ON THE ROAD AGAIN....

My time in Cody came to an end on Sunday when the owner of YVI let 3 of his workcampers go - now! I refused to leave until I had my last paycheck in hand - which he wanted to mail to us - not! Won that little battle and after 3 months un-plugged, hooked up the Jeep and off I went to spend my first night in a WalMart parking lot. Everything in Cody was booked, so thought I would see what 'boondocking' (no hookups) was all about. By the time I turned off my light at 10 p.m. there were over 30 rigs in the parking lot with me of every size and make. It was a hoot!

The next morning, Monday, I had Winnie's oil and filter changed and tires checked, then headed to Lander, WY - southwest about 4 hours. I spent the night at the really sweet Pioneer RV Park and had a great time chatting with their work/campers. Learned that I wasn't the first, and sure won't be the last, to get in a situation with a bad boss.

I spent most of Tuesday sightseeing. This is the home of the Arapahoe and Shoshone reservations and where Sacajawea lived out her later years, after leading the Lewis & Clark expedition, and is buried. I went into Sinks Canyon where the mountain snow run-off literally flows down into a huge sink-hole, only to emerge a 1/2 miles down the canyon in a deep pool where these enormous trout live - and get fed by the tourists.

Tuesday evening was spent laying out my route. Since I now had 'free time' I decided to 'go West'. I have always wanted to see the awe-inspiring and totally photogenic national parks of Utah - Arches, Monument Valley (where all the John Ford/John Wayne movies were shot), Mesa Verde, Lake Powell, the north rim of the Grand Canyon, Bryce and Zion. You can make a Grand Circle of this area - and that's what I decided to do.

Today I drove through my first 'big' mountain pass going south out of Lander down to I-80 and into Utah. Tonight I'm in Provo, just a few miles from Salt Lake City and right by the BYU campus in a nice, lakeside park with lots of trees and lots of RV's. Tomorrow I'll drive to Moab and make that my 'home' for 4-5 days while seeing everything there is to see on the East side of the Circle.

The plan is to move south and then back up north and when I finish with Utah, head to Lake Tahoe to visit with friends Suzanne and John, who I met in Illinois when I first started this odyssey. They've agreed to let me park Winnie for the weekend at John's studio and I'll hop in the Jeep and drive over to Sacramento to visit with #1 son Tobin and his lady, Courtney, and see their new home. I'll then turn around and head back to meet my good friend Ellen for our tour of Taos and Santa Fe - before heading to Florida! Does this seem like a lot of traveling? Yep - and maybe I won't get to do it all, but it will be fun trying! Will keep you posted and hopefully lots of great photos to share.

Until next time....take care of each other.

ReAnn

I am still constantly amazed by people...

and what they promise and then what they do or don't do. I've been told that for my age I am too naive and take too much at face value. But I still want to believe the best of people and then am totally blown away when they turn out to be jerks!

Am I ranting? Well a little. All of us work/camping here at Yellowstone Valley Inn had learned, the hard way, over the past 4 months, that the man who owns this RV resort is a total jerk (and that's me being nice!). We had stayed because we liked his wife, and to be honest, felt sorry for her. Several of the other RV campground owners had said that our boss was known for letting his work/campers go as soon as the season started to slow down. He would let the first hired (me) be the first to be let go - today! Still I was hurt and upset - who wouldn't be?

My best friend is flying into Cody (on non-refundable airline ticket) on 8/29 and we planned to 'see the Park', overnight at the Old Faithful Inn and then head for Santa Fe and Taos on 9/1. So here it is, 3 weeks from that date and I have no where to park Winnie. The owner informed me he had rented my spot out starting Monday and if I wanted to stay (duh?!) I would have to pay his top price for this site - NOT!

So now I have until Monday to decide where and what I want to do until I arrive at the Cody airport Saturday afternoon on the 29th. I made a few phone calls and might have a 3-week job just down the road at another campground or what sounds like more fun would be to just 'go see the West!' I haven't seen the Teton's or Monument Valley or Bryce Canyon and I could even drive over to Sacramento and visit my son.

So tonight I will get out my maps and by Monday I'll know where I'm going or if I'm staying and working close by - I'll let you know.

What's the saying? When life throws you lemons...... You that know me know that this is only a little bump in the road and I'll be fine. But if anyone has a driveway or a little bit of acreage, and lives out West where I could park for a few weeks, give me a holler! ggggg

Until next time....take care of each other.

ReAnn

More Photos from my Yellowstone Photo Workshop

We found an osprey nest sitting on the tippy-top of a pinnacle in the middle of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. I took a picture of the pinnacle with my zoom and you can see just how close I could get - not very. But the nest is there. One of the other's who took the class had a spot scope and I put my camera's lens over the scope and clicked and you can see the 2 little guys sitting and waiting for mom & dad to return with a nice, big fish for their dinner.

