The Adventure comes home !

We are home in Portland,Oregon !  Well, not really!  We are staying in Andy's parents driveway in Vancouver, Washington which is across the river from Portland.  They invited us to stay here with them.  Andy's dad installed 30 Amp electrical service for us so we now have full hook ups.

We don't know how long we will be here. We are kind of like Tom Hanks is the movie "Castaway". We don't know what the future will bring.  We are going to try and figure this out ! Where we go...when we go...if we go..we don't know !  We would like to head back to Arizona and Key West but time will tell !

Right now we are just going to enjoy the Oregon summer with our family and friends.

We both agree this as been an amazing adventure these past few years, 962 days, 18,456 RV miles and 46 States.  We believe we have been blessed and lucky to been able to do this adventure.

As I reflect back on our trip, the places we have been to, it always comes back to the people we met along the way.  It was the people that made this trip so wonderful.   The people we met in Southern California, Arizona, Texas, and Florida. You know who you are ! Thank you for being my friend... our friend!

Another great thing about this trip was the ability to see family and old friends we haven't seen in a while as we toured the country.

The most amazing thing about this trip was sharing it with the most amazing woman ! Without her... it wouldn't have been worth doing !  Thank you Miss Andy for making this so special !

My love !

This will be my last post on Epinephrine Adventures for a while.  As of today, I have 131 posts and they have been viewed 25,150 times from almost every country in the world.

Yellowstone National Park

We spent a few days in Yellowstone National Park.  We came into the park from the North Entrance which was the roughest and steepest way to come into the park.  We departed the park from the West Entrance which is the easiest way.

There are 7 campgrounds you can reserve up to a year in advance and 5 that are first come - first serve. Most of the non-reservable campgrounds are for smaller tents and RV's.  We believed if we arrived early we could get a spot.  We were correct !  We arrived about 09:30 from Billings, Montana. We stayed and dry camped in Mammoth Campgrounds.

I am not going to write much...I don't what to spoil anything...the pure beauty of Yellowstone National Park is breathtaking and just amazing !!

Old Faithful before she blew her top !  No, not Andy, the geyser !  Old Faithful is the worlds best known geyser.  Its eruption intervals have varied from 40 to 126 minutes.

New Zealand and Iceland are known for geysers, but nowhere are there as many as in Yellowstone.

It was a cool day, about 60 degrees, I think he was just taking a steam bath and a sauna

Above the Yellowstone River Falls

Yellowstone River Falls

I thought I would take a look over inspiration point!

Straight down !

Andy wasn't inspired...chicken...so scared of high places

Old Faithful Inn

I don't think there is a level or straight board in the place...have to see !

We decided to watch Old Faithful erupt again with a drink in our hand on the Inn terrace

Some of the wildlife we saw as we traveled through the park.

They are huge !  The top of their back is taller than me. OK, I am not that tall but still.

I think this is a coyote...it was in the open... trying to catch a goose.  It didn't get it !  Bummer !

Picture taken out our door

The real wildlife are these things.  The people are driving these all over the place and doing some real dumb things, and they were everywhere!! We saw more of these than bison...lol

See what I mean..this guy is really just a few feet away !  He ran from behind me, the car I was in for protection, with a Forest Ranger chasing him and telling him to stop.  Dang, it could have gotten very interesting !  I could have used my medical skills for the first time in years !  lol

Looks like this bison was just looking and thinking..." just a few feet more then I got ya"

Andy here...Once again the beauty and sheer awe of what this country has to offer....well it's just overwhelming!!! Honestly just when you think you can't see any thing more spectacular, we would drive around another bend. Yellowstone was amazing and so incredibly beautiful!


We are now in Boise, Idaho for a few days visiting with Michelle, Andy's daughter, then westward bound to Portland Oregon. Should be home this weekend !

Mount Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Devils Tower.

Everyone has to stop by and see Mount Rushmore !   Don't need your Access or America Beautiful card because entry into the national Monument is free ! No, it really is.  One of the few Monuments that is free.  Most charge like $3 or $5 bucks.

Here is the kicker though!  It costs $11 to park your vehicle which is run by a contractor! So, I guess it really isn't free now is it !  lol

Not much to really say.  It is a beautiful place.  Amazing ! Once again one of those places you've seen pictures of but they never do it justice!

Mount Rushmore

Can you name them !  Try !

Who are these Guys?  Who is the one on the right?  Bet you don't know ! I didn't !  lol  Shame Shame !

I bet people don't know who the President on the "left" !  Is he a President ?  Maybe ...maybe not !

Everyone said we had to check out Crazy Horse too.  So we did !   A fellow military retiree noticed my sticker on the car and asked if I was retired military...of course I said yes !  Free...all free !  Normally it is $11.00 per person.

They have a wonderful presentation you must see ! They even had it in closed caption so Andy could enjoy it. Well worth the trip  !  If you want to get closer you can pay the $4 to take a bus to the base. I chose to use my zoom lens on the camera !  lol...I kill me !!  Dang, I am funny !!!!

Entrance

This is the sculpture that was made for making of Crazy Horse.

I had to find "just the right angle"

What it looks like now.

Since we by-passed North Dakota.  "REALLY" can you blame me for by-passing North Dakota.  You Betcha huh Melody !  We decided to take a little mini tour to Devil Tower in Wyoming.

There are many wonderful Indians stories about Devil Tower. Most stories and legends have something to do with a bear trying to claw it's way to the top.  You might want to Google and pick the one you like best.

About 5 miles away

It is just amazing how this granite rock just shoots up like this

Close enough to see the bear claw markings

Heading west towards Yellowstone National Park.