I THINK

TODAY, I begin a new blog, thinking of our good friend Donn Bernstein in New York, of our great adventure together in September through California's Mendocino Coast and currently wondering when the snow will disappear from home so we can begin the golf season.

Watching the opening of of the PGA TOUR from Hawaii and Palm Springs, you can't help but think about playing golf. However, I suspect sadly that it is a few months off in KC. So, we will wait, impatiently, and maybe try to squeeze in a few pops at the driving range when and if the snow leaves us.

It is difficult for me to watch anything but golf on sports television these days now that the college football season has ended. Viewing Big 12 basketball games means you have to listen to Brent Musburger and Bob Knight, a painful task for a whole game. They have taken Ron Franklin's place covering the Big 12 so any watching will be done with the sound on mute. What is it about Bob Knight that he talks down to everyone at all times. The I-know-more-than-any-of-you attitude permeates his demeanor no matter where he is or what he is talking about. I always wondered and asked on many occasions, why the late Pete Newell—a great coach and truly one of the best people to be around—liked Knight so much. It had to be with X's and O's and you would have thought that some of Newell's and Hank Iba's caring personalities would have rubbed off on him at some point.

The Super Bowl should be terrific, except that it's in Texas Stadium and I'm sure we will see and hear enough from Jerry Jones to turn our stomachs. I would like to see the Packers win it, but both coaches seem to be great guys and I know that both organizations are solid and historic in the NFL.

bs-

CONCLUSION

We put the finishing touches on our journey last night as we arrived home, finally, after 21 days on the road. We had a long drive yesterday, coming all the way from Rapid City, South Dakota, to Kansas City. We decided it would be better to sleep in our own bed so we just kept driving past Souix Falls, SD, Souix City, IA and Omaha, NE. It is good to be back.

We traveled 5,477 miles since leaving on September 7. Counting Missouri and Kansas, we crossed 11 states—and came within a few miles of two others— and visited five national parks and lord only knows how many national forests. By my count we crossed five major mountain ranges and a bunch of others, including a lot of prairies and deserts.

Traveling in the fall was spectacular because the fall colors were out almost everywhere. With all the kids back in school, there really weren't any big crowds at all the sites, but Orange Barrels became our constant companion on nearly all the highways and byways.

It is difficult to select a best but both of us agreed that Jackson Hole and The Tetons would probably be our top pick with the drive down the Mendocino Coast finishing a close second.

We'll save the rest for "The Slide Show!"

Heading Home

(upper) Crazy Horse Memorial.

(center) Mount Rushmore

(right) Deadwood, where cowboy legends were made!

After 20 days on the road and counting, living day-to-day out of suitcases—packing and re-packing on a daily basis—we are heading home tomorrow morning from Rapid City, South Dakota. It will take two days to get there, but there will be no more stops for tourist sites, mountain overlooks and gourmet meals. Jump in the car with junk food, diet coke and books on tape.

Today, arriving in Rapid City at mid-day from Sheridan,Wyoming, we wrapped up the tourism sites by visiting Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. These are two places we wanted to see and Mount Rushmore just overwhelmed us. Four great Americans—George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln—carved into the face of a granite wall in the Black Hills National Forest. The figures, who in different eras literally shaped our country, cover a span of rock that stretches 800 feet wide by 500 feet high. It's a National Park and very well done.

When you first walk into the memorial, you feel a great sense of American pride, marveling at how and what these workers did to take a design by Gutzon Borglum in 1925 and turn it into this wonder of the world that took some 14 years to complete. The tools the workers used compared to today were ancient antiques of chisels, hammers, air drills and early-edition jackhammers, workers hanging on the side of cliffs and using model masks of the figures and hanging pointers from the top of the cliffs to make faces that are remarkably like the individuals they depict. Borglum selected the four leaders of our country to place on the face of the mountain and they all changed the history of our country.

Mimi and I hiked the Presidential Trail part way up the mountain where you can get a closer view of the faces and see the remnants of rock and shale from the granite. Ninety percent of the memorial was carved using dynamite, which is incredible that someone could form a nose or a mouth or a mustache by blowing up part of the mountain. You talk about American visionaries.

