July 1 - Thursday
Today was a busy day.  In the morning, Bill took the  RV for a brake check and lube job while Sandra took Becca to the optometrist.  The brakes are fine.  Becca's vision is 20/100.  Sandra had lunch with some former coworkers.  After lunch she took Becca to another doctor to have her hand examined.  She has had a swollen and tender spot on her hand since she fell on a cactus in New Mexico.  The x-ray showed nothing so the doctor suggested doing nothing for now.  In the evening, Sandra's former coworker Randy and his fiancé Judy came over to the campground for dinner with their new dog, Sunny.

July 2 - Friday
The girls enjoyed making crafts. We spent a good part of the day doing errands. Bill did a massive pile of laundry. We picked up our mail at the post office and sorted through it. We also tried to find a way to get eyeglasses for Becca before we leave the area but gave up due to the upcoming Holiday. We also mapped out our route to figure out our itinerary so that Bill and Laura can fly from a major city for her next Shriner's appointment.

July 3 - Saturday
We enjoyed visiting a lot today. Tammy Duretto stopped by the RV and then we went to dinner at Roni Pessin's home and were joined by her husband Steve and a welcome visit by Mike and Lisa Benson. The kids keep asking when we're going back to her house! They loved the huge backyard and large downstairs. 

July 4 - Sunday (Independence Day)
We attended church with John and Nancy (first time we've gone to the same place twice on our entire trip). We then went back to the RV for a cookout and some naps (at least both parents got one!). In the evening the kids enjoyed an adorable marionette show and instead of going to traditional fire works watched a fire dancing performance at campground.

July 5 - Monday 
The females of the group got off to a slow start this morning and further compounded the delay by staying to make puppet crafts. However, since the day looked promising weather-wise, we decided to take a planned ferry ride across the sound. We just made the Bainbridge Island ferry. The Olympic mountains were clear so we decided to drive up to Hurricane Ridge. We stopped at Jean's deli for lunch in Sequim (thanks for the tip Don!) before continuing on to Olympic National Park. We stopped at the visitor's center and picked up Jr. Ranger books. The ranger was advising some people who didn't like to drive in the mountains that they may not like the road to Hurricane Ridge but believe us, we've driving the RV on more harrowing roads! The girls worked on them while we drove up the ridge. We participated in the ranger talk on the two glaciers visible from the Hurricane Ridge visitors center. The girls were able to look through the telescope and see closer views. They managed to complete their books right before the rangers headed out for the day. 

We then drove the 7.8 mile gravel road to Obstruction Point. This road is not for those who don't like heights since it does not have guard rails and has some steep drops in places. It can be rough driving - there are places were it is best to stop and let oncoming cars pass and you have to navigate rough areas. We encountered one person with a flat tire and another nearly backed into us in their eagerness to watch a deer! It didn't bother this group of flatlanders although we jokingly wondered if our Volvo roadside assistance was good for out here!  It offered gorgeous views of the Olympic Mountains and even glimpses at one point down to Port Angeles. We got out for a walk on the trails but the trail was steep and snow covered in parts so we decided to cut our hiking short. We then made the long drive back to Bainbridge Island and just missed a ferry so had to wait a bit for the next one. Surprisingly everyone was still awake by the time we returned to the campground. 

July 6 - Tuesday
Our last day in the Seattle area. Our last view of the Pacific.  Sandra had lunch with Barbara, a former coworker from AT&T Wireless.  At the last minute she got a call back from her old boss Meg.  We had left a message on her answering machine at home but she was at her beach house for the fourth of July.  Meg and Ed invited us to their house on Whidbey Island for dinner.  We packed up the kids and raced for the ferry.  We had a pleasant walk on the beach and dinner.  After dinner,  Laura, Becca, and Meg's daughter Emma collected dozens of pet snails.

July 7 - Wednesday
Our first RV  travel day in nearly 2 weeks and our first RV travel day longer than 3 hours in well over a month.  Since we left California, we had been making relatively short moves as we worked our way through Oregon and Washington.  Today was about a 250 mile trip east to Spokane.  Including a stop for diesel fuel and propane it took about 5 hours.  The terrain changes abruptly as you cross the Cascades.  On the east side of the mountains it is drier with far fewer trees and many farms growing corn, hay, wheat, and potatoes. We stayed a a "Jellystone Camp Resort" that is a member of Resort Parks International (RPI).  The girls enjoy bumper boats but Alex is too afraid to try, even though the water is shallow.

