Day 8 and 9 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 8 and 9 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Here is the link to Edwin's Gallery

We planned to get everything packed by 7 and get out of YS by 8...(when does it work according to the plan). The dude who is supposed to wake us up (Kamesh) was tired and slept till 7:30 because of all the right and left turns he did in the tent according to the instructions from his GPS. After breakfast at lake house restaurant in grant village (Diane's restaurant was closed by then) we started around 11:30 AM which meant we need to drive the whole distance in one strech. Hence Photographic stops or stops for a short walk etc...are banished from then on. We took only a couple of photos on the way in pentax.

Mama followed Dhevi and asusual she got tensed and gave the wheels to ED, who was sleepy. Then again Dhevi started, after two hours she was driving on a mountain...she started to feel trouble in the good old and reliable Passat. Poor guy...he was working to his maximum to keep us cool and pulling us uphill in great speed. Ed at first didn't believe Dhevi because of her usual paranoia about vehicles. Then he sensed the problem too, after a while we pulled over and opened the hood to see the coolant boiling (We were going uphill with AC on, when the outside temp was 104 F). Amazingly the engine's temperature was normal. So we gave passat some rest. It is amazing to see even in these days there are few who are willing to lend their hands to the troubled. Atleast 4 or 5 cars stopped, enquired and offered help. We chatted with them for a while. After 45 mins we started the car and continued the journey and breaked for lunch in arrowhead motel (at 4PM), Dinner was apples again.



We stopped the car and slept in a rest area from 2-5. Then started to drive, stopping for breakfast and lunch, reached naperville around 4:45 pm on 07/30. Did the morning abloutions at 5:00PM ;) and dropped Kamesh in the airport. Then went to starbucks in O'hare oasis for a coffee (The only thing Dhevi missed in the 9 days trip).



Interesting

Dhevi started a novel during the onward journney and hasn't finished it yet.

Ed got his new look and didn't reduced the pounds that he hoped to(thanks to all the nice restaurants in YS)

Not a big book fan Kamesh is about the finish a novel. Also his GPS kept telling him to Turn right and turn around when possible in the night (inside the tent).

The sheer beauty and Grandeur of yellow stone captured our hearts. We feel very happy about our decision to make the trip despite all the troubles in getting off from work, taking a long long drive etc.

Day 7 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 7 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Our sweet tents.





Ed's new look (deed done on 07/28/2006)






After breakfast we went to the lake side for enjoying the view, doesn't this stamen look like a match-stick. There was a vote calling for deciding the place, Norris (more wildlife - elk and antelope) or Grand teton (big mountains formed by faults), after a slight confusion from out-of-focus Dhevi we started for Grand teton. On the way a beautiful fall, we walked in the river from the brigde towards the waterfall. The walk was beautiful (Dhevi got reminded of Thengumarahada and Ed of his hometown river). Here's an underwater picture taken with our Pentax Wpi :)


Then a stop for the landscape, where Dhevi and Ed fought for a space to take different photographs, Dhevi wanted to take a lady bug and Ed a flower.







Here's the incident of the trip: We saw some pelicans in the river and ed didn't want to miss them this time, so got down got his gear and ran towards the river...seeing the obstacles ahead he ran to a different place...Dhevi and Kamesh followed and found a nice trail leading to the river. Ed was already little wet from the mud, we suggested him to walk to trail, so he need not go through the mud again...bad suggestion. We walked to the car and then started to wonder about Ed, he came after 20 minutes covered with mud till Knee (that reminds me, need to wash the shoe and the pant). Ed took a bath in roadside and changed his costume...and was ready to resume the journey (worst part, the pelicans were far off and none of us could get a decent picture).





Here's the teton story, and another bad fall, both photographers could not take a good picture of tetons because of the distance and bad lighting. After lunch we drove around teton for different views. We stopped at a church (it was a completely built with wood) and there was a marriage reharsal going on. Dhevi switched on her camera (which is set to sound like a cat on startup), and the bride turned around to look for a cat in the church). The wedding party was from IL too. On the way back Ed got a bad headache and the other two got their dinner and drove back to the tent.

