Day 4, Tetons Trip

We're getting ready to head out from Rawlins, Wyoming KOA for Grand Tetons National Park. We expect it to be about six hours driving time, so we'll get out around 9:00 and plan to arrive around 4:00. We're getting off I-80 here and heading up US 287 for the rest of the trip.

Had a little rain shower last night. Cooled down to about 58. Going to dress for cooler weather today.

We ran into construction on the Togwotee Pass on 287 again this year. They have stretches of the road torn up for expansion and it is single file led by a truck. Muddy, dusty, and rocky. We'll go back via Jackson south to I-80 even though it is more miles. It will take less time.




This is Bailey in her crate. We left the front flap up so she could see us better.



Arrived at Colter Bay at 2:45. Temperature here was 73. It was overcast and within an hour we had thunder but no rain.

We got a fantastic site. We can see Jackson Lake from the Twinkie. This is a primo spot. Got everything set up except the screened tent. Wanted to wait until after it rained before trying to set it up.


Yes, this view really is only about a 100 yard walk from the Airstream. We can see the lake from the trailer!

There isn't much cellular service. AT&T and Sprint are nonexistent. Verizon gives one bar intermittently. Looks like we will be making trips to the two WiFi hots spots near the general store and laundromat.

Location:Washington St,Rawlins,United States

Shhhhh.... ... It's me, Bailey.

OK, I've only got a minute. Typing on this iPhone is really tough with only four toes on your paw. Hey! I managed to snag Daddy's phone while he was driving. I think Mommy's asleep.

I snapped this picture from inside my crate. Not very good, but if I unzipped it, they'd realize I was smarter than they thought. Got to maintain my cover.

Anyway, I wanted to set the story straight on something that's been going around about me not sleeping on the road. If you were stuffed in a box and carted all over creation without any chance to watch a DVD (they've got a really cool one in the ceiling over my head) or listen to your favorite songs, you'd be having a hard time relaxing, too!

It seems like all we do is drive, stop every three hours to buy gas, and once in a while they let me out to pee. But do they ever ask if I'd care for a nice steak or maybe like to go chase a rabbit or something? Noooo, all I get is a couple minutes to pee in front of half the state as they drive by on the highway!

Oops! I think Mommy is waking up, I got to put this phone back on the console before she notices. Stay tuned, I plan to bust out of here and go chase something big. I hear there are these things called bears that are even more fun to chase than cats. Maybe I'll grab Daddy's iPhone and get a picture after I catch one. See you later!

Bailey

Location:Stuck in the backseat in a crate

Day 3 Tetons Trip

Well, we made it to Rawlins, Wyoming. It was 7:45 when we found the KOA campground. Hooked up the RV in the dark. At least tomorrow will be a shorter drive to the park.

Western Nebraska and pretty much all of Wyoming are really dry, desolate places. One of the few good points is you can see trains all over the place!

The temperature in Lincoln, Nebraska was 50 when we woke up. By the time we got to Cheyenne, it was about 85. We expect it to be much cooler in the Tetons.

I've said many times before that Bailey hates riding in the car. She lies in her crate behind us and stares at me the entire day. We've never seen her sleep one minute. So, sometime after lunch we are riding down the highway and suddenly I hear this snoring sound. I look over to see if Ann Sue fell asleep, and she is looking right over at me to be sure it wasn't me snoring. Then we both realized it was Bailey! Bailey was sawing logs like a lumberjack. She probably slept for about 20 minutes before she woke up and resumed staring. Guess that is going to be the only sleep she gets on the road. Poor Bailey!

Location:Washington St,Rawlins,United States

Day 2, Tetons Trip

Today was just over 550 miles. We left Illinois around 8:00. We knew we were in Jack-In-The-Box country now, so we kept our eyes peeled for one for lunch. However, around 10:30 passing through Warrenton, Missouri, I saw one just off the Interstate, and we couldn't resist. We had tacos for brunch.




Squeezing the Twinkie into the drive-through was tough, but we wanted tacos!

We did pass through St. Louis and saw the arch.



