Beach Weekend!

Due to the insane heat and humidity we are experiencing in North Carolina this summer I have avoided being outside in the sun too much. I am totally missing the cool and dry summers of northern Wisconsin (even Madison was pretty nice), but at least my skin is thanking me for not being subjected to too much sun abuse.

However, this weekend we are braving the heat and heading down to Ocean Isle Beach. My family used to go there every summer when I was little so it will be fun to see it again many, many, (many) years later!

Rafting the Yellowstone River

Day 3: On the morning of our third day I awoke to a massive thunder and lighting storm. We were now back in Montana at the Chico Hot Springs Resort which is just north of Yellowstone National Park. Normally on vacation I would just roll over and go back to sleep if it was raining like this, but that morning we had plans to go whitewater rafting. We weren't about to let a little thunder and lighting get in the way, I mean those rafts are made out of rubber! What could possibly go wrong?

However, I was a bit worried about what the "rules" would be and if our trip would actually happen. When I worked at camp we had to wait at least thirty minutes after the last thunder/lighting before we could go on the water. Well, Montana ain't camp and there were no rules, so we suited up in wet suits, splash jackets, helmets, and paddles and hit the river!

Lauren and I are the two people in the back on the left (me) and right (Lauren) . Between us is the rafting guide in-training and behind us the experienced guide. My mom is in the front middle and my aunt in the middle middle.






The rapids weren't too crazy because the water levels were high, but everyone still ended up getting splashed, especially my mom who was in the very front. The rain went away and the sun came out so Lauren and I jumped in the river near the end of the run. Sue thought we were insane (it was absolutely freezing water) but the wetsuits kept us warm.

Afterwards Lauren and I headed straight to the Day Spa to enjoy our well earned massages. ;)

Wolves

Our second day in Yellowstone was also the day of the England vs. Germany World Cup game. My mom and I really wanted to watch but of course there are absolutely NO TV's in the park. None in the hotels, none in the restaurants, none in the bars. This, of course, is part of why Yellowstone is so amazing. However, in this instance we were forced to leave the park and go to West Yellowstone, WY in search of civilization and television.

We carefully planned our day around making it to West Yellowstone on time. We woke up early and got out of our AC-free luxury cabin:


Then we drove all the way to Old Faithful to make sure it still lived up to it's name (give or take 10 minutes)

And then we hurried on our way.

I was so sure the game started at 2pm.

Turns out it was at 9am.

Disappointed we went to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center instead where we saw rehabilitating grizzly bears and gray wolves. Wolves are almost impossible to see just driving around the park because there are only ~100 of them and they like to stay out of sight. So watching them up close was amazing.....Well, actually they just lay around sleeping the whole time and looked like large dogs. BUT then this one salvaged our day because he got up, walked around, gave us a yawn, and went back to bed. So that was neat.

Sometimes Maggie just doesn't get it.....

Day 2 in Yellowstone: Buffalo Stampede

On our way from Old Faithful to West Yellowstone we hit a bison traffic jam! These bison were just strolling casually down the two-lane road like they had all the time in the world and weren't backing cars up for miles. We were lucky enough to be near the front of the "stampede" and got these great pictures as they came towards us, passed us, and continued on their way.

A few of them walked right up to the driver's seat window and the passenger seat window. These animals are very strong (they weigh up to 2,000 pounds) and can easily toss a person up into the air. Luckily they don't know how to open car doors.
Here they come......
Getting closer....
Mommy buffalo and baby buffalo!
A few of them decided to go back onto the grass
(Hours Later)* Oh no! They are getting closer! *exaggeration
Eeeeeeee Bison close enough to touch!
Somehow I resisted the temptation to touch the lovely molting fur
Look at the babies while they are still adorable
And away they go, we survived the slowest stampede on earth.

Day 1 in Yellowstone: BEARS!

Thursday night I arrived back in North Carolina after spending 6 amazing days in Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park.

We flew into Bozeman on Saturday and drove straight down to the Park. My mom spent all her college summers working in the park so it is always fun going back with her and hearing her crazy stories. We went through the Roosevelt bridge/the north entrance around 5:30pm and I hoped to see a Bison or two, but NEVER in my wildest dreams did I expect to see what we saw:

A BEAR, a very rare sight in the Park:
I've been to Yellowstone a dozen times in my life, I spent a month backpacking through the Beartooth mountains in Montana when I was 16 and a month hiking through the Wind River Range in Wyoming when I was 22 (both locations know to be Grizzly bear country) and yet I have NEVER EVER, not even from far away, seen a bear.

So I was even more shocked when I saw a SECOND black bear on the side of the road:
By the time we saw TWO MORE black bears right next to the road I was starting to get annoyed at all the other cars slowing down to take pictures. I mean come on, it was just two black bears! Take a quick picture and move on!

(the one on the right is hidden a little bit by the brush):
Then we saw it, an animal I have always longed to see but was my greatest fear when I was in the back country, a GRIZZLY:



And that was our first day.

Coming soon: Day 2 in Yellowstone: Buffalo stampede