Summer 2007 Week 3

Another wonderful day. An early start brought us to Bear Lake before 8 AM. After checking the scenic mountain vistas at the lake, we took the trail to Alberta Falls. Along the way we were tormented by bird calls though we were unable to see the birds in the thick coniferous forest. Just below the falls we stopped at a beautiful cascade and found a Red Naped Sapsucker (really, we don’t make these up!) bringing bunches of insects to her brood in the nest. The waterfall was pretty but not too photogenic due to overhanging branches and log jams. We hiked beyond the falls towards Mills Lake, another two miles down the trail but after less than a mile, Carl decided the altitude and heat were too much for him so we turned around and hiked back to Bear Lake. Once back at Bear Lake, and having hiked only three rather than six miles, we had energy to hike around Bear Lake and nearby Sprague Lake (the trails around lakes are flat!). We saw a few new birds (for the trip, not life birds) including Mountain Chickadee, Townsend’s Solitaire and Stellar Jay. We then drove to the Visitor Center to see the park video, very well done though not as good as the one at Okefenokee! Back at the campground we had lunch and discussed what to do in the afternoon. After a brief discussion we decided on a novel activity-we would stay at the campsite and relax (Elliot take note!). Instead of chasing animals, we let them come to us, and they did, including a Mule Deer grazing 50 feet from our coach, a Broad Tailed Hummingbird that flew right past Carl’s head and a family of five White Breasted Nuthatches that flitted through the site stopping at almost every tree as if the parents were showing the newly fledged birds where to hunt for insects. After supper we enjoyed our first campfire of the trip and prepared for our final day in Rocky Mountain NP.

Happy Canada Day to all our Canadian friends. A third wonderful day at RMNP. We got another early start and drove to Sheep Lakes where we scanned the meadow for wildlife. Ground squirrels were everywhere and in the distance we watched a coyote catch one. Next we drove to the aptly named Endovalley area where we walked around the picnic area looking for birds. It was a pretty spot but quiet birdwise. Beyond Endovalley is the Old Fall River Road, the original dirt road across the mountains in the park. It does not open until July first and is one way to the top (you drive down on the paved, Trail Ridge Road). Several times on the way up we appreciated the one-way rule. We stopped several times to view neat waterfalls and great vistas. The marmots along this route were not yet used to traffic and they remained along the edge of the road as we drove by. At the top we hiked along the Ute Trail; more great vistas and an extraordinary profusion of wildflowers. They are all small and close to the ground and each is a mini-gem. Yellows, pinks, blues, reds, violets and oranges; big petals, tiny petals, hanging bell shapes and none more than half an inch across. We were also watching for Rosy-Finches, three species of bird found only in the alpine tundra. We saw several “finch like” birds flash by but nothing conclusive. We drove back down the mountain and back to the coach for lunch. After a brief rest we headed off to hike to Emerald Lake, reported to be the color of emeralds. Along the way we came upon an accident that had just happened. A young woman skidded her scooter on the gravel and went down on the edge of the road. Carl helped examine and clean up her scrapes and splint her possibly broken arm. Sandy drove to the nearest ranger station to summon help since cell phones do not work in the mountains. Soon the rangers then the ambulance arrived and she was taken off to be x-rayed and get her elbows and knee abrasionss cleaned up After we finished at the accident scene it was too late for the hike to Emerald Lake so we chose a shorter, flatter hike to “The Pools”. It was a delightful hike along the rushing Big Thompson River that led to a small waterfall and, of course, the pool beneath the falls. It was a fun hike even though it was 88 degrees, the low humidity makes it easier to tolerates though more important to drink lots of water. A barbeque supper and our last campfire in the Rockies brought an end to a fun and exciting day.

We left the magnificent Rocky Mountains and headed further west. It’s about 500 miles to our next destination in northern Utah so today was a short 220 miles, ending in Rawlin, WY. This part of Wyoming is miles and miles of rolling, empty rangeland. It’s easy to understand how Wyoming has fewer people than Rhode Island or Delaware. This KOA right by the highway is fine for the night. It is 5 PM and 93 degrees out!

