Tuesday, September 29, 2015

Wrapping Up

Hi All,

Monday's brilliant sky and golden aspens were awesome


And the mountain views make this place hard to leave.

Today, String Lake was mirror calm.

In case you missed the lunar eclipse, this multiple exposure APOD image was shot in Spain and included a thunderstorm.

Sandy is back from Florida, we completed our last patrol today. Tomorrow we pack and Thursday we leave.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Saturday, September 26, 2015

Final 2015 Potluck

Hi All,

As the Wildlife Brigade season winds down, tonight was the final potluck of the season.

We will head east right after Sandy returns from Florida.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Friday, September 25, 2015

Anchors Away

Hi All,

Thursday, Sandy flew to FL to go on a Disney Cruise with our grandsons Garrett and Wyatt, to celebrate Garrett's 16th birthday. Here are the boys with Mickey.

Back in WY, Carl's thought for the day is

"Growing old is not easy. Your mind says, "Sure, why not?" But your body says, "What the hell were you thinking?"

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Last Few Days

Hi All,

Earlier this week a Ford Model A touring club from CA visited the park. Dozens of beautifully restored cars were spotted throughout the park including this one on Teton Park Road in Moose.


Another vehicle in the park was this trailer with another load of bear-proof "Bear Boxes" to be installed in campgrounds.

With the aspens and cottonwood turning gold, the view at Schwabacher's Landing was . . . well judge for yourself.

The gold accents also highlighted the T A Moulton barn sporting its new roof.

Driving home from the barn, there were about 40 bison walking down the road. They stayed on the road for almost a quarter mile.


When they finally moved off the road, they offered some great close shots.

Hard to believe we'll be headed east in less than a week!

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone


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Monday, September 21, 2015

Jackson Hole Hootenanny

Hi All,

Begun by a couple of local musicians in 1993, the weekly Hootenanny had been going strong for almost 22 years.

Tonight we attended the 1,000th Hoot and it was a hoot. Here's a photo of the finale, a song dedicated to the recently deceased Bob Dornan whose bar hosted many Jackson Hole Hootenannys.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Friday, September 18, 2015

Another Great Evening

Hi All,

After a day of shopping and chores, we met up with Walt & Betty for a great evening.

First stop was Dornan's where we enjoyed this view as we had dinner.


We then went to the Craig Thomas Visitor Center for a presentation by former Jenny Lake Ranger Doug Leen. Ranger Doug has developed a passion for the preservation of National Park posters produced by the WPA in the late 30's and early 40's.

His rambling but fascinating presentation explored the WPA Poster Program with emphasis on the 14 National Park posters that were created. Examples of only 12 have survived. Check out these iconic screen printed posters at rangerdoug.org.

Back outside we were greeted by more stunning mountain vistas with fresh snowfall.

From Craig Thomas we drove north along the Teton Park Road in search of elk. We did not have to go far. South of the Windy Point turnout the "jam" appeared.

In the distance we spotted more than 50 elk including one big bull with at least 16 cows in his "harem".

Further north we found no more elk but the sky and mountains were breathtaking.
We sure are going to miss this place but with overnight temps in the low 30's, the time is coming.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone
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Thursday, September 17, 2015

Wildlife & Snow

Hi All,

Due to high black bear activity, Moose-Wilson Rd was closed for a week. While closed, we patrolled the road and regularly found lots of bears. This guy walked on to the road 


then walked right past our truck!

There were also a lot of bears at the Rockefeller Preserve. For now the bear is staying beyond the traffic cone😗.

Up north, grizzly 610 is looking good with her two cubs

Two days of cold rain in the valley. When the clouds lifted we got a glimpse of the new snow above 8,000 feet.

In the fall, lots of moose come into our campground.

So many that we posted these signs to help control the crowds.
Only two weeks left 😥.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone
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Friday, September 11, 2015

Another Day with Walt & Betty

Hi All,

In addition to being great friends, Walt & Betty have an encyclopedic knowledge of the Jackson Hole area and the events going on in town. 

