A day well spent in South Dakota

Today was a day well spent in South Dakota! While driving to Mt. Rushmore we came across a wildlife loop that just happened to take us there.  The wildlife loop was in Custer State Park. At first we got lost but finally found our way.  We found a scenic overlook at which we stopped and looked around. There was a walking trail that went to a gazebo. Sal took lots and lots of pictures before we hit the road again. We drove along until we came to a dry area. There burros walked right up to the car windows! We got out to pet the burros.

We finally finished the loop and went to Big Time Pizza in Keystone, SD.  After a delicious lunch, my dad and I went on the Alpine Slide. First, we took a tram up the mountain. Then they gave us the carts to go down.  It was so much fun but Sal said I was going way too slow. Kelly does not like trams so she did not go on. After the alpine slide all of us went up to Mt. Rushmore. Unfortunately, it was raining but it was still nice. We went to museum below the monument to see how it was built and why. Finally we headed to Chamberlain, South Dakota.

On the way to Chamberlain, we stopped at Wall Drug - the cheesiest little tourist trap full of small stores and silly characters to take pictures with. The ride from Wall Drug to Chamberlain seemed liked forever. We were very delayed and we lost an hour  because of crossing into the Central Time Zone. We had to stop at a McDonalds at ten o’clock at night because we still hadn’t eaten dinner! We eventually arrived at the hotel at 10:15. The pool was already closed so we didn’t go swimming. We settled down and went to bed. Even though we did get to the hotel very late we still had a great day!

Yellowstone Adventure

Today was a great day at Yellowstone National Park! When we first arrived, we got an information kit. In the pamphlet was a paper that said, “WARNING! MANY VISITORS HAVE BEEN GORED BY BUFFALO. These animals may appear tame but are wild, unpredictable, and dangerous! DO NOT APPROACH BUFFALO!” During our drive, Sal pulled over to take some pictures. I turned my head and saw a grizzly bear walking by! All of us went ballistic! Kelly yelled, “Ahh! Where?” And Sal yelled, “Holy Shit!” It really didn’t care that it was surrounded by people taking its picture like a celebrity on the red carpet. It just continued to leisurely walk through the woods.  Later, after driving through what seemed like endless hills, there finally was some action. Wandering through the fields strolled a big, fat, hairy buffalo! That wasn’t nearly as exciting as what was yet to come.

We drove through the park to get to the Old Faithful geyser. We had three minutes to spare before it erupted! Before the actual eruption there were many false alarms where it would bubble for a second then stop. When it finally blew its top, it was breathtaking! Check out the link to see Old Faithful in action:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-2fl-lwjWtA

After Old Faithful, we went to the Fountain Paint Pot- Lower Geyser Bain. There we saw many small geysers and “The Paint Pot”. The paint pot was white mud and volcanic ash that bubbles like a volcano and looks like paint in a pot hence the name. Also there was a geyser that was surrounded by red rocks.

Another place we stopped in the park was Artist Point. There were a few balconies where you could view Upper Falls. The view was spectacular but Kelly was a nervous wreck because of the how high up we were. She made sure I didn’t lean over the edge and fall (like that would ever happen!).

Finally we stopped at Yellowstone Lake Picnic Area for lunch. After eating we took a nice walk on the river and enjoyed the breeze. Then we hit the road for Casper, Wyoming. On our way we passed through Cody and Meeteetse.  Sal got pulled over for speeding, but we didn’t expect him to go this whole trip without getting a ticket anyway!  While driving to Casper, the Wyoming countryside was not very exciting. Look to your left... hills and grass. Look to you right... hills and grass.  We got to our hotel, ate dinner and settled down after a long day.

So far the first leg of the Great American Road trip has been amazing. Hopefully it stays that way! Wish me luck on the nights Sal has beans with dinner.

More pics at https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/6152490950113993057?authkey=CK-9wbmn6KD9nwE

We made it to the Rocky Mountains!