July 8 - Thursday
This morning we went to Riverfront Park in downtown Spokane.  They have a giant Radio Flyer red wagon whose handle is  a slide. We walked through the park which was once home to the 1974 World's Fair. We then dipped our toe in Idaho with a short drove to Coeur d'Alene where we enjoyed lunch in a park on the lake. There was a strong breeze off the lake so we were rather chilly although there were sun bathers out and even some swimmers in the water. The kids enjoyed watching a float plane land and take off. We also drove around and admired the painted moose that decorated downtown. Sandra's favorite was one that was decorated like the moon, complete with a little astronaut planting a flag on the rump.  We finished our visit with a stop at a candy store for the kids to buy some treats.

July 9 - Friday
Bill took the RV in for repairs this morning while Sandra and the kids went back to the river area in Spokane to play in the amusement park there. The kids spent the day enjoying all the features of their day passes - IMAX movie of the human body, many carnival rides, mini-golf, an antique carousel that even had 'rings' to grab, and a narrated 'train' ride around the park.  After dinner, Bill and girls went bike riding.

July 10 - Saturday
Today was primarily a travel day. We had considered stopping between Spokane and Glacier. We had a reasonably early start and we made good time across Route 2 so despite losing an hour by crossing into mountain time, we pulled into Apgar campground (the only one that will fit us). There are no water or electric hookups nor showers in the rest rooms but the location suits us well so we'll enjoy seeing how long we can dry camp. After we arrived, Bill took the girls to pick up their junior ranger programs, then we had dinner and after that went for a bike ride down down to the 'village' and down a paved bike path. On the ride, we encountered a ranger who was scaring off a black bear that had been hanging around the area all day. At first he was yelling at the bear and then we heard shots fired - first several soft bangs and then a loud one. We found out latter that the loud one was the 'bear scare' and if that failed, they then use rubber bullets.

July 11 - Sunday
We did a lot of driving again today. We took the historic (built in 1932) Going to the Sun road from Apgar, across Logan's pass to Saint Mary's. We saw stunning scenery, multitudes of waterfalls, and even some mountain goats. Our viewing time was cut short when it started to sleet.  We did also glimpse a marmot coming down the rocks once we made it back to our dry, warm car. We then continued north across the border into Alberta, Canada and onto Waterton Lakes National Park, the other part of the International Peace Park. As we drove in, we spotted what we strongly suspect was a wolf due to its color (all silver) and size. There was a fierce wind blowing as we stopped at the Prince of Wales Hotel, a dramatic lodge perched on a hill overlooking the lake. We then traveled to Lake Cameron where we hiked along the shores but stopped when we reached the area that strongly advised into entering prime grizzly habitat.  The only wildlife we encountered on the trail was a cute chipmunk. We then crossed back into the US where we had to explain that we aren't currently employed....that probably put us into some database! On both sides of the border they are very concerned about the kids - that they are our biological children. On our return drive into Glacier, we saw a ranger holding a rifle on the side of the road and he was waving traffic on past the nearby bear on the other side. We then spotted three mountain goats up near Logan Pass. One was standing on the parking lot wall when we first drove up and two were ambling down the hiking trail. Then we saw yet another bear along the road on the the other side of the pass. Both bears appeared to be young black bears. Wonder where the mommas' were? We enjoyed some pizza at a restaurant. Again, we saw the mother deer and fawn across from our campsite that night. The day received high marks for animal spotting!

July 12 - Monday
In the morning Sandra and the girls enjoyed a two-hour horseback ride while Bill and Alex hiked. The boys were able to see the girls in action as they reached McDonald Falls, the highlight of the ride. Becca enjoyed her first big ride. After we all toured the McDonald Lodge and enjoyed the view of the lake from the rocking chairs gracing the back porch. We then had lunch back at the RV before setting out on an hour long canoe ride on the lake. Fortunately no one tipped the canoe over into the cold water but the film camera was in a plastic bag just in case. We then drove outside the park to pick up a few things including some huckleberries. Bill and the girls enjoyed the evening ranger program after dinner.

