We just got back this week from our family vacation. We started out in Yellowstone National Park, went to the cabin in Island Park, Idaho, camped at Bear Lake, Utah and then ended in Logan, Utah for a family reunion. We had no internet service so I tried to journal about everything at first. I think I made it through the first 4 days and then had no time to do anymore. It has been so busy catching up with laundry, sleep, etc since we got home I haven't had time for much blogging so I will post what I had "journaled" about on the trip and then slowly add the remaining adventures. It was alot of fun but also there were alot of "mishaps". Here goes...
We left home yesterday- July 1st- at around 12:45 pm after I had finished working for the day. The trip started out smoothly until we got to I-80 in Wyoming where the roads suck (not to mention the wind)! We got just outside of Wamsutter (whatsutter?) and hit this humongous bump in the road- I know we got air with both the Excursion and the Trailer. A few miles later some girls drove past us and yelled something about our bikes that were on the back of the trailer. We immediately pulled over expecting to see one of the bikes dragging or something. Much to our surprise they were GONE! All five bikes we had and the bike rack were completely MISSING! Another guy stopped and told us someone had pulled the bikes into the center median for us, so we drove to the first exit and turned around to find NOTHING! Someone had thrown them in the back of their truck and went on their merry way. I hope they were all mangled and smashed the big fat jerks! So it wasn’t a very fun way to start our vacation by losing our bikes. Of course the insurance hasn’t been that much help- they determined that our bikes (2 1-year-old, 2 2-year-old and Shawn’s specialty mountain bike) were only worth $138. Trust me, you are NOT in good hands with Allstate. Nice. So helpful. Grrrrrr… After way too much excitement we finally made it to Pinedale where we camped at a beautiful lake for the night.
July 2nd-This morning we got up and headed for Yellowstone. Man, that is one lloonngg drive. Lots of construction and slow traffic but we finally arrived at Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone. Only hard-sided trailers can camp here because there are bears in the area. So exciting! This is a really nice area to stay in. Tonight we went to the amphitheater to listen to a Park Ranger talk about Yellowstone Lake. It started at 9:30 and they recommended we walk the 1/3 mile through the woods so of course we did. The talk was GREAT, the ranger was very fun to listen to and made it very interesting. He told lots of bear stories about this area and then sent us off into the dark to walk back to camp! He did say that there have only been 10 bear killings in the park and none of them were ever in a group that had children in it. Hmmm, could it be because they are so LOUD? Of course on the way home they were being loud and yelling at the bears so everyone walking back with us was safe. All because of MY children. LOL
Shawn and Baylie also had an adventure today. They were taking Reagen for a walk and encountered a coyote that was looking at her like she would be a nice snack. They just slowly turned around and went the other way to avoid it. Scary!
July 3rd- Today we hiked to Natural Bridge.
It was a very pleasant hike through the woods to see this rock formation that makes a natural bridge- very cool. 
It rained off and on so when it was pouring we took shelter in the trees. The whole day was off and on rain. We drove through Hayden Valley hoping to see some bears but of course all we saw were elk and bison- sigh. We saw some girls walking on the side of the road that said they had just spotted a grizzly but it had gone into the trees and we didn’t see it. Maybe one day I’ll see a bear in the wild (from a distance, in a car, of course). Tonight the furnace went out- it was very cold.
Doesn't the background of this picture look totally fake? It's not, it was at "Inspiration Point" in YNP.
July 4th- Today we packed up and headed to the cabin. When we finally arrived and got all set up we realized that something must have gone out in the electrical because nothing worked off the battery like it was supposed to. Thankfully it works when it is plugged into the cabin. Still cold at night though- oh well, it’s still better than a tent. Dad and my brother Andrew were here when we arrived and a few hours later my sister Melanie and her family made it- YAY!
July 5th- Today we decided to go to Wade Lake.
It is so amazingly beautiful there! We thought it might be busy there today but there was hardly anyone there so it was really nice. The kids and Shawn had a great time playing in the cold water (I’m too big of a wimp, so were Melanie, Aaron, Dad and Andrew). We had a picnic and just hung out. Andrew helped the kids catch a crawdad- yuck! 
My dad disappeared for awhile and just when we were really starting to wonder where he was he came around the bend of the lake in a canoe! 
The kids were all over that! So much fun! Shawn got in to help the little kids go first and Tyler jumped out at the same time and dumped Shawn in the water- we were laughing so dang hard! Then some dark nasty clouds rolled in and we abandoned the lake for a campfire. After probably an hour and a half the storm left and they went back out in the canoe for awhile until it was time to turn it in and go home. What a wonderful, fun day of memories! After we got back to the cabin Shawn took the pup for a walk and came across some suspicious tracks in the dirt...
While he was following the tracks he just about ran into some moose.
