| Graveyard Point Plume Oregon - Field Trip |
Day 1 - Monday, June 11th.
The plan was to meet at Dave and Judy’s house at 7am to get an early start. Sandy Picked up Colleen at 6:30am
which gave us a 1/2 hour to get to Dave's house. However Sandy forgot the cheese and sausage that she picked up
at the cheese factory the day before for the trip. This would have ruined Sandys whole day, so we drove back to
her house and picked it up before we were to head out to Dave and Judy's. So yes, it was Sandy that made the
executive decision to change the meeting time to 8am. Sandy gave a Dave a call. Dave and Judy were waiting at the
end of there driveway when we arrived. So off we go, heading west.
We stopped at the Lewis and Clarke display on the way to Kadoka, SD. (which was our first nights destination) it
gave us a chance to stretch our legs. After a quick stop, we were off again on our long journey out west. We stop at
Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain, South Dakota for dinner our tummies were happy and legs stretched so onto our final
stop for the night. The motel had a very unique display. In front of the motel was a pile of hay bales with two
recliners and two porcelain thrones as an advertisement. We stayed at $12.50 each for our overnight
accommodations. It was quiet and clean. We only need to sleep after our long first days drive.
The plan was to meet at Dave and Judy’s house at 7am to get an early start. Sandy Picked up Colleen at 6:30am
which gave us a 1/2 hour to get to Dave's house. However Sandy forgot the cheese and sausage that she picked up
at the cheese factory the day before for the trip. This would have ruined Sandys whole day, so we drove back to
her house and picked it up before we were to head out to Dave and Judy's. So yes, it was Sandy that made the
executive decision to change the meeting time to 8am. Sandy gave a Dave a call. Dave and Judy were waiting at the
end of there driveway when we arrived. So off we go, heading west.
We stopped at the Lewis and Clarke display on the way to Kadoka, SD. (which was our first nights destination) it
gave us a chance to stretch our legs. After a quick stop, we were off again on our long journey out west. We stop at
Al’s Oasis in Chamberlain, South Dakota for dinner our tummies were happy and legs stretched so onto our final
stop for the night. The motel had a very unique display. In front of the motel was a pile of hay bales with two
recliners and two porcelain thrones as an advertisement. We stayed at $12.50 each for our overnight
accommodations. It was quiet and clean. We only need to sleep after our long first days drive.
Day 2 - Tuesday, June 12th.
We all decided to go do a little Fairburn hunting at the Weta beds just out side of Kadoka. We collected til' noon,
that gave us 3 hours to devote to agate collecting after breakfast. Boy the 3 hours went fast. All of us found a few
pretty little treasures. Sandy was the only one that found a Fairburn, and Oh but a wee little one it was. You almost
needed a microscope! We also found some pretty little bubble gum agates. We gathered about the vehicles around
noon, and them headed out. Here are just a few of the photos we took on the way out to the beds.
We all decided to go do a little Fairburn hunting at the Weta beds just out side of Kadoka. We collected til' noon,
that gave us 3 hours to devote to agate collecting after breakfast. Boy the 3 hours went fast. All of us found a few
pretty little treasures. Sandy was the only one that found a Fairburn, and Oh but a wee little one it was. You almost
needed a microscope! We also found some pretty little bubble gum agates. We gathered about the vehicles around
noon, and them headed out. Here are just a few of the photos we took on the way out to the beds.
Cows at the top
rim of the bluffs
rim of the bluffs
Weta Dam
Weta Beds
Judy and Colleen Dave
| That Blooming Cactus |
Bluff
s
s
| Yuccas in bloom |
Colleen on top
the agate beds,
and Judy and
Dave lookin' at
their finds.
the agate beds,
and Judy and
Dave lookin' at
their finds.
Day 3 - Wednesday, June 13th.
Got up at 7 and ate breakfast at Bubba's. Today was going to be another long day as we will be making our way thru
Yellowstone. We all agreed as long as we where in Cody, we would spend the morning at the Bill Cody Historical
Center which housed about 5 different Museum. They had a firearms museum that was simply amazing. There
were over 3000 rifles from back in time. The earliest dating back to the 1400's.
