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(202, 2, '2011-09-15 23:01:52', '2011-09-15 23:01:52', 'Start: Alpine, WY - <a href=\"http://www.greysrivercove.com/\">Greys River Cove RV Park</a>\nDestination: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nOdometer: 104,189 (start)  104,477 (end)   288 miles\nDate:  Tuesday, September 6th,  2011\n\nAgain, nature can be the best alarm clock.  Thanks to some strong and persistent winds, and our general sense of alertness at the hour, we had broken camp and were on the road to Yellowstone around 5:30 in the morning.\n\nTo get to Yellowstone, we went through Grand Teton National Park, instead of along side it as the day before.  We were able to see some beautiful landscapes during sunrise, see the roaming buffalos at Moose, get a closer view of the Grand Teton Mountain range, and cross the continental divide.  It was a pleasant, quick, and rather uneventful drive through mostly thick forests.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-189\" title=\"102_1728\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe reached Yellowstone a little after 8 and asked the ranger at the gate when the next eruption of Old Faithful would be.  We were informed there’d be one around 9, so we headed straight for the Old Faithful geyser. Despite our efforts, we were stymied by a slower moving car that could not be legally or safely passed.  We arrived at the Old Faithful visitor center to see its 9:07 eruption from the distance.  We’d have to wait another 90 minutes or so for its next performance.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-190\" title=\"102_1793\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nRather than leaving to go set up camp and come back, which would be a 30 minute drive each way, we decided to have breakfast at the visitor center, check out the post office and exhibits, and try to get a good seat.\n\nOld Faithful is not the biggest geyser around, but its certainly the most famous.  It gets its name from the fact that its eruption is frequent, occurs roughly every 90 minutes, and has been keeping the same schedule for decades.  As such, an old and faithful tourism industry can, and has been, built around it.  The park contains hundreds, if not thousands, of geysers, which dot the park both along the road and in the distance.  Seeing steam coming from the ground is a normal occurrence that is part of the landscape.  I did not realize that Yellowstone, and much of the region surrounding it, used to be a volcano and is still thermally very active.\n\nWaiting for Old Faithful to erupt was a somewhat odd experience.  Everyone knows what will happen, and has seen/heard about it, but wants to experience it first-hand.  The anticipation for what amounts to an event of a couple of minutes has been building for minutes, hours, days, or a lifetime, depending on the person.  However, before the eruption, there really isn’t much happening: just steam coming out of a hole with a whole lot of people watching.  As such, most people are just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This wait however is punctured several times by teases, as some extra splashes of water emerge from the hole in the ground or the steam rises a few additional feet.  Then, finally, without much warning:  <a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1811.mp4\">eruption</a>.  Water is shot over a hundred feet in the air, and its vapor continues to rise, as if a cloud, into the sky.  While I had thought everyone would be standing up and pushing to get a better view, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather silent awe that came upon the crowd as most sat and gazed at this spectacle of nature. The design of the viewing gallery also helped, by only being two rows deep, but encircling the geyser wide enough for everyone to have a good viewing angle.\n\nWhat was odd about this experience was the sense that this was nature, but it was also a somewhat human-produced show, like a play or skit we’d all come to see.  The ways that people and parks civilize, control, and commercialize nature is something that I’ll be thinking about during this trip.\n\nAfter Old Faithful, we headed over to our campground to get set up.  But first we took an unplanned stop at the Black Sands Basin.  This was a highlight of the trip, I dare say more than Old Faithful.  The Black Sands Basin had waters of light blues, steam of bright white, sands of tan and yellow, and wild ducks of a shade of grey we had never seen.  It was great just walking around the pools and sands and feeling the hot mud.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe campgrounds were also quite nice.  The check-in process was longer than desired, but we’d highly recommend the Madison Campground.  Our campsite was large, we were next to the bathroom, and there was a path to the river behind our site which we were able to take.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-193\" title=\"102_1859\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-194\" title=\"102_1856\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter setting up our campsite, we headed off to start the Upper Loop of the park.  There were so many great sites along this road, but a few stand out.\n\nFirst, are the Artists Pots.  We didn’t really know what these were, but had heard that they were a key place to visit.  Initially, we were quite disappointed.  There was a long walk to the area, the length of which we were not aware of.  We came to what looked like a few pools of water on a hill, and were unimpressed, especially after seeing the Black Sands Basin.  You can’t go this far and not go farther though, so we went to the right and started on the loop around the hill.  We’re glad we did, because the Artists Pots got better the further along the path we went.  The array of bubbling colors, from oranges to whites to blues, and the whole panorama when one reaches the top of the hill are quite a scene.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652706965915394785%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652706965915394785%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe next stop was the Virginia Cascades, but the cascades ended up being the side story of that stop.  The road to the cascades is a one-lane, one-way road that travels along the river, and as such has many turns to it.  The drive was pleasant, but then, coming around a bend, there was something coming down the road, going the wrong direction on the one-way road:  a buffalo.  We had been warned that buffalo are rather docile, but can become agitated and can travel up to 30mph.  I managed to stop the car a fair distance away, but was concerned about the cars I knew were coming up behind me being able to see and stop after coming around the turn.  Also not helping was the emergence of a second buffalo from around the bend.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-195\" title=\"102_1907\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nThe first rule in a situation like this is:  Don’t Panic. The buffalo were moving slow enough, so I focused my attention on the cars coming from behind me.  I prepared to have to drive forward, but readied myself to honk the horn for when they came around the turn.  Fortunately, the horn did not startle the buffalo and the car behind us was able to stop and pull to the side.  I then proceeded to go in reverse to park on the side of the road.  The other car seemed awed and unconcerned, so I backed up behind them and the second car that arrived, to be the third in the line (I had no interest in being the first car they’d meet and was reminded of the saying about bears and just having to be faster than the slowest person in the group).\n\nI’m glad to report this situation passed without incident.  I was able to snap some up-close pictures of the buffalo, the car was undamaged, and we had a cool story to tell.  On the downside, we ended up missing the good viewing spot for the cascades. Oh well, we’ve seen cascades before.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nAfter the cascades came the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  At first, I thought this was going to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention by throwing the Grand Canyon in there, sort of like a place being the New York City of Nebraska (no offense intended to Nebraska).  Again, our low expectations turned out to be completely incorrect.  This is an amazing canyon (and since I’m writing this after leaving the Grand Canyon, will add that we appreciated this canyon much more).  This canyon has a huge waterfall of light-green water, with canyon walls of 800-1200 feet high, containing an array of colors and textures throughout.  Each viewing spot offered a new and impressive view of the canyon.  We did both the north and south rim, and were continually awed.  I had not heard of this canyon before, but it should be on everyone’s site-to-see list.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nFurther along the loop, we came to a drive that led up to Mount Washburn, which is the tallest mountain in Yellowstone, more than 10,000 feet high.  This “road” is a turn that needs to be taken while already on a sharp turn, is more gravel than road, and more steep than flat.  This turn-off was my idea, and I was starting to regret it, for fear we’d end up with a flat tire.  I remembered seeing other cars of less quality than ours go up and down however, so I relaxed.  That was until, again, there was a buffalo in the road walking down towards us.  While there was no one behind us, there was also no one around us in case something happened.  Falling back to what worked before, I stopped the car on the side, made no sudden movements, and let him continue on his way; which he did.  (We had a discussion later, with no solid conclusion, on whether, if a buffalo charges, it would be better to:  a) stay still b) accelerate towards it c) put the car in neutral d) speed backwards in reverse...what would you advise?) We finally made it to the top of the hill, and were glad we did the drive.  The view of the planes and mountains of Yellowstone were unparalleled.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-196\" title=\"102_2005\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe also stopped at some water falls, at some viewpoints of misc. mountains, at a petrified tree, and at a herd of buffalo crossing the road.  These were all on the way to our intended destination of the Mammoth Springs, which was the last main stop-off on the loop.  I knew little of this place, and in my head had the image of a large hot spring were one might bath again, similar to Thermopolis.  While the resort area built up around this Spring may have had a bath house, the free public attraction was just a hill with a lengthy boardwalk that took one up to the top of the Spring.  We were both tired, so we started at the bottom to see if it would be worth our time and energy.  We were impressed with what we saw.  There was an exhausted mineral fountain and what looked like ski slaloms and platforms of white, grey, and various shades of brown formed by the mineral deposits. This was the bottom, so the top must be better, right?  Well, not really.  After a steep walk 300 feet up the hill, and probably a mile long, with a few terraces along the way, we came to the peak to see a dried out pool of white minerals and a view of the resort.  Unlike the Artists Pots, this Mammoth Springs started strong and ended weak.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nOn the plus side, Mammoth Springs was a few miles from the border with Montana, so we took a detour north to add the envisioned “Welcome to Montana” sign to our collection.  After a few steep, winding roads, we came to a river with a little bridge and a sign we almost missed: “Entering Montana.”  It was a bit anti-climatic, but we got the picture, crossed the line, turned around, and started the journey back to our campsite.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-197\" title=\"102_2092\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nOur journey back required us to go back again through Mammoth Springs, but this time, as we went around its traffic circle, we were greeted by, what we think are, elk, grazing on the grass in the center.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-198\" title=\"102_2096\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter gawking and snapping pictures along with a few other cars for a few minutes, we continued on our way.  By this time, the sun was setting and we were racing it back to the campground.  We lost that race, but were glad we did, because we were able to see some great sunset landscapes containing a marvelous spectrum of purples and pinks.\n\nWe arrived at our campsite around 8:10.  We had been traveling the Upper Loop for about 9 hours, but the time flew by.  We bought a nice block of ice from the automated ice-vending machine, had a late dinner, and went to bed.\n\nWe were only spending a day in Yellowstone, but we could easily have spent several.  It is an amazing place, and we made the most of our day in it.  We saw famous and not so famous geysers, more buffalo than we’d have liked, and beautiful mineral pools and formations.\n\nTomorrow, we head into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon, then south to visit and camp at Antelope Island State Park, in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 8:  Yellowstone National Park', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '187-revision-6', '', '', '2011-09-15 23:01:52', '2011-09-15 23:01:52', '', 187, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=202', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(203, 2, '2011-09-15 23:04:21', '2011-09-15 23:04:21', 'Start: Alpine, WY - <a href=\"http://www.greysrivercove.com/\">Greys River Cove RV Park</a>\r\nDestination: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nOdometer: 104,189 (start)  104,477 (end)   288 miles\r\nDate:  Tuesday, September 6th,  2011\r\n\r\nAgain, nature can be the best alarm clock.  Thanks to some strong and persistent winds, and our general sense of alertness at the hour, we had broken camp and were on the road to Yellowstone around 5:30 in the morning.\r\n\r\nTo get to Yellowstone, we went through Grand Teton National Park, instead of along side it as the day before.  We were able to see some beautiful landscapes during sunrise, see the roaming buffalos at Moose, get a closer view of the Grand Teton Mountain range, and cross the continental divide.  It was a pleasant, quick, and rather uneventful drive through mostly thick forests.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-189\" title=\"102_1728\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe reached Yellowstone a little after 8 and asked the ranger at the gate when the next eruption of Old Faithful would be.  We were informed there’d be one around 9, so we headed straight for the Old Faithful geyser. Despite our efforts, we were stymied by a slower moving car that could not be legally or safely passed.  We arrived at the Old Faithful visitor center to see its 9:07 eruption from the distance.  We’d have to wait another 90 minutes or so for its next performance.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-190\" title=\"102_1793\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nRather than leaving to go set up camp and come back, which would be a 30 minute drive each way, we decided to have breakfast at the visitor center, check out the post office and exhibits, and try to get a good seat.\r\n\r\nOld Faithful is not the biggest geyser around, but its certainly the most famous.  It gets its name from the fact that its eruption is frequent, occurs roughly every 90 minutes, and has been keeping the same schedule for decades.  