Circle of Fire Tour - Monday August 25, 2014

Today was a looooong nine hour tour "Circle of Fire" from our campground in Yellowstone's Fishing Bridge.  The tour went over the entire lower section of the park's figure eight road system stopping at many "features" including, of course, Old Faithful. 

This is the Lake Inn on the banks of Yellowstone Lake.  Beautiful ~

These elk are safe from all you hunters ! ! !

We also got to see two other geyers blow, Beehive and Castle.  Our guide said that is a very unusual site.  We were only in that area an hour and a half.
Can you tell it was a cold day??  Haven't worn jeans or a jacket in months ! LOL~~

 



We have a lot more pictures but wi-fi is not so great in the park.  We have a hot spot and still it has taken about three hours to down load just these few. Hopefully I can add some more tomorrow, however, we are taking off on our own to see more of the park ! ! ! 

AAAAAH, much better Wi-Fi here in Cody so am posting more pictures from the Circle of Fire Tour on Monday.

Old Faithful has that name because it still "goes off" about every 92 minutes, the most predicable geyser in the park.  The "Circle of Fire" is mostly in two different calderas.  The guide told us that there was not near prediction of a volcano erupting in Yellowstone, it would probably be at least 100,000 years.  Don't think we will be around for that ! ! !  However, they are constantly moving boardwalks and sometimes roads because of new hot spots popping up.

These are inside the Old Faithful Lodge.  It must have taken a whole forest to build this lodge. It is absolutely beautiful!!  Yes, you do see a Christmas Tree.  Yellowstone does a Christmas Celebration on August 25th each year.

 

Had to pose by this 1937 bus.  Apparently about $200,000 was spent to restore it.  We didn't tour on it but was fun to see.  On another day when the weather was better, we saw it with the canvas top off.  Fun ! !

 





Upper Falls of the Yellowstone River in the Yellowstone Grand Canyon.  Pouring rain by the time we got there.  Having been to the "real" Grand Canyon in Arizona, this sure seemed small...   LOL

 

OK, I think that I am caught up for the tour day ! ! !



 



Declo, Idaho

Uneventful day traveling a long day...   Tomorrow is Yellowstone.  We will be there four nights.  So excited to really see the park.  Soon as I published this Ken went outside to take these photos.

Staying at the 500 Trail RV Resort

Ken woke up to this amazing view outside the Jackson's 500 Trail Resort ! ! !

Then a couple hours later while Dan and Sharon Jackson are the best activity directors at the 500 Trail Resort, they didn't get their weather report quite accurately.  LOL  The day started out to be a ride to the top of the Elk Horn Mountains where we should have been able to see forever.  The following pictures tell the rest of the story.  

We followed the snowmobile trails up the mountain.  The weather was getting worse and worse with it raining pretty hard mixed with a lot of hail.  We were all soaked and so headed back down the mountain.  Right in town, as usual here, we see these beauties !

We had only seen one deer in a couple hours out on the trail.  About 15 minutes after we get back to the house, it starts pouring here !!  They have not had much rain in months, just like the valley.  Amazing day!!  Hot showers and throwing the clothes in the dryer.  Sit back and visit the rest of the day. Dinner out in the big town of Sumpter !!!  We will be taking our guides out tonight !!

500 Trails RV Resort

Our long time friends invited us to their home in Sumpter, Northeast Oregon.  We arrived this morning to a full schedule of 4 wheeling activities tomorrow! ! ! !   Great place to park for two days ! !  Thanks Dan and Sharon Jackson.

What a fun day tomorrow will be.  I hear that we are going to the top of a mountain...  Hang on ! ! ! 

Around the Country in Seven Months !!

Ready, set, go....   we have been planning this trip for years and the day is finally here to get started....  

Loooooog first day of travel.  After averting fiasco in Prineville while getting fuel we have safely made it to Clyde Holiday State Park just out of Mt Vernon, Oregon and about six miles out of John Day.  

We entered the beautiful Ococho Mountains not far out of Prineville and quickly saw the devastation of recent fires.