Day 6 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 6 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Next day we woke up around 5 am hoping to see more wildlife and sunrise photograph. We saw lot of bisons but could not take the picture as it was so foggy, As the fog cleared, the buffalos started to go in to the forest except for a few. Dhevi got herself pictured with the bison herd.



Passat's Indicators and emergency lights refused to work. We checked it at the YS auto service shop, they said the errorneous switch can be replaced only in a VW dealership. There was a discussion about the importance/feasibility of fixing the indicators and decided not to because the nearest VW shop was 150 miles away and we would waste a whole day. After the shower and breakfast in Canyon village (long shower, In lake village the shower is timed you need to extend it by putting coins every now and then). Then we went to the cascade lake (hmmmm) It was a long hike. Dhevi got tired so we skipped the extra 3+3 miles of hike to the observation point. It was a nice sunny day with good breeze.








The sun made the guys to open two beers each. Dhevi sat down to draw a kolam. Then we went to the tower falls...Walking all the way down was fine. But climbing up took a toll on Dhevi's body. Near the top, there was a little deer waiting to be photographed, that gave us more rest and strength.







After that yet another view, Dhevi skipped and Ed came back soon, followed closely by Kamesh. We sat on a stone under the tree and didn't want to get up. Mammoth hot springs and our empty stomach made us get up. Another falls on the way, and we took some more photos (see Dhevi's butterfly photograph). Then there was sulphur caldron, this thing took me back to my high school chemistry lab, It was pure concentrate sulpuric acid coming out from the sulphur caldron. Couldn't stand there for long. Then we went north(finally) for the Mammoth hot springs, beauth of yellowstone.








Hmm poor soul missing SFO already ?



After lunch we started the boardwalk. The palette terrace trail was closed because of overflowing of the spring. You can visit YS just to see MHS. The formations change overtime, based on the level of bubbling water in each formation, some get dried up and in some the water flow.

In the dried ones water could bubble and make it alive. The YS information center has details about which formation is active then. Just the feeling that you are on a volcano makes it exciting. The best part of MHS is they don't smell sulphur like geyser basins. They smell of calcides though (that's not bad).



Then back to home, ate apples and crashed. And another day gone without the campfire. On the way back we saw some wolves, but couldn't take a picture, since it was too dark and they ran away fast.

Day 5 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 5 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

We cooked in the morning (Maggi and Coffee, Chicked sausage). Ed lit the campfire with Kamesh collecting the tigs, (there was already some wood and tigs - a gift from a north dakota family, a note in the fire place said).



After the big breakfast we went to the Geyser basin, we saw some deers resting in the afternoon sun. The geyser basin was locate next to the lake and were beautiful. The only problem is the sulphur smell and the wind was throwing sulphur dust in to the lens, so had to be careful (and moreover the rain drops made us pack the cameras and wait - not Dhevi's all proof camera). There were mud pots, point pods and colorful basins everywhere (with "Keep Off- Thermal area" signs eveywhere).





N Trees - Photo for Niha



Bee on the tripod, the bee liked Ed's tripod so much that it would not fly away. After that tripod was about to fall in to the thermal area and Kamesh saved it. Then we went to the rapids, where the cutthroat trouts will jump in the rapids, though we saw lots of trouts, none jumped. Guess they were lazy because of the heat. Here's one trout, hope you can see it.



Bisons were having their lunch across the river. Then Dhevi started her Macro photography, here's one of the pics.



We stopped for pelicans but they flew away, bison view across the lake artist point, canyon colors (artist felt that it's tough to catch the view/color of the canyon, they tried and here's the painting. Then upper falls. On the way back we were stopped by Bisons again, two buffalos were fighting on the road, A passerby commented that a herd of buffalos forced them to get out of water (guess that's their area:)

After reaching Grant village we had a shower to take off all the sulphur deposits and went to the restaurant. Dear Diane, a awesome face filled with wonder and a beautiful smile (guys went there for breakfast the following days with a hope that they will be served by Diane...). We tasted bison meatloaf and bison sausage (Ubhayam Kamesh).

