Gulf Shores winters are easy to take , especially the winter of 2016/2017

After leaving California next stop Arizona. Spent a few days in Phoenix and Tucson.

After checking out Phoenix and Tucson we take on Saguaro National Park…one more National Park checked off the list.

Saguaro NP – Impressive Prickly Pear Cactus. This National Park is a gem for Tuscon. Two sections one west and one east of the city.

Jan checking out the park’s name sake the Saguaro Cactus.

Actually we spent two days checking out this National Park…very interesting learning about life in the desert.

Everywhere you look there are plenty of Saguaros. After 75 years these cactus get their arms. Many of these are over 100 years old and over 70 ft tall.

For this trip only one night in New Mexico at Las Cruces. The Hatch Chile capital! Jan and I are into hot peppers and hot sauces. New Mexico is calling us back…maybe next year.

On this trip Larry missed out on the Microbreweries…finally a good one in Las Cruces… It is good to be back in civilization!

Love these endless road photos. After Arizona we continue the trip through the desert heading south to Texas.

Our route to the Big Bend National Park was down Texas highway 170. Recommend this picturesque route along the Rio Grande and the Mexican border.

Views of the Rio Grande were spectacular…

Although being so close to the Mexican border made Jan a bit nervous!

Looking forward to checking out the Big Bend National Park. This park has been on our list for a long time. Good to be here now!

Big Bend mountains… It has three different terrains the river, the desert and the mountains.

These mountains are different as they have a green foreground that sets off the rocks in the background.

This day there are no clouds only blue sky to top off any photo.

In the long past people actually lived here. The main farms and ranches are maintained to the extend possible. Lots of interesting history to take in…

This is still a working windmill used to irrigate the old Sam Nail homestead.

Then there was the Homer Wilson Ranch. This was the largest ranch taken in by the national park.

Homer Wilson bunkhouse. Nice hike down the hill through the desert…

View across the park. Note the notch in mountain in the background named the Window.

More mountains in the desert.

Santa Elena Canyon with the Rio Grande running down the middle.

Santa Elena Canyon…hiking the trail.

The muddy Rio Grande along the Santa Elena Canyon Trail.

Santa Elena Canyon was a fun experience

Big Bend desert…

Sun is starting to set and brings out the color in the mountains…

Here we are ready to check out downtown San Antonio

San Antonio has done a nice job making their city tourist friendly

Another downtown photo opt…

Lots of history at the Alamo…

Alamo has lots of interesting corners to check out…

The Alamo Mission has withstood the test of time…

iconic Alamo Shrine…lots of history was made here…

We spent a few hours touring the grounds and taking in all history.

The San Antonio River walk. Interesting place to explore…no problem finding a place to eat or get a drink.

View from the bridge…nice Mexican restaurant, yes we had lunch under the umbrella.

San Antonio River…Jan ready for some lunch.

Lots of bridges and other interesting features to see.

River walk continues beyond downtown.

River Walk

San Antonio has a heritage Mission Tour. There are five missions including the Alamo. Mission Concepcion was the first stop after the Alamo.

Touring the Missions exceeded expectations. It was great seeing all the old buildings even on a rainy day.

Mission Concepcion

Great arches to view the outside world

Mission Concepcion the church…

Here is a shot while waiting for the rain to stop.

Next stop Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose

Mission San Jose houses the park headquarters. The grounds are extensive.

Mission San Jose stables

Would you believe I took over 100 pictures at this stop

These buildings have withstood the test of time…well sort of…

Much of the stone work was done by Native Americans

Church at Mission San Jose…college student playing to earn money for tuition.

Church at Mission San Jose

These Mission Buildings have lots of interesting features…

Another Mission stable.

Continuing the Texas adventure, we make our way to Corpus Christi and the Padre Island National Seashore

Here we are on Padre Island October 8th our 50th wedding anniversary…

This is dinner for 50th anniversary celebration. Looks like a RV on the road meal to me…except for the wine maybe…

Here we are 50 years ago…wow we look young in this picture. My take is this looks very traditional for 1966!

Early morning is a great time for a walk on the beach. Of course I always take a camera or two.l

We love being at Padre…we even had a fun RV site.

Padre Island is not all beach…

North Padre Island beach goes for over 65 miles

Trees left out in the water after the last hurricane. Pelicans keeping watch!

Somber look as the summer trip of 2016 winds down.

Gulf of Mexico sunset…love those colors!

Yosemite NP has been on the bucket list for a long time. It was good to finally get there to see if all the good things we heard were true.