They even had a few rocks and minerals. We also went to the photography gallery, exhibiting the renown
photographer John Bunker Sands. We spent a good part of the morning here at the museums. So again around
noon we were back on the road. We had a lot to see yet at Yellowstone, and many more photo opportunities. We
got around to Old Faithful about 7:00pm. We had to wait about 45 mins. for the next eruptions. Still plenty light
out side. I took about 250 photos as it spouted for about 2 mins. As you can see by the photos we had a ball! We
drove again till midnight, and found lodging at St. Anthony, Idaho.
Got up at 7 and ate breakfast at Bubba's. Today was going to be another long day as we will be making our way thru
Yellowstone. We all agreed as long as we where in Cody, we would spend the morning at the Bill Cody Historical
Center which housed about 5 different Museum. They had a firearms museum that was simply amazing. There
were over 3000 rifles from back in time. The earliest dating back to the 1400's.
They even had a few rocks and minerals. We also went to the photography gallery, exhibiting the renown
photographer John Bunker Sands. We spent a good part of the morning here at the museums. So again around
noon we were back on the road. We had a lot to see yet at Yellowstone, and many more photo opportunities. We
got around to Old Faithful about 7:00pm. We had to wait about 45 mins. for the next eruptions. Still plenty light
out side. I took about 250 photos as it spouted for about 2 mins. As you can see by the photos we had a ball! We
drove again till midnight, and found lodging at St. Anthony, Idaho.
We stop in Wall, S.D. at the Grassland visitors center for a few mins. Earlier at the Weta Beds we had seen some
large birds that flew over us which looked like pelicans. So while we were visiting the visitors center we asked
about the large birds. They said they were in fact, actually pelicans. They were migrating north. They had flew
quite low and were just stunning.
With lots more driving to do,we filled our tanks and hit the road.
This evening we drove thru a beautiful pass called the Big Horn Mountains. As the sunset on these very colorful
mountains, it made great picture taking opportunities. We stopped so many times, for flowers, moose, and deer,
that it was midnight when we got to Cody, Wyoming. What a wonderful day in our neighborhood!
large birds that flew over us which looked like pelicans. So while we were visiting the visitors center we asked
about the large birds. They said they were in fact, actually pelicans. They were migrating north. They had flew
quite low and were just stunning.
With lots more driving to do,we filled our tanks and hit the road.
This evening we drove thru a beautiful pass called the Big Horn Mountains. As the sunset on these very colorful
mountains, it made great picture taking opportunities. We stopped so many times, for flowers, moose, and deer,
that it was midnight when we got to Cody, Wyoming. What a wonderful day in our neighborhood!
Dave by the river Lupins and Sunflowers Rock formation
| One of many John Bunker Sands Photographs |
| This is John Bunker standing on the summit of a peak at 17,783 feet |
| Gypsum with Selenite Crystal from a deposit near the shore of a Jurassic ocean |
| Obsidian from an Obsidian deposit in the wake of the Yellowstone volcanic hot spot both in northwest Wyoming and in Idaho |
| The Story Teller Watercolor on paper 1893-1895 |
| Moose statue outside of Cody Museum |
Now on to Yellowstone. We stopped so many times, and took soooo....... many photos. Enjoy the photos.
Just outside of Cody on our way to Yellowstone. Judy took this one while we were driving. The landscape was amazing.
| Colleen Sandy Judy and Dave. |
The chatty squirrel.
| Judy was aiming for the long lens in the back ground. Not realizing she was taking her own photo. Something on the hill had everyones attention. |
| Our last stop in Yellowstone just as the sun was setting. We stayed for about an hour, and I took about 100 or more photos. Here is just a few. |
Dave
Time for
lunch.
lunch.
| Colleen cuttin' up apples |
| Old Faithful at about 7:30pm |
None of these photos may be copied or reproduced without
permission.
permission.
| Minerals just under an inch of very warm spring waters. In different spots along the walk. You can see the change in color and minerals. As the sunset you could see the reflections became more intense. |
| Sandy and Dave playing in the fog. It was like seeing ghostly images. It was way cool!!! |
| The last photos of the day. These are my favorites. I took a series of this sunset, and a few of the pool. It was indeed, an intense blue. I had nothing to brace the camera with. It was hand held. |