National Park Madness!

FYI: Yellowstone was the first USA National Park, and it may or may not be the largest one we have!  It spans over 3 different states!

Dale and my most recent road trip was to Yellowstone park!  Only 5.5 hours away from our apartment, Dale's parents had arranged to meet us in the mansion/cabin of a family friend.  It looks like this:

What you do see is a two story log cabin with vaulted ceilings, well furnished, decorated, and nicknacked to appear welcoming and comfortable.  What you don't see are the 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, supply stocked garage, and all conveniences exactly where they might be easily found.  Example:  I was being a girl scout and lighting a fire in the fireplace--with kindling and tinder and everything!--and matches could be found exactly where one might expect them, in a nicknack jar on the mantlepiece.  The place was AMAZING.

Buffalo (20 feet away!)

With Dale's Dad's help I cut up some firewood (with an axe!), and in the picture above, we're enjoying the warmness of the fire while watching the BYU football game that night.

The next morning we headed out to Yellowstone (a mere 15 minute drive up the highway!).  We saw:




GEORGEOUS VISTAS

   

Elk (25 feet away!)





Hot pits that appear to go
to the center of the earth

 Those are my favorite things about a national park: the wildlife, rivers, and forrests.  But Yellowstone has other cool stuff:



Constantly erupting geysers and
little puddles that boil from lava

 

Cool geological features that form due
to the constantly flowing water



 

And me and Dale, of course


 

And this amazing waterfall you can't quite see
in the back ground of the picture Dale and I are posing in.

Hurrah for Dale for planning stuff!  I can't wait another 2 weeks until our next trip!