Lots of granite in Yosemite. One of the more famous is El Capitan. It is imposing and very photogenic in the valley looking up!

Another great granite formation is Half Dome. It is sheer on one side and dome like on the other three. It never was a full dome and was created by volcanic activity. There is a very popular hike to the top which we did not do as it was too much on “the edge” to suit Larry’s comfort zone. We did get to view it from several different vantage points however.

Half Dome from the valley floor.

Half Dome from the side and up on the mountain. You had to be there to get the full impact of the grandeur of the park.

Taken from the valley floor. The beauty of the Yosemite NP is breathtaking.

Took this on a bike ride through the valley. Great spot for hikers to get in the water to cool off after a long hike. The weather was great for our visit mostly in the 80’s which made the water inviting.

Another bike ride photo. Everywhere you went there was another photo opportunity.

If you have not experienced the drive to Glacier Point at Yosemite, it is highly recommended. It takes more than a hour to make your way up the mountain road. There is a lot to see along the way and once you get there you are looking across the valley to the other side. This picture is framed from a stone building at the top.

View from Glacier Point looking across the top of the mountains.

In September the Yosemite waterfalls slows down to trickle. This shot is from Glacier Point looking across the valley. We did not hike the trails to the falls so this is the only picture you will get.

Can you pick out Half Dome… Taken from the Glacier Point road.

Sequoia was a day drive from Yosemite. Another awesome national park in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

There has been a lack of rain in this area for several years. The grass was brown and many of the trees are under stress as you will see from the following photos. That being said the golden grass makes for a great background in this shot set off by the green shrubs and blue sky.

We now get to experience the big Sequoia Trees the namesake for the National Park. They are not as large as the Redwoods on the coast but they are still massive. Sequoia are generally found inland and at elevations of 5,000 to 7,000 feet. The canopy is not as dense which means you get a lot more light to work with. Getting a better understanding of the Sequoia’s was a learning experience.

Fun trails through the big trees…

Here you can get an idea of size…

This is a big Sequoia from the bottom up!

This it the same tree from the top down…

They name their trees here…mostly after Generals.

This tree is called General Sherman. The stats for this tree were impressive.

Note the dead and/or dying trees. Otherwise nice view across the Sierra Nevada’s.

Another mountain view…with some snow at the peaks…

Kaweah River here center stage: The area here is called Three Rivers where Kaweah, North and East Fork come together. There is a large Corps of Engineer dam near here.

More mountain views of the Sierra Nevada’s.

I liked this perspective. You can see the haze from the California fires which gives the distance views a certain soften edge.

Before planning this trip we had not heard of the Kings Canyon National Park. Sequoia and King are managed together. They each have their own personalities. Sequoia is more forest like with mountains and King with more mountains with forest. It does take some driving to see both on some very tricky mountain roads.

We took a short cut to King National Park which still takes several hours. The drive through the country was an exceptional experience one that we really enjoyed. However coming back to our RV site at night the trip seemed twice as long…

King’s Canyon King River…nice stop to check out the scenery.

Falls along the road…easy trek to get there!

Grizzly Falls again a short trek from the parking lot. In the spring this falls is much more dramatic.

Kings Canyon landscape

We kept stopping for another photo.

King’s Canyon was a great experience. Lots of mountain views.

Long view down the canyon

If you think we are higher than the last picture, you are right!

King has its own walk in the forest…

This tree is called General Grant. Evidently they had a Northern theme when picking names. No placard picture here as there were just too many people to work around.

At Sequoia/King we based camped at the Sequoia RV Ranch park. It was a great find and enjoyed our deck overlooking the river.

The river which was highly marketed was pretty tame this time of the year.

This park had the old fashioned swimming hole. The water was spring fed so it cooled you down at the end of the day. It was really deep I could not touch bottom. However Jan did not get in once she learned that Rattle Snakes can swim…

Death Valley was an unknown. At the end of the day it was a great experience. It is a huge area and we drove over 250 miles in one day just taking in all that it had to offer.

As we enter the desert it is clear we have left the mountains and any green behind us.

This is Death Valley

Although it does have mountains too!

This is call the Devil’s Corn field. A desert plant that looks like it was planted.

The Devils Corn Field was certainly different from anything we have seen before…

This is generic Death Valley. Looks dry and desert like.

Not much real sand in the desert. There are some dunes in this one localize area.

Larry bought a cowboy hat at the local general store. Not sure it carries off the look in true western style. However it does keep the sun out of your eyes. The marketing tag said a hat with an attitude.