July 13 - Tuesday
Bill and Becca hiked the McDonald Creek Trail in the morning.  In the evening we decided to drive around the western part of the park to see wildlife.  We drove on a paved road out of the park, up a well maintained gravel road through National Forest Service land, and then on a paved road through private property until we reached the funky little hamlet of Polebridge. This town consisted of a fair sized hostel, bakery and bar/restuarant. There were eclectic groups of people enjoying beers and the sunset on picnic tables. We then headed back into Glacier, toward Apgar, and ended up on a terrible, 30 mile long, poorly maintained dirt and gravel road that forced us to drive about 10 miles per hour.  Its so rough and bumpy that Alex likes to talk just to hear how his voice wavers. Long twilight gave way to night and the only wildlife we see are three startled deer in a meadow. Down seemly endless stretches of narrow road we trundled without encountering another vehicle (good thing too - the narrow road would make it challenging to pass). Then at one point, around 11:00 pm and a few miles away from the end of the ordeal, a dead tree blocked the road.  Bill tried to move it but it was too long to swing past the trees one way it was wedged too tightly to move the other way. Fortunately we had a hatchet for splitting firewood stowed in the car with us. By the glare of the headlights he whacked off the top of the tree to make it small enough to move while the rest of the crew kept grizzly watch. Laura loved the adventure but Sandra (the instigator of this crazy trek) vows to avoid all unpaved roads going forward!

July 14 - Wednesday
On our drive to Many Glacier to see the lodge there, we drove over Logan Pass again and stopped to do a hike up toward Hidden Lake. Alex loved to grab the snow along the trail and throw snowballs.  After the hike, as we left the parking lot and headed down toward St. Mary, we saw a big horned sheep lying in a meadow. We stopped at the St. Mary's ranger stations where the girls received their junior ranger badges. We then toured the area around Many Glacier including the beautiful inn there which is undergoing restoration. Returning from Many Glacier we stopped outside the park for very tasty pie at the Park Cafe, whose motto is "Pie is Strength".  We did another hike on our return trip through Logan Pass hike later in the day and saw many mountain goats close up and another big horned sheep. 

July 15 - Thursday
Today we decided to go to Two Medicine, a part of the park we have not yet explored. We stopped at Goat Lick falls where the mountain goats come in June and July to lick minerals from the rocks. We saw several including a mother and baby. On the way to the gate, we were stopped by a wrecker removing a days old accident from a steep embankment so we had our picnic in the car instead of beside the lake. Then Bill helped a woman whose car wouldn't start after the wait. We took a short hike to Running Eagle Falls, named after a Blackfoot Native American woman warrior. It was also known as Trick Falls because water spills over the top while the snow melts and also from an underground cave in the middle. We then stopped at the Two Medicine camp store for ice cream. There we chatted with one of the drivers of the vintage red busses that provide tours of the park. They are restored 1936 busses that have been completely restored and outfitted by the Ford Motor Company with propane engines. Our final stop for the day was the historic and beautiful Glacier Park Inn.

July 16 - Friday
Today was a travel day as we left Glacier National Park and headed in the direction of Yellowstone where we have reservations starting on the 22nd.  We stopped at a KOA in Missoula, Montana.  We have full hookups (even cable TV) again after a week of "dry camping" (no electric, water, or sewer hookups) in Glacier NP.   We dry camped in Big Bend NP in Texas but there they had showers nearby. It's hard to keep 5 people clean without filling up the holding tanks. The Glacier campground only allows generators during mealtime.  That lets us make coffee in the morning and keep the batteries charged to get us through the night.  The refrigerator runs on 120 volt AC or propane but when it is on propane it still requires some 12 volt power from the batteries.  The water pump and most of the lights are 12 volt.

July 17 - Saturday
We decided to spend another day in Missoula.  We had to change campground sites since someone had reserved the site we were in for tonight. We figured that on a hot July weekend it was better to stay here where we have 50 amp service and can run both air conditioners than to risk what might or might not be available elsewhere.

After lunch we took the kids to downtown Missoula where they have a large playground next to a carousel.  When the kids started finding several carousel tokens in the play area we wondered what careless child was losing them until Sandra saw a carousel employee planting them there for the kids to find.

Next we drove to Traveler's Rest  State Park, a new Montana State Park where they have discovered the site where Lewis and Clark stayed in both directions.  First, they found the cooking firepit.  According to the military procedures that they followed, the latrine should always be 300 feet from the cooking area.  Sure enough, 300 feet away they found evidence of the latrine.

