A Dash Through Yellowstone

On Friday mid-morning we sadly left Jackson Hole. It was time to move on to Mink Creek, Idaho (pronounced Minck Crick by the locals) for a big family reunion. The drive was only about 3 1/2 hours, but we decided to go the LONG way...through Yellowstone National Park...adding 7 hours to the drive! Does that seem crazy? Yeah, it was a bit. But I've had the opportunity to go three times before in my life, making this my fourth trip, but Adam had never been there, so we couldn't miss it!

The drive from Jackson to the park is only 50 miles, but it is all highway--under construction--and then once you pass into the park you still have at least an hour and a half of driving until the thermal features appear. Driving the hot spot loops can take hours and there are so many beautiful and strange places to see; we really had to pick what we wanted to see the most. This day trip wasn't just a little bit out of the way, but it was well worth the extra driving (for all of us but Luke, who didn't think this plan was tops). It is all so bizarre and amazing!

However, I have a tip for you. Don't let your kids watch an episode of How the Earth Was Made on the History Channel focusing on Yellowstone just before the trip. They will remind you again and again that you are taking them into one of the most dangerous places on the planet, wonder why you would do this to them, and in the end you will find yourself questioning your ability to parent and whether C.P.S. should be called to report you. Fortunately, by the end of the trip we were forgiven by our kids for our obvious lack of concern for their well-being, because it was all so cool to see, but still, the constant reminder that we were in the caldera of a super-volcano and subsequent guilt-tripping wasn't worth the educational content of the show!

Soon after entering the park we came to this pretty falls where we made attempt number one at getting a family picture. Usually it's Luke who is unwilling to cooperate, but this time Luke was joined by Josh. Oh well, there was more park to see, and hopefully more cheerful spirits later on!

There is so much more that is beautiful about Yellowstone than the hot water features! I love the drive through the park just for the scenery.

We made sure to stop at Old Faithful, the number one sight in the park. It didn't fail to impress! It was a hit with Adam and the boys! One of the nice things about the day was that it was not very hot. Since I have my own little furnace, I was happy for the cooler travelling weather even if there was some rain. We left Jackson in the rain, had rain much of the drive in, but there was a break in the showers for us the entire time we were in the park. And just as we left, the rain started to pour! What timing! But having cooler air at Yellowstone can also be a bad thing that we didn't foresee. Steam production increases in the cold air, and it's hard to see the hot water features through the steam. As you can see in the picture of Old Faithful below: where does the water end and the steam begin?! But it is still a sight to see! Luke was not enjoying the get out, look, take a picture or two, get back in, nature of the drive!
But he did learn a new animal! Bison ("Bies")! This time we had the zoom lens. Yes! No game of "Seek and Find." Some of the Conlins went straight to Mink Creek to help set up for the reunion, but Angie and her family, Mike, Kylie and Steven, opted for the drive through Yellowstone too. This is by Grand Prismatic Spring, my favorite feature of the park. Steven was nowhere to be found, but Josh wanted in on the pic!
This is what Luke and I thought of walking through the sulfur steam blowing across the boardwalk. STINKY and HOT!

My boys admiring one of the pools by Grand Prismatic. I think this is the best shot we got of the turquoise blue of the hot springs. I just love that color!

Here's Adam and the boys by Grand Prismatic Spring. See the steam problem? See the Spring? No? There you have it.

In contrast, this is a picture of the same spring LAST summer when the boys and I drove through with my mom on a warmer day. It was too bad the steam made things hard to see, but we still caught glimpses when the wind and steam were just right. So it was still beautiful. And at the end of this last stop, we got our family picture! At least everyone is looking, and Luke's squinty grimace could almost be made out to be a smile! Success!

We will definitely make Yellowstone a trip all of its own in the next couple of years. It requires more than one, fast day! But we really enjoyed the glimpses we saw and what we saw just made us want to see more!

Bobsledding in June; Or Jackson Hole, WY Part Three

Thursday came too quickly, our last full day in Jackson Hole. We took the morning to bop around town a bit.

At the National Museum of Wildlife Art, Luke had one of his happiest moments on the trip. With a boost from Grandma, he touched a Giant Delk! When it was time to go, the tears did flow. "Delk! Delk! I can't leave you!"

We met up with the whole family at one of the ski lift areas in town for a little bobsledding. Bobsledding? Did you hear me right? Yes! The slope is set up with sleds that run on wheels, what could be more fun?

