Cards, cards, cards

As you might imagine there is not alot for the locals to do. So many folks turn to playing cards. Grandpa showing the next generation the ways.

Mom says no...Dad says Bang Bang

After much resistance from Jessica I pulled into a fireworks stand to pick up $5 of fun.

Riley was very concerned about driving around with fireworks in the back of the van. As he put it, "explosive...gasoline, hello Dad".

However we made it back to my Dad's safely and of course I wanted to light them off immediately. But everyone wanted to wait. Finally after a couple of hours the time came, everyone was ready.

We started out with our biggest bang first. Figured after one bang Jessica would shut down the operation so I wanted to get the main attraction accomplished.

Keep in mind this is the kids first exposure to fireworks that weren't put on by a city. Also given that the both hate load noises I wasn't sure how it was going to go.

Of course the first round went off and I loved it but I didn't hear much from the kids. I quickly qued up round two, a package of "bees" which are suppose to spin up into the air. They all lit but didn't really fly. Grace did not like those. I'm not sure why. It could have been from Grandpa telling me that if it landed on the roof it would burn down the house.

Finally we ended with two packages of sparklers. After the first one Riley wanted to try holding one. And after he tried a couple I convinced a reluctant Grace to try a couple. It wounded up being fun for everyone.

Mommy says no more. Daddy says stay tuned for pictures from Tuesday.

The main drag

We headed to downtown Hamilton for a little blast from the past on this lazy Saturday. We wanted to go in the morning because the forecast called for a blistering 100 degrees. Luckily a summer storm came in with lots of clouds to cool everything down. There was only a couple rain drops that came down so it made it perfect weather to play in the huge castle playground structure at a local park.

After some tag, swings, and slides we headed to see my infamous high school. The kids could really careless.

A couple of blocks down we ran into a small but fun farmers market. They had some great local wares for a cheap price. The kids and I got a small bag of cinnamon carmal popcorn to munch when walking around. Jessica found two sets of handmade earings for only $5 and some poetry.

Girls in the garden

My girls in a garden at a great local museum.

Bison hunt is over

After hunting bison for several days, with his camera, Riley savored his first bison burger at a great pub called Temeraca in Missoula, MT this afternoon.

Random roads

You never know what you might find down a random road. On our search to find a local lunch spot, I turned down a road to find a big enough area to turn around. The road dead ended into this great bridge. The bridge spanned the West fork river. The river split which looked like two rivers. And the end of the bridge there was a concrete wall that several people decided to make some local street art.

Now back on track to find food...or another adventure.

Missoula Art

Bear!!

This is the only one that we have seen so far.

Allosaurs

Rain drops

Believed to be rain drops 1 billion years.ago falling into mud.

Museum if the Rookies

Bozeman, MT

Goodbye Yellowstone

It has been so fun and so short. I'm pumped to explore more national parks and then make it back here because we haven't even seen a tip if it.

Walk about

For the last two days I have been passing all of these beautiful valleys. Finally I pulled over got out and just walked out on one.

It felt like I could keep walking forever and not hit the end of it. It was a peacefully and humbling feeling.

More WOW....

More falls

Offical Jr. Rangers

The kids have put in the work, answered the rangers questions, and taken the pledge to earn the honner of being Jr.Rangers.

Make sure to ask them about it.

Aerial view of Yellowstone

Here is an aerial (model) view of Yellowstone

Bison, bison, and bison

We have seen so many Bison. This guy was grazing right along the side if the main road. He could careless that about all the people.

Gibbon falls 2

This us the rear of Gibbon Fall.

Gibbon falls

My favorite parts of Yellowstone is the water features.

Wow! Sums it up.

Yellowstone Lake

Yellowstone Lake is huge. It feels bigger then if you were to stand at the shores of the Pacific ocean and looked out.

Jessica got us tickets to a scenic cruise prior to heading out on vacation. When we got there we weren't sure how it was going to be because it was cold and stormy. But much to our happiness it was an enclosed boat. Si it turned out really fun. We even saw a Bald Eagle in its nest. That was cool.

P.s. phone died so I don't have any pictures just memories.

