Seriously, guys?  You really don't want to be between me and my coffee.  It's a dangerous place to be.  And, on a completely unrelated side-note, I haven't had beef in days.

Oh, I'm just kidding!  Maybe.

Coffee in hand, we knocked out the 4.5 hour drive to Cheyenne and ordered a feast at Chili's.  We needed it!  No awesome blossom though, unfortunately.

The plan for the day was to find a tourist-y recommendation called Terry's Bison Ranch near Cheyenne and explore some of the activities there- a train, animals, rides, gift shop, restaurant, and pony riding- and then stay at the ranch's campground overnight.

From our research, we figured the ranch was going to be a tourist-trap: cheesy, over-the-top, but a whole lotta fun.  We were exactly right.

The first thing we did was sign up for the train ride.  The train departs from "the depot" every hour and a half, lasts about an hour long, and gives a tour of the ranch as well as an opportunity to feed Prairie Bison.  TLO was stoked!

It's a dream come true, folks.  As the storm clouds rolled in, we boarded the train and headed out to the pasture of buffalo.

"I want to feed them all by myself."  -TLO  
​Yeah, sure you do, buddy.  You just wait till you see these big guys.

Woah.

On our way out we actually briefly entered Colorado, the only time we were in Colorado on this trip.

The buffalo were HUGE!  Ranging anywhere from 2,000-4,000 pounds, the males were the first to approach the train.  The females hung back at first with their babies (I get ya, girls).  There was a newborn baby bison not even 30 minutes old, too.

The train stopped and it was time for TLO to feed the bison!  We didn't think he would do it, but he proved us wrong!

A cold sprinkle was starting when the train pulled back into station, but we took a few minutes to check out some of the other animals.  My favorite was a friendly horse who just loved Reed's head-rubs!

There was also this catwalk/bridge thing that went over all of the cattle pens.  We crept across it with caution- I found it terrifying, but as usual, the boys loved it.

They had pretty much everything you would expect in attendance: horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, cows, chickens, turkeys, alpacas, pigs- even a stray cat!

And camels.  But they were isolated because they don't know how to be nice.

Too soon the sprinkle became a cold rain, and we dashed for the car.  It was only 4:30, and Jacob wasn't looking forward to setting up camp in the rain only to sit in a tent until dark.  So in the adventurous spirit of the Wild West, we decided to drive a few more hours east and hope to find a campground to stay overnight.

I can't believe I just wrote that!  Did the perfectionist, super-planned, fearful momma-bear really just write that?

Well, it's exactly what we did, and boy, did Ogallala Beach at Lake McConaughy (I'm so glad I don't have to say either of those words out loud) deliver!

Determined to get TLO to bed at an early time, we googled the nearest campground while driving on I-80 in the middle of the Nebraska cornfields.  The GPS let us to Ogallala Campground.  Not sure what to expect, we were absolutely shocked to find a gorgeous beach with marked campsites.  The beach was sandwiched between two gigantic rocks, the sand was smooth and deep, and the sun was setting on a gigantic lake.  I was literally speechless, and I suddenly knew that Reed was not going to get to bed on time.

Jacob set up camp one last time while Reed and I explored the beach.  I had a little flashback to our trip to Myrtle Beach as I watched him completely shut out everything and immerse himself in the beach around him. 

At dark, we put Reed to bed and he was asleep in minutes.  Jacob and I stayed up and finally got to see a clear, starry sky.  Five nights out camping and no stars because of clouds, but night #6 was a good one!

Morning came too early, and we let TLO play in the sand for a couple more hours before hitting the road again.

Leaving the bison ranch without a camping plan was a risk- no doubt!  But sometimes taking a risk can lead you to something wonderful.  Or something horrible.  I am thankful that we didn't end up in some children-of-the-corn situation out in the cornfields of Nebraska.  We did check the ratings, but still.  I think we might have found a little favor with the Man upstairs that night.

Who knew there were beaches in Nebraska?  I didn't.

Look- another beautiful water pump!  I think I might be obsessed.

​Goodbye, Lake Ogallala!  Something tells me that we just might see you again someday!

I can't imagine getting serenaded by my son on the Wyoming prairie for my birthday.  But my husband can.  Happy birthday, love!

