Our Final Two Days - The Trip Home

After a wonderful evening and breakfast in Cody, Wyoming on Saturday we got started home.  Initially we were going to return the way we came, which would have been the shortest route, but after several conversations with other fellow travelers and the encouragement of our friend Justin who is originally from Wyoming, we decided to take a couple detours and enhance our trip home.

Our first trip was up through "Big Horn" National Forest in Wyoming which was an amazing drive up near Sheridan, Wyoming.

Then after driving through Big Horn, we decided to go home the northern route through South Dakota in order to see the Badlands as well...

The Badlands were amazing and we can't wait to take our family back there someday in the future. 

Oh, I forgot to mention that we did stop and visit the legendary Wall Drug while in South Dakota.  A destination that everyone must eventually make their way to...

We stayed the night in Sioux Falls and drove the remaining 600 miles home on Sunday.  It was good to be home!!!

Julie and I were so thrilled with the opportunity to have a week away.  Julie has stated that Wyoming quickly became one of her favorite places.  

I had not ventured across the country on this type of road trip since 1998 and I loved it.  It was awesome being able to share life on the road with Julie.  We hope you enjoyed following along with our trip and appreciate the interest you our friends and family have taken in our venture. 

Day 6 - Friday, August 13

Friday was day two of our Yellowstone Exploration and what  a day it was.  Ironically, it was the first day of rain and cloudy skies we have had on our trip.  Subsequently, we weren't sure what kind of day in the park it would be as we have not heard good things about rainy days at Yellowstone.  Whereas the scenery which we have been blessed with in abundance thus far was not all that visible due to weather, the animal kingdom came out in force to give us a fabulous drive around the northern part of the park.

This Bison startled us as we came around the bend on one of the roads.  As you can see we didn't get the greatest picture as we weren't ready for him to be there.  Notice however, that he knows to walk on the shoulder allowing traffic to pass without disturbance.  Good bison!!!

After the Bison we saw a Grizzly Bear about 1/2 mile off the road on a hillside.  I talked with a couple who was out with binoculars looking at it and they said they have been to the park now five times and this is the first grizzly bear they have seen.  Julie and I were thrilled to get one on our first try. (Sorry no picture.  The zoom on my video camera is better than the one on my regular camera...time to get a new camera.)

One of the many canyon views during our drive

One of the many storm fronts moving through the park

After this picture while driving one of the side roads we came upon a bunch of cars and up on the hillside we saw a Black Bear digging and scrounging for food under some logs.  Black Bears are much more skittish than Grizzlies, or so we are told.

A herd of bison on the left, the geysers on the right and the rive in front.

At this point we came up on another mass of cars on the road and what did we see but another mama grizzly bear and her two cubs down a valley.  These bears were easier to see, but unfortunately without a good zoom lens on my camera...I have some video of them if you want to see. :-) 

As we were leaving the park for the day we also saw a wolf out in one of the prairies, not too far from the road.  All toll, 5 bears, 1 wolf, 1 moose, a ton of bison, and an assortment of other animals.

As we left the park...

and drove out the east gate to Cody, we had the most beautiful scenery to drive through.  Rocks, cliffs, canyons and lakes all decorated our hour drive and we thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it.

When we get into Cody we stayed at...

...the Mayor's Inn, bed and breakfast in Cody, Wyoming.  It was a wonderful evening of relaxation, being together on our last non-travel day as we get ready for the long trip home Saturday and Sunday.

I wanted to thank our friend at Rooftop, Justin Stone who helped us with planning our route and some of our trip.  He grew up in Cody and has been a good friend and was a great help to us.

Saturday morning...breakfast at the Mayor's Inn and then...."on the road again..."

Day 5 - Thursday, August 12

After two days in the Grand Tetons Thursday we traveled north to Yellowstone National Park.

The park is beautiful and there are so many different things to see.  Some of the highlights were:

Old Faithful which everyone in the park usually comes to see.  We timed it great and only had to wait 10 minutes.

The different heated pools and all the cool (or not so cool, it is actually quite hot in there) geo-thermal stuff going on underneath the earth and bubbling to the surface.

This cool waterfall down below.  That is me standing down there on the rock.

We saw our first ever Bison out in the wild.

