Top Ten - Lynn Edition

In Louisville, we all made our Top 10 lists from the trip. It was nearly impossible to rank them for me, because I couldn't pick the very, very best. It was too hard. I loved every national park we visited, but if I included them all, I'd have little room for other things. So here's my Top Ten Favorite things from the trip:

The Badlands. The place took my breath away - both the stark mountains and the massive green with yellow fringed prairies. I can sometimes close my eyes and imagine I'm there, and for just a bit, I'm calm.

The Lighting Ceremony at Mount Rushmore. True Americana, this show made you proud to be an American. The park ranger who talked about the meaning of the Pledge of Allegiance and the four Presidents on the mountain was amazing and interesting, and the slideshow was moving. The end where they asked every active and retired member of the military to come to the stage was stirring, especially since so many went down. It gave me chills at times, and reminded me of how great our country and our people are.

Cody, Wyoming. This surprise treat was only supposed to be a stop for two nights to rest before Yellowstone and to be a stopping post to do the Beartooth Highway. Instead, we spent three fabulous nights there, and wished we could stay longer. Again, Cody is what America is all about. Friendly townspeople, a great main street with shops and restaurants, great museums, and two wonderful parades. And the rodeo was top notch to boot. I also enjoyed my Girls Night Out with Ruth for dinner and shopping.

Whitefish Lake Boat Rental. This was my idea, and I'm glad Jeff went along with it. It's not cheap - $160 for two hours, but I thought it was worth it to take a relaxing cruise around the lake on a pontoon boat. We even got to see the beginning of the sunset. The kids still tell everyone they got to drive the boat.

Raft Ride on the Snake River, Jackson. When you combine a local guide with a lot of knowledge of the river, the majestic Teton range, eagles soaring, and a tasty lunch on a riverbank, you have a great day. We enjoyed the calm float with a few little rapids and good conversation with our guide. He's got his own business and we highly recommend Joe Morin. http://www.tetonfloats.com/home.html

Historic Trails Museum, Casper, Wyoming. I loved this museum! Not having lots of knowledge about the pioneer trails west, I got a brain full of information on this visit. There was lots to see, read, and do. They have a great orientation movie in an area where statues of various pioneers, 49'ers, Indians and Pony Express riders help you understand what it was like to bravely go west. If you're going by Casper, definitely check it out and see if you're strong enough to take a pushcart across the prairie and the mountains. http://www.blm.gov/wy/st/en/NHTIC.html

Palmer Gulch Hill City/Mt. Rushmore KOA Campground. This was one of my favorite campgrounds on the trip. It was more like a resort. They had two pools, a jumping pillow, playground, trail rides, and a shuttle to Mt. Rushmore. Every morning, the folks at the pancake tent serve up around 3,000 pancakes to guests. They were fabulous, and so was chatting with the guy who flips them. At night, you can watch stars from your campsite in the dark sky. We had a great time cooking and roasting marshmallows over the fire - even though it was freezing out. The gift shop had lots of local crafts and even scrapbooking items - and friendly staff.

Kansas. Big surprise here. I had never been to Kansas before, and really enjoyed it. Great barbecue (Bryant's and Jack Stack), the great big blue sky, a wonderful outdoor mall near the Kansas Speedway, and a great night out with my friend Shannon and her family for dinner and a movie at a theater with about 20 screens. And you can't beat a night in a hotel with a huge indoor waterpark for $149 a night. Take that, Great Wolf Lodge. :-)

Big Sky Country. The number one thing I miss from the trip is the big sky. Whether in Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Kansas and even Nebraska - I loved looking up at the huge blue sky and different kinds of clouds. It feels a bit claustrophobic now that I'm back here.

Beartooth Highway and Red Lodge, Montana. I wish we had better weather to really enjoy the drive. We had lots of clouds and at times, horrible visibility to the valleys below and mountains above. But even still, I knew we were high, high up and it was awesome. (Warning to those thinking about this trip - the roads are narrow and winding with steep gradings - it's not for the meek - and not for RVs.) And Red Lodge is a place I'd like to visit again - nice, small town with lots of restaurants and stores packed into a quaint Main Street. I would definitely like to spend a night or two there again sometime.

Runners up for the list were the Needles Highway in South Dakota, Yellowstone, Glacier, downtown Jackson Wyoming, and Indiana Dunes at sunrise.

Soon, I'll post Jeff's and the kids' Top Ten picks.