Snowmobiling

Today we woke up at 6:45, and after getting ready, had breakfast at the hotel restaurant -- bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast with maple syrup, and cocoa.  After loading the car, we headed across the street to Traveler's Snowmobile Tours & Rentals.  After signing papers, getting familiar with the snowmobiles, getting helmets, and waiting for the other people in our group to arrive, we headed toward Yellowstone National Park at 9:15.  It was snowing and cloudy, so you couldn't see much.  The temperature was 12 degrees entering the park...it ranged from about 10 to 15 degrees all day.  After a good part of the morning, it was nearly all sunshine...beautiful!

We had plenty of stops, including the Fountain Paint Pots, which we visited on the Alaska trip!  It was so cool to see them in the winter -- no big crowds!  We enjoyed looking out at some big open meadows, geyser basins, hot springs, and more.  There was snow all around, making it a totally different feeling...quiet and perfect.  We walked on some snow-covered boardwalks and even touched the outflow of a hot spring...hot water!

We reached our turnaround point, Old Faithful, at 1:30.  The famous inn and most of the surrounding places are all closed up, but there are a few eating places and an operating hotel throughout the winter.  There were lots of snowmobile and snow coach tours, so there were lots of people around!  Nothing like summer, though!  We all watched Old Faithful erupt at about 2:10...majestic as ever.  It went higher than we'd ever seen it...and this was my fifth time seeing it!  After Old Faithful's eruption, we had lunch at a place called the Geyser Grill.  Their special was a bowl of chicken-rice soup and half of a ham-and-cheese sandwich.  I got cocoa for a drink.  Yum!  After lunch, we took some pictures before starting back for West Yellowstone at 3:30.

On the way back, we didn't stop much at all.  We drove fairly fast (40-45 m.p.h.) past huge meadows, deep forest, and gorgeous rivers.  We arrived at our starting point at about 5:00.  After turning our helmets in and getting organized, we were heading for Jackson, Wyoming, at 5:30.

We saw wildlife today -- lots of bison, a coyote, a fox, and a bald eagle way off in a tree.  We even saw some wolf prints!  We were heading back to West Yellowstone when suddenly, out of the forest, came a dozen or so huge, mature male bison running...straight toward us.  We stopped and pulled over to the side of the road and they ran on by, looking at us as they went.  Our guide (a young man, very knowledgeable about snowmobiling and the park) thought there was a bear or wolves in the woods that scared them.  It was quite an experience to have them coming straight toward you!

My dad started driving in the morning, but after 15 or 20 minutes, he let me drive.  My mom rode with me mostly after that, and I let her drive for 10 or 15 minutes.  Besides that, I drove to Old Faithful and all the way back to West Yellowstone.  We guess that I drove about 45 or 50 miles.  I loved it, especially since the seat, handlebars, and throttle were heated.

To go into beautiful Yellowstone National Park in the winter (with no RVs or crowds or anything unpleasant!) was absolutely incredible.  With the snow all around, it was like an enchanted area!  I have now been to Yellowstone three times, and this was by far my favorite.  I look forward to visiting in the winter again sometime!

After the snowmobiling fun, we drove to Jackson, crossing the Teton Pass.  We went up pretty high but conditions were very good...no snow and clear roads.  After arriving at our hotel, we had supper at The Garage.  Their monstrous bison burger is filling!  I am now ready to take a shower and go to bed...more skiing coming tomorrow!

One of the many bison we saw on our snowmobiling through Yellowstone.

Here I am on "my" snowmobile! :)

A hot spring...steam rising and snow all around!

We saw a coyote...

...and a fox!

Here we all pose with Firehole Falls behind us.

Old Faithful showing her stuff.

Matthew and I stand with Old Faithful behind us.

~Anna~ 

Another Awesome Day at Big Sky

Up at 7:10 this morning!  It was nice to have a long night's rest after a great day of skiing.  Breakfast in the room again -- I had a bagel with cream cheese, oatmeal, and cocoa.  We loaded up all our stuff and were headed out at 8:30.  We arrived at Big Sky at 9:30.  We were riding the chairlift at 10:00.

It snowed overnight and there was fluffy, beautiful powder to float through!  The temperatures ranged from about 0 to 20 degrees today; average was about 15.  For the morning, snow fell constantly and the sun was quite rare...there was also lots of wind.  But to ski through the quiet powder was so awesome, it didn't matter.  Also, when we were in the trees, we were out of the wind.

We had lunch at a cafe across the hall (in the same building) from where we had lunch yesterday.  The tomato basil soup with a cornbread muffin was delicious!  We shared a big cinnamon roll, too.

After lunch, the sun popped out, bathing everything in a bright, happy glow.  There were places where it was still cloudy and/or snowing, but mostly we had sun for the whole afternoon, which was very nice.  We went up the tram to the top of Lone Peak, like we did on Sunday.  We took the same run down, called Liberty Bowl.  There was much more powder this time around!  We had sunshine some of the way down that, making for spectacular panoramic views.

All good things must come to an end, and we headed out at 4:50 after loading everything up.  As we left, the clouds at the top of Lone Peak parted and sun glowed on the entire mountain.  It was SO pretty!  We also enjoyed sunshine the whole drive back.  We headed for West Yellowstone, enjoying towering rocky cliffs, dense forests, the Gallatin River (frozen in some places), and snow everywhere.  It was a wonderful drive.

