Our Journey Home

We split the drive home into 3 days, just like our drive up to Idaho.

On the second day, we stopped at Scipio again to visit the animals and fill the car with gas.

All the animals were chillin' just like last time.

It was time well-spent along our journey home.

On our final day, we stopped off at Las Vegas and walked around for a bit, starting with the Venetian.

I like how the inside is made to feel like we're walking around in Venice at dusk.

We passed by the Eiffel Tower.

We walked by the Bellagio fountain, but the kids were hot, bored, and were largely unimpressed with Las Vegas, so we got back in the car and continued home.

Relaxing at the Cabin

For the rest of the week, we relaxed at the cabin.

Aubrey liked playing her own version of pool.

Evan went out to the fire pit every day and got the fire going.

He was very good at it and spent a lot of time out by the fire.

It was nice to be outside in nature.

Gathering more wood for the fire.

Hailey wanted to make a spear out of this branch.

She doesn't like having her picture taken.

Aubrey wanted to help too.

Yellowstone Upper Loop

 

We saw these park rangers on horseback as we entered Yellowstone this morning.

Today we drove the Upper Loop, making stops whenever we saw something worth stopping for.

Hailey's feeling better so she and Jeni were able to join us.

We saw some thermal pools close to the Lower Loop, but less and less thermal activity the further north we drove.

A low haze of steam across this pool, with much more vegetation growing around the edges than we saw yesterday.

We saw some baby bison in this herd.

Aubrey's happy just to be outside.

A few of them would come down to the river for a drink.

Beryl Spring had a strong sulfur smell. It was very stinky.

Over by the Mammoth Hot Springs, we found a deer.

Here's Aubrey with the deer in the background.

Terraces of calcium called travertine.

Calcium deposits next to this little runoff stream.

Color on one side, colorless on the other.

Found another little deer buddy.

Stopping off at the little town of Mammoth for a lunch break.

This bison was close by the road, as we continued our drive.

A bear on the edge of the woods.

I liked this strip of vertical rock in the middle of the mountain side.

There is still snow up on top of the mountains.

I think this is the same bison herd we saw this morning.