Grand Teton AND Yellowstone National Parks

We are currently on an Appetizer Tour of America, sampling bits with promises to return for more.

Before leaving Grand Teton National Park, we accepted the invitation to “Take a stroll with a ranger along Jackson Lake while learning about this remarkable place. Beauty guaranteed."
For over two hours, beginning at 8:30 AM, Ranger Josie shared with us the natural and cultural history of the area.


We even got to ogle an osprey in action. Wow.




What a lovely parting shot!
While our drive through Yellowstone National Park was really just a way to travel east, our three hours in the Park were delightful.
Our destination was West Thumb Geyser Basin, the largest geyser basin on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. This was a first for us! We never knew these geologic wonders could be found on a lakeshore. Wild.


In 1869, the first scientific expedition to explore the Yellowstone area, the Folsom- Cook-Peterson Expedition, visited the West Thumb Geyser Basin. David Folsom described the area as follows:
Among these were springs differing from any we had previously seen. They were situated along the shore for a distance of two miles, extending back from it about five hundred yards and into the lake perhaps as many feet. There were several hundred springs here, varying in size from miniature fountains to pools or wells seventy-five feet in diameter and of great depth. The water had a pale violet tinge, and was very clear, enabling us to discern small objects fifty or sixty feet below the surface. A small cluster of mud springs near by claimed our attention. These were filled with mud, resembling thick paint of the finest quality, differing in color from pure white to the various shades of yellow, pink, red and violet. During the afternoon they threw mud to the height of fifteen feet. .
There were no exploding geysers, just a uniquely wonderful landscape that amazed us at every turn.








Oh how I was born in the wrong era!
Cool animal sightings concluded our time in Yellowstone!

This was our path. We've explored more of the park in travels past. We'll be back.
Slumber came soundly at Three Mile Campground on the road to Cody. What a great day #5.

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Interesting Stops to Grand Tetons

We concluded our Oregon Trail history lesson at Register Rock.

Part of Massacre Rocks State Park, this area was an emigrant campground where travelers inscribed their names on basalt boulders. As travelers on the Oregon Trail paused here, they succumbed to the all too human desire to leave word of their passage.  How amazing that these reminders remain.


Our next stop was in Pocatello, Idaho. Found on Atlas Obscura, The Museum of Clean invited us to "Walk into an awesome 74,000 sq. ft complex of excitement, education and inspiration for the whole family. While most museums have a single subject focus this one is far, far from that —clean dominates the value of everything that affects life. Our museum goal is to touch as many dimensions as we can—in display, art items, slate, and participation. So come prepared to do and get more than just see... remembering this is not a cleaning museum, it is a museum of clean."
Founder Don Aslett authored 40 books and completed more than 6000 seminars, workshops, and T.V. filmings nationally and internationally. All of these relate to organization and the dimension of clean.
"Although a poor struggling college kid with a meek little cleaning business, Don scrimped and saved and went first class on his first wet/dry commercial vacuum, a 10 gallon Multi-Clean Imperial 5 model. The Imperial 5 lived to suck bags of dirt and dead flies and anything else in its path, sometimes inadvertently shrinking lots of living room carpets. Converting from wet to dry or dry to wet was done simply by removing the filter or putting it back in. The Imperial 5's size, color, and deafening noise always impressed the customer!"
Don was so known in the cleaning world, he became the spokesperson for Eureka Vacuums. Who knew?
Upon entering, we were greeted by world’s largest janitor, Big Don. Standing at 20 feet tall, Big Don provides a rare photo opportunity as well as big cleaning inspiration. A very rare piece from the 1960s, these giants are often referred to as Muffler Men. Big Don is one of just a few left in America to be standing inside of a building.

Fun photo opportunities were plentiful.
How cool is this vacuum? This is the first motor powered vacuum. From 1902, it was used in Great Britain. This horse drawn central vacuum would park outside large buildings while a gas powered exterior engine was used to create the suction necessary to clean the interior of the building via a long hose. What a sight to see!

This was a museum of all sorts of cleaning tools. This bowling ball cleaner brought back such memories of my childhood.
The surprisingly fascinating history of vacuum cleaners was revealed through the museum’s display of more kinds of vacuum cleaning equipment than the average person could ever imagine! Who knew that inventors, designers, tinkerers, and manufacturers would use all their energy to answer the burning question of average homeowners and commercial building owners all over the Western world: “How can I get dirt out of my carpets?” With the advent of carpeting, the quest for convenient and efficient vacuum suction began. Boy, every quest was documented here.





This 'Lazy Boy' had to be the topper of them all. Invented in 1908, while a man rocked in this chair, the motion activated a vacuum.
So as the man of the house read by the fire, his dutiful wife could take care of the vacuuming chores.
Hysterical!

The collection of advertisements for "women's ideal Christmas gifts" were hysterical, too.

The Museum of Clean was one of those detours that brought great delight. What fun.
Believe it or not, this sign reads, "Welcome to Wyoming".
Home for the night was Grand Teton National Park. At approximately 310,000 acres, the park includes the major peaks of the 40-mile-long Teton Range as well as most of the northern sections of the valley known as Jackson Hole. And it is breathtaking.


Our first stop, Jenny Lake, is the first stop for many visitors.
Steve is standing by the Park's first Entrance Station. History abounds.


We are traveling without reservations so we only have one night here. Tomorrow, we'll fit in all we can before moving on. Life on the road is great, thus far.

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