As such, an old and faithful tourism industry can, and has been, built around it.  The park contains hundreds, if not thousands, of geysers, which dot the park both along the road and in the distance.  Seeing steam coming from the ground is a normal occurrence that is part of the landscape.  I did not realize that Yellowstone, and much of the region surrounding it, used to be a volcano and is still thermally very active.\r\n\r\nWaiting for Old Faithful to erupt was a somewhat odd experience.  Everyone knows what will happen, and has seen/heard about it, but wants to experience it first-hand.  The anticipation for what amounts to an event of a couple of minutes has been building for minutes, hours, days, or a lifetime, depending on the person.  However, before the eruption, there really isn’t much happening: just steam coming out of a hole with a whole lot of people watching.  As such, most people are just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This wait however is punctured several times by teases, as some extra splashes of water emerge from the hole in the ground or the steam rises a few additional feet.  Then, finally, without much warning:  <a href=\"http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2127576/102_1811.MOV\">eruption</a>.  Water is shot over a hundred feet in the air, and its vapor continues to rise, as if a cloud, into the sky.  While I had thought everyone would be standing up and pushing to get a better view, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather silent awe that came upon the crowd as most sat and gazed at this spectacle of nature. The design of the viewing gallery also helped, by only being two rows deep, but encircling the geyser wide enough for everyone to have a good viewing angle.\r\n\r\nWhat was odd about this experience was the sense that this was nature, but it was also a somewhat human-produced show, like a play or skit we’d all come to see.  The ways that people and parks civilize, control, and commercialize nature is something that I’ll be thinking about during this trip.\r\n\r\nAfter Old Faithful, we headed over to our campground to get set up.  But first we took an unplanned stop at the Black Sands Basin.  This was a highlight of the trip, I dare say more than Old Faithful.  The Black Sands Basin had waters of light blues, steam of bright white, sands of tan and yellow, and wild ducks of a shade of grey we had never seen.  It was great just walking around the pools and sands and feeling the hot mud.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe campgrounds were also quite nice.  The check-in process was longer than desired, but we’d highly recommend the Madison Campground.  Our campsite was large, we were next to the bathroom, and there was a path to the river behind our site which we were able to take.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-193\" title=\"102_1859\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-194\" title=\"102_1856\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter setting up our campsite, we headed off to start the Upper Loop of the park.  There were so many great sites along this road, but a few stand out.\r\n\r\nFirst, are the Artists Pots.  We didn’t really know what these were, but had heard that they were a key place to visit.  Initially, we were quite disappointed.  There was a long walk to the area, the length of which we were not aware of.  We came to what looked like a few pools of water on a hill, and were unimpressed, especially after seeing the Black Sands Basin.  You can’t go this far and not go farther though, so we went to the right and started on the loop around the hill.  We’re glad we did, because the Artists Pots got better the further along the path we went.  The array of bubbling colors, from oranges to whites to blues, and the whole panorama when one reaches the top of the hill are quite a scene.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe next stop was the Virginia Cascades, but the cascades ended up being the side story of that stop.  The road to the cascades is a one-lane, one-way road that travels along the river, and as such has many turns to it.  The drive was pleasant, but then, coming around a bend, there was something coming down the road, going the wrong direction on the one-way road:  a buffalo.  We had been warned that buffalo are rather docile, but can become agitated and can travel up to 30mph.  I managed to stop the car a fair distance away, but was concerned about the cars I knew were coming up behind me being able to see and stop after coming around the turn.  Also not helping was the emergence of a second buffalo from around the bend.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-195\" title=\"102_1907\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe first rule in a situation like this is:  Don’t Panic. The buffalo were moving slow enough, so I focused my attention on the cars coming from behind me.  I prepared to have to drive forward, but readied myself to honk the horn for when they came around the turn.  Fortunately, the horn did not startle the buffalo and the car behind us was able to stop and pull to the side.  I then proceeded to go in reverse to park on the side of the road.  The other car seemed awed and unconcerned, so I backed up behind them and the second car that arrived, to be the third in the line (I had no interest in being the first car they’d meet and was reminded of the saying about bears and just having to be faster than the slowest person in the group).\r\n\r\nI’m glad to report this situation passed without incident.  I was able to snap some up-close pictures of the buffalo, the car was undamaged, and we had a cool story to tell.  On the downside, we ended up missing the good viewing spot for the cascades. Oh well, we’ve seen cascades before.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nAfter the cascades came the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  At first, I thought this was going to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention by throwing the Grand Canyon in there, sort of like a place being the New York City of Nebraska (no offense intended to Nebraska).  Again, our low expectations turned out to be completely incorrect.  This is an amazing canyon (and since I’m writing this after leaving the Grand Canyon, will add that we appreciated this canyon much more).  This canyon has a huge waterfall of light-green water, with canyon walls of 800-1200 feet high, containing an array of colors and textures throughout.  Each viewing spot offered a new and impressive view of the canyon.  We did both the north and south rim, and were continually awed.  I had not heard of this canyon before, but it should be on everyone’s site-to-see list.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nFurther along the loop, we came to a drive that led up to Mount Washburn, which is the tallest mountain in Yellowstone, more than 10,000 feet high.  This “road” is a turn that needs to be taken while already on a sharp turn, is more gravel than road, and more steep than flat.  This turn-off was my idea, and I was starting to regret it, for fear we’d end up with a flat tire.  I remembered seeing other cars of less quality than ours go up and down however, so I relaxed.  That was until, again, there was a buffalo in the road walking down towards us.  While there was no one behind us, there was also no one around us in case something happened.  Falling back to what worked before, I stopped the car on the side, made no sudden movements, and let him continue on his way; which he did.  (We had a discussion later, with no solid conclusion, on whether, if a buffalo charges, it would be better to:  a) stay still b) accelerate towards it c) put the car in neutral d) speed backwards in reverse...what would you advise?) We finally made it to the top of the hill, and were glad we did the drive.  The view of the planes and mountains of Yellowstone were unparalleled.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-196\" title=\"102_2005\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe also stopped at some water falls, at some viewpoints of misc. mountains, at a petrified tree, and at a herd of buffalo crossing the road.  These were all on the way to our intended destination of the Mammoth Springs, which was the last main stop-off on the loop.  I knew little of this place, and in my head had the image of a large hot spring were one might bath again, similar to Thermopolis.  While the resort area built up around this Spring may have had a bath house, the free public attraction was just a hill with a lengthy boardwalk that took one up to the top of the Spring.  We were both tired, so we started at the bottom to see if it would be worth our time and energy.  We were impressed with what we saw.  There was an exhausted mineral fountain and what looked like ski slaloms and platforms of white, grey, and various shades of brown formed by the mineral deposits. This was the bottom, so the top must be better, right?  Well, not really.  After a steep walk 300 feet up the hill, and probably a mile long, with a few terraces along the way, we came to the peak to see a dried out pool of white minerals and a view of the resort.  Unlike the Artists Pots, this Mammoth Springs started strong and ended weak.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nOn the plus side, Mammoth Springs was a few miles from the border with Montana, so we took a detour north to add the envisioned “Welcome to Montana” sign to our collection.  After a few steep, winding roads, we came to a river with a little bridge and a sign we almost missed: “Entering Montana.”  It was a bit anti-climatic, but we got the picture, crossed the line, turned around, and started the journey back to our campsite.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-197\" title=\"102_2092\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOur journey back required us to go back again through Mammoth Springs, but this time, as we went around its traffic circle, we were greeted by, what we think are, elk, grazing on the grass in the center.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-198\" title=\"102_2096\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter gawking and snapping pictures along with a few other cars for a few minutes, we continued on our way.  By this time, the sun was setting and we were racing it back to the campground.  We lost that race, but were glad we did, because we were able to see some great sunset landscapes containing a marvelous spectrum of purples and pinks.\r\n\r\nWe arrived at our campsite around 8:10.  We had been traveling the Upper Loop for about 9 hours, but the time flew by.  We bought a nice block of ice from the automated ice-vending machine, had a late dinner, and went to bed.\r\n\r\nWe were only spending a day in Yellowstone, but we could easily have spent several.  It is an amazing place, and we made the most of our day in it.  We saw famous and not so famous geysers, more buffalo than we’d have liked, and beautiful mineral pools and formations.\r\n\r\nTomorrow, we head into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon, then south to visit and camp at Antelope Island State Park, in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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(204, 2, '2011-09-15 23:13:41', '2011-09-15 23:13:41', 'Start: Alpine, WY - <a href=\"http://www.greysrivercove.com/\">Greys River Cove RV Park</a>\nDestination: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nOdometer: 104,189 (start)  104,477 (end)   288 miles\nDate:  Tuesday, September 6th,  2011\n\nAgain, nature can be the best alarm clock.  Thanks to some strong and persistent winds, and our general sense of alertness at the hour, we had broken camp and were on the road to Yellowstone around 5:30 in the morning.\n\nTo get to Yellowstone, we went through Grand Teton National Park, instead of along side it as the day before.  We were able to see some beautiful landscapes during sunrise, see the roaming buffalos at Moose, get a closer view of the Grand Teton Mountain range, and cross the continental divide.  It was a pleasant, quick, and rather uneventful drive through mostly thick forests.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-189\" title=\"102_1728\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe reached Yellowstone a little after 8 and asked the ranger at the gate when the next eruption of Old Faithful would be.  We were informed there’d be one around 9, so we headed straight for the Old Faithful geyser. Despite our efforts, we were stymied by a slower moving car that could not be legally or safely passed.  We arrived at the Old Faithful visitor center to see its 9:07 eruption from the distance.  We’d have to wait another 90 minutes or so for its next performance.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-190\" title=\"102_1793\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\n\nRather than leaving to go set up camp and come back, which would be a 30 minute drive each way, we decided to have breakfast at the visitor center, check out the post office and exhibits, and try to get a good seat.\n\nOld Faithful is not the biggest geyser around, but its certainly the most famous.  It gets its name from the fact that its eruption is frequent, occurs roughly every 90 minutes, and has been keeping the same schedule for decades.  As such, an old and faithful tourism industry can, and has been, built around it.  The park contains hundreds, if not thousands, of geysers, which dot the park both along the road and in the distance.  Seeing steam coming from the ground is a normal occurrence that is part of the landscape.  I did not realize that Yellowstone, and much of the region surrounding it, used to be a volcano and is still thermally very active.\n\nWaiting for Old Faithful to erupt was a somewhat odd experience.  Everyone knows what will happen, and has seen/heard about it, but wants to experience it first-hand.  The anticipation for what amounts to an event of a couple of minutes has been building for minutes, hours, days, or a lifetime, depending on the person.  However, before the eruption, there really isn’t much happening: just steam coming out of a hole with a whole lot of people watching.  As such, most people are just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This wait however is punctured several times by teases, as some extra splashes of water emerge from the hole in the ground or the steam rises a few additional feet.  Then, finally, without much warning: <a href=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E0cIuG1TcwyTSLqDSFjFKw?feat=directlink\" target=\"_blank\">eruption</a>.  Water is shot over a hundred feet in the air, and its vapor continues to rise, as if a cloud, into the sky.  While I had thought everyone would be standing up and pushing to get a better view, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather silent awe that came upon the crowd as most sat and gazed at this spectacle of nature. The design of the viewing gallery also helped, by only being two rows deep, but encircling the geyser wide enough for everyone to have a good viewing angle.\n\nWhat was odd about this experience was the sense that this was nature, but it was also a somewhat human-produced show, like a play or skit we’d all come to see.  The ways that people and parks civilize, control, and commercialize nature is something that I’ll be thinking about during this trip.\n\nAfter Old Faithful, we headed over to our campground to get set up.  But first we took an unplanned stop at the Black Sands Basin.  This was a highlight of the trip, I dare say more than Old Faithful.  The Black Sands Basin had waters of light blues, steam of bright white, sands of tan and yellow, and wild ducks of a shade of grey we had never seen.  