2 Weeks in Yellowstone National Park

Ah Yellowstone....

Make that 2012!

Joe and I had been to Yellowstone 2 years prior to this trip when we rented an RV with Joe's parents and drove up.  That trip was also our first experience with RVing.  On that trip we stayed on the south end of Yellowstone and spent most of our time in The Tetons NP, which is a separate park just South of Yellowstone NP and south Yellowstone.

Most people probably don't realize how BIG Yellowstone actually is.  It takes about 8 hours of driving the 45mph speed limit to get through the entire park by road, and that's if there aren't bison caused traffic jams (they like to walk on the roads).  That doesn't even touch on the 90% of the park that is back country and accessible only by horse or foot.  So it really does take a few visits to see all the different parts of the park.

We reserved our camping spot on the east side of the park this time in the ONLY campground that has full RV hook ups, in Fishing Bridge ($50 a night).  We reserved our spot 2 months before arriving and it's a good thing we did.  EVERY campsite had a FULL sign while we were there (July 5-18th). 

Here's our new friend, Maggie, who stayed at our same park for a few days!

They did a lot of jump roping!

Our time in Yellowstone can pretty much be summed up under the following categories.
Buffalo
Hiking
Geysers
Chuck Wagon Ride
Overnight Camping Trip

BUFFALO

Buffalo are EVERYWHERE in Yellowstone.  The park estimates their populations to be around 4000 currently.  To add to this, we were staying near Hayden Valley, where they all meet for mating season, which was taking place just a couple of weeks after our arrival.  Joe got up super early one morning to go fly fishing and ran into a monster buffalo jam on the road!

After being there just a few days, it hard not to get annoyed when people would stop their cars in the middle of the road and hold up everyone behind them for several minutes, to get a photo of a buffalo laying just off the road.  But that's Yellowstone!  It's all about the wildlife!  We also saw some bears from the car and lots of elk, and what I'm pretty sure was a moose.

HIKING

It was our (maybe a little more MY) goal to hike as much as possible in Yellowstone.  Aiding in this was that Joe's parents were also visiting Yellowstone with their RV during our time there.  So for some of the more rigorous hikes, we had childcare.  Getting into the backcountry on hikes, is a totally different experience from driving around or touring geysers and visitor centers.  And  having visited so many parks, but only being able to do minimal hiking, we were determined to see some "off the path" stuff!  Here are the hikes we did while there...



We were SO HAPPY to see Oma and Opa!

Elephant Back 

This up hill hike had a great view of Yellowstone Lake at the top!  We only took Bean up with us as L was with Oma getting her Teton NP badge.

Slough Creek

This was our big overnight camp adventure!  We looked through guide books all week to find the perfect hike and decided on this one on the NE corner of the park mostly because it was relatively flat, in an area we had not spent much time in before and where we might see wolves, and it promised World Class Fly Fishing.  The hike was not as flat as I was expecting, and we saw no wolves, or anything for that matter besides a deer, but the fishing was everything Joe was wanting and more!

We woke up early that morning and Oma came over to watch the girls (who were still sleeping) and we drove the hour to the Slough Creek trail head. 



Gorgeous hike to our over night spot.  I did get a horrible headache that I couldn't shake after this 6 mile hike.

We were ecstatic to see our site!  Totally private and lovely!  And a bear box to boot (this was exciting cause it meant Joe wouldn't have to hoist our packs up on the bear pole with rope and then get them down again every time I wanted some jerky)!  We set up camp, sat by the water, and ate a snack.  I tried to lay down to get rid of the headache, but couldn't fall asleep and was burning up in the tent.  So we went fishing.

Headache be damned, I caught the BIG one!

Joe was in fly fishing heaven!  We had the river to ourselves for the evening and both caught 2 trout.



S2 was our campsite and totally the best one!  We set up the tent in a fork where the stream split and listened to the waterfall all night. 

Sleeping in grizzly country (even when you have bear spray) and on the ground without a pillow, takes some getting used to!  So it took awhile (several hours) for us to fall asleep.  So long in fact, that we had to take a night time potty break.  This would have been comical to watch, being that we are both scared we're gonna step on a bear, and I'm blind without  my contacts, and we have to walk across a log that crosses over the stream in the dark, etc, etc.  But we did what we needed to do and eventually did fall asleep, kind of.  AS fun as this portion of the trip was, it did give me a new appreciation for civilization.....and mattresses!



Riddle Lake

Flat 5 mile hike we did with both kids and Oma.  We saw swans and bald eagles on the lake, but no bears!  It was a good long hike to do with kids.

