Author: Wandering Cindi

My husband and I have decided to live and travel full time in our Airstream. We started this journey February 28, 2023.

Back to Idaho

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Plans change. A big part of our travels is our ability to adapt to Aaron’s job’s changing needs. We had planned to head east into Wyoming and then south, but he needed to spend time in his company’s office in Fremont, California. So, we headed west out of Montana for one more trip through Idaho, leading us west to California. We decided to check out Massacre Rocks State Park in American Falls, Idaho. That was a really good decision.

Massacre Rocks State Park is situated on part of the Oregon and California Trail, which pioneers used in the 1800’s and early 1900’s to emigrate west to Oregon and California in their covered wagons. This park was named for a fight between the Native American tribe, the Shoshone, and settlers in 1862. The Shoshone lost at least 20 people, and at least 8 people from wagon trains were also killed in this fight. Regardless of its bloody history, the park is beautiful. It sits above the Snake River with hiking trails, a museum, large boulders, and a hilly campground.

There were a lot of rabbits for Murphy to chase. All the boulders and rocks were formed from volcanic eruptions about 14,500 years ago.

Register Rock is part of the state park and is a few miles from the campground and the rest of the park. This spot was a regular stopping point for a night’s or a few days’ rest. Quite a few of the emigrants that stopped here carved their names into a large boulder and other rocks in the area. The rock has a protective shelter built over it and is fenced in so that people do not deface or destroy this piece of American history. I find it amusing that even back then, people were putting graffiti on rocks. It makes me wonder what future generations will think of the graffiti that will be left behind from our age.

The carvings are not easy to make out, and because they sit in a hole in the ground, they are hard to photograph.

The park also has a trail that leads across an interstate to a set of wagon ruts that still exist from the pioneer wagon trains of the past. It was inspiring to see part of the perilous journey thousands took to find/make a better life for themselves. Many, many people died along these trails trying to manifest a better life for themselves and their families. On the flip side of that, the Native Americans who already lived on these lands were displaced, their homes and lands invaded, and lots of bloodshed occurred due to this drive west. Entire cultures were changed and lost. I had lots of conflicting emotions, standing in history, encompassing loss and gain for both sides of the perilous time of wagon trains, Native American and pioneer battles, displacement of tribes, and growth and expansion of American culture. These themes are still controversial today, and I do not want to get into debates, especially on this site.

We also visited the museum on-site in the park. It had a nice display of some fossils found there, a journal of a pioneer on the Oregon Trail, and some recreations of what covered wagon travel looked like.

When our stay was over, we packed it up and started west toward Nevada. While looking at our route, I noticed that we would be passing very close to Shoshone Falls. This waterfall is called the Niagara of the West. So, we decided a short side trip was in order. The falls are controlled by damns, so sometimes their water flow is high, and sometimes it is low. The flow was low the day we went, so we did not witness the full power of the falls. Even with low flow, the falls were beautiful. We also saw a mountain goat just hanging out, watching cars come in and out of the park.

After an hour of taking pictures, we continued heading west into Nevada. We had been to Reno the year before, just for an afternoon of laundry and lunch. So this was to be our first time camping in Nevada and we were looking forward to another new state and experience, but still in a desert environment. Next week will be all about our stay at one of Nevada’s beautiful reservoirs.

Back to Aaron, the Airstream, and Yellowstone!

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I flew back to Bozeman, Montana, and got settled back into the camper with Aaron and the dog, Murphy. We had a few days before it was time for us to head further west. We had a sweet doe visit us. She was shy for the first picture, then she came out from behind the tree.

We only had a few days left in Montana, and Aaron had to work them all. So, I decided to take a day and drive around Yellowstone National Park one more time. I had hopes of catching some wildlife photos. The best times for viewing animals there are at dawn and at dusk. I woke up super early, made a coffee to go, and was in the truck driving into the park by 5:00 a.m.

The sunrise was beautiful, and I saw my first bison of the day.

The morning was looking promising! As I was driving, I saw a coyote jogging down the side of the road. Between my surprise, my excitement, and the pace of the coyote’s jog, I could not catch a great photo. I did the best I could from the driver’s side window.

Even though it was past Labor Day, the park was still very crowded. I could not get to the most popular spots due to the lack of available parking and the size of our truck. But I still really enjoyed the day. Driving through Lamar Valley, I saw some cars parked on the side of the road and people with their cameras and tripods set up to take pictures. That is always a sign that something cool is out there. I pulled over, grabbed my camera, and tried to find what they were looking at. There was a herd of pronghorn antelope way off in the distance. Even with my strongest telephoto lens, the pictures I took were not great. They were beautiful to watch.

One guarantee when visiting Yellowstone is bison. They are everywhere, all the time.