It was great just walking around the pools and sands and feeling the hot mud.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe campgrounds were also quite nice.  The check-in process was longer than desired, but we’d highly recommend the Madison Campground.  Our campsite was large, we were next to the bathroom, and there was a path to the river behind our site which we were able to take.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-193\" title=\"102_1859\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-194\" title=\"102_1856\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter setting up our campsite, we headed off to start the Upper Loop of the park.  There were so many great sites along this road, but a few stand out.\n\nFirst, are the Artists Pots.  We didn’t really know what these were, but had heard that they were a key place to visit.  Initially, we were quite disappointed.  There was a long walk to the area, the length of which we were not aware of.  We came to what looked like a few pools of water on a hill, and were unimpressed, especially after seeing the Black Sands Basin.  You can’t go this far and not go farther though, so we went to the right and started on the loop around the hill.  We’re glad we did, because the Artists Pots got better the further along the path we went.  The array of bubbling colors, from oranges to whites to blues, and the whole panorama when one reaches the top of the hill are quite a scene.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652706965915394785%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652706965915394785%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe next stop was the Virginia Cascades, but the cascades ended up being the side story of that stop.  The road to the cascades is a one-lane, one-way road that travels along the river, and as such has many turns to it.  The drive was pleasant, but then, coming around a bend, there was something coming down the road, going the wrong direction on the one-way road:  a buffalo.  We had been warned that buffalo are rather docile, but can become agitated and can travel up to 30mph.  I managed to stop the car a fair distance away, but was concerned about the cars I knew were coming up behind me being able to see and stop after coming around the turn.  Also not helping was the emergence of a second buffalo from around the bend.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-195\" title=\"102_1907\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nThe first rule in a situation like this is:  Don’t Panic. The buffalo were moving slow enough, so I focused my attention on the cars coming from behind me.  I prepared to have to drive forward, but readied myself to honk the horn for when they came around the turn.  Fortunately, the horn did not startle the buffalo and the car behind us was able to stop and pull to the side.  I then proceeded to go in reverse to park on the side of the road.  The other car seemed awed and unconcerned, so I backed up behind them and the second car that arrived, to be the third in the line (I had no interest in being the first car they’d meet and was reminded of the saying about bears and just having to be faster than the slowest person in the group).\n\nI’m glad to report this situation passed without incident.  I was able to snap some up-close pictures of the buffalo, the car was undamaged, and we had a cool story to tell.  On the downside, we ended up missing the good viewing spot for the cascades. Oh well, we’ve seen cascades before.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nAfter the cascades came the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  At first, I thought this was going to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention by throwing the Grand Canyon in there, sort of like a place being the New York City of Nebraska (no offense intended to Nebraska).  Again, our low expectations turned out to be completely incorrect.  This is an amazing canyon (and since I’m writing this after leaving the Grand Canyon, will add that we appreciated this canyon much more).  This canyon has a huge waterfall of light-green water, with canyon walls of 800-1200 feet high, containing an array of colors and textures throughout.  Each viewing spot offered a new and impressive view of the canyon.  We did both the north and south rim, and were continually awed.  I had not heard of this canyon before, but it should be on everyone’s site-to-see list.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nFurther along the loop, we came to a drive that led up to Mount Washburn, which is the tallest mountain in Yellowstone, more than 10,000 feet high.  This “road” is a turn that needs to be taken while already on a sharp turn, is more gravel than road, and more steep than flat.  This turn-off was my idea, and I was starting to regret it, for fear we’d end up with a flat tire.  I remembered seeing other cars of less quality than ours go up and down however, so I relaxed.  That was until, again, there was a buffalo in the road walking down towards us.  While there was no one behind us, there was also no one around us in case something happened.  Falling back to what worked before, I stopped the car on the side, made no sudden movements, and let him continue on his way; which he did.  (We had a discussion later, with no solid conclusion, on whether, if a buffalo charges, it would be better to:  a) stay still b) accelerate towards it c) put the car in neutral d) speed backwards in reverse...what would you advise?) We finally made it to the top of the hill, and were glad we did the drive.  The view of the planes and mountains of Yellowstone were unparalleled.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-196\" title=\"102_2005\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe also stopped at some water falls, at some viewpoints of misc. mountains, at a petrified tree, and at a herd of buffalo crossing the road.  These were all on the way to our intended destination of the Mammoth Springs, which was the last main stop-off on the loop.  I knew little of this place, and in my head had the image of a large hot spring were one might bath again, similar to Thermopolis.  While the resort area built up around this Spring may have had a bath house, the free public attraction was just a hill with a lengthy boardwalk that took one up to the top of the Spring.  We were both tired, so we started at the bottom to see if it would be worth our time and energy.  We were impressed with what we saw.  There was an exhausted mineral fountain and what looked like ski slaloms and platforms of white, grey, and various shades of brown formed by the mineral deposits. This was the bottom, so the top must be better, right?  Well, not really.  After a steep walk 300 feet up the hill, and probably a mile long, with a few terraces along the way, we came to the peak to see a dried out pool of white minerals and a view of the resort.  Unlike the Artists Pots, this Mammoth Springs started strong and ended weak.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nOn the plus side, Mammoth Springs was a few miles from the border with Montana, so we took a detour north to add the envisioned “Welcome to Montana” sign to our collection.  After a few steep, winding roads, we came to a river with a little bridge and a sign we almost missed: “Entering Montana.”  It was a bit anti-climatic, but we got the picture, crossed the line, turned around, and started the journey back to our campsite.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-197\" title=\"102_2092\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nOur journey back required us to go back again through Mammoth Springs, but this time, as we went around its traffic circle, we were greeted by, what we think are, elk, grazing on the grass in the center.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-198\" title=\"102_2096\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter gawking and snapping pictures along with a few other cars for a few minutes, we continued on our way.  By this time, the sun was setting and we were racing it back to the campground.  We lost that race, but were glad we did, because we were able to see some great sunset landscapes containing a marvelous spectrum of purples and pinks.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2114.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-206\" title=\"102_2114\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2114-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived at our campsite around 8:10.  We had been traveling the Upper Loop for about 9 hours, but the time flew by.  We bought a nice block of ice from the automated ice-vending machine, had a late dinner, and went to bed.\n\nWe were only spending a day in Yellowstone, but we could easily have spent several.  It is an amazing place, and we made the most of our day in it.  We saw famous and not so famous geysers, more buffalo than we’d have liked, and beautiful mineral pools and formations.\n\nTomorrow, we head into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon, then south to visit and camp at Antelope Island State Park, in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 8:  Yellowstone National Park', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '187-autosave', '', '', '2011-09-15 23:13:41', '2011-09-15 23:13:41', '', 187, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=204', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(205, 2, '2011-09-15 23:04:33', '2011-09-15 23:04:33', 'Start: Alpine, WY - <a href=\"http://www.greysrivercove.com/\">Greys River Cove RV Park</a>\r\nDestination: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nOdometer: 104,189 (start)  104,477 (end)   288 miles\r\nDate:  Tuesday, September 6th,  2011\r\n\r\nAgain, nature can be the best alarm clock.  Thanks to some strong and persistent winds, and our general sense of alertness at the hour, we had broken camp and were on the road to Yellowstone around 5:30 in the morning.\r\n\r\nTo get to Yellowstone, we went through Grand Teton National Park, instead of along side it as the day before.  We were able to see some beautiful landscapes during sunrise, see the roaming buffalos at Moose, get a closer view of the Grand Teton Mountain range, and cross the continental divide.  It was a pleasant, quick, and rather uneventful drive through mostly thick forests.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-189\" title=\"102_1728\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe reached Yellowstone a little after 8 and asked the ranger at the gate when the next eruption of Old Faithful would be.  We were informed there’d be one around 9, so we headed straight for the Old Faithful geyser. Despite our efforts, we were stymied by a slower moving car that could not be legally or safely passed.  We arrived at the Old Faithful visitor center to see its 9:07 eruption from the distance.  We’d have to wait another 90 minutes or so for its next performance.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-190\" title=\"102_1793\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nRather than leaving to go set up camp and come back, which would be a 30 minute drive each way, we decided to have breakfast at the visitor center, check out the post office and exhibits, and try to get a good seat.\r\n\r\nOld Faithful is not the biggest geyser around, but its certainly the most famous.  It gets its name from the fact that its eruption is frequent, occurs roughly every 90 minutes, and has been keeping the same schedule for decades.  As such, an old and faithful tourism industry can, and has been, built around it.  The park contains hundreds, if not thousands, of geysers, which dot the park both along the road and in the distance.  Seeing steam coming from the ground is a normal occurrence that is part of the landscape.  I did not realize that Yellowstone, and much of the region surrounding it, used to be a volcano and is still thermally very active.\r\n\r\nWaiting for Old Faithful to erupt was a somewhat odd experience.  Everyone knows what will happen, and has seen/heard about it, but wants to experience it first-hand.  The anticipation for what amounts to an event of a couple of minutes has been building for minutes, hours, days, or a lifetime, depending on the person.  However, before the eruption, there really isn’t much happening: just steam coming out of a hole with a whole lot of people watching.  As such, most people are just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This wait however is punctured several times by teases, as some extra splashes of water emerge from the hole in the ground or the steam rises a few additional feet.  Then, finally, without much warning:  <a href=\"http://dl.dropbox.com/u/2127576/102_1811.MOV\">eruption</a>.  Water is shot over a hundred feet in the air, and its vapor continues to rise, as if a cloud, into the sky.  While I had thought everyone would be standing up and pushing to get a better view, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather silent awe that came upon the crowd as most sat and gazed at this spectacle of nature. The design of the viewing gallery also helped, by only being two rows deep, but encircling the geyser wide enough for everyone to have a good viewing angle.\r\n\r\nWhat was odd about this experience was the sense that this was nature, but it was also a somewhat human-produced show, like a play or skit we’d all come to see.  The ways that people and parks civilize, control, and commercialize nature is something that I’ll be thinking about during this trip.\r\n\r\nAfter Old Faithful, we headed over to our campground to get set up.  But first we took an unplanned stop at the Black Sands Basin.  This was a highlight of the trip, I dare say more than Old Faithful.  The Black Sands Basin had waters of light blues, steam of bright white, sands of tan and yellow, and wild ducks of a shade of grey we had never seen.  It was great just walking around the pools and sands and feeling the hot mud.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe campgrounds were also quite nice.  The check-in process was longer than desired, but we’d highly recommend the Madison Campground.  Our campsite was large, we were next to the bathroom, and there was a path to the river behind our site which we were able to take.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-193\" title=\"102_1859\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-194\" title=\"102_1856\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter setting up our campsite, we headed off to start the Upper Loop of the park.  There were so many great sites along this road, but a few stand out.\r\n\r\nFirst, are the Artists Pots.  We didn’t really know what these were, but had heard that they were a key place to visit.  Initially, we were quite disappointed.  There was a long walk to the area, the length of which we were not aware of.  We came to what looked like a few pools of water on a hill, and were unimpressed, especially after seeing the Black Sands Basin.  You can’t go this far and not go farther though, so we went to the right and started on the loop around the hill.  We’re glad we did, because the Artists Pots got better the further along the path we went.  The array of bubbling colors, from oranges to whites to blues, and the whole panorama when one reaches the top of the hill are quite a scene.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe next stop was the Virginia Cascades, but the cascades ended up being the side story of that stop.  The road to the cascades is a one-lane, one-way road that travels along the river, and as such has many turns to it.  