We arrived at 6 PM at our hotel in West Yellowstone, and after getting settled, we walked to supper in 10 degrees and cold wind.  We had supper at the Three Bears Restaurant.  I had the herb-roasted chicken with sides of creamy macaroni and cheese and vegetable fritters.  We all shared an Apple Brown Betty, too...apples, cinnamon, whipped cream, and vanilla ice cream.  We figured we'd earned it with the challenging skiing we'd done.  My body is tired and will be happy to go to bed...but it's a good tired feeling.  It gives me great pleasure to know that I have accomplished very difficult runs.  We had a great time at Big Sky and I hope we can go back.

The trip isn't over yet, though...stay tuned for more exciting adventures tomorrow, Thursday, and Friday!

At the top of the Challenger double chairlift, ready to take a run.

Looking out from Liberty Bowl...pretty sunshine!

At the bottom of Hanging Valley (a double-black)...lots of powder!

Skiing some moguls on Moonlight

~Anna~

Moonlight Basin

 Today we woke up at 7 AM, got ready, had breakfast in the room (biscuits with jam, cocoa, apple juice, cookies from last night), and headed out at 8:20.  We arrived at Moonlight Basin at 9:25.  Moonlight Basin is a resort that touches Big Sky and even shares some runs with it.  It was off-and-on sunshine, high overcast, and around 10-20 degrees today.  In the morning, there was strong wind, but good gear kept us warm.

There were two main chairlifts we rode -- a high-speed, detachable six-pack called the Six Shooter, and a fixed-grip quad called the Lone Tree.  From these, we were able to access lots of terrific trails -- blues and blacks.  We were able to ski for a long time because the runs are so nice and long!

Lunch at noon was at the Jack Creek Grille, in the Moonlight Lodge.  Crab cakes for an appetizer, then I had the Flatbread, a pita with mozzarella cheese, tomatoes, and basil...yummy.  Cocoa topped it off.  By 1:00, we were back out.

"The Headwaters" are a series of trails (rated black or mostly double-black...for experts only) high up above the rest of Moonlight Basin.  Shortly after lunch, my dad, Matthew, and I pushed ourselves up a hill, got on a double, and rode to the top.  It started snowing and it was pretty windy at the top!  We were, however, able to see mountains all around; picturesque!  After snapping some pictures, we started down.  To get to the runs, you had to go on a very narrow, packed-snow path with rocks.  We tried to dodge most of them.  We took a double-black down, and we all got down safely.  It was powder and quite steep and SO MUCH FUN!

After that, we did some moguls (fun to bounce through), tree skiing, and powder since it was snowing pretty hard in the afternoon.  The powder was soft, fluffy, and quiet, perfect to float through.  To finish off, Matthew and I got hatpins before heading back to our hotel, arriving at 6:15.  We're having leftovers in the room for supper.  It'll be nice to relax after a wonderful day of skiing.

 Today was, for me, a day of becoming a more confident and experienced skier.  I really enjoyed the challenges and I handled the moguls, powder, and glades with much more confidence than before.  I went faster, had springier knees, and just cut loose.  My new skis are perfect; they really help me.  Overall, I'm really enjoying honing my 13-year-old skiing skills.  I've never had as much fun!

The view we saw eating lunch...pretty!

One of the views from the top of The Headwaters.

The Headwaters double chairlift; we came down just to the right of it.

~Anna~

Big Sky!

Today we woke up at 6:45, got ready, had breakfast in the room (biscuits, cereal, muffins, apple juice, cocoa), and headed out at 7:50.  It was a beautiful drive up the valley -- 10 degrees, snow-covered mountains all around, and sunshine.  It made it wonderful.  Matthew and I were given new skis for Christmas, and Matthew ordered his from a shop in Big Sky.  We picked them up on the way up to the slopes.

By 10 AM, we were riding a HIGH-SPEED chairlift (yeah...feels so much better compared to Hidden Valley's slow old things!!) to start the fun day.  The runs are nice and long, with gorgeous snow.  Matthew and I enjoyed skiing for the first time on our new skis.  Mine, which are longer and fatter, are the perfect fit for me.  They turn, glide, ski backwards, and handle groomed or powder runs beautifully.  It's a joy to ski on them.

At 11:45, we headed to The Yurt for lunch.  No electricity or running water (you have to settle for the good ol' outhouse for your bathroom needs), but a stove keeps the small room cozy.  The chili and cocoa warmed us back up and gave us the energy we needed to enjoy an afternoon of beauty.  It never really got above about 15 degrees; it was probably as cold as 0 in some places.  Good gear kept us comfortable, and the sunshine all day (a real treat) helped.

At 1:30, we went to a mountain chapel church service.  Those are so much fun!  You just stand in your skis, in God's beautiful creation, and sing songs, pray, and listen to a short devotional.  It's not very long but it's a nice way to worship on the mountain.

Finally, we headed over to the tram, which took us to the very top of Big Sky -- 11,166-foot Lone Peak.  The only way down is on a black or double black run, meaning that if you take the tram to the top, you better be an experienced skier to get down.  We took a nice, wide-open bowl (rated as a black) all the way down.  None of us fell.  It was the best run ever and my skis did perfectly...it was so FUN!

