Tuesday, June 23, 2009

We finally got some wifi now that we are in Salt Lake City, so we posted a lot of new things. To see all of them click on "view older posts" at the bottom!

Standing in the Great Salt Lake

On the beach


Overlooking Bear Lake, Utah

After our hike in front of the beautiful Tetons

String Lake


One of the many awesome storms we have seen

Moose!!

Jackson...kinda freaked out by all the antlers

Mmmm Huckleberry ice cream (thanks for the suggestion Colby!)

Yay we made it to the Grand Tetons!

Our [very] humble abode


Inside Old Faithful Inn after dinner

So glad to be out of the rain and in our cozy cabin

Jaleen writing postcards

Old Faithful

We attempted to see some hot springs but got a little wet

Midway Basin

The grizzly bear we saw from across a pond

Only in Yellowstone

Mammoth Hot Springs

a black bear (her cub was hiding)

The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone

What we saw right after getting to Yellowstone

Half Dome

Our huge room in Winnemucca, NV

Driving through thunder storms in Idaho on our way to Yellowstone
Day 10: Grand Tetons-Salt Lake City 6/23

1. Taking warm showers
2. Eating yummy pizza in a hole-in-the wall place in Idaho
3. Being in three different states within 1/2 hour
4. Walking in the Great Salt Lake
5. Airplanes flying right above our car
6. Nice people at the Dinosaur gas station who helped us find our way when we were lost
Day 9: Grand Tetons 6/22

1. Going on a beautiful hike to String Lake
2. Seeing a beaver?
3. Getting our passport stamped
4. Barnwood Tempranillo in our stainless steel wine glasses
5. Getting a Road Trip Fun Facts (Trivia) book
Day 8: Grand Tetons 6/21

1. Talking to our dads on Father's Day
2. Getting a campsite early in the morning
3. Eating Huckleberry ice cream in Moose (Colby's favorite)
4. Seeing a female moose (cow)
5. Finding the Alpine Slides in Jackson (Jaleen's one memory from a trip when she was about five years old)
6. Somehow managing to outrun the rain all day
Day 7: Yellowstone 6/20

1. Old Faithful
2. Getting our passport stamped
3. Following behind two bison walking down the road
4. Hot chocolate
5. Eating a delicious meal at the Old Faithful Inn
6. Bozone Amber

(today was a good day)
Day 6: Yellowstone 6/19

1. Waking up dry
2. Making ice cream in our cool little ice cream ball
3. Seeing a black bear
4. Quote from Russell: "A drunk ranger talk is a better ranger talk"
5. Successfully starting a campfire
Day 5: Yellowstone 6/18

1. Seeing a bald eagle just minutes after entering the park
2. Tarps
3. Warm steam blowing from the hot springs
4. All-you-can-eat pancakes and sausage
5. Hamburger helper

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Idaho Falls

Day 4: Idaho Falls

1. Seeing lightening out of the window
2. Taking Steve's advice and listening to Big Head Todd and the Monsters while driving
3. Getting a free upgrade from a tent space to a cabin at the RV park because of the weather
4. Listening to the rain on the roof of the cabin
5. Taking a dip in the hot tub
6. Enjoying a chocolate malt during our first ever trip to Sonic

*pictures to come
We are leaving our huge hotel room for another day of driving for 7+ hours to Idaho Falls. The forecast says 60% chance of rain and scattered thunder storms. Send us good thoughts that we will be able to get to camp and set up our tent without getting too drenched!

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Drive to Nevada

Day 3: Yosemite to Winnemucca, NV

1. Running into our friend Ryan Boykin randomly at the Longs in Oakhurst (we had heard that he was a wakeboarding instructor at some lake by Yosemite, so we tried to contact him but couldn't get intouch. Luckily we saw him as we were leaving!)
2. Getting free frozen yogurt at the DQ in Fallon, NV
3. Seeing the reflection of the mountains in Walker Lake
4. Taking a shower when we got to a hotel in Winnemucca after driving for 7 1/2 hours
5. Feeling Grandpa and Grandma Waller's presence due to their sunflower dish towels that are making the journey with us
6. Getting our national parks passport stamped at the visitors center at Tuolumne Meadows



Walker Lake



Colby is making the trip with us


Tuolumne Meadows


What a surprise!

Yosemite and the Drive to Nevada


We got to Winnemucca, NV tonight around 8:30 and since it was raining and dark we decided to stay in a hotel. So here is an update...

Inspired by our friend Kayla, we decided to make a list of "Grace in Small Things". Everyday we list five or more highlights (in no order):

Day 1: Yosemite
1. Standing in the mist at Yosemite Falls
2. Seeing a black bear and the beautiful surroundings at Glacier Point
3. The beetle making it to 100,000 miles successfully
4. A forest ranger pulling over a really slow car after we had been following it for miles
5. Getting to the store at Bass Lake minutes before it closed to buy firewood and milk (and meeting a girl who went to Cuesta)







Day Two: Yosemite
1. Feeling like we slept in without actually sleeping in (and waking up at a decent temperature)
2. Getting a shower on the Mist Trail on the way to Vernal and Nevada Falls
3. Eating delicious sandwiches while sitting at the bottom of a waterfall
4. Getting back to camp before dark and making hamburger helper
5. Meeting awesome people along the way on our 10 mile hike (and realizing that we need to climb Half Dome someday)
6. A quote from a girl climbing the stairs to the falls: "I hope we make it to the top, its a good workout for my butt!"

Russell after we stopped and ate lunch

we were soaked after hiking this trail





Nevada Falls


At the very top

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Hello friends! We cannot wait to share our experiences with you, along with the pictures we take on Russell's new camera! Let us know if you have any recommendations of places to visit along the way.