The drive was pleasant, but then, coming around a bend, there was something coming down the road, going the wrong direction on the one-way road:  a buffalo.  We had been warned that buffalo are rather docile, but can become agitated and can travel up to 30mph.  I managed to stop the car a fair distance away, but was concerned about the cars I knew were coming up behind me being able to see and stop after coming around the turn.  Also not helping was the emergence of a second buffalo from around the bend.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-195\" title=\"102_1907\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe first rule in a situation like this is:  Don’t Panic. The buffalo were moving slow enough, so I focused my attention on the cars coming from behind me.  I prepared to have to drive forward, but readied myself to honk the horn for when they came around the turn.  Fortunately, the horn did not startle the buffalo and the car behind us was able to stop and pull to the side.  I then proceeded to go in reverse to park on the side of the road.  The other car seemed awed and unconcerned, so I backed up behind them and the second car that arrived, to be the third in the line (I had no interest in being the first car they’d meet and was reminded of the saying about bears and just having to be faster than the slowest person in the group).\r\n\r\nI’m glad to report this situation passed without incident.  I was able to snap some up-close pictures of the buffalo, the car was undamaged, and we had a cool story to tell.  On the downside, we ended up missing the good viewing spot for the cascades. Oh well, we’ve seen cascades before.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nAfter the cascades came the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  At first, I thought this was going to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention by throwing the Grand Canyon in there, sort of like a place being the New York City of Nebraska (no offense intended to Nebraska).  Again, our low expectations turned out to be completely incorrect.  This is an amazing canyon (and since I’m writing this after leaving the Grand Canyon, will add that we appreciated this canyon much more).  This canyon has a huge waterfall of light-green water, with canyon walls of 800-1200 feet high, containing an array of colors and textures throughout.  Each viewing spot offered a new and impressive view of the canyon.  We did both the north and south rim, and were continually awed.  I had not heard of this canyon before, but it should be on everyone’s site-to-see list.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nFurther along the loop, we came to a drive that led up to Mount Washburn, which is the tallest mountain in Yellowstone, more than 10,000 feet high.  This “road” is a turn that needs to be taken while already on a sharp turn, is more gravel than road, and more steep than flat.  This turn-off was my idea, and I was starting to regret it, for fear we’d end up with a flat tire.  I remembered seeing other cars of less quality than ours go up and down however, so I relaxed.  That was until, again, there was a buffalo in the road walking down towards us.  While there was no one behind us, there was also no one around us in case something happened.  Falling back to what worked before, I stopped the car on the side, made no sudden movements, and let him continue on his way; which he did.  (We had a discussion later, with no solid conclusion, on whether, if a buffalo charges, it would be better to:  a) stay still b) accelerate towards it c) put the car in neutral d) speed backwards in reverse...what would you advise?) We finally made it to the top of the hill, and were glad we did the drive.  The view of the planes and mountains of Yellowstone were unparalleled.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-196\" title=\"102_2005\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe also stopped at some water falls, at some viewpoints of misc. mountains, at a petrified tree, and at a herd of buffalo crossing the road.  These were all on the way to our intended destination of the Mammoth Springs, which was the last main stop-off on the loop.  I knew little of this place, and in my head had the image of a large hot spring were one might bath again, similar to Thermopolis.  While the resort area built up around this Spring may have had a bath house, the free public attraction was just a hill with a lengthy boardwalk that took one up to the top of the Spring.  We were both tired, so we started at the bottom to see if it would be worth our time and energy.  We were impressed with what we saw.  There was an exhausted mineral fountain and what looked like ski slaloms and platforms of white, grey, and various shades of brown formed by the mineral deposits. This was the bottom, so the top must be better, right?  Well, not really.  After a steep walk 300 feet up the hill, and probably a mile long, with a few terraces along the way, we came to the peak to see a dried out pool of white minerals and a view of the resort.  Unlike the Artists Pots, this Mammoth Springs started strong and ended weak.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nOn the plus side, Mammoth Springs was a few miles from the border with Montana, so we took a detour north to add the envisioned “Welcome to Montana” sign to our collection.  After a few steep, winding roads, we came to a river with a little bridge and a sign we almost missed: “Entering Montana.”  It was a bit anti-climatic, but we got the picture, crossed the line, turned around, and started the journey back to our campsite.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-197\" title=\"102_2092\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOur journey back required us to go back again through Mammoth Springs, but this time, as we went around its traffic circle, we were greeted by, what we think are, elk, grazing on the grass in the center.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-198\" title=\"102_2096\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter gawking and snapping pictures along with a few other cars for a few minutes, we continued on our way.  By this time, the sun was setting and we were racing it back to the campground.  We lost that race, but were glad we did, because we were able to see some great sunset landscapes containing a marvelous spectrum of purples and pinks.\r\n\r\nWe arrived at our campsite around 8:10.  We had been traveling the Upper Loop for about 9 hours, but the time flew by.  We bought a nice block of ice from the automated ice-vending machine, had a late dinner, and went to bed.\r\n\r\nWe were only spending a day in Yellowstone, but we could easily have spent several.  It is an amazing place, and we made the most of our day in it.  We saw famous and not so famous geysers, more buffalo than we’d have liked, and beautiful mineral pools and formations.\r\n\r\nTomorrow, we head into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon, then south to visit and camp at Antelope Island State Park, in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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(207, 2, '2011-09-15 23:10:42', '2011-09-15 23:10:42', 'Start: Alpine, WY - <a href=\"http://www.greysrivercove.com/\">Greys River Cove RV Park</a>\r\nDestination: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nOdometer: 104,189 (start)  104,477 (end)   288 miles\r\nDate:  Tuesday, September 6th,  2011\r\n\r\nAgain, nature can be the best alarm clock.  Thanks to some strong and persistent winds, and our general sense of alertness at the hour, we had broken camp and were on the road to Yellowstone around 5:30 in the morning.\r\n\r\nTo get to Yellowstone, we went through Grand Teton National Park, instead of along side it as the day before.  We were able to see some beautiful landscapes during sunrise, see the roaming buffalos at Moose, get a closer view of the Grand Teton Mountain range, and cross the continental divide.  It was a pleasant, quick, and rather uneventful drive through mostly thick forests.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-189\" title=\"102_1728\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1728-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe reached Yellowstone a little after 8 and asked the ranger at the gate when the next eruption of Old Faithful would be.  We were informed there’d be one around 9, so we headed straight for the Old Faithful geyser. Despite our efforts, we were stymied by a slower moving car that could not be legally or safely passed.  We arrived at the Old Faithful visitor center to see its 9:07 eruption from the distance.  We’d have to wait another 90 minutes or so for its next performance.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-190\" title=\"102_1793\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1793-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nRather than leaving to go set up camp and come back, which would be a 30 minute drive each way, we decided to have breakfast at the visitor center, check out the post office and exhibits, and try to get a good seat.\r\n\r\nOld Faithful is not the biggest geyser around, but its certainly the most famous.  It gets its name from the fact that its eruption is frequent, occurs roughly every 90 minutes, and has been keeping the same schedule for decades.  As such, an old and faithful tourism industry can, and has been, built around it.  The park contains hundreds, if not thousands, of geysers, which dot the park both along the road and in the distance.  Seeing steam coming from the ground is a normal occurrence that is part of the landscape.  I did not realize that Yellowstone, and much of the region surrounding it, used to be a volcano and is still thermally very active.\r\n\r\nWaiting for Old Faithful to erupt was a somewhat odd experience.  Everyone knows what will happen, and has seen/heard about it, but wants to experience it first-hand.  The anticipation for what amounts to an event of a couple of minutes has been building for minutes, hours, days, or a lifetime, depending on the person.  However, before the eruption, there really isn’t much happening: just steam coming out of a hole with a whole lot of people watching.  As such, most people are just sitting around waiting, and waiting, and waiting.  This wait however is punctured several times by teases, as some extra splashes of water emerge from the hole in the ground or the steam rises a few additional feet.  Then, finally, without much warning: <a href=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/E0cIuG1TcwyTSLqDSFjFKw?feat=directlink\" target=\"_blank\">eruption</a>.  Water is shot over a hundred feet in the air, and its vapor continues to rise, as if a cloud, into the sky.  While I had thought everyone would be standing up and pushing to get a better view, I was pleasantly surprised by the rather silent awe that came upon the crowd as most sat and gazed at this spectacle of nature. The design of the viewing gallery also helped, by only being two rows deep, but encircling the geyser wide enough for everyone to have a good viewing angle.\r\n\r\nWhat was odd about this experience was the sense that this was nature, but it was also a somewhat human-produced show, like a play or skit we’d all come to see.  The ways that people and parks civilize, control, and commercialize nature is something that I’ll be thinking about during this trip.\r\n\r\nAfter Old Faithful, we headed over to our campground to get set up.  But first we took an unplanned stop at the Black Sands Basin.  This was a highlight of the trip, I dare say more than Old Faithful.  The Black Sands Basin had waters of light blues, steam of bright white, sands of tan and yellow, and wild ducks of a shade of grey we had never seen.  It was great just walking around the pools and sands and feeling the hot mud.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652710581165255281%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe campgrounds were also quite nice.  The check-in process was longer than desired, but we’d highly recommend the Madison Campground.  Our campsite was large, we were next to the bathroom, and there was a path to the river behind our site which we were able to take.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-193\" title=\"102_1859\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1859-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-194\" title=\"102_1856\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1856-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter setting up our campsite, we headed off to start the Upper Loop of the park.  There were so many great sites along this road, but a few stand out.\r\n\r\nFirst, are the Artists Pots.  We didn’t really know what these were, but had heard that they were a key place to visit.  Initially, we were quite disappointed.  There was a long walk to the area, the length of which we were not aware of.  We came to what looked like a few pools of water on a hill, and were unimpressed, especially after seeing the Black Sands Basin.  You can’t go this far and not go farther though, so we went to the right and started on the loop around the hill.  We’re glad we did, because the Artists Pots got better the further along the path we went.  The array of bubbling colors, from oranges to whites to blues, and the whole panorama when one reaches the top of the hill are quite a scene.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" 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pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe next stop was the Virginia Cascades, but the cascades ended up being the side story of that stop.  The road to the cascades is a one-lane, one-way road that travels along the river, and as such has many turns to it.  The drive was pleasant, but then, coming around a bend, there was something coming down the road, going the wrong direction on the one-way road:  a buffalo.  We had been warned that buffalo are rather docile, but can become agitated and can travel up to 30mph.  I managed to stop the car a fair distance away, but was concerned about the cars I knew were coming up behind me being able to see and stop after coming around the turn.  Also not helping was the emergence of a second buffalo from around the bend.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-195\" title=\"102_1907\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_1907-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe first rule in a situation like this is:  Don’t Panic. The buffalo were moving slow enough, so I focused my attention on the cars coming from behind me.  I prepared to have to drive forward, but readied myself to honk the horn for when they came around the turn.  Fortunately, the horn did not startle the buffalo and the car behind us was able to stop and pull to the side.  I then proceeded to go in reverse to park on the side of the road.  The other car seemed awed and unconcerned, so I backed up behind them and the second car that arrived, to be the third in the line (I had no interest in being the first car they’d meet and was reminded of the saying about bears and just having to be faster than the slowest person in the group).\r\n\r\nI’m glad to report this situation passed without incident.  I was able to snap some up-close pictures of the buffalo, the car was undamaged, and we had a cool story to tell.  On the downside, we ended up missing the good viewing spot for the cascades. Oh well, we’ve seen cascades before.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652715571426165937%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nAfter the cascades came the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River.  