Driving to Mom’s place

After getting the toad stuff installed (see the previous post), we headed north to Mom’s house, where we’ve been staying since, doing some modifications to the coach, and waiting for a service appointment.

This was the first time I’ve been able to ride in the coach with Jenn driving, too; previously I had been driving our truck, instead of having it towed by the coach.

Here she is in the captain chair (waiting for a traffic light):

Jenn driving the coach

The entry steps are immediately before the passenger chair, so there is a carpeted cover that slides out over the steps at the press of a button, for more comfortable travel:

Step cover

Driving down the freeway:

Driving

We normally won’t drive in the evening, but did this time due to the toad installation, so we used the day shade on the windscreen to cut down the glare of the setting sun (much like a sun visor in a car):

Sunset driving

Here we are parked at Mom’s house:

Parked at Mom's house

Yellowstone trip day 9, to Coyote Run RV Park

On day nine of our Yellowstone trip, one last campground on the way home.

We stopped off in a large unpaved parking area for a rest break, near another truck and trailer:

Two trailers

Before long, several other trailers and trucks joined us:

Trailers and trucks

Across the road, a gas station, restaurant, and shops; we visited the restaurant for a tasty lunch, then the gas station to refuel:

Shops

Our destination for the night, the Coyote Run RV Park in Connell, WA; here’s the map:

Coyote Run RV Park map

Our campsite:

Campsite

Right next to the laundry building; the aesthetic kinda fit the fact that the major industry in this town is a big prison:

Campsite

But it was just a quick stop on the way home, with a nice sunset:

Sunset

That concludes our Yellowstone journey in a rental travel trailer. It was a very enjoyable trip; great to see Yellowstone National Park again, and spend more time with family. One last trip before our new motorhome lifestyle.

Yellowstone trip day 8, to Jim & Mary’s RV Park

On day eight of our Yellowstone trip, we started the two-day journey home from the park.

Here’s the west gate of Yellowstone National Park, on the way out:

Yellowstone west gate

As usual for a morning, the traffic was backed up almost all the way through the town of West Yellowstone; glad we weren’t going that way (a tip for anyone going into Yellowstone: go in the afternoon):

Traffic

Our next stop was at Jim & Mary’s RV Park in Missoula, MT; here the map:

Jim & Mary's RV Park map

The rental trailer and our truck in the campsite:

Trailer and truck

This park has delightful landscaping; each site has a large grassy area and a little garden with unique decorations; here was our one:

Landscaping

Our site was on the end of a row, so had extra landscaping on the other side:

Landscaping

Across the driveway, more landscaping:

Landscaping

But as nice as the landscaping was, after a week in Yellowstone without a functioning shower, one of the main attractions of this campground was a shower facility:

Shower

We’ll definitely stay at this campground again in the future.

Yellowstone trip day 3, to Madison campground

On day three, we went from Jerome, ID to Yellowstone National Park.

Very flat in Idaho:

Flat

Looking back at the trailer in the side mirrors, including an extended mirror to account for the wider trailer:

Mirrors

An interesting building in a rest area in Firth, Idaho:

Rest area

Rest area truck and trailer parking:

Rest area parking

At last, we reached Yellowstone! Here’s the entrance road:

Yellowstone entrance road

Our campsite in the Madison campground within Yellowstone:

Campsite

An amusing result of the higher elevation; puffed up bags of chips:

Puffed up chips

That evening, a pleasant fire and conversation with the family:

Fire

Tomorrow, we explore some of Yellowstone.

Yellowstone trip day 2, to Twin Falls / Jerome KOA

Continuing the journey to Yellowstone, on day two we went from La Grande, OR to Jerome, ID. Each leg was about six hours driving.

We spent the night in the Twin Falls / Jerome KOA:

KOA

Here’s our campsite:

Campsite

The trailer:

Trailer

The messy side of RVing: power, water, and sewer hookups:

Hookups

The KOA office:

Office

The pool and playground; we enjoyed a swim in the pool to help cool off:

Pool and playground

This campground also had a nearby pond:

Pond

Including some ducks:

Duck

Mini golf (we didn’t play):

Mini golf

Next time, arriving in Yellowstone.

Yellowstone trip day 1, to Grand Hot Springs

Continuing from yesterday, here’s day 1 of our Yellowstone trip.

To make the drive there and back less painful, we had decided to take two days each way. The first leg was from home (in the Portland, OR area) to La Grande, OR.

Here’s the trailer and truck at a view point stop:

Trailer and truck