

Hailey, ID, in the midst of the Sawtooth Mountains

Connie here again.  Sorry we didn’t write yesterday. We had a long ride from Butte, MT to Hailey, ID.  It was cold for the first half of the day.  Brrrr.  I had to keep adding layers until I was finally warm.  Try putting on thermal UA gear in the ladies room stall while not putting your feet on the bare floor and taking off and putting back on pants and riding pants.  If that didn’t make me sweat, I knew I was sick like Hank.  But I was a hot mess, so I tried to be happy.  Lol.  Hank is still feeling poorly.  He’s running a low grade temp and feels congested.  It as a low key Father’s Day.  I did buy Hank some Glenfiddich and he is happily sipping.

Yesterday, before we left Butte, we visited (read: rode by) three former railroad depots that serviced Butte.  It was fun to see the names of of rails we’ve seen for years come to life.

To get to Hailey, ID, we took one interstate highway and several state roads.  For the majority of the time, we traveled alone.  For a Jersey girl, this is so amazing.  How can this be?  And wait, there’s more … there were snow capped mountains in view the entire way.  Pinch me!  And then we passed by Craters of the Moon NP, a series of lava fields (we will take more time there when we leave Hailey).  Seriously, the entire trip has been fantastical.  I know I studied US geography in school, but I was unprepared for the variety of landscapes in this country.  I’m so glad we took this trip.

Tomorrow, we may venture out or not.  It may be another day of lazing and napping.  In a few days, we will be at the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Parks.  We both want to be feeling well so we can explore.

Columbia Falls, MT (Glacier NP) to Butte, MT

Writing by Connie today since Hank feels punky from a cold. 

We said good-bye to Judy this morning.  We had a great time together and it was a sad parting.  Living on two different coasts, we don’t see each other as much as we’d like.  We don’t know when we will see each other again, which added to the sadness of our parting.

Today we rode to Butte, MT.  It wasn’t part of plan, but as we said yesterday, we rerouted because of weather.  When you ride a motorcycle, it’s how things go.  We are intentional about our attitude –  it really helps to not be attached to a particular idea or plan.  For those who know me, you would surmise this would be a challenge.  Yet from the moment I sat on a motorcycle, I felt free from the constraints of daily life.  I love having no agenda and few expectations.  It is incredibly liberating personally.

So back to the ride.  It was cold and cloudy and windy and so beautiful.  We rode by Flathead Lake, which was at times gray; and at times when the sun shown, it was bright aqua.  It’s a huge lake and you can tell it is a destination for locals and tourists alike.  We followed a mountain range for the longest time.  The clouds often appeared to cut off the top of the mountain or dip deep into small valleys or crevasses.  After awhile, we found ourselves in Mission Valley, with high peaks on both sides and thousands acres of farmland in between.  It was just stunning.

We were quite fortunate.  The weather called for a 90% chance of rain.  Somehow, the we found ourselves riding between storms and showers for the majority of our ride.  We were even graced by yet another rainbow (we’ve seen two previously).

At one point we chose a random exit to take stretch. And we landed in Opportunity, MT.  Really.  It’s a small town, with maybe thirty houses.  You have to travel past the State mental hospital and through a hazardous waste site (copper mining) to get to it.  I’m sure there is some meaning here, but I spent my time on the trip thinking of puns to share with Hank, rather than philosophizing.  We found our way back to the highway and continued towards Butte.

Suddenly and quite dramatically, the landscape changed from jagged mountains and rolling green mountains, to bluffs and petrified Sand Dunes akin to what we saw in New Mexico and Utah.  It was fascinating.  

Butte, MT started as a mining town and grew to be the largest city between the Mississippi River and San Francisco by the early 20th century.  We chose to stop here, because this city is one of the rail stops on the Rail Baron game we love.  Tomorrow morning we’ll visit the historic rail station for a photo op.

Tomorrow we head to Hailey, ID, where we will stay in an Air BnB and tour the Sawtooth National Forest and mountains.