At first, I thought this was going to be a cheap attempt at gaining attention by throwing the Grand Canyon in there, sort of like a place being the New York City of Nebraska (no offense intended to Nebraska).  Again, our low expectations turned out to be completely incorrect.  This is an amazing canyon (and since I’m writing this after leaving the Grand Canyon, will add that we appreciated this canyon much more).  This canyon has a huge waterfall of light-green water, with canyon walls of 800-1200 feet high, containing an array of colors and textures throughout.  Each viewing spot offered a new and impressive view of the canyon.  We did both the north and south rim, and were continually awed.  I had not heard of this canyon before, but it should be on everyone’s site-to-see list.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652717591556139409%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nFurther along the loop, we came to a drive that led up to Mount Washburn, which is the tallest mountain in Yellowstone, more than 10,000 feet high.  This “road” is a turn that needs to be taken while already on a sharp turn, is more gravel than road, and more steep than flat.  This turn-off was my idea, and I was starting to regret it, for fear we’d end up with a flat tire.  I remembered seeing other cars of less quality than ours go up and down however, so I relaxed.  That was until, again, there was a buffalo in the road walking down towards us.  While there was no one behind us, there was also no one around us in case something happened.  Falling back to what worked before, I stopped the car on the side, made no sudden movements, and let him continue on his way; which he did.  (We had a discussion later, with no solid conclusion, on whether, if a buffalo charges, it would be better to:  a) stay still b) accelerate towards it c) put the car in neutral d) speed backwards in reverse...what would you advise?) We finally made it to the top of the hill, and were glad we did the drive.  The view of the planes and mountains of Yellowstone were unparalleled.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-196\" title=\"102_2005\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2005-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe also stopped at some water falls, at some viewpoints of misc. mountains, at a petrified tree, and at a herd of buffalo crossing the road.  These were all on the way to our intended destination of the Mammoth Springs, which was the last main stop-off on the loop.  I knew little of this place, and in my head had the image of a large hot spring were one might bath again, similar to Thermopolis.  While the resort area built up around this Spring may have had a bath house, the free public attraction was just a hill with a lengthy boardwalk that took one up to the top of the Spring.  We were both tired, so we started at the bottom to see if it would be worth our time and energy.  We were impressed with what we saw.  There was an exhausted mineral fountain and what looked like ski slaloms and platforms of white, grey, and various shades of brown formed by the mineral deposits. This was the bottom, so the top must be better, right?  Well, not really.  After a steep walk 300 feet up the hill, and probably a mile long, with a few terraces along the way, we came to the peak to see a dried out pool of white minerals and a view of the resort.  Unlike the Artists Pots, this Mammoth Springs started strong and ended weak.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652712840213255377%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nOn the plus side, Mammoth Springs was a few miles from the border with Montana, so we took a detour north to add the envisioned “Welcome to Montana” sign to our collection.  After a few steep, winding roads, we came to a river with a little bridge and a sign we almost missed: “Entering Montana.”  It was a bit anti-climatic, but we got the picture, crossed the line, turned around, and started the journey back to our campsite.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-197\" title=\"102_2092\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2092-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nOur journey back required us to go back again through Mammoth Springs, but this time, as we went around its traffic circle, we were greeted by, what we think are, elk, grazing on the grass in the center.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-198\" title=\"102_2096\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/102_2096-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter gawking and snapping pictures along with a few other cars for a few minutes, we continued on our way.  By this time, the sun was setting and we were racing it back to the campground.  We lost that race, but were glad we did, because we were able to see some great sunset landscapes containing a marvelous spectrum of purples and pinks.\r\n\r\nWe arrived at our campsite around 8:10.  We had been traveling the Upper Loop for about 9 hours, but the time flew by.  We bought a nice block of ice from the automated ice-vending machine, had a late dinner, and went to bed.\r\n\r\nWe were only spending a day in Yellowstone, but we could easily have spent several.  It is an amazing place, and we made the most of our day in it.  We saw famous and not so famous geysers, more buffalo than we’d have liked, and beautiful mineral pools and formations.\r\n\r\nTomorrow, we head into Idaho to visit Craters of the Moon, then south to visit and camp at Antelope Island State Park, in the Great Salt Lake of Utah.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5652701062460467665%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" 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(296, 2, '2011-09-26 02:59:28', '2011-09-26 02:59:28', 'Start:  Grand Canyon – North Rim, AZ\r\nDestination: Sedona, AZ\r\nOdometer: 105,976 (start)  106,301 (end) – 325 miles\r\nDate:  Tuesday, September 13, 2011\r\n\r\nWe finally had a good morning.  It didn’t rain during the night and we were able to pack the tent in comfortable weather.  We were out around 5:10, before the sun, but not before a family of 6 elk who were out for a walk across the road.  It should say something about the frequency of seeing wildlife at this point that I was did not snap a picture.  Rather, I was more impressed with the sunrise coming through the burnt out forest.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0099.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-301\" title=\"IMG_0099\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0099-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe first stop of the day would be Flagstaff, AZ in order to make the CraigsList transaction for the new camera, get an oil change, and have breakfast.  The drive to Flagstaff went by quickly as we gazed at the valley/ravine and giant red rocks formations.  These would be nice previews for our time in Sedona.  The CraigsList deal went down smoothly at the local Target, the Jiffy Lube was able to replace the oil and clean the car quickly, and Dad was ecstatic to have a chicken-fried steak at Denny\'s for brunch (without exception, there would be an incident to ruin the meal whenever we\'d go there on a family vacation and so we finally stopped going, but my Dad still likes Denny\'s and would want to go).  After a series of misguided GPS navigation routes that did/would have taken us on giant loops, we were back on the appropriate highway to Sedona.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0104.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-302\" title=\"IMG_0104\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0104-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0115.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-303\" title=\"IMG_0115\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/IMG_0115-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the outskirts of Sedona via a scenic drive through Oak Creek and Dad happened to notice the sign for our campground, <a href=\"http://www.camparizona.com/Campsites/FlagstaffCampsites/Manzanita.htm\">Manzanita Campground,</a> miles before the address we had entered in the GPS (using the address of Manzanita Campground Road, Sedona, AZ should work in the future).  We were greeted by Susan, the friendly campground host, and settled into our site.  Dad cleaned the tarp and tent from the wetness and dirt of the Grand Canyon while I explored the river running behind the campsites and the swimming hole at the end of the campground.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70044.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-304\" title=\"STA70044\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70044-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70053.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-305\" title=\"STA70053\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70053-225x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"225\" height=\"300\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe afternoon’s adventure that day was an unexpectedly off-road, scenic drive through the desert of Sedona.  I’m not exactly sure how we ended up there, but after missing a turn and taking the GPS’ new directions, we ended up on a 12 mile long back-road full of rocks, bumps, and potholes.  We could barely go 5mph for fear of getting a flat tire, but the views of cacti, puffy white clouds in a clear blue sky, and towering rocks with fascinating shapes like ancient ruins and sculptures, and soothing shades of red, tan, and green made us want the road to keep on going for many more miles.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70108.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-307\" title=\"STA70108\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70108-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70097.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-308\" title=\"STA70097\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70097-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70041.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-309\" title=\"STA70041\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70041-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also quite alone on the road, except for the occasional tour company vehicle that would whizz pass us and/or stop and ask where in Maryland we were from (deducing from the plates) and if anyone on their tour was from there as well (turns out one women was from Upper Marlboro, MD).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70111.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-310\" title=\"STA70111\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70111-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nThe drive ended on a nice touch when we came across a family of mule deer and paved roads.  At first, we lamented that the GPS had taken us on such a back-country road, but it ended up being for the best, since had we taken the intended road, the landscapes we’d have seen would have paled in comparison.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70132.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-311\" title=\"STA70132\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70132-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70121.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-312\" title=\"STA70121\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70121-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter the drive through the natural sites of Sedona, we took a drive through the artificial sites of this artsy town.  I really liked the architectural style and look of the buildings, but Dad is not a fan of stucco structures.  The price tag for the properties seemed to indicate that many others liked the style though.   After a drive through the business district, the religious district (where we happened upon the Jewish Community Center and received a Shabbat invitation from the Rabbi and her husband who stopped to inquire about us as they passed us leaving the parking lot), and the residential district (no, we didn’t come across the Hammock district - points if you get The Simpsons reference to one of my favorite episodes).\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70145.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-313\" title=\"STA70145\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70145-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70172.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-314\" title=\"STA70172\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70172-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70184.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-315\" title=\"STA70184\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/STA70184-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe concluded our long drive through the hot desert in the air-conditioned car at a trendy ice cream establishment unique to Sedona: Dairy Queen. Dad had a pineapple sundae, I had a milkshake, and we shared some french fries.  While it had been a warm, clear day until then, we started to notice rain clouds forming, so we hurried back to the site so I could make us a quick dinner (we were delayed though by friendly conversations with some Burning-Man-type families camped near us).\r\n\r\nSure enough, around dusk the rain started coming.  We had eaten, cleaned up, and were in the car, so it wasn’t a big deal, but Dad lamented that his earlier cleaning of the tent would now be for naught.  We were in much better shape though than our neighbors, a group of 20-somethings from California that arrived during the rain and after dark and still had to set up camp.  I wanted to go into town to make use of the cell service that night, so rather than wait around the campground, we drove into town early to try to check out the shops, but all except a few eateries were closed.\r\n\r\nWe returned to the campground late that evening and were glad the rains had stopped.  We had brought the camping fans into the tent earlier thinking it would be a hot night, but it ended up being a cool, relaxing evening.\r\n\r\nSedona was a nice place to spend the day, especially after the Grand Canyon, but I wasn’t too interested in staying longer.  Sedona wasn’t originally on our itinerary, but after my Uncle Sudipta commented that it was one of the best places he’d been and strongly encouraged us to go (and others seconded his view), it was added to the trip. If you are going to be in the area, we now also recommend the stop.  The landscapes are great, there’s trendy shopping and stylish architecture in town, the campground is clean (vault toilets though) and located in a nice spot in the woods by a stream, and Oak Creek on the outskirts of the city is a pleasant drive.  I’m sure there was much more we could have seen and done with more time, but I felt like we hit the key parts and were ready for our next stops on our way to Gallup, New Mexico:  Meteor Crater, The Petrified Forest, and The Painted Desert.\r\n\r\nP.S.  The next post probably won’t be until the week of October 3rd due to Rosh Hashanah and my moving out from my current home.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5656434885528698561%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5656434885528698561%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 15:  Sedona', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'day-15-sedona', '', '', '2011-09-26 02:59:28', '2011-09-26 02:59:28', '', 0, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=296', 0, 'post', '', 49);
