The gurgling of rolling water, plops of mud and hiss of steam vents provide the soundtrack to our meanderings along the Mud Volcano Trail. After four days in Yellowstone we found ourselves getting caught up in the mad dash from sight to sight and today decided to scale it way back. It's funny how easily we slip back into the same bad habits we had prior to traveling whenever we stay in one place for a while. Too much activity and we start wishing for something stable. Too much consistency and we start dreaming of the open road. So today we didn't want to do any intense hiking, but we wanted to make sure we stayed moderately active. Not only that, but today is an extra special day that only comes around every so often and ... read more

It’s hard to know what to expect as we approach the northeast entrance to Yellowstone. We’ve seen countless photos, watched the PBS documentaries, and even read a bit about the history and wildlife in anticipation of this leg of our trip, but what is one supposed to make of one of the most, if not the most, famous National Park? Should we stare in awe out our windows at the river running through the Lamar valley, set out on the backcountry trails in search of the red fox, wolves and other predators, grumble in annoyance at the tourist bottlenecks that clog the roadways every time a chipmunk scampers by? I suppose not having any preconceived expectations means we won’t be disappointed, but I suppose in a way, I expect to be wowed beyond anything I could ... read more

Winding our way up the Peter Norbeck Scenic Highway, Andras is the first to spot the monument in the distance. With our windows rolled down, we let the comforting scent of pine drift on in our way. The Black Hills appeared suddenly out of the grasslands as increasing precipitation supported the growth of more biomass, now in the form of douglas fir and ponderosa pine. Andras says it smells like home in eastern Washington; I can’t confirm his perception, but it sure smells fresh. As we careen through pig-tail bridges and switchbacks we slowly make our way closer. The sculpture is higher up than we expected. Even though we have an Interagency Pass we still have to pay the parking fee. Unlike the other national parks which charge admittance fees, Mt. Rushmore is operated through a ... read more

There's not much we can say about the praire in south-western Minnesota, other than we're glad to be out of there. The wind battered fiercely against the car the hours as we drove west on I-90. As Andras fought to keep the wheels straight, I stared out the window at the endless fields of grain. It became apparent very quickly that we wouldn't make it all the way to the Badlands by nightfall thanks to the wind slowing us down, so we headed north to visit Walnut Grove, one of the residences of pioneer author Laura Ingalls Wilder. My sister and I were also fans of the television show growing up and I think she might have read the books, so we thought a bit of nostalgia might break the monotony of the long drive. ... read more

In traditional elementary school style, we both decided to scribe hypothetical letters back to the state of Wisconsin after visiting, much like we were obligated to do after field-trips and guest speakers and such. Mine goes like this: Dear Wisconsin As the self-professed 'Dairy Capital of America' I was really looking forward to your acres of cow pasture, tasting your marvelous cheese and touring your beautiful farmland. Instead, all I got was rain, mosquitoes and overpriced public campgrounds. I am truely dissapointed. Sincerely, Stephanie Andras was a little more succinct: Dear Wisconsin You suck. PS: Your cheese is good and the Packers are okay too. Needless to say, this leg of our trip was not exactly what we had expected. After waking up first thing in Michigan, we headed out early to make the 200+ mile ... read more