A change in seasons and a reunion

New River Gorge Bridge

We've made it back to Fredericksburg, VA for a couple of weeks before moving on to North Carolina. This is our semiannual visit for doc & dentist appointments. 

The last several times that we've made the trip from Jackson Hole to Virginia via a planned national park (New River Gorge or Shenandoah) visit, our trailer has always had a nervous breakdown of some sort that canceled the visit. This year it tried, but we had the parts and there was a guy nearby that knew how to repair it. We found the damage as we pulled into St Charles, MO (draggin' a broken brake line) where we had planned a day off of traveling, so no delay in travel plans. We made it to New River Gorge for a few nights and got a couple of hikes in.

After a rainy Columbus Day weekend in Natural Bridge, VA, we pulled the trailer on to Fredericksburg, VA. We left the trailer there and traveled by rental car to Nashville for our 50th Vandy NROTC reunion. We had a great time there, really enjoyed seeing everyone, and enjoyed everyone's recollections & stories. Donna and I are back here in Fredericksburg, VA with a full schedule for the next two weeks. 

We'll try to see as many people as we can while we're here. If not, we won't be that far away in North Carolina and can easily make a trip back.

That's it for us. Thanks for dropping by and checking in on us. Until next time, David

September Update

 

Photo of black bear by Caleb Weatherbee

September past half over, and we're wrapping up our season here in Grand Teton NP. We're fine. This is our last weekend to work coming up. One day of wrap-up next Tuesday, and we're on our way east. At least that's the plan.

The photo above is of one of the five or so black bears that have hung out at the Laurance S Rockefeller Preserve this season. While the picture (no zoom) seems to be too close, many of us (including me) have been much closer. (It's not comfortable and definitely unintended.) This picture taken while this section of the Lake Creek Trail (I nicknamed this section "Main Street") is closed. There's numerous berries in this part of the trail and not much line-of-sight which leads the preserve to close this section when the bears are there feeding to avoid bear/human conflict. We go through it twice a day to see what "action" has happened that day (visual sighting or fresh bear scat). As the photo shows, sometimes you're just a little too close.

So this is what's happened since out last update. We should be in Fredericksburg by Oct 12th and High Point, NC by November 2nd. As I mentioned earlier, that's the plan.

Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Probably post more often as we start traveling, again. Later, David

(Angry) August

Mt Teewinot from Moose Ponds Loop, Jenny Lake District, Grand Teton NP

August quickly slipping away. The park's been particularly busy and being on the southside with major road, parking lot and trailhead renovations & closures has put some extra strain on the preserve. Doesn't help that a 5-year old TikTok video is telling everyone to go to a particular spot on Phelps Lake to enjoy the water. Now add the park - with the most innocent of intentions - telling everyone via social media that the trailhead & parking lot for that spot is closed for the season and to use the preserve's parking lot to get to that spot on Phelps Lake. Add in flaggers, guide cars and a 25-45 minute wait time at each flagger and the mixture boils quickly. And it's not just our district.

When we're on patrol, volunteers get a park radio where you can talk to anyone in the park (law enforcement, dispatch, other districts for example). Just listening to the radio is just, if not more, exciting that any reality TV show. You get to hear things from a temporary road closure where they block off the road and wait at each end to ticket anyone who had parked illegally on that section of the road, to someone who is too entitled to wait at a wildlife jam and drives on the wrong side of the road and has a vehicle accident. Now mix in the usual speeders, wildlife jams, wildlife/visitor conflicts, accidents, parking violations, DUIs, conflicts between visitors, food storage violations, camping out-of-bounds, and the rare law enforcement assistance needed to euthanize a horse with a broken leg and we get a national park (one of many) that's strained at both ends.

Sometimes you arrive each day wondering where the chaos is going to occur that day and glad (hopeful?) that it's unlikely that it's where you're assigned. Expect it all to get worse next year. 