Zach and I rode the chair lift up together to the top of the slide. He was really excited, because out of the four boys, he was the only one old enough to ride on his own. I think he was a bit nervous too. I opted out of sledding, baby belly and all, so I got to ride up and down the chair lift, but missed out on the fun of sledding. Our family, all lined up and ready to go. Ben was with Uncle Ryan, Luke went with Dad, and Josh hit the slope with Auntie Alea. Kylie and Steven took on the sleds too.This is the view of the town of Jackson Hole, with the mountains in the back, from the chair lift ride back down.I love this cute picture of Adam and Luke having a bit of sandwich after the sleds. A smile, at last! It took Luke a little while to warm up to all the "new" people on the trip. All the boys really enjoyed their bobsled rides. Luke exclaimed, "Fast! Fast!" the whole way down. Zach was ready for a second ride, as was Josh. Uncle Ryan was going a bit too fast for Benny, who kept shouting "Too fast!" and pulling back on the brake, while Ryan was doing his best to push it forward so they didn't come to a complete stop on the track. Later in the afternoon a group of us took a hike down the Death Canyon trail in Grand Teton Park to Phelps Lake. Grandma stayed home with Luke so he could nap, which made for a nice "light" hike.

The moose were obviously out and about this June! Hiding in the trees and bushes are a mother and her calf not far from our trail. We were three for three on moose sightings per day. It was so sweet to see her intensely watching us move along, making sure her baby was safe.

Ben and Josh with one of the many mountain streams we encountered.

The hike was one mile in to this lookout point with Phelps Lake in the background. Of course from this point, we had a hike of one mile down to the lake...which meant one mile back up. All up. Thank goodness we still had our altitude boost, or it would have been way more killer than it was!Here's the view with no people in the way. If I had a million dollars this is where I'd build my mansion...and if it weren't in a National Park...I don't think anyone would appreciate that much.

On the way down we passed this waterfall. Every few steps we walked more of it would appear until we realized how far up the mountain it stretched! When we got to the lake it was pretty late in the day and the sun had gone behind the mountain peaks. The guys had all planned on swimming, but once we got down and it wasn't all that hot, a few changed their minds. But not my guys! And it was the definition of a mountain lake for sure. Freezing!! Josh was the only one brave enough to put his head in! The kids hunched, shivering shoulders say it all...brrrrrr! The are like, "Take the dang picture, Mom, so we can get out of here!"

Once the picture snapped, they ran out, yelling loudly about the cold...but of course they went back in. They are crazy little boys after all!

I'm Glad It Wasn't Named "Beaver Dick Lake;" Or Jackson Hole, WY: Part Two

Tuesday had arrived and it was time to pick Adam up from the airport in Jackson. Nicolle and I drove out to get him using the "scenic route" (meaning heading the 15 miles through Teton Nat'l Park, the entrance gate for which was located about four minutes from our place) rather than going out and around through the town of Jackson. We quickly discovered that 15 miles of unpaved road actually takes much longer than 25 miles through town, even considering the traffic and signals. But it was definitely more scenic, so we were happy with our bumpy, "frost heaved" road. We jubilantly collected Adam, who, given the option, chose to return along the scenic route again. And in doing so got his first glimpse of Jackson's abundant wildlife!

A male moose, just taking a little bath off the side of the road, with 40 of his closest tourist friends there to watch and photograph him. I guess when you are a National Park animal resident all hope for modesty must be thrown out the window.

The group had decided that we would hike around Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park that day, so, shortly after returning with Adam, we headed back along the pot-holed road into the park for the third time. I was beginning to worry that the baby would be born with shaken baby syndrome, but I think he was just lulled into a nice gentle slumber. There's the benefit of having a water-bed for a home.

Jenny Lake is named after Jenny Leigh, the Shoshoni wife of a trapper and guide, who was one of the last mountain-man settlers of the area. The lake next-door is called Leigh Lake, named after the trapper himself. He was known as "Beaver Dick" Leigh, so I think going with the last name on this one was a good idea. One winter, Beaver Dick watched as his five children and wife all died from illness one after the other. An account of his devastation can be found in a letter to his family following their deaths. It is a heartbreaking story, but I love that the two lakes lie beside each other, memorializing their love and desire to always be together for all visitors to the park (and the readers of their blogs). *sigh*

OK, back to reality....

