What a long strange trip it's been

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Better late than never but I thought I should wrap up our random thoughts, memories, and pictures! Well the time has come, we are finally back from our amazing trip and it feels wonderful to be home. Of course it is a little bittersweet, I would have loved to stay on the road but 9 weeks is a long time to be away from all the creature comforts of home. It sure has been a long strange trip but I wouldn't change it for the world. We have had so much fun and have been able to see so many wonderful and beautiful sights that it still constantly amazes me. Overall we drove 17,508 miles; I know it’s crazy to think that we did all that driving in just 9 weeks. We spent a total of 61 nights on the road, 55 of them in a tent in various campgrounds. I think that it qualifies us as true bona fide campers!

Total States- 20
Total National Parks- 15

Overnight Stops

Mentor, Ohio
Portage, Wisconsin
Mitchell, South Dakota
Keystone, South Dakota
Cheyenne, Wyoming
Fort Collins, Colorado
(3) Colorado Springs, CO
Cortez, Colorado
Maob, Utah
Panguitch, Utah
Provo, Utah
Park City, Utah
Lava Hot Springs, Idaho
Boise, Idaho
Bend, Oregon
Grants Pass, Oregon
(2) Florence, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Castle Rock, Washington
La Push, Washington
Puyallup, Washington
Lakeside, Washington
Concrete, Washington
Tawsheewas, BC
Clinton, BC
Smithers, BC
Watson Lake, Yukon
Beaver Creek, Yukon
(3) Fairbanks, AK
Denali National Park
Fairbanks, AK
Willow, AK
Seward, AK
Kenai, AK
Ninichick, AK
(3) Glenallen, AK
Haines Junction, Yukon
Teslin, Yukon
Dawson Creek, BC
Hinton, Alberta
Jasper, Alberta
Banff, Alberta
Calgary, Alberta
St. Mary's, Montana
Many Glacier, GLacier National Park
Butte, Montana
(2) Yellowstone National Park, Canyon
Rock Springs, WY
Colorado SPrings, CO
WaKeanny, Kansas
Green River, Illinios
Washington, Pennsylvania

Our Favorites

Top 5 Favorite Campsites

1. LaPush Beach- The people, the fire pit, the scenery, the stars, falling asleep to the sounds of the waves

2. Smithers, British Colombia- The best bathrooms in the whole trip, nature music and all

3. Park City- The sound of the babbling brook and mountains surrounding us

4. Any Koa with great bathrooms

5. Any hotel, friend's house, or campsite with free internet access!


Top 5 Least Favorite Campsites

1. Paradise Cove- Anything but paradise and otherwise known as the Poor White Trash Campground or the place that shall not be named

2. Ninichillik, Alaska- It was so bad I could never even explain it but at least it was a cheap cabin that did provide some warmth but it gives me shutters to think about it!

3. Yellowstone- Beautiful campground but the bear 50 feet away from the tent was a bit much!

4. Provo, Utah- The bugs were out of control and we were contuinously attacked by raccons all night

5. Concrete, Washington- There was definietly something amiss in that campground, it was really nice but VERY creepy. It didn't help that there was a television and we freaked ourselves out watching CSI but still there was something else that I just can't put my finger on.


Top 5 Most disgusting Bathrooms

Yes, I know I have serious bathroom issues!

1. La Push Campground
2. Please refer back to the #2 least favorite campground
3. Please refer back to the #1 least favorite camground
4. Any Outhouse along the Alaskan Highway
5. A certain friend's bathroom- boys need to learn to clean up after themselves, no seriously, it was gross


Top 5 states

1. Alaska
2. Wyoming
3. Montana
4. Washington
5. Oregon

Top 5 National Parks (of this trip)

1. Glacier, Montana
2. Mesa Verde National Park
3. Arches, Utah
4. Bryce Canyon, Utah
5. North Cascades, Washington

Overall, Top 6 National Parks, well I couldn't narow it down so it's theTop 7

1. Denali, Alaska
2. Yellowstone, Wyoming
3. Mesa Verde National Park
4. Glacier, Montana
5. Redwoods, California
6. Arches, Utah
7. Crater Lake, Oregon



Great Memories

Oddities and Mirages

1-800- Cowboys
(actually 1880 Cowboy House)

Crispy Fried and Moisturized

How ridicoulsy long it took us to figure out how long we had left on our trip (too inebriated for our own good)

Super powers for Sydney

A little piece of home right here in ....

I heart Cuz

Hybrid Secret Love Language

Dairy Queen Mirage

PWT campground

Laura's bathroom phobia

Serious car

Fun Warden

Lesbian incident at Java Hut

Man Deep

What chow du

Glorious Language

Junk Yards

Grouch Pills

Follow the Raven

Damm hidden tree

Worker Bee

Butts, Ass, and cheese smell in the car

Les Schwab

Letter writing campaign

Re classification Project
Furled Spruce
Knotted Pine

Cuz Bear
Laura Bear

Karoake

Material Girl

Fairbanks Idol

Cold Weather Socks

The time when we were hereos at Yellowstone, saving the life of the bear and countless others!!!

Ninichillik, AK- oh good the horror!!

Chocolate Raspberry creamer

Lake Clouds

International Drug Smuggling

Feeling Restrained

Laura trying to get in her sleeping bag

I'm not gonna lie Cuz, its a little warm in here

Jennie's memroy problems

Nalgene Incident

OHHHHHH Laura going to shit her pants

Players

Metric System

Old boyfriend in Vancouver

Wyoming boyfriend

La Push Boyfriend

Black Butte

Souvenirs

Cat like reflexes

penguins- there are no penguins in Alaska

Yes you can drive to Alaska

Sing a longs in the car

The bear in our campground
Dance party on the side of the road in British Colombia

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