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| 2019-08-21_10.34.51_BlueGreenLakeMichigan1.jpg |
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Looking out over the very blue Lake Michigan from the top of Sleeping Bear Dune
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| 2019-08-21_12.37.29_SteepDuneIntoWater1.jpg |
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Sleeping Bear Dune gets steeper and steeper, becoming a cliff above
the water.
Don't walk too far down.
You'll be unable to climb back up and may end up sliding down into
the freezing cold water of Lake Michigan.
Rescues cost $3,000.
See the
sign.
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| 2019-08-22_12.00.00_PicturedRocksFromMinersCastleOverlook.jpg |
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The view of Pictured Rocks on Lake Superior is best from a boat,
but the tour boats were all turning back due to
high winds and big waves.
We drove to Miners Castle at the top of the cliff to take this picture.
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| 2019-08-26_10.20.26_EmptyFloodedFields.jpg |
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All throughout South Dakota, North Dakota and Canada, we saw lots of fields
that were unplanted.
So much rain this spring that they were muddy and even flooded through the
entire planting season.
Couldn't drive tractors in them to plant.
This field is still flooded in August.
So, no crops this year -- Maybe next year!
Climate change is a HUGE problem for farmers.
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| 2019-08-26_18.39.10_DoubleRainbowOverRussellInn.jpg |
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Beautiful double rainbow over the Russell Inn in the town of Russell,
in Manitoba province, Canada.
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| 2019-08-28_14.22.53_BighornSheep2.jpg |
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Lots of bighorn sheep wandering around near Jasper in the Canadian Rockies
Video 1 Video 2 |
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| 2019-08-28_15.09.43_MaleElkWithAntlers.jpg |
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Elk along the side of the road near Jasper
Video 1 Video 2 |
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| 2019-08-28_18.22.53_MedicineLake.jpg |
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Medicine Lake drains completely every year through many holes in the
bottom, feeding springs in the Athabasca Valley 10 miles away, and
refills from glacier runoff each spring.
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| 2019-08-29_12.26.44_MountRobsonCloseup.jpg |
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Driving west from Jasper into British Columbia, Mount Robson really
sneaks up on you.
You don't see it until you come out the trees and turn into the
parking lot. Then, Wow!!!
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| 2019-08-29_16.17.50_GlacierFromMaligneLake.jpg |
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Great view of the mountains and glaciers from the boat tour of Maligne Lake.
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| 2019-08-29_16.45.13_MountainsFromMaligneLake2.jpg |
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More mountains from Maligne Lake
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| 2019-08-30_10.23.18_ElkWadingInRiver.jpg |
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Male and female elk wading down the middle of a river as we crossed a
bridge on the Icefield Parkway between Jasper and Banff
Video |
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| 2019-08-30_11.25.33_AthabascaFalls1.jpg |
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Athabasca Falls on the Athabasca River south of Jasper along the Icefields
Parkway in the Canadian Rockies
Video |
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| 2019-08-30_12.01.59_WhiteMountainGoatsCloseup.jpg |
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Mountain goats grazing on the steep hillside along the road from Jasper to Banff in the Canadian Rockies
Video |
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| 2019-08-30_12.26.31_BlackBearEatingBerries.jpg |
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Trees are cleared to cut a road through the mountains.
Bushes tend to grow along the edges, free from the shade of the trees.
So, we find a black bear wandering along the edge of the road, eating berries
from the bushes.
We pulled over at the end of a long line of parked cars to see what
everyone was looking at.
The bear wandered along, eating berries, past all of the cars, and we each
got our turn to take closeup pics and video.
Very accommodating!
Video |
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| 2019-08-30_12.41.29_SunwaptaFalls.jpg |
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Sunwapta Falls on the Sunwapta River south of Jasper along the Icefields
Parkway in the Canadian Rockies
Short Video Longer Video |
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| 2019-08-30_13.51.20_AvalancheTrails.jpg |
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Avalanche trails down the mountainside.
When the snow slides, it takes out all the trees.