Day 4 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 4 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Morning after the breakfast at the lodge we started to Yellowsone. Just before YS entrance we stopped for fuel. The store had an interesting quote "Need a Penny, Take One. Need Two? Get a Job". Inside YS road repairs delayed us. A bison was walking on the road blocking the traffic (everyone had their cameras outside their windows.






After lot more stops on the way to enjoy the landscape we reached our village and raised the tent, then started to search for lunch. All restaurants were closed by that time, we made a reservation for wednesday night and got out from the grant village restaurant. A Village grill in a general store saved us. Then started out for old faithful. On the way we saw a lily pond, a water fall. Dhevi tried her first underwater photo in the lily pond (with out setting to the underwater mode, so it was a flop). In old faithful there were lot of geysers emitting gas to different levels. There was a young prairie dog who was very proud to be photographed by lot of people, it went in and out of its small cave near the pathway.



Oh my god, Didn't know Dhevi had these powers.





When Ed was taking the pictures of the golden layers near the geysers, Dhevi went away to get some other view, while she got back Ed was standing with atleast 5 cameras in hand in front of a group of golden age people all smiling and waiting for Ed to get their pictures in all the cameras. Dhevi went to assist him in holding the cameras. Then they offered to take a picture of us, Here's that sweet pic.



We had coffee in the old faithful inn (the inn is considered one of the historical places and is more than 100 years old - restored in 2004). While having coffee, one more geyser shoot up, before the guys could run out and set their gear, it went down. then we started to the camp. Dhevi called India to wish her mom for her mom's flight. Got updates about Chandar's job, Naveen job change and new position and the Incident in the chennai shopping mall.

Day 3 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 3 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Morning we packed up everything and started to Yellowstone. On the way we saw signs for Devil's tower (First national monument). The story is few Indian girls went to the forest, a bear attacked them. They ran to this rock and prayed, the rock started to grow to a big tower, and the lines on the tower is said to be Bear nail marks. Black hills and Devil towers are important for the Indians for spiritual reasons. devil's tower is condidered Rock climbers' Mecca. June is considered the holy month, and rock climbers are not allowed during that time.




Though Dhevi was taking lot of pictures earlier, she started to show more interest in taking photographs than posing for them ;) We started to drive and when it was time for Lunch, Ed and Kamesh wanted to chill off. Here's the platform.




We found a good chinese place. In the Evening we stopped the car in a village to search for a coffee shop, and bought coffee in a gas station. Dhevi got a good photo graph with two cool dudes. We saw some mules on the way.



Drive in 14A was intersting, then when we got near the Yellowstonw east entrance, there was a board stating that the east entrance is closed from 8PM to 8AM due to construction. We started to take account of lodges (Plan B, C and D) on the way and to try our luck drove till the Road block and got the hotel according to plan D (XXX miles from the east entrance).

Day 2 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 2 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Morning we made some breakfast (chicken hot dogs, Egg burji and Coffee). While checking-in the guys found out there is not much to see in that area except Mt.Rushmore. (We wanted to go to badlands -but that was a 3 hour drive from where we stayed). We went to Mt.Rushmore (Black hills forest), the road from our campsite was interesting, with lot of single lane caves and wooden bridges, We took some long shot of Mt.Rushmore. Ed and Dhevi took up a tiny hike to get to the top of the cave to get a good view and lots of Photos. We took a break in another place on the way and did another tiny hike (You will see a lot of mention about photographs) Motto of the trip --See the beauty outside the lens and capture the beauty through the lens".












We reached Mt.Rushmore in the early evening. Mt.Rushmore was interesting and informative. We learned why the 4 presidents were selected and how their eyes were given life. The sculptures were so perfectly done, every feature so accurate. you need to see it to appreciate the works of the craftsmen. This was started as a private effort to draw more tourists to South Dakota, then due to a depression, federal sponsored 80% of the cost. Washington was choosen for his war to free America, Jefferson was choosen for expanding America (buying lands from Nepolean), Lincoln was choosen since he fought for the unity of the Nation and finally Roosevelt (decided at the last moment because of the space between Jefferson and Lincoln as more) for preservation of natural resources and forests. We got cell phone signal in Mt.RM and finally Dhevi got to wish Niha for her B'day.