Saturday July 9: After an overnight stay in the not so impressive town of Mountain Home, Idaho, we traveled to Twin Falls, ID to see the spectacular Shoshone Falls. The view was spectacular and the gorge through which the Snake River runs is a marvel in itself. Not far from the falls is the point where my childhood hero, Evel Knievel, attempted his jump of the Snake River Canyon.

After the falls it was onward to Wyoming. We had quite a long stretch of dry and otherwise uninteresting terrain for the remainder of southeast Idaho. The scenery took a dramatic turn for the better as we proceeded to cross the Teton Pass into the Rockies. The reward was the majestic Grand Teton National Park in Jackson, WY. After taking in the scenery and snapping several photos, it was off to the hotel and dinner. Bubba's BBQ lived up to the hype. Brisket and ribs were delish!

Cece and Kelly are spending a little downtime in the hotel's heated pool and spa. Given we packed light, I'm taking care of some laundry to get us through the next few days.

More pics at https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/6152490950113993057?authkey=CK-9wbmn6KD9nwE

On Sunday, it's off to Yellowstone for some hiking and picnicking with Boo Boo.

A great day on the Oregon Trail!

What a fantastic day along the Oregon trail! The day started with a fabulous hot breakfast eaten on the hotel patio alongside the Columbia river in Hood River, Oregon. Then we took a short ride to the base of Mount Hood and snapped a few pics of the landscape. A higher elevation spot allowed for taking some panoramic shots as well.

We then journeyed toward Baker City, OR. After a brief lunch in a roadside rest area, a game of frisbee catch ensued and we enjoyed the cool sunshine of Oregon. The fun came to an abrupt end when one of Kelly's wayward frisbee tosses sailed onto a parked car, waking the resting passenger inside. We high-tailed it out of there and continued to The Oregon Trail Interpretive Center. What a fantastic museum highlighting the westward journey. The museum featured covered wagons, letters of the experiences of travelers, and other exhibits. Outside, a 2 mile trail provided access to scenic overlooks as well areas still marked by the wagon ruts from those pioneers. During the walk, Kelly insisted that the trail distance was incorrectly measured and the trail most likely exceeded the stated distance by at least several miles.

After the museum, it was back on the road for dinner. We crossed into the Mountain Time Zone, leaving Oregon and entering Idaho. Sal was pleased that the speed limit was increased to 75 mph and we arrived in Boise, ID in no time at all. We dined al fresco at the Bar Genika, a lovely little establishment featuring a Basque menu. Dinner was fantatsic and very inexpensive... perfecto! After a brief stroll thru the quaint town of Boise (it's no city despite what the locals may think), it was back on the road for the night's rest in Mountain Home, Idaho. Hopefully Cecilia will post some of her experiences but for now, it is time for sleep.

The Whirlwind Tour of Oregon

It's been a long first day that involved 3000 miles of flying and another 300 miles of driving around Oregon. We drove from Portland to the coast, traveling through the Tillamook State Forest and eventually reaching Tillamook, OR. From there, we straddled the Pacific Coast Byway (Rt 101) to Cannon Beach. We took in a few scenic overlooks and then put our feet into the Pacific at Cannon Beach. After a lovely dinner at the Driftwood in Cannon Beach (wild Pacific salmon was delish!), we made our way back toward Portland and rode along the Columbia River Gorge, stopping at the Vista House just in time to grab a few pics as the sun was setting. From there we reached Hood River for the first night's stay. Tomorrow... Mount Hood and then driving through Idaho with a planned stop for dinner in Boise!

See the pics at https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/6152490950113993057?authkey=CK-9wbmn6KD9nwE

Dipping toes in the chilly Pacific at Cannon Beach, Oregon

In the car driving through the beautiful Oregon! Just stopped at Cannon Beach to put our feet in the Pacific Ocean! Day 1 Status: all survived, minor headaches, and beautiful scenery! Check out tomorrows post for more photos and to see how we make out in Idaho!

Road Trip Photo Gallery

Apart from the photos we include in the blog posts, there may be many more photos taken along the journey. To see photos, visit our online road trip album at:

https://plus.google.com/photos/107911175096996155186/albums/6152490950113993057?authkey=CK-9wbmn6KD9nwE.