Flaming Gorge

K and I ran away for TWO nights this time, a REAL summer vacation at last! J kept snoozing on the way there (missed Vernal entirely). As she started to wake up and we got closer to our campground, J casually observed, "This reminds me of the Uintas." K politely responded, "This IS the Uintas." Oh. We stayed at Lodgepole Camground, smack in the middle of bear country. The campground host told us it was Little Seattle with an afternoon rainstorm every day at 1:00 p.m., but we totally lucked out--no rain! We love camping at 8,000 feet in July! So soothing. Pleasant times exploring with my husband. Gorge-ous views!

K happily announce, "We've got SIZZLE!"


K toasted these perfectly. As he brought them over he said, "I'm in a happy place right now."


The Bighorn Sheep let us get fairly close. A few of them did decide to stand up and move a few feet further away.





View from the Bear Canyon Bootleg Trail.


Dam view!


My darling CCC boys made this too!



Um...so these rocks used to be horizontal.


Desert varnish captures my attention for long periods of time.


K is hiding down by the stream...checking things out and taking photos of his own.



Big Spring. Somewhere in the middle of Sheep Creek located on the Sheep Creek Geological Loop.


"We call it Flaming Gorge." These were the words of John Wesley Powell, a maniac who floated down the Green and Colorado Rivers, back in the day. I think he was even missing one arm from the Civil War. Amazing, but you know, still a maniac.



We drove home through our beloved Wyoming. It was probably the nicest weather we've ever experienced in Wyoming, on any day of the year. We stopped by Fort Bridger and had a look around. The history teacher in me couldn't resist this photo: it's an actual Conestoga Wagon (we sing songs about Conestoga Wagons in fifth grade, People!) on THE actual trail. What trail, you might ask? Well, it's actually sitting on all FOUR trails which happened to have crossed through here, because, you know, Fort Bridger, was like Vegas or something, kind of an oasis. The trails are: Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail, California Trail, and the Pony Express Trail. All four--sitting right underneath that wagon.