Traveling Tin Can: 2010

July 2010 -- The Glacier NP & Lake Koocanusa, MT Area

Janet got a new kayak while in Kallispell, MT. It's a 14ft. Necky Manatu and now she can carry all the camping gear.

This is the first time on the water with the new kayak. We are kayaking a small river running through Whitefish. The river ran through these tubes and we did too. She went down one tube and I the other, she turned around and went back up, couldn't make it and had to come back down the tube backwards.

Whitefish and Kalispell, MT are towns near Glacier National Park and we stayed several nights in each at Moose and Elks Clubs. Just had to see Glacier so one day we went kayaking the North Fork of the Flathead River, one day hiking, one day drove the "Going to the Sun Highway".

This is the "Going to the Sun" and lots of road construction. It was a 20 minutes wait so we took advantage and got the chairs out.

Our view of Glacier while waiting for the road crew to let traffic move. If we had to wait, this would do!

Near the top of the pass a family of Mountain Goats were putting on a show.

Baby goat laying in the snow by the side of the road

And a baby jumped a stone walkway while Janet captured the action.

One the way down the mountain we were last in line for the construction so got plenty of time to park in the middle of road to play at the "Weeping Wall". No pullouts here so we got lucky.

While in Kalispell we got to see one of the very few "Show Jumping" major horse shows held in the US. These were olympic caliber riders. In fact the lady who won the high honors this weekend was US Olympic Champion.

Ears up and getting ready for the next jump.

See the water splashing. They had just left a pond on the other side.

Mid air and looking for a landing.

Lots of distractions and horse and rider have to concentrate. Blocking out all the spectators, loud speakers etc.

We moved a few miles from Whitefish to Libby, MT. This is Warland Creek on Lake Koocanusa north of Libby only a few miles from the Canada Border. Looking north to Canada, this campsite is the location of the Libby, MT Boondockers Rendezvous.

Warland Creek campsite looking south toward Libby.

Kayaking Lake Koocanusa.

We would never break the law.

This is the USA - Canada border on Lake Koocanusa. Janet's kayak might be half in/half out of the Canada. RCMP might not like this.

The Community Center in Yaak, MT not far from Libby.

And the outhouses at the Community Center. Not active. Things are up-to-date in Yaak.

Janet and a little comic "relief".

20 May 2010 -- Yosemite National Park, CA

The opportunity presented itself for us to visit Yosemite National Park. We were visiting friends John and Sandi Turner who lives on Lake Don Pedro and it was just a short distance to the Park. We left early and got back late for there is much to do and see in Yosemite.

The entrance of Yosemite National Park.
The park service conveniently placed a sign just for Janet.

Notice the ear muffs and gloves. Snow was on the ground just up the hill from this location.

Giant Sequoia Tree Hugger Janet

That's Janet crawling along a downed Giant Sequoia

Janet is standing on the same downed Giant Sequoia in Tuolunme Grove. These Big Trees are almost unbelievingly big. This tree has been down for more than 100 years and will perhaps show very little deterioration in the next 100.

Janet and Doug at the Tunnel Tree in Tuolumne Grove. This tunnel is large enough for a wagon and team to pass through. This tree was killed when the bark was stripped off, shipped to the World's Fair, reassembled so an unbelieving public could see evidence there were giant trees growing in the West. Hope this type of practice never happens again.

Bridle Veil Falls in Yosemite National Park, CA. as seen from the tunnel viewpoint. This falls is the first major sight that comes into view as the valley floor opens up at the tunnels leading in to the valley.

Bridal Veil Falls viewed from the valley floor.

And this is Bridal Veil Creek after tumbling down the falls. All the streams in Yosemite were flowing full at this time and that meant all the falls were spectacular.

Yosemite Falls - Perhaps the most famous falls in the west. A series of falls - upper, middle and lower.

The famous Yosemite Half Dome.

Illilouette Falls

The Valley - Yosemite National Park. Taken from the Tunnel View Point. This says it all - El Capitan on the left with Half Dome and Bridle Veil on the right.

Western Tanager

Male Magenzer

This is El Capitan. See the tent on the face. A rock climber settled in for the night.

John & Sandi Turner, Janet and Doug. John took all of the pictures of the falls, also the valley view.

April 2010 -- Bridge to Nowhere, Yuma, Arizona USA

"The Bridge to Nowhere" and why is this noteworthy? The McPhaul Bridge, a 800-foot-long suspension bridge spanning the Gila River and was built in 1929 is now called "The Bridge to Nowhere" because it's closed and has been for many years. At the bridge the Gila River is normally dry but we got there at a most fortunate time, the river was in flood stage. What a perfect time to go kayaking. It's been 15 years since the river was this high.

This was our put in point and this is normally a dirt road crossing the wash. Cars crossing at this point on this day would be 10" under water.

River was very high and flowing. We paddled up stream for several miles to "The Bridge to Nowhere" and the Highway 95 bridge. Going up stream was work but turning around, we floated home.