After the pronghorn herd and the buffalo, I was able to catch a mated pair of ospreys near their nest. Again, the distance made for less-than-desirable photos, but I was able to at least capture them. One is sitting atop the nest, the other lower on the tree.

The rest of my day was spent looking for wildlife, and I did not really find much. There are bears, moose, elk, eagles, wolves, and many other types of animals there, but they were not where I was this time around. I did see a duck and a a few birds, and some people fly fishing.

Yellowstone is never disappointing, the landscapes are beautiful and dramatic. There are gravel roads to explore, and many majestic sights.

Even though I could not reach the main part of Mammoth Springs, I was able to drive to the top and take pictures of the backside and the calcium deposits made by the springs.

I really missed having Aaron with me while I drove through the park. It is easier for one person to drive and the other to spot animals, places to stop, spots to park, and, most importantly, someone to share the experience. I did not see all that I wanted, but it was still an excellent way to spend the day.

I made it back to our campsite in time for dinner. It was good to be back. In a few weeks, Aaron needed to be in Fremont, California. We planned our route, packed it up, and headed west. Our next stop was Massacre Rocks State Park in Idaho. My post next week will have lots of pictures and a little history about this campground that sits on part of the historical Oregon Trail.

Ketchikan and Seattle

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Ketchikan, Alaska. Between Glacier Bay and Alaska, our port was Ketchikan. Cruising in and out of this city was beautiful. As was the way this trip, the skies were cloudy and a bit foggy, and there was a light rain for some of the time. None of those things diminished the beauty.

Cruising into Ketchikan

Our last excursion in Alaska was on a hovercraft. It was so exciting to hover over the water, moving at a pretty high speed. We had an excellent tour guide and an excellent captain. The captain gave us a thrilling and safe ride to a small black sand beach alcove. Along the way, we saw eagles and their nests and learned about the marine life and wildlife in the area. We also learned about the industries in Ketchikan. The main industries there are fishing and processing of the fish, and tourism.

My Favorite Shot of the Whole Trip

An eagle with a fish in its talons. It is a little blurry due to my excitement of being so close and having the opportunity to catch such a beautiful bird of prey in action.

Here are some eagle shots I captured of a juvenile eagle. The guide explained that young bald eagles do not grow white feathers until they reach maturity. I was also able to catch a photo of one of the eagles’ nests.

My sister-in-law, Angie, was able to photograph one of the eagles flying to a tree.

We were also able to see some seals!

The cove we landed on had a black beach and then a forest. There was a nice trail leading a little way into the rain forest, but I took too long on the beach and only had about 5 minutes to walk on the trail. On the beach, there were bald eagle feathers. Fortunately, our guide warned us that it is illegal to collect eagle feathers. Each feather could be a fine of up to $5,000 and up to a year in jail. We really enjoyed the beauty of the cove.

After the tour, it was time to head back to the cruise ship and depart Alaska. We enjoyed the sights of Ketchikan from our balcony on the way out. I found an alternative to our nomadic living. There are small islands with one home on each that would be perfect to settle in for the spring and summer. We also saw a huge logging vessel and a giant cross on the shore.

Into Seattle

We had beautiful views cruising back into Seattle of Olympic National Park, commercial shipping traffic, and even a killer whale spotting!

Seattle

Our ship arrived in Seattle early in the morning, and we were not flying out until the next day. We decided to book a tour of Seattle to end this amazing trip. We had a great tour guide that showed us the sights. Seattle is a beautiful city with lots of artistic influences, tons of different cultures, and even a troll under a bridge. We saw seals, birds, and salmon heading upstream to spawn.

The City and Its Art

After such a fantastic trip, it was time to get back to Aaron, Murphy, and the camper. Seeing a minute bit of Alaska and a brief overview of Seattle has inspired me to return to both with Aaron to explore each in much more detail.

Glacier Bay National Park

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Our cruise ship spent one entire day floating around Glacier Bay National Park. This is why we wanted a balcony room! We ordered room service for breakfast and lunch so that we enjoy the majestic beauty of the bay without interruption. The national park sent park rangers to the ship to narrate what we were seeing and give information about the glaciers and the wildlife in the park. It was broadcast over the television so that we could listen to the information and view the park at the same time from the comfort of our room.

National parks are set aside and preserved for a reason. They protect natural wonders, wildlife, and historically significant sites for all to experience and enjoy. I feel so fortunate to have been lucky to get a small glimpse of Glacier Bay. I hope eventually, Aaron and I will manage to make the trip to Alaska so that we can further immerse ourselves in its beauty and experience some of what this beautiful state has to offer.

We saw so many breathtaking sights. I will start with photos of the glaciers, next the many waterfalls, then the animals we saw, and finish up with some landscape shots.

