Yellowstone Canyon

Our next stop was yellowstone canyon.  With the children sleeping, we drove the North rim first to get our first views.  Sean woke up and wanted to see - he was really fascinated by the Osprey nests that were very close to the overlooks.  He took a video and you can see a link here.

 

We split up for a bit to have the kids one on one.  Robbie and Ben hiked the South rim trail, including Uncle Tom's point, which goes down nearly to the base of the lower falls.  The view from the south rim is spectacular along the entire stretch.

Ben and Robbie caught up with Erin and Sean at Artists point - where you can look all the down thte canyon to the lower falls.  To escape the crowds, we hike back up the south rim trail a little.

The colors of the canyon are incredible and this area was a definite highlight of the visit.  There are even hot springs still sending water into the canyon and adding to the palette of colors plastered on the canyon walls.

The visitor's centers here are a highlight as well - each one goes over different aspects of the park.  The Yellowstone Canyon visitor's center highlights the caldera and just how massive it is, and how the North America as moved over the hotspot over time.  It even tracks earthquakes in the park in real time - there are several a day!

Yellowstone - Bison

We quickly saw these on our first full day - driving, we first came across a vista where we could see a few bison roaming, which we thought was really cool.

We kept going and then there were whole herds of Bison!  August is apparently the very earliest part of the rut, so the younger males were occasionally practicing fighting.  Meanwhile, the calves were clearly still relatively young.

 

How did we get so close?  Well, apparently getting stuck in a traffic jam caused by Bison is a Yellowstone right of passage.  

Erin even managed to get a selfie.

 

It also means the rangers have some unique tasks on their job description.  This guy just won't pull over man.  C'mon, lights are on, you know the rules. 

Driving to Yellowstone

Like many national parks, Yellowstone offers fantastic views as you drive into it - quite spectacular really.  I will also report that it has some of the best car camping anywhere in the United States - great sites and great facilities (be sure to register).  Sean enjoys helping connect the tent poles while we set up the tent, and Robbie likes to explore the sites.

We spent three nights in Yellowstone and had some great experiences there during the days - posts to come!

Hagerman Fossil Beds

Erin is a little addicted to getting national park and national monument stamps in her stamp book - and so between Boise and Yellowstone when we were passing Hagerman Fossil Beds, we decided to stop.  It actually worked out to be a good time to get the kids out of the car and give them time to walk around the visitor center.  The fossil beds themselves are not overly spectacular, but you can see wheel ruts on the Oregon trail and learn all about the Hagerman Horse fossils that were found in the area.

Boise

Our camping was granted a short hiatus as we stayed in a hotel in Boise midway through our trip.  This was to ensure we could get laundry done.  (Incidently - the facilities vary at parks, and at Yellowstone, they are so good I think we could have done all this there).  It was also good to give the kids a break, get them into a real pool a couple of nights, and take some indoor time.  Boise has a good kids museum - sort of the "Exploratorium lite."  We were lucky - they had a bubbles exhibit, which Sean just loved!  They had places to make shaped bubbles, bubble tubes, a bubble wall, and Sean's favorite - Giant bubbles!

 

It was right next to some of Boise's city parks as well, so I was able to bring a lunch for the boys.  I think a lot of people picnic there - the squirrels were not shy about trying to demand food.  Sean Enjoyed feeding the ducks.

Crater Lake

Our next stop, as I had mentioned was Crater Lake in Oregon.  This place was amazing, and would be somewhere I would love to come back to when the children are old enough to do some of the more rigorous tours - like boat tours on the lake.  The caldera is awesome when you see it, and there's a little cone in the middle of the lake called wizard island that gives it a really neat presence.  The water is just spectacularly clear and blue.  The walls of the caldera are so steep that there is only one trail down to the water - just a really neat place to visit. 

 

We camped about 20 minutes north of the park at a Forest Service Campground at Diamond lake, which proved to be a very nice staging point.  From there, where we able to drive the rim and enjoy the numerous spots to take in the views.  The highlights included the "phantom ship," a formation that survived the cataclysm, and a very well done visitor center that details the formation of calderas like these.  The volcano collapsed within the last 8,000 years, and apparently native oral traditions describe the event!  Sean did the junior ranger program, which we found to be a good way to motivate him through the days.  In the top right of the his photograph, you can see a view looking toward where our campsite is at Diamond Lake, nestled between Mt. Bailey and Mt. Thielsen (the really sharp peak.)

 

Phantom Ship

In the afternoon, we saw the crater lake pinnacles - old fumaroles and volcanic vents that erode much slower than the surrounding silt and rock that leave a very unusual formations.  Apparently many of these are even hollow.  Sean was able to bike along the trail, which was a great way to let off some energy.  You can see him showing how big the sign is at the edge of the park.