This past weekend seemed to be a change is the type of visitor. Now our typical visitor at the preserve is older. Early evening parking at Jenny Lake is more available (though still busy). Expect the park to be packed for Labor Day weekend. Colter Bay Marina (highest elevation marina on Jackson Lake) closed a few weeks ago due to low water in Jackson Lake. (Significant amount of water in Jackson Lake is intended for agriculture usage in Idaho. Idaho needs that water and is using it. This results in low water levels for Jackson Lake. Colter Bay drains out first.) This frees up a lot of parking at Colter Bay and Donna & I always recommend people go there when their "Plan A" isn't available.

So August almost over. We're about a month away from our departure time. We're fine. We plan to travel to New River George when we leave here. Plan to be in Fredericksburg, VA by mid-October. As always, that's the plan. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us! David

July Update

We're fine and in our "dog days of summer" here in Jackson Hole. We're not hitting any temp records, but we're hot and approaching those old heat records. Unlike previous seasons where the Tetons were hidden by wildfire smoke, we can still see the mountains as we drive by them. We do have some wildfire smoke making its way into the area from Utah, though. Consequently, we have a morning & afternoon haze that can interfere with photography. 

While we do get a dignitary or two from time-to-time where we volunteer, this local takes the top prize for interfering with normal activity. It's presence causes an "all hands on deck" response just to ensure visitors keep a safe distance while getting that "once in a life time" picture while not upsetting the moose. We believe it came down from around Phelps Lake and made a stop at our parking lot while traveling down to the Snake River.

Other than planning a day trip to Idaho Falls to get some things we can't get here in Jackson, it's a normal summer for us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Until next month, David

June Update

Mt Moran as seen from Colter Bay picnic area, Grand Teton NP

We made it! We arrived May 28th in Grand Teton, tried to collect ourselves over the weekend, and hit the ground Monday June 1st working the parking lot & roving the trails at the Laurance S Rockefeller Preserve.

The Moose-Wilson Road (WY 390) is under construction and closed as of this date as Grand Teton spruces itself up & makes major improvements for its 100th birthday in 2029. Affecting us is the new trailhead and larger & more organized parking lot for Death Canyon. This makes the Preserve the closest parking lot for Death Canyon. As the Preserve is a Conservation Easement within Grand Teton, it's a small parking lot (50 parking spaces and becomes the park's initial visitor information point for those entering the park from Wilson, WY). As there's no overnight parking in the Preserve, it becomes frustrating to those wishing to stay overnight in the backcountry in the Death Canyon area. As Donna says, renovations are painful!

Otherwise, we're fine, somewhat settled in and becoming more acclimated as each day passes. Exciting for us this year is that we now have two couples that we've volunteered with in the past also volunteering in Jackson Hole. Both couples are volunteering at the Elk Refuge this summer. We do have a few common days off, so we'll be able to visit during the season. 

That gets you up to date with us. thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Until next time, David

 

May Update

We're fine - running about two weeks behind schedule. Today we're in Kearney, NE and planning to get to Grand Teton on the 28th. We've had a good trip out of Howe, IN so far. Only one day of some rain and today was our first really windy, headwind day. We're also gaining elevation each day, so fuel mileage is on the low side.

We were able to get get most of our slide issues fixed. As is usually the case, when the trailer went into the Lippert shop in Howe, IN (old DRV Service Center), the shop couldn't duplicate the issue. We'd brought the trailer there with the bedroom slide empty (under bed storage empty). We pull all our stuff we typically carry under the bed back in that storage area and the slide worked OK. We started testing it out and while doing so, the kitchen slide failed. Started fooling with both slides and everything just stopped. Push any button you want, nothing moved. No slide, no leveling legs, nothing.

We metaphorically threw our hands in the air in frustration and left the shop. Walked some of Sturgis to get the frustration out and thought about the batteries. In the past we'd had a battery short itself out and created the same situation. Went back to the shop to tell them and when we got there, they had it all working. Turns out that we had the leveling legs fully extended (rare for us as we learned not to do that) plus all the slides out. We'd run too low on hydraulic fluid for things to work. We left for the day while the shop got all the air out of the hydraulic lines and repaired the kitchen slide. We got it back the next day. There's still work to do on the bedroom slide that we'll get taken care of when we get to North Carolina in the fall. Otherwise, all seems OK.

