As you come into the Lamar Valley in Yellowstone, look to the right and you'll see one of the most dramatic vistas in the west. It's scenes like this that set off all the land west of the Rockies.
One regret that I have is not spending more time photographing landscapes. I certainly had the opportunities, but I was always distracted by wildlife of the winged or footed variety. Oh, plus wildflowers.
This trip to Yellowstone was our last true vacation, driving from home to the park in a little less than two days: always make reservations at motels along the way. Twice, once when going to Yellowstone, and once while returning from Mt. Rainier, we couldn't find a vacancy anywhere for 900 and 1,000 miles, and I was forced to drive some of the worst roads in the middle of the night. We got to Winnemucca, Nevada and there was a cheerleading contest that filled every room before us. And, in coming south from Rainier, not a room from Newport, Oregon to home because of a Hot Air Balloon Festival on the coast south of Crescent City.
I'm hoping to get one more two week trip in before I have to call it quits. All the plans we've made since 2014 have fallen through for one reason or another. I certainly can't drive 800 miles in a day anymore. But, once IN one of our western national parks (including Canada), I get a little lost within the park and myself, and I can still trek four or five miles if my mind can take control of the very real aches and pains. As I've said, when I'm taking pictures of a Hoary Marmot or a Clark's Nutcracker or, even better, a Canada Jay with real personality, it truly becomes mind over matter ... until even a pebble in my shoe becomes what's going to trump my wayfaring mind.
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