Island Park

When Layne and I travel, getting to our destination is everything.  When I occasionally suggest that we stop for something or someone interesting along the way, I can count on Layne to respond with a desire to just keep driving.  This past week it was different.  We get together with our friends Bill and Trudy Ostler a couple of times a year and last week was one of those times.  They flew here from St. George on Monday.  We met them at the airport and began a 6 hour drive to Island Park, ID, where Layne's family cabin sits in the midst of the forest.  We arrived in time to settle in and go to bed.

North fork of the Snake River.

Bill and Trudy love adventure.  Layne had a variety of things to do all arranged, according to the interests of our guests.  Every suggestion of an activity they enthusiastically supported.  So we wound up doing all sorts of things we would never have done without them.  Tuesday we rafted the clear waters of the north fork of the snake river, not far from the cabin.  But here's the thing; the north fork springs out of the earth like magic at Big Springs.  It is quite a sight to see a river emerge from what appears to be nowhere.  Suddenly, there is water and bunches of it.

Big Springs, where this water springs up out of the earth.

In 1959 a huge earthquake hit the Hebgen Reservoir, not far from Island Park.  At that time, tons of dirt and rock fell from the surrounding mountains and the shake moved the earth and nearby reservoir, trapping people and burying shoreline homes.  The area is now called Quake Lake and it is quite a sight to see.  The signs of the earthquake are everywhere.  The landfall can still be clearly seen in the scarred mountains.  The piles of dirt and rock still stand where they settled years ago.  The homes half buried in water are still there.  It is a haunting place and, if your interests turn to geology, there is much to see and admire about the forces of nature and what she can do when upset.  We lingered there until nightfall as we explored all we could fit into the remaining daylight.

Signs of the landslide during the 1959 earthquake; trees still have not returned to the mountain.  The reservoir sits below.

Trudy and Layne in front of one of the large boulders that rolled from the mountain across the water to settle on the opposite shore.

Wednesday we headed to Yellowstone Park and drove a complete circle through it.  Of course we stopped at every conceivable sight.  We saw Old Faithful, which looked much different than I remember as a girl.  Geyser basins appear in much of the park and they were fascinating to see.  The earth bubbles with heat as steam and the smell of sulfur fills the air.  Yellowstone covers a giant volcano which, if it decided to erupt, would cover the west (so we are told). With the earth steaming, it wasn't too hard to imagine the heat that must be stored beneath the earth, waiting for a trigger to come forth.  Perhaps the basins provide some relief to the pressure  We can hope.

Layne, Bill and Trudy in front of Old Faithful.

One of the many geyser basins in Yellowstone Park.

We drove through a herd of bison as we proceeded to a place called the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  It was very grand and majestic.  The area provide quite a romantic spot for one couple.  As we moved along the path to the best view of all we came upon a small group assembled to witness a young man proposing to his sweetheart.  With all those witnesses, I'm happy to say that she said yes.  We all applauded.

The buffalo!

The waterfall in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.

There is a small live theater in the town of Yellowstone.  We attended an evening performance of "Le Miserable".  Most of the performers were from BYUI, working for the summer.  They were great.  Bill, Trudy and I loved it.  Layne wasn't very familiar with the story or the music so he spent much of the time trying to make sense of it.  But all in all, it was a very fun evening.

Layne and me in front of the Galbraith cabin in Island Park.

We took our time driving home on Thursday, stopping at whatever place looked interesting.  Our first stop was Rexburg, where we visited with grandson Chase for a few minutes.  After a milkshake at Chase's recommendation, our journey home began in earnest.  The drive was prolonged by Bill missing the right road and driving for quite awhile in the wrong direction.  But we even enjoyed that.  We toured an interesting sight of an old volcanic eruption called Craters of the Moon.  Nature does some amazing things.  It would be a good location for a space movie.  Our 6 hour drive home actually took twice that long.  But it was fun and Layne didn't complain a bit.

Craters of the Moon.

Trudy, me and Layne in a country restaurant for dinner on our way home Thursday.

Bill and Trudy flew home on Friday.  We spoke in another ward on pornography today.  It was our best yet and I think it went well.  Scott arrives this coming Tuesday to do some work for us for a couple of weeks.  He is earning money for his mission to Thailand, which begins this coming November.

And so the busy days of summer continue, but not for long.  Our temperature is down 10 degrees and the coolness of fall is beginning to descend.  I'm rejoicing.  Layne is mourning.