Then, we drove about 25 miles to the Crazy Horse Memorial, which has only just begun the task of carving one of America's best known native Americans into a granite mountain. the finished product will include Crazy Horse on his horse and pointing to the land he once defended. This memorial will be a great tribute to Native Americans and the task—inspired by Indian Chief Standing Bear and sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski in 1947—is being undertaken without any government help and through all private funding. The current status of the mountain sculpture is the front of the face of Crazy Horse and a rather small hole to begin his pointing arm are the only distinctive features completed. Ziolkowski and Standing Bear have since passed away but the sculptor's family is continuing the project with little funding. When finished, and who knows when, the memorial in the mountain will be 641 feet long and 563 feet high. It will be awesome to see and the workers are using modern drilling systems to get the task finished as soon as possible.

As we drove to Rapid City, we made a quick stop at the famous western town of Deadwood—you all remember the "Deadwood Stage" don't you—now refurbished with an attempt to take it back to the days of 1875. The city, now a national historic landmark, calls itself the place where cowboy legends lived and died. This town made famous the likes of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (the real ones not Paul Newman and Robert Redford) and other famous cowboys and outlaws. The restored buildings are terrific, but most of the town is full of casinos now to draw tourism so we didn't stay too long. It's just neat to say that we visited Deadwood!

Anyway, look forward to seeing everyone soon and can't wait to show you all our slide show. I know you can hardly wait for that!!!

Happy Trails.

Yellowstone & Beyond

Animal Day at Yellowstone—A moose as we were departing. An Elk casually eating along the highway and Mr. Bison and his buddy walking down the center of the road.

Unable to get on the internet at our "lodge" in Yellowstone last night, we are catching up with a day-and-a-half at Yellowstone and our journey toward Rapid City today. We won't discuss our lodging at Yellowstone, but, simply put, it wasn't what the pictures showed. It really didn't matter all that much because we stayed in the park late, drove to our hotel in the dark, passing elk along the road, and just hit the sack for an uncomfortable night of sleep in a room that was less than nice.

It's not easy to explain Yellowstone, except that it's millions of acres of land that literally has a little bit of everything, including the animals you see above.

We are driving down the road today in the park and, as the traffic slowed and eventually stopped in front of us, two huge Bison are walking down the center stripe of the road between the cars. They are just meandering right down the middle, barely missing the cars with their horns sticking out and really, could care less that there were people and cars around. It's their road, you know.

Anyway, I leave a little space between me and the car in front the Bison makes a left turn in front of our car, gives me a look like "thanks for the space" and walks off into the trees. It was truly a classic moment and Mimi and I were laughing so hard we couldn't move for about 30 seconds. There are thousands of Bison in the park and they don't care about roads. We were stopped three times today to let Bison cross the road. They are really big uglies and between the car and them, they'd win in a walk! We saw a whole bunch of elk in the park, including a big bull elk that wouldn't come out of the trees. I got a brief glimpse of him but not enough to take a photo, unfortunately. Then, as we leave the park and head for Cody, Wyoming, there are two moose right along the road. The one, in the photo above, was huge with a big "rack" on him. The momma elk just kept eating away right at roadside, unbothered by the people that started to gather along the highway.

Didn't get to see any bears, unfortunately and sadly, but we sure saw everything else, including a coyote chasing a field mouse in a field of Bison.

Yesterday we started Yellowstone with a beautiful drive from the Tetons and got some brand new views of the Teton peaks that are so majestic and saw incredible fall colors of the aspen along the way. After entering the park, we headed for Old Faithful, the most famous of the geysers but not even close to the only one. We sat on the porch of the Old Faithful Inn and watched Old Faithful erupt. There are more than 30 other geysers and steam pools all around Old Faithful and a boardwalk to walk around all of them. The whole park is full of these geysers and mud volcanos and hot springs. They pop up everywhere, including right next to the streams and rivers that run through the whole complex and they are amazing.

The temps of the water from them is about 160 to 200 degrees and you stand there watching water bubble like a hot tub. They worn you to stay on the boardwalks because the ground is crusty and you can easily sink into oblivion and scold yourself to death. Over a dozen people, who didn't take heed to the warning, have died by falling into these pools and surrounding areas. More than 100 have been severely scalded. When you look at these pools bubbling, you don't dare even think about stepping off the boardwalk.

History lesson No. 1. Some 650,000 years ago Yellowstone was a total volcano and the huge eruption caused all kinds of rock formations that, over time, have worn their way into canyons and gourges and geysers. The ground underneath is still boiling but, above the ground, is a beautiful park full of wild animals and forests and mountains that stretch forever.