We then drove through the park, pulled off by one of the river beds and just sat out reading our books in the quiet of the day with only the river making any noise.  It was a wonderful time, Julie even called it "romantic" whatever that is supposed to mean. I was just looking for a good place to keep reading my book...

Then for the evening we drove out of the West gates of the park and stayed the evening in West Yellowstone, Montana at the...

Brandin' Iron Inn, where they are very excited for your pets to meet their fun staff.

Day 4 - Wednesday, August 11

Wednesday morning we were up getting breakfast and realized that we had left the lights on in our car and our battery went dead.  Not to worry though, the General Manger of the Jenny Lake Lodge got us some cables and a jump start in no time.  After a wonderful breakfast...

a gourmet breakfast fit for a queen

We arrived at the Jackson Lake Lodge just to the north of the Jenny Lake Lodge.  This is where we needed to be by 9am for our float trip down the Snake River.  The float trip was supposed to be 1.5 to 2 hours but becasue of the wind blowing against us and the slow current, it took almost 4 hours.  Julie was able to share with a woman named Nancy whose wayward daughter had recently become a Christian and they haven't understood the change in her life very much.  This was a great chance for us to help her understand a little more what God has been doing in her daughter's life and what He is wanting to do in hers as well.

Mark, our float guide with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Villanova

The Tetons from the Snake River

One very blessed couple still not halfway through our trip :-)

After our long float trip we were pretty wiped out by the sun so we went back to the Jackson Lodge to wait for our room.  There we met Roland or as his friends call him "Rolly".  Rolly is an old politico who used to lobby for western states regarding water issues and specifically the Colorado River.  We sat and talked about his life, political history, why he used to not like Harry Truman's politics but has learned to apprecitate the man Harry Truman for his humility, his honesty and his personal integrity.  He stated that he often fines himself asking the question, "Where it today's Harry Truman?".

Julie and Rolly from Colorado

Then we got our room and WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!  It was exactly what we wanted without knowing exactly what we had reserved.  This was the view from inside our room.  It was perfect.  I have always loved the mountains and being able to read in the evening as the sun set behind the Tetons and then watch the sun light them up in the morning as it rose in the east behind us was probably my favorite part of the trip thus far.  Here is a progression of shots throughout the morning as the sun begins to illuminate the mountains...

This morning we just relaxed.  Julie took a long bath as she read. I journaled for an hour or so in front of the Tetons.  And now we are off to Yellowstone National Park.  What a wonderful couple of Days here in Grand Teton National Park.  

Day 3 - Tuesday, August 10

On Tuesday we drove from Jackson, Wyoming up 15 miles into Grand Teton National Park to stay the night at the Jenny Lake Lodge.  During the day we went on a horseback ride and Julie kept reminding herself that the horse didn't want to fall down the mountain any more than she did.  After a great ride and checking into our beautiful cabin at the base of the Grand Tetons we went for a wonderful dinner at the Lodge and enjoyed a five course meal (our special dinner of the trip).  I had never eaten veal cheeks before...there is a first time for everything.  We retired to our cabin and as Julie went to bed I went out to look at the amazing stars which are so abundant here in the park outside of the effects of city lights.  Tomorrow, we are up and off on our raft trip early in the morning...

The Park Entrance

Our drive into the park

A hike out to Jenny Lake

Our cabin for the night

The view from our cabin in the morning

Day 2 - Monday, August 9, 2010

Today we drove the rest of the way to Jackson, Wyoming from Cheyenne...another 430 miles.  It was a beautiful drive there up into the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming...

The view shortly after leaving Cheyenne...

...several hours later driving north to Jackson...

...the Rocky Mountains...

...one of the rivers (behind us) flowing through the Rockies.

We arrived in the evening, had some dinner, relaxed at our little hotel after two long days of driving...

this is the view right outside our room for the night

Today (Tuesday) we are headed up to Grand Teton National Park...

Day 1 - 10 Year Anniversary Trip

Sunday, August 8 - Drove 900 Miles from St. Louis to Cheyenne, WY. 

The Historic Plains Hotel - Built in 1911

A Wyoming Sunset - Big Sky Sunset

10 Years (almost) Together

"Mama's don't let your babies grow up to be..."

It didnt' take long for Julie to "go country" on me here in "Big Sky Country".  Today we travel to Jackson, WY.