Some time with Harry!

August 11 – Breakfast was not quite a success this morning!  I made toasted coconut pancakes with OLD batter and they were nasty!  The country ham and leftover sausage was good and since there was one muffin and 2 scones left there was something to take the place of the pancakes.  Of course there was fruit too!

Bill didn’t sleep well and Harry wanted to get home this evening instead of leaving tomorrow so we had to come up with a plan!  I suggested that Bill go back to bed and Harry drive he and I around the Mesa Falls loop and for Bill to meet us in Ashton for lunch.  Then Harry could head south and be 40 miles closer instead of us driving back to the campground and him leave from there.  Everyone agreed it was a good plan!

Harry at Upper Mesa Falls

We enjoyed the falls.  There was a big crowd at Upper Mesa Falls and we ended up in the overflow parking.  There were tons of wild huckleberries and there I was with nothing to put them in.  I don’t think Harry would have been too thrilled with picking them.  There were a few wild raspberries also.  I ate a few huckleberries and they aren’t as good as a blueberry but sure do look like them.

My little cabin

There were a lot less people at the Lower Mesa Falls.  We didn’t stay as long there and headed on around the loop.  It’s a nice scenic drive and the mountain to the bottom where the tiny “town” of Warm River is.  I’ve wanted to stop there so today we did.  I love the little cabin nestled into the side of the mountain along the river.  I found it strange that you can’t wade, swim, fish or boat in the river along there.

As we came out of the mountains and entered the farm land I called Bill to let him know how close we were to the restaurant where we were meeting.  I was in the middle of a text and a bright yellow crop duster looked like he was going

to hit us!  It was quite a shock.  Then I got out my camera and snapped as quickly as I could.  I got a couple of decent photos in the air and one as he was tight along the ground.  Would have been better if we were not moving also!

Bill was a little bit behind us so Harry wanted to stop at Family Dollar for a couple of things and that would save him doing it once he got home today.  Then we went to the restaurant and got our table where we looked at my plane photos while we waited for Bill.  Lunch was good.  Harry and I each had the Reuben and Bill had a Chicken Club.  They all come with fries so Harry ended up most of mine.  They brought our free ice cream cones which is a nice touch!

We said our good-byes in the parking lot and wished him a safe trip not only home today but for his trip to Europe in a week.  I forgot to tell him to call me when he got home so I sent him a text after is across the street so when we left so we stopped for some more fresh fruit and their awesome fresh ground sausage.  Then as we approached Island Park we stopped at Trouthunter’s Restaurant to see if they are still in operation and the same type of food as 2 years ago.  We drove past Angler’s Lodge, just to see where it was in case we decide to eat there.  Bill had checked out a map and found the road to another lodge kinda far back in and we drove back there and also found the gated entrance to the island where the campground owners' have 2 cabins.  The area was full of ATV trails and we saw several out and about.

Home was the final destination and it turned a bit windy with a little rain.  Once it cleared off Bill went out to finish painting the sewer marker stakes while I set my computer desk back up and washed a load of cleaning rags.  Since the wind died down later, Bill grilled burgers and chicken while I made a batch of tapioca pudding.   There was plenty of whole milk left from what I bought for Harry to drink.  He did put a good dent in it but there was enough for 2 batches.

I cooked corn on the cob to go with the burgers and some steamed broccoli.  Of course we had some tapioca for dessert.  Yum!  Then it was relaxation time before our next 2 days of slave labor!

Out and about

June 10 – I made a dozen apple muffins with streusel topping this morning.  They were a bit crumbly but pretty tasty with our ham, fruit and an egg for Bill.  I took a couple to Sue and Hank, our neighbors and co-workers.

We decided yesterday that today we would drive the Mesa Falls loop.  I put rugs in the

See the rainbow?

washer and we tidied up and got ready to go.  It's about 15 miles south to the turn off of the Mesa Falls Loop road and it’s not too far from there to the Upper Falls, first stop.  Our National Parks pass got us in for free since we’re old people, and we got parked.  You can go down to the falls viewing area by steps or a wood planked walkway that loops back around.  We did the stairs, being the exercise conscious people that we are. The falls were beautiful.  Forceful rushing waters with the sun in the right place creating a stunning rainbow in the mist of the falls.  The Upper Falls is 114 feet tall, as high as a 10 story building.  At its peak, over 2.5 billion gallon of water pour over it each day.

You can barely see the rainbow

After taking a number of photos we started heading back up towards the visitor center and there was a couple with a bucket and a long picker and Bill asked what they were doing.  Well, they were volunteers on trash duty, but the amazing part is once she and I got to talking and the guys got to talking, we discovered they are Tom and Nancy Leonard, formerly of Apopka, FL and members of the Golden Triangle Good Sam club.  He helped at all the Samborees with the outdoor games.  They volunteered at this campground in 2014 and ended up buying a house that year and moving out the next summer.  So they know people from our camping club, the people we work for here and some that we work with.  We plan to get with them for lunch one day while we’re here.

Lower Falls

From the Upper Falls we drove about a mile to the Lower Falls.  Not quite as spectacular but so deeply carved into the valley, the Lower Falls are very impressive on their own.  There was a older man there who told us he takes his boat down the steep cliff side at the base of the falls and fly fishes on down the river and how great the fishing is.

We completed the loop driving up and down the mountain and across the river in a tiny junction called Warm River.  From there we hit farm country.  I stopped to get a photo of the Tetons and the field of

Nice field

some kind of plant of all lavender flowers was so pretty.  We later saw fields of potatoes and other hay crops before entering the town of Ashton, where we stopped for lunch.  Lunch was good, just a huge ½ sandwich with a salad for me and a grilled chicken sandwich with fries for Bill.  You get a “free” scoop of vanilla ice cream with lunch, so that was icing on the cake!

The next detour took us to the Island Park

Dam.  We didn’t see the dam but we saw the reservoir the dam made.  They had 3 docks and the boat ramp.  There were some boats on the water and the backdrop of the mountain was nice.  Time to head home.

Bill went and mowed grass (on his day off) and I cleaned up some old email, made some phone calls, and worked on my journal and blog.  I had taken out an assortment of meats to grill and as luck would be, the wind kicked up making it impossible to grill.  Out came George and a few pieces at a time I grill brats, burgers and chicken.  That should cover us for at least two more meals.  I had 2 ears of corn left and that went perfect with the broccoli slaw.  There was a piece of jello pie left that we shared.

Then it’s back to the computer and start planning where we want to go while we’re here and once we leave!