In other sad news, I've lost two mentors since we last posted. Kurt Shovestal was one of several people who trained me in what was called Earned Value Management when I retired. Kurt's calm leadership really aided me in learning how to present the information we gained and deal with various program offices and contractors when presenting that information. Two weeks later we learned Judy Bahnmiller past away. Greg & Judy taught us how to be fulltime RVers. When we were in the Gulf Shores area, Judy was always arranging lunches with fellow RVers and setting up game night. We think the world of Greg & Judy. She will be missed.

So from here the plan, what there is of it, is to travel to Sidney, NE (Cabela's) tomorrow. Go to Laramie, WY the next day. After that it's an overnight in Lander, WY. Move to Grand Teton the following day. We plan to be in Grand Teton until September 23rd.

That's it for us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Until next time, David

 

April - Early May Update

Kider's "World Fair" Garden, Middlebury, IN

We're fine & in Elkhart, IN for awhile. We're in-between service appointments for the trailer - this upcoming one unplanned. And if you haven't guessed or read our history, it's hydraulics or at least something affecting hydraulics like a broken bracket or weld on our bedroom slide.

Now don't go beating up on Elkhart, IN. There's a lot of worse places to be "stuck" plus there's a lot of really nice places that if you get stuck, you're toast. No one can come help you. That's why we're staying here. Lippert factory service is 35 mins away. You just gotta get an appointment. We're currently scheduled for the 18th of May plus we're on the first-call list if someone cancels.

We'd had a good trip up from Virginia and visited an old repair shop in Lagrange, IN that's under new management to get a few things replace or repaired plus some general maintenance on the trailer.  Techs that worked on the trailer were great, but not experienced in a larger, multi-slide unit with hydraulics. When the work was finished, we went in to check the work before leaving. We were so excited to see & check things while the trailer was inside the shop that we forgot to level the trailer before doing anything. When Donna moved the bedroom slide there was a large pop. Donna retracted the slides, we leveled the trailer and reopened the slides. Didn't notice anything else wrong. The work that was done was excellent. We paid & left.  

We left the Lagrange/Howe area the next day. I had opened the slides the morning we left and noticed that the bedroom slide didn't full extend. I figured we had an air bubble which we'd work out as time went on. We we arrived at Elkhart, we leveled and extended the slides. I watched the bedroom slide as it fully extended, then retracted about 4 inches. Donna re-extended the bedroom slide and it retracted (per Donna) about 2 inches. The third time it held.

As were doing all of this Donna sees the temp gauge in the freezer indicate 74 degrees and it's not dropping (but we have ice). OK, we got two things going whacky. Guess we stayed RV full-timer & kept the trailer one year too long! Once, again, we're coming out of service, we're in Indiana and we're developing a cascade of additional problems. It's a recurring theme for us.

Turns out the problem with the freezer is a bad battery in the thermometer. Confirmed by placed a different thermometer in the freezer. A new battery and it's all going well. 

Bedroom slide becomes a problem. We cannot see if any fluid is leaking. the slide frame and hydraulics is completely hidden from view. Do we travel and take our chances or be late to our volunteer position at Grand Teton. We chose to be late. Not an exciting proposition for a guy who, when I say we'll be there, intends to be there. Kinda like you word is your bond - no contract needed. Fortunately, all the staff at Grand Teton is great. While we've thrown a small wrench into the staffing schedule & will miss training, we were told to be safe and get there when we can.

So we wait. Now to see if I can get camping reservations over Memorial Day weekend! Anyway, that gets you up to date with us.  Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us! David 

March Update

Oak Hollow Family Campground, Section B, High Point, NC

OK, I'm late getting this out. We're fine. We're in the middle of our "Friends & Family" tour and currently in Fredericksburg, VA for our spring season doc & friends' visits. (We're also sampling all the various types of pollen along the way, too.)

From Gulf Shores, AL we stopped in Tallahassee, FL for a quick visit with Randy & Shirley. Then it was on to Eustis, FL to visit Donna's middle brother & sister-in-law before traveling a couple of days north to Atlanta, Ga to visit her older brother & Donna's niece. From Atlanta we traveled another couple of days to High Point, NC for a week-long visit with friends there. Last Thursday we traveled further north to Fredericksburg, VA where we sit. We plan to be in the area until April 16th.

