GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

We left Yellowstone by driving back through the park, headed south.  Yellowstone National Park runs right into Grand Teton National Park. 

We knew the weather was going to be "different" this week, but we figured we'd give it a try.

It was rainy, cloudy, windy, cold and sometimes the sun would come out for a few minutes. 

We stayed in a commercial campground in Jackson (Hole).  We couldn't figure out what the real name of the town was.  We think it's Jackson, but a lot of people call it Jackson Hole.  Besides the fact that our campground was terrible, the rest of the time there was great.

Yellowstone is certainly beautiful, but Grand Teton is stunning, shocking and very dramatic.  We think the weather even added to the adventure and beauty of it. 

We saw a lot of Bison and we finally got to see a MOOSE.  A BABY MOOSE at that!  He was deep in the bushes next to a bridge.  His mom was close by in the bushes also.  The baby popped out once in awhile and seemed to enjoy the people watching him from the bridge.  His mom stayed hidden while we were there.   He (she?) was very, very cute.

Here's our pictures from Grand Teton.  They are best viewed by using the full screen.
Click the link, select slide show and hit F-11 to enlarge to full screen. 

https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/GrandTetons2Moose?authkey=Gv1sRgCIGP9sauu43ilAE#

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

We took a chance and went to Yellowstone end of Sept., beginning of October.  The weather this time of year, in this area, can change one minute to the next.  We lucked out.

The summer crowds where gone and we had a few beautiful days there.  The campgrounds in the park were closed, except for one, and it was full.  We drove from Cody all the way through the park to the west side of Wyoming to a little town just outside the park called West Yellowstone.  We stayed in Grizzly RV Resort and yes, it's expensive, but it's worth it as it is only 4 blocks to the west entrance of the park.

Yellowstone is the first National Park established by Teddy Roosevelt in 1872.  We really need to thank him.  Our trip there was wonderful.  We just saw a little of what is there and we will need to go back a few times at least.

We were able to see a lot of wildlife.  Bison, elk, coyote, eagles.  We didn't get to see a Moose, bear or a wolf.  But will try next time. 

We took over 200 pictures.  Here is our best 49.   As usual, click the link below, select "Slide Show" and then hit F-11 on your computer to enlarge the pictures.  That makes it more enjoyable.


https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/YellowstoneNationalPark?authkey=Gv1sRgCPq6xpKR04PotQE

Cody, Wyoming

After working on the Habitat for Humanity Build, (see entry below) we headed to Cody, WY for a few days to rest up.  Cody is a great place and they have a Buffalo Bill museum not to be believed.  The Western Art exhibit is reason enough to stop.  They also have the largest Winchester/Western gun exhibit in the country.  You need at least 2 days to go through this museum.  If you have any interest in anything to do with the West, then you should go to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Buffalo Bill Historical Center  

More pictures:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/BuffaloBill?authkey=Gv1sRgCPvZ0Ov8s7jvEw

Devil's Tower and How To Gain Lots Of Muscle Mass in 3 Weeks

Our experience becoming Care-A-Vanners for Habitat for Humanity was good.  It's a lot of work.  Hard labor work.  Lots of heavy moving things, such as piles of wood, compressors, piles of dirt and tools of the trade.  You also find yourself climbing up and down scaffolding and ladders.  You take down or put up that scaffolding all over the build.  Within an hour of starting on the first day, Chris was high up on a ladder with a nail gun putting up siding.  3 weeks was one week too long.  Most Care-A-Vanner builds last 2 weeks. 

It's a good way to build muscle.  Some morning we couldn't get our bodies to move. It was painful, but in a good way.  Kind of.

The idea behind Care-A-Vanners is that they show up as a group of 2, to maybe 8 couples.  We all park in the same RV Park.  We Care-A-Vanners work hard for two weeks and this gives a huge boost to the build.  This helps out the local Habitat for Humanity affiliate managing the build.  Our 6 couples, and one single women, put the build a month ahead of schedule. This means the family may be able to move in by Thanksgiving.  It was worth the work to have our Construction Manager tell us that.  We will do it again.

Before we left the Gillette area after the Escapade, we took a day trip to Devil's Tower.  It was a beautiful drive through the rolling hills of Wyoming.  Half way there we ran into a trial ride.  However, instead of cows, it was sheep going right down the middle of the highway.   The sheep dogs were doing a good job of containing about 200 sheep.  The cowboy on the horse and the cowboy on the 4 wheeler were working it also.  Pictures below.