Our newest surprise came this afternoon as we headed east in Wyoming where we ran into some of the most amazing terrain we've seen on the whole trip in the Big Horn National Forest. Heading over Granite Pass (9,000) are some of the most amazing rock formations you've ever seen and a geologists delight, I'm sure.

We drove through a limestone canyon that was only about 30 yards wide with steep walls that reached some 600 feet-plus into the sky, straight up! Signs near these cliffs said the walls of rock were anywhere from 330 million to 500 million years old. One granite wall was 2.5 billion—yes, billion—years old.

It was a phenomenal drive and, though we were tired and looking for a place to park for the night, we kept stopping to take photographs. We had no idea we were going to be driving through this kind of terrain so it was a very pleasant surprise and most enjoyable.

We stopped in Sheridan for the night and will take off in the morning for Grand Rapids, which is about three hours away. From there we'll check out the badlands, Mount Rushmore and Crazy Horse. Hopefully we can head for home sometime Monday and aiming to reach home by Tuesday night.

Home? Where is that? Is it still standing?

Happy Trails.

Tetons-Day II

(left) these erie little clouds hugged the valley floor this morning and the peaks of the Tetons were shrouded in clouds. (center) This is the kind of views you get from the golf course on nearly every hole. (right) Yes, I did get to play golf and the scenery seems to distract a little bit.

We had a full day of activity today in Day II of the Tetons. We didn't return to the hotel until 9 o'clock tonight.

We awakened to 34 degrees this morning and there was this little cloud formation hugging the valley floor and creeping up the little foothill right across the valley from us. The Teton peaks were covered by clouds as well and it looked as if the peaks caught the clouds and wouldn't let them go. Finally, later in the day, the skies cleared and we enjoyed a perfectly blue sky and a really spectacular view of the mountain range.

We drove over to the expensive side of the mountain—Teton Village— where Four Seasons has a lodge along with some other big name and high rent places. We decided that we had the better deal all the way around. We have a much better view of the Teton peaks and the whole mountain range. Teton Village is located at the base of the Jackson Hole Ski Area, which looks like a really difficult place to ski. Very steep and narrow runs. The hotel guy told us that it is about 50% expert, 40% intermediate and 10% beginner. Doesn't sound like my kind of place, especially now! These hotels and lodges are so close to the mountain range that you miss the full view of the peaks.

Jackson is about 6200 feet in elevation and our hotel is about 500 feet or so above that. These Teton peaks are like 13,000 feet so you can imagine how huge they seem.

We visited the National Wildlife Art Museum just outside Jackson Hole. It is really nice, some great paintings of all kinds of wildlife and some sensational sculptures, including one of a group of elk at the entrance to the building, which is constructed of natural rock.

After that we spent some time in downtown Jackson, just walking around and looking at the shops. The town is pretty compact, especially the shopping area, and is loaded with t-shirt shops, leather stores and art galleries. Most of the gallery places are way over-priced. Walked into one gallery full of some really nice photographs. There was a nice shot framed of Yellowstone. Cost—$10,000. Or you could buy a print of it for $625. What a deal, huh?

And, as you can see from the photos above, I did get to play golf. I played nine holes at the Jackson Hole Golf and Tennis Club with Mimi in the co-pilot's seat. Actually, we played late in the evening and had the course to ourselves. The views were spectacular and the course was very nice. We took our time, took photos of the mountains and then went to dinner at a mexican restaurant before we headed up the mountain to the Spring Creek Ranch.

The Hotel is just wonderful and you've seen the views we have from our back deck. You could spend all day looking at the Tetons. They are rugged, rocky and beautiful, very different from any of the mountain ranges we've gone through.

Tomorrow we visit Teton National Park and then head on to Yellowstone, which we are really looking forward to seeing. We have Yellowstone, then Mount Rushmore, the Bad Lands and Crazy Horse and then, believe it or not, we head for home. It seems like we've been gone for months. Miss you all.

Happy Trails.

The Tetons

(left) The colors at the top of the Teton Summit (9,700 feet). (Center) The Grand Teton from the Jackson Hole Valley. (right) Another great scenery golf course I didn't play.

If you are describing luxury and majestic scenery, you might start with where we are tonight—Spring Creek Ranch at Jackson Hole. So, just where do we go from here!

What an inspiring and beautiful place we have landed today, driving from Twin Falls Idaho, north through Pocatello and Idaho Falls. We took the long road over the Grand Teton Summit and believe me, it was worth the extra time to see the terrain and the colors of the aspen and willows and sage turning bright yellow and golds. This is the season for the turning colors of the aspen trees but everything else turns as well and it is a true kaleidoscope of colors enriched by a a dark green forest of pine trees and steep mountainsides.