When we were planning the trip, one of our concerns was how to keep the girls supplied with books to read.  At home, we go to the local library regularly but we have no lending privileges at other libraries where the kids can read books while we are there.  We brought along quite a few books and visit libraries occasionally.  We hit a few used bookstores but even at 50% off, the volume can get expensive.  Finally, Sandra discovered the book section of thrift stores.  The books are donated so the thrift stores generally sell them very cheap.  Missoula, Montana has the record for low cost books.  We bought over 50 books for the girls for under 10 dollars.  Now we just have to find a place to put them.

July 18 - Sunday
Today we traveled to Butte, getting a late start and stopping on the way at Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site.  It was a very successful Montana cattle ranch and is preserved to show the history of the Northern Plains cattle industry.  The ranch was started in 1862 by Johnny Grant who married women from 4 of the local Indian tribes to establish peaceful relations with his Indian neighbors (sort of like a small scale Solomon). Grant set up an operation where he would trade 1 healthy fat cow to people on the Oregon trail for 2 of their trail-weary, scrawny cows.  He would then fatten up the scrawny cows and trade them 1 for 2 to the next group of people to come down the trail. Grant later sold the ranch in 1866 for $19,200 to Conrad Kohrs, a German immigrant butcher who became a very successful rancher.  Many of the buildings are original and the house has the original furnishings.  During our visit, there was a cook brewing coffee and serving cowboy beans at the chuckwagon.  A blacksmith was working in the blacksmith shop. Many wagons and sleighs were on display in the barn.  There were farm animals, including some Longhorns, horses, and chickens. We all practiced lassoing a wooden calf. We also practiced walking on some short wooden stilts but Bill was the only one who was able to stop around on them. We toured the lovely home which is filled with original furnishings, including an ingenious chair that turns into a step ladder. All the volunteers and staff were very knowledgeable and friendly. Strangely, there is no detailed information on the place in the Montana visitor's guide.  We stopped because Sandra saw it marked on the big Rand McNally road atlas and her curiosity would not let her drive past the exit without checking it out. We stayed near at Fairmont RV Park near Anaconda for the night. 

Grant-Kohrs Ranch Chuckwagon Favorites - Cowboy Beans (Source: Come an' Get It)
Makes about 35 servings! 
Note: Beans must be soaked a day in advance and then allow at least 2 to 3 hours cooking time the following day.

2 lbs bag dried pinto beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
cayenne pepper to taste
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup instant rice
couple hand fulls of sugar or half cup molasses

1. In a large pot, soak 2 pounds of pinto beans in water overnight.
2. Next day, drain off water prior to cooking. Add fresh cold water and all ingredients to the pot.
3. Put over hot fire and cook approximately 2 to 3 hours stirring regularly until pinto beans are tender. Serve hot.

July 19 - Monday
Today we moved to a KOA south of Livingston, Montana, and just 42 miles north of Yellowstone.  We detoured through downtown Butte and got a glimpse of the massive Berkely open pit copper mine.  The kids enjoyed rock hounding in the Yellowstone River next to the campground and found lots of a pretty green rock we think is a green quartz.

July 20 - Tuesday
Today we took a sneak preview of Yellowstone on our way to drive over Beartooth Highway (the most beautiful road in America according to Charles Kuralt).  Passing through the northern part of Yellowstone, we saw 2 black bears and a large herd of bison.  The Beartooth Pass road reaches just under 11,000 feet and gives gorgeous views of the Rockies and the sub-alpine meadows above tree line. It also offered glimpses of sparkling lakes tucked in the valleys. We stopped in the town of Red Lodge for a very late lunch at the Red Lodge Cafe. We then went back via Columbus and I-90.

July 21 - Wednesday
Early in the morning, Bill and Becca explored near the campground.  Later Bill and all the kids went back to a Forest Service campground that Bill and Becca had discovered earlier and hiked in to a waterfall. They enjoyed the wildlife along the way. They watched a hawk and listened to its cry. They saw deer.  We did a lot of errands - laundry, food shopping, organizing so that we can minimize time spent doing that in Yellowstone. That evening we took a sunset car tour through Paradise Valley and drove by the historic Chico Hot Springs Lodge. The clouds turned incredible shades of red, pink, and purple. We saw many deer, and farms filled with horses and cows and their young. There appeared to be many 'lots for sale' signs so we hope this area won't become cluttered with development.  

