Free-Wheeling Four Wheelers

Our afternoon activity the second full day was going four-wheeling. Lane had gone home the night before so he could work. LaVona stayed back at the cabin reading a book while we went on our adventure.

Bruno took us over to look at a waterfront property that was for sale nearby. If one of us wanted to buy it, we could be their neighbors. We didn't make an offer...not that we wouldn't have loved to be their neighbors.

Grant is taking it easy while Diane ran inside the cabin to get some neckerchiefs. We wanted to go on a much longer ride over dirt paths and the bandanas help keep the dust out of our lungs.

Who are those masked bandits??

 Beautiful scenery along the way.

Our goal was to get an ice cream treat at the store up on the highway.

We took a long ride out to Big Springs

Big Springs is the largest of many springs in the Yellowstone area and the water stays at 52 degrees year round.

When we got down to the lower deck by the water we could hear the water bubbling up and the water is so clear.

This is the cabin John Sack built in the 1930s. He was a 4'11" German immigrant who built the entire cabin and furnishings by hand.

Close to the cabin, he built a water wheel that provided water and electricity to the cabin.

Grant was the first to dip his toes into the water to test the temperature and others soon joined him.

People weren't the only ones enjoying the water.

 It was time to don our bandanas and climb back on our four wheelers to head back to the cabin.

A scene on our way back--fishermen near the river.

We stopped to gas up the machines and Bill took advantage of Jan's willingness to wash his "windshield" at the pump.

Not only did our sunglasses get covered in dirt, but also our whole bodies. My white shirt was brown by the time we finished our excursion. As people were commenting on my dirty shirt, Bill called me a dirtbag. That was extremely hilarious coming from that gentle, kind, quiet man.

Ahhhhh, home sweet cabin! A shower never felt so good! The four wheelers also needed to be washed down. The men pulled them into the garage after they got dried off. We were anxious to be on our way to dinner.

Our meal that evening was at Elk Creek Ranch.

There were quite a few animal heads and hides hanging on the walls.

We enjoyed a delicious salmon dinner. My favorite part of the meal was the homemade beer bread. Kind of interesting and different.

We just couldn't resist posing under the full moon.

 And of course I made Colleen and Bruno pose as well.

 Jan and Bill did a cuddly pose.

 Diane and Grant stepped up for a photo as well.

Nothing like a romantic full moon to make LaVona even more sad that Lane had left early. The guys gathered around for her picture so she wouldn't be so lonely.

This is my favorite picture of the evening of LaVona giving her missing husband a hug. We all missed Lane after he left, but LaVona definitely missed him the most.

This wasn't the end of our evening. Not by any means. We still had some card playing to do back at the cabin before turning in for the night. A great game of President or Scum or whatever the official game name might be had us laughing and enjoying ourselves until bedtime once again.

The next morning brought the whole trip to an end. We ate our nutritious cereal concoction Jan had made, which she promised would hold us over until dinner (which it did), cleaned the cabin, and then it was time to say good-bye.

What a great vacation we had. We love these people so very much and had such a wonderful time with them. We appreciated Bruno and Colleen's generosity and hospitality. We enjoyed being in another beautiful part of the country. It was a combination that went together so well and we loved every minute of it!!!

Glen and I made a stop in Rexburg to attend the temple on our way back home. It's always good to go to The House of The Lord to be reminded from whence all things come. We are so blessed!

Invitation Back to the Cabin

We loved it the first time we went (2 summers ago) and we loved it again (this week). Going to the cabin in Island Park near Yellowstone, that is. Bruno and Colleen Kossin invited us once again to join them and several other couples for a few days of rest and relaxation at their lovely cabin.

There were five couples: Bruno and Colleen Kossin, Lane and LaVona Lewis, Grant and Diane Stewart, Bill and Jan Evans and us.

This is what we saw on the winding road leading to their cabin.

Yes, that's right. Two cows were standing in the middle of the road. BAM!! Not really! There really were two black cows in the middle of the road, but fortunately it was not dark and fortunately we weren't driving super fast and fortunately we were able to stop and let them get off the road before we passed by; thus eliminating yet another smashing up of a new car by an animal on the road.