Just before we got to St. Joseph, Missouri, we had to detour off the Interstate because I-29 was closed due to flooding. We took some state routes on up to Lincoln, Nebraska. Had a chance to see some parts of Kansas and Nebraska we'd never see from the Interstate.

Arrived in Lincoln at the Camp A Way campground around 7:30. The weather is wonderful here. It's in the 60s and dry. Much better than the 100 degree weather we had when we were in Mt. Vernon, Illinois last night. The campground is very nice. They have a fenced pet run, so Bailey had a chance to stretch her legs for a while before we went back to the Twinkie.

Bailey was sound asleep in no time at all. She never sleeps in the car.





We plan to leave early tomorrow. We're heading to Rawlins, Wyoming for the next night.

Location:Campers Cir,Lincoln,United States

First Day on Tetons Trip

Overnighting at the Quality Times RV park in Mt. Vernon, Illinois.


Just a place to park for the night. Can't beat the $25 site fee.



Bailey enjoyed getting out of the car after we arrived. She spent most of the time in her soft side crate in the car, only getting out when we stopped for gas (often!), meals, or just a break. Total drive was just over 700 miles.

We decided to get out of town early Friday night, and left our house at 8:45. We were on our way out of Frederick, Maryland with the silver twinkie before 10:00 pm. We drove until about 2:30 in the morning -- my favorite time to travel. Then we pulled into a Rest area and took a nap for about two and a half hours. Got on the road by 6:00 Saturday morning and found a Starbucks in Huntington, WV for breakfast.

Got to Mt. Vernon around 4:30 pm CDT. Had a sandwich for dinner and watched some of the LSU-Oregon game before we crashed for the night. Bailey was sawing logs before we even went to bed.

Location:Broadway St,Mt Vernon,United States

Finger Lakes, July 2011

Had a chance to take a week off from July 18 - 24, so we decided to go up to New York and the Finger Lakes. We've never been there and heard that there were lots of wineries. Also got a tip that Cornell University in Ithaca has a really neat ornithology lab and trails called Sap Sucker Woods. So, we loaded up the Airstream and headed off to Watkins Glen KOA for the week.

Bailey decided she liked the screened tent we set up outside the Airstream. Great smells and no bugs!

This is our visit to Sap Sucker Woods in Ithaca. You could spend a day there if you pack a picnic lunch. Lots of easy trails and wildlife. They will even loan you a pair of binoculars.

Went down to Corning to visit the Corning Museum of Glass.

Ann Sue tried her hand at making a glass flower.

One day, we took a hike into Watkins Glen State Park. This is an amazing gem that New York maintains near Seneca Lake. The hike is about 1-3/4 mile uphill (over 400 ft elevation change). Lots of waterfalls and pools to see and photograph. Unfortunately, pets are not allowed on the trails and Bailey stayed back at the campsite in the air-conditioned trailer. (Did I mention that it got over 100 degrees this day?)

Went back into Corning to try out Atlas Pizza (excellent!) and see the old town square. There was a farmer's market going on.

 Our Airstream is the second one (to the right) in this photo. There were four Airstreams at the KOA campground most of the time we were there.

The Village of Watkins Glen has a park and swimming area at the south end of Seneca Lake.

This was a great trip. Picked up 2-1/2 cases of wine and plan to go back again soon! My favorite was the Wagner 2008 Semi-Dry Reisling.

Yes, we even drove over to see the Watkins Glen Race Track. Out in the middle of nowhere, but it is huge.
We'd recommend visiting the Finger Lakes. We saw Keuka Lake, Seneca Lake, and Cayuga Lake. There are almost 100 wineries within a short drive of Watkins Glen. Many B&Bs and Glenora Winery also has a very nice hotel that overlooks Seneca Lake.

2011 Shakedown Cruise - Harper's Ferry, WV

Bailey wasn't too excited about going out for the first trip of the season April 1st - 3rd, but she settled right in. While Bailey took it easy, her mommy and daddy found a surprisingly good Mexican restaurant nearby for dinner on Saturday.

Bailey and her family are looking forward to the TAC Rally in Ohio next weekend. We'll get an early start on Friday morning. Bailey will need plenty of rest for the drive to Ohio.