As Is

"And I try to laugh at whatever life brings. Cause when I look down, I just miss all the good stuff. And when I look up, I just trip over things."

9/4/15

Started with breakfast at Molly B, then drove through Rocky Mountain National Park along the Trail Ridge Road. When I visited RMNP before, we weren't able to drive the full route due to snow; only made it to Rainbow Curve. Turns out it's the park's 100th birthday this year. Took the path up at Rock Cut and climbed a few rocks. Took the path up to Alpine Ridge - it was cold up there and started to sprinkle making it even colder. Drove through Arapaho National Forest and Routt National Forest to Saratoga, WY to spend the night in a sheepwagon. And it turns out, my host is a donor mom.

deja vu

Animals love to pose for me

See, another one posing for me

elk

elk

elk

Forest Canyon

Forest Canyon

Rock Cut

Rock Cut

Rock Cut

yellow bellied marmot

bighorn sheep

bighorn sheep...sleeping?

bighorn sheep

bighorn sheep

Alpine Ridge - 12,005 feet above sea level

Continental Divide at Milner Pass

in Arapaho National Forest

Continental Divide at Willow Creek Pass

Inside the sheepwagon

the sheepwagon

Starting Point: Estes Park, CO
Ending Point: Saratoga, WY
Miles Traveled: 188


9/5/15

Drove along some beautiful landscapes through WY. Stopped at Fossil Butte National Monument - it's a fossiliferous place! Drove along the scenic drive and was also going to do some hiking along the nature trail, but decided not to since I was by myself and this is bear and mountain lion country. Drove around Bear Lake and finally ended up in Paris, ID. The house that I stayed in had a pipe organ in it. Found out that the hosts' daughter recently received a kidney transplant.

Fossiliferous!

In case you need some tips about facing off with mountain lions...

In case you need some tips about facing off with black bears...

Yup, this is in the house - awesome!

Starting Point: Saratoga, WY
Ending Point: Paris, ID
Miles Traveled: 394.2


9/6/15

Visited the National Oregon/California Trail Center and the Soda Springs Geyser along the way to Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve. Also drove past EBR-I Atomic Museum, but it was closed.
Warning, soap box - During the course of this trip, I have continued to be annoyed by people who show no respect for the places they are in. The demonstration of this disrespect is people not following the rules of the parks. There are reasons that there are specific trails with signs everywhere instructing you to stay on the trail. Along with these people trampling through places other than on the trail, they also verbalize how the fact that they're not walking on the trail isn't really going to make a difference to the ecosystem. I hate to break it to you people, but despite what your parents may have told you, you're not actually special and you need to follow the effing rules. These places you are visiting are actually pretty fragile and you have a responsibility as the visitor to help maintain them for future generations. If you cannot do so, please stay out of the parks. If everyone thought like you (ie the millions of people that visit these parks every year), there would be nothing left to see. The worse demonstration of this is when I see families and the parents are the ones not following the rules. The example you are setting for your children is that the rules are not important to follow. And you then wonder why they won't listen to you or their teachers...Think about the example you're setting. I am grateful that my parents taught me a respect for the land and to actually appreciate the places I visit. And to those who apparently have "holy feet" - you're welcome for being one of the people that works to preserve these places so you have somewhere to take yourself and your children to to disrespect...

wait for it...

There it goes!

somewhere in Idaho...

2000+ year old lava flows

the tree grew after the lava cooled

cinder cone fragments

cinder cone fragments

signs everywhere explaining why you should stay on the trails...

the trail up Inferno Cone

the view from the top of a very windy volcano

the view from the top of a very windy volcano

the view from the top of a very windy volcano

the view from the top of a very windy volcano

the view from the top of a very windy volcano

that's the way down...

that's the way down...

Spatter Cones

How it used to look before people trashed it

HTRE-3

HTRE-2

Starting Point: Paris, ID --> Craters of the Moon Nat'l Monument
Ending Point: Idaho Falls, ID
Miles Traveled: 299.4


Total Miles Traveled Thus Far: 8,882.1 via car, ~140.5 via boat, 17.8 via cog (train), 0.62 via aerial tram


~Elizabeth/Lizzi/ET/Country


**I've been using Airbnb some during this trip to find places to stay along the way. If you haven't tried it, check it out for your next trip (even internationally). Usually cheaper than a hotel...and if you have some extra space, rent it out and make some money! (https://www.airbnb.com/)**


all photos Copyright 2015 Elizabeth M. Turner