As usual, a posting of some sort is long overdue! We really haven't done anything photo worthy for quite a while and I just have a hard time finding a point in blogging if I don't have pictures to share. So, here's a quick recap of the last trip we took.
We headed south to Boise and stayed with Dave for a few days. We didn't actually get to spend very much time with him while we were there due to his work schedule and Chris taking photos of the high school boys state basketball tournament. We were hoping to get another snowboarding adventure in but, unfortunately, that was not meant to be. So, there won't be any snowboarding photos in this entry. :(
We then scooted across southern Idaho to Pocatello and stayed with Ryan & Kathleen for a few days. The trip was
almost uneventful but that story belongs to Chris so you'll have to get details about what happened from him. The main event of our visit was Ryan's elk capture and Chris got some great shots, all things considered. Even though the capture didn't happen quite as anticipated, both Ryan and Chris agreed it was an amazing experience. I particularly enjoy thinking about the day in November when all the collars start dropping to the ground and there are suddenly a bunch of confused, yet happy, elk. Aah, freedom. Here are some of my favorite photos from the capture.
The area is not the type of land I would describe as "pretty" but it actually looks kind of neat in these photos. I think the snow helps the landscape a BUNCH.
The crew Chris was with spent the morning setting up drive nets.
(Don't I sound smart with my new fish and game terminology?)
Of course, the helicopter photos made the cut. C'mon, who doesn't like to see shots like this?
The net gunner also made the favorites - even though he's just looking at his gun and not really doing anything extraordinary whatsoever...
...and this one was just too great of a M.A.S.H. shot. I couldn't leave it out.
There you go. Elk capture in a nut shell. I guess these last few pics are in order. Just your run-of-the-mill, registered elk. November won't come soon enough for this girl!
It is always a treat to see long-time friends from the Blackfoot church. We had a nice visit with Ryan and Kathleen and felt blessed to be able to spend some extra time with Chad and Angela as well. We have a strange knack for developing friendships with people right before they move to a distant location. Hopefully the one isn't a result of the other...
From Pocatello we took the scenic route north to Missoula. As many times as I've driven from Pocatello to Missoula, I'd never ventured off the Interstate. For anyone who has the choice and doesn't mind a two-lane road, I would definitely recommend the highway through the mountains of central Idaho. We were very impressed! Once again, I thnk the snow did the landscape wonders, as I know these mountains do not have any snow in the summer. But for this time of year, it was beautiful! Here are some pictures we took on the drive.
We pulled off on this forest service road and both took lots of pictures. I really liked the angle of this shot Chris took.
While we were taking pictures, this plane came along and, of course, Chris had to get a shot (or 10). Of the many, this was my favorite.
I took a bunch of photos from that road and pieced them all together to make a panoramic view of Idaho's Lost River Range. I am hoping we can get a print of this and find a place to hang it because 1) I'm really happy with the way it turned out and 2) I spent way too much time working on it to just put in in a folder and leave it on the computer!
We were both excited to have the opportunity to see Mount Borah, the tallest peak in Idaho. There has been an ongoing debate about whether or not the distant snow-covered peak at the left end of the range is Mount Borah or not. I think it is and Chris maintains Borah is actually behind the peaks we could see from there. After much time spent with maps and Google earth, I'm closer to conceding that he could be right, but it is still a bit too unclear to be certain.
Mount Borah was very easy to pick out when we got farther north and boy was it impressive! We stopped a few more times along the way to gape and go camera crazy. I really like the way these two photos capture the pioneer feeling of this particular area.
Chris also managed to get this great shot with Mount Borah. I'm excited about the day we see the view from the top!
We got to stay a few nights in Missoula with Jen. We spent a day cross-country skiing on Lolo pass. After being a bit concerned about having enough snow to be able to go, it turned out to be a lot of fun. What activity like this with Jen isn't fun?
Not sure what's going on here...
...but I did get it figured out eventually!
Jen took us out to dinner at Guy's Log Cabin that night for my birthday. I even ordered a steak! I don't think I've ever ordered steak at a restaurant before. Tasty food, fun atmosphere, and excellent dining companions adds up to a great evening in my book. Thanks Jen!
We completed the circle by coming back over Lolo Pass and along the Clearwater River. Although we've driven that road numerous times, I hadn't realized before that night that Highway 12 is in a canyon the entire way through the state of Idaho. It's a beautiful drive and I'd recommend it to anyone as long as you can deal with a bunch of curves and drop-offs. :) We made it home without hitting any of the multiple deer along the way and were happy to settle back into home. All in all, it was a great trip!