Doc & friends visits have already started. We've still got a couple of near-to-below freezing nights to experience this weekend before we get warmer mornings. At least it'll be warmer until we head further north.

We were invited back to volunteer at Grand Teton NP this summer and expect to arrive by May 14th. It looks like it's going to be an interesting time this season on the Moose-Wilson Road (travels from Teton Village to Moose). Death Canyon trailhead (reached by a side road off Moose-Wilson Road) has been in need of a new parking lot & trailhead for some time. It appears all those improvements plus a Moose-Wilson Road alignment at the Moose intersection start this spring with significant travel impacts for the season to include closure of the Death Canyon trailhead. Since we volunteer at the Rockefeller Preserve Visitor Center which sits along the Moose-Wilson Road, this visitor center will be the only parking lot (50 cars only - no large vehicles, RVs, trailers, etc. and no over night parking for back country campsites) near Death Canyon. If you accidently came across this blog and have been routinely frustrated by the lack of parking at Rockefeller Preserve in the past, it appears you're not gonna have a lot of fun this summer for sure.

Current plans are to travel to Dayton, OH to visit friends before returning to Indiana for spring trailer service. After that we're on our way to Grand Teton. As always, that's the plan.

That gets you up to date with us. Thanks for dropping by and checking on us. Until next time, David

February Update

Happy Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, President's Day, Mardi Gras, Olympics, whatever. 

It's the middle of February, and we're counting down the days until we leave the first of March. We're fine, though achy. We've got at least one more doc appointment to get to. Pollen's out. Weather is trending warmer. Taxes are done. We've visited most of the friends we could get to. Truck is pretty much ready to roll. Now to get the trailer ready. 

We've donated our bicycles & bike rack. Donna's bike was worn out. We couldn't keep up with friends & their electric bikes, plus we're not ready for electric bikes. Consequently, our current bikes just hung on the back of the trailer. One less thing to keep up with.

That's all the big stuff and gets you caught up with us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. We'll post more when we start moving. David

January Update

 

Just checking in with everyone. Hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. Whatever creeping crud is running around this part of the country managed to hit Donna a couple of weeks ago, then me. We're beginning to come out of the head-fog even though the cough seems to hang around a lot longer. We still plan to reach out to see people, but we know time is running short. We're just not interested in spreading whatever we had around

We, apparently, got our first winter mixture last night. We weren't awake for it, but there was some ice still on the board walks on our stroll this morning. 

The campground is beginning to be full most days even though it's been somewhat quieter than in previous years past. Otherwise, it's a typical winter stay in the park. So there's little to write about.

Sorry that it's not a lot to read, but it's a routine stay for us. Thanks for dropping by, though. Until later, David

 

Merry Christmas/Happy New Year!

 Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

We had a nice, though rainy, trip down to Gulf Shores from Stone Mountain, GA. We arrived as planned on Dec 1st and the campground seemed empty.  Surprisingly to us, it's still seems empty when compared to years past where the campground filled the weekend before Christmas.

We moved into our typical routine quickly, even if it is a somewhat different routine. Donna's bike is not working well at all, so there's little bike riding so far.  We were going to donate them away, anyway, later in the season before we leave. Family doc in Fredericksburg had told Donna to walk more, so that's now what we're doing.

Truck is in for major service.  We took it in Dec 2nd and the latest date to get it back is the second week of January.  We had a similar situation years, ago. It just how busy shops are mixed with when parts arrive and trying to do all this over the holidays. We've got a nice, small rental car - reasonably priced compared to Jackson, WY - so we're good. Just can't deliver the bicycles to a donation site until we get the truck back.

In the meantime, we're getting a lot of walking in. We've gotten the trailer washed & waxed. We've eaten out with the bicycle group once and gotten one meal in with Jenny & Craig. We'll reach out to more people after the holidays. We've already experienced one night below freezing since arriving while most of our days are warmer than in years past (and as was predicted by weather forecasters in October.) We're trying to get use to the humidity. It's amazing how three straight summers in Jackson Hole has made us sensitive to humidity.

