http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/novosama/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from novosama en-us Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:27:35 +0000 Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:27:35 +0000 Moses Lake WA to SeattleFinal day of traveling was only half dayWe visited Blue Heron Park in Moses Lake with the hounds. The landscape is desertlike but on a nice manmade lake. I was surprised that eastern Washington state is so dry We drove through midWashington crossed the Columbia River stopped for pics of the view and then drove past many farms and field of hay onions wheat pota http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/U-District/blog-415169.html Acclimation and Move Since we arrived the weather has been fabulous every single daycool in the mornings sunny and 70's to 80's every day and light until nearly 10PM. We went downtown by Pike Place Market and had lunch outdoors at Elliott'sfinally great fresh colorful delicious food and warm crusty bread here in Seattle I had a sandwich with salmon and salad Rusty had a taco http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Seattle/blog-415178.html Drive from Montana to Moses Lake WA Day 8Had great drive over passes from Livingston MT through Coeur d'Alene ID Spokane and to Moses Lake WA.Stopped for hound run in Montana near Clark Fork River along 90 Rivers moving fast. Fortunately hounds know how to swim Mainly a driving day from Livingston MT to Moses Lake WA. We stopped in Bozeman MT home of Montana State Univ for a nice city p http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Washington/Spokane/blog-411872.html Geysers at end of dayHere is a link to map of park Pictures from West thumb Grant village Old Faithful and road to Madison.httpwww.nps.govarchiveyellinteractivemapindex.htmSee last pic http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/Yellowstone-National-Park/blog-411746.html Critters in ParkHere are a few animals that we managed to get pictures of in Yellowstone. We saw coyotes pelican osprey and many buffaloes. The hounds were excited See text in previous blog http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/Yellowstone-National-Park/blog-411856.html YELLOWSTONESpent a long day in Yellowstone and are now back in MontanaWe went to Yellowstone National Park. We drove through Red Lodge MT found a city park and a national forest for C and B to romp in a river. Then we took a scenic drive Bear Tooth Pass up up and over the mountain. At the top there are glaciers snow and a spectacular view. It was windy clear and cool at 10000 ft plus http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/Yellowstone-National-Park/blog-411455.html Black Hills SD and Mt. Rushmore Day 6 Rapid City SD to Columbus MT.We had breakfast at Arnold's a 50's diner in SD where the waitresses wear pink poodle skirts and headed for the Black Hills National Forest. It's beautiful Tall ponderosa pines and winding mountain roads framed by perfectly clear blue sky. We stopped to let Cleo and Bandit have a run in the pine scented forest and then we http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/blog-411113.html Wyoming to Montana transitFrom Black Hills went to Deadwood and Lead WY near Sturgis Then traveled for several hours through eastern Wyoming into southern Montana heading west during thunderstorms. Snow covered real mountains in background Tomorrow Yellowstone http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wyoming/blog-411120.html BadlandsGreat additional diversion off main road Highly recommended http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Badlands/blog-410696.html Luverne MN to Rapid City SD via Badlands Day 5 of our trip Good dogs visit the BadlandsWe crossed the border to South Dakota and left the Midwest. A sign said Welcome to South Dakota watch out for jackrabbits. South Dakota is full of rolling hills lots of cows fields of bales of hay and a western auracowboy country. We stopped in Sioux Falls SD. They have a nice downtown sculptu http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/South-Dakota/Badlands/blog-410613.html Forgot at end of day it cleared and we stopped near Laporte IN at state preserve. Hounds flushed out a deer Here is a link httpwww.stateparks.comkingsburystatefishandgamearea.html http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Indiana/Elkhart/blog-410002.html Here are some pics from Ardy and Ed's in Oshkosh WI on lake Winnebago http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wisconsin/blog-410121.html Day 4. Oshkosh WI to Luverne MN. We took the pups to Best Friends Dog Park a 9 acre off leash park in Oshkosh. They met a bunch of other dogs including a black German short haired pointer whom they enjoyed playing with. Then we drove through the rest of WI lots of farms wide open flat fields as far as the eye can see. We crossed into Minnesota and stopped at Great Bluffs State Park. This http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Minnesota/Albert-Lea/blog-410473.html Left Arlington Heights IL and went to Chain'O Lakes in Spring Grove IL.httpdnr.state.il.usLANDSlandmgtParksR2CHAINO.HTMThis is a large state park about 60 miles north of Chicago. The weather was beautiful and Cleo and Bandit had a good run through wetlands and over prarieland. We saw red winged blackbirds snowy egrets and a pair of cranes. Then we headed north through the flat Illino http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Wisconsin/blog-410009.html Day 2 was a wash out Drove in rain from Kent OH to Arlington Heights IL north of Chicago.Had great meal and visit in Arlington Heights. No pics http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Illinois/Chicago/blog-409985.html Left late in morning but made it to Ohio. Stopped off at Lock Haven PA and William T. Piper airport. Piper museum was closed. Staying near Kent state. Hounds were greatDay 1. North Haven CT to Kent OH. We left today after a last walk in SGPA. Took the gorge trail on the North side the mountain laurel are in full bloom. The weather was intermittently gray or blue but no more than sprink http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Pennsylvania/blog-409289.html Attached is route from North Haven CT to Seattle WA from Google Earth http://www.travelblog.org/North-America/United-States/Connecticut/blog-404277.html