[Photos taken 06 – 07 August 2022, posted online 08 April 2023. The storm has come and gone… but more in a few days.]
On our last whole day in Idaho, we drove up the canyon and hiked to Upper Glidden Lake. The lake and surrouding area were gorgeous, but then the mishaps began!
Finnur tripped and scraped his leg, ripping up his pants leg. Then, thankfully pretty close to the car-park on the way back, Anna tripped and twisted her ankle so badly I ended up giving her a piggy-back-ride back to the car. Yay for lots of gym-time!
Just to make the day more colorful, we were met in the parking lot by a guy who was looking for a jack, as one of his tires had fallen off, and he didn’t have a big enough jack to get it back on. His car was of course blocking the road, so we tried helping him, but it wasn’t until some more cars arrived, one of whom had an old-style jack, that the tire got put back on.
The following day began with yet another variation on an amazing breakfast, before we said our goodbyes. We then drove back to Spokane airport, and flew onwards to Denver, Colorado.
Saturday 06 August 2022
Hikers enjoying the view of Upper Glidden Lake.
After yet another scrumptious breakfast (who knew there were so many ways to make breakfast?!) we chilled for a bit. Emma ‘excavated’ a toy she’d gotten.
Digging for treasure.
We went on a tour of their newly renovated “office” building, that features an actual elevator!
An unassuming shelf that contains years upon years of work, sweat, and probably some amount of actual tears… also known as the thesis collection of Ivan’s Ph.D. students. Mine’s that slim one poking out.
Our vehicle for climbing up the rough canyon road.
Off we went!
A little later we’d arrived at the trail parking lot.
Impressively blue skies!
Into the woods we went!
Among the trees.
Met a lady with dogs, who had serious GPS tags on them.
Hilly terrain.
About 40 minutes later, we caught sight of the beautiful lake. It’s like a water-plug at the top of a peak, surrounded by tall trees on all sides.
We found a nice log to sit on, and Finnur volunteered to fiddle with the timer feature on his phone to take a photo of all of us.
Finnur setting up for another shot. Unfortuntely he bumped into a branch that tore up his pants, and scraped his leg!
Ouch!
After eating some snacks, we of course meandered to the lake, which was quite chilly.
We’d only brought along one set of wading shoes, which were doled out on a timer.
Anna went out and pushed a log or two our way.
A log graveyard?
Emma letting the water rain down.
It didn’t take long for stone-skipping to commence.
Yours truly getting in on the action, seemingly never with a clean bottom! (This and the following two are Finnur’s)
Ivan enjoying the day.
Anna through the trees.
After hanging out for a couple of hours, it was time to head back.
Speedy people in front of me…
… slower ones behind.
It was a bit sad to see how many trees were in trouble, perhaps due to beetle infestations?
Before reaching the parking lot, Anna twisted her ankle really badly, and needed a piggy-back ride to get to the car. Then we discovered the road was blocked by a car, that had lost a tire as the lug nuts came loose.
Ivan’s jack turned out to be too small to get the needed lift, and there were no suitable extra blocks around.
Meanwhile, Margo kept Anna company as she rested her injured foot at the back of the Bronco.
Thankfully, more cars soon arrived, one of which had an old-style jack.
Eagle-eyed Finnur had also managed to locate some missing lug nuts a little ways down the hill.
Always tidy!
Enjoying the evening outside.
After a few days of trying to muscle-memory-remember a certain piano-song, it finally came to Anna, much to everyone’s joy.
Sunday 07 August 2022
If only all kitchen windows had such a beautiful view!
Emma playing with Tux, who reveled in her attention.
Can you spot the king surveying his kingdom?
Here’s a hint!
Far too soon it was time to say goodbye, but we’d put down our schedule and now we had to keep it.
A near-one-legged Anna, leaning on Bjarki.
Saying goodbye to Tux.
And that was it, the Icelandic whirlwind moved on to its next destination.
Goodbye Wallace!
Lovely lake-side properties.
Entering Washington state, where Spokane airport is located.
We found a wheelchair for our invalid, and rolled on into the airport.
Our Southwest airplane? Probably not.
With Anna in a wheelchair, she got priority boarding, and we grabbed five seats at the front of the plane, as Southwest has free seating. It was fun defending them, as we waited for Finnur, Bjarki and Emma to finally enter the plane!
… and then we were airbourne, again!
More views. About two hours later we landed in Denver, Colorado.
Thankful for free wheelchairs at airports!
Driving towards the Rocky Mountains, and Augusto’s and Sarah’s place!