An easy 300 mile drive brought us to Brigham City, UT. Southern Wyoming is rolling and mostly featureless so drivers are entertained by the signs. Carl kept noticing signs that read, “Strong Winds Possible Next Five Miles”. After a few, he checked the mileage and, sure enough, there was one of these signs every five miles for nearly 50 miles. Another curiosity was Medicine Bow National Forest. When we passed the sign that said “Entering National Forest”, There were fewer than six trees visible across perhaps 100 square miles visible along the road. Some Forest! About 30 miles later we entered an area of thick woods along the road and thought, “Well, here is the National Forest” Within a mile we came to the sign announcing “Leaving Medicine Bow National Forest” ! We guess they don’t want too many trees in their national forest. Perhaps that’s to avoid the old problem of not being able to see the forest for the trees ;-). Anyway, we are settled in at a KOA and planning a couple of days of birding and sightseeing. The forecast for the next three days is 94/96/101. We can hardly wait.

Happy Independence Day. It is firecracker hot here in Utah. The thermometer in the shade reads 97 degrees. The one in the sun reads 157 degrees!!! Mid morning we drove to the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Mostly we drove around in the car to provide relief from both the heat and the biting flies. Still, in four hours we had seen 46 species of birds including four species each of grebe and swallow. It’s a pretty place with mountains almost surrounding the flat valley at the north end of Great Salt Lake. After lunch we hung around the motorhome working on photos and journaling and hiding from the fierce sunlight. Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter still. We can hardly wait but that’s OK, life is good even in a pizza oven and we are having a terrific time!

Undeterred by the 101 degree forecast we headed off for a day of natural and cultural history. A birder we met yesterday suggested some trails and wetlands near Logan, UT about a half hour away. It was a lovely drive. Logan is a pleasant community and they had a classic car cruise-in yesterday, so a few of the participants were still around including an early 60’s Corvette and a 1958 Chevy Impala. The first birding spot was OK but the trail was overgrown and hard to walk. We did spot several warblers and two hawks soaring, a Red Tailed and a Swainson’s. The next spot was an overlook above a fresh water marsh. We saw White Pelican, Canada Geese, Killdeer, Snowy Egret, Sand hill Cranes and lots of cows. While we were there we met a local birder who said he had just retired from a dental practice. He said he would love to travel around the country birding but his wife won’t consider an RV. We gave him our card with the picture of our coach and encouraged him to try getting her to an RV show. Next stop was the Golden Spike National Historic Site where the namesake spike was driven in 1869 to complete the transcontinental railroad. It may have been a bustling railroad area in the late 19^th century but today it is quite literally in the middle of nowhere. Its closest neighbor, about 15 miles away, is the Thiokol plant where they build rocket motors (such dangerous enterprises are always located in very remote areas). The historic site has replicas of the steam locomotives that brought government, Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroad dignitaries to Promontory, UT for the final spike ceremony. The golden spike has been relocated to a museum in California. The visitor center showed an interesting video about the construction of the railroad and exhibits depicted life in the grading and track laying crews. One of the most amazing aspects of the project was the Central Pacific Railroad digging a 1,925 foot long tunnel through solid granite to get across the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Their progress was roughly eight inches a day-do the math! On the way back to the campground we stopped at the Thiokol plant where they have a display of the many rockets they build, from the small sidewinder aircraft missiles to the 149 foot long space shuttle solid rocket boosters. One of us was fascinated and the other was a good sport in the 102 degree heat. After cooling off and freshening up in the coach, we went to dinner at a local restaurant. It was great. Sandy has an uncanny knack for picking restaurants in places we’ve never been.

We drove west on I-84 from northern Utah to southern Idaho, ending up in Weiser, ID about 40 miles north of Boise. A lot of empty space out here, too hilly and rocky to either farm or raise a lot of cattle. Still brutally hot. A bank thermometer in Weiser read 109 degrees, Fortunately, it was wrong but not by much. After lunch we drove with the generator running so we could operate the coach air conditioners as well as the dashboard air. Tomorrow we drive to Moscow, Idaho for the six day Life on Wheels conference.