I tagged along a little bit while one of the Park Rangers gave a great nature tour and I got to pear inside and take more pics of the really cool Yellowstone Tour Wagons. These were originally purchased for use in the Park in the 1920's. At the time they cost $3,200. Just a few years ago, it cost over $32,000 to get them back and in working order. They have open roofs and as you can, very classy. Were originally used to bring wealthy guests from the train stations into the various Lodges in the Park.

Counting Down the Days.....

I think it's like anything you do - whether you love it or hate it - you start to count the days when it's over. As of today, I have 28 days remaining in my Wild West adventure.

I have loved exploring this part of the country and still have quite a bit to still to cram in before I leave. And there is still so much to see - Monument Valley, Bryce Canyon, the Mohab, so I will return. But I am ready to move on - guess it's the gypsy in me - and I'm really ready and looking forward to having trees, grass AND a beach as part of my everyday life.

This past week was filled with errands, doctor's appointments, getting the Jeep's tires replaced and the battery disconnect installed AND spending all day in the Park with Robert Turner (http://www.robertturnerphoto.com/) professional photographer who's exhibit "Rare Light in Rare Places" is on exhibit at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center.

Friday night I and the other 11 participants gathered with the general public for a reception and lecture with Bob. The next morning we assembled at 8 a.m. at the Center and then worked out way into Yellowstone, making several stops along the way to shoot. Bob's thing is landscape photography and he shared his thoughts on 'filling the frame,' why use a tripod, F-stops and so much more. We completed the day with all of us enjoying dinner 12 hours later at Pahaska TeePee. I learned a lot - including the fact (from finally reading my camera's instruction book) that not only can it do a whole lot more than I thought, but I can add lenses - which I was told I couldn't do when I bought it!

So I'm keeping the writing to the minimum and sharing with you just a few of the over 200 pictures I took yesterday.

Enjoy! And till the next time...take care of each other.

ReAnn

A Normal Week - sorta.

It has been very busy here at YVI this week. We have had every RV site filled every night, hosted a huge family reunion that took every cabin and motel room this weekend, and with the huge, motorcycle rally at Sturgis this coming weekend, it isn't likely to slow down soon.

With yesterday off, our very cute, young and blond bartender and I hoped in my Jeep and decided to just 'get away' for the day, We headed to Red Lodge for their "Art in the Beartooth" annual art fair, do a little shopping and have a good lunch.

Red Lodge is an hour and a half drive straight north, about 30 miles into Montana. We parallel the Beartooth Mountain range the entire trip up, but the land is flat and high desert with Yellowstone River twisting and turning alongside the highway.

The little town was crammed with people - bikers, those attending the antique auto show, those there for the art fair, and those just enjoying an absolutely beautiful day. Mandy and I wandered around town, enjoyed the art, had a great lunch and did a little shopping. On the way home I stopped here and there to take pictures and exactly as we crossed the MT/WY border, my right rear passenger tire exploded! (see pic)

We got the jack and various wrenches out and had gotten the lug nuts off the tire. I was lying on the ground, trying to figure out where the jack got placed under the car, while Mandy (cute, young, blond Mandy in a tiny little white dress) walked over the the edge of the highway and...the nicest young man slammed on his breaks and said "Mam, do you need some help?"

Josh had the spare off and the tire changed within 10 minutes. Turned out he was a 'real rodeo cowboy' (he had real spurs on his boots), rode the broncs every night at the Cody Rodeo and was from just outside Raleigh, NC. Wouldn't take a cent for his help but did find out when next Mandy was tending bar and something tells me we'll see him out at YVI soon!

Got home safe and sound and tomorrow will go into town and price tires. I hate unexpected expenses - they are always expensive! Today, Sunday, I've done laundry, hooked up the hoses and washed not only the Jeep but gave Winnie a bath! She really need one after being parked in this dusty, dirty desert for the past 2 1/2 months. Then I too took a long shower and now plan to just sit, read a good book and relax the rest of the afternoon.

For those who asked, Cody has totally recovered from being de-clawed the first of the week. My body and the furniture will now last a lot longer and not be covered with scratches and fabric pulls.

Until next time....take care of each other.

ReAnn

Ah Chooooooo

I want to publicly thank my cousin Rita for giving me her cold. I returned from Denver with just a sniffle and during the past week it bloomed into the first, full-fledged cold I've had in at least 5 years.

Lots of Kleenex, runny nose and watering eyes, chest congestion and loud sneezing made me the most perfect person to great guests as they arrived at YVI for vacation. I worked my 7 hours, grabbed a bowl of soup as I walked through the kitchen on my way back to Winnie and immediately went back to bed.

Halfway through the week The Gleason's arrived from MN to spend 4 days seeing the West for the very first time. Harv & Ginny were our wonderful neighbors for many years and their boys and mine were good friends. After spending their first full day in Cody 'doing' all 5 museums that encompass the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, taking the Trolley Tour of Cody, enjoying a great lunch on the porch of the Irma, walking around town doing a little window-shopping, I headed back to YVI while they took in the Gunslinger's Shoot-out. Yesterday we 'did the Park.'

