Yellowstone

Entering the first National Park in America.  Yellowstone.  Actually there are 5 entrances but the most iconic is the North entrance were Teddy Roosevelt inaugaurated the park's opening.  We stayed for 6 days just outside the National Park at West Yellowstone.  Grizzly RV Park.  Town of 950 people.   It was like a mini Wisconsin Dells.

They had a great Grizzly and Wolf Center that gave information about safety in the park with these two trouble makers.  They also had 7 wolves and 9 grizzly's in habitat areas.  These were all animals taken from Yellowstone because they were injuried and not able to return to the wild or nuisance animals (they liked us humans too much and wouldn't leave us alone or our garbage). 

Here's a big hug to all of you from us.  I forgot to shave that morning, sorry.

 This is the new couch that Randy picked out for our motorhome.  Took some measurements, and it just wouldn't fit.  Bummer!  Actually, I think Buddy would have been jealous so it was better off left in the store.
The popular book in all the National Park stores is "Who pooped here?"  Teaching kids about wildlife scat recognition.  Well we have the answer to the age old question.  Do bears poop in the woods?   YES they do - watch this.
 The Elk have made their home in all kinds of places.  Including downtown Mammoth Springs in Yellowstone.  Not sure if he was waiting by the firehydriant for privacy, but he wasn't going to get it with all of us gaukers staring at him.  He eventually just layed down beside it for a rest.  There were many ladies in town to, but they were smarter and hung out in the shade of buildings with their young.
This is always a tell tale sight.  Where there are cars stopped, there is some type of animal to be seen.  We always kept our eyes open but when this human event occurs, it was an easy catch that we would see wildlife.  I wonder what the animals think of our "herds". 
 Of course what visit to Yellowstone would not be complete without viewing Old Faithful.  She now runs on a 90 minute schedule +or- 10 minutes.  I remember it used to be closer to every 60 minutes.  Must be time for a battery change.  It was fun watching all the herds of people suddenly move in about eruption time and then suddenly move away as soon as it was over.

We toured all, and I mean everywhere, in Yellowstone via motorcycle or foot.  The good old 1989 Honda Goldwing just loves this mountain air.  In Wisconsin we averaged 39-40 mpg with both of us.  Here we've been doing about 50mpg.  It's only a bit scary when the bison decide to walk on the road.  It is great for taking pictures and video from the back.  No windows to shoot through or frame to get in the way.  Well maybe Randy's head now and then but that's OK.  This was Yellowstone Lake, time for a break and looksee.

Just one of the many, many rivers flowing through Yellowstone that amaze me in their beauty and I couldn't believe the number of Fly Fisherpersons.  A sport we did not know much about but seems to be the only way to fish in Wyoming.  Maybe YouTube has a video we could watch to educate ourselves.???

 To the left "old geezer"

To the right "old geyser"

Mud pots and all of the wonders of being on a volcano are here at Yellowstone.  It was the wildlife watching that interests us the most.  Waited for an hour to see the pack of 7 wolves and their cubs that come out of the woods at 5:30-6pm.  Or so we were told by the dozens of people that come to watch them every night.   Except the night we waited.   No wolves.  The night before arrived in the Hayden Valley area and were told they had just gone back in after a 2 hour romp with their cubs.  Timing is everything.  Saw a grizzly between Tetons and Yellowstone by the side of the road but pictures just look like a brown furball as he/she was in the tall grass and Ranger Rick made everyone keep moving.  No big horn sheep, goats, or mountain lions spotted.  Another goal, someday.

Grand Tetons

 Coming into the Grand Tetons there was a wonderful cloud covering in the afternoon.  It did rain later that day but it made for a beautiful picture of the Tetons and butte infront.  It was a wonderful welcome into the area.

 The next day after the rain.  An overheaded Mama Moose decided to lay in a large puddle in the the campground parking lot.  I think baby wanted her to move over.  She tried to lay down next to her but those long legs just didn't know what to do.  She walked off into the grass behind and did lay down. 

 We kayaked across Jenny Lake to get to the boat launch area for Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point in the mountains.  They have a group of tour boats that take people across for a $12 fee.  I felt like we were on the ocean.  Everytime one of those boats came across, it made more waves and tossed our kayaks up and down.  Made for an adventurous trip.  When we reach the other side, there were many kayaks tied up to trees in the area.
This was Hidden Falls and higher up was Inspiration Point.  It was a fast moving river all the way down the 1 mile walk up the mountain. 
I was told there was about 400 inches of snow on the mountains last year, so now we understand how these falls and rivers can be so full and fast moving.  There was still some snow at the very top, waiting for a refill come September. 