 

Pinnacles

 It's hard not to stop at every overlook here!  We treated ourselves to one more view of wizard island before driving back to camp.  Here, spikes of old lava flows stick up out of the caldera walls - a feature that has been named "the devil's spine."  Sean was a little tired by this point.  

A tired Sean doesn't like to pose for photographs

You might have noticed the pictures getting a little more hazy over the day.  Some smoke from one of the countless fires across the West had blown in to make the air a little thicker - but it made for a spectacular sunset looking across Diamond lake to Mt. Bailey. 

Very cool place.

 

Lava Beds

Lava beds turned out to be a great place.  The high desert makes for some beautiful mornings with a lot of birds.  Robbie and Ben did a long run through the park.  There are cinder cones and lava flows of many ages, including younger ones within the last few thousand years where the trees and shrubs are just starting to take hold.  However, the real highlight are the lava tubes.  There are dozes of caves from underground lava flows.  Most can be entered, though are of highly variable difficulty.  We did the easiest one called mushpot cave, which is the only one with stairs and lighting.  Probably the only one for kids of our age.

After exploring a little, we drove off to Crater Lake.

The Road Trip Begins!

The house is packed, cleaned, and our stuff is off!  We started our cross country move on Tuesday, with a 12 day road trip planned with several national parks and over a week at Ben's parents in Ely, MN.  The first step was a drive to Lava Beds National Monument.

 

We had to drive past Shasta on the way, and Shasta lake with it (where you can see how low it is!)  We stopped at a rest area aptly named grass lake.  This apparently was a lake and had resorts on it until the early 1900s.  It was formed when a lava flow blocked the natural drainage, but the underlying volcanic rock is very porous.  Over time sediments had built up and allowed water to collect - but then a dynamite blast poked a hole in the sediment and all the water drained out!  Now it's a large wetlands... and looks like a lake of grass.  Robbie didn't care, he was just happy to be out of the car!

We had dinner in our campsite, and were very happy to be at altitude, as the weather was much cooler than the heat of the central valley.

Saying goodbye to Adele, Matt and family

We were able to go out to dinner with Matt, Adele, Jonathan and Andrew before we drove off on Tuesday, which was a nice way to say goodbye.

We did discover something we don't like about the Bear restaurant.  Kids meals come with ice cream.  Why would they do that!!!!!

A sleepover with Zohar

For our last weekend, our home was packed up and sleeping not so comfortable without beds and mattresses.  Mily and Moni invited us to stay and their fantastic new home!  (It is across the street from the home they were renting, but is overall larger in size - and they had a great deal of work done before they moved in).  We had a lovely breakfast in their new backyard too.  Sean and Zohar spent the evening painting together, and then playing.  They always played really well together and I hope they both find just as good friends later in life.

Doesn't Zohar's new bed look amazing!  Mily has done a tremendous job.

A visit with Erin's Residency

Erin's residency friends gathered to send us off.  Maureen had a cookout in her beautiful backyard.  We lined everyone up, including us, Maureen with Silas and Lily, Erin & Gary with Xavier, Kaela, Lisa, Tom and Alisha with baby Tom.

With the exception of Ronan, all of the kids were born since the start of residency!  What a wonderful group of families.  They had fun on the swings, play set and climbing the fig tree!  Robbie kept inserting himself into photos of Maureen's family.  Sorry Robbie - you have to come with us to Ohio!

I see Sean... but how high up is Ronan?

Yup, way up there!

Attempting Pyramid Peak

Ben's car is not moving with us to Ohio.  So, I decided to take advantage of one additional weekday and go into the mountains for a hike.  I wanted to summit Pyramid Peak - which can be seen from Sacramento on a clear day - but the forecast was for afternoon rain, so I had to be off the trial by noon; I ended up taking the horsetail falls trail, which is a very difficult climb to the top.  I got close but couldn't quite get to the very top of the mountain - though I was high enough to get great views of the the Desolation wilderness of Lake Aloha, Dick's Peak, and Mt. Tallac.

 

Looking back up, it was hard to believe I didn't make it, but I could tell clouds were starting to build and I wanted to be safe.  

 

Luckily it was still a beautiful day and it was farther than I had gone in the past, when Brian and I climbed to the top.  Going on a weekday is always nice too - it feels very empty and peaceful.  I enjoy how horsetail falls cascades down the mountain.  Up at the top, you can see the higher reaches of Pyramid Creek Draining from Desolation lake. 

 

I ran into some new wildlife two.  I ran into a quail, and was surprised.  I didn't know California Quail came up this high - but when I looked it up, it wasn't a California Quail - it was a Mountain Quail - which is bigger and is found at the higher elevations.  Check out those head feathers!

 

I was also able to get a snapshot of a variable checkerspot butterfly - which is rather stunning I think!

