Day 8--June 28, 2011

The lengths one will go to for the sake of technology...

Yellowstone is...well, Yellowstone.  More magnificent than words can describe.

However...(isn't there always a however?) this particular park seems to have banned wi-fi in all of its glory.  We are able to get cell phone coverage near a couple of lodges, but we made the decision to drive to Montana to get online.  Not as bad as it sounds--we drove 30 miles into West Yellowstone, MT.  We knew that it was a good-sized town because we had stayed here with Erin in 2002 (Ryan was in school that summer).  So--nobody gag--we are sitting in a MacDonald's with free wi-fi.  In our defense, we did look for the public library with no luck.

Anyway, we were rewarded for our craziness.  On the way here, we passed elk, a distant large herd of bison, and a whole group of moms and baby bison next to the road.  The best experience was when we rounded a curve and there he was...the magnificent Buffalo Bill (my name) plodding up the highway on the other side of the two-lane road.  This huge bull was followed closely by a ranger with flashing lights waving at people to keep going as she "herded" him on down the road.  The creature turned toward our car briefly so I was able to catch his portrait out of Manskills' window.  Hot dog!  Miss Maggie didn't seem to notice.

Yesterday before dusk we were driving in a valley and I lucked out and spotted a wolf pack on the distant tree line loping along.  Wow!  Manskills, poor guy, was driving, so he missed them.  However, just after we had gone to bed, we heard wolf howls--very eerie.  We are guessing that they were wolves because they sounded different from the coyotes we have heard in Tucson, Death Valley, and Idyllwild. Later, as I was deep under, Manskills heard more howls and cries and joyousness which made him think that the wolf pack had found their midnight dinner.  Shudder.

We are staying in the only RV park in the Park--for hard-sided vehicles only--which leads us to believe that animal prowlers are nearby.  The only drawback is that generators are allowed from 8am-8pm.  If you haven't ever heard an RV generator, take it from me--it's loud.  So, at 9:30 pm we decided that we had had it and went to complain about two rigs near us who seemed to think that the rules don't apply to them.  The park manager graciously sent someone up to have a chat and it became blessedly quiet--how else would we have heard the wolves?

We are down to needing only four states to complete the 50!  If anyone knows of anyone touring up here from Delaware, Connecticut, Hawaii, or Rhode Island, let us know!  We have only seen three provinces, but expect that number will grow when we visit Glacier and Waterton Lakes.

I appreciate Manskills more every day--thanks to him I can enjoy fresh hot coffee every morning, hot showers, lights at night, a microwave, and our TV.  We are far removed from our first backpacking trips and our first car camping throughout the West with a Mercury Capri (smaller than a Corolla), a large Irish setter, and a 2-person backpacking tent.  Poor Christy, the dog, had to sleep outside the tent!  Heaven forbid the Divine Miss M should suffer such an indignity--despite the fact that it isn't allowed--she would be wolf and bear bait.

I may not be able to post another blog for several days, so this was a long one.  It's off to the geysers and maybe more bison--or even a bear.  Take care, all!

Day 6--June 26, 2011

I never thought I would miss technology, but I'm afraid I have succumbed to the ability to stay in touch with friends, family, and the world any time of day or night--unless you're in a national park.  Of course, it should be argued that the internet is not the reason for visiting such an awesome place--that is, unless you want to share the awesomeness with others.

We did discover free wi-fi at Jackson Lake Lodge, so we are relaxing in a beautiful lobby and techie-ing away.  We love to visit the great park lodges, so we would have explored this building anyway.  Hard to beat the view of the Tetons out the huge windows.

Manskills set up our hi-def satellite TV yesterday, so we caught up on the CNN world.  It did feel a bit sacrilegious to be looking at that instead of the surrounding forest.

We keep hoping to see wildlife and so far have spied pronghorn antelope, pelicans (yes, they summer here), an eagle, and elk.  No bear (although they are around) and no moose.  I think they hear us coming and scatter.

We did enjoy our first-ever breakfast cruise this morning on Jackson Lake.  We motored over to Elk Island and ate a full, fresh-cooked breakfast while gazing at the peaks.  Not bad--especially if you don't mind mosquitoes.  One of our guides offered to let us take some home as souvenirs.

We admired Jenny Lake lodge until we discovered its $600/night price tag.  Our $10/night spot looks better and better!

Off to Yellowstone in the morning...

Day 4--June 24, 2011

Our site in Logan boasted honest-to-goodness grass, in which the Divine Miss M reveled.  She found one particular spot extraordinarily pleasing and proceeded to roll over and over on her back in it.  We couldn’t discern its appeal—just as well—so its charms were not obvious to humans.

We knew we were not in Irvine when we spotted several kiosks labeled “Rock Chip Repair.”  We even saw a car receiving said repairs on its windshield.

Leaving Logan, Utah, we traversed a truly “scenic byway” through Logan Canyon—awesomely beautiful and almost deserted.  We’re sure the Logan River was running high—at times almost lapping the road.