Jacob will be hunting antelope and mule deer in Wyoming in the fall, so two days of our vacation were devoted to scouting the area in which he will be hunting.  We drove an hour or so to his designated unit and began to search for an adequate place to camp off of the windy dirt road.  We found a place about 30 minutes from Kaycee, through red rock valleys, rocky hillsides, and meadows with incredible views and patchy cell service.

It only took us an hour or so to set up camp and we were good to go- we are getting faster!  We geared up and went for a short hike to explore the area before dinner.

"I want a BIG walking stick!" -TLO

After the hike, we made some hot dogs and got ready for bed.  Jacob "glassed" for antelope and deer (looked through binoculars) while I read a book to Reed- a neat collection of Winnie the Pooh stories I picked up at a yard sale last week (for $1- oh yeah!).  No staying up around the campfire- thankfully the altitude changes don't seem to mess with TLO, but I can feel myself tire pretty easily.  

The next morning, revived, I discovered that there is absolutely nothing to do while back country camping except sit by the campfire, read, hike, or talk.  So that's how we spent most of the day.  It was truly one of the most relaxing and peaceful days I've had in a while.  The weather was beautiful, the views were amazing, but my favorite was the silence.  Just the sound of nothing but wind.  Not something we ever get in Cincy, for sure!

While in Kaycee, we discovered that we were a mere 30 miles from Hole-in-the-Wall, a pass that used to be home to the likes of Jesse James, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Hole in the Wall Gang, and other unruly characters from the Old West.  The history of Hole-in-the-Wall is a little cloudy but interesting.  We decided to venture out on the rocky, dirt roads to find the pass.

The roads are really windy and bumpy, so I took a Dramamine to help with the carsickness.  It helped, but it also knocked me out!  I slept through a good part of the 3 hour round-trip drive (30 miles is a loooooong way on those roads), but I managed to get it together long enough to see the pass and some pretty amazing landscapes along the way.

Back at camp in the afternoon, we made campfire potatoes, played with TLO, went on a little hike, and chatted while taking in the scenery.  I felt so blessed to have that time to connect with my little family.  It was a simple day but also a fulfilling one.

Can't you just stay two forever?  I want to capture every precious piece of this stage. His tiny fingers, his little voice, the sound of his laugh, how his belly gets big when he's full...
​Sniffle.

We wrapped up the night watching Michael Scott order an "awesome blossom- extra awesome" on Netflix, hearing the mule deer stomp outside the tent, and planning the days ahead.  

So back country camping was hard, but also one of the best times I've had with my family.  I feel pretty good after making it 2 days out in "the wild!"  You all should be very proud of me.

We packed up camp early to see the mountain reservoir one last time before we left the Bighorn National Forest and drove about an hour south to Buffalo, Wyoming.  We arrived around 11:00 AM and check-in at our hotel wasn't until 2:30, so we had some time to burn.  First two items on the agenda in my book: find a laundromat and get some warm food.  Because stinky and hungry is not a recipe for a good day.

Lo and behold- a laundromat next to a Pizza Hut buffet!  Hallelujah and Amen!  We started a giant load of clothes and settled into a booth.  We watched in awe as TLO ate salad, pasta, pizza, bread sticks, pudding, and dessert pizza before declaring he was full.  Camping is hard work.

After picking up our laundry, we toured Historic Buffalo.  There was a stream running through the center of the town with big trout that you could feed from a bridge, arts, sports, antiques, and tourist shops, and an ice cream stand.  After a few hours, we were tired and decided to check into our hotel room early and get some rest.

The lobby of the Historic Occidental Hotel was absolutely stunning.  It looked like an Old Western parlor with golden, embossed ceilings, animal mounts on the walls, a huge fireplace, a giant piano, and even a newspaper from the 1920s.  Plants, flowers, and antiques were everywhere; pictures of famous visitors and beautiful paintings hung on the walls.  

We stayed in the Rose Room- easily the girliest room in the hotel.  It was lovely- and Jacob didn't mind because it had ESPN.  Ha! We lounged around and explored the antiques, furniture, and decorations in the room and got our first hot shower in days.  Just saying that makes me cringe!