Beautiful cascades

When traveling the tree lined main road there are a lot of little wooden signs with small writing that have a name and a paved road. One of them said Kepler Cascades so we said what the heck let's check it out. It lead down a small road to a tiny parking lot in front of a wooden platform. When we walked to end of the platform it was an incredible cascade. The mountain appeared to be split open ever so slightly by the powerful water that pushed its way down 150+ feet. Making its way down a series of levels to finally crashing down into a still waiting pond. Each side of the mountain was extreamly steep and had hundreds of jagged fallen trees. Each one 25+ feet long. I was on my toes the whole time waiting for gravity to just nudge one of them down what would have been a spectacular fall.

For me it was by far the best place we have saw. There was no huge signs letting you know, hey you don't want to miss this. And that's because the whole park is like that. It makes you wonder what else we are missing at all the other small wooden signs.

The figure 8

Yellowstone is made up of a firgure 8 main road. Yesterday we started out in the first loop. Today we are going to try the second.

When you drive the road it seems to be cut right down the middle of the forest. Beautiful trees line the road. Some old some new, but all of them to tall to see over and to thick to see through. Your eyes quickly scan the tree line in hopes to spot wild life. Every minute or so there will be a clearing in the trees where it opens up to expose its unbelievable landscape views. Each one unique and breath taking but you only have a few seconds to take it in before the curtain of trees closes and the next view is qued up. You want to stop on the side of the road, and people do, for each clearing but it would take you months to see the whole park. Your only hope is that the next one doesn't wash away the memory of the last one.

Cool clock

This cool clock was in the same hotel.

All hinges on

The whole structural infrastructure resides in this bracing system to hold the "wood" hotel up.

To the top or bust

From the outside of the massive hotel I could see there was stairs on the exterior of the building that brought you to the tip top where there was a platform. So going in I knew I had to figure out how to get those.

After we went to the third floor I could see that there was another flight of stairs that lead to a stair, ladder, and platform system that wrapped around the back inside wall of the building switching back and forth all the way to the top. It lead up to a bird's nest type of structure which seemed to just cling to the surface of the pitched roof. In fact the whole stair system appeared to be like that after the third floor. With nothing around you or below you it made it seem like you would be floating up there.

Yep, I'm in. I start making my way to the first series of stairs but am quickly stopped by a rope with a sign in it and a Master padlock securing it. So I immediately look at Riley and say "Do you think this means no or YES if a person has the ability to unlock it?".

Jessica looks at me and said, "Did you even look at the sign". Of course not! "All the stairs above this level was damaged in a earthquake which twisted the whole thing", she explained. I looked up, "Looks good to me...they just put that up. You know I can open that lock!". She smiled, gave me THE look, and said "We are going to be late."

No fun! That would have been a great picture but I had to settle for this pic. Which was from the third floor looking up to the even higher ceiling.

Wood, wood, and more wood

Everywhere you look there was beautiful wood. The walls, the floors, the ceiling, even...yes there too. Everywhere!

We went up to the third floor level via the log stairs to look down and take everything in.

Old Faithful Inn

We saw some pictures and hears about the large remodel that just happened prior to setting off for our trip. So we desided to take a peak. I wasn't sure what to expect after looking at the grand decapitated exterior.

Lesson time

We headed to the Old Faithful visitors center to pick up some more facts about the area.

They have a pretty cool discovery center where it walks you through several facts like pH levels and what factors are involved in make geysers produce.

When we were there the kids also participated in a Ranger class as part of the Jr. Ranger program.

Both Grace and Riley raised there hands and answered questions correctly about different animal paw prints. It was great watching them get engaged.

Eureka!!

We timed it perfectly. When we reached Old Faithful we only had 9 minutes to wait. Luck was with us because it started early.

It doesn't just go off like a rocket. Instead it performs while building the crowds excitement.

It begun by blowing large puffs of steam in the air in a series of waves which set the crowd off. "Is it starting?" everyone would whisper. Then it began spitting a tiny bit of water up as if to just clear its throat. The crowd started again, "Now, now look its going...". It proceeded to go back and forth taunting the crowd. Water shoot up 10-15' which was clearly a warm up. And then it found its stride quickly raising its fountain to 50+ feet in the air in a hot bubbley breath. And keep building and building on itself. With steam that rose twice as high and quickly surrounded the water making it difficult to see.

