OUR EPIC JOURNEY from FINLAND to ALASKA has startedy...

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Stopped there to eat and re-stock supplies....then headed out of town and would you believe it...it was hailing.....

Had to snap a photo of this bear....look at where it is....

As we headed to the tall mountain peaks and "winter" we saw this historic sign...

Here...you can read it better...

It's 85 degrees outside...

We are going to take a "siesta" break and watch CAPTAIN RON....

 

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YELLOWSTONE and surrounding area.

Talk about snow... This was from 85 degrees to snow in a matter of short time...

We entered the park and Candice welcomed us there...

 

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These were walking right next to us...

...and ahead of us...

They were everywhere...and we LOVED it....

This one was alone and had an injured tail...

This was beautiful to see...

This cauldron was boiling....

 

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Couple of wolves were caught my camera...

She ran away and said....

to her partner...What are you doing....

You are putting yourself into a precarious situation...

a couple of nearly a "nature picture of the year"....

More to come....

 

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We spent several days in Yellowstone. The first morning, we were already up and having coffee when we heard loud yapping and howling near the Coachman. As it got closer, we went outside and just then a pack of wolves run right next to the trailer and past the door, down the hill... It was exhilarating experience.....

Back to the wolf at hand...I wonder how many have had the opportunity to get such an "intimate" photo of a wolf in nature...lol.....

.....and.......he looks so sheepish...

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A change of subject.

OK, nodding off here... Last photo for the night.

Good night....

 

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There were always little birds near the buffalo...often they were on the top of the buffalo....

What beautiful animals they are....

Cass took this picture....

 

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More wildlife in Yellowstone...

Cass took this great photo of a black bear. It was right next to the road.
We had so much wanted to see a bear and as little as it was, it was exciting...

When we came back on that road, we noticed there was a kill on the other side...So this bear had been on it's way to feed...

 

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When we went to look at some more geysers and hot pools, I saw a sight I liked. I was so impressed I had to go take a closer look...

I bet many of you would like an outfit like this........Everything you might need was with this outfit....

I thought "Someone knows how to travel". They had a travel trailer, couple of BIG four wheelers, a boat, fishing gear...and you name it, they had it.

I made a mental note to tell Hubby about this outfit. I'd like one, if we ever REALLY toured the states.

Of course I went to talk to the people who traveled like this.

I found two gentlemen. They were wonderful. Friendly and open...
The Gent on the left had the sparkliest eyes I had seen in the long time...and a smile to match....

They told me they were on their "KICK THE BUCKET TOUR" (Did you see the movie?
We did and loved it. If you didn't, it's well worth the time to see it.)

One of these Gents had just beat leukemia and the other was fighting cancer.

.........and would you believe it, they too were on their way to Alaska....

 

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We left Yellowstone after about five days and headed to Utah.

In Utah we saw these interesting, huge salt flats. The Morton Salt plant was there...

The salt tailings were huge...

Closer-up.....

A little bit further we stopped at the Bonneville Salt Flats. This is such huge, dry salt lake...

Here we are looking at the lake/salt flat. The shortest distance across was about 7 miles...

We walked quite a way out to the lake. The salt was hard as a rock beneath our feet.

 

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We found a spot to our liking. It was clean and had not foot prints of any kind...human nor animal...

I had a gallon Zip Lock sack and my trusty tool of a pocket knife and I went to work loosening salt....

Cass was carefully scooping it up...

See how the bag is getting full...

My knife got washed very well with soap and water after this...



Then we had to was our shoes before even thinking of getting into the truck or trailer...

 

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Gold mining the tailing in Utah. From what I was told, the huge tailing is sitting on some kind of thick plastic. They are using cyanide to extract the gold.... You can see the plastic behind the little 'big' truck....

As we headed toward Nevada this trucker and I started talking. We drove together all the way to Fernley, NV...about 200 miles. He was very nice and informative. He drives this triple rig...

He drives a round trip from Reno Nevada to Salt Lake 5 days a week.

IMAGINE DRIVING A TRIPPLE.... Try to back IT up....

He pointed out that this was OJ Sipson's new home...

Next stop for us is in Carson Valley, NV...

 

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OK, we're in Dayton.

Last night we had a wonderful visit and dinner with our dear friends Johnye and Steven. Our friendship goes way back to our youth.

(Oh my, I love this area of Nevada. I love all my old friends here and really enjoy their company....
Told Hubby today that we should buy a piece of land here so we can visit and stay a while...maybe even build a little cabin for a home base when we are here...)

Johnye and Steven have a lovely piece of paradise right in the desert. They have the biggest hearts for animals of anyone I've known.
They have cat and dog rescue place here at their "farm".

Animals abound...from 34 peacocks and a flock of chickens roaming free. They also have an old donkey and a retired horse...
several cats and dogs and bunny rabbits..... Often they find unwanted animals people drop off on their doorsteps....
They have arranged a veterinarian to come regularly to check animals and give them shots and when ever a new animal
comes to them, it gets s vet check up before being able to join others.....

Of course Cass adores all animals and had a great time at Steven and Johnyes...

Here are some pictures from our visit with them....

The old retired horse....

Such a beautiful, lush sight in the middle of the desert ...and the peacock also....
The sight was breath-taking and heart-warming...

With 34 peacocks, they were everywhere....Just LOVELY.....

 

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...even on the walkway next to the house....

Here is Pandora...she is very unusually colored....

The aviary.....The birds can come and go as they please during the daylight hours..

Meanwhile back at the Coachman...

For the cat lovers...

Then we visited some other old friends. Melissa and her husband Jeremy....and Tori and Sydney their children, and all their animals....

Captured these two at the front porch....

I really like this one even that it is not super clear... It looks kind of filtered and soft....

Their purple Locus tree....

 

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We left the Coachman at Melissa's and Jeremy's and headed to the San Francisco bay.
Toward the end of 2008, we bought a wooden boat. She is a 38 foot, classic 1959 Herreshoff Ketch
and she is still moored in the SF Bay. (We will sail her from California to Alaska this summer)

...anyway we headed to San Francisco and the boat.



San Francisco...

Someone different... Quite an interesting costume, don't you think....

Check out the size of this ship...amazing....

 

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Talking about trees. The following two were in Santa Cruz...

BEAUTIFUL......

This is in Santa Cruz also... I love the lines on her...

Here is Cass and my dear friend Diana at Santa Cruz Boardwalk. We had a ball there.
I was in the seat behind Di and Cass. Cass and I went on many rides.

 

[LMT66]

Great stuff! Thank you again for taking the time to post pictures and commentary!

 

[TheZenful1]

Absolutely amazing! I am truly in awe. The journey, the story, the people, the animals and environment. Truly wonderful! Thank you so much for putting this together.

 

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Great stuff! Thank you again for taking the time to post pictures and commentary!

Absolutely amazing! I am truly in awe. The journey, the story, the people, the animals and environment. Truly wonderful! Thank you so much for putting this together.

Thank you both for the positive feedback. It's nice to know you are enjoying our journey.

 

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I mentioned the sailboat we have in the San Francisco Bay.

Here are some pictures of her....


I love the way she looks here...

Under sail in the bay. Golden Gate bridge in the background...

 

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ORCA's future playground. (Like I mentioned earlier, we will sail/motor her home to Alaska this summer)

The view of the bay from our backyard.