Yellowstone and Grand Tetons 2002

After a week of settling into her new home in GR, Mom came out to join me on a trip to Yellowstone National Park. Neither of us had been there since 1982 (that’s nearly twenty years!) We spent several days there, and drove like crazy from point to point, but still missed out on a few destinations. But we made it to Geyser Hill, Upper Geyser Basin, Black Sand, Midway, Biscuit, West Thumb, and Norris Basins, Fountain Paint Pots, Firehole Lake Drive, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Upper and Lower Falls), and Mammoth Hot Springs. We saw buffalo, moose, elk, and deer. And we spent a day in Jackson Hole, as well. The weather for our Grand Teton photo shoot wasn’t too agreeable, but we made a go of it. And we did get some nice shots of the antler arches in town. [Jean staring down the malingering tourons is a rare gem.]

2002 07 Yellowstone and Grand Tetons - SmugMug

Colorado-Utah Loop 2002

It began with a Baird-Ellenwood-VandeKopple hootenanny in Estes Park, Colorado.

2002 07 Colorado  - SmugMug


iMovie Bonus: Rocky Mountain Roundup


I returned via Utah, delving first into the Moab area.

2002 07 Southeast Utah - SmugMug


Then on to Bryce Canyon before motoring back to Sacramento.

2002 07 Bryce - SmugMug


B&GER Entry: 4. Colorado (June and July)

Several strands of the Baird Clan came together in Estes Park, Colorado, for a little Rocky Mountain get-together. Mom, Heather, and Tyler came from Michigan, Mary and Bryce came from New York, Carol, Dave, Bradley, and Katie came from Indiana, and I came from California. Doug, Janet, Patrick, and Alex came from, well, they were kinda already there! We did our traditional drive to the Alpine Visitors’ Center and took a few hikes within the park. And the round of minigolf at Tiny Town was the stuff of legends.

5. Southern Colorado and Utah (July)

After breaking camp in Estes Park, I headed across the state to Durango for more sightseeing. The train wasn’t running (due to fire danger), so I took a jeep tour of the area. Next, it was off to Mesa Verde. Again, fire danger closed the mesa to car traffic, so I took a bus trip to a guided tour of a cliff house. Then up to Moab and Arches National Park. I signed up for an “adventure hike” into the erosional landscape known as Fiery Furnace. Not for the faint of heart or unsure-footed. Then it was time to head over to Bryce Canyon National Park. Far too many good pictures in that park! Enjoyed a morning hike through the hoodoos and an afternoon drive to the southern end of the park.  I’ll need to get back to Arches and Bryce soon to get the many shots I missed.