Rich’s comments on Washington
July 12, 2008
Rich has a few comments on the drive.
Have you ever had a preconceived idea that was just shattered? Well I just had one on our journey.
My conception of Washington State, and maybe quite a few other Midwesterners, is a cool dreary, drizzly place. I feel that’s what they want us to think. Except for some early morning fog that lifted by mid morning along the coast we didn’t see a cloud for 4 days just beautiful clear blue skies.
Upon entering the state from Idaho you are greeted by rolling plains planted in wheat waving in the gentle breezes that seem to stretch to and beyond the horizon. Interspersed among these fields after a short drive along US Route 2 are lava fields and huge boulders left by eruptions. After a few hours journey the fields are left behind and you are greeted with a stark landscape of peaks and valleys that reminds one of the west Texas desert. After a 2000 foot drop in 6 miles into the Wanatchee River valley we are greeted by rows and rows of fruit trees planted and irrigated by the river. The surrounding hills still look like a desert. Climbing out of the valley to the East or South as we did, into the Cascades the landscape changes dramatically in just a few minutes. A climb of just a few hundred feet takes one into a beautiful pine forest and once you descend again the landscape changes back to desert within a few miles as you approach Yakima.
The climb back into the Cascades and past Mt. Rainier is again a beautiful pine forest and it extends all the way to our destination in Port Angeles on the Olympic peninsula where you are greeted by snow capped mountains of Olympic National Park. Could it get any better or different? Of course it could as we visited the Hoh rain forest with its moss covered pines, big leaf maples and firs with some towering 300 feet into the beautiful clear blue sky. Or how about Mt. St. Helens the most active volcano in the continental 48 states with its huge eruption on May 18th 1980 that created a wall of water of over 20 billion gallons that completely changed the landscape for hundreds of square miles?
What an amazing diverse state this is and completely unexpected. And what a joy it has been to spend time here.
A volcanic boulder -middle of wheat field
Can you believe a 300' tree?
Quiet for the moment....
New Photo Collection Part II
July 12, 2008
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
July 11, 2008
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
Fun on Rialto Beach
July 11, 2008
Jenny warming her buns!!!
Had to soak up a little sunshine too,
and create something new in the world of stone sculpture, at least for me. Travelers mark their passings by stacking stones to mark their trail or to mark their recent passage, I chose to stack 10 stones for the 10 members of our immediate Nagel clan. Since they face the seastacks, it is a safe bet that someday we will all come here together to view this sight again (or am I just imagining that…..) Here also is Jenny enjoying the sunshine.
-Terri
Rialto Beach
July 11, 2008
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
Olympic National Park Day Two
July 11, 2008
Who can believe that a rainforest,
glacier coated peaks and seastacks at the Pacific are all part of one amazing park! Olympic has been one fully packed adventure, with wonderful surprises at all the turns. We walked through a mossy covered rainforest today, marveling at the height of the trees (some over 200′) and brooks running crystal clear-absolutely gorgeous! It was like a fairyland.
- Terri
Jack and Rich in the rainforestCrystal clear as you can see
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!
July 8, 2008
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.
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- McDonald Falls
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- McDonald Falls
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- Dan and Pat – Avalanche Lake
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- Clements Mountain
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- Trail of Cedars – Avalanche Creek
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- McDonald Creek
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- Rich Nagel
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- Teresa Nagel
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- Heavens Peak
Dan and Pat - Avalanche Lake
Earth v Sky
Awesome-Awesome
July 8, 2008
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
July 1, 2008
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!
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"