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| 2019-08-30_14.01.34_BigHornSheep.jpg |
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Bighorn sheep crossing the road, grazing, and sprinting playfully up
the steep hillside along the Icefield Parkway near Lake Louise in the
Canadian Rockies
Video 1 of bighorn sheep crossing road Video 2 of bighorn sheep crossing road Video 3 of bighorn sheep crossing road Video of bighorn sheep grazing Video 4 of bighorn sheep crossing road Video 5 of bighorn sheep crossing road Video of bighorn sheep sprinting up the steep hillside |
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| 2019-08-30_14.17.00_LotsMoreGlaciersAheadCloseup.jpg |
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Lots of glaciers along the Icefield Parkway, even at the end of August
Panoramic Video |
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| 2019-08-30_18.59.23_WildlifeOverpass.jpg |
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I saw a few of these on major highways in Canada.
At first I thought it was a weird looking highway bridge.
Why trees on top?
Seems mighty luxurious.
Also, why the weird 2-hump shape?
Then it hit me.
This isn't a bridge for cars to cross the highway.
It's for WILDLIFE to cross the highway.
Very important, since there's tall sturdy deer fencing along both sides
of the highway, to keep deer, elk, antelopes, moose, etc. from being
hit by cars, but they still need to migrate across the highway.
Very nice!
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| 2019-08-31_18.16.58_ElkOnGolfCourse.jpg |
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As we drove the Golf Course Loop Drive in Banff, we came across this
small herd of elk
Looks like a family -- one many-pointed buck, two does and one juvenile --
munching on the 15th hole.
Their golf caddies shooed us away.
Video |
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| 2019-09-01_18.27.03_CameronFalls.jpg |
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Cameron Falls.
Very scenic in white.
I hear they sometimes turn pink from the mineral deposits.
See:
https://www.narcity.com/ca/on/toronto/travel/this-pink-waterfall-is-canadas-coolest-hidden-gem
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| 2019-09-01_19.12.01_PrinceOfWalesHotel.jpg |
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Prince of Wales Hotel in Waterton Park, Canada.
We didn't ask how much it costs or how far in advance you have to
reserve your room.
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| 2019-09-01_19.21.35_CloudsReflectedInWatertonLake.jpg |
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Clouds and blue sky reflected in Waterton Lake
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| 2019-09-01_19.37.26_MountainReflectedInWatertonLake.jpg |
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Mountain reflected in Waterton Lake
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| 2019-09-02_13.19.04_GlacierNationalParkSign.jpg |
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Entering Glacier National Park from the east side
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| 2019-09-02_14.34.09_StMaryLake2.jpg |
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Little island in the middle of St Mary Lake
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| 2019-09-02_14.49.15_RockyValley.jpg |
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Good scenery all through Glacier National Park, as we drive the windy,
twisty Going-to-the-Sun Road, but not many wide spots to stop and take pictures
without holding up traffic
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| 2019-09-02_15.35.32_VerticalCliffs.jpg |
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Very rugged terrain around Logan Pass
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| 2019-09-02_16.29.07_RemovableGuardRailsForAvalanches.jpg |
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Going-to-the-Sun Road needs guardrails to keep cars from plunging over the
cliff edges.
At first, they were built of stone, but avalanches roaring down the
mountainsides would destroy them, or pile up LOTS of snow on the roads,
making it harder for plows to finally get through in the spring/summer.
Now they bolt on wooden logs as guardrails, and remove them each winter so the
avalanches can flow freely.
If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!
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| 2019-09-03_18.50.32_MassiveWideLoad1.jpg |
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Massive wide load fills 2 full lanes.
Barely fits on bridge at all.
Video of it driving over the spring-loaded reflectors as the chase car swerves back and forth radioing driver if too close to concrete barriers |
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| 2019-09-04_19.08.01_HerdOfBisonInLamarValley.jpg |
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Herd of buffalo grazing in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley.
Getting here at dusk was smart.
Lots of wildlife active at dusk and dawn.
Video |
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| 2019-09-04_19.14.10_MountainsAroundLamarValley.jpg |
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Mountains on the far side of Lamar Valley.
We'll be driving through those in 2 days, when we leave Yellowstone.
See pics from 2018: 2018 album: Bison, Antelope and Bear in Lamar Valley |
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| 2019-09-05_11.52.51_HotSprings.jpg |
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Plan for Day 2: Do a quick drive around the entire 180-mile Grand Loop Road.
Last year we had more time and Jerry was more mobile, so we hiked some
and stopped longer at various sites.
This year is more of a driving tour of Yellowstone, on our way home
from the Canadian Rockies and Glacier National Park, so we'll skip
many things that we saw last year.
