Friday June 12

Oh my goodness!

I just realized I didn't do a Birthday Blog

for my "little" sister Rozann!

(She is LITTLE-r than me in every way!

EXCEPT HEART and SOUL!)

We had a great visit on the phone.

I love you to BITS Rozie!!!

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But back to the Travelogue...

because if I don't ever finish this I can't get

back to my "real" / current life.

And I WANT to have a record of all the

really fun, exhausting things we did on this trip.

So...

On to Friday.

Our LAST full day in Logan.

After our traditional breakfast burrito from

Marverick (gas station)

we headed back up the mountain to an

"easier" "flatter" hike called Wood Camp.

Only 3.4 miles one way.

And it was BEAUTIFUL!

(and hot... about 83 and I chose to wear jeans

and my winter weight t-shirt... so I melted...)

First off... I am TOTALLY stealing this sign idea

for OUR woods. Bikes yield to walkers AND horses.

Walkers yield to HORSES.

EVERYBODY yields to horses!

Kyle has, of course, done the LONG hike up to the Old Juniper Tree,

but he said it was a total disappointment.

It's an old tree.

There is a nice creek with a little wooden bridge

at the beginning of the hike.

They didn't want the horses on the bridge,

so they got their own trail...

A nicely shaded, dirt trail.

Kyle says he always feels like he's in a "park"

on this part of the trail.

See the dark thing in the center of the picture?

That's juvenile moose's ear.

Hahahahaha

I took a video of him, but only caught one ear

with my still.

A biker was coming down the trail and slowed,

pointing off to the side.

We would have totally missed him!

He was really quite close.

There are 4 miles to the tree at this point,

which means we had done a mile on our trail.

And I was still doing fine!

The trail opened up, no more shade except for randomly,

and it was much rockier.

Again, YEA for my sticks!

The scenery was amazing!

With occasional streams... perfect for cooling off!

Kyle stops here traditionally to rub cool water

on his face, neck, arms, legs...

Sadly in the fall it's nearly gone...

Hard to tell HOW steep this is - basically 

STRAIGHT DOWN into the valley.

With one tiny patch of snow on the opposite mountain.

We were grateful everytime there was a

tree providing shade on the trail!

Sometimes there was even a rock for sitting on!

(This was a 180 switchback...)

It got a bit steep here!

This was a marker for a trail that shoots off

up the canyon - definitely "back woods"...

groups no smaller than 4,

bear spray, possibly a fire arm...

horses not a bad idea... lol.

Not as wide and well groomed...

bet its fun though!

It got steeper, and harder, and hotter,

and I wasn't sure I was going to make it.

But I DID!

That last .5 mile was a killer.

And there it was!

A hunk of wood. 

Stuck on a dead tree!

A place to SIT!

And a gorgeous view of the valley.

And then ... head back down!

Hahahaha.

Just random trail pictures...

That stuff is HARD to walk on!
I told Kyle it reminded me of the 
"shore" at Waterton Lake.

But this is what it looks like mostly.

It was lush, green, beautiful!

We found some cute little purple flowers.

Decided to wear them...

Kyle doesn't have a ponytail, 

so he had to use his hat band...

LOL

We were getting tired and a little goofy!

(Look closely, you can see his flower...)

Oh THERE it is!!!  LOL

Look how BIG these flowers are!

As big as his palm!

Kyle thought that would look good on

any dining room table...

The trip back down was pretty, uneventful,

and again, I did great until that final .5 mile

when I was honestly DONE.

I just wanted to stop walking!

There were lots of little, slippery, loose rocks

and I was wearing my riding boots

which pretty well died on this trip.

There is NO support left in them at all...

so I had to take little steps to keep from turning an ankle.

And I was TIRED.

When we got back to town, we stopped at the

sporting goods store and I tried on every pair of 

hiking shoe/boot they carried.

Really liked these, but they were too big,

so I took a picture so I can get them online.

Which reminds me... better get online!

Haha

We hit the Taco Bell drive thru for some burritos

and then drove another fire road (not as good as the first one)

but saw some pretty scenery.

I was tired, as evidenced by the lack of photos....

The road was skinny, winding, and fun to drive

and, since it was the weekend and things were

opening up again in Utah, there were LOTS of

trucks carrying campers up to stay.

They all gave a side-eye to the crazy people in

the rental car.

Haha.

And then BED!

I was READY!

(And REALLY sun burned...)

Even the critters were wearing masks in the

West Yellowstone grocery store!

(Just found this one...)

Got a good burn on our faces and necks!

Our noses peeled on the drove home.

NICE....

And then the drive home.......

Tomorrow's installment.

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UPDATE: hiking boots ordered

Ship date July 3.

Whew!