When you reach the top of the summit, an incredible valley appears before your eyes full of green pastures and aspen trees that literally glow in the sunlight as they turn into their fall colors. Below lies Jackson and Jackson Hole, actually one in the same communities and a delightful view of the Teton Mountain Range, which is so different from anything we've seen.

Our room looks out on the Grand Teton range and you find yourself just standing on the deck looking out over the valley and onto this magnificent mountain range that was formed thousands of years ago by glaciers. The Snake River, which we followed all the way from Twin Falls, winds through the valley where aspens and popular trees change from green to yellow to gold in large groves.

I found another great golf course shadowed by the Tetons and could only take photos at the course because we have so many things to see. Tomorrow we explore the Teton National Park and get a closer view of the Grant Teton, a towering pointed piece of jagged rocks that climbs some 13,000 feet into the sky. The view in the evening from the restaurant at the hotel was simply magnificent and it was hard to believe that we were where we were, enjoying the view and wonders of the world.

As much as I would like to play golf, the National Park should be awesome and we'll most definitely get a closer look at this range of mountains that is like no other. There are lakes and rivers and creeks and forests that surround this range and the exploration should be something else.

We haven't even reached Yellowstone yet and already we are awed at what we've seen.

Happy Trails.

From Nevada to Idaho

So, you walk to the middle of

this bridge, see. Then you jump

off the bridge, pull the rip cord

and float to the ground or the

river or wherever. Maybe you

float to the golf course, which

is at the bottom of the canyon!
Listen up guys, I've got a new sport for us to add to our golf games, cigar smoking and wine drinking. It's called parachuting and, unlike Georgia Lynch, you don't need a plane. You just walk out to the middle of the Perrine Bridge— which spans the Snake River Canyon in Twin Falls, Idaho—and jump off. Don't forget to pull the cord and you need to do it rather quickly. It's about 500 feet down to either the river or a little tiny parcel of land near the river with huge rock walls flanking the sides.

About 5,000 young, crazy people do it each year and it is the only bridge in the world where it is not illegal to do it. They don't arrest you when you do it, they just look at you funny and hope you don't date their daughter or grand daughter.

Watching this is unbelievable. I only wish I had a really good camera to capture a close up of them climbing over the railing and flying out into the thin air with that treacherous canyon far below. We watched five people go off the bridge, one time a twosome. One of the guys didn't quite make the landing spot and wound up in the bushes at the side of the river.

We arrived in Twin Falls late this afternoon and I wasn't even going to do a blog because we had spent most of the day driving through my home state of Nevada (straight for 26 miles, slight left turn, straight for 32 miles, slight right turn, couple of mountains, lots of desert) and there really wasn't much to report.

We drove just under 500 miles today but, honestly, it really wasn't bad. There are parts of Nevada's terrain that are pretty awesome, especially the Ruby Mountain rang near Elko. Rugged mountains and there is still snow at the top of the highest peak, which I think is about 9,000 feet. I pointed out all the little towns to Joan as we drove, places I played football and baseball in high school, usually driving there in a school bus for a long distance. We were from the big city and the little town boys really didn't like to lose to us. Anyway, I'm pretty sure Joan was impressed! I didn't take photos of the ball fields so they won't be in my slide show when we get back.

You come into Twin Falls from the South on Highway 93 and it appears rather flat—they call it the Snake River Plains— and you can make out in the far distance to the north some mountains, which are near Sun Valley some 80 or so miles away. You are up about 5,000 feet or so, but it looks flat and there was a haze in the air that screened the mountain views. Then you drive to the Snake River, which runs through Twin Falls and you come upon this beautiful (and deep) gourge and it takes your breath away, particularly driving across this bridge and looking down into the canyon. Then you see those crazies leap off the bridge and you are amazed that people do that.

Twin Falls is a fairly big town (about 130,000) and pretty spread out. Two golf courses are located at the bottom of the canyon and they are simply gorgeous looking (nope, didn't play it or get close to it but it sure looked good). What you do is set your tee time and then tell the starter you'll literally be "dropping" in on the first hole.

Just when we think we've seen it all, we head for the Tetons, Jackson Hole and Yellowstone the next three days. Ought to be awesome, don't you think?

Happy Trails.