Photo - mt RM- Get from Ed

Dhevi was so happy to see the Delaware flag, everyone crossing the flags said, "Delaware was the first state". We took a ranger tour and finished our lunch in the restuarant there. And at the end of the trail, we found out lot of people drink water;)

Photo: WaterBottles-Get from Ed's Laptop

There was an Indian tent with their rugs and things they use. And here's what all was done with Buffalo:) pretty amazing huh? We have heard about plantain and cows...and nothing was so exhaustive.







Dhevi got a big 4 scoops ice cream (2 scoops of strawberry cheescake and 2 scoops of heavenly hash) and Ed was running after a squirrel (hmm...it was cute....getting his/her own lunch)





While driving out guys wanted to stop for the sidepose of Washington, and Dhevi got pictures of their sidepose. There was a poor sheep with a little wool shaved off it's body (that's the first wild life of the trip).



Ed wanted to take us through the scenic route and we were searching with GPS help and the map we got at the campsite, that map led us to a place where they said we need to pay $12 to go through the road, after a small discussion we decided to pay, and really the place was not worth the 12$. We walked around the lake there and continued our journey (Ed refused to take that pass until we got back home). After finishing Dinner in a pizza place nearby we slept.

Day 1 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

Day 1 : Trip to Rushmore and Yellow Stone National Park

We wanted to sleep early on Friday night to be fresh for the trip. As usual we slept at 1 AM. Ed woke up Dhevi around 4:30 next day and then went pick up Kamesh from the airport. Ed and Kamesh came in around 5:45, Kamesh was all set to start the trip, to continue his sleep. We made him get ready(taking bath and all).



We loaded the car (that's a big statement - though it seems simple here :). Started around 8:30 am on 07/22, Stopped at target for ICE, and since McD was on the way we got some breakfast there. "McD and Maggi are addictive" --Sir Kamesh. The drive was good, with lot of discussions and some land slides (the back seat was packed with stuff for camping, so the person in the back seat should always be ready for blocking the falling things.

Photo (DheviEd & kamesh)Get from Ed's Laptop

We stopped at Mississippi river overview (on I-90 - this is the road we travelled for XXX miles). Dhevi got a coffee and a there was a lady with t-shirt "This is freedom" we wondered what was? -- then we saw that lady on her motorcycle....That time it did mean something:)



Stopped at Amish ovens for Lunch (hmm ask our friend for the butterscotch taste. I got better candy's in the shops near my school-Dhevi)

Ed took out his camera and lens and started his photographic tour there. There was a beautiful carriage and a lady got down from the carriage. He covered all that ;)



Next we wanted to find a Starbucks, GPS showed one in 16 miles, instead of tracing back 16 miles we thought we will find another one after few miles, even after 300 miles GPS showed us the same location told us "I'm telling you turn around when possible" in that husky voice Dhevi hated, we changed to Austin powers voice, the husky voice was far better that the next one. And the most wanted Dr.Evil's voice was not downloaded. At the next stop Ed and Kamesh took photographs of the hay rolls in the fields. And Dhevi took pictured of Ed (Next day Kamesh realised that he forgot to put the memory card in the camera :) Here's the wheels and feet that took us to yellowstone (Missing the other pair of feet).



Dinner was at Taco Jones - We were deciding between Taco Jones and pizza hut, finally decided on TJ. After the almost reverse gear accident by Dhevi, we entered TJ and consumed an excellent meal. Every dish looked and tasted yummy. Kamesh ended that day's drive.

We reached the black hills campsite around midnight, fixed the tent and went to sleep.

Vacation mood

At work we both were busy cleaning up our tables before the vacation. As it always happens there were last minute work, delays etc. But Friday is finally here.

We went shopping to buy some food stuff for camping. Things are ready to go. Ed will pickup Kamesh from the Airport and we'll start driving immediately towards Mt. Rushmore. We'll write about the trip and post the photos once we comeback.

BTW this is the first tomatto from our tomatto plant.



This is how it looked before it turned red...