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Long Haul begins

Warren Mary Ellen

Warren Mary Ellen

Ranger
We started out today on our Long Haul. Left home in SC and made about 4 hours. We both teach and this was our last day. We mainly wanted to make it past Atlanta without having to get up at 3:00 am to miss rush there. We are just South of Chattanooga, TN. We get to visit the Subaru dealer in the morning as nearly the warning lights on the car came on. Checked the Internet and it likes this is not unusual for an Outback. Hopefully they can get us going quickly. We plan a long day of driving tomorrow so we can get to the Grand Tetons by Friday or Saturday.
 
Got the Subaru Outback fixed in Chattanooga. Just a computer upgrade and found out when the check engine comes on everything on the dash also comes on. We did not get started on the road until 10:00 am but we did make it to Cape Girardeau, Missouri where are going to meet my cousin for dinner. Tomorrow hopefully will bring us some good Kansas City BBQ and a lot of miles. Mary and our daughter got to cross the Mississippi River for the first time and my third time. Glad we came Tennessee today, we passed the site in Manchester, Tennessee for the Bonnaroo Music festival that starts tomorrow so the traffic starting late today and the rest of the week would have been horrible through there. We might have gotten out of the Subaru dealership earlier except all the people who worked there wanted to see our 560 Ultra.
 
Hah! That is the way of it, everyone wants a look at the CI. We've been stopped by cops and rangers and, yes, they got the full tour. Fun.

The Tetons are fabulous. They have the most glorious sunrises and the weather at the peaks changes faster than a teenager's mood. Enjoy the trip.

Camp on,

Sue and Jim
 
Today we made it from Cape Girardeau, Missouri to Greenwood, Nebraska with a stop in Kansas City at Joe 's Kansas City BBQ. Some of the best ribs I have ever had. Worth the side trip. A little scary coming up I-29 in NW Missouri we had some tornado warnings. We got off the road for a few minutes but we started up again a few miles down the road there was a tractor trailer overturned in the median and it was pretty nasty looking. Tomorrow we will get across Nebraska and as deep into Wyoming as possible.
 
Made it to Laramie, Wyoming today after 530miles of driving mostly across Nebraska. Stopped in Gothenburg, Nebraska and saw a Pony Express station and the Sod House museum. At the Sod House we saw another teardrop but not a CI. Got off the Interstate for a short time and drove US 30 along the Platte River. The Medicine Bow Mountains were still snow covered as we could see them from I-80. Tomorrow we make it to the Tetons and get to stay put for a few days and have some shorter drives when do move Jeremiah around.
 
As noted previously, the Tetons are fabulous. My parents used to summer just south of Jackson in star valley. I miss that wide open country! Have a great time.

Chuck and Martha
New Smyrna Beach, Fl.
550 ultra in September
 
We camped the last two nights at Colter Bay in Grand Teton NP. We did a float trip down the Snake River, hiked to Inspiration Point and Hidden Falls. Yesterday was Mary Ellen ' s birthday so we while We resupplied in Jackson we ate at the Local Restaurant and had Bison burger. Drove up to Bridge Bay Campground in Yellowstone National Park and got set up in between storms. This was our first rainy night in the camper. Spending the morning straightening up and doing laundry at the Lake Yellowstone Lodge. Going to head over to Old Faithful this afternoon.
 
The Snake River is usually around maximum flow in early June - so I suspect you had quite a thrilling float. The Snake is one of the safer rivers to run as far as rocks are concerned.

You should have a great trip.

Bob
 
We had a great time in the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone and made it to Glacier today after a long day of driving. The Snake River float trip was a lot of fun and did the hike to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point overlooking Jenny Lake. In Yellowstone we were in Bridge Bay Campground for 3 nights and had to deal with thunderstorms the first two. We did a lot of the usual sites. It was my and daughters first time and they really enjoyed it. We moved to Tower Falls Campground for the final 2 nites. and liked it much better. It only had 30 sites so it was much quieter. In Bridge Bay they put us in with the big rvs and 5th wheels. There was always someone big and loud coming by us. At Tower Falls, we were near the Lamar Valley where there is a lot of wildlife including the wolves which were lucky enough to see. Loved the travertine terrace at Mammoth too. We are are at St. Mary campground tonight and tomorrow we will move up to Many Glacier campground for 2 nights before we swing around to the west side of Glacier to Fish Creek campground. Planning on some hiking, a trail ride, and Going to the Sun Road which is open early this year.
 
Jim and I were at Glacier NP just last July. It is one of the most magnificent places on earth. The Sun Road is a glorious trek - breathtaking in so many ways (including lack of oxygen if you climb to the glacier).

You're having such a grand time. Thank you for taking us along and keep posting.

Camp on,

Sue and Jim
 
Thanks for the updates on your travels. My wife and I will be traveling to Glacier this August. This will be our 5th time. After tents, and back of vehicles, we get to sleep in our 550 ultra..can't wait.

Jeff & Sheila
Ultra 550 #715.....nick named Spooner....;-)
 
We are camping one more night in Glacier NP. We have been in Many Glacier campground all but the first night where we were in St. Mary campground. We originally were going do part of this at Fish Creek but we liked Many Glacier so well we decided to stay put. We have some bad luck here though. We went on trail ride and my wife and I both ended being thrown/jumped from our horses. Of the 6 riders 5 ended up on the ground. The only one still in the saddle was our daughter. I got kicked in the calf as one of the horse's ran over me as I was on the ground. Just a bruise but a bad one. No broken bones for either of us.
The next morning it was a dead battery in our car at the St. Mary Visitor Center. The Park Service jumped us off and told us we to go in Browning, Montana. It did give us the chance to visit the Museum of the Plains which I would highly recommend seeing if you are in this area.
So today we did the Going to the Sun Road and did the hike to Hidden Lake Overlook. A lot of it was in snow. Remember I am from SC So we don't see much of it. Saw a grizzly, mountain goats and a ram. We have seen several teardrops but no Camp Inn. We had someone show us their teardrop and it of course did not compare at all. When I get back to our site tonight new neighbor is in one too. They pulled in as we were heading out this morning.
Tomorrow we head to Nick Mile Falls, Washington which will be our last stop before we head home. No camping there, we will be at my cousins. All of 3 of the parks have been great.
 
So sorry to hear about your falls from the horses. Glad you're both ok, but bet that bruise hurts. Then your battery dies. Not much good luck there! Hope it all turns around for you!
 
Five of your group were thrown and you got stomped. Yikes. Wonder what spooked the horses...maybe that grizzly....

Glad you're not seriously injured, but dang that must smart.

A little R&R with the family in Washington sounds like a great idea. Get all rested for the long haul home.

Stay safe and have wonderful adventures on the way back.

But no more horses - unless they're under the hood.

Camp on,

Sue and Jim says
 
Normally the horses out west are pretty well mannered - but if they get wind of a bear - they will spook - being a herd animal - if one gets spooked, it rubs off on the rest.
 
Started for SC today. We have driven well over 4500 total miles since June 9. Tommorow we will cross the 5000 mile mark by lunchtime. Approximately 1900 miles to go and 2 more nights camping. We are stopped tonight at the Billings, Montana KOA. After the trip we will have 19 nights of camping in our 560 Ultra on this Long Haul and 23 total.
 
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