We did a little shopping around the Big Sky village -- t-shirts, new mittens for me, and hatpins.  Afterwards, we went to supper at Ousel & Spur, an Italian-type restaurant.  We shared pasta, pizza, salads, and bread.  The prices are high and the portions smaller than expected but the food was good.  We were back to the hotel at 8 PM.

Here I am on my terrific new skis with beautiful mountains behind me!

Me, my mom, my dad, and Matthew at the mountain chapel.

Lone Peak is the tall white mountain sticking up.  We rode the tram to the top of it and skied down.

~Anna~

STL to Montana!

Hey everyone!  I'm so glad to be back and able to share my next big adventure.  My brother, Matthew, was given a ski trip for his birthday and he chose to go to Big Sky in Montana and Jackson Hole in Wyoming.  So that's where we'll be hanging out for the next week...it's going to be super fun!

Yesterday (Friday, February 22, 2013), we left Wildwood at about 3:20 PM, drove to St. Joseph to have supper and get gas at 7:30 (great sandwich at McAlister's Deli), then back on the road at 8:10.  We then drove nonstop until 11:10 PM, arriving in Sioux City, where we spent the night.  Asleep at midnight! :(

This morning, we were up at 6:45, had breakfast (sausage, cereal, muffins, cocoa, juice), loaded up, and were on the road at 7:30 AM.  It was between 2 and 5 degrees until about 10:30 or 11:00 AM...COLD but soooo pretty with sunshine and sparkly snow.  At 11:30 (Mountain Time), we stopped in Wall, South Dakota.  We had lunch at the Wall Drugstore, which Matthew and I visited back in July 2012 on our Alaska journey.  It was fun to check it out again in the winter!  They had a crazy deal for lunch -- $4.49 for a BBQ pork sandwich AND a nice-sized bowl of chili.  We all had that...yummy!

At 2:10 PM, I started driving at Spearfish, South Dakota.  Two-and-a-half hours later, I finished good driving practice (complete with light snow for the last 15-20 minutes!) in Sheridan, Wyoming.  I haven't even had my permit for a month and I've already driven in four states (Missouri, Iowa, South Dakota, & Wyoming)!!  From Sheridan, we drove all the way to Bozeman, Montana, arriving at 8 PM.  We had some snow and slush on I-90 for quite a ways.  We had supper at Santa Fe Red...awesome, generous-sized portions of Mexican food.  By 9:30, we were at our hotel in Belgrade.  Can't wait for skiing tomorrow...check in to see how it goes!

~Anna~

Cedar Point

Today I woke up at 7 AM, got ready, had breakfast (two biscuits with strawberry jelly, a mini-egg omelet called an ouef, peach yogurt, doughnut holes, and apple juice), went to church at a place called Trinity Lutheran near our hotel (the traditional service -- great experiencing another church's way of proceeding through a service), came back and changed, checked out, and headed for Sandusky, Ohio, where the amusement park, Cedar Point, is.  When we arrived at 11:30, we had lunch at Mr. Smith's Coffee House -- the chicken sandwich is delicious, and with a side of coleslaw and root beer for a drink, it's the perfect portion size.

At 12:15, we came to Cedar Point.  Below is a list of all the rides I went, including a small description.  We rode 14 rides in six hours!

Raptor -- It's like Batman at Six Flags St. Louis, with corkscrews, twists, loops...all with your feet dangling.
Skyride -- A gondola transportation ride; we joked about not having our skis with us.  When we ride gondolas, it's usually winter and we have skis and poles with us!
Iron Dragon -- Suspended cars hang down from the track, and you sit in them.
Mantis -- Our very first stand-up roller coaster!  You have a bicycle-type seat to rest on, but you're on your feet.  We went through several tight turns, rolls, and loops.  It was very rough.
Millennium Force -- This exciting roller coaster went 92 miles per hour and had an 80-degree drop...we all agreed that it was definitely fun!
Cedar Creek Mine Ride -- Various turns and little "drops" -- kinda boring compared to the others.
Maverick -- Twists and tight curves...all while cruising just above the water in ponds.
Gemini -- This roller coaster has two sets of cars that race -- my mom and I were in the red car, and we beat my dad and Matthew in the blue car!
Magnum XL-200 -- This has a fun lift hill at the beginning, where there's plenty of time to look around before dropping into tunnels and turns.
Windseeker -- Tall swings spin you around high above the beach and Lake Erie at around 40 miles per hour.
Skyhawk -- Two big swings oppose each other and go parallel to the ground (and even a little above).
Wicked Twister -- This roller coaster shoots you out of the station (getting up to 72 mph), up and around a twisted "tower", back through the station and up the other twisted tower, and repeats a few more times before stopping in the station.  My mom thought the twin pair of twisted towers looked like Texas longhorns; I thought they looked like pronghorn antelopes...either way, I'm sure you can imagine how strange they looked.
Giant Wheel -- A very tame ferris wheel...but it does take you to a bird's eye view of the entire park, lake, beach, and beyond.
And introducing...Top Thrill Dragster!  Okay, so at Six Flags St. Louis, our own theme park, the fastest roller coaster is the 70 mph Mr. Freeze...and this year, it was even more exciting with the reverse blast.  But I went 20 mph above that on Maverick...and 50 miles per hour above that on Top Thrill Dragster.  Yes, you read right.  This exhilarating roller coaster reaches 120 miles per hour, 420 feet up in the air...all in 17 seconds.  It's the fourth fastest in the world and the second highest in the world...and just think, I rode that scary thing twice!  And seriously, to go 120 mph and feel all the G-forces -- all I can say is WOW!

