You know you're a redneck when......

Loading ATV's for our camping trip has been a huge issue.  Two years ago we took two trucks and pulled one camper and one flatbed trailer with the four wheelers (quads).  The bikes are the best means of getting around in the Big Horns.  The roads are very rough in a truck.  OK, yes, this is embarrassing American excess at its best.  What can I say?  Happy 4th of July!

This year we are minus one truck but we still wanted to take the four wheelers. How to do this has been a topic of major conversation for weeks.  Gary's cousin Ken came up from Phoenix to help us out.  I won't bore you with the details, but this is what the boys worked out.

The girls want to know how we are going to get them out of the truck and then back into the truck when we have to leave......

Stay tuned!  We'll be back in a couple of weeks.

How hooked am I on pictures and blogs to post this before we leave in the morning??  

Right now everything is so green! Will it be that way when we get home?

"In summer, the song sings itself."  - - William Carlos Williams

Colter Bay, Grand Teton National Park

Colter Bay and the Tetons in afternoon sunshine!  We moved our camper south back to the Tetons and enjoyed a sun-drenched walk around Colter Bay during our last afternoon of this fabulous vacation.

Canoes for rent.

Towards the end of our walk, it clouded up again and eventually rained some more but that was ok.  We completed our journey with warm hearts and a grateful attitude for friends and the stunning beauty of nature.

You will find many more beautiful skies from around the world at SkyWatchFriday, check it out!

On the 4th of July we are heading back to a different part of Wyoming for a two week camping trip in the Big Horn Mountains.  Expect more pictures of  big, wonderful Wyoming!!

Where IS it?

On another roadside stop, we saw this coyote looking for something.  I was able to shoot the pictures right from the truck window.  Fortunately my zoom (only a 300mm) was already attached.  Our little miniature Schnauzer stayed quiet.  He must have sensed he might be prey as well.

I didn't catch the cute little hop the coyote made while searching for what was probably a mouse but we really enjoyed watching the hunt, however unsuccessful it might have been.  

Photo Safari on our last morning in Yellowstone

Back at Fishing Bridge very early in the morning.  

We signed up for a first for us--a photo safari.  We arrived at 5:30 a.m. at the Lake Hotel with an open but groggy mind.  A photographer took us to some nice places and gave us some tips on shooting.  It was interesting and helpful.

Swallows I think, she told us, but like I said it was very early.

Our restored Yellowstone "bus."

"This coffee tastes like shit."  We are coffee snobs.  We buy fresh roasted beans and grind them ourselves.  Need I say more?

Exquisite light and clouds make for more amazing pictures.

We were trying to catch a rainbow at the bottom of the falls at 9:30 a.m.  The sun wasn't too cooperative but it was worth a try.  A pale rainbow did emerge but my camera didn't pick it up. Susan's point and shoot did but I don't have a copy of her picture.

Right at the end of our tour, our guide spotted a pile of cars, knowing it had to be something good and it was--another grizzly.

And finally, a Swainson's hawk flew over head just before we ended our tour. What a morning!

River Otter

The thumbnails look dark, but if you click on the pictures you can see the river otter eating a freshly caught fish.

I'm not always around water in my alpine desert home but there is a lot of water in Yellowstone National Park. For more watery vistas, check out Watery Wednesday.

More animal shots

Lots of geese were everywhere.

This big horn sheep was resting not too far from where we saw the bear.

There are many herds of elk near Mammoth Hot Springs.  It was fun to see the babies.  The rangers said that if you saw a young elk, you might see a bear close behind but we luckily that time we didn't.

Gardiner, Montana is a little tourist town just outside the north entrance of Yellowstone National Park.

This was my world not to long ago.  For other glimpses of places from around the globe, check out My World Tuesday.