July 17th Mary C & Chance Baragary's Wedding

My adventures began when my first flight was severely delayed.  I landed in Salt Lake City 2 minutes before my departure time for St. Louis.  I ran through 3 terminals with my backpack at a full sprint.  The whole time thinking to myself, thank God I wore my tennis shoes and not my flip flops and I just ran 3 miles last night... I should be in shape... then why am I so out of breath!  I arrived at my gate and my plane was still there but the ticket agent had already left.  So I went to another gate and demanded that the agent help me!  I'm not sure if my pleading, begging, or my asthma attack that convinced the agent to help me get on the plane!  But I made it to St Louis!  Shocking but my bag did NOT!  With no chance that my bag would arrive before the wedding (and yes I pitched a fit with the Delta representative that I needed the bag for the wedding).  Saturday morning with a 2 hour time restraint, my mom and I went shopping for a dress and shoes!  No pressure!!! We found a black dress and silver shoes and Delta happily reimbursed me for it!!!  So this is my Delta Dress!

 

The wedding was wonderful and the bride, Mary C looked more radiant than any southern belle including Scarlet O'Hara!  After a wonderful ceremony, a couple of pictures, everyone had a great time at the reception!  People ate too much and danced until midnight.  All in all the wedding was fabulous!! Congratulation Mary C and Chance!!

 

   

  

     

 

 

 

 

Yellowstone and Grand Tetons July 10-11

Yellowstone

Lower Fall

Lower Falls, the biggest waterfall in Yellowstone, is  308-foot tall.  The waterfall is one of the most photographed spots in Yellowstone. The canyon's colors were created by hot water acting on volcanic rock. It was not these colors, but the river's yellow banks at its distant confluence with the Missouri River, that occasioned the Minnetaree Indian name, which French trappers translated as roche jaune, yellow stone.  The canyon has been cut by great glacial outburst floods. 









Old Faithful

Old Faithful geyser was named for its frequent eruptions — which number more than a million since Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872. Old Faithful erupts about every 92 minutes, shooting water 135 feet into the air on average. Like most of theYellowstone's geysers, Old Faithful gets its water from deep inside the earth. Snow and rainwater reach depths of about 10,000 feet below the ground, where it is heated by magma and forced back up through the surface.











Grand Tetons


The Grand Tetons are the single most beautiful place on earth, in my book!  It's absolutely breathtaking and, no matter what the weather may bring, they never disappoint! The tallest peak of the Teton Mountains is known as the Grand Teton, at 13,770 feet it is the second highest mountain in Wyoming. The Teton mountain range is 40 miles long and about 8 miles wide. The Teton Mountains were created when ground pressure forced two sections of the earth's crust to move. One moved upward to form the mountains and the other created the valley of Jackson Hole when it sank down. Melting glaciers helped to create lakes in the area, including Jackson Lake.

  

Hidden Falls
I hiked a 5 mile round trip trail around Jenny Lake to Hidden Falls.  Hidden Falls is not really a falls, but a 200 foot cascade.  Even if it's not considered a waterfall it is beautiful. 

Jasper Canada and Glacier, MT July 3-4

  

Jasper National Park was established in 1907 and is the largest national park in Canada.  Theses Rockies include with 10,878 square kilometres of mountain wilderness. Jasper contains beautiful mountains with crystal clear turquoise lakes and the Columbia Icefield.  The Icefield is located on the boundary of Banff and Jasper National Parks. One of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle, it covers an area of nearly 325 square kilometres, sometimes reaching a depth of 300-360 metres. The continuous accumulation of snow feeds eight major glaciers including the Athabasca, Dome, and Stutfield Glaciers, all visible from the Icefields Parkway. The Columbia Icefield melting water feeds streams and rivers that pour into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans.

 

Athabasca falls, Jasper National
The headwater comes from the Columbia Glacier about 70 kilometers south. Among the most powerful and breathtaking falls in the Rocky Mountains, The Athabasca River thunders through a narrow gorge where the walls have been smoothed and potholes are created by the sheer force of the rushing water carrying sand and rock.

  

Glacier National Park

 Glacier National Park is located in northern Montana. The park encompasses over a million acres and includes 2 mountain ranges.  There are over 130 lakes, countless waterfalls that you can literally touch if you just roll down your window as you drive along the road.  The "Going-to-the-Sun" road is so narrow that no motor homes are allowed and you better keep your eyes on the road because is winding and steep.  Unfortunately, it was raining the weekend I was there so I did not get to take many pictures but I am hoping to return with my parents in September. 

Montana Style Weekend June 25

The Senior Pro Rodeo

What makes a Rodeo a Senior Rodeo, you ask? Each of the contestants must be at least 40 years of age; emphasis on the at least part.  There were men as old as 78 riding bulls!!!  I hope I’m this ambitious when I turn 70.  Either way one things for sure…. It is job security for me.

                                

Gem Mountain

About 2 hours northwest of Dillon is the quaint town of Philipsburg, Montana.  The town has a great candy store, cute shops, and breathtaking views.  Located about 25 miles from Philipsburg, Montana, Gem Mountain lets customers experience the thrill of panning for your own sapphires.  Sapphire is my favorite stone and I was lucky enough to find 6 sapphires amounting to 5 karats.

                 

               

Beaverhead County June 18, 2010

Beaverhead/Deer Lodge National Forest

About 25 miles from Dillon, Montana, Beaverhead/Deer Lodge National Forest is the largest national forest in Montana at 3.36 million acres.  There are also local attractions within the Forest such as: Clark Canyon Reservoir, The Big Hole, Snowcrest Range and Hogback Mountain.

The Big Hole

The Big Hole is named because it is a valley in the middle of the Beaverhead Mountains and, from the air, looks like a hole carved out of the mountains. There was a battle there some time ago and today is home to numerous ranches and a few thousand cows, horses and bison.

  

                                                   

Clark’s Canyon Reservoir  

Seven thousand feet above sea level lay the pristine waters of Clark’s Canyon Reservoir.  Gasoline powered boats have long been banned at the Lake and the only sound one hears is the singing of the local bird population. It is beautiful.

Snowcrest Range/Hogback Mountain

The main draw is the spectacular views and wildlife.  This mountain range is about 30 minutes east of Dillon, Montana.

 

June 9, 2010 – June 15, 2010 Journey to Montana

First stop was my cousin Beth’s house to say hello to Avery, Madelyn, and Drew in Minnesota. 

South Dakota included a stop at the Badlands, Wall Drugs and Mount Rushmore. 

Badlands National Park

                                                          Christy in the Badlands

                                                            Christy at Wall Drugs

                        

                                                               Mount Rushmore

Wyoming

                 

Once in Wyoming, the adventure continued through a small quant town called Sheridan and then a look at the scenery in Big Horn National Forest.  

Sheridan Wyoming

                                 

              Big Horn National Forest and Shell Creek Falls