The Glaciers

Taking pictures was a challenge. It was foggy, misty, cold, and not much sunlight. Some of the pictures will have a blue tint to them. In editing, I was trying to bring out the blue in the glaciers that we experienced, but the camera did not capture. Also, we were usually half a mile to a mile away from the shoreline. One thing to keep in mind is that these glaciers were huge. Some of them were more than a mile wide and many, many miles in length.

Glaciers are made of snow that condenses into ice, and as they move, they carve out land due to their massive weight and size. They pick up rocks, boulders, soil, and minerals. These materials are deposited into the water as the glacier breaks apart (calves) and slowly melts. The soil and minerals enrich the water and feed small marine life, which in turn feeds larger marine life, and so on. Glaciers are a massive part of the formation of the landscape and the oceans.

This last photon is in black and white to show the dramatic detail of this amazing glacier.

The Waterfalls

Everywhere we looked, there were waterfalls. To see them so far from shore means that they are very large and powerful.

Sea Otters and Birds

Landscapes

I was mistaken last week. I had forgotten about our hovercraft experience in Ketchikan. So, I will finish up our Alaskan experience next week with the hovercraft trip. I will also include the Butchart Gardens in British Columbia. Lastly, I will cover our Seattle tour. Thank you to each one of you who takes the time to read this blog.

Skagway, the Yukon, and Butchart Gardens

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After leaving Juneau, our next port was Skagway, Alaska. For this port, we had a bus and train tour of White Pass Summit with a stop in the Yukon Territory. It was an 8-plus-hour excursion with gold panning and husky puppies along the way.

The tour started with the bus portion. The bus took us through the town of Skagway, through Tormented Valley, and then into the Yukon Territory of Canada. It followed the route the prospectors hoping to strike it rich took when the Yukon Gold Rush began. They would get all their gear and supplies to make the trek along the White Pass in Alaska into the Yukon. I can not imagine the bravery it took for the men and women to traverse such an environment to attempt to improve their lives. Only a few succeeded, and many died trying to get to the Yukon.

One of the areas we drove through was Tormented Valley. It was a harsh landscape with beautiful green lakes and imposing mountains. Photographs were tricky due to the cloudy and foggy weather. I did manage to find a flower blooming among the rocks.

After we summited White Pass, we entered the Yukon Territory in Canada. Our passports were checked at the border, and then we continued on to a recreation of a mining camp. Once there, we were fed a mediocre lunch, browsed the gift shop, visited the husky puppies (future sled dogs), and panned for Yukon gold. We also got to hang out with a few goats. Sean and Angie got the most gold of 7 or 8 flakes (and I mean SMALL flakes) each. Mom found 4 flakes, and I only found two. I guess I will have to find another way to strike it rich. In all honesty, this stop on the tour is very like a very cheesy tourist trap. I believe this stop was everyone’s least favorite experience of the entire cruise.

We got back on the bus and headed to the White Pass Summit Railway. On the way, we were treated to a beautiful rainbow. We were all very excited to take a train from the summit down into Skagway! The train ride did not disappoint. It was the highlight of the day. My favorite thing about the train is that we were allowed to stand outside while the train was moving to get better views.

After the train, we hopped back onto the bus, and our driver/guide made two more stops for us. We stopped at what they call Emerald Lake. The lake had multiple shades of green in the water and was a beautiful place to stop. Then, we stopped at a tourist shop area that showed off tribal totem poles and locally made items. I picked up a bottle of Canadian whiskey barrel-aged maple syrup for Aaron while we were there. He loves his pancakes and enjoys whiskey, so I decided this was the perfect gift for him.

A Few More Pictures From the Tour

Our next port on the cruise was a day spent on the ship cruising in Glacier Bay National Park. I will skip that for this blog; it deserves a post dedicated only to it. That will be next week’s post and my last post about Alaska.

Butchart Gardens

Our final stop on the cruise was Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. We did not get into port until 8:00 p.m., but we had a planned excursion to Butchart Gardens. It was going to be a unique experience since we would be touring the gardens at night instead of during the day. Sean and Angie decided to stay on the ship and pack for our arrival in Seattle the next day. Mom and I hopped on the bus and headed to the gardens.

We only had a little over an hour, so we did not get to explore the entire garden. We focused on the sunken garden, which was a quarry before it was turned into this beautiful garden.

We re-boarded the ship for our last night and slept really well. We had a tour of Seattle planned for after our disembarkation the next day.

The scenery on this excursion was beautiful, and the train ride was the day’s highlight. The totem poles were mesmerizing to look at, and the four of us really enjoyed spending the day together and sharing all of the new experiences.

Next week’s post will have tons of pictures of Glacier Bay National Park, as well as pictures of our Seattle tour. After that, back to wandering around in the Airstream with Aaron and Murphy.