Western Parks Trip

We returned from a great 31 day trip out West last Monday. We live in Maryland. Covered 7,700 miles, camped 22 days, 7 days with family 1 day in Motel (35th anniversary). Averaged 13.81 miles / gallon and averaged $3.27 dollars/gallon (bought 91.5 gallons in Canada - $4.31 to $4.67 / gallon). Everything in Canada was expensive - esp. gas & food.

We left MD on June 30 and spent July 4th in Rapid City, SD with family. Spent 5 nights in Yellowstone at Fishing Bridge (made reservations Feb. 4th). Great scenery. Saw eagles, one grizzly (at a distance) wolves, coyotes buffalo, moose elk and deer. Went over Beartooth Pass (I don't think it is as good as other passes in US but still nice). Went to Anaconda & Missoula Mont. to visit relatives. On to West Glacier KOA for 4 nights. Beautiful scenery especially Going to the Sun Highway. Hiked the Hidden Lake Trail and Hanging Garden trail - saw many Mt. goats and sheep. From here we traveled into Canada through Kootenay Nat. Park and Banff Nat. Park to Lake Louise and Lake Moraine for 4 nights - beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Saw black bears, one grizzly as well as elk and deer. From here up the Icefield highway through Jasper Nat. Park. Spent 3 nights at Hinton KOA. Saw wolves, elk, goats, sheep, black bear and elk. Great, great trip.

We left Hinton and it took 6 days to get back to MD. Just before we left left I noticed a small separation of sidewall rubber on street side tire. After closer inspection the sidewall of same tire was breaking down. I put on the spare tire and used this one for a spare. Lucky for us we made it home okay. Will be getting two new tires this week (I bought trailer used - 2004 3025 - and put about 15 to 17K miles on them. The bad tire had a date of 1604 on it. I drove a lot of miles without complete inflation on them). The scenery in Canada was beautiful, but I was glad to be back in the good old USA.

We stayed mostly in KOA's esp. when traveling so we could get pull-througs. We carried fold up bikes that we used twice and a fold up boat (Porta -Bote) we used once at Lake McDonald. To busy sighseeing and it was hot.

2004 3025 TM
1999 Mercury Mt. V8

John & Marion