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(209, 2, '2011-09-18 04:59:46', '2011-09-18 04:59:46', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, but we had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system where he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure as we again walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of a salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), and nice hills/mountains.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beachhead to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back at the Lake, I couldn’t resist returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the sting of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'publish', 'open', 'open', '', 'day-9-walking-on-lava-floating-in-water', '', '', 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(212, 2, '2011-09-18 04:21:56', '2011-09-18 04:21:56', '', '100_2128', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '100_2128', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:21:56', '2011-09-18 04:21:56', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(213, 2, '2011-09-18 04:22:28', '2011-09-18 04:22:28', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussion on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers galavanting about.  Honestly, I thought it was a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is long and narrow, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\nADD PICTURE OF ISLAND\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in three different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:22:28', '2011-09-18 04:22:28', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=213', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(214, 2, '2011-09-18 04:24:47', '2011-09-18 04:24:47', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussion on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers galavanting about.  Honestly, I thought it was a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is long and narrow, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\nADD PICTURE OF ISLAND\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in three different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision-2', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:24:47', '2011-09-18 04:24:47', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=214', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
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(218, 2, '2011-09-18 04:25:15', '2011-09-18 04:25:15', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussion on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers galavanting about.  Honestly, I thought it was a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is long and narrow, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\nADD PICTURE OF ISLAND\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in three different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision-3', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:25:15', '2011-09-18 04:25:15', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=218', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
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(220, 2, '2011-09-18 04:30:24', '2011-09-18 04:30:24', '', '100_2237', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '100_2237', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:30:24', '2011-09-18 04:30:24', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(221, 2, '2011-09-18 04:31:45', '2011-09-18 04:31:45', '', '100_2233', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '100_2233', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:31:45', '2011-09-18 04:31:45', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(222, 2, '2011-09-18 04:32:31', '2011-09-18 04:32:31', '', '100_2234', 'The bugs are the little black dots (they\'re hard to capture in a still image)', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '100_2234', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:32:31', '2011-09-18 04:32:31', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
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(228, 2, '2011-09-18 04:40:02', '2011-09-18 04:40:02', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param 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04:40:02', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=228', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(229, 2, '2011-09-18 04:40:41', '2011-09-18 04:40:41', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision-5', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:40:41', '2011-09-18 04:40:41', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=229', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(230, 2, '2011-09-18 04:40:50', '2011-09-18 04:40:50', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho were rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho.   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we were returned that evening.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 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(232, 2, '2011-09-18 04:49:12', '2011-09-18 04:49:12', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param 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04:49:12', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=232', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(231, 2, '2011-09-18 04:46:23', '2011-09-18 04:46:23', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the bath to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the beachhead and were glad to see that there were may be 5 other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east cost, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beach head of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered in rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 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(233, 2, '2011-09-18 04:52:19', '2011-09-18 04:52:19', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, we we definitely had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision-9', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:52:19', '2011-09-18 04:52:19', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=233', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(234, 2, '2011-09-18 04:56:08', '2011-09-18 04:56:08', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, but we had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system were he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure again as we walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param 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(235, 2, '2011-09-18 04:57:45', '2011-09-18 04:57:45', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, but we had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system where he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure as we again walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of a salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), hills, and rock formations.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beach head to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back and the Lake, I couldn’t resist though returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the stink of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param 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(236, 2, '2011-09-18 04:59:15', '2011-09-18 04:59:15', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\n\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\n\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\n\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\n\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\n\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\n\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\n\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\n\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, but we had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\n&nbsp;\n\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\n\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\n\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\n\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\n\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system where he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure as we again walked the distance back to the beach.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\n\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of a salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), and nice hills/mountains.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nAnd so, we drove back to the beachhead to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back at the Lake, I couldn’t resist returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the sting of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\n\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param 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04:59:15', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=236', 0, 'revision', '', 0);
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(237, 2, '2011-09-18 04:59:38', '2011-09-18 04:59:38', 'Start: Yellowstone National Park, Madison Campground\r\nDestination: Antelope Island State Park, UT\r\nOdometer: 104,477 (start)  104,996 (end)   519 miles\r\nDate:  Wednesday, September 7th,  2011\r\n\r\n(Coming to you from Safeway in Estes Park, CO - Rocky Mountains)\r\n\r\nAgain, we had an early start on the day thanks to the weather.  This time, instead of wind, it was the cold.  Dad and I were up around 3:30 as usual, but it was rather cold and we had no interest in trying to go back to sleep in it.  So, we broke camp and were on the road, before the sun, at 4:40.  It was a good thing, because we had a long driving day ahead of us and could use the time.\r\n\r\nThe first stop was Craters of the Moon in Arco, Idaho.  The drive to and through Idaho was rather uneventful, aside from getting two state welcome signs, seeing some nice hills, and searching for available and inexpensive 87-octane gas along the rural highways of Idaho (what\'s with the 85 octane gas out West?).   We arrived around 9am and I made use of their very nice bathroom facilities to change clothes and clean up a bit.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-210\" title=\"100_2122\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2122-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-211\" title=\"100_2125\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2125-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-212\" title=\"100_2128\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2128-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\nWe were off to an interesting start when we went to pay our entrance fee, and were told to pay at the entrance gate, but there may not be anyone there yet, so just drive in and please pay on the way out.\r\n\r\nCraters of the Moon, as we learned, is the remains of a 2,000 year eruption and the ensuing lava bed.  Usually, when these places say recent, they mean in the past few hundred thousand, if not millions of years, so this is a very recent geological event.  The remains of this eruption are wavy lava flows, i.e. cascades, sparkling lava cinders, lava “bombs,” colored rock formations, mountains/hills of pumice rock, and an ecosystem of flora and fauna that make their homes in this seemingly uninhabitable landscape.  Highlights of the stop were looking into and sticking my hand into various holes left from the erupting volcanic cones, learning that Aa (ah-ah) is a word for rough, jagged lava (though it apparently is not valid for scrabble or boggle, which spell it with an apostrophe: A’a). and asking a lot of question of the park ranger on duty who was happy to have someone genuinely interested and amazed by the park.  We stayed a bit longer than expected, but were on the road to the Great Salt Lake a little after 11.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653543364681763169%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>\r\n\r\nThe drive to the Salt Lake was great.  There was a nice mountain range to our left for most of the ride south and traffic wasn’t a problem.  We stopped for our first restaurant meal of the trip at a Subway in Tremonton, UT for lunch, where my Dad for the first time enjoyed the sandwich he got at a Subway.  I was able to check my email on the road and learned that I received a contract  to build a bill tracking and reporting system for a lobbying firm I interviewed during my dissertation research.  My Dad and I had some good discussions on the way, and the time went by quickly.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-215\" title=\"100_2217\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2217-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-216\" title=\"100_2219\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2219-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe arrived to the gate of Antelope Island State Park around 4 and after paying our entry fee of $3, had a scenic ride on a 7-mile causeway through the Great Salt Lake to the island.  I was disappointed to learn that, somewhat like the opposite of The Prisoner, you can leave The Island whenever you want, but can’t get back in after sunset/8:30.  My cell phone had lost power and wasn’t charging, so I was hoping to stop at a cell phone place that evening, but this curfew put the kibosh on that plan.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-217\" title=\"100_2223\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2223-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAfter getting on the island, a few wrong turns, and a stop at the visitor center, we arrived at the island’s campground.  At first, we were concerned by the dozens of teenagers gallivanting about.  Honestly, I thought we were going to be camping next to a Mormon-teen camping retreat or something, but it turned out to be kids hired for summer labor to trim the outgrowth of sunflowers around the campground.  They were gone by the time we returned that evening.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-219\" title=\"100_2227\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2227-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe had been looking forward to relaxing in the Salt Lake all day, and so we speedily setup the tent, though with some difficulty due to the gravel base which the tent stakes had to pierce, and prepared to head to the beach.  This campground had vault toilets, i.e. no flush, just a toilet cover to a hole of sewage, and no showers, so rather than going down the path to the beach by the campsite, we drove a bit down the road to the main tourist spot which had flush toilets and showers.\r\n\r\nUntil this point, my image of the Great Salt Lake mainly consisted of seeing it on maps of the country and my experience at the Dead Sea in Israel.  I actually didn’t know that the Great Salt Lake also had the salinity to create the forced-floating effect most associated with the Dead Sea; however, even the ranger at the visitor center admitted the lake was not up to the salinity of the Dead Sea.  Nonetheless, once its floating capacity was realized, our excitement for getting in the water increased further.\r\n\r\nWe arrived at the beachhead and were glad to see that there were only a few other people at the beach within site.  We carried our chairs and towels to an isolated spot, put on our suntan lotion, and ventured forth.\r\n\r\nThe first thing that puzzled us was the structure of the beach.  Back on the east coast, and most beaches we’ve been to, there’s just the sand and then the ocean/sea/lake. Here, there is a lengthy beachhead of sand with many rocks within it.  This leads to a pool of water a few hundred feet out that leads to a sandbar island.  Then, beyond the sandbar is the whole Salt Lake.