A Fishing story

Currently we are in a big fishing region of Oregon along the Columbia River Gorge.  The salmon run heavy around here and the native people have lots of fishing sites set out along the banks as their ancestors have for centuries. Although we have fishing poles, the easier catch is to buy it from the natives and stimulate their economy…..so we found these very entertaining fishermen in town with some great chinook salmon! So here are a few shots of our fishing excursion………….

Let's make a deal!

Fresh catch of the day!

Rich and Jack with the biggest fillet

Rich with one of the fillets

 Wonderful fresh salmon fillets in our freezers!  What a catch…………..

New Photo Collection Part II

So much beautiful scenery -

I am on overload !

Ever been to a museum and reached the point where you can’t look at another beautiful art work..? Well we are a little like that right now. Unbelievable how many gorgeous natural settings there are to enjoy!

Dan and Pat, McDonald Falls

The daisies in our campground just carpeted the field next door! I have never seen such a display of daisies, had to capture the image! Enjoy!

Daisy Meadow, Heartland

So we are set up attempting to catch the flow of a waterfall, right? Slow shutter speeds and all, when this deer suddenly appears from nowhere to cross the stream-this is the result. Who was more surprised, her or me-you be the judge!

Deer Crossing Stream

Hard to believe there were 150 glaciers in this park more than 100 years ago. Although they were reported to have been between 10,000-20,000 years old, the warming trend in the weather of the last 200 years or so is melting those leaving only remnants behind. They look different than the regular snowfall, very dirty with lots of rocks on top of them and huge crevasses up to 75′ deep. I will just look at them from here thanks!

Glacier Remnant

We had a delicious barbeque for Rich on his birthday, grilled ribs and chicken with this cherry trifle for dessert! Great food, great fun, great birthday! We won’t say which one…..

Happy Birthday Pops! July 4th

Gotta love the look of Goose Island, so tiny in the vast lake which surrounds it. What a picture perfect setting, no wonder this one is a staple shot for the park!

Goose Island

- Terri

New Photo Collection Part I

Sorry for the delay – you know how it goes, there’s never enough time in the day to get everything sorted out. Here is the start of a photo collection that was sent over earlier this week, two parts. -Pat

The Big Horn Sheep were very interested in what was going on with the human population.

Apparently they were looking for more salt, a lot like Jack……….

Big Horned Sheep, Glacier State National Park

Birdwoman Falls was one of the most beautiful falls I have seen.

The hanging valley left from a smaller glacier is the source of the beginning of a magnificent spill-take a look

Birdwoman Falls

Wow we sure don't have any pine trees like this in Indiana!

Young bucks looking for some tender new spring greens -

their new horns were covered in velvet and they appeared to be yearlings or younger.

Young Buck, Olympic

This mother with fawns was cautious but grazing in the meadow above Hurricane Ridge in Olympic National Park, there were so many deer in the area! We saw another fawn with all the spots further down the mountain! So pretty and graceful- these are blacktail deer.

Deer and Fawns, Olympic

-Terri

Rialto Beach

Part of Olympic National Park is a narrow strip of ocean front beachwith an unusual -

sight of seastacks stretching randomly across the shoreline. Trees grow precariously at the tops of some of them creating an ethereal look. Mists swirled around the crashing waves creating a softened look to the stone outcroppings. We got to warm our buns on the black stone beaches as the park temp was 60 degrees and windy! Inspiring indeed.