At 6:15, we left the park tired yet very happy.  My mom and I were thrilled with our accomplishments of riding such scary roller coasters, and overall, it's always fun to try new things and conquer your fears.  I mean, going 120 miles per hour and 420 feet up in the air is nothing to laugh off.  It's absolutely breathtaking.  But once you've done it, you've achieved something you didn't think you could do, you've become braver...and, in truth, you want to do it again!

We're now on the road, and tomorrow late morning we will arrive back home.  Hope you enjoyed reading about my weekend adventure!

~Anna~

HCEA Show

Yesterday evening, at 5 PM, my family and I headed for Fort Wayne, Indiana.  We stopped for gas and supper at White Castle just inside Indiana, and finally arrived (exhausted) at a Holiday Inn in Fort Wayne at 12:20.  I went to sleep at 1 AM. 

This morning, I woke up around 7:45, got ready, went down to have breakfast (biscuit, cinnamon roll, cereal, and milk), and headed out.  Around 10:30, we arrived in Bowling Green, Ohio, the headquarters of the Historical Construction Equipment Association (HCEA).  The HCEA has an annual show where all those old-equipment lovers can come and have fun.  Like my mom said, it's big boys with big toys!  Last year, the show was in Penfield, Illinois, and we took our old 580 backhoe.  I got to drive it in the parade!  This year, it was too far and too expensive to haul anything, but we did bring ourselves and had a blast.  There were graders, tractors, old cars and trucks, bulldozers, steam shovels and tractors, and so many more pieces of equipment.  Some people bring their equipment/vehicle just to show off, others get really into it at the "work area", and nearly everyone participates in the parade, where you can see pretty much everything that's there and learn a bit more about it.

We arrived, watched all the equipment at work for awhile (there's just a big patch of dirt that the operators could plow, grade, etc.), looked around at some of the equipment/vehicles on display, and sat down to enjoy the parade.  After that, we had lunch -- I had an Italian sausage, fries, a White Castle, and ice-cold, sweet lemonade.  Next, we looked around some more at the rest of the equipment/vehicles on display, checked out the tents/building with all the sale items in it, and watched the operators a bit more.  My favorite part of the day?  I got to see a pair of sorrel Belgians giving free hayrides, a pair of fleabitten grey Percherons pulling a water tank, and an eight-mule team pulling a plow.  They were all so fun to watch -- old days indeed!

We left at 5:15 after enjoying a long day of exploring.  We arrived at 5:45 in Maumee, Ohio, at our Comfort Inn & Suites, showered, headed for Luna Pier, Michigan, and had supper there at Chateau Louise.  I had shrimp, barley-tomato soup, a salad, a baked potato, and pie...very satisfying.  The restaurant, which serves mainly seafood, is right near Lake Erie, so we got to go touch the white froth and gaze out at the big boats, little sailboats, and curling waves.  The beach was even groomed! 

Finally, we came back and are now ready to go to bed (it's 10:30 here).  Have a great Sunday!

~Anna~

Final Thoughts

The Lord will keep you from all harm -- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and your going both now and forevermore.  (Psalm 121:7-8; NIV)

Since I was born, I have been surrounded by a loving family and the strong Christian faith.  I've read through my Bible nearly two times, I've been baptized and confirmed, and I am constantly talking to God through prayer.  I dedicated my life to Christ when I was 12.  And especially since then, I have been very focused on getting closer and closer to my Lord.  When problems arise, I call on him.  When joyful things happen, I praise and thank Him.  And when we left on our trip July 2, I asked for His protection.

For anyone who doesn't believe in Jesus, I'm here to tell you that this trip showed me more than ever that He DOES care, He DOES listen, and He is ALWAYS watching over you and me.  We drove a lot of miles...and I mean a LOT.  We saw so many gorgeous things -- monuments, museums, paintings, pictures, views, animals, so much!  And just think...God made all those.  Every time I saw a beautiful snow-covered mountain, I was amazed!  It didn't matter if I had already seen 20 mountains earlier in the day; I still took moments to gaze in wonder and lift up a prayer to God, saying, You are awesome, Father, and I just thank you for all your beautiful creation, especially these mountains I'm looking at right now! 

See, all 53 days (seven-and-a-half weeks) I was gone were such a learning opportunity -- to see, learn, experience, do, and take away memories of all the stuff we did was terrific.  And in those 53 days, I know I grew closer to God.  I loved the whole trip, but a few things especially stand out:  Camp, where I was able to be a witness to so many kids; Climbing Sleepy Dog Mountain -- every step with my own brother by my side; Having my mom join us in Calgary; and all the National Parks.  There's lots out west and up north to explore.  If you have the opportunity, seize it...to see more of God's creation, to marvel at His masterpieces, and to feel SO close to Him is so amazing.

Finally, I just want to personally thank each and every one of you for calling, supporting, praying for, and loving me.  I pray that God will bless each and every one of you.  I hope you've enjoyed reading about this incredible journey.  May God be with you in the coming months!

~Anna~

Broomfield to Wildwood...Home!