Since I had purposely left the back seat of my Jeep in MN to allow for packing lots of 'stuff'', I jerry-rigged a metal lawn chair with bungie cords to where the regular Jeep seat would have been, Harv climbed in and away we went.

As you can see from the pictures, the snow has melted , Spring and an abundance of wildflowers have come to Yellowstone. Though you can still see massive damage from the '89 fire, under the charred tree trunks green grass grows, small, new seedling pines, and now blue, yellow and pink wildflowers have taken root to re-nourish and continue replenishing the Park.

On the way to Old Faithful, which continues to erupt every 90 minutes to the pleasure of 100's of viewers each day, a stately elk decided to cross the highway directly in front of my Jeep. It was almost like he planned his crossing in front of all the cars knowing there was a stop sign there and we would all stop just for him.

We did the entire South Loop, all 205 miles. At the end of a 14-hour day and a very nice dinner at the Bill Cody Ranch we got back to YVI where I collapsed and Harv and Ginny headed into Cody and the Irma. Today they went off to do Beartooth Pass and Red Lodge and I did laundry and defrosted the fridge! Tomorrow they head from The Tetons and Jackson while I try and get rid of this damn cold!

And now a few passing thoughts I don't think I've shared with you all....Wyoming smells. It has this very distinct smell of oranges. Seriously. You drive along the highway or walk along a sidewalk and you smell only what I can describe as oranges. I asked a bunch of locals what it was and they hadn't a clue. I remember the mock-orange bushes we had planted below our windows at our house in MN and that's all I could think of but I couldn't find them here. So I kept sniffing and one day, walking by one of the 100 of Russian olive trees that grown here I stopped, rubbed the leaves together and....oranges! Mystery solved.

A varied week coming up. Besides work, Cody is getting de-clawed and I get a haircut. Saturday is 'Art in the Beartooth' in Red Lodge and I've made reservations to attend the big art fair in Jackson mid-August which will take me through The Tetons.

Life continues and I've sill got to attend a rodeo and drive the Oh My God! highway before my time in the West is over. Until next time...take care of each other.

ReAnn

Rocky Mountain High!

Spending 5 days in Denver, the 'mile-high,' city was so much fun! My dear cousin Rita and her wonderful hubby, Denny, their 3 dogs,

1 cat and 1 grand-dog who they were baby-sitting, welcomed me to their lovely

home where I was wined, dined and shopped-till-I-dropped.

I was picked up from the airport and whisked to a great mom & pop Greek restaurant that had fabulous food and great service. The next day was my TJ Maxx fix day. How I miss that store! Even if I don' buy a thing, the thought of maybe finding a really great buy is always within the the realm of possibilities within the confines of that store.

The next day Rita, her lovely daughter Averial and I met my old Danville High School friend Mary Volburn, who lives in Colorado Springs, for a great, long, talkie lunch. Afterwards we ladies 'hit the Mall' and when Ed called, Mary and I met his son, brother, sister and spouse at a local pub and shared lots of stories about our hometown and 'do you remember' remembrances. It was nice to see Ed smile and enjoy himself. (Mary had dated Ed in high school and neither knew the other lived in the Denver area).

On Sunday Rita, Denny and only 3 of the dogs (Mini Pincher, Wheaten Terrier and German short hair) piled in their car and headed for Estes Park and a tour of Rocky Mountain National Park. We had a 'perfect weather day' and a great time. Estes Park was crammed full of tourists but we didn't care. Denny dog-sat while Rita and I shopped, ordered and ate a huge pizza, then took turns watching the dogs so Denny could eat.

Once in the park, we took Trail Ridge, the original dirt and gravel road, up and over the high mountain Rockies. Beautiful views and lots of elk and moose, which all 3 dogs tried desperately to jump out of the car and get. I found that standing up on the front seat, shooting pictures out of the sunroof was easier than trying to open the door and keep the dogs in! As you can see, lots of beautiful vistas!

Flew back to Billings on Monday, met a friend in Red Lodge for a fantastic dinner and great conversation and got back to Cody about 9:30 p.m., just in time to have missed a huge storm that included massive amounts of wind, rain and hail. Winnie made it through without damage and stayed nice and dry inside.

Back to work on Tuesday and now a nice weekend. Spent today giving Winnie a good cleaning, inside and out; unplugged and unhooked and drove all of 100 feet over to the propane tank and fill-up so I could continue having hot water and a stove to cook on. Sunday is grocery and museum day and Monday I'm going to play golf for the first time since I arrived - yeah!

So until next time...take care of each other.

ReAnn

PS - Got home to an email that Ed and his brother Con are both on their way to Afghanistan. They will one of the first group of non-combatants sent there to oversee and build bases for our troupes. Son Eddie will also be there after the first of the year. Like his dad, he's a graduate of the Air Force Academy and now a fighter pilot presently stationed in England. Danville boys do get around. Pray for their safe return.