Week One Summary

I am currently in a hotel just outside of Spokane, Washington, supremely excited to be sleeping in a real bed and not having to worry about mosquitoes (or grizzlies). And I have real internet access!!!!!!! So, without further ado, here are some highlight pictures!

This is my tent set up at a campsite in the middle of nowhere, South Dakota. I've affectionately nicknamed my tent Emerald. I have a lot of conversations with her over the course of a night, especially when it's windy and I  am encouraging her not to blow over.

                                                    Sioux Falls, South Dakota. So pretty.

The very flat prairie. The climate is so different. Very windy & dry. But beautiful in it's own way.

Badlands National Park. So strange and desolate, but also beautiful. I've never seen anything like it.

Mount Rushmore, which was pretty but sort of underwhelming. I kept thinking that it should look bigger than it does. But the Black Hills are very beautiful.

A huge double rainbow I saw while driving in Wyoming.

Overlooking the plains on the way up into the Bighorn Mountains. The scariest drive ever for me, but also the coolest. I've never been so high (almost 9,000 feet) before. So amazing....it really has given the expression "jaw-dropping" a whole new meaning for me.

Bighorn Canyon....the reward for making it over those crazy mountain switchbacks.

Old Faithful, faithfully erupting. I have so many amazing Yellowstone pictures. I can't believe I only got to see such a small part of it. I didn't get there until later in the day, but that worked out in my favor because twilight is the best time to see wildlife.  I saw tons of animals, including bison, elk, a whole bunch of birds, and of course the best....

Yup, that's a grizzly. Which I observed safely from my car, unlike the other stupid tourists, who were getting out of their cars, with their small children and following the bear into the woods. With their three year old children in tow!!!! C-R-A-Z-Y people!!!!

And here's my parting shot for now, so I can take advantage of this comfy bed I've splurged on tonight-a sunset scene in Yellowstone, overlooking the Madison River....

More later, including an update to my Picasa gallery so you can see all my pictures. Leave me a comment!!!