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-220\" title=\"100_2237\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2237-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWe were also both rather naive/uneducated about how to enjoy the Great Salt Lake.  In our minds, this spot would be like a beach.  And like at a beach, one can, and usually would, walk to and into the water in one’s bare feet, and so that’s what we did.  With each successive step however, we regretted and experienced the pain resulting from our naivety.  In short: the floor of both the pool, the sandbar, and the lake, is covered by rocks that are either large, sharp, or both.  We kept thinking this would be a temporary condition, so we continued forward, not wanting to have to return to the beach for my sandals or the campsite for Dad’s shoes.  Aside from the pain on our feet, there was also the related issue of stability and falling, so we each leaned and held onto each other as we walked on the rocky floor.  In addition to the rocks, there were the bugs.  We think they are called Brine Flies, but regardless, they are incredibly small, but travel in swarms of what must be thousands on the edges where the water and sand meet.  They did not bite, but we had to step and tolerate their swarms as we advanced towards our goal of enjoying the Great Salt Lake that we had been looking forward to.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_221\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"Caution: Rocks Lie Beneath\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-221\" title=\"100_2233\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2233-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\n&nbsp;\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_222\" align=\"alignnone\" width=\"300\" caption=\"The bugs are the little black dots (they&#39;re hard to capture in a still image)\"]<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234.jpg\"><img class=\"size-medium wp-image-222\" title=\"100_2234\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2234-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>[/caption]\r\n\r\nAfter what seemed like an hour, if not an eternity, we crossed the pool, passed the sandbar, and were in the Great Salt Lake. Again, our expectation of the lake was incorrect.  The pool by the beach was shallow, but that didn’t seem unusual.  When we first entered the lake, it was also shallow, which was not unusual.  However, when one has walked out nearly 100’ into the lake, and the water is barely at one’s knees, that is unusual.  We weren’t sure if we were in the right spot, if we could float here, or what we should be doing.    So we took our next cue from a couple a few hundred feet to the right of us.  The husband was floating in the water and seemingly having a good time.  So we walked back to the rocky sand, and walked barefoot again to where they were to ask for some guidance.\r\n\r\nFirst, we were told what we had already learned by painful example:  you’re expected to wear shoes (the guy offered to sell us his for $300).  Second, the water is not deep and it wasn’t just our section.  Third, despite the shallowness, one can and is expected to do the salt-water float in that limited depth.  Fourth, there were fewer rocks in his section of the lake about 20’ into the water.\r\n\r\nNewly wiser, we again walked into the water leaning on each other for support and finally arrived at a minimally rocky part of the lake and attempted to finally enjoy the water.\r\n\r\nAs I mentioned in the post about our stop in Thermopolis, my Dad is not a water person.  He dislikes getting wet and losing control of his body to the waves and the salt.  However, he was excited to be in the Lake.  I don’t share this aversion, so I tested out the water for us.  Sure enough, despite the water being maybe a foot or so deep, I could lean back, my legs were pushed up by buoyancy, and it was like I was in the Dead Sea again.  Seeing it could be done, the next challenge was getting my Dad as close to floating as possible.  We crafted a support system where he felt comfortable leaning back while he could hold on to me, and a few seconds later, he felt the effect and was laughing with joy.  Despite the hardship of getting out here, it paid off and we had a very enjoyable and memorable few minutes in the Great Salt Lake together.  This helped mitigate the pain we had to endure as we again walked the distance back to the beach.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-223\" title=\"100_2236\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2236-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nWhen we returned to the car, I kept thinking that we had gone to the wrong part of the island, and that there was a nicer, more typical, beach-like area.  The map didn’t indicate that there were any other areas for swimming, but I was undeterred and also intrigued to see the rest of the the island.  We dried off a bit and started to drive.\r\n\r\nThe island is <a href=\"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Antelope_Island_State_Park_Map.jpg\">long and narrow</a>, and offers many great views of the lake, some nicely colored salt beds, wild flowers, some wild animals (including of course, what any island in the middle of a salt lake would be expected to have:  buffalo), and nice hills/mountains.  We drove for an hour or so, but had to turn back early, since several sections of the road are gated at dusk and we did not want to be locked in.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-224\" title=\"100_2245\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2245-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-225\" title=\"100_2264\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2264-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-226\" title=\"100_2248\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2248-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nAnd so, we drove back to the beachhead to shower and prepare for bed.  Being back at the Lake, I couldn’t resist returning to the waters one last time, being better prepared.  While my Dad organized his things and took the first shower (at a cost of $1/4-minutes), I walked back to the water.  I must admit that the Lake is quite enjoyable once one has the proper footwear.  I could quickly walk through the pool, over the sandbar, and into the Lake.  I walked several hundred feet out, floated, dunked myself a few time and enjoyed the sting of the water in my eyes, and appreciated the landscape around me and the experience of the island.  This time, I also brought my camera and was able to capture the beautiful sunset, which aside from having very nice shades of purple, occurred very quickly, as if the sun was dropped and free falling into the abyss.\r\n\r\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-227\" title=\"100_2276\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2276-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\r\n\r\nI returned to the beach, had a nice warm shower, and we returned to the campsite after dark to have a late dinner.  We went to bed exhausted after a full, fun day in four different states, and looking forward to having sanctuary for three days in Zion National Park.\r\n\r\n<object width=\"400\" height=\"267\" classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" codebase=\"http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"src\" value=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" /><param name=\"flashvars\" value=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" /><param name=\"pluginspage\" value=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /><embed width=\"400\" height=\"267\" type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&amp;noautoplay=1&amp;hl=en_US&amp;feat=flashalbum&amp;RGB=0x000000&amp;feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653544061799398081%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\" /></object>', 'Day 9:  Walking on Lava, Floating in Water', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '209-revision-13', '', '', '2011-09-18 04:59:38', '2011-09-18 04:59:38', '', 209, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=237', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
(239, 2, '2011-09-19 04:11:35', '2011-09-19 04:11:35', 'Start: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nDestination: Zion National Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,996 (start)  105,719 (end)   723 miles\nDate:  Thursday, September 8th,  2011 - Saturday, September 10th, 2011\n\nToday was going to be the start of our three day stay in Zion National Park, in Hurricane, Utah.  The road to Zion started at 5:15am and had one minor and two major stop offs before hand.\n\nThe first stop off was to a local supermarket.  The previous night’s dinner had emptied our food supply and while we thought we would have to stop at a supermarket close to Zion or during normal business hours, a few minutes out from the park we came across a Smith’s 24 hour supermarket that was anything but empty.\n\n\n\nDad introduced himself/ourselves upon our entry to the store by telling the clerk that he never thought he’d be one of those crazy people actually shopping at this hour.  The clerk assured him that he wasn’t that crazy.  The staff there was very friendly and helpful and we would recommend patronizing their business.  We bought some ice, some hummus, apples and oranges, tuna fish, veggie burgers, and some other sundries.  We re-packed the items into ziploc bags, filled the cooler and trunk, and headed off to our major stop before Zion:  Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, the first open-pit mine, and still one of the largest in the world.\n\nWe arrived at the mine around 7:30am, but visitors aren’t allowed until 8.  I used the time to post a message about our technical difficulties via my Dad’s iPhone and check email.\n\n\n\nShortly after 8, we paid our $5/car admission fee (which goes to charity) and journeyed up a two-mile road to the visitor center.  We saw a short film, toured the exhibits, looked into the deep, wide, now .75 miles deep, 2 miles wide mine as the trucks and workers did their jobs.  It is a site to behold.  The Objectivist in me was awed and inspired.  It was interesting seeing the processes for handling the material and making a profitable mine out of what is around 1% copper ore in the rocks.  They produce around 20% of the country’s copper needs.\n\nADD MINE SLIDESHOW\n\nAfter our morning of tourism work at the mine, we stopped for lunch at the nice new public library near the foot of the mine.  We used the library’s bathroom (which had very powerful electric hand dryers) and commented on the new housing being built on the mountains across from the mine and how they seemed rather susceptible to water and erosion issues, yet were probably twice as expensive.\n\n\n\nSatisfied with our peanut butter sandwiches, we headed up to Zion.  The drive was pleasant and scenic, featuring the Utah mountain ranges again.  Before reaching Zion National Park, we took our second intended stop at Kolob Canyon National Park, which was a 5-mile scenic ride up winding red roads to view five massive red rock formations that formed a canyon.  The red color theme, that comprised the road and the rock, created a landscape unlike any other I had seen.  Around every turn, we were awed by the view and excited to see more.\n\nADD KOLOB CANYON SLIDESHOW\n\nAfter our Kolob Canyon appetizer, we headed for our entree at Zion.  Once entering Zion National Park, it’s 20 miles to the campground/visitor center.  On the way to the campground, we saw wide vistas of mountains, yellows, reds, and browns.  Zion canyon itself is a narrow canyon with sheer vertical walls rising between 1400 and 3500 feet above the floor (which is already 4000+ feet above sea level).  It was really something to wonder at.  This immense canyon was formed by the unassuming Virgin river, which appears much like our local creek back home.\n\n\n\nWe arrived at our campsite and were glad that we had made reservations, since the campground was sold-out, were glad we were next to the bathroom, since having to walk a distance in the morning is rather annoying, and were glad we chose that campground, since we had incredible views of the surrounding mountains.\n\n\n\n\nWe wasted little time after setup to get on the Park shuttle bus to go on a 13 mile ride along the length of the canyon.  From the Angels Landing, to the Court of the Patriarchs, to Cathedral Mountain, to the Temple of Sacrifice and more, one could not blame the Mormon settlers for the spiritual and regal emotions that were evoked by the massive walls of the canyons.\n\nADD SLIDE SHOW OF TOUR\n\nThe tour had given us a good sense of what we wanted to see in the subsequent days ahead, but for now, we just wanted to get the lay of the land and get back to our site.  However, two events of note occurred along the way.  First, as we walked to our campsite from the visitor center, we noticed a park ranger and another woman trying to push a giant RV out of a parking spot while the boyfriend/husband steered.  Sensing a hand was needed, we walked right over and started to push.  Turns out the RV needed to be pushed out, then forward, and back again in order to align it properly so it could take the jump and start (we don’t understand why this had to be the case either).  I was impressed we were able to move it, but sure enough, a few minutes later, the RV was properly aligned and everyone was appreciative of our help.\n\nWe were still hungry, so we continued back to the site and I made dinner.  Here our second fortunate occurrence came when I heard a rustling behind me in the bushes.  I thought it was someone walking through our site, but it turned out to be a some-thing, namely a mule deer grazing around the campground.\n\n\n\n\nThe next morning we slept in a bit, in that we didn’t leave the campground until around 7am, at which point we headed over to Bryce Canyon about two hours away.  This is an amazing drive.  First, there is the 13-mile scenic highway out of Zion, that takes one through a 1.1 mile tunnel through solid sandstone, yellow and brown rock formations made from layered rock, the Checkerboard Mesa, stone arches, and many other great landscapes.\nADD SLIDESHOW\n\n\nWe arrived at 10:15am at Bryce Canyon, and naturally had peanut butter sandwiches for brunch. Shortly before 11, we started on the 18 mile scenic drive that had many notable stop offs.  We really can’t detail them all here.  There were so many pictures and so many great views.  The red sandstone Hoodoos looked like settlements/cities.  The best spot though was Inspiration Point, which consisted of  three sections, two of which  were very steep, long climbs along a path, but very well worth it.  We looked down several thousand feet to the ground below.  We had wanted to do the Navajo trail recommend by my Aunt, but it was late, lightning was occurring, and storm clouds were on the horizon.   She also recommend the Route 12 scenic drive, so we opted for that one instead.\n\nADD SLIDE SHOW\n\nThe drive took us to Escalante, UT and gave us more great views of colorful sandstone formations and what seemed to be parts of the canyon floor we saw from the top of Bryce Canyon.  We were glad we took the drive, and wanted to go farther, but time and weather were against it.  We were a minimum of three hours away from Zion and it was raining.\n\nPart of the fun on the way back was speculating on what the weather would be at Zion based on the clouds in the distance.  The sky was full of grey rain clouds, except for a small spot of bright blue sky.  We hoped that spot was over Zion.\n\n\n\n\nBefore we arrived back at camp, we again had to stop at the store for bread.  