The hotel is connected to the Occidental Saloon (also historic with authentic bullet holes preserved in the walls).  We planned to eat at the saloon around 6 to have a seat for the live bluegrass band that would begin playing at 7.  Apparently, the saloon has live music once a week, and it's a big deal.  Reed was super excited for the "banjo show," of course. We got all dressed up and couldn't find a seat in the house!   It was a little bit of a bummer, but we found a nearby cafe and walked around town some more.  We did manage to sneak into the saloon to let Reed see "the banjo show" for a few minutes, though, before going to sleep for the night.  Inside.  In a bed.  It's the little things.

Reed and I snuck out of the hotel room early the next morning to let Jacob sleep in, the only birthday present he requested.  We were in a seat at the Busy Bee Cafe by 7:30 and had a gigantic breakfast.

After breakfast, we walked a few blocks down and visited a nearby museum.

My favorite part of the museum was the memorial of Nate Champion, a hero who held off 50 armed invaders for 7 hours before getting shot and killed, buying the people of Buffalo enough time to form a posse to defend against and overcome the invaders.  ​

The memorial also included a log cabin, a tee-pee, and above all, in Reed's opinion, an old tractor.  

TLO would've explored that old tractor for hours, but I made him move along after about 15 minutes of trying to explain parts of the tractor I knew nothing about.  I'm becoming quite a tractor and bulldozer expert lately.

We walked back to the hotel and met up with Jacob, checked out, picked up a few supplies, and drove the two hours to our next camping site.  We are supposed to spend the next two nights camping on the prairie on public land- that means no furnished campsite, no bathrooms, no water, no electricity.  And probably no cell service unless we get really lucky.  This is going to be the real challenge of the trip- especially for me.  These boys could live out of a tent forever.  I can't say the same for myself, so wish me luck!

After spending an early morning in the Badlands, we drove through fields of prairie dogs and antelope and headed West to the Bighorn National Forest.  The landscape changed to golden hills and I fell asleep.  Silly me!  An hour later, I woke up with no cell service (gone for the next two days) and a huge mountain right in front of us.  A winding dirt and gravel road snaked up the side of the mountain.  It didn't take me long to snap wide awake!

I gripped the car door as we drove up, up, up. The road was really bumpy at first, but after a while it smoothed out.  The bottom of the mountain was made up of vast, golden meadows.  Antelope, deer, and beautiful log cabins dotted the landscape.  After a while, the meadows faded into evergreens and big rocks.  Jacob took that opportunity to give me instructions on what to do if I see a bear.  Awesome.
​
We kept going up though, and the big bear-cave rocks went away and all that was left were tall, skinny pine trees, green meadows, and mountain streams.  The only strange part of the landscape was all of the cattle!  Black Angus cows were everywhere!  In the road, in the trees, around the streams.  No matter where we were on the mountain, we could hear them moo-ing! 

Get outta the road!

We found East Fork Campground and set up camp.  We expected wild, ungroomed, vaguely marked campsites.  Instead, we found this amazing campground five minutes from a ranger station with clean sites equipped with soft dirt for the tent, a grill, a fire pit, and beautiful views.  The campground had a bathroom (yay!) and clean water from a pump, which I thought was
pioneer-y and totally up my alley. 

We stayed around camp the first day, set up our tent, and met some of the other people in the campground.  There were four other families staying around us, along with the "camp host", Tanna.  Tanna was kind of like the camp mom.  She brought us firewood for our first night, stopped by and talked a few times a day, and told us the best places to explore.  Reed had her wrapped around his finger before too long, and they zoomed around on her ATV to check out the campground by the end of the second day.

We made a yummy dinner over the campfire of steak tips and baked potatoes.  It was easy and super satisfying!  I've posted the recipe here.  As TLO says, "Deeeee-licious, Mommy!"

The night got pretty chilly, but Reed slept a full 10 hours without waking and was snug as a bug in his sleeping bag.  I wasn't so snug, so Jacob got up early and made me a big fire to warm up.  He's so awesome.  After the sleepyhead woke up, we decided to explore the mountain reservoir before lunch, and that's how I found my new happy place.

Words and pictures don't do it justice.  It was at the very top of the mountain and was flat and clear and beautiful.  Truly breathtaking.

We stayed for quite a while, throwing rocks, taking pictures, and just looking around.