In both Teton and Yellowstone, you don't really have to keep your eyes open for wildlife...you just have to look for something like this:If you look in the direction of the camera lenses held by all the scrambling tourists, who aren't interested in paying any attention to the dangerous cars because they are so focused on the dangerous wildlife, you would be rewarded with something akin to the picture below: Two black bears strolling through the tundra. Thankfully at a greater distance than the day before. Can you spot them? Maybe if you click on the photo...see them now? Dang! Where's the zoom lens when you need it?!

The picture below is part of the Teton range. Pictures dwarf the true grandeur of these peaks, but seeing as how I have at least 150 pictures of them, apparently I didn't let that stop me.

Here is the only picture I have of Zach from the hike around Jenny Lake, since he took the lead with his cousin Steven and Uncle Mike right from the start, and that was the last we saw of them until we all met up on the other side of the lake for the boat ride back across.

Here's Adam with his Mom, Nicolle, and sis Ashley in front of the Nez Perce peak (I think, I had to go back and check our little tourist book for that one!). This is right at the start, when you must decide to hike around or take the boat across the lake. Our decision becomes obvious in the next photo. But I am not sure everyone was happy with the decision as the day wore on.

No boat! So we must have hiked. Here are the ladies of the family as we started around Jenny Lake: Nicolle, Ashley, Kylie (Angie's daughter), Myself, Alea with Camden, and Angie. So far I am the only daughter-in-law, but hopefully I can share that honor one day!

We all kept up our own paces, which pleased Luke since he was able to get out of the pack and do some walking himself while we waited for others to catch up.

It was hard convincing him to get back in, so Adam gave a lot of shoulder rides. Not quite as comfortable for his back and shoulders as the backpack, but much more comfortable for all of our ears, since any attempt to get Luke back in required our listening to incessant and extremely loud toddler protests.

Waiting at another one of our rest stops. What cutie pies!

Ben took advantage of our rests to literally stop and smell the flowers. This picture is completely un-posed! I love that he did it and I got it on film.

Josh got a little weary of the hike, but just as weary of the waiting. I thought his sweet mope was too adorable not to take a picture of.

Just before the boat launch on the other side of the lake you come upon a beautiful cascading falls, aptly named Cascade Canyon. Here Adam, Luke and I are blocking the entire lovely vista but it was a good picture of Adam and I, so I thought I'd include it.

Here you can actually see part of the upper falls, and my sweet Josh.

And here's a thoughtful Josh contemplating the lower falls.

Finally we arrived down at the lake, ready to take the boat back to the other side. The water was crystal clear and ice cold! As tempting as it looked after our hike around, no one was brave enough for a full on polar bear swim. A dip of the toes was all it took to cool down and feel better. Here are Luke and I taking the boat back across to the starting point. Luke didn't like the spray coming off of the lake flying in his face (I wonder why not!), so he moved to dad's lap on the inside of the boat and was covered in Uncle Ryan's jacket before he could enjoy the boat ride that he had been anxiously looking forward to from the moment he saw the boats floating merrily by the dock at the start of the hike. On the way home we had to make a quick stop for this picture. This street was just down the road from our rental. Zach was so excited, a street named for him!

At the gift shop in one of the visitor's centers we picked up a little tube of plastic "western" animals for Luke. His two favorites? The bear and the moose, of course! I had to include a picture of one of the major past times at the house. Located in a little room off the side of the house was this Foosball table. Next to hanging out in the hot tub, this was hands down the boys' favorite thing to do when we weren't out and about. Here we have Zach vs. Zach in the showdown match of the century! Look at the enraptured fans and the looks of intense concentration from the players!
And here's Kylie with sweet sleepy Cami. Kylie is 16, a wonderful girl, and was so great the whole week with Cami and Luke! You can see how much she hates snuggling the babes ;). Thanks, Ky!

Don't Worry About It, The Bear Was Like, Twenty Feet Away; Or Jackson Hole, WY: Part One

The boys and I left for Jackson Hole, Wyoming, on Sunday, June 21st. Adam planned to meet up with us after a couple of days of work, but in the meantime, it was Mom and her boys on the long open road. And in Wyoming, "open" really rings true! There are long stretches of freeway where there really isn't anything but scrubby bushes, rocks and horizon. We drove five hours, one during which we encountered a huge lightning and pouring-buckets rainstorm, to Rawlins, WY, where we stayed the night. Thanks to Adam's work travels, he is a member of the Hilton family of hotels, so we had a cushy, comfy room for the night and a tasty continental breakfast in the morning.

