2018 Sept. Yellowstone: with Angie, Josh, and Layla

2018 Yellowstone: with Angie, Josh, and Layla:


13 months of advance planning!  Why so long?  I booked a week at the Worldmark West Yellowstone.  Like Kihei, you have to be online ready to book the resort right at 13 months out as soon as the reservation system comes on line.  Thus, after trying a few days, I ended up with Thursday, Sept. 6th -  Thursday, Sept. 13th, 2018.

As soon as I told Angie and Josh that I booked a 2 bedroom unit at the Worldmark in West Yellowstone, Josh said without hesitation that they were coming with us (which turned out to be "me").  Neither he, nor Angie had ever been there and Josh had always wanted to.  So I was excited about another vacation with some of the kids.  I had extended the invite to Tim and Faith, too, but they declined.

A lot happened in the 13 month wait time!!!  Most notably Angie and Josh adopted a baby (Layla, who was 9.5 months old by the time the vacation rolled around); and Ken developed char-cots foot and a bone infection and spent 7 weeks getting antibiotic IV infusions that ended about 2 weeks before the trip.  I was in limbo for the last couple months as to whether or not I'd get to go.  But Ken got well enough to stay on his own and even dog sit while we were gone.

Next came the debate on whether to fly directly into West Yellowstone or into Jackson Hole.  After waiting a bit too long to get tickets, Jackson Hole ended up being a couple hundred dollars cheaper per person (still about $550 rt), so our decision was made.  I wasn't too upset, I'd always wanted to see the Grand Tetons.  Ended up not being any cheaper since we ended up spending about $600 in hotels to stay in Jackson the night we got there and the night before flying back home.  We hadn't planned to leave West Yellowstone a day early, but wasn't looking forward to another long day of confining Layla to a car seat on the 13th knowing we wouldn't get into Perry, Ga.until about midnight.  So we decided to spend the night of the 12th in Jackson, too.  I'm not sorry we did.  The ride through the Tetons on the 6th, and the ride along the back side of the Tetons on the 12th were amazing!

As for Yellowstone---it didn't disappoint, either!  Weather was spectacular!  Views were more spectacular!!  Company was the most spectacular!!!!

Sept 5, 2018---travel day

Jackson Hole Lodge---accommodations in Jackson

Sept. 6, 2018--- to West Yellowstone by way of The Grand Tetons

Worldmark West Yellowstone---accommodations in West Yellowstone

Sept. 7, 2018---Mammoth Hot Springs and Lamar Valley

Sept. 8, 2018---Hayden Valley, Mud Volcano Area, and Canyon Area 

Sept. 9, 2018---Norris Geyser Basin 

Sept. 10, 2018---Midway Geyser Basin and Old Faithful Historic District 

Sept. 11, 2018---Hayden, West Thumb, and Biscuit Basin 

Sept.  12, 2018---back to Jackson

Sept. 13, 2018---Mormon Row Historic District and back to Georgia


It was another vacation I will cherish forever!  Loved spending the time with the kids and getting to see so many spectacular things.

For my blog from 2002 with some different areas of Yellowstone, click HERE

9-13-18 time to head home: by way of Mormon Row Historic district---

Good thing we drove up here the day before!  It took quite a long time just getting out of the Jackson Lodge this morning.  Although a little of that time was spent in the office trying to find out why my receipt said we paid $250 when we actually paid $350.  She actually took the receipt away from me and said I wasn't suppose to see that!  When we asked for the receipt back, she wouldn't give it to me.  Another idiot!  Sure is nice staying mainly in WorldMark and Wyndham timeshares!  None of those problems to worry about!
Anyway----eventually we were on our way.
Angie had seen on the internet that there was a great photo op near the airport with the Tetons in the background.  So we skipped breakfast and headed out to take more pictures.

The airport was only about 5 miles from Jackson.  It's a beautiful drive.

Layla sporting the 2 pacifier technique this morning.  I'm sure she's thinking, "not another day in the car all day!"

A couple miles from the airport is the photo op---Mormon Row Historic District.  Six building clusters and an isolated ruin, representing six homesteads, are the only physical structural remains within the historic community boundaries.

  They sure picked a place with an amazing view to build their community!

 The line of homestead complexes run along the Jackson-Moran Road near the southeast corner of Grand Tetons National Park, in the valley called Jackson Hole.

Now the only interruption to the view are planes flying in and out of Jackson Hole.

It was settled in 1908 by Andy Chambers, John Moulton, and T.A. Moulton homesteads.  In 1943, Jackson Hole National Monument (today's Grand Teton National Park) was created marking the nearing of the end of the Mormon development. 

We weren't the only ones who found out about this place.  There were several photographers here---and some foreign tourists.  We tried to wait them out but after standing around about 20 minutes while they took the same picture over and over again of their grown daughter, we had to hit the road.

Now we were about 1.5 hours from take off.

One last before the gal ran into the picture again.

There were a couple more structures a short ways down the road.  Fortunately we were able to beat the foreigners there---before having to continue on to the airport.

 Mormon Row was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997.