After a couple of hours, we made our way back to camp for lunch and Reed's mid-day nap.  Jacob went fishing, I took a nap in the hammock, and a storm rolled in really fast!  After nap we all cuddled warm and dry in the tent for an hour, watching Bob the Builder on the portable DVD player as the rain pattered on the tent.

So here's the thing.  We bought Bob the Builder at Walmart before we headed up the mountain on the first day, and Reed watched it all the way up the mountain.  We thought it sounded strange but didn't really think much of it.  We realized in the tent that the DVD was playing in French.  And it had bothered TLO not at all.  I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure he will have the theme song memorized in French before too long.  Why would French be the default language on Bob the Builder​??  Just wondering.

After the storm, we spent the remaining few hours of daylight working hard- drying wood, building a fire, drying our clothes, and making dinner.  Maybe not the most glamorous night, but we enjoyed the time together just working around the campsite.  Reed and Jacob spotted the moose again before bed, Reed rode on the ATV with Tanna, and we hit the sack early.  Camping is hard work!

I've enjoyed our stay in the mountains.  The air was refreshing, the sights were breathtaking, and the time with my family is really special to me.  But I would be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to that stay in the hotel on day 4.  But I also want to go camping in the mountains again very, very soon.  It's all so confusing!  For now, I'm happy to be back in WiFi in time to remember all of the details of our days in the Bighorn National Forest. 

Off to new adventures!

Our big trip out West is finally here!  We left at The Little Outdoorsman's bedtime and drove 18 hours to Badlands National Park.  Jacob and I switched off driving and sleeping, and I packed plenty of games and DVDs for Reed to play when he wasn't sleeping.  He loves car trips, so although the trip was long, it was fun!

In the weeks prior to leaving, I did a ton of shopping and planning for the long drive.  Here are the top 3 items in my road trip toolbox:

• TLO loves a show called Mighty Machines, so I was sure to bring plenty of episodes on DVD.  My sister let me borrow her portable DVD player and remote- a lifesaver!
• This T.S. Shure Barnyard Friends Magnetic Tin Playset occupied TLO through a good part of Minnesota.  Hands on, imaginative, and easily contained.  What's not to love?
• Before we left I downloaded the Life 360 app on my smartphone.  I invited my mom, mother-in-law, sister, and sister-in-law to join "my circle" and the app shows my location as we travel across the country.  My family loves seeing where we are and knowing we are safe.  We can also message and send pictures within the app.  It has been an easy, free way for us to stay in touch on this extended trip.

We set up camp right away and then explored the Badlands.  We drove to the nearest set of trails and started hiking.  I "stopped to take pictures" a lot- AKA catch my breath.  Whew!  Out of shape!  Good thing I have a strong, handsome hubby to help TLO along because I was just trying to put one foot in front of the other.

"I think I need to stop and take a picture."

"I think I need to stop and take a picture."
They caught on to my tricks after a while.  In my defense, I actually did want to take pictures of everything!

We hiked for a couple hours, until TLO found out the hard way what a cactus is.  Just a little prick on the hand but still not fun!  Poor guy.  We got him a Sprite, the ultimate comfort right now, and he was ready to go back out. We decided to take a break from the grassy areas to check out the caves.

That one's a framer!

"Mommy- I'm so tall!"

After another hour or so of exploring, we headed back to camp.  On the way, we took a side road and saw this beautiful Bighorn sheep!  Jacob went bananas and chased it down with a camera for about 20 minutes.  Reed was SO excited and whispered, "what is Daddy doing?" for about 10 of the 20 minutes.  It was super cool, and a first for all of us!

Back at camp, we took showers and ate a picnic dinner of sandwiches and pretzels.  TLO watched a show in the tent with his daddy while I snatched a precious few moments of quiet me-time.  I just sat in a camp chair and looked at the Badland formations and the rising moon.  It was a really special time for me to pray and reflect on the day.  I am so thankful to have the opportunity to take a trip like this with my family, so blessed to live in a country with such beautiful landscapes!  

After a full 8 hours of sleep for everybody, we are off to the Bighorn Mountains for a couple more days of camping.  I asked to stay in a hotel every few days- a reasonable request, right?  A know people say "a little dirt never hurt anybody" but I'm not fully convinced.  Ha.  Send me happy, healthy, fitness-filled thoughts, friends!  I know you have my back!