Sandra has decided that Montana in July is a pretty nice place (February might be another story).  We have run into quite a few people from Florida here.  At Glacier and Yellowstone National Parks you can see license plates from all over the country.  We even saw several motorcycles with plates from Hawaii.

July 22 - Thursday
Today we moved to Yellowstone National Park.  We were all set for an early start but we were thwarted by an electrical failure that prevented the small awning from closing.  After checking fuses and wires for a while, Bill finally gave up, took the car back off the tow dolly, and hot wired the awning motor from the car battery.  In Yellowstone on the way to our campground at Fishing Bridge, we saw bison, elk, and white pelicans.  After we got settled into the campground, we drove over to Grant Village, attended a short ranger talk, and walked through the West Thumb Geyser Basin. After dinner Bill and the kids biked down to the fishing bridge which is now actually a "no fishing allowed" bridge since it is an important spawning area for cutthroat trout.  In the river we saw 2 beavers who were gathering willow twigs for dinner. Bill and Laura attended the evening campfire program which discussed the complex issues facing Yellowstone such as volume of visitors, roads, fishing, fires, snowmobiles, non-native species, etc. 

July 23 - Friday
Today's theme is geysers. We begin our rounds with a stop at the Old Faithful Inn which Bill and Sandra stayed at on their last trip to Yellowstone (1987, before the fires of 1988 which burned a third of the park). We toured the lovely inn which is celebrating its 100th anniversary. Bill also managed to score some dinner reservations for the Old West Cookout on Wednesday night (its booked 6 months in advance, somebody cancelled). We then gathered around Old Faithful (with about a gazillion others) to experience the classic geyser. Alex really enjoyed it and exclaimed "Yahoo!" and clapped his hands with delight. We then did a walk throughout the Upper Geyser Basin. We ended down at the Morning Glory pool.  Bill asked a ranger if people still threw things in despite the signs and education efforts of the park service. The reply was that unfortunately they do but it has improved somewhat at this pool since the main park road no longer runs right near it. Previously they had extracted over 9000 coins from the fountain which they removed by draining the water from the pool and scooping out debris. 
After lunch we made our way toward Madison junction with several stops to view geysers and go along scenic drives. We also went to the Madison Junior Ranger Station which is offering kid's sessions every half hour. The kids just missed one on animal tracks that they really wanted to do so we plan to return when it is offered again. Another visitor there was showing the rangers some video tape of a wolf he had seen near Indian Creek, much to Bill's envy.
We also enjoyed many wildlife viewings. So many in fact that at one point Laura proclaimed "There's just too much wildlife at once!" We saw osprey several times, a bald eagle and nest, a pair of trumpeter swans, fish, dozens of elk (including several with huge racks of antlers), dozens of bison, and deer. 
Around 5 p.m. we were close to West Yellowstone so we decided to go there and see if we could hook up with Bill's first cousin David, whose wife Juanita's family was having a reunion.  They're holding it in the historic Union Pacific Dining Hall which was designed by the same architect who did the Awahane Hotel in Yosemite. It was built by the railroad and is now run by the city. We managed to hook up with David and his family and our children had a blast playing with balls and running around the large area with some of the other kids. We finally made it back to the RV by 10 p.m.

The National Park literature gives only glowing accounts of the success of the wolf reintroduction at Yellowstone.  A newspaper we picked up outside the park presents another side of the story giving the numbers of nearby farm animals reportedly killed by wolves while also detailing the various packs that are now thriving in the park.  

On a side note, we tried to hook up with a brother of Sandra's friend who was staying at Grant Village Campground last night but only managed to swap notes back and forth! 

July 24 - Saturday
Sandra wanted a less hectic day today so we mostly stayed at the RV in the morning.  Bill gassed up the car and took Alex on a short hike.  After lunch we went to Canyon Village and the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone.  Driving through the Hayden Valley on the way to Canyon Village there is lots of wildlife to see.  The bison and elk are everywhere.  There are several places to view the canyon and we stopped at most of them.  One of our fears about coming to Yellowstone in July was how crowded it would be. The last time we were here was in May and we had the place to ourselves which was wonderful. We had read and heard stories of horrible traffic jams and full parking lots at geysers and canyons.    There are a lot of people here.  The campgrounds and lodges are full.  However, we haven't really had any major problems with crowds - traffic due to volume has not been bad and we haven't stood in line for a geyser yet. We even found seats to relax in for a few moments in the lobby at Old Faithful Inn! 