Today I woke up at 5:20, got ready, loaded the car, had a quick breakfast (breakfast burritos, cantaloupe, and apple juice), said good-bye to our wonderful cousins, and headed for good old STL at 6:20.  Three hours later, in Burlington (still Colorado!), we got gas, went to the bathroom, stretched our legs, and were back on I-70 10 minutes later.

In Salina, Kansas, we had lunch at Wendy's.  I had a berry-chicken salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing, yum.  It had strawberries and blueberries mixed in it!  Grabbed a strawberry shake to go.  There was a funny story that happened here, and I just HAVE to tell it because (hopefully) it makes you laugh.  Okay, so we'd ordered and my mom and I were just having water with our meal.  So we asked for two cups and headed on over to the soda machine.  Normally, on soda machines, you either press and hold the button in for your drink, or push the cup up against a lever that distributes the liquid.  The water had a button.  So I stuck the first cup under, pressed the button, filled the cup, let off...and the flow of water continued to come! Well, I still had to fill the second cup, so I did that.  Again, the water continued to flow out freely into the basin at the bottom of the soda machine...you know, where if there's ice cubes or spilled drinks it can go on down.  So at least it wasn't gushing all over the floor!  But a repeated series of attempts to shut the flow of water off (by shaking the dispenser, pressing a hand up against the flow, and punching the button from different angles and with different degrees of pressure) failed.  Finally, my mom stepped back, waited a bit, and quickly punched the button hard.  It FINALLY stopped!  But then, after we got our food and went over to a table to eat, we looked back over and it was flowing out again!  My goodness, we have such stories, and my mom and I were coming up with crazy headlines:  MISSOURI PEOPLE FLOOD SALINA WITH WENDY'S WATER MACHINE:  Cows stuck in mud, barns floating by in water, Missouri people say they couldn't do anything!  It was so hysterically funny, we just laughed and laughed about it...especially Matthew.  I am sure it was quite easy for him to laugh since he hadn't run into such a mishap. :)

Anyway, after that, we fueled up the car and drove straight on home (well, we did stop ONE short time for a bathroom break).  Pulled in our gorgeous driveway at 8:15.  I was so thrilled, so beyond words, that I got out of the car and immediately bent down to touch the ground.  I was truly thankful to be home, with my whole family around me, in MY bed (my mom surprised me by putting monkey sheets on my bed...so cool), with everything around me.  We did unload the entire car before having hamburgers and pasta for supper.  I showered, happily crawled into my cozy bed, and fell asleep by 12 AM.

Laramie to Broomfield

The final two days of the trip were long, exhausting, and too late at night to blog.  I know you all are wondering if we just stayed in Laramie forever!  No, we did not...we got home safely Wednesday night.  I finally am able to get on my computer, so there are three blogs that I will post today...one from Tuesday, one from Wednesday, and an overview/thoughts of the whole trip.  Enjoy reading and thanks for your support and prayers.  They worked, because the thousands of miles we drove went safely.  

Today, I woke up at 8 AM, had breakfast (chocolate oatmeal and apple juice), visited with our friend for a bit more and thanked her for putting us up, fueled up the car, and headed on at 10 AM.  We drove through the Roosevelt National Forest and finally entered Rocky Mountain National Park.  We had lunch there at the  Egg & I Restaurant, where I had an apple-chicken-walnut salad with raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  Also took a cookies-and-cream smoothie to-go.  It was a great lunch.

Then we drove on the Trail Ridge Road (still in the park).  It was gravel and took us to 12,183 feet.  We stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center, which is very near the top at 11,796 feet.  At the visitor center, you can walk through a small museum (it tells mostly about high altitude -- animals, people, climate, all the changes that occur at such high elevation), as well as visit the store.  Of course, we got hatpins and I got a book.  On the way back down, we stopped at an old ski area called Hidden Valley.  Interestingly, that is the name of our hometown ski area, so of course we could not just drive by! :)

At 6 PM, we arrived in Broomfield, Colorado, where we stayed with cousins.  They fixed us a delicious, hearty supper of steaks, corn on the cob, potatoes, salad, yummy bread, and ice cream with strawberries and chocolate syrup for dessert.  They were all so kind, hospitable, and welcoming, and it was really nice to visit with them.  I went to bed at 11 PM.

The view from the Alpine Visitor Center.

~Anna~

Jackson to Laramie

Today, I woke up at 7 AM, had breakfast (ham-and-cheese on Pilot bread with milk...trying to use up the food!), loaded the car, checked out, went to Snow King Ski Area (just to take pictures, get trail maps, drive through a really cool tunnel), fueled up, and headed out on the road at 9 AM.

At noon, we came into Riverton and had lunch at the Bread Board, which has terrific sub sandwiches.  I had the Piggyback -- mayonnaise, Canadian bacon, lettuce, tomato, onion, and bacon on Italian bread (Harvest Cheddar Sun Chips and root beer, too).  Then back on the road, driving past cattle, Painted Desert-like buttes, sagebrush, snow fences...and that's it!  In one whole hour, we only met two RVs, a few trucks, and an oversize-load.  But, in my opinion, I think it's beautiful.  I don't care that much for skyscrapers, buses, crazy city life, bumper-to-bumper traffic, and shoulder-to-shoulder sidewalk traffic.  I need open land, beautiful countryside.  Just give me a few horses, some land to explore, a place to live, some food, and just let me have fun.  I'll be happy!

