Last week or so

Last I left you, we were touring around Yellowstone with Julie and Ray and just relocated to West Yellowstone.  We explored all the geyser areas that were open; a few were closed due to construction. Making very early arrivals into the park, as early as 6:30 or 7 really helped us see the many features without fighting the crowds. When it started to get crowded we retreated to the veranda at Old Faithful Inn for some wonderful ice cream, which was our lunch one day.  The scoops were huge!

Another afternoon we explored some shops in the town; they have some nice ones with interesting offerings.  West Yellowstone is a nice little town to walk, but just like the park it is being overwhelmed with visitors.  Though Yellowstone and the Tetons are our favorite parks to visit, I don't believe we will be going back anytime soon.  The crowds are getting way to large and makes traveling the roads difficult; there are so many people that have no common sense or common courtesy. Also, we have always enjoyed having a meal at the Inn, but after our experience this time, we will not eat there ever again. To say the food was poorly prepared is a generous comment.  Last year's lunch wasn't much better.  So two times was enough.  

Here are some pictures from the Grand Loop and the geyser features. 

Flowing into the Firehole River

Also, along the river

The colors of the micro organisms along the boardwalk at Grand Prismatic. 

Old Faithful Inn dining room from the balcony. 

After three days exploring the lower loop, we moved to Colter Bay Village RV park in the Tetons for our last two days with Julie and Ray.  We enjoyed a leisurely raft trip.  The water was not slow but definitely not rapids.  We had no wildlife sightings other then a couple Eagles, but our guide kept us entertained with his stories and was a good source for things to do. 

A forest fire was started in early morning that day by a lighting strike and the farther down the river we traveled you could smell and see smoke drifting over the mountains.  By the next day when we left the mountains down near Jackson were almost concealed by smoke.   We heard later that all electricity was lost in Teton county including the park. 

Mountains overcast from a small storm passing by.

Us and our traveling companions, Julie and Ray.  We had a GREAT time together. 

Ray drove us to the top of Signal Mountain where every one enjoyed the views.  The views are great, the road up, not so much for me with my fear of heights and drop offs. I am always surprised when I think of our travels and so many of them are in the west and in the mountains.  I think I am due for some flat land experiences.  😙

We also drove to Teton Village, a stop Dave and I have never made, along a rather bumpy back road, but we did have our first moose sighting along the way.  On our last morning before we went our separate ways we had breakfast at Jackson Lake Lodge and had a few more moose sightings right from the dining room windows.  They put on a very nice breakfast buffet.  

From the Lodge, a view of Elk Island. 

Our next stop on our journey to Oregon was Arco, Idaho and Craters of the Moon NM

It was very "other worldly".  

I will leave you in Arco and get more pictures downloaded and continue my updates tomorrow.  I need to sleep as we arose so early to drive to Crater Lake today.  More on that later....