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Just got home from a great trip. It will be one to remember for a long time. We were gone almost 2 weeks and traveled 3400 miles in my Honda Pilot that has 165,000 on it now…. Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota, Wyoming, (briefly) Montana, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin….. Wow!

This is the Badlands National Park. Gorgeous. We got a little lost on our way out of the park on some gravel roads but it all turned out fine. Just did not see anything for a couple hours but a long gravel road seemingly going no where. We used our atlas most of the time instead of a GPS – how refreshing. I spoke on my phone twice just to check on things at home. I checked my emails in the morning and got back to people and deleted most things. It was a nice break from technology. The kids did not play on a screen until we reached Nebraska. Sorry Nebraska but I-80 is long and uneventful.

Mt Rushmore… This is in the heart of the BlackHills also in South Dakota. We spent a few days in Hill City which I recommend as well as Custer State Park. Beautiful nature and a history of turmoil, war, outlaws, and the Sioux Indian Tribe. The wounds here are not healed. I read the story of the Massacre at Wounded Knee. I had known of it but this made it much more real to see the history in person 150 years later.

Moose and Elk seen on the roadside traveling through BigHorn National Forest Scenic Byway on the way to Yellowstone at Wyoming/South Dakota Border.

Yellowstone National Park

This was the best picture I took on our trip. I did not take an expensive camera with me and glad I did not. We did too much rough hiking, swimming and banging around for a nice camera to tolerate unless you work for National Geographic. My new camera stayed home.

One of our last hikes in Yellowstone to Emerald Lake

Next Pics are of Rocky Mountain National Park.

These pictures are from the top of the Rockies… We played in some snow and yes, it was cold and windy. In the winter the winds get to be 150mph and snow does not stay on the peaks. It just blows away. The animals that live here (yellow bellied marmots) hibernate 8 months of the year. There was an elk herd up here though. We were surprised as it seemed to be such rugged terrain compared to the valley below that is lush right now.

Almost forgot Devil’s Tower….

Good to be home after all that travel. It was great. I have very few pics of my wonderful husband. It is our 10th Anniversary today. He does not really like being photographed and does not like me posting too much personal info online like photos of myself or the kids. I can understand that and respect that. Most of my posts are jewelry related for this very reason. I would like to thank him for such and wonderful trip and to my children who enjoyed it and were just great for 3500 miles of travel in a car. We did a book of very irritating cross word puzzles. We played the license plate game and found every license plate in the US except: Rhode Island and Hawaii. I spoke with a wonderful couple from Italy and Wapiti Lodge outside of Yellowstone was great.

To my friend Roni… I have had way too many TGIF’s for 13 days straight so it’s back to work for me. I’m refreshed. My hands are rested. My mind is rested. I have a show on Sunday!!!!!!!!!! Seriously I have a show on Sunday!!!!!!!!! Neenah WI Berstrom Mahler Museum….. 125 N Park Ave. Sunday only 10-5. It’s a beautiful show in a park on the river in historic downtown Neenah. Come and check it out.