Tim and I recently returned from an 8,000 mile road trip across the country. We spent six weeks exploring new places, visiting friends, and attending family weddings. It was quite an adventure, one that was most definitely documented with thousands of photographs. Here is Part I of the highlights:
Wallowa Lake State Park – Northeastern Oregon
Hells Canyon National Recreation Area – Northeastern Oregon 
We found vegan smoothies in the middle of nowhere (near Joseph, Oregon)
Bruneau Dunes State Park – Bruneau, Idaho
Chilling in a big green rocking chair near Arco, Idaho
Camping at Craters of the Moon National Monument – near Arco, Idaho
Hiking in solitude at Grand Teton National Park – Wyoming
Sunset on the Teton Range – Grand Teton National Park
Posing near Lower Falls in Grand Teton National Park (it was cold there!)
Old Faithful Geyser – Yellowstone National Park - Wyoming
Bison rolling in the dust – Yellowstone National Park
Colorful, steamy pools in Yellowstone National Park
Devil’s Tower National Monument – Wyoming
Prairie dog near Devil’s Tower!!
Quick drive through the Mt. Rushmore area (see George Washington in the background?)
Badlands National Park – South Dakota
Thunderstorm in Badlands National Park
Statue of the Green Giant in Blue Earth, MN (I think he looks like a green David Hasselhoff)
There were plenty more highlights during the first half of our trip but posting all the photographs would make for an incredibly long and boring post. Trust me when I tell you that we saw grizzly bears, hiked to serene mountain lakes, made a delicious stir-fry on our camp stove, and broke down and bought a tiny sleeve of Oreo cookies in Yellowstone National Park when we realized how long we’d gone without a treat.
Come back soon for Part II highlights! Maybe I can entice you with cupcakes, the Mississippi River headwaters, rainbows, a penguin, waterfalls, and vegan doughnuts?
Oh wow, your pictures are stunning! What an absolutely amazing trip. I feel like I need to add in a trip to the Wallowa Lake State Park when I’m in Portland next spring.
Thank you! Wallowa Lake State Park was beautiful. We heard owls hooting in the night :)
Great pictures! What a fun trip. I especially love the sunset picture on the Teton Range – wow! And the Jolly Green Giant totally looks like the Hoff :)
Hahaha! I bet D.H. wouldn’t like being compared to the Jolly Green Giant!!!
Wow, you were in MN! Did you find any good vegan food here? I wish there were more options, but there are some. Can’t wait to hear about part II.
We were in MN twice (it’s beautiful)! Unfortunately, we didn’t visit the bigger cities. We drove through the southern part of the state and then also the northern part (on the return trip). We did find a nice co-op in Duluth though. Our budget was pretty tight so eating out wasn’t always an option. Next time!
We don’t live in a bigger city either, but nearby – we’re about 45 min west of the Twin Cities. There are some vegan options in MN, but I’m always surprised how little there is. I’d love to travel someplace where there are tons of options. Duluth does have a nice food co-op, and there are quite a few nice food co-ops in other small towns too so I guess that’s something! Our town is in the process of getting a co-op, but it will still probably be a while. Glad you enjoyed MN! Your trip pictures are beautiful, as usual. Looks like you had a great time!
what gorgeous photos! that first one is absolutely breath taking!
Thank you! Wallowa Lake is definitely breathtaking!
I really, really need a life(?)-size blue banana for photo-ops outside my house. It looks like you had a blast!
Next time I’m in the vicinity of that blue banana, I shall steal it for you!
Yay for adventure and exploring and finding vegan food in the middle of nowhere! Thanks for taking us along :). Can’t wait for part II! Think Tim is ready to join the Blue (Banana) Man Group; blue works for him!
Hahaa! We were pretty lucking finding vegan food along our journey! The smoothies were such a special treat though because we were so thirsty and hot. I think we got pina colada ones :)
Tim as a banana! The bison rolling in the dust! Green Giant Dude! I want to go to there too. Missed you, miss. (I’m using a different email than usual here because WP is being a bully and my brain is as holey as Swiss uncheese and I can’t remember my password. So there.)
I was a banana too, but Tim did a bad job taking the picture. You know how it is… Miss YOU!