What a ride.......

July has been an emotional roller coaster. On July 2nd, we had to leave for the airport around 7:00AM to head out on our trip west. It got quite an interesting start when I went in to zip the suitcase closed around 10:30 on the night before, and the zipper broke. Thank goodness for 24 hour Wal-Mart. Phillip and I were standing in the aisle searching for a new suitcase somewhere near midnight. Found a great set and headed home to repack everything. Oh well, who sleeps on the night before a big trip anyway. All went well with the flight. I didn’t set off the alarms with the plates in my shoulder and arm, flight was on time and a smooth landing in Denver. Going well. Then we got to the car rental. We were supposed to have a vehicle that would hold 8 adults with luggage. Well that would have worked if we sat with luggage in our lap. Two hours later, we drove out with a Toyota Sienna Van which was very comfortable for the 6 of us and held all of our luggage in the back. We could still even see out the back! So all was well (except for Dannie’s blood pressure) and we were on our way! Scenery was very nice, company was great. A short stop in Cheyenne. It was a beautiful town with the ten commandments and the beattitudes posted right in the middle of town. We headed out again and started thinking about a stopping point for the night. We decided that Torrington, WY looked like a good spot for us. We gave Tish a call and asked her to look on the net and see what they had. Much to Tish’s amusement, she happily told us there was nothing but an RV park. Once she stopped laughing, she did find a couple of possibilities. We were off to the Holiday Inn Express, which as it turned out, had just been remodeled and was very nice. Of course, this was truly in the middle of nowhere. Most everything closed down at 8:00 PM, so it was off to Pizza Hut for late night dinner. Torrington turned out to be a very nice town. A little town set in the middle of miles and miles of ranches. Folks were extremely friendly and accomodating. We went to a little market where we wished we could haul a side of beef home with us. Turns out they raise and process their own meat. It was very fresh and really looked nice. They actually took the groceries out of the cart for you, checked them, loaded them up, and carried them out. Haven’t seen that kind of service in quite some time. Yep, Torrington turned out to be a great place to stop. We loaded up and were on the road again. Next stop was Fort Laramie. We viewed a short history film and got to see through some of the old barracks and houses. It was very interesting, and gave us a real appreciation for the hard life of the Indians and early settlers. Once again, we were on the road and headed for South Dakota and Mount Rushmore. Our only planned lodging for the trip was at Mt. Rushmore. It was a great spot sitting just above (walking distance) downtown Keystone. It also provided a fantastic view of the President’s faces and the spectacular fireworks display high above their heads. Turns out we were the envy of most tourist, many of who had to hike up the mountain for several miles to see the fireworks display. The hotel service left something to be desired, but the rooms were okay and the location was great! We walked the streets of Keystone, had dinner in the Saloon, and climbed back up the hill to the hotel to enjoy the fireworks. The next morning, we took a short train ride through the Blackhills, spotted some wildlife, and learned the “Hills” earned their name from the black appearance of the massive numbers of Ponderosa pines. Then it was off for a closeup view of Mount Rushmore. Breathtaking is all I can say. The talent and precision it took to create this monument is mind boggling. The beauty and awe of the natural stone mountains God provided to create such a setting is awesome. Then it’s back in the van for a cruise through Deadwood and Sturgis, taking us to Gillette and home of the Little Big Horn Monument and Custer’s Last Stand in Montana. For someone who has never been much of a history nut, I was completely taken in by the stories and the sacred feeling of walking on the grounds where so many lives were lost on the path to change, giving us the life we enjoy today.

After an overnight stay in Gillette, next destination takes us back to WY, where we settled in for 2 nights at Cody. Cody is a rodeo town with ‘real’ cowboys and named for Buffalo Bill Cody. We visited the ghost town, Old Trail Town, where the remains of Jeremiah “liver eating” Johnston rest today. Every night except Sunday’s (you can’t kill anyone on Sunday) there is a gunfight outside the saloon in downtown Cody. Unfortunately the Saturday night gunfight was cancelled because of the big rodeo in town so we didn’t get to see or participate in the gunfight (we had great plans for a showdown between Mick and Phillip). Mick had been practicing and was ready. So instead it was a little dancing in the streets where Mick became the partner choice for one of the town ladies. After a little sing along with an artist at one of the little open restarants, we ran into friends who had moved to Cody from Clarksville. What are the chances? After a short talk with Elaine and John Wright, we finished up our evening with a great meal! In for a little rest before heading to Yellowstone Park the next morning.

Yellowstone was full of wonders. With only one day to spend in the park, we wanted to fit in everything we could. We could see the snow caps on the mountains, but despite a great attempt, we didn’t get high enough to see them. We did see spots of snow (or ice that looked like snow) along the way, but nothing outstanding. I have this strange obsession with snow. We did see lots of wildlife and had some really upclose opportunities. The park was scattered with geysers, hot springs, and mudpots. It’s quite intimidating knowing that much of the earth you are traveling is just above layers of hot lava. Signs posted warn of the boiling temperatures of the water. Like you would need a warning. The heat rising from the water was more warning than any of us needed. It is a strange site to see ‘literally’ boiling water coming right out of the ground. Our last stop in the park was “Old Faithful” and it fell right into our plans. Just as we walked up, it rose into the air, right as if it was waiting for our arrival. We had a little snack at the lodge and checked out the scenery and then it was off to Idaho Falls where we had planned to spend the night.

We found a great place in Idaho Falls, backed up to the River walk which took us right down and past the falls. It made a beautiful and relaxing evening walk (so nice that Phillip and I took another quick stroll the next morning before breakfast). Along the way we happened to encounter a reporter who was doing a segment for the evening news on tourist in town. After Melba and Dannie were asked to be interviewed, they promptly passed them on to Mick and Helen. After all a tourist from Melbourne AU is much more interesting than someone from Tennessee! So Mick became a celebrity for the night. He gave a great interview and we had to be sure we were back to the hotel in time to watch him on the late news.

Next morning we were off to Salt Lake City. The last stop on our tour, before flying home. Of course, Salt Lake City is mostly known for being the home of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. We visited and took a tour of Temple Square. The entire addressing for downtown is centered around Temple Square. It was nice to see a town where you felt the presence of God just about anywere you went. Church may still be separated from state, but in this town, the bigger focus seems to be on Church. Lots of walking. The next morning, we took a quick drive out to “Salt Lake” and back to the airport. Although we were all tired and ready to be home, we knew there were so many things we had missed seeing. A reasonably smooth flight home, dinner with friends, and the end of a great vacation! Next group vacation……talk of Australia or Ireland. Any place will be good when with the company of close friends! Even though we are literally half way around the world from each other, we have a friendship that keeps us close. End of the first hill and valley of the roller coast ride. More to come later.