Death Valley is where 20 team Borax originally came from. Actually it was 18 mules and two guide horses. They needed the mule power to get their product up and out of the valley. The 20 team handle was created by a marketing firm and is still used today.

This is the production end of the Borax process. It is no longer done in this part of the world.

The terrain was ever changing. This formation stood out.

The coloration here caught my eye.

In the salt flats at Badwater Basin you are below sea level. Actually the sediment here from the mountain run off over time is over 12,000 ft deep. This depression is due to volcanic activity. Per the curation the area is getting ready for another eruption. We had lots of company on our walk out to the flats.

Taken coming into the salt beds…

When we were there it was dry. No water to be found here. Interesting to look at but not sure you would want to live here.

There is a drive through the mountains called the Artist drive. The road is narrow, has lots of curves and for the driver it is eyes on the road. However the coloration in the rock is over the top and worth the effort…

Artist drive shot…looks good from here.

Jan liked the colors in this shot.

The terrain gets more interesting. Looks a little like the Bad Lands in South Dakota.

On the Artist drive the views continue to get better.

The different colors here complement each other, don’t you think?

Death Valley is a long winding trail. As I said before we drove over 250 miles checking it out.

We found this notice scary. At Kings Canyon and Death Valley there are a lot of Tarantulas. You see them on the road all the time.

Lone Pines California in the Alabama Hills is close to Hollywood and where many of the western TV shows and movies in the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s and 70’s were shot. The Museum of Western Film was originally created by a Roy Rogers relative. It is now run by the city of Lone Pine. There are tours that will take you to where the action took place. A throw back in time for sure…

Lots of old cars from the movies and the stage coach that was used in many films are on display.

Are you old enough to remember Roy Roger and Dale Evans. If so you fit into our generation. Grandpa Snyder had his first TV in 1948 and at our house it was 1954. “Those were the days”.

Lone Ranger and Tonto were an important part of our TV life in the 50’s.

Oh Ya…then there was Gene Autry the singing cowboy.

Who could forget Hopalong Cassidy. Not sure he was ever my favorite.

At Lone Pines in the Alabama mountains many scenes from Star Wars were shot.

Next stop after Death Valley was the Mojave Desert.

Ok, we are still in the desert. Yes it was very hot. The tourist season does not start here until November.

Mojave has mountains too. Typical shot of the landscape.

In the Mojave you start to see Joshua Trees.

This picture is true Mojave Desert.

Here we are stopping again to take more photos. The desert is beautiful in its own way.

The visitor center is in the middle of the desert. It is at the Union Pacific stop where they built a large hotel to compete with the Eastern Railroad lines.

Here is the Union Pacific hotel and restaurant. Nice stop to get a drink and catch up on the local history.

Traveling from Mojave to Joshua Tree National Park we traveled down a portion of old Route 66. It is interesting to see what is left and try to envision what it was like in the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s before the interstates. Jan took this and thought it was a cool picture that captured a point in time. For Larry the story that comes to mind is the book “Who Moved the Cheese”…with the theme of how to deal with change.

Jan and I toured Joshua Tree many years ago on trip from Disney World. This was our first encounter with the High Desert. It called us back on this trip where we had more time to take in the sights and explore the trails.

This shot was taken on one of several hikes. The Joshua Trees are impressive and very different from what you see in the Mid-west and the East.

Joshua Tree is still the desert. However it is much different experience than Death Valley or Mojave.

The blue sky sure helped sets this photo off…

This is split rock on the Split Rock trail. Sort of looks like something out of an old movie.

This was call face in the rock. Took a bit of walking to get here.

This is Split Rock trail. It was a very different hiking experience. It did keep us entertained.

Had to shoot this Joshua Tree against the blue sky.

We did do one major hike called the Ryan’s Mountain Trail. This shot was taken early on the climb up.

Here is Jan working her way up the Ryan’s Mountain Trail…

The views get better the higher you go.

This is a very old Joshua Tree. Some trees here are several hundred years old.

Not sure if the trees are small here or the rock are large.

More Joshua Trees…

This is not that great of a photo but there is lot going on here. You can see Palm Springs where there are over 300 golf courses. You can see the San Bernardino Mountains and a mountain range in Mexico. The Salton Sea is in the distance and if you look closely you can see the Sans Andreas Fault. While we were there and after we left there was Earthquake activity in the Salton Sea and it raises the concern that it would trigger a reaction from the Sans Andreas Fault.

We made a stop at the Cholla Cactus Garden. These are called jumping cactus and have a bad reputation.

Cholla Cactus Garden where one wants to be careful not to get too close.

