The Wandering Goose :: vol 7 :: Lionshead RV Park

Day 4 of our Kansas to Washington trip!
Today was a big driving day, but it wasn't suppose to be.  Our plan was to get to West Yellowstone, MT which was only 300 miles away.  We left the campground in Sheridan, WY around 8:30 and figured we'd get to our destination around 2.  Turns out, it was more like 5.....Oi....another long day in the car.  Good thing we are taking tomorrow off from driving!

(lots of scenery pictures ahead taken from a moving car....so be warned! the kids are tired, and are not real excited to be in pictures at the moment)
Chapter 1 : Forests and Parks
Today we took the scenic route by choice!  And it led us though so many National Forests and National Parks.  It is definitely the most beautiful drive to date, but holy cow did it take forever!  Mostly because I underestimated the steepness of the mountains we were going to be traveling over.  The truck did great, but we were just kinda slow.
Right out of the gate this morning, we headed into Bighorn National Forest. So, so pretty, but so, so steep and curvy with narrow roads and big cliffs.

Taking a quick bathroom break and a chance to run alongside the road.  The air was so clean and cool.  It was only about 70 degrees when we passed through here.  Papa and I both tried to do our deep breaths for the day, but we started getting light headed and decided we'd better stop or there'd be no one to drive the rest of the way.  :D

Here's our chauffeur!  Dad's driven the whole way so far, he thinks it's easier than having to turn around and do things for the kids all the time.  I tend to agree with him....  The weather was so nice, we drove with our windows down for a big part of it!

After we finally descended out of Bighorn Mountain, we stopped for gas at a place called Dirty Annie's, and we also got the kids some really great milkshakes.  It was only 10 in the morning, but we're on vacation and milkshakes for mid-morning snack is a great idea!  After that stop, we also forgot to lock Sam back up in his crate, but I don't think he minded one bit!

Jayden finally discovers he can see Sam out the back window.

And says, "Ha!  Look at his mouth!"

From here, we traveled into the Shoshone National Forest.  I decided I wanted to come back in about 5 years with the kids and take them river rafting through here, it looked so fun!

And finally into our desired destination, Yellowstone National Park!  On the down side, for time and butt in the seat sake, we entered from the east entrance.  On the bright side, we entered from the east entrance which meant we got to drive through the whole park!  I even pulled the plug on the DVD player to force the kids to look out the windows.  I kinda regretted that like 30 minutes later, when they kept talking to me and asking the same questions over and over like, "Would a bear attack a buffalo?  Why can't I see a bear?  Where are the elk?  I know you said bear eat fish, but would a bear attack a buffalo?  Oh I see a bear!  Nevermind, no bear.  Now, if a bear attacked a buffalo, who would win?"
We saw lots of burned forest trees and regrowth.  If it weren't for these burned trees, I wouldn't of gotten a glimpse of Yellowstone Lake!  Well, at least not until we drove down and around the corner.  :)

We also got our first glimpse of wildlife.  Buffalos!

We thought the buffalo's before were close to the road, but then we ran across this guy!  Grazing right alongside the shoulder!  I could of reached my arm out the window and pretty much petted him!  Dad and I joked about with our luck on this trip, we were surprised that buffalo didn't just take one look at us and ram the trailer!  Now, that would of been funny!  Well, kinda.  Kinda upsetting and kinda funny.  Definitely not funny having to tell Royal.  I guess good thing that didn't happen.  But it was awesome to see him this close!

And our second geyser sighting!  The first ones were on dad's side of the car and it's hard to get a picture out his window.  :)  The kids were upset with how stinky it was.  I decided to withhold the information that tomorrow we are going to be smelling stinky sulfur when we go back to see more natural wonders!

It was a good day in the car.  A bit too long, but the scenery was so nice, I almost didn't mind.  Well, I didn't mind until those mongrels in the back wouldn't leave me alone about "How long till we get there?  5 more miles???  Uhhhhhhh!  I can't take it!"  But we made it and we're here, in West Yellowstone, MT, staying just 1 mile down the road from where we camped when I was 16!  And we've been told there have been bears wandering through our campground in the morning, and you better believe if I see one, I'm so taking a picture!  Think I might hold off on going for a run until later in the day, after I can get some bear spray or something....my luck, I'll spray myself right in the face...