Blew past Mammoth Hot Springs pretty quick. Spent a lot of time there last year. See: 2018 album: Mammoth Hot Springs |
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| 2019-09-05_12.49.41_FireholeSwimmingAreaRestrooms.jpg |
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They now have permanent restroom buildings at the Firehole Swimming
Area in Yellowstone.
In July 1977, when I first discovered this spot with my grandfather,
there was nothing here but a steep slippery slope down to the river.
In July 2004, there were porta-potties.
In June 2015, there were permanent buildings and a wooden staircase down
the hill, but the swimming area was closed due to high water levels as the
snow melted.
In May 2018, the entire Firehole River Canyon road was closed to keep
people far away from the flooding river.
Better to go in July or August.
See pics from 2004:
2004 pic: Warning sign 2004 pic: About to jump in the rapids 2004 pic: Swept away by the rapids 2004 pic: Cliff diving 1 2004 pic: Cliff diving 2 2004 pic: Steep hillside to get there 2004 pic: Shallows for wading and swimming |
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| 2019-09-05_13.05.14_Fumeroles.jpg |
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Blew past most of the Yellowstone geysers and fumeroles that we saw last
year.
See pics from 2018: 2018 album: South Entrance and Old Faithful 2018 album: Hot Springs, Geysers, Fumeroles, Pools, and Mud Volcanoes |
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| 2019-09-05_17.26.58_YellowstoneCaldera1.jpg |
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We drove around Yellowstone taking in the massive caldera without many
stops as we circled east and then north on the Grand Loop Road.
See pics from 2018: 2018 album: Snowy Dunraven Pass 2018 album: Grand Canyon of Yellowstone 2018 album: Waterfalls and Yellowstone Lake 2018 album: Yellowstone Lake and out the East Exit to Cody |
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| 2019-09-05_20.10.46_ElkGrazingAtDusk.jpg |
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Lots of elk come out at dusk at Yellowstone's Mammoth Hot Springs
Video of Elk w/Antlers Crossing Driveway at Night Video of Elk Bugling at Night |
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| 2019-09-06_12.52.30_ViewFromBeartoothHighway.jpg |
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The view from Beartooth Highway, Wyoming
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| 2019-09-06_12.57.54_BearsToothWithSign.jpg |
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Here's the Bear's Tooth itself
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| 2019-09-06_13.39.39_WindyTwistyBeartoothHighway.jpg |
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Beartooth Highway is a steep climb, with LOTS of extreme switchbacks
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| 2019-09-07_13.52.45_DevilsTowerAndTradingPost.jpg |
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Devils Tower in Wyoming
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| 2019-09-07_16.47.06_HugeHaystacks.jpg |
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Haystacks are HUGE.
MUCH bigger than the large round hay bales that fill the width of
a tractor trailer, and MUCH MUCH bigger than the rectangular hay
bales that a person can lift.
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| 2019-09-07_16.50.01_AladdinPopulation15.jpg |
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The entire town of Aladdin, Wyoming.
Population 15.
One building houses the post office, gas station, bar, and general store.
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| 2019-09-07_18.30.33_SturgisMainStreet2.jpg |
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Main Street, Sturgis SD
Video of motocross racing at Knuckle's Saloon. Dirt dumped in parking lot to make track. Some racers jump 2 hills at a time. |
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| 2019-09-08_16.01.34_CrazyHorseSignWithDimensions.jpg |
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Crazy Horse planned dimensions
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| 2019-09-09_13.22.00_Badlands.jpg |
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Badlands, South Dakota.
We blew through pretty fast this time.
More pics from 2018 |
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| 2019-09-11_11.30.17_GavinsPointDamAndPowerPlant.jpg |
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Gavins Point Dam and Power Plant forms the Lewis and Clark Lake on the Missouri River between South Dakota and Nebraska
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| 2019-09-11_18.49.41_WorldsSmallestCityHall.jpg |
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World's smallest City Hall in Maskell, Nebraska.
One room, 10 by 12 feet.
Village Board meetings have seating for 7 town officials and up to 2
citizens.
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| 2019-09-12_10.39.55_OneStreetPerMileForHundredsOfMiles.jpg |
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South Dakota is pretty empty.
They put in a road every mile or so, just for the heck of it.
Number them from west to east.
453 Ave is near Sioux Falls at the eastern edge of the state.
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| 2019-09-12_10.53.29_FlatCountryside.jpg |
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Very flat countryside in South Dakota
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