Labor Day Weekend at Island Park

My earliest memories go back to Yellowstone. We lived in Blackfoot, Idaho when I was very little.  Dad taught band at Snake River H.S. It was a quick 3 hour trip up to Yellowstone, cheap gas and camping fees back then.  I remember bears, and campfires, and geysers, and warm fuzzies.

So, I’m drawn to the area every year, and it has become our family tradition to camp in the area each Labor Day weekend.  The last two outings have been to Flat Rock National Forest Campground, right across from the Inn at Mack’s Inn. This year we didn’t even pretend to put the kids in school on Friday, we just loaded up everything we possibly could on Thursday evening and we were out of town by 8:00 a.m. on Friday.

The drive takes us through Rexburg, Idaho, another spot that I’m drawn too—mostly due to the fact that I loved my time at Ricks College, and I’ve since managed to send all of my children up to Ricks/BYU-Idaho. Two of them have earned their Bachelors there, two have come back to Utah for $$ reasons, and, it would seem, to meet their eternal companions! Hannah has completed two years at BYU-I and will return in January.  Another draw for me is that my favorite cousin, Guy, is part of the administration at BYU-I. He returned from a 14-month tour of duty in Iraq last April, and I hadn’t been able to visit with him since he got home. So, we stopped at his office, and after waiting for him to return from his daily run (I had an appointment, he ran too far to be back in time) we had a wonderful time with him.  He shared several experiences. He’s always been great at telling a story and I could listen to him for hours.

After our visit, we stopped at the campus Outdoor Rec Center to pick up the canoes and trailer.  (It’s the best deal in the area—if you have access to a student account—for renting outdoor equipment.)

We arrived at camp in time to set up and head over to Big Springs, put in the canoes and take an evening canoe run.  It would have been fun to have been about an hour later, I think we would have seen more wild life.  Plus, it seems that the river runs west—the sun was in our eyes most of the trip. But it was beautiful couple hours and a delightful way to begin the weekend.

Three other families arrived from our neighborhood Friday evening. Saturday was spent canoeing on Big Spring and then on Box Canyon.  I struggle a bit on Box Canyon.  It was particularly windy the latter part of the trip.  I was in the canoe with Frank, and I’m afraid I’ve never managed to let go of the fact that the first time I was in a canoe with him we rolled within a couple minutes. So, if conditions are a bit edgy, I go back to that experience and I’m not very good company for him.  He pointed out that no one on the river wants me to be safe in a canoe more than he does, but I just am uneasy the entire time.  We had hoped to make one more run, for my benefit, because I really do enjoy that river, I just need to get over myself. But the wind was such that it wasn’t worth it. Lori and David were up at their property and they came and found us on the river and we had a couple free canoes that they were going to use for the next run, but it didn’t happen.

Sunday was spent at church right there at Mack’s Inn and then up in to Yellowstone.  We have LOVED having an annual pass to the Nat’l parks.  I don’t think I’ll ever go without again, especially since Frank will be 62 in a couple years and then it’s $10 and we’re set forever!

Here are pictures of our Sunday.  Sadly, I was having so much fun throughout the weekend that I never grabbed my camera. But I got pics of lunch near Norris, walking around the upper geyser boardwalk at Norris and then a couple at Old Faithful.  I’ve said it before and it’s still true—If I had to choose between Yellowstone/Grand Tetons and Disneyland, I’d be hard-pressed to choose.

Joel, Frank, and Sarah (I think that’s her backside!)

Jay and a bit of Spencer.

Bekah and Jeremiah

Dinah!

Caleb

Spencer, Emily, Jay, Sarah, Jen

Sarah.

Nate and David (seeking out the sunshine)

Renae, Mindy, and Dinah

Cheree (she claimed she got in the cab so that the breeze didn’t dry out her sandwich. Whatever!)

Bekah, Dinah, Jeremiah, Jen, Ryan, Nate, David

Bekah and Ryan (I don’t know about Bekah’s stance….)

Jen, Emily, Jay, Debra, Spencer

Jeremiah and Bekah

Caleb

This geyser, er..crater,…mud pot didn’t have a name so we named it the Caleb pot.  He seemed to take it as a compliment!

Seldom far from each other’s side—Jeremiah and Bekah.

Caleb and Dinah—pretty good friends, all things considered.

My sweetheart of 30 years! Happily, he loves the area like I do.  And he’s from Ohio.  He didn’t grow up spending time there like I did.

We pulled into Old Faithful and Dinah and I headed for the bathroom.  Everyone else headed for the boardwalk because they could see that crowds were gathering, indicating that it was going to blow any minute.  Dinah and I quickly walked from the bathroom to the large picture windows in the big sitting room of the lodge. Just as we stepped up to the window, it erupted in all it’s glory and I managed to grab a couple pics through the windows. Dinah and I were nice and warm. The wind outside had become quite cold.  Within a half hour of this eruption, it was snowing—heavily!

“Sure is faithful!”

This picture is taken in the lobby of the wonderful old, newly refurbished Inn at Old Faithful. Everyone needs to see it at some point in their life.  However, the subject of this picture is actually the creatively dressed man in the background. We never did decide if he’s an employee, dressed in character, or if that’s how he dresses when he visit Old Faithful, or if that’s just how he dresses! We didn’t ask, we just took advantage of the photo op! (Me, Debra, and Jen.  Also AJ, with his hand up)

 

It was a wonderful weekend.  Already planning on Colter Bay, in the Tetons, next year.