Seastacks on the beach at Rialto

From Glacier National Park to Wenatchee River Gorge, one days’ journey

Amazing country this land of ours,

it is a study in contrasts. We traveled from the western edge of Montana, through the panhandle of Idaho and into Washington State yesterday. In one day we traveled from the glacier carved beauty of Glacier National Park with its’ cascading waterfalls of melted snow and ice packed glacier remnants to the high desert of Idaho and Washington where ancient lava flows of black pumice stone and boulders and basalt rock still remain as reminders of our living earths’ many changes. The amber waves of grain, fields of ripening wheat, flowed on for miles, waving in the wind. Power lines marched across the hilltops carrying hydro electric power from the Grand Coulee Dam to points unknown. Dust devils danced across the freshly plowed fields. And then we came to the Wenatchee River Gorge, a canyon unto itself which startles you with its’ sudden appearance. We began our descent into the river valley dropping 2,000 feet in 6 miles. And there it spread before us, a gorgeous valley fed by the Wenatchee, jammed with fruit trees and lovely homes and a fruit stand every couple hundred yards. As we wound our way through the valley toward our Pine Valley KOA destination, we pondered the beauty of our country and how lucky we are to be out here enjoying the ride. By the end of the day we had covered 2770 miles of our great country. And we continue our theme, ala Willie Nelson, of, “On the road again….”

Glacier rocks!

Wow did you ever see such a pile of rocks in your life!

Boulders, pebbles, mountains and moraines- Glacier has it all! We hiked over such a small portion of the park yet had such wonderful experiences everywhere we went. The falls and creeks were full and rushing due to a late snowfall mid June so we had great timing to see all the water returning to the Pacific, Atlantic, and Arctic Oceans.

McDonald Falls

McDonald Falls

Dan and Pat – Avalanche Lake

Clements Mountain

Trail of Cedars – Avalanche Creek

McDonald Creek

Rich Nagel

Teresa Nagel

Heavens Peak

Dan and Pat - Avalanche Lake

Earth v Sky

Awesome-Awesome

Who would have ever guessed -

that our national parks are soooo much better in person? Pictures are wonderful but nothing can take the place of seeing them first hand. It was amazing to stand in the footsteps and take photos that I have seen other famous photographers take. Wowsers!

Terri at Sunset, Lake McDonald

Lake McDonald, Southern Pier (Apgar Village)

Trail Of Cedars

Rich

Making our way to Glacier

To Canada!

We have traveled 1500 miles,

plus or minus, and find ourselves in the lovely state of Montana where we arrived this evening.

Earlier today we traveled through North Dakota, stopping at the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, an amazing but relatively unknown national park. It was a comfortable 83 degrees when we arrived but climbed to a sizzling 96-98 during our visit! The Little Missouri River cuts through the park and has a lovely oxbow turn with a scenic overlook vista.

We took some lovely shots there and actually had to stop while a herd of buffalo crossed the road, not once but twice during our drive! At the very furthest tip where we could see the best view, a small area no bigger than 6 square feet, there were buffalo hoof prints! I was being so careful of that precipice and here was this gigantic creature, viewing the sights just a short time before me! They must be more agile than I would have thought! Tomorrow we drive to St Mary’s on the eastern portion of Glacier National Park.

We have had a great trip so far despite some gusting winds and rain. The photographic opportunities have been plentiful and we have gotten some nice ones already. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Hope to continue the postings when we get good internet connections at our campsites. Here is the link to the park, enjoy!

http://www.nps.gov/thro/

Slow and Steady

Next up, Glacier!

http://www.nps.gov/glac

Glacier State Park Overview Map (Click to enlarge)

Glacier National Park

And to close this out we leave you with this.

A nice photograph with Jack showing us how his high fiber diet is going.

Captain Jack Crap "Alternate Energy"

Preparing for takeoff!

Well we are down to the last 24 hours -

of preparation, trying not to pack tooooooo much but not too little either! Will be posting from the road starting tomorrow.

Father Jim gave us a blessing last night after mass so now we are really feeling more positive about a wonderful journey. Can’t wait! Pat and Dan will be joining us in Glacier too, their first vacation for a while. We are really happy that they can join us for a while. None of us have been to Glacier so this will be a great experience.

Now this is camping, am I right?!

Ye Olde Covered Wagon

Momentum

“You see things; and you say, ‘Why?’ But I dream things that never were; and I say, ‘Why not?’”

– George Bernard Shaw

Skyview

Rich at McKinney Falls

Glacier

Well here we are trying a new thing to document our trip! With the Flickr site for photos and this one for the text content, we should be able to share our trip vicariously with all!

Nagelsdoubleimagephotography.com