There was a nice trail through the Cholla Cactus Garden.

We found these plants fascinating. They are Ocotillo plants and interestingly they are deciduous. These plants loose their leaves when it is dry so they complete the cycle several times a year. They were all green when we saw them as there had been recent rains.

Ten years ago we visited Mt Rainier. It had just snowed and there were clear views and lots of sunshine. This time rain, snow and fog which hampered our plans to explore the mountain and hike the trails.

The mountain did peek through as we were leaving and this is the only good photo we got.

Fine stone work on this bridge and nice view of the falls as we make our way into the park.

Our campground site was at Paradise…but the weather surely was not treating us nice.

As we left Mt Rainier we stopped along the way to check out the Hobo Inn. Looked liked it would be an interesting place to spend the night.

Next up was Olympic National Park. When we visited Washington a decade ago we spent a day checking out the park. Looked forward spending more time here.

One our bigger hikes so far was to Lake Angeles. The trail climbed over 2,600 ft. to 6,500 ft. The goal was a lake at the end in a canyon with a high cliffs setting.

The trail was very interesting. Here we got to experience a rain forest setting at high altitudes. The terrain was very rugged as you can see.

Larry taking a water break. The temps were in the 60s when we started and by the time we reached the top was in the low 40s.

Along the trail there were lots of small water falls all calling for me to take another photo!

This is the end of the trail. We had to wait a long time to even get this shot as the top of the mountain was socked in by fog. It was a great setting but you will need to take my word for that…The nice thing about the wait was we got to talk with the campers who settled in near by.

The hike back down was cool and rainy but both of us still enjoyed the experience. When we got back it was still 60 and sunny at the lower level.

Highway 101 makes it way through the park. Lake Crescent is a long and large lake along the road. The setting was breathtaking.

This is an early morning shot of Lake Crescent on one of several road trips within the park.

Another picture of Lake Crescent at the end of the day on our way back to base camp.

Olympic National Park is the setting for a temperate rain forest. One of the places we visited was Hoh which gets high marks for it beauty.

This sign tells one a lot about what to expect on this hike.

The colors in a rain forest are vivid. The many scenes were captivating and enjoyed this hike immensely.

Green is the in color here. Reminded me of the Lord of the Rings setting.

You certainly can use you imagination with all the different looks the moss makes. This tree certainly tells a story.

If you ever get the chance it is worth the trip to check out this National Park.

The color of orange stood out against the green background. Just had to take a close up shot!

Jan took this shot and was one her favorites.

This is Rialto Beach on the ocean. The setting was certainly unexpected. The power of the water to bring all these logs ashore is impressive. We found a great campground here and will certainly stay there next time we visit.

The beach was interesting with lots of Agates.

This is Larry getting on top of things.

A trip out to Cape Flattery was recommended. The area has share oversight with the Makah Indians. You had to buy a permit at the general store to tour the area. The culture here is very protective of the area.

Cape Flattery is also a rain forest but not so dense. The trail out to the point was extremely interesting with a fairly easy walk.

This is Cape Flattery looking north.

This is Cape Flattery looking south.

Of course there would be a lighthouse…

There are big caves here. The care taker told us Yachts even enter them.

The trip out to the Cape was rainy and cold as you can see by the way Larry is dressed! Gore Tex worked well here.

Crossing the Columbia River again as we leave Washington heading down the Oregon Coast.

The Oregon coast is gorgeous. The drive on 101 heading south was a rewarding experience.

Oregon State Park system provides many well done turn outs and camping opportunities. This shot has taken from a strategically placed view point.

The coastline views are ever changing from sand to rock.

Not sure how many lighthouse photos I did as we travelled through Washington and Oregon on 101. There was another one at every turn in the road.

This lighthouse was posing for us as we went by.

This place was called thunder rock…I am sure it was named from the noise all the waves make when they crash ashore.

The water was filled with sea lions at this stop. We also saw a whale water spout in the distance.

The shore line seemed to go on forever.

There is a road around Crater Lake maintained by the National Park system. There were rivers along the road to catch your eye and demand a stop to look.

This is a shot of a rock(s) called Pumice Castle. It is a volcanic vent that came out after the softer rock eroded away. It is a very interesting formation on the side of the mountain.

There were some waterfall to be found on the drive. Many had slowed to a trickle as the summer moves on… Here is a shot of the Videa Falls just a short hike from the road.

These formations are called the Pinnacles. Again these are historic volcanic vents that have shown up after erosion has worn way the softer rock. To get there you take a long side trip down a very narrow road.

