Tuesday, Sept 12 to Thursday, Sept 14

After a good nights sleep at a Fairfield Inn in Amarillo, TX, we have an uneventful drive to Douglas, WY and stop at a Hampton Inn. We have now done two 600+ mile days. The driving has been very easy with the miles just flying by. You can really eat up the miles on the interstates in the West with their 75 and 80 mph speed limits.

We are now within easy driving distance to arrive in Vancouver by Sunday, so we decide to have a slow morning and go to Cody, WY for Wednesday night. Cody is a neat town, but is a step back into the 50's or 60's as far as accommodations are concerned. There are not any of the new highway hotels, just a collection of very well preserved, older style motels and some other more eclectic types of lodgings. Booking the night before you arrive at a popular tourist area also limits the pickings.

We decide on an “interesting” sounding ranch house style lodge and book for a 2PM arrival. We camped in Cody last fall and had a delightful lunch at a place called Annies, but it was late in the Fall then and the Museum of the West or Buffalo Bill’s museum was closed for the season. Yellowstone had already had their first snow and the East entrance was closed also. Hopefully we will have better luck this time!

We get to Cody about 1PM and stop for lunch at Annies. It is just as good as we remember especially the homemade root beer float. Yummmmm. We then head out of town to find the lodge and get settled in. It is not bad, but with a very eclectic decor! Our room includes a bed made out of an old wagon in our large room. It also has two twin beds and a nice mountain view!

Carolyn declines a visit to the museum in favor of stretching out on the sofa and reading. Dick heads to the museum and has a great time. It has an impressive collection of all types of firearms...he is in hog heaven!  Neither of us wants to go back into town to eat so Dick gets some take out and we crash!

We wake to cold wind and cloudy skies this morning. The weather is suppose to really go south later today, but hopefully it will hold off until we get through Yellowstone.

Steve, the owner of the lodge serves a huge, chuck wagon, family style breakfast at 8AM. The lodge is full so there are 11 people around the big farm table. The food and the conversation are good and we head out about 9AM very well fed.

By the time we get to the East Gate of Yellowstone National Park the weather has improved and the sun is peaking out. Carolyn wants to see the falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as it has been many years since we were through that part of the Park.

There is not too much traffic and we are able to stop for some animal sightings, the beautiful scenery and the short walk to see the Falls. We also stop and pick up some sandwiches at the Park Store. We stop at a picnic spot along one of the many streams and have lunch while watching a man fly fishing for trout.

All in all it has been two pleasant, though unplanned days. We make it to Butte, MT about 4pm and check into another Fairfield Inn....so far both have been new, very nice with a decent breakfast and inexpensive. We ask about a local steakhouse and are sent to Montana Rib and Chop House. After a nice meal we head back to the hotel and crash.

We have 730 miles to Vancouver and should be there sometime Saturday. We will then pick up the regularly scheduled trip program.