So this was our backyard for the week.

 

I am so glad I don't have to do the lawnwork or the landscaping, because my little mind could not even imagine or come up with the beauty we see.

Doesn't he look like a model on the runway, looking back before walking off the stage.  The swinging hips in the walk included.  We are glad he took a moment away from chewing to look at us for this picture. 

 Just a few more pictures of the Tetons and the beautiful mountain flowers that are still alive and well.  I thought for sure being July, that they would not be still blooming.  Surprise... a few hung around for our viewing.

 Teton Village offers a tram to the top of Rendevous Mountain.  A ski hill during the winter and a tourist trip in the summer.  It was a very sharp incline up and down but awesome view at the top.  I am not one for heights but the view made me forget about being 10,000 + feet up and a long way down.  We had a guest operator, age 7, on the way up.  Did a great job.

 I noticed that we have so many photos of our travels but fail to get us in the pictures.  So when the Japanese family asked for us to take their picture, they recipricated and took ours.  There are alot of people in this area from Germany, Japan, Korea, and other foreign countries that I am not sure where all but the different languages were flyin'.  (all on vacation).  Popular place to travel.

 The view from a trail at the top of the mountain before we "trammed" back down.  Too many beautiful places to go and 1000's of pictures to take.   Hope you get to go someday too!

Cabin at Dubois Wyoming

This is the wonderful little town of Dubois.  Take a step back in time and meet great people and a great town.  We ate lunch at the Cowboy Cafe.  Picture a tiny cafe, were you try to squeeze in as many people as you can and get great homemade food and Pie.  Everybody says Hi and offers their ketchup off their table.  We were lucky to eat there for lunch because when we came back into town at supper time the Cowboy Cafe was having a grease fire in the kitchen and the fire department was there.  They had to close down for 2 days to clean up, but were open again.  Hope none of the pie was destroyed!

Many miles west of Dubois is the mountainess, gravel road that leads to Howard's cabin.  It's not like the cabins we used to rent in Northern Wisconsin for a summer vacation.  This was a resort.  Unbelievable thought and design was gone into this cabin and only God could paint the view.  We had our own bedroom and bath.  Buddy got to hang out in the cabin and met 2 new dog friends, Ruger and Brownie.  Everyone in Wyoming owns a gun for a dozen.  We got to do a little target practice.  Lots of fun.

This was the panoramic view from the cabins window.  It looked like a painting.  Undescribable.

The inside was gorgeous and very homey.  We had lots of fun visiting, laughing, and eating together.

 Randy caught himself a Jackalope, roped it and rode it down the streets of Dubois.  He stopped for a moment so I could catch this picture inside the grocery story.  Ride em Cowboy!!

 The Rodeo on Friday nights in Dubois was entertaining.  It reminded me of a Friday night football game back in Wisconsin.  All the kids show up and they sell munchies and all the crowds of kids and parents hang out.  This was the youngest barrel racer, age 4.  They start them young.  Go to school Monday thru Thursday and Fridays is Rodeo training and show days.  This little cowboy didn't win, infact his time was twice as long as everyone else, but he's learning.

This was Jackie's favorite lake, mountain area to go to.  Brooks Lake.  Beautiful lake in the middle of the mountains.  You would never know it was there unless you took a right turn off the road and drove way back in the trees.

 

Where else in America do you slow down to let a herd of cattle cross the road?

It's a beautiful country we live in.  We are so blessed to be able to see it and meet the people. 

Riverton friends

 Got to spend a week with my best friend, Jackie Smith and Howard Johnson in Riverton.  Her 4 grandkids from Wisconsin were there to visit.  Really enjoyed the time with all of them and the wonderful city of Riverton.  Jackie works as a Dialysis Nurse on the Shoshone Indian Reservation and had many stories to tell.  Her and Howard do alot of traveling and hunting.  She is the new and improved Annie Oakley of the West. 

Went on an adventure to the Sink Canyon area southwest of Riverton.  Hundreds of trout in this small area were the water flows up from cracks and caverns in the ground.  Dimension doesn't show but this endless hole in the ground comes up to a beautiful pool by the side of a mountain.  I suppose it helps that the National Park Service has a quarter fishfood machine so that little and big kids can feed the fish.   