After stopping to gas up, we made it to the airport about an hour before our flight.  Nice that it's such a small airport and easy to get through.  They even have free use of luggage carts---which we gladly used since we had a big checked bag, 2 carry on rollers, a baby car seat and a baby stroller (both bagged), and a back pack, diaper bag and another carry on bag---can't believe I didn't take a picture of our haul!  Angie and I got everything to the ticket counter while Josh returned the car.
Then I saw my first moose---too bad it was just a picture of one.

A gate with a view!

You know you're in a small airport when you have to go outside and up a ramp to get on the plane.

At least Layla was out of the car seat.

Our flights were even on time again. 

I think Layla was enjoying the ride.

Good bye Jackson.

on our way to Chicago.

Layla even took a nice long nap.

Flying into Chicago.  In all the years I've been flying, I don't remember ever flying into Chicago!

We had a short lay over in Chicago, but our connection was the same plane, so we knew it was there. 

Left Chicago right as the sun was setting.

Got into ATL about 10.  Josh ran to get the car while Angie and I waited for our luggage.  The car seat and stroller bags didn't come onto the conveyer, so after waiting awhile, I headed to the AA customer baggage claim office.  Low and behold, there were the missing items.  They don't put them on the conveyer, but they don't note that anywhere.  We refused to pay the $5 for a luggage truck, so were loaded to the gills carrying all the stuff to passenger pick up.  Especially since they were doing construction where you would normally go and we had to go back down and to another pick up area.  But we finally caught up with Josh and were on our way to Perry---another 1.5-2 hour car ride.  Got there about 11:30pm.  It was a long day, but went about as well as could be expected.

9-12-18 back to Jackson:

Originally we had planned to spend 7 nights at the WorldMark West Yellowstone, but with the way traffic is so unpredictable and Layla not liking her car seat that much, we decided to leave West Yellowstone a day early and spend the last night back in Jackson.  Of course accommodations were really high there for the one night!  It was $100 more then the 1 night we stayed last week.  But better to play it safe and pay for it, then to miss our flight on the 13th and really pay for it!
At least we didn't have to rush to get out of the WorldMark since we didn't need to check out until tomorrow.
So Layla got to get a bath and take another nap before we left.

Good bye WorldMark!  Definitely a nice place to stay.

The little town of West Yellowstone as we were heading out---the opposite way of Yellowstone.

More of West Yellowstone.

Wonder "who" books a night here?

Heading West---to Idaho so we can go South along the Western side of the Tetons.

Seeing some Fall colors.

Hello Idaho!  and another continental divide?

and more fall color

Soon we were in farmland.  I thought these were turkeys until I looked at the photo.  Now they look like some kind of crane?

We hadn't planned to take this scenic route, but since it was going to Ashton and so were we, we decided to check it out.

There certainly was a lot more Fall colors in Idaho then there was in Yellowstone.

We stopped at the Mesa Falls parking lot.  On the way to the Falls overlook, I was treated to more wild flowers.

and fall berries.

the trail was nice and not too long.

by the overlook

Mesa Falls from the overlook.

That's a lot of water!

the river below the falls.

more berries on the way back to the car.

and more wild flowers.

Back on the road.

This is suppose to be a nice view of the Tetons, but they weren't visible from here today.

Soon we were back into farmland.  One of my favorite things to do from the road is take pictures of barns.  There are so many different kinds!

and farm lands in general.

an old barn

Where are all the potatoes???

Guess they could only afford half a barn!

so many different building techniques. 

It was another beautiful day---loved the clouds.

The highway was in great shape and no traffic!

The mountains are beginning to come into view.

a co-op

another co-op?

more weathered barns

a river runs through it

The Tetons---what a place to have a farm!

Now those are houses with a view!

Found the potatoes---or are they potatocs.

I wondered if this ride would be as neat as going through the Tetons.  I really enjoyed it.  So serene and non-touristy. 

With more excellent views.

Wonder who lives there!!!!????

Never thought much about Idaho before!  I think I like it!

A little town along the way.

Lucky horses---or donkeys ---or whatever they are.

Bring back memories of a little town in Oregon where I spent a lot of time.

Getting ready to go through the mountains to get to Jackson.

Layla trying to chew her nails---I bet she's thinking "get me out of here"!

Heading through the mountains.

on the other side

Pretty nice view of the Tetons here, too!

Finally got to the hotel.  We decided to stay in the same place we did on our first night.  Since we were here early enough, we decided to head out to dinner.  Angie put shoes on Layla.  I think it's the first time she wore shoes.  Don't need them in middle Georgia---at least not at her age.

Also got to wear a jacket for the first time.

Off to the restaurant---Liberty Burger. 

Pretty good burger.  Mine had avocado and cucumbers on it.

Then we walked around a bit.

Interesting town with lots of interesting artwork.

We walked around the square and shopped some of the store.

When Layla got restless, I went into the middle of the square with her and let her loose while Angie and Josh shopped some more.

It was a nice evening and a pretty place to hang out.

Back at the hotel, I went out to catch sunset, but there was none.
It was another great day---a very different one, but still really nice.  Nice to wind down a bit before a big travel day.