WHITE WATER RAFTING ON THE GALLATIN

Wow!! Today was so much FUN!!! We can't wait to do this again!! It was just a Category 2/3. Next time we're going for Category 3/4!!!

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK

As you can see from the pictures of the drive up and the vistas below, this is the most beautiful, most amazing place on the planet!!! Each view breathtaking! There are not words to describe it!! Lots of pictures, but they cannot convey the incredible majesty!!

Then, there are the animals and wildflowers. Lots of antelope - beautiful, graceful and lithe! Buffalo - big and brown and menacing! The buffalo caused a big traffic jam one night on our way back to the RV park. When a buffalo wants to cross the road, you don't argue. When a herd decides to cross, stand back!! Lots of pretty flowers - yellow, pink, blue. And, pine trees loaded with maturing pine cones.

FOSSIL HUNTING IN WYOMING

We are back in beautiful Wyoming!!! Utah is gorgeous and has spectacular vistas, but, compared to Wyoming, it feels hemmed in, restricted. Wyoming does not have the amazing orange and golden rock formations like Utah. It has an unrestricted panorama and gives you a free, wild, unfettered sense. It is wide and open! We took one of our adventurous "little" rides in the Prius across country along county roads. (Road is a generous term.) They were just ruts and winding here and there. (Next car will be higher and 4-wheel drive!) We saw herds of antelope. Even had one very curious herd that paced us along the road and waited in the road for a better look at us! Beautiful!!

Eventually we arrived at Kemmerer and arranged for our fossil hunt. Another winding road, but more dirt than ruts and we arrived at the quarry. We were scheduled for 6 hours of digging. Didn't make it!! Breaking limestone to look for fossils is hard work - very hard!! Thank heavens it was a cool and breezy day. We did find some fossils. We were there to see a fellow find a big fish about 3 feet long. Just amazing!! It is very frustrating to chisel away layer after layer and then on the final chip the fossil breaks in 1/2!! We came home to Fort Bridger tired and very dirty. The white dust from the limestone is everywhere. The dogs and car were practically white from it. Didn't see any antelope on the way to or from the quarry. But, did meet these fellows....

MORE ZION NATIONAL PARK

Started the day with John's delicious homemade blueberry pancakes! Carol Menichetti drove up from Las Vegas for breakfast and to spend the day. My first visit to Zion and Bryce was with Carol in 2006! The two of us only spent a few days. It was nice getting back here and sharing it with John. And, then sharing it again today with Carol.

We hiked to Weeping Rock and then headed back to the RV. It was very hot and we spent the afternoon floating in the river. John and I always discuss what's the difference between a creek and a river. For instance, the Virgin River is more like a creek to me. Carol and I agreed the Nanicoke Creek at home is more river than the Virgin. Well, John looked up the definition. Basically there is no difference; it is just a matter of what the trapper, explorer, Indian who first saw it and named it decided - river or creek.

A really nice day and a good way to end this visit to Zion National!! We will be back!!

ZION NATIONAL PARK, UTAH

We drove here today from Nellis AFB outside of Las Vegas. The place is incredible!! And we haven't even gone into the Park yet. We're in a RV park in Springfield UT, at the entrance to the Park. We cooled off in a quick flowing creek. We used our "noodles", but tomorrow will go tubing in the creek. It is shallow, flows rapidly and is very rocky. Trying to float with the noodles didn't work really well. But, we laughed a lot!! The drive from LV was beautiful. And, no 2 hour tie-ups like on the I-15 yesterday going into LV!! Pictures were taken from a moving vehicle. Excuse the blur and glare from the windows.

View from our RV and the creek!

BODEGA BAY, CA

Heading West again, we drove from Mississippi to Texas where our move became official. Our car and RV now sport Texas license plates and we are registered Texas voters. Continuing westward, we stopped overnight in Palm Desert to visit with friends. Rita had a nice get-together and I got to see a lot of good friends. And, of course, a delicious spread of food. We headed out the next day for Petaluma in Northern California and granddaughter Tess's 5th birthday. Needless to say, the party was fun, but pure bedlam! Tess had her favorite - macaroni and cheese - and a great cake she helped her Mom make and decorate. She also got a really cool doll!! Rebecca from the American Girl series! I would have loved having a doll like that!! I am so jealous!

Then, we took Tess and her brother Rennie to Bodega Bay for the weekend! It was a short 1/2 drive from our Petaluma KOA, but very bumpy and curvy! It was not the beach we had quite envisioned... no sandy expanse, but lots of rock. It was also very cool with a nippy breeze and foggy! Didn't need the bathing suits!! But we took a lot of walks and the dogs got a lot of exercise! So did we!! None of us had any trouble sleeping at night. Really a restful and unspoiled slice of California coast.

VICKSBURG, MISSISSIPPI

Vicksburg is set on bluffs overlooking the mighty Mississippi River. During the Civil War, control of that great waterway and the rail lines crisscrossing the city was critical to the North. That control would allow the North to get its troops and supplies moving. Vicksburg was a series of battles over months. U.S. Grant's decision was to lay siege to the city. Needless to say, the result was devastatingly successful. It is hard to get a sense of the battles when touring the battlefield as, in the 1930's, the Conservation Corps planted 1000's of trees and completely altered the terrain. We watched a demonstration by some history buffs. Cannot imagine how hot they must have been in those historically accurate, but scratchy, hot wool uniforms!! It was VERY hot and muggy!! All in all, one of our less favorite stops. Actually, Mississippi is not one of my favorite places - tied with Louisiana!!