We headed over Snowy Range Pass (10,580 feet), went up in a little overlook "castle" (gorgeous views!), and I took a little trail (about 1/4 mile) through the "fragile alpine tundra".  Don't worry, I didn't step on any fragile plants; I stayed on the trail.  We also went to Snowy Range Ski & Recreation Area (in the Medicine Bow National Forest), took pictures, got trail maps, and dreamed of coming back (as we do at all ski areas we visit...no matter how big or small they are, we want to ski them).

We arrived in Laramie at 5 PM.  We are staying at a friend's home.  She actually stayed at our house a couple of weeks ago because she was in town for a funeral.  She took us to The Library (yes, and old library converted to a restaurant), where we had fried pickles and a special dip with vegetables/bread to dip in, as well as yummy pizzas.  Also drove around the Wyoming University campus (where our friend works) for an hour...really enjoyed seeing all the buildings and the football field (we walked right up to it!).  Now I've showered and I am ready to get in bed and sleep.  Tomorrow is our final vacation day; Wednesday will be a very long drive back home...but I don't care.  I'll be happy to get home, see everyone, and look back fondly on this amazing trip.  God bless you!

~Anna~

Jackson, Wyoming

Today, I woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (oatmeal and apple juice), and headed to the A-OK Corral (about 10 miles south of Jackson), arriving at 9:45.  The A-OK Corral, part of Horse Creek Ranch, offers one-, two-, and three-hour trail rides, as well as half-day and full-day.  In the fall, they do overnight hunting trips.  We did a half-day ride (from 10 AM to 2 PM...$92 per person including a $7 sack lunch).  Round-trip, it was about eight miles.  I was on a beautiful pinto Quarter Horse-draft cross named Geronimo.  He was surefooted, responsive, well-behaved, and a fun horse to be on for four hours!  Our ride took us along a road and the Snake River, then up into the forest (very steep, rocky ground and lots of switchbacks), and finally out into a pretty meadow looking at Horse Creek Valley, hills, mountains, and wilderness.  We stopped at noon for lunch (ham-and-cheese sandwiches, chips, an apple, water, a granola bar, and fruit snacks), crossed a creek and let the horses drink, and headed back to the ranch.  My mom and brother came along, as well as two men from Chicago and two ladies from Wisconsin.  Including our guide, a bubbly and kind 18-year-old girl who'd been around horses her whole life, we had eight people, which made for a nice small ride.  It was beautiful scenery and I was finally back on my favorite animal...for four whole hours!  Loved it!

After the trail ride, we quickly went into the Jackson Visitor Center, which has lots of stuffed animals (a grizzly bear, lots of elk, a baby elk, a coyote, a wolf, and more).  I found a postcard and loved the view from the top of the visitor center (out into a beautiful prairie).

Then we went to Teton Village/Jackson Hole Ski Area -- we rode the tram to the top; marveled at the view; took a small, short hike; went back down and had supper at the Cowboy Cafe (I had The "Med" -- tomato, basil, and mozzarella cheese on yummy toasted bread; side of Idaho French fries); and returned to our hotel (the same one we stayed at last night) at 7 PM.  I'll be home in a few days and I CANNOT believe how quickly this trip has gone by.  I've enjoyed seeing so much of God's creation, and I hope that you have enjoyed it just as much through my blog and pictures.  God bless your week!

Here's a video of our trail ride.  I'm sorry it's sideways; you will have to turn your head or tip your computer sideways...you have many different options of viewing my award-worthy video.  I am sorry, but do realize I was on a horse and trying not to drop my phone.  Enjoy to the best of your ability.

Atop Geronimo

~Anna~

Yellowstone and Jackson

Last night, the Internet didn't work again, so I was not able to post a blog (obviously!).  I apologize, but like the other night, I'll include what I did both yesterday and today.  Enjoy and thanks for sticking with me!

Yesterday (Friday) -- Woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (Mini Wheats and juice), and headed out at 9:40.  We are staying in the same place that we did Thursday night; it's really nice not to have to haul all our stuff out for one time.  First, I ran into Grant Village Visitor Center and stamped my passport.  Then, on the way to Old Faithful, there were some elk by the side of the road!  There were several females, two babies, a young male with small antlers, and a majestic big bull elk who was whistling when we drove by!

Headed to Old Faithful and saw it erupt at 10:50 -- it was cool to see, but not as majestic as other times.  We also walked all over the boardwalks (about three miles) to see the beautiful geysers.  Some people wonder how many different geysers you can look at without getting bored, and I just can't believe anyone would think that!  Every single one is so unique, so different, so beautiful, and a true show of God's amazing power.  At the very end of the path, where we turned around to head back, we saw a real treasure -- I would probably say it was my favorite.  A geyser called Morning Glory had DEEP blue water that seemed to go down endlessly, surrounded by an array of other colors.  It was stunning and many people have their pictures taken there... understandably so!  After walking around for awhile, we went into the Old Faithful Lodge, where we had ice cream (I had a scoop of huckleberry and a scoop of Moose Tracks).  We also ran into the store and got hatpins, discounted Christmas ornaments, and two postcards.  After that, I went into the Visitor Center to get my passport stamped, and when I came out, Old Faithful was blowing again -- more impressively this time, which made it really neat.

