and yet a 4th post

Just to keep track....animals that we saw...

antelope
grizzly bear
Kokonee salmon
mule deer
black tailed deer
black beer
trumpeter swans
big horn sheep
yellow bellied marmot
badger
bull moose
lots of elk
big horn sheep
sand hill cranes
white pelicans
blue grouse
turkey - not Eastern....
herds of buffalo
and a bazillion mosquitos!

3rd post of the evening

Pictures and our Top 10ish

16.  white water rafting...and ziplining
15.  horseback riding
14.  Bruce's tuna noodle casserole - Jillian says, "Yum"
13.  the Blue Lakes expedition...and hail hitting us on our descent...really, beautiful place
12.  Colter Bay showers!!!  yahoo!  Hot water...well, hot water anywhere really!
11.  warm beds...well, depends on who you are
10. Jillian says..."Bob and Kathy's house!"
9. rodeo in Cody, WY and Nathan sitting on a Bull
8. riding the tram to the top of Rendevous Peak, Jackson Hole Resort

7. black bear in the campground...near mom and Bruce's tent...and mom hearing her breathing!
6. mosquitos!
5. kayaking at Jackson Lake
4. 2 really, really big mule deer in Garden of the Gods
3.  big bull moose
2.  buffalo jumping a fence!
1.  seeing a grizzly in Yellowstone!

Friday night

Well, Wednesday, we were still at the Tetons.  We kind of relaxed for the day.  We went horseback riding in Jackson Hole...through the Snake River Village.  Nathan has never been on a horse, so we had fun watching him and it was a beautiful morning.  We got back from that and got a shower - hallelujah.  Mom rented 2 person kayaks and we went the whole way across the lake.  Great weather and a lot of fun!  After that, we went back to the campground and sat around until dinner.  Bruce made tuna noodle casserole which was yummy.  THEN...we went back to Mormom Row.  It is a well known area where there are wooden barns and many pictures get taken of this area because the Grand Teton is right behind it.  Anyway, we were on a bison hunt - AND we found them!  There were many of them in a herd crossing the road right by us.  VERY big and very cool.  After that, we went back to the campsite and packed up, because we were heading out in the morning for Cody, WY.  Thursday morning, we left and went back into the south entrance of Yellowstone and then out the east entrance to Cody.  We went to the town for Mexican lunch - yummy - and then to the Buffalo Bill Museum...very neat and well taken museum.  I will try to attach pictures.  We then went to the Cody Rodeo - Yahhhhooooo!  :-)  We all enjoyed it and Nathan sat on a bull, Hollywood, before the show.  It was about 2 1/2 hours of fun and laughing... neat place.  We stayed the night in Cody and left this morning.  We drove across WY into SD to Rapid City area.  We saw Crazy Horse - very neat.  They have a lot more to do and it doesn't seem much different from the last time I was there... but the face of Crazy Horse is finished....but the story on that monument is amazing.  It's in the Black Hills.  After that, we went to Mount Rushmore.  And now, we are in the foothills of Rapid City at a campsite.  It is Sturgis time - so Harleys are EVERYWHERE...by the hundreds.  Tomorrow night, we are at a hotel - hallelujah!  We are going to Wall (yay!) and the Badlands tomorrow.  Kids are in the hot tub with Bruce.  It's 8:00 pm here...  Leaving early for a long day of travels. 

Tuesday AM

Jillian and I are at Colter Bay right now, the closest electricity and showers...we are doing about 3 days of laundry. 

Yesterday we went on a 12 hour tour or Yellowstone.  We saw bison, mule deer, and a GRIZZLY!  No kidding.  She was just digging on a bank by the road.  Of course, we weren't the only ones to stop to see her, but her path off the hill was by us, so we left her - the big bear that she was.  We saw many waterfalls and mountains, and sparkling streams. We drove up to the top, Mammoth Hot Springs, and walked around a bit.  The top entrance, is close to Montana, so we drove north a bit to the original stone arch.  Very neat.  I love Montana.We also made it in perfect time to see Old Faithful and roam around the lodge.  Beehive geyser also went off...I've never seen that and it's taller then Old Faithful!

Reg and Randy are having fun looking for animals.... we have seen a bull moose, black tailed deer, white tailed deer - bucks as well as does, grizzly, mule deer, and antelope...also some weird big white bird I forget the name of. 

Jillian and Nathan have enjoyed themselves and have been great travelers.  Our mornings are a bit TOO early, but they adapt.  Yesterday, they were able to swim in a stream that the hot springs fed into, so it was warm.  They enjoyed that. 

Today, we are going fishing, horseback riding and into Jackson - a neat, beautiful  town!  We are also going to Jackson Hole and up to the top of the mountain on the ski lift.  Also, we are going to book a float trip on the Snake River for tomorrow.  Tonight, hopefully we get to relax.... :-)

I am attaching a few pictures... we have many more to remember. 

Monday morning

It's Monday morning... we traveled Friday from southern CO through western CO...I've never been there before.  Different terrain!  Anyway, we stopped in Pinedale, WY.  Lots of stories from the ride.  Saturday AM we left at 7ish for the Grand Tetsons which was about 2 hours away.  I have many pictures to add, but we are leaving for Yellowstone right now.  We are staying in Signal Mountain Campground - no electricity...or showers.  A bear was 2 feet from mom's tent last night and we saw it in the evening. We are going to Old Faithful today and the figure 8 loop of Yellowstone... beautiful doesn't give it justice.  We ate a Cadillac Grille in Jackson last night.  I truly love that little town...a little high scale, but beautiful.  We got groceries in the local store similar to Wegman's ($5 loaf of bread - yikes!).  Anyway,  I'll get back on tonight when I come back to this spot to do laundry.

Blue Lakes - Beautiful

So.... at 7:00 this am... we headed out to the Blue Lakes.  We drove down CR - 7 about 8 miles...all dirt roads... back to no where - but it was the trail head.  We hiked UP about 1,500 ft through switchbacks to the Blue Lakes.  We were in the Uncompagre National Forest.  Beautiful doesn't give it justice.  Columbine, CO's state flower, was everywhere and many other native flowers.  It truly was amazing.  We were high enough for snow and Reg, Jillian, and Nathan had a snowball battle.  We had lunch at the lake and were amazed by the sight.  It took us 3 hours to get there...and 2 hours back down. On the way down, it started to rain and actually hail.  We hustled down... to warmth and our car.  Many stories have come out of that trip.  Jillian and I did laundry and now we are getting ready to have dinner... marinated chicken, corn on the cob, cole slaw, and watermelon.  I know... too much information.  :-)