Luckily we did a few things around the area so we were present two more times for the grand finally. The last one that we saw was even bigger then the first. It really was great.

The downside after awhile the string smell if sulfur in the air gets annoying and inescapable.

We made it to the infamous landmark

A quick pic before the show starts. And luckily there isn't to many people here. Exactly the way we like things.

Our second animal

While waiting for Old Faithful to blow her top we spotted this guy. What was hilarious was that every time it stopped to nibble on something it would always turn and sit facing Old Faithful. Even the chipmunks knows the schedule.

Where's it going to blow?

We saw tons of steam wafting up over the trees so we pulled in. After bundling up in cold winter gear we start exploring up the wooden path that seemed to go forever. We found dozens of steaming holes in the ground. Every so often in the distance we would see one bubble up scorching hot water into the air. But it never seem to be at the one that we were standing in front of. Even when we dashed over to one it would wind down before we would get there. But then we made our way around to the last couple and one started going off. Tug, tug at my jacket, "Is this ONE Old Faithful?" "No you guys we told you five times its several miles away". Clearly the kids were excited and so were we. This geyser shoot 10' in the air and tons of steam bellowed out in front of a picture perfect backdrop that surround us.

Grace got a buffalo

"I saw a bison back there", a little voice said from the back seat. "What? Where?", Jessica and I say together as we are pulling into our first stop. We immediately dismiss it as excitement but then we see it. It was grazing in the grass next to the parking lot. We could have gotten as close as we wanted. What a great start!

View from the room

Not much but great mountain range in the distance. Every where you look in MT has a view on nice mountain range.

Tickets in hand

After a not so memorial dinner, we headed to the Visitors Center to purchase our Yellowstone park entry tickets. The kids got to meet a ranger and signed up for the Jr. Ranger program. They will have to accomplish several tasks if they hope to earn a badge.

Before we could head to the car the kids and Jessica got to experience a MT storm. The wind was blowing so hard you thought you were on the cusp of a hurricane. Lightning, thunder, and a down pour followed.

We walked around the visitors center to check out all the helpful brochures and local folk art that was on display. The wind died down and the rain slowed a little so we made a dash for the van and headed for the hotel.

The hotel seems to be breading cabin fever already. The animals (previously known as kids) are getting restless and starting to attack each other. The sun doesn't go down until around 10:30 so of course no one is tired.

Touchdown...MT

We have officially arrived in the best state ever Montana.

We managed to skate in before the thunderstorms hit. They are only suppose to last through the night. Tomorrow should be sunny and delightful for our first day in Yellowstone National Park.

Idaho, hello....goodbye

A very short but beautiful hop through the edge of Idaho. And (so far) I haven't even gotten a ticket. A quick bit and then Yellowstone bound.

Day one is in the can

We got through day one. We drove 12 hours through California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah to finally end up staying the night in Provo, Utah. Today will be much shorter approx 5 hours until we hit West Yellowstone, MT

Vegas in and out

We rolled into the South Point Hotel and Casino just off the strip for the kids first Vegas buffet. The kids were excited going into it but they said it was just ok by the time we left.

The kids were blown away that we were able to travel around the world in the short few minutes that the strip spans. They were trying to jockey for the best camera angle to snap an images of Italy (Vinitian), New York, Paris, battle ships (Treasure Island). Riley missed a couple shots. But Grace assured him, "Riley I took pictures of those so you can just take a picture of my picture when we get home."

We are going to push ahead a bit more into Utah to find a place to get soome shut I before West Yellowstone.

And we are off...

We just took off for the first annual Mullen family adventure -cation. A little late of a departure but everyone is well rested and so far we feel like we have not forgotten anything.

The kids are so accident. Which is a blast to watch. Riley was a little upset when he woke to find out it wasn't 5am. "Why didn't you wake me up Dad? We got to hurry up. When are we leaving?", he said with such a puzzled look on his face. And Grace was already in the van and buckled up before it was even fully loaded, just patiently waiting with a smile on her face. Makes me want to start scheduling the next trip.

But then we hit Temecula and Grace said, "How long have we been in the car?" So it might be longer trip then expected. Stay tuned...