After that, we drove on Firehole Lake Drive, then to Fountain Paint Pot Area.  We had lunch there (I had half of a bean-cheese pita, fruit cocktail, Sun Chips, and strawberry lemonade sparkling water), and walked the half-mile trail to see all the pretty geysers and a mud pot!  It was burbling with mud bubbles all over the place, which made us laugh...just the sounds and everything is so hilarious.  Next, we drove on Fountain Flat Drive (short, but it had a little round-a-bout that Matthew drove around a few times...it made me laugh!) and on Firehole Canyon Drive (a pretty drive through the woods and beside a river that people were swimming in).

Went to Artist's Point, a pretty view of Lower Yellowstone Falls.  We were there around 5:15, and the sun was setting and pointing straight into my camera lens.  A good opportunity to use my polarizer!  It was gorgeous.  So then we headed on -- saw two herds of bison and one had a new, cute little baby!  We also saw a single bison down in a valley with Canada geese surrounding him before walking the 3/4-mile loop through Mud Volcano Area.  We saw more funny burbling mud pots there.  And to finish off the day, we went in the Fishing Hole Visitor Center, I got my passport stamped, and we looked at all the stuffed animals (most were birds).  There was a pretty chandelier made out of skulls of animals and antlers, as well as a detailed Lake Yellowstone geological map.

Finally, we came back to our hotel, my mom showered, we headed down to the Lake House Restaurant (just down from our hotel...I had the bison burger), and then we all came back up, got ready for bed, and were asleep at 11:20.

Today (Saturday) -- Woke up at 6:400, got ready, had breakfast (granola and milk), loaded the car, checked out, and were on the road to Grand Teton National Park at 8:15.  We went to Colter Bay Visitor Center (in Grand Teton) and proceeded to take a wonderful hike for two hours.  We went on the Swan Lake-Heron Pond Trail (3.5 miles) and half of the Lakeshore Trail (1 mile).  Before starting out, we talked to a ranger and she said the area was very active with bears.  However, one small can of bear spray was $45, and we were not going to get it for that price.  So we headed out without the spray, and I kept up a running commentary to scare them away.  There were a few trail ride groups and several other hikers, and we were always aware of our surroundings...and I prayed.  Everything worked, and we didn't see a bear.  We DID see a mama moose with two adorable babies and they were PRECIOUS!  The mama was in Heron Pond, eating lily pads, and the babies were up the hill exploring.  It was such an amazing encounter!
So yes, the hike was very good and it always makes your body feel refreshed after a nice hike.  I love hiking (especially to the summits of mountains) and it's the best way to see God's creation...up close and personal!  At the store, I got a birch wood postcard and a hatpin after the hike, then we drove up Signal Mountain (which you can hike up...and I will someday, trust me).  At the summit, there is a gorgeous panoramic view at mountains, a deep valley where you could possibly see some animals in the morning/evening, and much more.

So then we went to Jenny Lake, had lunch (ham-cheese sandwich, Sun Chips, carrots, and a huckleberry slushy), looked at the beautiful lake, and got on Antelope Flats Drive.  That took us to the Gros Ventre Landslide...but on our way there, we saw several huge herds of bison.  Some were lying down and relaxing, some were standing and eating, some were nuzzling, some were running across the road (they have a mind of their own)...and there were a lot of babies.  There was one BRAND-NEW, tiny little baby -- he was so little he could have walked under his mom's belly.  He was nursing and just looking cute, as all babies do. :)  We saw the landslide after that, walked a half-mile trail to a pretty overlook of a lake and the landslide, and headed for Jackson, Wyoming, arriving at 5 PM.  We're staying in the Kudar Motel; actually in a rustic cabin.  There's lots of space inside and we've arrived at our destination early.  We're going to clean up, head out for dinner (hopefully at the Sweetwater Cafe), and then just relax and get to bed.  Tomorrow morning, I get to go on a trail ride (half-day) with my mom and brother, and I am stoked.  I REALLY miss being on the back of a horse, and I can't wait.  Check back tomorrow to see how it goes, and for now, enjoy the pictures and God bless you.

THURSDAY'S PICTURES

A young female elk looks at the big bull.

Old Faithful

Morning Glory...SO pretty

The lobby of Old Faithful Inn.

A burbling mud pot...so funny.

SATURDAY'S PICTURES

Matthew and I pose with Mt. Moran behind us on our hike.

We saw two baby moose today...

...and their mom eating lily pads in Heron Pond.

Some of the view from Signal Mountain.

The tiny baby bison peeks out from behind his mama.

Gros Ventre Landslide Area

~Anna~

Yesterday & Today

Yesterday we didn't have Internet access and my phone didn't have signal either (we can use it as a wireless hotspot), so I was not able to blog.  I'm sorry!  So included on today's blog is also what I did yesterday.  Enjoy!