Turn around and there are more Pinnacles in the other direction. The viewing trail is less than a mile long one way.

This rock formation in Crater Lake is called the Phantom Ship. Would you believe it is over 12 stories tall above the water. It too was created by a volcanic eruption.

A long view of the Phantom Ship. The blue water makes taking colorful pictures easy.

Crater Lake gets its blue color from the clear water. There is little erosion running into the lake. The two days we were there it was sunny and very little wind.

As you drive around the lake there are plenty of opportunities to stop and look.

Mt Scott is the highest peak in the Crater Lake National Park. This trail climbs over 1,200 ft. in 2.5 miles. The views are worth the climb…at least that is what Jan and I thought.

This is one of the long views on the Mt Scott trail. Beautiful country…

After you get half way up there are many views of the Lake. Note Wizard Island on the other side of the lake. We were there in the off season. During the summer there is a ferry that will take you to island which has hiking trails and where the water is accessible. The rim around the lake is so high it does not provide for easy access directly to the lake shore. For the most part access is discouraged anyway.

Here is proof, Jan made it to the top of Mt. Scott.

Here is Larry at the top with camera in hand.

We are on the other side of the lake now. Still great views!

The yellow foreground gives this picture a bit more interest. These flowers were all along the road.

Now we are back on the other side…looking at Wizard Island.

If you are interested here are some facts about Crater Lake. This National Park ranks near the top on our list. Of the 59 National Parks, by the end of this trip, we will have seen 33 of them. There are 10 of the 59 that you can only reach by getting on a plane. Yes, the remaining 26 are on our future travel list.

All I can say is the Redwoods are impressive. We did plenty of hiking taking in the “Big Trees”. In the Redwood forest it is hard to even see the top of the trees let alone take a good photo.

Jan and Larry in front of the Big Tree…interesting numbers. There are trees here over 3,000 years old.

What can I say these trees are impressive in size.

The Redwood National park is in the Rain Forest. The ferns were also impressive as well as imposing.

Along the trail you will find many hanging gardens.

Trail access here is through, not around.

When it comes to size this picture tell all.

This trail is in the Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park which in the Northern section. Great RV park by the way. The feeling here is one of being in a cathedral. Our other hikes were in the Prairie Creek area which is more central. Inland and to the south there is more Redwoods National Park but we did not make it that far. Getting around in this park requires a lot of driving.

Liked this picture as generally you do not get any sun on the trail as it blocked by the heavy canopy.

Interesting shot trying to reach the top of this 350 ft. tree.

These trees quite often grow together. Because their roots are shallow the trees lock their roots together for stability.

Downed tree, it is still big. Jan sizing up things.

Larry hanging out in the shade…

Northern California has a great coast too.

I had never heard of Lassen before we started planning for this trip. It was a great one time adventure and was a nice stop as we travelled from the Redwoods to Yosemite National Parks.

Plenty of seismic activity here. There are several tremors every day. You can check out the active areas at the visitor center. We enjoyed our visit here as long as you did not think about it too much…

This is Mt. Lassen topping out at over 10,000 ft. The major eruption was 7,700 years ago. There were also big eruptions in 1914 and 1915.

Much of the area is barren and still in recovery mode.

Great views at 7,000 ft.

Even nice view at 5,000 ft.

Debris from the last eruption.

Lassen from the other side of the mountain.

This park has many active hydrothermal areas.

Lots of hot water flowing everywhere…

This hot water pool was covered with pyrite, fools gold, which took in some fools from the past.

Yes, you can smell the sulfur…

Colorful displays from the sulfur and the steam.

The water was Robin egg blue…

Lots of steam vents. Warning signs to stay on the trail.

The main active thermal area is called Bumpas Hell. Bumpas was going to mine here but fell through a thin thermal crust which cut his dreams short as he ended up losing a leg from the event.

This boiling mud pot was right along the park road.

As you come down off the mountain things got greener at Lassen.

Our trip is half over already. Life on the road is good, we are having a good time and so far the travel schedule has survived the test of reality.

The one thing about being on the road…we eat well. This evening is a stir fry under the RV awning…

Summer 2016 travel route from Michigan to Seattle winding out way down the coast to California then Arizona all the way to Padre Islands in Texas then back on to Gulf Shores

Another fun summer planned. Packed and ready to go!

Kewadin Casino is a good first night out stay. It gets us on the road and is only a two hour drive from Traverse City. It is nice to be on the road with the planning and packing behind us.