So that's where we're at. We still plan to leave Gulf Shores the first of March. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Have a safe and fun Christmas and New Years! David 

Mid-November Update

We've had a great visit in Fredericksburg, VA for late October. After that we moved down to High Point, NC for a couple of weeks. Today we arrived in Stove Mountain, GA. Plan to be here a couple of weeks, then move down to Gulf Shores, AL for the winter. We're hoping to get some quality visits with Doug & Elizabeth while here plus drive over to Alabama and spend an afternoon with Anna.

We've got a couple little chores we'd like to do while here at Stone Mountain. There's a backflow valve for the hot water heater that needs to be replaced. The shop we normally have such work done was unable to get the part while we were in Indiana. When they got it, they shipped it down to us. There's some good & reliable RV Mobile Techs in the Atlanta area, and we're hoping we can get that replaced while here.

Donna's hearing aids died, yesterday. In the past she's experienced a slow deterioration in the aids' performance, and we'd have plenty of time to get replacements. Not this time - Friday fine, Saturday dead. Hard way to learn we probably should have a back up pair. Now we know.

So that gets you caught up with us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Everyone have a great Thanksgiving!

David

 

Fredericksburg, VA

Lee's Drive, Fredericksburg, VA 

We're back in Fredericksburg for our annual doc visits. We left Lagrange, IN with most items repaired and traveled over Columbus Day weekend to get to Fredericksburg. So far, all doc visits going well. We're now doing friend visits and walking the battlefields & the Virginia Central Railway trails.

We plan to move on down to High Point, NC the first of November for a couple of weeks. Then down to Stone Mountain, GA for the last two weeks of November. From there it's on down to Gulf Shores, Al for the winter.

Not much more to add. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. We'll keep ya posted. David

Back in Elkhart, IN

We've made the cross country trip to Elkhart, IN for trailer servicing. We're here over the weekend and will move over to Cross RV in Lagrange, IN on Sunday. We'll stay in a local hotel while the trailer is being serviced. We expect to be back on the road next Friday. At least that's the plan!

We had a unrushed trip over from Wyoming this year. We'd travel three days, then sit for a day. The days off were in Sidney, Nebraska (Cabela's) & Newton, Iowa (east of Des Moines). These stops let us rest and allow the trailer batteries to recharge a little bit from running the residential refrigerator while we travel. The trip was uneventful - the best kind - even though roads remain rough in spots.

One of the more interesting stop-overs was the Newton Arboretum & Botanical Gardens in Newton, Iowa. Generally, we're stopped on the west side of Des Moines, Iowa, but being on the east side of Des Moines made a better balance of hours driven each day. We found a bike path that was near the arboretum and decided to check in out. Pictures below are from the arboretum. Late season, but still a nice distraction for our trip and day off from traveling.

So that gets you up to date with us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Until later, David

September Update

Our season at Grand Teton NP is over. We left about mid-day today & tonight we're in Lander, WY. We're on our way to Lagrange, IN for trailer service. The colors around here are peaking for the aspen and cottonwoods. It was a gorgeous drive over to Dubois enjoying those yellows and red/oranges. While we didn't take any photos on the way over, here's some from last week from around Lake Emma Matilda & Oxbow Bend. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Until next time, David

August Update

View Grand Teton from the Snake River Pull-out

Monthly check-in. We're fine. One month to go for this season in Grand Teton NP. Wildfire smoke surprising low compared to previous years that we volunteered in the Jackson Hole region. The preserve is busier than last year. Been a drier year than past years. 

We haven't completed any new hikes for us since last month. I had to get a new phone as the old one quit charging because the battery was too cold. (It's only low 80s outside, so how'd that happen?) We made a quick trip to Rapid City, SD to renew my driver's license. Failed miserably as the computers were down hard (apparently due to a system hardware failure). I'll now try online renewal when it comes back online, and if I can get an eye doc appointment before we leave here (gotta certify that boomers can see). Otherwise, it's PT for Donna and daily routines for us.

That gets you all up to date. Thanks for dropping by and checking in on us! David

Mount Moran, Grand Teton NP

Float trip down the Snake River, Grand Teton NP

July Update

We're mid-way through our season here in Grand Teton.  We're doing well and acclimated enough to begin hiking outside our volunteer days. Not a lot has changed from last month. 