At Artists Point, a particularly gorgeous view of Yellowstone canyon and falls, a tour guide was showing people in his tour an osprey nest with hatchlings on the cliffs below.  After he left, we pointed our binoculars in the same direction and got a view of the nest. We also saw another osprey nest from the upper falls lookout on the other side of the canyon. 

July 25 - Sunday
Today we returned to West Yellowstone to visit some more with David and Juanita and Aunt Betty.  They treated us to lunch at the house they're renting and loaded us with goodies to take home.

On the way through the Hayden Valley we saw a coyote.  We had seen what we thought was a wolf in Waterton Lakes National Park in Alberta but we weren't positive if it was a wolf or coyote.  After seeing the coyote here, we are more certain that the one in Canada was a wolf since it was much bigger.

The original plan was to have lunch with the larger family reunion at the Union Pacific dining hall but since many of that group had ventured to Yellowstone for the day, lunch was relocated to the house they had rented just west of town.  It was a relaxing setting to talk and enjoy the afternoon together.  

July 26 - Monday
The girls really wanted to return to Madison to attend a ranger led program for kids where they make plaster casts of animal tracks from rubber molds.  We had tried to attend this program on Friday but it was cancelled because the ranger had to take her husband to the doctor.  She had the weekend off but told us to return on Monday afternoon and she would be doing the same class again.  Madison is a long drive from our campground at Fishing Bridge but we made the trek back.  Unfortunately, the ranger's husband was still sick and a replacement program had been scheduled in its place.  Since our kids were the only ones there for this class, the replacement ranger agreed to locate the plaster and molds and do the track project with them which we greatly appreciated.

Next we went swimming in the hot spring runoff warmed Firehole River. It's one of the few places you are permitted to swim in Yellowstone. Lake Yellowstone is too cold and the Firehole River benefits from having runoff from many geysers and hot springs upstream.   The water was warm but when the sun went behind the clouds, the air cooled off quickly.  Laura loved pulling herself up the side of the river along the rocks and then riding the strong current down the middle of the river. Becca went for a couple rides too. Alex preferred to play in the shallow area close to shore. 

When we stopped at the Artist's Paint Pots we discovered that we did not have Laura's crutches.  We figured that she must have left them in Madison after the ranger program.  Becca and Sandra toured the pools and then we returned to Madison.  We could see the crutches in the ranger center but the door was locked.  In the parking lot we saw a man with a badge on his shirt.  He was a park employee but did not have a key to the building.  He saw another employee's car in the parking lot and went down to the building and knocked on the back door.  Fortunately, the lady who ran the bookstore located in the same building was still tallying the days receipts and we were able to retrieve the crutches without yet another trek to Madison. Whew!

On the way home, we saw a glimpse of a large bear off in the distance and rounded a corner some miles later where a grizzly had just been chased into the woods by rangers.   We still haven't had a verified grizzly sighting.

In Hayden Valley we saw a bald eagle perched on a dead tree next to the Yellowstone River.

That night all the girls went to the evening ranger program which was about the early European explores of Yellowstone. The ranger wore a costume typical of the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition and even fired a blank flintlock shot to demonstrate how they used their guns and could reload in less than 30 seconds. One of his shots formed a perfect smoke ring! He then talked about Colter and some of the mountain men who later became guides when the beaver fur trade diminished due to changes in fashion. He explained how the phrase "mad as a hatter" came about since felt hats were made from beaver fur and mercury and the vapors made the hatters crazy.  

July 27 - Tuesday
Today we got up ridiculously early to go to the Hayden Valley and look for wolves.  We had been told they had been seen regularly there in the pre-dawn.  We saw plenty of bison and elk, but no wolves.  The fog was so thick at first that you could barely see the road.  We had stopped at a pull off before the fog rolled in and heard odd sounds (first the dark and then in the fog) that we assumed must be bison. It was an eerie sound that sounded a little like a growl at times and it was rather fun and spooky to sit quietly in the car with the windows down and hear it move closer. Later, there were so many bison in the road that it was impassable and we were stuck in a couple of bison jams. We heard a calf make noises similar to ones we heard earlier in the dark and that confirmed our suspicions. We then drove the rest of the way up to Artist Point at Canyon. It was a treat to have it completely to ourselves even if it was early and chilly.