This was the very first day the trail was opened, as it is closed until July 15th each year since it's a bear management area.  I took this to mean, bears use this area a lot in early summer.

Pelican Creek



This hike was on the eastside, very near where we were staying.  Short half mile hike that bumps up to Yellowstone Lake.



Brink of Lower Falls

This was one of my favorite things to see.  If you've never stood at the brink of a massive waterfall, I recommend it make your bucket list.  AWESOME!

Tower Falls

Short, roadside hike.

Natural Bridge

Fairly easy hike to this natural bridge.  We packed only Bean in on this one.



Pretty, but one of the most populated hikes we went on.

Artist Point

Continental Divide

At some point, I jumped out of the car and snapped this pic!

 GEYSERS

One of our favorite things to do when the kids fell asleep in the car or the weather wasn't great, was to drive to see geysers and  mud pots.  Yellowstone is riddled with them!  The Mud Pots in East Yellowstone were our favorite and closest to us!  The loop was the most doable and has some great pots! 

This one is called "Dragons Mouth" and was by far our favorite!  It even sounded like a dragon was inside!

The male buffalo liked to hang around the geysers and mud pots too.  The fumes act as a bug repellent for them.

CHUCK WAGON RIDE

Prior to arriving in Yellowstone, we had heard about how great the Chuck Wagon Rides were for families, so we signed up ($60 per adult and $40 for kids 4-12).  It seemed a little pricey, but it was the vacation portion of our trip.  We drove to NE Yellowstone to Tower where the stables were and and listened to some cowboy poetry and stories while we waited for the horses to get hooked up to the wagons.  Then we were off on the wagons for a mile ride to a remote area they had set up for our steak dinner (and corn, slaw, potato salad, beans, corn bread, watermelon, and cobbler).  YUM!!!  There was also a cowboy entertainer that sang and told stories while we ate, but we were sitting too far away to hear most of that.  Which brings me to my only let down of the occasion, which was I just had it in my head that the group would be smaller and the whole thing a little more intimate.  Liked we'd all gather around a big fire and hear tales of the Old West.  In actuality, there were probably over 200 people there with us.  But the steaks were good, the staff was friendly, and best of all Loralai and Bean made friends! 

Lots of playing!!!

Where's the beef?!?!

Loralai got to sit up front with her friends on the way back!  From this seat she got a good look at just how much mess a horse can make.  She's not so sure she wants a horse anymore. 



Thanks Boys!


OVERNIGHT CAMPING TRIP

See Slough Creek Hike Above...


We also did some other things while there, like take the Lake Yellowstone Tour.  This was narrated by a ranger and we learned some neat history about the park.  For example, there are several bodies berried in Yellowstone.  Like on any hour long tour where you have to stay seated, the kids got a little antsy, but we made it through with minimal lolli-pops.

Oma and Opa on the boat

One day we also took the kids swimming, as it would get quite warm mid day.  Here's us at Mary's Bay.

That water was TOO COLD for Bean to want to get in!

Of course we also made time to get Loralai her Yellowstone Jr Ranger badge!  And Oma and Opa took her one day to get her Teton NP badge as well.

She requested that "The Girl Ranger" swear her in.

Yellowstone is an amazing place!  You can see more wildlife here, then any other park we have been to and the hiking possibilities are endless.  The visitor centers and museums are great too.  And as frustrating as it can be, it's actually nice to be somewhere where you don't have phone reception and you can't check your emails and facebook obsessively.  I think we all need to disconnect sometimes.  That was part of the reason we did the whole trip in the first place.  Just as it was, it was a good 2 weeks of togetherness and we will cherish it.

My Arrival Home To Do List

With our return to Texas coming so near, we can't help but think of all the things we want/have to do once home.  There are so many things actually, that we decided to make a list, as to not forget a single important one!

Hey Bean, Which way is home?

1. Catch up on ALL missed episodes of my favorite shows, which include, "True Blood", "How I Met Your Mother", "Modern Family", "Once Upon a Time", etc, etc. (TV/Cable is very sporatic on the road and downloading is not an option with the always terrible free wi-fi available at RV parks.)

2. Move back into my house, as everything is either in the garage or in my mom's house.  (I hope you see my priorities here, #1, #2.)

3. School shop for Loralai.  SO EXCITED!!!  (She says she will wear skirts now, in addition to her dresses, so a shopping we will go!)

4. Get Loralai on an earlier sleep schedule.  This may kill us both, but we have no choice.  Our days of sleeping until 9:30am are very numbered.