The park is busy and the parking lot at the LSR Preserve remains full most days (as does many of the other parking lots in the park). Most of the construction projects that were expected to take place this summer have not and probably will not occur. We've noticed that the dining experience at the Signal Mountain Lodge has deteriorated. The food and the service there is not as good as in prior years. Leeks Marina is still a great visit. Otherwise, things seem to be normal as in prior years.

So we'll leave it at that. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us.  Unit next time, David

View of the Tetons from Munger Mtn

Mid-June update

Blacktail Butte, Grand Teton NP

We've completed our first month here in Grand Teton NP (GRTE) and our second week at the LSR Preserve (LSRP). We've experienced both cold & hot weather since arriving as well as the typical Wyoming wind and some light hail. Yesterday, Father's Day, the high was 83. Next Sunday the high is expected to be in the low 60s with overnight temps below freezing. The flowers are happy. Buddy & Gaye stopped by for a surprise visit, and we've gotten out for our first pizza & bread sticks at Leeks Marina (courtesy of Buddy & Gaye).

Grand Teton is already busy. We've noticed long lines at the Moose Entrance Station by 8 AM. The parking lot at LSRP has already started to completely fill by 9 AM. We were working the desk at the Craig Thomas Discovery & Visitor Center in Moose, WY (during May) when someone released bear spray in the visitor center. Take Donna's & my word for it - bear is nasty!

Anyway, that gets you up to date with us. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us. Here's some pictures from our walks around the park:

Death Canyon (Phelps Lake), Grand Teton NP

Wendell makes a surprise visit to Grand Teton (Gros Ventre Campground)

Paintbrush at Blacktail Butte summit GRTE

Views from Blacktail Butte GRTE

The Gnome at "R" Park (Wilson, WY)

Outflow from String Lake to Jenny Lake, Grand Teton NP

Inbound & Arrival to Grand Teton NP

We made it!

We left Hot Springs, SD Monday (May 12th) with a high over 90 F. Still hot when we make a two-night stop in Casper, WY.  Heading to Dubois, WY, it got real interesting. Sunny & windy as we departed Casper (Wednesday, May 14th). All the weather reports were for rain, rain mixed with snow, and just snow once we arrived in Dubois. Weather Channel app indicated most of it would be over by the time we arrived in Dubois. Just west of Riverton, WY our truck's Sirius/XM weather map showed that'd we probably get some light stuff before arriving in Dubois. (no cell phone signal once we're out of Casper, so those apps were out) The weather was shown as rain and moving northeast. Looked like we'd get just the southern - tailing edge of the storm as we travel US 26. Wrong!

As we approached the weather it started with light hail.  A little further along and it became a full-on hail storm. Soon US was covered with an inch+ of hail. Looked like snow, but it's hail. About two miles of this and it switched to rain. A few minutes later we're out of it. Pull into Dubois with clouds, wind, significantly cooler, but no precipitation. We set up for the night, and I leave to full the truck with diesel. Pull back onto US 26, and I'm traveling in snow flurries. Didn't last long, but it made for a fitting end to a day of travel.

We leave the next morning for Grand Teton NP for the summer as volunteers at the LSR Preserve. Light rain and snow predicted for crossing Togwotee Pass and the Continental Divide. That we got, and it made for a picturesque trip over to Gros Ventre Campground where we'll stay for the summer. 

We arrive to what appears to be an eerily empty employee loop in Gros Ventre. There are units here, but it's not the hustling and bustling loop we saw last year. We setup, eat lunch, take a nap, and head to the park to get our keys and paper work for check-in on Monday (May 19th). Friday is doc & haircut appointments day and load up on groceries. More people arrive Friday. Some we know, some are new. But it's still a somewhat empty employee loop.

So here we sit for the summer. It's still a rainy, cold weather pattern here with temps dropping below freezing most nights. Training begins Wednesday (May 21st). As we get out, we'll post more. Thanks for dropping by and checking up on us! 

Here's some additional pics from our trip into the Teton Valley/Jackson Hole area. David

Crossing the continental divide

First views of the Tetons

Blacktail Butte and the Tetons (I think Mt Moran) from Gros Ventre campground