We drove through Jackson Hole (the entire valley hereabouts) and reached Jackson (the town).  It was as touristy and crowded as we remembered from a previous trip.  We managed to miss our turn at the town square and had to circle the antler decorated plaza before finding the right road.  Exciting times in congested traffic and pedestrians with small streets and twenty-three feet of dead weight behind you!  However, Manskills executed the required maneuvers flawlessly.  (I have to continue the praise so that he doesn’t hand me the wheel.)

The Tetons are just as advertised—grand.  Plenty of snow on top.  Our campsite, with no hook-ups (water, sewer, electricity) is gorgeous.  The only flaw in the area are the multitudinous mosquitoes.  And, although I had my hands on the insect repellent at home, I can’t locate it now.  Oh, well—a trip to the general store will have to do.

We are amazed at the lack of cellular and wi-fi coverage here.  So, although we are alive and well, this blog may not get posted for a few days.  I know—you are supposed to come to a national park to get away from technology, but we have become so accustomed to being in constant communication with the world, it’s hard to withdraw.

Day 3--June 23, 2011

The mighty threesome managed to get going a bit earlier today.  We drove north up through Salt Lake City (congested) and eventually turned northeast toward Logan, UT.  What a gorgeous drive!  Green, green hills and fields, masses of wildflowers, cattle and horses grazing, snow-dusted peaks.  The Mighty Mini-van even made it up and over a pass without too much angst.

One incident of note yesterday in Fillmore...  We were getting gas and a gal drove up in a pick-up (does anyone in this state drive anything else?).  I noticed what looked like a life-size eagle's foot (talons?  claws?) dangling from her rear-view mirror.  Eewww, I thought.  Later, we discovered that Millard Fillmore High School (what else would they call it?) is the home of the Eagles!  So, I just hope that Missy was displaying a fake piece of team spirit...

Our family has a long-standing tradition of recording the states we see on license plates when we travel.  We were so obsessed on a trip to Canada with Ryan and Erin that I remember following some car around the parking lot at Lake Louise, Alberta (only one of the most spectacular views on the face of the planet--the lake, not the parking lot), confirming a certain plate we were missing--New Jersey?  Anyway, we managed in the first two days of our travels this time to sight twenty-four states and one province.  Not bad--except that we now have all the easy ones.  It's usually those snooty little first thirteen colonies that are hard to come by--either their populations are tiny (sorry, NY) or they are too finicky to come west.  Oh, well, we'll keep on the hunt and keep you posted.

Day 2--June 22, 2011

I choose really exciting titles everyday, right?  Today we drove through Nevada (boring), Arizona (more boring)--until we got to the Virgin River Gorge.  You feel almost as if you are driving through the bottom of the Grand Canyon.  Then on to Utah, where it actually started to get green and show some trees and snow on the high mountains--in late June?

Another long day for Manskills (my driver).  I offered to try driving with the Box in tow, but he didn't want to have to concentrate that hard to teach me.  Heh, heh.  Put that one off for another day.

We stopped at a lovely, grassy rest area to stretch and let Miss Maggie do a walk-about.  So she chooses to water the grass on the way to the pet area right under the sign saying "Dogs Prohibited on Grass."  Good move, Divine Miss M.

We still had some problems going over passes and have decided that it's just due to the blasted heat (the engine doesn't like anything over 100).  It seemed happier when we dropped to the 80's.

We're in Fillmore, Utah, small town and home of the first territorial state capital (big and brick), the Millard County Courthouse (bigger and brick), and, you guessed it, the President Millard Fillmore Library (a bit smaller and brick).  

Fillmore is the home of a week-long ATV Jamboree.    The first place I called a couple of months ago was filled, so they suggested our current digs.  When we got here, too tired to see straight, she couldn't find a reservation for us.  After almost choking (me), she (bless her) took us in anyway.  I must have looked desperate.

Thank goodness for A/C and the electrical hook-up needed for it--off to northern Utah tomorrow.

Day 1--June 21, 2011

The adventure begins--with two grumpy people who once again didn't get enough sleep or finish all the preparations in the weeks prior to leaving on a five-week trip in "The Box" (otherwise known as our 23-foot travel trailer).  Maggie, the springer spaniel, named The Box (as opposed to The Car).

Into each life a little rain...which started with side mirrors that had been perfectly adjusted and suddenly became so ski-wonkussed that Man Skills (aka Bob) wasn't sure that he could adjust them.  He came through, as usual, and we were off.

Maggie, princess that she is, didn't appreciate the special platform bed that her master had built just for her so that it would be easier to sit and lie upon than the usual bucket seat.  She, being the only dog we have ever been owned by, likes to look out the window when we travel.  So I hit upon the idea of totally blocking all floor space available to her in the car so that she had no choice but to use the new elevated bed.  Eventually, she settled down, stopped panting, and went to sleep.  Don't know if she ever looked out the window.

Did you know that there are three gigantic mountain passes between Irvine and Las Vegas?  That's what they felt like as we poked along at 30 mph watching the temperature gauge rise slightly until the A/C turned off--and it was 200 degrees outside!  (or at least 104 felt like 200 with no A/C)  Once again, Manskills came through and we didn't end up on the side of the road with steam pouring out from under the hood.

Well, it may be down to 89 or so outside, so we can finally give Maggie her long awaited walk.  Gotta love Las Vegas in the summertime!