Burgers and Brew with Steve and Irene and Eva

They drove up from San Mateo for Sean's party, so we met with Steve and Irene for dinner on Saturday night - we went to Burger's and Brew in Davis - for the evening was hot, and a cold beer was just the thing.  Of course, the kids were not really up for waiting - so Ben took them to the central park playground while we awaited food to play "lava monster."  They liked to hide from the monster in the playground tubes.

Kids can be so photogenic when they are playing.  Eva is sporting her snowflake face painting from the party.

 

After dinner, we let Sean open gifts from Mom and Dad - we gave him more legos (Duplos) - specifically camping and fishing sets, so he can pretend to be on our upcoming cross country trip!

 



Sean and Robbie's Birthday Party

We had a party for friends on Saturday.  We actually rented out Manor pool for a short time, which worked out really well, and then had a picnic in the adjacent park.  It turned into a little bit of a farewell party as well with Maureen and Thien coming with their children Ronan, Silas, and Lily, and Steve and Irene with Eva, and Erin with Xavier all coming.  Of course, Matt & Adele with Jonathan and Andrew were there, as was Zohar with Moni.  Jackie brought her whole family too!  The pool was a big hit. 

 

We cooked hot dogs in the park afterwards, and then enjoyed cupcakes. 

 

 

The older kids liked the games the most - particularly "Pin the tail on Toothless" and face painting. 

Erin also made a dragon toss game.

 

 

Of course, I had to snapped more pictures of the best buddies crew.  I wonder what they are saying?  It looks like they are keep in conversation.

 







One last bloom

We've watched the crepe myrtle in our front yard bloom every summer - and it of course, it keeps getting bigger and bigger.  This year, it seemed to be especially pink for us.

Suprise Guests

Christie and her kids stopped by Monday evening for a surprise visit.  Her littlest, Joey, is now a very talkative two year old.  He is also probably smaller than Robbie.  However, they played together really well!  Mily came over as well, as Zohar and Moni were still abroad.  It's good to see folks before they take off.

Robbie's Birthday

Grandma and Grandpa were in town for five days.  We decided to combine their birthday celebrations so that they could see Sean and Robbie open their gifts - but we are doing parties on both of their birthdays.  We had cake, but of course let them both blow out their candles.

 

After that, Robbie got some help blowing his candle out.

  

 

I think Robbie really enjoyed eating his cake!  What do you think? 

 

 

Then Sean and Robbie were allowed to open their presents.  Sean's favorite was a suitcase with his name on it from Aunt Laura, Uncle Wilhelm, Tristan, Liam and Emmet.  He also got a book from Grandma and Grandpa that we read everyday.  Robbie's favorite was a toy caterpillar.

 

 

 









Stars for Zohar's bed

Mily bought LEDs on a copper string to fashion stars for Zohar's bed.  (The bed was upside down while they were working on it, but they'll eventually be something Zohar can walk under.)  They look really good - though there are still some technical issues.  They connected them to a dimmer switch... but instead of dimming, they flash!  Also, she couldn't quite stretch it to all the constellations, so I think she's going to look for a longer one - that said - put together, it looks awesome!

Back to the Bay Area Discovery Museum

On July 3rd, daycare was off, and Erin was post-operative - so it was up to Ben to take care of the kids.  Luckily, Matt and Adele came up with the brilliant idea of taking them to the Bay Area Discovery Museum in Sausalito.  The museum is tucking just under the Golden Gate Bridge, where the Marin Headleads keep the fog off the museum itself, but it constantly rolls over the hills.

We've done this before, but really this is the first time Robbie's been big enough to appreciate any part of the children's museum. Sean had a rough morning, was a little stubborn, but he eventually decided to enjoy himself.  He liked watching the fish. 

Matt and Adele were kind enough to let Robbie have some time in the baby/toddler only area - playing on waterbed, shaped mirrors.  His favorite, however, was playing with the water outside!  He was thrilled.

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He had an absolute blast for probably nearly an hour.  To be honest, it was really hard to pick what photo to show.  So I didn't - here are all of them.  I thought I had the smock on him really well - but in the end, it didn't matter.  He just got wet.  Luckily, it's California, so he dried off without issue. 

 

 

After lunch Sean eventually did settle down and ended up having a great time.  He especially loved the outdoor boats, including the shipwreck!  He played on these while Robbie napped in the stroller.

 

Before we left, Sean asked if he could look at the boats on the bay!  We've been here a couple of times, but I didn't realize there was a scenic area with parking just off the point, called Point Cavallo.  It was a beautiful and typical day, with the fog coming off the Pacific Ocean and dissipating in the bay, but with views of the skyline just under it, along with Alcatraz and Angel Island.  We watched speed boats, sail boats, and cargo ships - and you could even see the helicopter tours flying under the bridge.

 

We made it home just in time for dinner.  Good way to use up the day.