Wind Cave National Monument & Mount Rushmore National Memorial In Spearfish July 30, 2016 Miles Driven: 239 Parks Visited: 2   I’ve been on the stairmaster today. I’ve had philosophical thoughts. And I’ve eaten more pizza.   Bison and bison ‘pups’ were in abundance to greet me as I drove into Wind Cave this morning. The signs were…

Devils Tower National Monument Sheridan to Spearfish July 29, 2016 Miles Driven: 237 Parks Visited: 1   Let me start at the end again. I just ate dinner at the cutest, most eclectic, incredibly yummy pizza place with the nicest (ever) staff. I stumbled upton The Dough Trader simply by looking on Yelp. What a find! If you…

Big Hole National Battlefield & Little Bighorn NM Butte to Sheridan July 28, 2016 Miles Driven: 527 Parks Visited: 2   Life imitates art once more. As the long day was coming to a close, I pulled out my trusty list of accommodations to check the hotel where I’d be staying this eve. I abruptly discovered that there…

Big Hole National Battlefield Yellowstone National Park Idaho Falls to Butte July 27, 2016 Miles Driven: 374 Parks Visited: 1   My word for the day is ‘detour’. I suppose it was inevitable. I had planned to drive near to Yellowstone twice over these two days, just to get close. After all, I knew that I didn’t have any…

Craters of the Moon NM Twin Falls to Idaho Falls July 26, 2016 Miles Driven: 195 Parks Visited: 2   What a spectacular day! For a change I’ll work backwards. First, I arrived to find the motel I booked was the cutest accommodations. It overlooks the river and falls. It has that quaint feel of a…

Lakeview to Twin Falls July 25, 2016 Miles Driven: 470 Parks Visited: 0   I must be spoiled. Ok, don’t answer that. Let me start again. I’ve seen Yosemite Falls, which is just spectacular. I’ve seen Niagara Falls, which is thunderous in its volume. So, I was quite excited to have read that Twin Falls contains…

Lava Beds National Monument Grants Pass to Lakeview July 24, 2016 Miles Driven: 316 Parks Visited: 1   I got lost three times and almost ran out of gas. Good times! Right? I promise myself that I shall never trust in the regularity of gas stations in the part of the country where common sightings…

Oregon Caves National Monument San Jose to Grants Pass July 23, 2016 Miles Driven: 584 Parks Visited: 1   The first rays of light from the sunrise glinted off of the turning blades of the wind turbines as I crested Altamont Pass. The grass in the hills, long dried, even looked like sparkling gold in…