Another, and our last, great day with Judy at this wonderful resort in Columbia Falls, MT. Connie and Judy returned to Glacier NP this morning. The agenda was a Ranger led hike up Rocky Point Trail. Ranger John spoke about the history of the Park and the things that make it an international peace park, wilderness/biosphere reserve and world heritage site. I stayed in to sleep a little extra – a cold seems to have caught me and I needed the rest before riding out to join the women at the Lake McDonald Lodge for a late lunch. It is a quaint old retreat with a great restaurant and a lot of old time charm.   
Tomorrow we head out for Butte, MT, a waypoint to Hailey, ID where we will stay for four nights and explore Saw Tooth Nat’l Forest. We decided to forego the challenge of US Rt. 12 and the Lolo Pass because rain is in the forecast and the driver ain’t up to snuff. Lolo will remain on the bucket list a while longer.  

We have had such a wonderful time with Judy, who graciously made a portion of her time share available. We had so much fun catching up on life, and entertained ourselves mightily with long conversations, a movie and an impossible jigsaw puzzle. (finished moments ago.) We’re sorry to part ways.  

Enough for tonight. Be well.

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Yesterday, we saw an eight point buck.  Today, a very young buck, just growing antlers.

The view from Rocky Point Trail.  So serene.

Wild flowers along the trail.

Our entertainment the last two nights!

Connie, Judy and I made our triumphal return to Glacier today. The crowds were underwhelmed but our spirits were high. We set off down the John’s Lake trail at the north end of Lake McDonald, just off the Going-to-the-Sun Road. It’s an easy hike (they claim) of about 3 miles up the hill to, yes, John’s Lake. On the way, we met a couple of frantic parents looking for their kids who thought they had encountered a bear and ran off to get away. Turns out there was no bear in the area. We split up along separate trails and called their names, hoping to encourage them to come out. Before too long, their dad found them along the road where they presumably felt that help was available. Relieved parents did as most do when scared for their kids. There were hugs and tears and some scolding. The oldest, a daughter of 15 was embarrassed and probably wanted to crawl into the nearest black hole. Despite the absence of a real threat, she reacted in the best way she knew how to protect her two small siblings. We are impressed. After the adrenaline wore off her parents, we hope they will be, too.

We were overtaken on the trail by a group of horseback riders taking the fun and much less strenuous route through the woods. Beautiful animals, but their passing makes footing a little hazardous for earthbound folks. The trail wound through such lush growth. The moisture level is quite high, so mosses, lichens, ferns and pretty wildflowers grow in abundance in dappled sunlight. The air is so fresh and clean. There were moments we felt like we were walking through a fabled Tolkien forest where dryads or wood nymphs might dance in pleasure. The trail did lead us to John’s Lake, a small calm pond a couple of acres big. The ground was so wet still that we couldn’t really get close, but worth the walk.

We continued along the loop trail back to the road where the swollen McDonald Creek came to a fall that thundered beautifully, plume of mist thrown into the air. There’s a bridge that spans the falls and it’s so energizing to have so much water roaring underneath. The trail took us downstream by several rapids and falls on the creek’s way to Lake McDonald. Unlike the riders and youngsters hurrying along because they can, we made our way easily and with dignity just enjoying the pleasure of good company and the beauty all around us. We met a buck close to the trail who was sporting a new 8-point rack. His horns were covered in velvet and which will likely rub off by summer’s end to reveal new larger, hard antlers. Like the does we have seen, he was looking for something tasty, and utterly unconcerned about human proximity. We got a pic. If we were in a hurry, we might have missed him. Dignity has its rewards. (Ben, Dave and Tim: Hush. It’s our story so mute the Flintstones theme.) 😀 

We returned to our car which was parked close to the inlet of Lake McDonald, had some lunch and headed back to the resort for some time in the hot tub and rest before supper. Tomorrow, Connie and Judy are taking a Ranger led walk through an area filled with wild flowers. I’m planning to hop on the bike and tool around the area.  And then we plan to meet for lunch at the Lake McDonald Lodge, an historic building styled after Swiss hunting lodges.

Looking forward to it.