Great place to stop over night. Park free or ten bucks for a hook up

Once we are across the Mackinaw Bridge we are really on vacation. Although when you are retired it is harder to tell when the fun really starts. This shot is from the Upper Peninsula.

Lake Michigan stop along US 2. The route will be US 2 to Seattle. US 2 one of the first coast to coast routes.

Whenever we can we stop at the Fayette State Park. A 19th century ghost town created to process iron ore in the 1867. This is the old hotel. Note the second story door which use to connect to a two story outhouse.

Fayette Hotel from the front…still hanging in there…

Old store and mine offices. Employees were paid out this building.

The upstairs opera house had a side entrance…still pretty much intact.

The manager’s house. Still in great shape. The State of Michigan is doing a nice job with restoration.

Middle class workers house. Every time we come there are improvements.

Glimpse into days gone by. The old out house still stands.

Old machine shop still looking good. Very interesting construction and a good background for a photo.

The foundry was the heart of the Fayette operation. Fayette is located on a natural harbor as you can see from this picture.

Inside the foundry, simple design. Work was hard and it was hot!

The kiln matches the wall even though it is a replica.

This photo was taken from the ridge across the harbor.

This old building is a perfect place to frame a photo shot…

From inside the foundry

Enjoyed a nice sunset over Lake Michigan from Fayette beach

A must stop when you are in the UP of Michigan, a stop at Randall’s for a Pastie or two. Theirs are the best we have found. Just simple mine work food good hot or cold.

We have been coming to the UP for 50 years now and whenever possible we stop to enjoy Sunday Lake.

This time it was a lunch stop at Sunday Lake

US Wisconsin Rest stop along US 2

Dark and rainy…Grahams Island a North Dakota State Park. The drive out was on a causeway for the most part.

Although very early in the morning and still dark, fun black and white shots over the water.

The long road to Grahams Island. This was the good section. After the trip out the RV and Truck had to have a bath.

It took some time to get rid of the sticky mud!

Forth Peck Dam is a Corps of Engineer project in Montana.

Nice walking trails. Seeing the down stream part of the dam was closed.

Fort Peck on the largest earth filled dam. The term is hydraulic filled.

Captures the moment in the past. One of the tubes to generate power.

Wheat fields of Montana…went on for a long time.

US 2 in South Dakota and Montana looks a lot the same.

Last time we were in Glacier NP was 2003 and there were major fires.

Our first hike in Glacier. The views and the mountains keep calling us back!

Glacier is very green and there are waterfalls everywhere.

The higher the trail the finer the view.

The glaciers are getting smaller and there are fewer now.

Lots of trails like this follow the stream up the mountain.

Every National Park has its own personality. East Glacier is a must see for everyone.

Glacier Highway Going to the Sun is a great drive. At some points having a big pickup was an disadvantage…even with the mirrors folded in still got in trouble.

Going to the Sun views never stopped…

Another shot along the highway

Stopped to check out the view close up…Jan takes a shot with her camera.

More glaciers along the highway…

As you get higher the snow gets closer

Great view with the sun behind us

The big hike 10 miles with 1,600 foot climb to Grinnell Glacier. We got an early morning start to beat the crowds.

Mountain Goat friends that we found along the trail…

We are only a short way up and already fine views to behold

It seems like there is a stream everywhere…lots of melting snow.

Constant view…love the east side Glacier hikes.

Turn around the view is still good the other way

The mountain trail levels out for a bit.

The sun is peaking over the top of the mountain…great early morning lighting

Getting close to the tree line.

Grinnell Glacier comes into view

The color in this scene drew me in…

Much of this trail was about scrambling over rocks or taking big steps.

The Glacier comes into view. A nice vantage point from here.

The trail is easier here. Near the peak it gets rocky and requires some scrambling.

The Grinnell Glacier comes into view upfront and personal

Glacier melt makes for a colorful lake…

Jan having lunch after the climb up

Ready to head back…it sure is a long way back down…past the four lakes to the trail head

At Glacier you are never alone…fellow hikers enjoy the reward at the end of the trail

The view coming back down is even better plus not quite so much work

Long and humbling view of the mountain’s grandeur

Miss Moose was off in the distance chowing down on the vegetation

We meet Mr Grizzly eating anything he can find getting ready for winter. He was about 500 feet from the trail.

Love the color of the water

West Glacier is wetter and more forested. Also even more mountain streams. This is the Avalanche River

Avalanche trail views are through the trees.

At the end of the trail is Avalanche Lake

This early morning reflection only lasted for a few minutes

Avalanche Lake changes color when the sun shines.

Love the color of the glacier made water…striking stream for sure.