We found a “local”/tourist grocery store and I ran in to make the purchase while Dad made some calls.  When I returned to the car, Dad nearly passed out after hearing the cost for the loaf (over $4) and inquired what kind it was, which forced me too look closer.  I’m glad he asked, because it led me to see what I had missed in the store:  mold.  Upset about being sold moldy bread, but feeling rushed for time, I simply ran back to the store, showed the bread to the manager, and exchanged it for a fresh loaf.  Bread in hand, we hurried back to camp.\n\nOn the way back to Zion, we again drove on the scenic highway, this time seeing some goats walking along the angled rocks with ease.  This was nice, but it also backed up traffic.  We were also further delayed the tunnel as what was normally a two-way tunnel was being treated as a one-way for some reason and we had to wait for the oncoming traffic to clear out. We made it back to camp shortly before sundown and I made a hasty Shabbat dinner.\n\nAs I was making dinner however, we were pleasantly interrupted by a park ranger who had stopped in front of our site.  She walked over to us and at first,  I was nervous, but then we recognized her as the officer whom we had helped push the RV out of the parking space .  We left that incident not thinking much of it, but the officer did, and had found us to present us with two official Junior Park Ranger badges.  It was a nice interaction to end the day.  We had a nice meal, went to the ranger talk to learn about nocturnal animals (we know more now about owls than we ever thought we would), and went to bed.\n\nThe next morning we again slept in until 7, and went for two hikes around 8.  One hike went along the river side of the Virgin river (where I managed to pet a rock squirrel), and the other took us to an emerald lake, i.e. one filled with algae.  We also visited the Human History Museum to watch a movie about the history of the area and park.\n\nThe rest of the day was spent around camp relaxing, resting, and reading.  The weather that day had been good, but near nightfall, as we were thinking about dinner, we heard thunder and dark clouds were above us.  We prepared the tent (Dad put a large tarp over everything inside), and took refuge in the car.  There was a large tree near our tent and Dad had visions of it falling on us during a storm.  It was eventually dark, and the rains had not yet come.  We saw our park ranger friend again (we unfortunately didn’t get her name), who advised that the storm was likely going to be south of the campground, but that could quickly change.  It was cold, dark, and possibly going to rain, so Dad advised we head into town for dinner.  We found a hip pizza place in town and enjoyed a vegetarian pizza together.\n\nZion had been all we had heard, and more.  It really is what it claims to be:  a canyon.  Steep, vertical walls stretching 1500-3500 feet above the ground, a narrow space between the walls and a river running along the floor.  It was also reasonably sized, at 13 miles long, such that we could experience its entire length.  This would contrast sharply with our next destination:  The Grand Canyon.', 'Days 10-12:  Going up to Zion', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '238-revision', '', '', '2011-09-19 04:11:35', '2011-09-19 04:11:35', '', 238, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=239', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
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(241, 2, '2011-09-19 04:13:36', '2011-09-19 04:13:36', '', '100_2283', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '100_2283', '', '', '2011-09-19 04:13:36', '2011-09-19 04:13:36', '', 238, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2283.jpg', 0, 'attachment', 'image/jpeg', 0),
(242, 2, '2011-09-19 04:16:55', '2011-09-19 04:16:55', 'Start: Antelope Island State Park, UT\nDestination: Zion National Park, UT\nOdometer: 104,996 (start)  105,719 (end)   723 miles\nDate:  Thursday, September 8th,  2011 - Saturday, September 10th, 2011\n\nToday was going to be the start of our three day stay in Zion National Park, in Hurricane, Utah.  The road to Zion started at 5:15am and had one minor and two major stop offs before hand.\n\nThe first stop off was to a local supermarket.  The previous night’s dinner had emptied our food supply and while we thought we would have to stop at a supermarket close to Zion or during normal business hours, a few minutes out from the park we came across a Smith’s 24 hour supermarket that was anything but empty.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2279.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-240\" title=\"100_2279\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2279-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nDad introduced himself/ourselves upon our entry to the store by telling the clerk that he never thought he’d be one of those crazy people actually shopping at this hour.  The clerk assured him that he wasn’t that crazy.  The staff there was very friendly and helpful and we would recommend patronizing their business.  We bought some ice, some hummus, apples and oranges, tuna fish, veggie burgers, and some other sundries.  We re-packed the items into ziploc bags, filled the cooler and trunk, and headed off to our major stop before Zion:  Bingham Canyon Copper Mine, the first open-pit mine, and still one of the largest in the world.\n\nWe arrived at the mine around 7:30am, but visitors aren’t allowed until 8.  I used the time to post a message about our technical difficulties via my Dad’s iPhone and check email.\n\n<a href=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2283.jpg\"><img class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-241\" title=\"100_2283\" src=\"http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/100_2283-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" /></a>\n\nShortly after 8, we paid our $5/car admission fee (which goes to charity) and journeyed up a two-mile road to the visitor center.  We saw a short film, toured the exhibits, looked into the deep, wide, now .75 miles deep, 2 miles wide mine as the trucks and workers did their jobs.  It is a site to behold.  The Objectivist in me was awed and inspired.  It was interesting seeing the processes for handling the material and making a profitable mine out of what is around 1% copper ore in the rocks.  They produce around 20% of the country’s copper needs.\n\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653892727221650097%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\n\nAfter our morning of tourism work at the mine, we stopped for lunch at the nice new public library near the foot of the mine.  We used the library’s bathroom (which had very powerful electric hand dryers) and commented on the new housing being built on the mountains across from the mine and how they seemed rather susceptible to water and erosion issues, yet were probably twice as expensive.\n\nSatisfied with our peanut butter sandwiches, we headed up to Zion.  The drive was pleasant and scenic, featuring the Utah mountain ranges again.  Before reaching Zion National Park, we took our second intended stop at Kolob Canyon National Park, which was a 5-mile scenic ride up winding red roads to view five massive red rock formations that formed a canyon.  The red color theme, that comprised the road and the rock, created a landscape unlike any other I had seen.  Around every turn, we were awed by the view and excited to see more.\n\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653895338062958241%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\n\nAfter our Kolob Canyon appetizer, we headed for our entree at Zion.  Once entering Zion National Park, it’s 20 miles to the campground/visitor center.  On the way to the campground, we saw wide vistas of mountains, yellows, reds, and browns.  Zion canyon itself is a narrow canyon with sheer vertical walls rising between 1400 and 3500 feet above the floor (which is already 4000+ feet above sea level).  It was really something to wonder at.  This immense canyon was formed by the unassuming Virgin river, which appears much like our local creek back home.\n\nWe arrived at our campsite and were glad that we had made reservations, since the campground was sold-out, were glad we were next to the bathroom, since having to walk a distance in the morning is rather annoying, and were glad we chose that campground, since we had incredible views of the surrounding mountains.\n\nWe wasted little time after setup to get on the Park shuttle bus to go on a 13 mile ride along the length of the canyon.  From the Angels Landing, to the Court of the Patriarchs, to Cathedral Mountain, to the Temple of Sacrifice and more, one could not blame the Mormon settlers for the spiritual and regal emotions that were evoked by the massive walls of the canyons.\n\n<embed type=\"application/x-shockwave-flash\" src=\"https://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf\" width=\"400\" height=\"267\" flashvars=\"host=picasaweb.google.com&noautoplay=1&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=https%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2F107638235733347757198%2Falbumid%2F5653901933622131233%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US\" pluginspage=\"http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer\"></embed>\n\nThe tour had given us a good sense of what we wanted to see in the subsequent days ahead, but for now, we just wanted to get the lay of the land and get back to our site.  However, two events of note occurred along the way.  First, as we walked to our campsite from the visitor center, we noticed a park ranger and another woman trying to push a giant RV out of a parking spot while the boyfriend/husband steered.  Sensing a hand was needed, we walked right over and started to push.  Turns out the RV needed to be pushed out, then forward, and back again in order to align it properly so it could take the jump and start (we don’t understand why this had to be the case either).  I was impressed we were able to move it, but sure enough, a few minutes later, the RV was properly aligned and everyone was appreciative of our help.\n\nWe were still hungry, so we continued back to the site and I made dinner.  Here our second fortunate occurrence came when I heard a rustling behind me in the bushes.  I thought it was someone walking through our site, but it turned out to be a some-thing, namely a mule deer grazing around the campground.\n\nThe next morning we slept in a bit, in that we didn’t leave the campground until around 7am, at which point we headed over to Bryce Canyon about two hours away.  This is an amazing drive.  First, there is the 13-mile scenic highway out of Zion, that takes one through a 1.1 mile tunnel through solid sandstone, yellow and brown rock formations made from layered rock, the Checkerboard Mesa, stone arches, and many other great landscapes.\n\nADD SLIDESHOW\n\nWe arrived at 10:15am at Bryce Canyon, and naturally had peanut butter sandwiches for brunch. Shortly before 11, we started on the 18 mile scenic drive that had many notable stop offs.  We really can’t detail them all here.  There were so many pictures and so many great views.  The red sandstone Hoodoos looked like settlements/cities.  The best spot though was Inspiration Point, which consisted of  three sections, two of which  were very steep, long climbs along a path, but very well worth it.  We looked down several thousand feet to the ground below.  We had wanted to do the Navajo trail recommend by my Aunt, but it was late, lightning was occurring, and storm clouds were on the horizon.   She also recommend the Route 12 scenic drive, so we opted for that one instead.\n\nADD SLIDE SHOW\n\nThe drive took us to Escalante, UT and gave us more great views of colorful sandstone formations and what seemed to be parts of the canyon floor we saw from the top of Bryce Canyon.  We were glad we took the drive, and wanted to go farther, but time and weather were against it.  We were a minimum of three hours away from Zion and it was raining.\n\nPart of the fun on the way back was speculating on what the weather would be at Zion based on the clouds in the distance.  The sky was full of grey rain clouds, except for a small spot of bright blue sky.  We hoped that spot was over Zion.\n\nBefore we arrived back at camp, we again had to stop at the store for bread.  We found a “local”/tourist grocery store and I ran in to make the purchase while Dad made some calls.  When I returned to the car, Dad nearly passed out after hearing the cost for the loaf (over $4) and inquired what kind it was, which forced me too look closer.  I’m glad he asked, because it led me to see what I had missed in the store:  mold.  Upset about being sold moldy bread, but feeling rushed for time, I simply ran back to the store, showed the bread to the manager, and exchanged it for a fresh loaf.  Bread in hand, we hurried back to camp.\n\nOn the way back to Zion, we again drove on the scenic highway, this time seeing some goats walking along the angled rocks with ease.  This was nice, but it also backed up traffic.  We were also further delayed the tunnel as what was normally a two-way tunnel was being treated as a one-way for some reason and we had to wait for the oncoming traffic to clear out. We made it back to camp shortly before sundown and I made a hasty Shabbat dinner.\n\nAs I was making dinner however, we were pleasantly interrupted by a park ranger who had stopped in front of our site.  She walked over to us and at first,  I was nervous, but then we recognized her as the officer whom we had helped push the RV out of the parking space .  We left that incident not thinking much of it, but the officer did, and had found us to present us with two official Junior Park Ranger badges.  It was a nice interaction to end the day.  We had a nice meal, went to the ranger talk to learn about nocturnal animals (we know more now about owls than we ever thought we would), and went to bed.\n\nThe next morning we again slept in until 7, and went for two hikes around 8.  One hike went along the river side of the Virgin river (where I managed to pet a rock squirrel), and the other took us to an emerald lake, i.e. one filled with algae.  We also visited the Human History Museum to watch a movie about the history of the area and park.\n\nThe rest of the day was spent around camp relaxing, resting, and reading.  The weather that day had been good, but near nightfall, as we were thinking about dinner, we heard thunder and dark clouds were above us.  We prepared the tent (Dad put a large tarp over everything inside), and took refuge in the car.  There was a large tree near our tent and Dad had visions of it falling on us during a storm.  It was eventually dark, and the rains had not yet come.  We saw our park ranger friend again (we unfortunately didn’t get her name), who advised that the storm was likely going to be south of the campground, but that could quickly change.  It was cold, dark, and possibly going to rain, so Dad advised we head into town for dinner.  We found a hip pizza place in town and enjoyed a vegetarian pizza together.\n\nZion had been all we had heard, and more.  It really is what it claims to be:  a canyon.  Steep, vertical walls stretching 1500-3500 feet above the ground, a narrow space between the walls and a river running along the floor.  It was also reasonably sized, at 13 miles long, such that we could experience its entire length.  This would contrast sharply with our next destination:  The Grand Canyon.', 'Days 10-12:  Going up to Zion', '', 'inherit', 'open', 'open', '', '238-revision-2', '', '', '2011-09-19 04:16:55', '2011-09-19 04:16:55', '', 238, 'http://www.richgoldman.info/blog/?p=242', 0, 'revision', '', 0),
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