In early September friends Norm and Carrol visited and we made a 4th trip to Yellowstone. In addition to the usual sights, there was a rare treat: we arrived at the Great Fountain Geyser as it was preparing to erupt. We waited 1½ hours (the eruptions occur every 8 to 12 hours) to see it. Unlike Old Faithful, there are no crowds and the viewing area is quite close to the geyser— people were joking about the possibility of getting splashed with hot water. As an added treat, the White Dome Geyser (left background) erupted at the same time.

Our fifth trip through Yellowstone and second through Grand Teton was at the end of September, when we took a short trip to Southern California. The blazing reds and glowing yellows of the trees and bushes in the parks were amazing; our pictures do not do the scenery justice so we haven't posted any. The purpose of our trip was to visit grand-daughters Lauren and Allison; as an added treat, Kendal dropped in for a day with boy-friend Brandon.