Why do I love that I have four (nearly five!) boys? Because of this:

We weren't meeting up with Adam's family in Jackson Hole until after 4pm, and the drive from Rawlins to Jackson was only about five hours, so we decided to take advantage of the hotel's pool and hot tub areas. You can tell I really had to twist the boys' arms to get them to swim!

My boys are suckers for the hot tub! I have to keep an eye on the time when they go in. I do want grandchildren someday! I mean, how else am I going to have little baby girls in my life?!

On the way to Jackson we passed through a small town on the highway that had a mercantile built back when the West was still wild that claimed to be "Home of the Big Cone." Well, how could I pass that up?! I turned the car around as quickly as I could and we decided it was our duty to investigate this confident proclamation. In the end we voted and concluded that, indeed, they did have very big cones. Even the "kids" scoop was gigantic. Our full tummies and sticky faces, hands, and feet (yes, feet) were quite happy for the stop! I wonder if it was the home of the "Big Cone" back when Billy the Kid passed through. I bet he couldn't have passed it up either.
We all had to get wiggles out from time to time, myself included, and this had to be the boys' favorite stop. Endless rocks for chucking into the swiftly flowing river at the bottom of a plunging slope and road kill baking in the long grasses beside the car pull-out area. SWEET! It was not my favorite wiggle stop.

It was so nice to arrive in Jackson and meet up with Adam's family! All packed into one house we had: Adam's parents, Dan and Nicolle; four out of five of Adam's siblings, Angie, Ryan, Alea and Ashley (his youngest brother is on a mission so he couldn't join us just now); our two brother-in-laws; our teen-aged niece and nephew; and our family's newest addition, our niece, baby Cami; and, of course, the Chaos: myself plus our four boys. It was a full house, but I think we all love these snuggly family vacations. It was the first Conlin family vacay that included kids, so there was definitely a different dynamic in the house this trip, but it was certainly fun to all be together. We missed Adam and Aaron, but knew Adam would be joining us quickly, and that Aaron would be coming home from his two-year mission in August!

We had a great time just relaxing the first evening, so we continued the relaxing into the next day. Once afternoon hit of our first day there, though, we figured we better get off of our sorry butts and at least take a hike in the stunning mountains above our rental. The scenery of Jackson Hole, which is right outside of Grand Teton National Park, reminds me of photos I have seen of the Alps. Breathtaking, beautiful mountains jutting straight up into the sky, covered in green, gray and white. It practically calls you to explore it! So we did.

It was so lush and green, with all the lovely undergrowth I miss seeing living in Colorado. Little streams cut across our path. Wild flowers bloomed everywhere. It was so beautiful.

This seemed like a really cute picture, until the mosquitoes started swarming.... Run Josh!

Grandpa packed Luke up the mountain, as Adam had requested I stop packing one on the back while I have one in the front.

The picture below was taken right after our bear encounter that inspired the title of the post. We walked right past a big ol' bear that was sitting just about 20 feet off the path! NO JOKE! The kids were so preoccupied chatting with their twelve-year-old cousin, Steven, they passed right by. Dan and I didn't notice it either. So it wasn't until we had passed that my brother-in-law, Zach, told us we had all come within 20 feet of it. None of us were really willing to pursue that photo op, so we just watched the saplings and bushes sway as it sauntered off into the woods in the opposite direction from us. Yipes!

Not ten minutes further down the trail we happened upon this moose! It was turning out to be a "wild" kind of hike! This isn't zoomed, so that's how close it really was to us. I felt like I was in a nature show on the Discovery Channel. {Think soft male voice with a slight British accent} "The female moose quickly moves through the grassy open track, the scent of bear in the air hastening her steps." Luke was joyous! From this day on he shouted, "Moose!" or "Bear!" whenever the mood struck him for the duration of our trip. Oh, and then there was "Delk!" (Elk), inspired by the giant Elk head mounted above the fireplace in our rental house.

We loved our first day, and couldn't wait until morning of the second day when we could pick up Adam at the tiny Jackson Hole Airport and be together again!

Don't fret, I don't have posts for every day of our month-long trip. But some events required splitting up to be posted. And Jackson is definitely one of those events!