Making Lemonade in Flaming Gorge

After filling up with one hundred and fifty gallons of gas we steered both gas hogs West and made our first rest stop at Steinaker Dam & Reservoir, a little lake that Joey used to stop at ocassionally on his way to work.



I was surprised with how pretty and blue it is, and especially liked the way the islands appeared to be sinking. While Jewel was helping Joey walk the bus (check tires and such) a big rig had a tire blow out that threw a huge piece of shredded tire, nearly hitting them. Also while we were there Joey called to confirm the job and they told him the client had postponed...and no idea until when. A simple phone call would have been nice! So now we don't want to drive all over the place, wasting gas with no end in sight so we pull out the trusty old road map. Since we're within miles of Dinosaur National Monument we decide to go ahead and check it out. We weren't going to because it's hot and all, but the surrounding landscapes are so beautiful and What the Heck? we have nothing better to do.



After stopping at the Visitor's Center, and then driving all the way up to the gate, we find out that the main attraction, the Dinosuar Quarry, is closed, and has been since July 2006. There are no hookups inside, plus no fossils, so we turn around after a little pow wow and decide to go to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (N.R.A.). N.R.A.'s are usually best enjoyed with a boat but oh well, let's check it out.

I don't think we're going to be disappointed by the looks of it.



We stop at the Visitor's Center and go straight for the water.



That was a long walk, I needed a break.

Can you see the face?


After we're done playing we finally head to the visitor's center, only to get there two minutes after closing. So typical.

Over the bridge we go.


Up, Up, and Up some more, at a whopping speed of about 20mph.....but plenty of time to enjoy the views.


We found camping, at the Mustang Ranch. Get your head out of the gutter. Our Mustang Ranch is a large campground with many secluded sites overlooking the lake, ours wasn't one of them, but it was a nice, sometimes shady spot with lots of trees and trails and no hookups. So we just park and look for a way to the lake. After a short hike we found Sunny Cove, and things are certainly looking sunnier. Let's play today, we'll think work tomorrow.

Jewel's orders.

Mt. Rushmore

A lot had changed in eight years, but it was still hot and crowded, at least this time I wasn't carrying a crying newborn.....and we were able to walk the President's Trail. Last time we didn't do it because of the crying baby, but also because it was too dang hot and it was a dirt trail. Now the trail was paved half way and stair cased the rest. It gave us a chance to get a lot closer, and to work up a good sweat.



When this family asked Joey to take a family picture for them, it took all I had to control myself from ripping the camera out of his hands, instead I captured the moment, which became my favorite photo of the day.



After that a woman offered to take a photo for us so naturally I jumped at the chance, but I was bummed to see the results. So after that when I'd see a family minus one I'd offer to take it for them, and I made sure I gave them picture postcard photos. I had so much fun doing that, I could have done it all day, but it was getting hotter by the hour.........So we headed South and found ourselves on the Iron Mountain Highway which is a mountainous route thru the Black Hills that has three strategically placed tunnels that were built specifically to frame Mt. Rushmore. What a nice wrong turn.