Shoshone Falls

       I had to post this about the waterfalls in Twin Falls, Idaho.  It was spectacular (to use Lori's description).
       The first stop on our way out of Twin Falls was to an observation deck that overlooks the Snake River and the beautiful canyon it has formed.
      After checking with the visitor's center we were told to go and see Shoshone Falls.  It was about a five mile drive down the road through the cute little town.

This trip continues to impress me.  The last time I drove around the US I was 13 years old.  It is a major change going now with a family of my own.  I'm actually looking forward to more road trips in the coming years as the boys grow up.

On our way home

We are now on our way home.  It has been an amazing 10 days traveling. There have been stressful times, but they do not compare to the beauty we have seen and the adventures we have experienced.

We are staying in Twin Falls, Idaho tonight and we are going to have a relaxing morning before heading to Winnemucca, Nevada.

j tjh   jd6yytgdehrgdrjhdsddsytf (Leo typed) I think he meant to say "Having a great time".

Yellowstone National Park

         Today we had a full day in Yellowstone National Park and boy, do you need more than one day to see all the beauty of this place.  We decided that since we only had a day we would go directly to Old Faithful.  Along the way we stopped at a number of pullouts.  The first one being the 45th parallel that is half way between the equator and the North Pole.

This was a great beginning to Yellowstone.  We were still over an hour away from Old Faithful, but already very impressed.

Along the way we also saw some wildlife at the side of the road and some of the thermal vents that are dotted throughout the park.

We arrived at Old Faithful just in time to watch it erupt.  It was perfect timing and James was amazed at the geyser.  We then ended up having lunch at the lodge near the geyser.  After lunch we were able to see the geyser erupt again.  We then took a short hike around Old Faithful and saw some of the pools that were bubbling from the sulfur dioxide gas.

They had a really nice exhibit hall with lots of hand-on activities for James to do.  He learned a lot about how geysers worked, but I think he also enjoyed pushing the buttons just as much.

We are now on our way back to California.  We are stopping in Twin Falls, Idaho tomorrow and then Winnemucca, Nevada for our last leg.

Yellowstone Park

We have arrived in Livingston, Montana.  It was a very windy drive across I-90.  I could not imagine driving a trailer or a big-rig across this area.
Tomorrow we are spending the day driving through Yellowstone Park.  I can't wait to post some amazing pictures from the park.  We are going to try and get to Old Faithful, but are unsure if the kids will be able to make the drive all the way there.
On Thursday we are heading to Twin Falls, Idaho and then to Winnemucca, Nevada and then finally home by Saturday.

America The Beautiful

       Today was the first day on our trip back to California.  We had an amazing day filled with sights and travel across the amazing country.
       Our first stop was at the Badlands.  This was actually a suggestion by Lori's brother Don who is caravanning with us.  I did not know what to expect and both Lori and I were blown away with the beauty of this area.  The formations were breathtaking and the scenery was just spectacular. We spent some time at one of the visitor centers where James and I were able to climb one of the formations.  This gave me a great opportunity to put my science teacher hat on and show James the power of erosion and how the various rocks weathered at a different rate.  If I was still teaching 6th grade I could write it off as an educational trip.

         At the end of the loop in the Badlands, we ended up in Wall, SD.  This is famous for a drug store and the millions of signs they have placed on the freeway.  We met up with Lori's sister who was at the reunion and we all had lunch and some souvenir shopping.  There was also a Harley Davidson shop in town so we had to get the boys their first Harley shirts.
        From Wall we traveled to Mount Rushmore.  I remember going to this monument when I was a teenager and it is just as spectacular as it was back then.  The best part was that James was very excited to see this monument and when given a choice to go to the gift shop or the book store, he chose the book store.  He got a fun book to read on the ride to Gillette, Wyoming.

On the drive to our hotel in Gillette we experienced a mid-west thunder and lightning storm with torrential rain for about 50 miles.

Tomorrow we are on our way to Yellowstone Park where we are staying for a couple of days.

Day #2 Family Reunion

It had been an amazing couple of days. There has been over 80 relatives we have met and Lori has been able to catch up with.
Last night we had a BBQ competition between four different family teams. The Haskell team was given chicken which we did a quick marinade and also some beer can chicken. Ribs, roasts and a fresh whole salmon was also on the menu. It was an amazing meal with lots of fun family members.
I made my family's corn casserole, and it was a huge hit. I think the family recipe may be moving to some new families.
Tomorrow we are on our way back home. We will be stopping at Mount Rushmore on our way to Gillette, Wyoming.
This afternoon we went to the Missouri River with the relatives who live here and had a ton of fun playing in the river. James got to ride in a kayak for the first time.

Family Reunion - Haskell & Suedbeck

We have met so many relatives of Lori that I stopped trying to keep track 30 minutes after arriving.
This is actually the first time since our wedding that all of Lori's brothers and sisters are together. It has been a lot of fun catching up and meeting all of Lori's cousins, aunts, uncles etc.
We are staying in a hunting lodge that is a bed and breakfast with a hotel next to it. Apparently South Dakota is the pheasant capital of the world.
This family reunion has taken over all of the rooms here.
Tonight we are celebrating the 60th anniversary of Lori's aunt and uncle.