June and July in Star Valley

After leaving Texas, we headed to Star Valley for the summer by way of Lamar, Co., Casper, Wy., Thermopolis, Wy., and Dupois, WY.  On our trip in Feb. to Galapagos, we picked up a letter to be delivered personally to a party in Thermopolis.  The lady the letter was addressed to was also the sender.  She was thrilled to see us and the letter.   Had a great visit and  compared notes on the trip.
The campground in Dubois was absolutely beautiful.

Cute little Goslings

One wanted to get away

The deer were all over the next morning

After being on the road, it was great to get to Star Valley and our summer place.  Everything we had done was still in good shape.  Arrived the weekend before Memorial Day and spent time getting setup.  Since I had not been getting as much exercise as I wanted, I tried pickleball, walking and hiking. Also biking.  Did a little too much and tore a muscle in my calf.  Had to take off for a couple of days and back into PT.   First kayak trip of the season was on June 10th to the Marsh area of the Palisades Reservoir.  Friends Debbie and Nancy Willcoxon had new kayaks and wanted to try them out.

Deb and Nanc

Me and Deb

Getting out of the Kayak caused my calf muscle to act up, so more PT and time off. On June 18th, we went on a short hike to test my calf.  Went on the Cedar Creek Trail.  Just 5 miles, but great to get back on the trail.

Hiking was no problem, but, pickleball still hurt.  PT thinks that the calf is well, but I might have a bakers cyst behind my left knee.  He recommended me slowly getting back into everything.  I started playing one or two games at a time and still hiking and kayaking.  Biking still hurt.
Our next kayak trip was to Lower Slide Lake up in the Tetons on 23rd of June.  Doing great, but the time in the car caused behind my knee to tighten up, could barely walk, but once I got into the kayak, everything was fine.  Since this was a lake trip, we had 10 of us.  Friends Kath and Nan just went for the time at the lake, but Carol and Earl , Rainy and Dick, Kathy and Dave and us had a great time on the water.

View of Tetons from Lake

Doe and Bambi on side of lake

Did she see us?

Having Lunch

Osprey cooling down

Looking for lunch

 On the 29th we decided to see if the beavers were still in the same place as last year.  This is the Crooked Creek Trail. No beaver, but could still be there, just not out.  Flowers were really out.

Although hiking didn't bother the knee, Pickleball, biking and riding in the car did, so Back to Orthopedic and a sonogram to see if really Bakers Cyst or what.  Drained Cyst and shot of steroid to calm cyst down.  Worked really great.  Was able to play up to 5 games.

Our next hike was the Palisades Creek Hike in Idaho on July 5th.  One of the most beautiful and easy hike.  Only problem is that everyone else thought so too. More crowded that any of our hikes so far.

Ducks on log. so busy watching them, almost missed Moose Cow in next picture.

Very unusual for Cow to have twins

 

Gorgeous Views

Always a Chipmunk around

Mountain goats on cliffs.Only had 250 lens with me. 600 too heavy for hiking.

The Osprey have nests all along hwy 26. This is the road from Alpine to Idaho falls.

Didn't have too go far for these babies. In tree in front of shed.

Our next hike was on July 11th.  It was the Prater Canyon hike.  This hike is one that we could go across the ridge to Murphy Lake on Greys Road.  However, this is a goal that you have to have someone pick you up there.  Also, the climb on this side is 1,000 ft incline per mile and to the ridge is about 3 miles.  The trail is poorly marked and really hard to follow.  This trip we only went out about 2 miles out and back. A total of 4 miles  in over 5 hours. Beautiful views and flowers.  No one on trail with light snow up at around 8,500 ft.

ON July 14th, we take a kayak trip up in the Tetons in the Oxbow with Mary and Bill Wright. Afterwards, we go up the tram in Teton Village to the Restaurant for Happy Hour.

Mary and Bill Wright

My Man

Eagles almost always around. Trying out Kath's camera to see if I like it. This is a 24x bridge camera.

View from Tram

On July 18th, we decided to take the hike on the other side of Prater from Murphy Lake to the ridge. Much easier this way, and well marked. A beautiful hike, but we ran out of time since we had a meeting that afternoon for the chili cookoff we're volunteering at, and didn't make the ridge. 

Friends Sandy and Bill Reetz came in for the Tournament, so we decided to go kayaking.  We were going to take a long trip from South Landing south of Jackson to West Table, but due to the fire near Douglas, it was so smoky when we got to Astoria, we just decided to put in there.  This would have been our lunch stop.  So instead of a 6 hour float, we only had around 2 hours.  Of course this is the best stretch of the ride anyway with some small rapids. There were 8 of us, Bill and Sandy, Linda and Lynn, Tim and Jan and us. Great time, but only had my small camera and had water on the lens.

Sandy

Jan

See the smoke in the air.

Bob, Lynn, and Tim

On July 22nd, we tried Prater Canyon again.  This time, we took small sprinkler Home Depot flags to mark the trail.  This time our friend Rita went with us.  I wasn't feeling up to par (too much partying the night before) and it was really hot.  Started up around 8:30 in the morning.  Rita and Bob made it to the ridge and actually up all the way to top of Mt. Prater.   That's 10,025.9 ft.  We started at 7,370 Ft. I made it to 9,040 ft.  

Bob and Rita on way down from ridge

Bob signalling me from just below ridge

Rita on top

On top, someone had left tripod and broken mirror

I sat and practiced with my new camera.  A Canon Power Shot SX530 HS which is a 50X optical zoom.  Really lightweight and easy to carry.  Good for hiking and as powerful as a DSL 600 mm lens.

Still learning to use it.

On July 24th, we went will Jan and Tim and Tim and Vickie followed to explore for new dry camping and kayaking places.  We have so many Tims in the park that we've started numbering them to indicate which one is which.

left to right, Jan, Tim 1 and Vickie and Tim 2

Still Practicing at pond off road

Jan, Vickie and me

Since hiking seems to be the only thing that I can do that doesn't bother my cyst and since the shot only lasted 10 days and then the swelling came back and the Dr. thinks that operating to remove the cyst is more dangerous than leaving it and hoping that the body will eventually absorb the cyst, that's what Bob and I are doing, hiking.  The next one was on July 25th to Strawberry Creek.  This is an easy hike, being moderate because of the 7 water crossings one way.  We went out 6 miles, but since we meandered on the way out trying to find the best places to cross the creek, we only came back  5.5 miles.  Therefore in a total of 11.5 miles, we crossed the creek 14 times.  Most easy, but 3 were challenging.  I slipped on one, but since it was hot the water felt good.

To bring us up to date, the hike to Bailey's Lake is an easy 5.50 mile hike one way.  The problem is coming back after noon in the heat is up hill.  Not bad, but the reverse of most of our hikes. Down in the morning when it's cool and up in the afternoon in the heat.  A beautiful hike and around 11 miles.

This eagle was from across the lake and this is not cropped. Camera seems to zoom in good.

Same eagle.  We must of taken 20 pictures, maybe 30. Very obliging

Deer up the hill from trail not so obliging, ran off

Dinosaur or what?

Juvenile ready to take off

Eagle on other side of lake

Deer off road

Grouse on trail

 Well, today's the 31st of July.  Hope this will all upload.  Tried playing again yesterday and only played 2 games before behind the knee swelled up.  Guess I'm destined to hiking for adventure. Hopefully, the body will do it's thing and absorb the cyst at some point.  Otherwise get a second opinion when I get home to Surprise.