Devil's Tower was amazing.  It certainly draws you to it.  You can't take your eyes off of it.  There were at least a dozen people climbing it.  There is a trail that goes around the bottom that's a little over a mile and it's paved.  A nice walk but your neck gets a cramp from looking up.  Like I said, you can't take your eyes off of it.  It does have a spiritual feel around it.  Here's the National Park info on it.   http://www.nps.gov/deto/index.htm

Here's some pics of the sheep and Devils Tower.  As usual click the link below, select slideshow and hit F-11 on your computer to enlarge the pics.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/HerdingSheepAndDevilSTowerWyoming?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiAxPj0iZPQ-gE

2011 Escapade Rally And A Change of Plans

This past week we have been attending the 2011 Escapade Rally in Gillette, Wyoming.  What is an Escapade you ask?  Well, it is everything to do with RVing.  Part time and full time RVers come from every direction to attend classes, be entertained, shop for neat things for your RV and learn how to join in with groups that may be of particular interest to you.  It is put on by a club we are members of....Escapees.  See this link:

http://www.escapees.com/escapade/2011/

For instance, Alex and I joined the group for Habitat for Humanity.  The group is called Care-A-Vanners.
We were going to head into South Dakota to check out the Black Hills, Mount Rushmore, etc.  However, we are now going to back track and return to Sheridan, Wyoming where there are two "builds" going on that we will help with for about 3 weeks.   There will be 6 teams (1 couple = a Team).  We will help on a house that is almost finished for a couple of days and then start another house with the Care-A-Vanners for a two week period.  We will work for 8 hours a day and Habitat for Humanity will pay for part of our campground fee.

We knew we wanted to do this before we even started full timing.  We are willing to give it a try and see if it is for us.  We'll let you know how it goes.  http://www.habitat.org/rv/about_cav.aspx

The Escapade was great.  Alex attended everything he could.  I did as much as I could, but it wore me out after a couple of days.  They had so many things going on from early morning till 9 or 10 at night.  It was fun and we would recommend anyone thinking about buying an RV or going full time to attend one of these rallies.  You will learn a lot and meet some fantastic people from all walks of life with one thing in common,  RVing.    LOVED IT.

Here are a few pics.  We didn't take many.  We were too busy.

https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/Escapade?authkey=Gv1sRgCMbMsoLRsrjxmwE

Big Horn Mountains, Wyoming

While in Sheridan, Wyoming, we took a day drive into the Big Horn Mountains.  We took route 14 A.  We would not recommend this highway for a fifth wheel or a motorhome.  However, Hwy. 14 is OK and will take you west into Yellowstone.

It was a beautiful day.  Our purpose in this drive was to try to find a Moose.  We did not succeed, but we will keep trying.  The drive is beautiful and it gives you a real feel for Wyoming.  It's a beautiful State.


https://picasaweb.google.com/103645060086585742201/BigHornMtnFlowers?authkey=Gv1sRgCJug84-r9dKz_QE#5648941628398575698

Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Calamity Jane, Buffalo Bill Cody AND JOAN RIVERS?

The Occidental Saloon

We decided to check out the historic hotel in Buffalo, The Occidental.

http://www.occidentalwyoming.com/

As you may have seen on the web site above, Butch Cassidy, The Sundance Kid, Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill Cody, among others, all came to The Occidental.  Especially the bar.

We went to the bar first.  It certainly looked original, and we found out it was.  Copper ceilings, wonderful long bar.  Everything you would expect in a Western bar from the 1800's. 

It was packed.  On a Tuesday evening.  Seemed to be all locals and they all had on cowboy hats and boots.  Then we noticed some young folks running around with equipment and talking to each other on something like cell phones.  They seemed pretty stressed and busy. 

No sooner did we realize that something was up, these young folks started passing out Press Releases for us all to sign.  They were producers from the Joan and Melissa Rivers television show on WE. For filming, Joan was going to come in and talk with the owner at the bar.  They had a few of the cowboys and cowgirls stand around the center of the bar.  We were are the end.  After waiting about 30 minutes, Joan came in with many people and did her thing filming with the owner and cowboys at the bar while two cameras caught everything.  I'm afraid they may have caught us also. 

Afterward Joan did a little comedy routine for the crowd.  She was very funny, and, being Joan Rivers, she didn't hold anything back. 

She did say that she, Melissa (her daughter) and grandson had been coming to a Buffalo dude ranch for 3 years and that they all loved it there.

We think that, even though Buffalo is a small, little town on the edge of the Bighorn Mountains, there may be many "famous" people that come to the area and probably have ranches nearby.

It was a fun way to kill a few hours.  The people of Buffalo are certainly friendly and mostly hard working ranchers who enjoyed the evening as well.  Here's a link to Joan's TV show:

http://www.wetv.com/shows/joan-melissa-joan-knows-best/cast/joan-rivers