After returning to the cabin to relate his exciting finds he ordered the children to not walk the dog down that path anymore. (Ahh, can you smell the danger? teehee)
We left home yesterday- July 1st- at around 12:45 pm after I had finished working for the day. The trip started out smoothly until we got to I-80 in Wyoming where the roads suck (not to mention the wind)! We got just outside of Wamsutter (whatsutter?) and hit this humongous bump in the road- I know we got air with both the Excursion and the Trailer. A few miles later some girls drove past us and yelled something about our bikes that were on the back of the trailer. We immediately pulled over expecting to see one of the bikes dragging or something. Much to our surprise they were GONE! All five bikes we had and the bike rack were completely MISSING! Another guy stopped and told us someone had pulled the bikes into the center median for us, so we drove to the first exit and turned around to find NOTHING! Someone had thrown them in the back of their truck and went on their merry way. I hope they were all mangled and smashed the big fat jerks! So it wasn’t a very fun way to start our vacation by losing our bikes. Of course the insurance hasn’t been that much help- they determined that our bikes (2 1-year-old, 2 2-year-old and Shawn’s specialty mountain bike) were only worth $138. Trust me, you are NOT in good hands with Allstate. Nice. So helpful. Grrrrrr… After way too much excitement we finally made it to Pinedale where we camped at a beautiful lake for the night.
July 2nd-This morning we got up and headed for Yellowstone. Man, that is one lloonngg drive. Lots of construction and slow traffic but we finally arrived at Fishing Bridge RV Park in Yellowstone. Only hard-sided trailers can camp here because there are bears in the area. So exciting! This is a really nice area to stay in. Tonight we went to the amphitheater to listen to a Park Ranger talk about Yellowstone Lake. It started at 9:30 and they recommended we walk the 1/3 mile through the woods so of course we did. The talk was GREAT, the ranger was very fun to listen to and made it very interesting. He told lots of bear stories about this area and then sent us off into the dark to walk back to camp! He did say that there have only been 10 bear killings in the park and none of them were ever in a group that had children in it. Hmmm, could it be because they are so LOUD? Of course on the way home they were being loud and yelling at the bears so everyone walking back with us was safe. All because of MY children. LOL
Shawn and Baylie also had an adventure today. They were taking Reagen for a walk and encountered a coyote that was looking at her like she would be a nice snack. They just slowly turned around and went the other way to avoid it. Scary!
July 3rd- Today we hiked to Natural Bridge.
It was a very pleasant hike through the woods to see this rock formation that makes a natural bridge- very cool. 
It rained off and on so when it was pouring we took shelter in the trees. The whole day was off and on rain. We drove through Hayden Valley hoping to see some bears but of course all we saw were elk and bison- sigh. We saw some girls walking on the side of the road that said they had just spotted a grizzly but it had gone into the trees and we didn’t see it. Maybe one day I’ll see a bear in the wild (from a distance, in a car, of course). Tonight the furnace went out- it was very cold.
Doesn't the background of this picture look totally fake? It's not, it was at "Inspiration Point" in YNP.July 4th- Today we packed up and headed to the cabin. When we finally arrived and got all set up we realized that something must have gone out in the electrical because nothing worked off the battery like it was supposed to. Thankfully it works when it is plugged into the cabin. Still cold at night though- oh well, it’s still better than a tent. Dad and my brother Andrew were here when we arrived and a few hours later my sister Melanie and her family made it- YAY!
July 5th- Today we decided to go to Wade Lake.
It is so amazingly beautiful there! We thought it might be busy there today but there was hardly anyone there so it was really nice. The kids and Shawn had a great time playing in the cold water (I’m too big of a wimp, so were Melanie, Aaron, Dad and Andrew). We had a picnic and just hung out. Andrew helped the kids catch a crawdad- yuck! 
My dad disappeared for awhile and just when we were really starting to wonder where he was he came around the bend of the lake in a canoe! 
The kids were all over that! So much fun! Shawn got in to help the little kids go first and Tyler jumped out at the same time and dumped Shawn in the water- we were laughing so dang hard! Then some dark nasty clouds rolled in and we abandoned the lake for a campfire. After probably an hour and a half the storm left and they went back out in the canoe for awhile until it was time to turn it in and go home. What a wonderful, fun day of memories! After we got back to the cabin Shawn took the pup for a walk and came across some suspicious tracks in the dirt...
While he was following the tracks he just about ran into some moose.
After returning to the cabin to relate his exciting finds he ordered the children to not walk the dog down that path anymore. (Ahh, can you smell the danger? teehee)
Me, my sis Melanie, bro Andrew and our Dad- the last time we were at the cabin together was in 1998!Stay tuned for more Vacation Adventures...
1 comment:
OK, now that sux. We dropped a bike on the way to St George last year, but only one tire dragged, so it was a $25 fix. Yours is worth cussing over. Glad you had a good trip despite it.
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