5. Host and attend as many friend and family get togethers as possible!  (WE MISSED YOU GUYS!!!)

6. Host a dinner party....with a theme and creative table setting.  (Joe's totally on board for this....no, really!)

7. Do some interior updating at the house.

8. Jump back into work!  SELL SELL SELL

9. Hold some new babies that were born while I was gone.

10.  Get some chickens (and maybe rabbits and goats) and plant a garden.  (One negative of RV traveling, is that you are stuck eating grocery store food more often then not.  Looking forward to home grown foods.)

11. Plan Lorlai's 5th Birthday Party.  Eeeek....5 Already!!!

12. Go to Chuy's and Maudie's, and Thunder Cloud Subs and EAT!

13. Get our YMCA membership.  (Working out is another challenge of RV life.  Although, I was inspired by hoola-hoop lady.)

14. Drink a beer at our new Whole Foods.  (Thanks for the heads up Julia!)

15. Compost and recycle.  (Seriously missed doing both as composting is impossible on the road and recycling is so sporatic from place to place!!!)

16. Get the truck washed.  (It is surprisingly difficult to find one of these on the road and the truck has not been washed since we left because of this!)

17.  Get hair cuts.  (We all know Joe needs one, but so do the rest of us, especially Loralai after the cut she gave herself.)

18. Mani and Pedi, STAT.  (I'm so relieved to know an affordable place to go, close to the house, where I probably won't get a foot fungus...YAY!)

19. Sit on our porch.  (We love our porch!)

20. Have Joe cook something in our new oven that we have not yet used.  (We had to get a new one while on the road, when we got renters.)

We are all very excited about our return!  One of the greatest things about a long trip, is that it makes you appreciate ALL the little and big comforts of HOME!

See y'all soon!

Wake me when we get there.

Great Falls = Great Family

We made it a point during our trip to visit my  half brother and sister and their mom, Donica, in Great Falls, MT.  It had been 5 years since I'd seen my sister, Shaylee, and 13 years since I'd seen my brother, Cody, who's now 15! 

Big Sky

They were so sweet to host us for the week, with lots of nights spent hanging out at their house, playing games and Donica cooking great dinners.  As usual, Loralai and Juliet just liked being in a REAL HOUSE more then anything!  They ran around the yard, played with outside chalk, watched movies, and played with all the cool pets.

Poor Max!  She held him like this for HOURS!

 

The first day we were there, Donica, Cody, and Shaylee all came over to our campsite to welcome us at The KOA (where we were paying $58!!!!  a night.  Most expensive stay of the entire trip).  We only stayed there 2 nights, while we waited for a spot to open at Dicks RV Park ($32 a night) down the road. From the KOA, we went to their house for a BBQ and to meet the boyfriends. 

The thing that made staying at the MOST EXPENSIVE RV Park of the trip, OK, was that it had a waterpark for the kids.  We spent Day 2 there with my brother and sister, while Joe worked.

The water park was pretty cool with several slides, sprinklers, and sprayers.

 

While there, we also went to some falls, which was this great area to campout, not too far from town.  We played in the water, went on a walk, and had a picnic lunch.  We even found a Beaver Dam in the river!

Naked baby in a river!



Another day we went to a state park and learned about the fishery there, did a hike, and played on the playground.  And get this, Montana had their own Junior Ranger Program!!!  So Loralai did the workbook, and we mailed off for her Monatana Jr Ranger Badge!  Joe thinks I'm obsessed with Jr Ranger badges.  Crazy, right?!

We were also in the best place possible to celebrate the 4th of July, Big Sky Country!  We just sat in Donica's yard and watched the fireworks going off all around us, all night long.  We bought a few for Loralai and Cody to pop as well.

My family was so sweet to host us all week!  Thank you for all the yummy food (I mean it!), and for having cute pets for the girls to play with, and for driving me all over town and out of town, and for showing us such a good time!

Putting on a puppet show with Uncle Cody at the awesome library in Great Falls

Our trip to Great Falls really was great!  Lots of late nights staying up playing games, talking, and popping fireworks. 

Playing at the RV

We were also able to fit in a girls night the last night we were there!  So fun!  But what happens at Girls Night, stays at Girls Night, so no pictures!  I will say that my sister can sing!

The morning after photo

This stop was much more about visiting the people, then it was about visiting the place.  And in order to have the  most time possible with my famliy, we sacrificed visiting Galcier National Park and Canada, which were only 3 hours away.  So the rush order passports, were not used on this trip, but we have lots of plans for next summer.  Maybe Alaska by way of Canada?   

Juliet plays, while Cody gets a hair cut