Yesterday (Wednesday) -- Woke up at 8:15, got ready, had breakfast (Mini Wheats and milk), loaded the car, and checked out.  We took a nice walk around before heading to the Interagency Fire Control Center.    Our tour guide, a rookie "Smokejumper" was very knowledgeable and took us all over the building and grounds.  We saw all their paraequipment (food, water, survival supplies, firefighting equipment, chainsaws, etc.), lockers (each jumper has their own with gear and such), where they hang up the parachutes to dry/air out after a jump, the sewing/repairing room (ALL the clothing/parachutes/etc. are made there), the outfits they jump in, and one of the airplanes they use.  We actually got to climb in it for a few minutes and see where the jumpers sit, where the gear is stored, the cockpit, and more.  At the end of the tour, we all got T-shirts with the "Smokejumpers" logo on it.  It was a great tour...and free!
Next, we went to the Earthquake Lake Visitor Center (closed for renovation).  We were still able to see the lake and all the rocks and devastated trees.  There was even a pretty lookout down at a valley with a rapids-filled Madison River.
After that, we drove on to Norris Geyser Basin to have lunch (turkey/ham/Colby Jack cheese pita, Sun Chips, carrots, an orange, and juice) at 1:30.  Then we walked on some boardwalks/trails to access the geysers.  They were beautiful blue-green pools, and one was spouting pretty high when we were there!  It smelled like sulfur -- familiar from our visit here eight years ago, and Pilgrim Hot Springs!  They also had a small museum there with good information, as well as a shop (I found a postcard).
Next, we drove on the Virginia Cascade Drive (about 2.5 miles), which took us past a pretty valley and the huge, white, roaring Virginia Falls.  We laughed at the tiny creek that forms the monstrous falls.  Then we checked in at 4:10 to Canyon Creek Lodge.  Our room had rustic forest-type furniture, mugs, tea/coffee, glass cups, and a bear-shaped bar of soap.  After checking in and getting situated, we drove to Yellowstone Falls and walked down a steep switchback trail to view the falls up close.  We came back to our hotel, went into a shop (I found a cute stuffed bison and a T-shirt...cheap!), had supper at a cafeteria (BLT wrap, salad, orange juice), went back to the hotel, showered, and went to bed at 10:45.

Today (Thursday) -- Woke up at 8 AM, got ready, had breakfast (granola and juice), loaded up, headed out, got some National Park passport stamps (I have a National Park Passport and I can get stamps at each park I go to...it's cool), and drove up the Chittendon Road.  On the way there, we saw a lone bison walking along the road.  Throughout the day, we saw several more lone ones, as well as a large herd this evening.  It took us up to a pretty viewpoint, and then we hiked a bit higher to get a really gorgeous panorama.  Then we drove on Blacktail Creek Road -- gravel, dusty, and a tiny bit bumpy (but nothing compared to the road to camp!).  Lots of pretty scenery, and we even saw a happy coyote who had just eaten a squirrel or mouse.  He was beautiful, fat, and healthy.  We also saw two big bull moose with huge racks of antlers -- they were happily eating up in the forest, paying no attention to anything else.  It was fun to see them!
We had lunch in Gardiner, Montana, at the Raven Grill (I had lasagna bolognese...yum).  For dessert, we all shared huckleberry creme brulee...so sweet and good!  After that, we went into a shop to find huckleberry pancake mix and syrup.  I got some postcards and huckleberry licorice.  We also went into a saddle shop and saw all the Western items and I was happy!  Then we went through the historic entrance with the big archway and took pictures.  Also went to Mammoth Hot Springs -- Upper and Lower Terraces.  Took pictures, walked a bit on the boardwalks, saw Mound Spring (burbling heavily, flowing way down).  The Visitor Center at Mammoth was good, too, with lots of great exhibits, including stuffed animals (there were baby wolves and a little baby elk...aww).
Drove on to Grant Village (saw four female elk and a baby) and checked into our hotel.  Got our stuff situated, then my mom and I went out for a nice little walk.  We saw Yellowstone Lake and people were kayaking on it!  Came back, had a huckleberry licorice strip and some carrots, showered, had supper (chicken-bean-cheese pitas and huckleberry-blackberry sparkling water), and are now ready to go to bed.  I can't post any pictures because it's late and I don't have fast Internet, but I hope you have an idea of what we're seeing.  It's fun!

~Anna~

Kalispell to West Yellowstone

Today I woke up at 7:20, got ready, had breakfast (a small waffle, a piece of raisin-bread toast, strawberry yogurt, a peach fruit cup, and apple juice), checked out, fueled up, went to a grocery store to get a few things for Grandma, and got on the road.  At about 1:20, we came to Three Forks (where the rivers Jefferson, Madison, and Galatin meet to form the Missouri River), where we had lunch (ham/turkey/cheddar cheese pita, chips, carrots, apple slices, and pina colada juice).  Then my mom and I went wading in the river...it was 90 degrees and the water was so cold and it felt refreshing!  Then we drove on to the Big Sky Ski Resort (huge, lots of awesome runs...we should go there someday!); also the mall (we went into the ski shop and found discounted pants for me...ski season is just around the corner).  Then we drove on to West Yellowstone, arriving at 6:45.  We're staying in the Alpine Motel, owned by a husband and wife who are very friendly and helpful.  Coffee, tea, apple cider, cocoa, gum, candy, and travel essentials are all at the front desk as well, making it a wonderful place to stay.  Then my mom and I went to a supermarket and got some groceries; then we came back and had supper (pizza, salad, apple juice) and dessert (a chocolate-chip cookie treat and apple cider).  Now I'm going to get my shower and go to bed.  God bless you all!

Three Forks

My mom and I are wading in the Missouri River!

~Anna~