Since we were up and out early, we gassed up and headed for Grand Teton National Park. Grand Teton NP has a variation on the Jr. Ranger program.  They have a Jr. Naturalist and Jr. Firefighter program where you drop the kid off for and hour and a half and a ranger works with a group of 12 kids or less.  Becca couldn't do it because you have to be a least 8 but Laura really enjoyed it and got a cool Jr. Naturalist patch.

For lunch we had pizza and salad at Dormans and watched a bald eagle fly over as we ate outside with the view of the Tetons as a backdrop. We made it back to the RV and settled in early to recuperate.

July 28 - Wednesday
This evening we had reservations to have dinner at the Roosevelt Old West Cookout so we trekked over to that part of the park. We had to go all the way west over to the Norris Geyser basin and then up to Mammoth before heading back east to Roosevelt since the direct road between Canyon and Roosevelt will be closed due to construction for some time.  We stopped for lunch at Sheepeater Cliffs and all the children enjoyed climbing to the top of the basalt columns there. We stopped at a massive 'bear jam' outside of Mammoth where a mother and cub were laying down in some grass. We also took the scenic gravel drive along the Blacktail Plateau and enjoyed wildflowers and vistas. We then viewed Tower Falls before relaxing on the porch of Roosevelt Lodge for a few minutes before heading over to dinner. Horse drawn wagons took us to the dining area in Paradise Valley where an old hotel once stood. We ate our steak dinners to the sounds of a country musician and the adults finished their meal with a dose of cowboy coffee. Laura really enjoyed it and even made a friend who also had a younger sister who was the same age as Becca.  After we returned, we drove up to the Lamar valley in hopes of seeing one of the wolf packs there but had no luck. We were very late returning to the RV but did get treated to the sight of a good sized bear along the roadway. It disappeared into the woods too quickly for us to determine if it was a black or grizzly. However, since this is primarily grizzly habitat, odds are good that it was a grizzly bear.

July 29 - Thursday
On our last day in Yellowstone Sandra and Bill decided to each choose a few hours to do whatever they might like. Bill and Becca took a hike in the morning.  Later, Sandra went to the Lake Yellowstone Inn to enjoy a string quartet without children and write a few post cards.  While Sandra was at the Inn,  Bill took the kids to a beach on Lake Yellowstone east of the campground.  We parked at a turnout across from the lake.  Laura hopped on her crutches and crossed the road while Bill was getting the camera and Alex out.  Becca was at the edge of the road waiting for traffic to clear before she could cross when she yelled "Daddy look!".  A coyote was walking down the beach right toward Laura.  I wouldn't have been too concerned, but it looked a little scrawny and I worried that it might be sick.  Before the traffic cleared the coyote was about 15 feet from Laura. Finally, I was able to get all of the kids into the car and snap a few pictures before the coyote wandered away.  Apparently, he had never seen a little girl on crutches and just wanted a closer look.

July 30 - Friday
Sadly, we left Yellowstone today.  It is a unique and wonderful place.  Our new home is Buffalo Bill State Park on the western outskirts of Cody, Wyoming.  The view out our bedroom window is across the lake looking at the mountains.  Very nice.  Sandra restocked the food supply while the kids played in the lake.  After dinner, we stopped at the visitor center for the Buffalo Bill Dam on our way to the rodeo.  Cody has a rodeo that runs every night all summer long.  We thought it would be an appropriate way to end our visit to the west.  Unfortunately we watched 2 cowboys get stomped by large animals,  one by a bucking bronco and one during the bull riding.  They were both seriously hurt or possibly even killed.  We never found out for sure.  So much for family entertainment.

July 31 - Saturday
Today we finished up our visit to Cody with a visit to the Old Trail Town and the Buffalo Bill Historical Museum.  Old Trail town is an interesting collection of old western buildings of historical significance that have been moved there to be preserved.  Included are many wagons, guns, and other western artifacts. They even relocated graves of some famous or colorful western figures such as John (Jeremiah) Johnson.  The Buffalo Bill Historical Museum is actually 5 museums in one and is referred to as the Smithsonian of the west.  They have a large collection of Remingtons in the art section.  The kids wanted to see the Plains Indian section and the Natural History section which covers the animals of Yellowstone.  At 6:00 pm we went to see the gunfight in front of Buffalo Bill's Hotel Irma.  There was a character playing Buffalo Bill who looked very much like him.  As you might have guessed, the good guys won.