Yee Haw & Other Stuff

Well, I have tried & tried, but I cain't figger out how to get my dadburned pictures transferred from camera to PC. It's probably something stupid like not plugging it in right-------hey!!!

Nope, still didn't work. So instead of looking at beautiful scenery for the moment, you'll have to listen to my ramblins' again.

TR has always said that I was the entertainment director & he was in charge of finances. So I decided to prove him right. Yesterday we took a 2-hour horseback ride up a mountain. We had a real wrangler (Casey) on his homebred mule "Sam," TR on "Elizabeth", and me on "Hollywood." We were led by Wiley Coyote & Orphan Annie, 2 trail dogs (whose purpose we found out later was to run ahead & scout out the trail & scare any bears away). (And no, we didn't see any.) (whew) The ride itself was uneventful except old Elizabeth must've had her share of beangrass the night before & pooted her way up the trail. And since my Hollywood loved to have his nose up her butt, I got the full benefit of her music. As G-Daddy always says, "well, there's more room out than in!" Anyway, when we got on top of the mtn., we had beautiful views of the Tetons & other ranges & the valley below. Stunning...........

When we got back from the ride, we headed for Jenny Lake. We took a pontoon across the lake to hike to Hidden Falls & Inspiration Point. We huffed & puffed all the way up, but the views were worth it. Only when we were looking back at where we'd hiked & the boat pilot told us it was only 400' up above the lake (& the mtn. is almost 13,000' high) did we feel our age! (But it was really rocky--that's gotta count for something). On the way home, we saw a herd of elk just grazing by the roadside. By the way, on the horseback ride, we did see 3 muledeer, so there's wildlife out there---you just gotta be at the right place at the right time. We were greeted back at the RV with a wide rainbow in the sky---& it wasn't even raining. I think God was saying "thanks" for enjoying his creation so much.

This morning we took a 10-mile float trip down the Snake River. Very relaxing, very scenic, very little rapids (whew). We saw a baby moose with Mama, several bald eagles, an osprey & several hawks, and a beaver. The river is just beautiful & so clear that you can see the bottom at all times. Swimming is not allowed because of the current, but there's fishing & rafting--no tubing. It was sunny, blue skies today with temp around 63. Almost full moon tonight & that's a sight over these spectacular mtns. Tomorrow we head for Yellowstone. Can't wait! Wish all of you could be here with us (but in your own RV or hotel) to enjoy the spectacle. Love.........

Cowboy Turry & Ellie Oakley's Out West Adventure

When I last left you, it was March , we had just returned home from Florida., and I was singin' "On the road again, I just can't wait to get on the road again...." Well, it took a little longer than I'd planned to get back on that road again. Somehow life (& husbands) (& grandkids) & (children) just seem to interrupt plans from time to time. Go figure.........
BUT enough rambling. We ARE on the road again and in fact we HAVE been on the road since 9/5. A synopsis of the last 5 days:

Friday: drove to Paducah, KY --highlight= guy who owned the campground taught me to play a 32 string psaltry with a bow. (Look it up- I ain't gonna tell ya) Also the riverfront in downtown Paducah is lovely.

Saturday: made it to St. Joseph's, MO--just above Kansas City. Was a long day, raining off & on. I noticed TR had forgotten his rain jacket when he came in dripping from setting up RV. "I don't need you to pack my stuff," he said confidently on 9/4.

Sunday: On to North Platte in western NE. Met 2 interesting couples, one from CA, other from IL. Evidently they meet periodically to drink & catch up. Guy from CA carried 14 cases of wine & 10 bottles of 'licker'. Guy from IL carries his dulcimer around. Guess they "get up & get down".

Monday: Traveled through NE. Had never been that far west in the state, though we lived in eastern NE years ago. Beautiful prairie, sandhills, farms. Fields of sunflowers, grains, et. On to Cheyenne & Laramie, WY. Lines of wooden snowbreaks all along sides of I-80. Windmills on hills. Decided to go on into Rawlins, WY, as that would cut 120 miles off the next day's travels.

Tuesday: So excited to leave early a.m. Excitement curtailed when we pulled into a CAR WASH to wash the RV. (Pre-vacation anal tendencies still overwhelm at times). Head towards Lander, WY, or so I thought. We marveled at the amazing scenery & the navigator (me) missed the turnoff to Lander. Good news: somewhere it hit me we were on the wrong road. Bad news: we were in Casper, WY. Ouch. Had to call into play the RV trip "No fussin'/fightin' rule. Good call. So in effect, I erased the 120 mi. we saved the day before. My punishment? After traveling over 20 miles of major dusty road construction into Grand Teton, we had to WASH THE FREAKIN RV AND JEEP AGAIN!!!! (at least THIS time it needed it)

So here we are today, Wednesday, 9/10. A wonderful day. The Grand Teton mtn. range has to be one of the most beautiful sights in this here US of A. So majestic, inspiring--I bet God had a great time creating these. And that's Who you think of when you see them. We drove all over the park roads, stopping 100 times for pictures & just to look. Saw moose, buffalo, pronghorn. Went to Jackson Hole & to the famous Million Dollar Cowboy Bar (has silver dollars embedded in the bar. You sit on saddles, complete with stirrups--yeehaw!) Got back just in time to hear it's supposed to SNOW 2" tonight. It has been chilly. 30's at night. 50-60's daytime. Can't wait to see what tomorrow brings. Will post pictures if I can figure out my camera again. Promise I'll be shorter in the story-tellin' dept. next time!