Wheel Goods Flyer

Meet my new bicycle. I first noticed the teal Wheel Goods Flyer at a second-hand store in Eagle River, WI named The Thrifty Drifter. Over a month's time I stopped by the store a few times but it was always closed. Finally on December 9, 2011 I got lucky and the store owners were willing to part with the teal beauty.

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Funny Face

Photo taken near St. Germain, WI...early January 2012
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Eagle

"Bicycling is the nearest approximation I know to the flight of birds. The airplane simply carries a man on its back like an obedient Pegasus; it gives him no wings of his own." Louis J. Helle

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK: GRAND CANYON OF THE YELLOWSTONE

Named because of the deep canyon the Yellowstone River has carved, The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is one of the most impressive sites I've ever seen. Located in Yellowstone National Park, there are countless spectacular views of the raging water and fierce falls. There are two falls, Upper and Lower. Just when you think the view couldn't get better the next view point is just as impressive or even a little better.

Above, Lower Falls

Above and below, Upper Falls

Below, above Upper Falls. Standing at this view point the ground was shaking from the powerful force of the water.

Above and below, crashing water of Upper Falls

Above, Lower Falls

The canyon is 24 miles long. It's deepest point is 1200 feet deep and at its widest, 3/4 mile.

Photos taken August 9, 2011

Rocky Mountain National Park: Old Fall River Road

The Old Fall River Road in Rocky Mountain National Park was the first road to penetrate the interior of the park. The road connected the east side of the park near Estes Park to the Grand Lake on the west side. Work on the road began in 1913 and was finished in 1920. The narrow road was partly replaced in 1932 by the Trail Ridge Road. In 1968 the National Park Service restored the road, paving the lower third. Today, Old Fall River Road is a 10 mile one-way gravel road going up to the Alpine Visitor Center. Liz and I used the road twice to reach the top of the mountain. For a gravel road it is in excellent shape. Each time we reached the top with ease with our SUV. Because of the good condition of the road most vehicles and motorcycles can also use the road.

There are several impressive waterfalls along Old Fall River Road.


Valley View


Near the top of the road is a wonderful open green area. Two days after these photos were taken we returned and set up lawn chairs near where Liz is standing below. It was a sunny day. How often can you read in total peace and quiet near a clear mountain stream? On that day we did just that.








Beyond the tree line we spotted an elk

The road is narrow with steep drop offs

Further up still...an elk herd.

snow and valleys of green

Sweet Music

Bicycling...Sweet music to my ears.

Photo taken in Ashland, WI

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

"I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota" ~ Theodore Roosevelt

These photos were taken August 2, 2011 during my first trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Western North Dakota is desolate country. On this early August day the park was also desolate as I was one of three vehicles in the entire park for the entire day. Being virtually alone on the hiking trails and being the only person gazing over the Little Missouri River Valley I could easily understand how President Roosevelt fell in love with this area.

"The Bad Lands grade all the way from those that are almost rolling in character to those that are fantastically broken in form and so bizarre in color as to seem hardly properly to belong to this earth" ~ Theodore Roosevelt

The park is located in Western North Dakota comprising of 3 units. The North Unit, South Unit, and Elk Horn Ranch Unit combined to cover 110 square miles of North Dakota badlands.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park was dedicated in 1978. Before then the area was a National Wildlife Refuge and then a national Memorial Park.

"I do not believe any man can adequately appreciate the world of to-day unless he has some knowledge of...and some feeling for...the history of the world of the past" ~ Theodore Roosevelt

The Little Missouri River began carving the badlands about 600,000 years ago during the Pleistocerne Epoch. The river formerly ran to Hudson Bay, but glaciers diverted it into the Missouri River.

.........

Theodore Roosevelt National Park has a semi-arid Northern Great Planes climate.

As far as the eye can see...yellow clover.

Animals that you might see in Theodore Roosevelt National Park include elk, prairie dogs, white-tail and mule deer, sharp tailed grouse, golden eagles, feral horses, pronghorns, and...bison.

"It is certainly a most healthy life. How a man does sleep, and how he enjoys the coarse fare!" ~ Theodore Roosevelt

BRUNEAU DUNES STATE PARK, IDAHO

Bruneau Dunes State Park, located near Mountain Home, is a hidden and unknown gem in Southwestern Idaho. The park contains dunes, desert, marsh, and prairie.


The sands of Bruneau Dunes are a light chocolaty brown and are very soft. Climbing to the top of the dunes was difficult and afterwards my Keens were full of sand.

Below, tracks of a darkling beetle. Farther below is a photo of a darkling beetle I found near the ranger station of the park.

Above, The tallest dune in the United States...470 feet high.

Bruneau Dunes State Park was dedicated in 1967 and holds 4800 acres of unique landscape.