 Approxiamately 1 miles up the road on the other side is were a beautiful waterfall and rapids leads down to a cave and the water enters underground and flows underground.  Huge cave and crazy rushing cold water.  It was an awesome sight.

We also visited Thermopolis Wyoming.  North of Riverton.  Steam coming from the ground in many places and then overflowing the rocks and adding to the cold moutain water in the river.  Many swimming and enjoying the beautiful weather.  In the distance is a swinging bridge.  I hate these moving bridges but this one wasn't too bad because they covered every inch of the floor so I couldn't step wrong or see below. 

Friends and Casper WY

We stopped over in Casper Wyoming to visit friends originally from Fort Atkinson and then Upper Michigan.  Scott and Iryna took a huge adventure and traveled west to take root.  It is amazing how many people they have met in Casper that originated in Wisconsin.  Seems like a bigger suburb of Wisconsin then Illinois is.  They gave us the royal treatment and Iryna cooked up some wonderful food.  Even included Elk meat spagetti. Mmmmmm

Toured the area and saw some wonderful beauty and historic sites.  Independence Rock.  The goal of every traveling family in the late 1800's - early 1900's was to arrive at Independence Rock by Independence day.  That way they would know they could make it over the mountains before the snow hit. To see their carved names or initials in the rock and know they didn't get to travel in comfort like we do, blows my mind.  I am so thankful to be able to travel coast to coast on 8 wheels, comfy chair, refridgerator, and smooth (well somewhat) roads.

This is where the Sweetwater River has carved a narrow cleft in the Sweetwater Rocks that is about 370 feet deep and 1500 feet long. The cleft is 30 feet wide at the base but nearly 300 feet at its top.  This was the next landmark that the settlers looked for while traveling.  The Oregon and Morman Trails passed through these parts.  History!!   Why didn't I listen more in school??  Oh well, we are learning and experiencing it NOW.

Escapade Rally back in Gillette

So we've been back in Gillette for the Escapade Bash.  An RV group that was started in 1978 by a couple that wanted to connect like minded RVers on the road full or part or occasionally traveling.  Miss Kay was at the Rally to celebrate the 35 years of the club.  She's this adorable and witty 86 year old 4 foot 11inch woman who started the club with her husband.  She gave up RVing when her husband died a few years back but is still helping her family and others run the club.  There are approx 50,000 members.  I would guess 1500-2000 of them were at the Rally in Gillette.  There big thing is Hugs.  Everyone gets a hug.  No hand shakes or waves.  The have numerous "sub" groups that connect you with like minded people.  We hung out with the Boomers (Baby Boomers) one time, Randy checked out the Geocacher's, and the SOWERS (Servants on Wheels Ever Ready).  It's like a Habitat for Humanity but involving Christians and projects to help build, repair, maintain, or anything else for Christian based organizations.  Churches, Christian schools, camps, missionaries residence to name a few.  There are projects going on in 39 of the 50 states that you can help with for a months committment.  There are 2 projects in Wisconsin, so we'll have to check those out for when we come back.  Anyway, its a way of giving back and helping while we still get to travel. 

We even were surprised tonight when a picture of our coach and truck showed up on the big screen in the nightly slide show of the days events.  The official photographer told me she just like how our coach looked and all the added "extras".  So she took a picture today and threw it in her slide show.  I still feel like we're the circus coming to town and just need that little red wagon attached to the back.

 

Kinda bummed this week as we found out the renters in our house in Fort Atkinson moved out July 1st and the management company has yet to let us know.  The only reason we found out was that James drove by and saw no cars in driveway and a ton of garbage out by the road.  Amber went over and looked in the windows, sure enough all empty.  Lawn needs mowing, waterfall for pond had tripped a breaker and stopped.  Fish appeared to be alive.  So now we've got to figure out what to do next, and how to take care of the yard and pond 1200 miles away.  Maybe we'll try selling it again, as that is our whole goal in the first place.  Emailed the management, but no response.  She'll figure it out when the rent doesn't come in.  Don't we feel secure.   Pray for guidance and the answer to our dilemma, please!

This is Buddy's new Thundershirt.  I found a pattern on the internet and made him one, as he is not a fan of thunder and lightening.  We'll see how he does at the next storm we have.