Jan took this one…she liked that all the kayaks were different. This is along the trail on Lake McDonald.

Lake McDonald behind our RV site at the Fish Creek Campground

Kootenai River Stop on the way to Idaho

Kootenai River comes cown from Canada. The water is still blue green.

Even with a fear of heights Larry made it across the swinging bridge over the river

Priest River in Idaho, an Army Corp of Engineer park. Idaho is one of the states we have not logged an overnight since we retired. The list is getting shorter as we are down to five or six now. The plan is to have them all checked off by next summer.

The Corps of Engineer Parks are well done and the National Park senior pass gets you 50% off on the nights stay.

We did not expect to see so many wheat fields in Washington. They went on for miles.

I love dams and their engineering. We had to stop at the Grand Coulee to check it out.

This is the back water on the Columbia River for the Grand Coulee Dam. Nice view from the top of the hill.

The Coulee Dam is a mile long…

Another angle for the Grand Coulee

Next stop…North Cascades in Washington

Cascades come into view…they just seem to rise out of the ground

Washington Pass is an impressive stop

Washington Pass the long view

The views are best on the Cascades Highway driving west

There are three dams along the drive. All different and interesting to check out. Plus the lakes in the valleys make for great views.

There are many views like this right from the car window

Another dam created lake…note the tour boat in the lower right.

This dam is owned by the City of Seattle. It has an educational center and provides boat tours of the dams.

I took this photo standing on one end of the dam…

The Cascades are very green. Almost rain forest like. Enjoyed hiking several of the trails and seeing all the colors of green.

The Blue Lake Trail was through the forest with a lake at the end. The was one of the few views through the trees on the way up.

Blue Lake has a small glacier. It was very cold and windy when we reached the top.

There are several very interesting towns in the Cascades. Our stay was in Winthrop which looked very colorful with lots of things to do. Our stay was too brief to check it out. Here is an evening shot from our RV site.

We heard about Leavenworth last time we visited Seattle a decade back. It is known for its strong German theme. We planned an overnight. There was plenty to do and we could have used one more day here.

There was a two day old fire when we arrived. It had burned 300 acres and by the time we left looked to be under control. However it does make one pause and take stock.

The setting has a Bavarian theme and is very well done. It looks like they have been at this for a long time.

Downtown Leavenworth

Leavenworth is certainly a destination. There were lots of tourist having a good time including us.

There was German band playing fun music. I think they were having a good time too!

Jan caught me taking a picture of the flowers. There sure were a lot of them.

What is a German town without beer. Leavenworth is the home of Icicle Brewing. They had very good beer…liked their IPA.

Next stop was downtown Seattle. The downtown square.

This could be an iconic shot of Seattle…the harbor and lots of traffic…

Pike Place Market is a must see. This was our second time in Seattle and the market called us back.

The market place has been there for many years . It draws in everyone tourist and the locals.

You have to experience the throwing of the fish at this fish market. There were so many people I did not get a good picture this time.

Market color is fun to look at

Nice display that catches the eye.

Lots of fish here just like back home in Alabama

Love old signs…not much changes here.

This sign has been around for awhile too!

…and of course there are plenty of food stops.

There is a National Park downtown. It features the Klondike Gold Rush. Since we had seen and heard the Alaska and Yukon story had to check out the Washington side of this time periodl

The harbor is a great place to explore.

Do you like to shop then take in Pier 54!

Last time we were here took in Ivans. It has been there since 1938 so will catch it next time we are here.

You see a lot of families hanging out here…

Note the mountains in the back ground. They come and go from view depending on the weather.

What is a visit to Seattle without a coffee stop!

One last Seattle shot from the harbor. The downtown skyline.