X

X

It was a cold and rainy day today.  We slept in and lounged around.  Lots of time to visit with Judy.   Totally luxurious.  Tomorrow we are off to do another hike in Glacier NPS.  We’ll have more to say and see tomorrow night.

Glad to catch up a bit today. We set out with Judy this morning in her rental car. Nice to have a down day from riding – we’re at a bit over 7,800 miles so far. We entered Glacier through the West Glacier entrance and stopped at the Apgar Visitors Center to get some info and suggestions. (This always is a good idea. The rangers are knowledgeable and readily offer suggestions based on local conditions.) We settled on a hike up the Avalanche Trail, about 2.3 miles each way to see Avalanche Lake. The hike is a bit strenuous in parts, but is so worth it.

As we drove up the Going-To-The-Sun Road, we stopped on the shores of Lake MacDonald and looked across to the mountains of Howe Ridge to the west. Except for ripples made by skipping stones (that was me) the lake was a mirror, giving image/counter image of green forest and tall mountains still with snow up high. We probably got a pic or two.

Upon getting to the Avalanche Trailhead, we followed the Avalanche Creek which is swollen from remaining snowfall and recent rain. There is something soothing about watching and listening to a roaring stream pounding its way over a boulder filled course. Though the weather was ideal, it was a bit warm. The Creek offered some welcome cool. We saw several mule deer very close by the trail. They were quite tame, we think, allowing people to come very close while foraging. They are beautiful creatures, with a slightly shaggy coat and huge ears shaped like a mule’s. We did not run into any bears, we’re glad to say. We had a canister of bear spray just in case. Fortunately it will keep for another day.

The area was named by a Dr. Lyman Sherry who explored the much of the park in 1895. He heard and saw a number of avalanches and thought that a good name. There are a huge number of trees that have been knocked down all along the slopes of the valley, so the area seems aptly named. The Park Service does a nice job keeping the trail clear.

It took a while, but we finally made it to the lake. It’s a placid, clear lake with a greenish cast to the water. Maybe because of the glacial silt that washes down? No matter. Some sunken logs dotted the bottom, beautiful ducks swam and, I imagine, took their ease. But the wonder was to be had with the high waterfalls that cascade off the sheer faces of the surrounding mountains, especially Bearhat Mountain that towers more than 4,800 feet above the lake. The falls (we counted 4) feed the lake at its east end, which then drains to the west into Avalanche Creek. We truly enjoyed sitting at our ease, talking quietly, sharing snacks and taking in the beauty. Something about good company in beautiful surroundings.

The walk back was a lot less strenuous. Good thing because we were knackered. It was so worth the effort and made for a wonderful day. We stopped at a local grocery in Columbia Falls to buy provisions for the evening meal. Then back to the lovely resort where Judy graciously made arrangements for our stay. It feels good to get our boots off and let the toes breathe.

YESTERDAY: On the ride here we stopped for lunch in a little town in Idaho along US Rt. 2, called Bonners Ferry. The restaurant is called Chic-N-Chop and serves abundant good food for a reasonable price. In the lot outside, we met a quiet, good looking man named Ray who runs a diesel repair shop in town. He was curious about our trip which led to a nice conversation about traveling through his neck of the woods. He told about northern Idaho winters (20-30 below) and the fact he takes pleasure living in a small town in an area with not a lot of people. He struck us as a kind, decent, good man, the kind that makes a good neighbor. We met his little dog, Molly, whom he proudly claimed had defended his garden against wild critters looking for an easy meal. The three of us were glad for the conversation and wished each other well. There are a lot of good people all over this land.

X

Spokane, WA to Columbia Falls, MT  (Glacier National Park)

We had a long day riding through beautiful wooded mountains and hills of Northern Idaho and Montana. Everything is so green! The scenery reminds us of Maine and New Hampshire.  For long stretches, we were alone on the road.  There is something romantic about having the road to yourself when you’re riding.  We arrived in the later afternoon and met up with Hank’s sister, Judy.  It’s been nearly a year since we last saw each.  It’s great to be together again.  We took Judy out for a birthday dinner and then walked and otherwise hung out.  

Today, we’re heading into Glacier National Park.  Can’t wait.