We started today at the Geraldine Lucas ranch, site of the first female settler in the area.


Mountain views through the cabin beans were awesome!

The National Wildlife Art Museum had an exhibit of art up for a fundraising  auction. We cannot afford this guy but he got our attention. Note, this is a painting not a photograph!

In town, a gallery had a promotion to raise money for the Teton Raptor Center. In addition to wine and snacks, Raptor Center volunteers had several birds in their education program on display.
Thank you Walt & Betty for a great day.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone
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Thursday, September 10, 2015

Back Country Day

Hi All,

For our hike yesterday we took the Christian Pond Trail that starts near Jackson Lake Lodge. It leads to this beautiful view of Oxbow Bend.


Christian Pond is pretty overgrown this time of year but still had a good assortment of ducks.
The trail lacked a good spot to sit and have lunch so we finished the hike and drove to one of our favorite picnic areas near the Sacred Heart Chapel. Carl took this shot of Jackson Lake while seated at the picnic table!


A local photographer took this picture of us managing a bear jam. His 600mm lens makes us look closer to the bear than we actually were.

Yesterday the Park decided we could no longer cope with all of the bears and traffic jams. Moose Wilson Road is closed until further notice. 
Instead of managing bear jams we will be at the barricades, telling people why the road is closed and suggesting alternate routes to their destination.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Tuesday, September 8, 2015

Sunrise -Sunset

Hi All,

With apologies to "Fiddler on the Roof", our day was full of beautiful scenes.

We drew an early shift today (7-3) and were on the road just before sunrise. As we passed Teton Point Turnout we had to stop for a photo.

The golden rays seem to set fire to the sage brush and mountains.

We had another busy day on Moose Wilson Road. At least six different bears including this guy who crossed the road several times.

This evening we attended a screening of "Beavers Behaving Badly" at the Library. It was a BBC production about live trapping and relocating problem beavers in the Jackson Hole area. It was informative and very funny. Watch it if you can find it.

Driving home right after sunset we once again pulled off for pictures.

Soon there was nothing but a scarlet backlit silhouette.
We are sooooooo lucky.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502

Photographed and sent from Carl's iPhone
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Monday, September 7, 2015

Bears, Elk and More

Hi All,

Bears are everywhere. This morning there were two Associated Press items about bears (one included mention of "our" bears in Sioux Falls) and the local Jackson paper ran a photo of a bear mom with a cub on the inside stairway of a home 30 miles south of here.

Our friends Walt & Betty had a visitor under their trailer while they were away, photo by their neighbor.


Along Moose Wilson Road the bears have been wolfing down the berries (up to 20,000 calories per day).
We have had up to eight bears simultaneously along the road, at times hanging in the berry bushes above the road.
For every bear sighting, we fill out a report. These are from two days!


The sky has cleared and we got this shot of the privy with the best view ever.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Tuesday, September 1, 2015

Leaf Magnet

Hi All,

Lots of bears still around. We spent half of our "Back Country Day" helping with bear jams.

Back in the campground, the cottonwoods are rapidly shedding their leaves. This is our site.


This is the adjacent site. Until this morning it was occupied by a big trailer. Why is our site the Leaf Magnet?

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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Granite Canyon & Bears

Hi All,

Sunday we hiked Granite Canyon with Walt & Betty. It was still August but the aspen trees are turning golden already.


Near the trailhead there is a cluster of broken aspen trees, apparently the victim of a fierce windstorm, perhaps even a microburst.

Walt found this half inch diameter tree snail.

Leaving the trail we had this view across the meadow

While patrolling Jenny Lake Campground on Monday, Teewenot mountain was crisp against the brilliant blue sky.

In the northern part of the park, bear 610 and her cubs crossed the road

and another big grizzly crossed near Huckleberry Hill.
Hard to believe it is now September.

Love,

Sandy & Carl 
Living & Traveling in our Motorhome
Volunteering across America
617-435-8502
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