Sunday Morning Sunrise

Summer Home Base in Michigan

Summer Visitors

Old Red Rose

Another Old Rose Makes a Statement

Love Those Spring Lilacs

The Old Backyard Apple Tree

Mounding Catnip

Time To Get Your Hand Dirty Filling The Old Blue Pots

Backyard Comes Online

This is all in Living Color

Grand Traverse Bay Blue…View From The Front Deck

Great To Be Outside – Grill Chef At Work

Retaining Wall Project – Getting Started

Point Of No Return

Looking Better

Looks Good…It Is Nice To Have This Finished

Larry and Jan At Moomers

World Famous Moomers Ice Cream

Aunt Laura and Larry

Spring Flower Show Come Every May

These are Apple Trees

Flowering Trees Downtown Traverse City

New Vineyard and Cherry Trees In The Background

One Of The Many Vineyards

These Cherries Are Almost Ready to Pick

Hops Along The TART Trail

Hops Farms – The Up And Coming Thing

Rare Bird Microbrewery – Downtown

Ales By The Rail In The Old Train Depot

Jan Taking A Shot On The Way Out

Terra Firma Microbrewery Has An Ecology Theme…

This Brewery Grows Their Own Hops

Hop Lot A Favorite Stop – Great Setting

Relaxing Afternoon At Hop Lot

The Workshop Brewery in the Ware House District

The Jolly Pumpkin, A Bit More Upscale…

North Peak Brewing Is One of the Original Breweries

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Fat Albert A C-130

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Blue Angels

Watching The Blue Angels From The Township Park

Cherry Festival Gate At The Open Space

Cherry Festival – Festival of Races – Larry Ran This 20 Times Over The Years

The Festival Midway Takes Over Downtown Parking

You Have To Try Gibby’s Fries

There Is Always Lots To Do At The Festival

Old State Mental Hospital – Now the Traverse City Commons

The Old Spires Have Character

Spires From A Distance

The Last Spire Photo

These Old Buildings Have A Lot of Character

The Main Building – Building 50 Is Now All Retail and Professional Offices

Love The Old Barns

The State Hospital Grew Their Own Food And Was Self Sufficient

Tomb Stone For A Very Famous Cow – There Is Now A Festival In Her Name

The TC Community Gardens A Great Project That Has Withstood The Test Of Time

This Is A Labor Of Love

Extensive Trail System In The Woods At The Commons

We Saw The El Galeon In Savannah In The Spring

El Galeon

Great Example Of A Spanish Sailing Ship

Harbor At Traverse City Looking Downtown. Takes Years To Get A Slip In This Harbor

This Spot Use To Be The Brown Bridge Lake And Was A Forest Before It Was Flooded 60 Years Ago

Brown Bridge Recreation Area – Outstanding View Of the Valley

Many Improved Trails for Hiking And Cross Country Skiing

All Type of Trails With Lots of Up and Downs

Glen Lake Voted As One Of The World’s Most Beautiful…

Sleeping Bear Taken From The Treat Farm Ridge

Another Photo Of Glen Lake. The Color Changes During The Course Of The Day

Lake Michigan At Sleeping Bear Looking South West

Dunes Looking Toward Manitou Island

Dune Grass Creates A Nice Foreground For This Photo

I Liked All The Color In This Scene

Jan Stopping For A Photo Shot

Sara Hardy Downtown Farmers Market

Nice Job Of Packaging

Blue Is My Favorite Color

This Booth Always Has Lots of Hanging Plants

This Booth Has A Very Artistic Display

It Is Fun To Meet and Talk With The Farmers To Hear Their Story

Larry Home Away From Home

Great View From Any Of The Aerobics Machines

Early Morning At The Fitness Center

Gordon’s Cowboy Irish Wake

This Color And Reflection From This Sunrise Was Worth The Stop

Sunrise From Copper Ridge

It Can Be A Long Trip From Michigan To The Alabama Coast

Moosewood Restaurant Ithaca, New York

Ithaca Old Mill on the River Ithaca New York

Buttermilk Falls State Park

Park trail, it is spring and things are just waking up

Trilliums it must be spring

Trail bridge Buttermilk Falls State Park

Ithaca area falls

Ithaca area falls

Ithaca area falls

Ithaca area falls

Ithaca area falls

We had this RV park mostly to ourselves

Niagara Falls State Park

Major construction on the US side of the river

Larry at Niagara Falls

Niagara River

Taken from the tower looking down

Walking the bridge to Canada

Canadian garden established in the 30’s

Niagara Falls a two country adventure

Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls Canada

Niagara Falls Canada

Niagara Falls from Canada

Niagara Falls from Canada

Niagara Falls from Canada

Back in Michigan

Bronner’s Christmas Store Frankenmuth, Michigan

Jan and Irene Bronner

Christmas all year in Frankenmuth

Iconic distance sign

Christmas display

Christmas display

Christmas display

Colorful Christmas display

Frankenmuth Street Art

Frankenmuth covered wooden bridge over the Cass River

Zender Traditional German Chicken Dinners

Bavarian Inn German Chicken Dinners

Frankenmuth Brewery has been around for 150 years

Yogi with Larry at Jellystone RV Park

Michigan welcomed us home with this white “stuff”.

Spring rebounds by the end of the day

Downtown Traverse City in the Spring

The old bank Building is well over 100 Years old

Boardman River Union Street, a play ground for us for many years