Trail Ridge Road Summit, RMNP, Colorado

After a brief stop at the Alpine Visitor Center we continued on Trail Ridge Road to the Gore Range Overlook.  At this point we stopped to get more information, from the interpretive signs, for one of the geocaches needed to complete the Across the Divide Geocache Tour.

Must get geocache, must get geocache!


 From the Gore Range Overlook one can see Long's Peak, Stone's Peak, Terra Homah, Mount Julian, Mount Ida, Forest Canyon, the Gore Range, the Never Summer Mountains, the Crater, and Specimen Mountains - all evolving from volcanic explosions or carved out by Ice Age glaciers.

Gore Range Overlook

Traveling on from the Gore Range Overlook we hit the summit of Trail Ridge Road, went through Iceberg Pass and stopped again at the Lava Cliff's Outlook for more geocaching information.  Once we had the information we needed, it was back on the road to the Tundra Communities Trailhead, not to hike, but to get a few photographs of the furry marmots popping up out of the rocks and the elk grazing in the meadows.
Yellow Bellied Marmot

Mama elk and her calf

Elk, elk and more elk!

Bull elk rests among yellow snow buttercups

Rock Cut

Continuing on Trail Ridge Road we drove through Rock Cut then stopped again at Forest Canyon Overlook for a short, windy but scenic hike to an overlook.  Forest Canyon has to be the prettiest part of Rocky Mountain National Park!  At this overlook we were really able to view the alpine tundra.  The Alpine Tundra Ecosystem starts between elevations of 11,000 to 11,500 feet, depending on exposure.  Strong, frequent winds and cold temperatures limit what plants can grow there.  Staying on the trail is showing respect for this fragile ecosystem. 
Panoramic view of Forest Canyon

Forest Canyon from overlook

Beautiful, but fragile Alpine Tundra

Another shot of the Forest Canyon

Alpine lake in distance from Forest Canyon Overlook

 Our next stop on Trail Ridge Road was Rainbow Curve where we photographed some seriously cute chipmunks begging for food. Obviously, the chipmunks, nor TK, read the sign that said, "Don't feed the wildlife!" Who knew chipmunks love Chex Mix!
"May I have some food, please?"

This Clark's Nutcracker wanted his picture taken too!

 Thinking park rangers might be on our trail we hit the trail - Trail Ridge Road, once again, and made our way to the Beaver Ponds for more geocaching information.

 At Deer Ridge Junction we turned north on to Fall River Road and made our way to Sheep Lakes Information Station for, you'll never guess, more geocaching information! We seriously wanted the prize at the end of the tour!

 
"Kettle" ponds at Sheep Lakes Information Station


 From Sheep Lakes we continued on Fall River Road passing the Fall River Visitor Center and on into the town of Estes Park, Colorado.

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Ballard, Washington

Leaving Pike Place Market we headed to the neighborhood of Ballard . Ballard is located in the northwestern part of Seattle. To the north it is bounded by Crown Hill, (N.W. 85th Street); to the east by Greenwood, Phinney Ridge and Fremont (along 8th Avenue N.W.); to the south by the Lake Washington Ship Canal; and to the west by Puget Sound’s Shilshole Bay. The neighborhood’s landmarks include the  Hiram M. Chittenden Locks  (known locally as the "Ballard Locks"), the Nordic Heritage Museum, the Shilshole Bay Marina, and Golden Gardens Park. Entrance to Carl S. English Jr. Botanical Gardens and Hiram M. Chittenden Locks The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, or Ballard Locks, is a complex of locks at the west end of Salmon Bay, in Seattle, Washington's Lake Washington Ship Canal, between the neighborhoods of Ballard to the north and Magnolia to the south. We wanted to know and followed the fish but didn't realize it was across the locks until we were on our way
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Caddo Lake State Park, Texas

While visiting the historic town of Jefferson we could not pass up the opportunity to make a short visit to Caddo Lake State Park .  The park sits near the small town of Karnack, in east Texas.  The name of this park is a bit deceiving as the park doesn't sit on the shores of Caddo Lake (the only natural, fresh water lake in Texas) but on Big Cypress Bayou. Entrance sign Entrance signs to Caddo Lake State Park Big Cypress Bayou from boat ramp (west) Big Cypress Bayou looking east.  Follow the bayou east to reach Caddo Lake. Like most Texas state parks the structures within Caddo Lake SP were built by the  Civilian Conservation Corps . Company 889 began the work, in June to November of 1933. Company 857 continued construction from October 1934 to March 1937. One of the cabins that can be rented at the park CCC workers converted 15 U.S. Army barracks and an Army mess hall into the nine log cabins and group recreation hall that can be used today.  
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Twilight Eagle Santuary, Oregon

Sadly, we left Astoria and traveled east on the East Columbia Highway (Highway 30) back to Portland to catch the red eye back home.  When we passed the sign, we knew we had found what our trip had been missing so we turned the Blue Devil around and headed to the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary. The Twilight Eagle Sanctuary is located within Cathlamet Bay , 2.5 miles east of Astoria, Oregon , and just downstream from Settler Point.  This wetland Sanctuary was established in 1992, and along with Columbia Land Trust acquisitions in 2009, now totals over 100 acres of old growth forest, tidal wetlands, and shoreline, and stretches nearly a mile along the Columbia River. The Sanctuary is just off of U.S. Highway 30. A viewing platform overlooks acres of mudflats, tidal marshes, open water, and islands. It is an excellent location to observe birds and other wildlife living on the lower Columbia River estuary. The viewing area has several interpretive panels about the wetlands, bald eagles,