WHEW!! That was close. Not really! But it was kind of funny this happened considering Glen's recent fear of animals whenever he's behind the wheel of a car.

Next morning it was our turn to provide the meal. Glen whipped up some french toast and bacon while I prepared a bowl of fresh fruit. YUM!! 

We took a drive to see Quake Lake. It was created after an earthquake struck on August 17, 1959, killing 28 people who were camping in the canyon by the river.

 The whole side of the mountain shifted and slid down into the canyon.

We were sad the visitors center was closed, but got a little different view of the mountain slide from up there.

The two sisters, Colleen and LaVona, provided delicious gourmet sandwiches and fruit for our lunch.

Golf was next on the agenda for all the men and LaVona. The rest of us women drove to Silver Lake and took a walk around that beautiful area.

I figured out how to take a timed picture (Sarah would be proud of me) by setting the camera on the other side of the bridge so we could all be in the picture--me, Diane, Colleen and Jan.

Trying to be a creative photographer here, but it wasn't as successful as I would have hoped. It was still a blast of fun posing in the process.

Ahhh, such picturesque, serene tranquility all around us. It was glorious to be surrounded by such beautiful scenery.

Dinner that evening was at Phillips Lodge. Grant and Diane, Lane and LaVona, Bill and Jan, and Glen.

Colleen and Bruno had gone inside to get seated at the table.

Grant, Diane and me looking over the menu.

There was a full moon in the sky when we walked outside after dinner.

Back at the cabin, we played a card game for hours. It was SO MUCH FUN!!!! We laughed and laughed and laughed until I was crying and our stomachs were sore. For some lucky reason, Jan and I were winning like crazy during our game of Five Crowns.

Actually, the girls were all doing much better than the guys. The girls were jubilant and elated while the guys were discouraged and downhearted. They couldn't help it. We just had luck on our side that evening.

After Jan got rid of all her cards, she couldn't help rejoicing and showing her excitement. She pulled this trick and left us all wondering what she was doing. It was her way of saying "WOW!"

Then LaVona got in on the action trying to be clever herself by spelling COW. Too bad she did a dyslexic spelling of the word. 

She corrected herself and with the help of Diane they spelled out COW WOW. 

Jan wasn't done with her hand/face tricks and spelled another word for us: COOL!

By this time of night, we were all so tired and so giddy anything we said or did sent us off into gales of laughter. It was so fun and so funny and so wonderful to be so carefree and so happy and enjoying such a great time with our good friends.

Laughter really is the best medicine.

Glen actually broke himself away from work most of the time we were there. This picture might fool you, but he was just catching up on some stuff while waiting for me to get ready in the morning. 

Grant whipped us up a delicious omelet breakfast, then Bill and Bruno pulled out their guns for a little target shooting activity. Bill put on his holster and was feeling like a cowboy. I didn't think the sun visor looked the part...

so Bruno got his hat so Bill could look more like a cowboy. 

Bruno showed us how it was done by shooting up all the water bottle targets.

Jan's turn and she was pretty pleased hitting some targets herself.

 WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Next up--ME! Shockingly I hit two of the water bottles. Hurrah for me!!! My father and brothers would be so proud! This city girl out in the wilderness shooting a gun and actually hitting the mark...twice... Amazing!! I still can't believe it's true.

Glen tried his hand with the gun.

He was happy he hit some of the targets. I guess not WOW happy, just plain happy.

Grant and Diane were up next. 

It was a fun time out on the back porch of the cabin. 

Some of the guys went off four wheeling. LaVona, Colleen and Jan went for a walk. Diane and I played a game and soon Glen joined in with us. The sisters provided another gourmet sandwich lunch and then we were ready for more adventure...

Quotes of the Week

"Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. Anyone who keeps learning stays young. The greatest thing in life is to keep your mind young."
-- Henry Ford


"Life is too short to wake up with regrets. So love the people who treat you right. Forget about those who don't. Believe everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, take it.  If it changes your life, let it. Nobody said life would be easy, they just promised it would most likely be worth it."
-- Harvey MacKay

"If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well."
-- Martin Luther King Jr