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Sept 24th: Space Needle, Seattle, WA ... Once we were all window shopped out at Pike Place, we decided to take an afternoon walk to the Space Needle. It ended up being too expensive for our budget to go up it, so we walked around Seattle Center and chilled out in the grassy park area nearby instead. Exhausted from a long day walking around, we hopped a bus from the Space Needle to the ferry. Back in Bremerton, we began our drive to our 3rd couchsurfing host of the trip... #spaceneedle #seattle #greatamericanroadtrip #roadtripusa https://www.instagram.com/p/Bqdz-5GANEd/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4dfb69fgrt06

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Sept 24th: Pike Place, Seattle ... The ferry dropped us off at the waterfront, where we explored a curiosity shop before walking through uphill alleyways on our way to Pike Place. At Pike Place, we explored level after level of interesting shops and market stands. After a few hours, we took a break from window shopping at a cafe on a waterfront pier for soup and sandwiches. Then we made our way back up for a bit more exploring, fueled by the tasty coffee we found in the alley on our return to Pike Place... #ghostalleyespresso #pikeplacemarket #pikeplace #seattle #greatamericanroadtrip #roadtripusa https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdyGdVg9pw/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dne218w76iky

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Sept 24th: Bremerton Ferry into Seattle, Washington ...On Dave and Faye's recommendation, we decided to take the Bremerton Ferry into Seattle after leaving their home the morning after our stay. We found affordable parking in Bremerton, and hopped on the ferry for a free ride into the city (you only pay on the way back). It took about an hour to get to the Seattle waterfront, so we grabbed some coffee and snacks on board and enjoyed the views of Puget Sound... #bremerton #bremertonferry #pugetsound #seattlewaterfront #greatamericanroadtrip #roadtripusa #seattle https://www.instagram.com/p/BqdvD9fgf2B/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1hf06z0fvuxuo

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Sept 23rd: Tacoma, Washington Post 2 of 3: Point Defiance Park After dipping our toes in the sound, Dave and Fay took us to Point Defiance, where we strolled by a duck pond and explored the rose and dahlia gardens. :) #rosegarden #pointdefiance #pointdefiancepark #tacomawashington #roadtripusa (at Point Defiance Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bp0VXALg6Yv/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1opeg1g6231co

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Sept 23rd: Tacoma, Washington Post 1 of 3: Chambers Creek Park on Puget Sound We left Moscow, Idaho in the morning and drove into Tacoma, Washington by mid afternoon, where we stayed the night with Lucy's family friends, Dave and Fay. They took us to several great spots in the area, the first being Chambers Creek Regional Park right on Puget Sound. It was a gorgeous day, and we were excited to finally get our feet in ocean water after driving across the country for so long. It felt like a victory of sorts. :) Next up, Point Defiance Park... #tacomawashington #chamberscreekpark #roadtripusa #padlockbridge #pugetsound https://www.instagram.com/p/BpTujfQBxK2/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1a0duyi5kg0lb

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Sept 22nd: Cindi's Trailer - Moscow, Idaho We left the sheep ranch in Montana by late morning and began our drive through Idaho. We had found a couch surfing host with a lot of good references in Moscow who agreed to let us stay the night, so driving and arriving at Cindi's place was the plan for the day. She was at a comedy show when we arrived that evening, but she gave us her address and told us to make ourselves at home. So we waited for her a couple of hours, making dinner and hanging out with her one eyed cat named, Ursula. Eventually Cindi arrived and shared our sauted vegetables with us while we all began getting to know each other. By the end of the night, we were a couple of beers in, sharing travel stories and playing fun drawing games Cindi taught us. She was also really into hot springs, so she gave us the scoop on how to find the best places the next time we were in the area. Overall, it was a really fun night, one that helped us let go of some travel stress and relax. Thanks, Cindi! You're the best. :) https://www.instagram.com/p/BpGIV41h2mf/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1dj9osd6v4m3q

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Evening of Sept 21st: Sheep Ranch, Cut Bank, Montana After leaving Glacier, we started using the couch surfing website for finding spots to stay. We ended up spending the night on a sheep ranch in western Montana! Our host, Valerie, has been taking care of sheep since the 70s. We had an awesome time playing music on her porch and taking her antique player piano for a spin. We spent the night in a cozy adorable camper out by the horse corral. In the morning we got to help corral a bunch of lambs to load up to take to auction. The ranch is on a homestead that has been there over 100 years, and the huge beautiful barn is almost as old! Here we are in front of the barn with the very energetic sheepdog-in-training, Zinky. Then off we went towards Idaho! #montana #sheepranch #roadtrip #couchsurfingexperiences #couchsurfing #railroadtrestle #traintracks #oldbarns https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo4d_Dbhls_/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=dxh90cgvibx9

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Sept 21st: Glacier National Park (Post 2 of 2: Going to the Sun Road and Lake McDonald) #EarthWindandFireDay After Running Eagles Falls, we drove farther north and started following Going to the Sun Road from the east entrance. We drove it through the mountains for about 90 minutes, and turned around with a stop at Lake McDonald. Fun fact: Because Glacier National Park has entrances in both Canada and the U.S. it is considered an International Peace Park. We happened to be there on International Peace Day, so that was a neat coincidence. :) #glaciernationalpark #findyourpark #roadtripusa #greatamericanroadtrip #internationalpeaceday #internationalpeaceparks #goingtothesunroad #lakemcdonald https://www.instagram.com/p/Bo0O8gpF-IQ/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=f36ms7vjurp5

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Sept 21st: Glacier National Park, Montana (Post 1 of 2: Running Eagle Falls) After leaving our campsite in the morning, we drove a couple hours to the southeast corner of Glacier National Park. Running Eagle Falls was our first stop. It was named after a Native American woman warrior and leader who was buried by a tree near there. We stopped to read her story near the parking lot and hiked a short trail to the falls. #glaciernationalpark #runningeaglefalls #EarthWindandFireDay #greatamericanroadtrip (at Running Eagle Falls) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoyJmLQlmcP/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=t9z8zmfgcq2o

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Sept 20th: Mountainview Campground, Choteau, MT We left our Yellowstone campsite in the morning and spent most of the day driving. Keeping with our plan to avoid camping until we reach warmer weather, we booked a small cabin at a family owned campground a couple hours out from Glacier National Park. We drove through a rainstorm on the way there and saw a double rainbow. It was later visible from the campsite as well, which we got to enjoy in the background as we played the mini golf course there. We cooked dinner on the Jetboil off the side of the porch, and settled in for a night of finally catching up on our sleep. https://www.instagram.com/p/BoTHVjchOwm/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1mn3m44mii88c

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Sept 18th and 19th: Yellowstone National Park We spent the 18th driving and settling in to our 2 night stay at a KOA outside of the park. On the 19th, we went out for breakfast for an energy boost after another cold night with little sleep, and then we drove into Yellowstone for a brief visit. Later that night, we decided to sneak our sleeping bags into one of the big shower rooms at the campsite instead of risking another sleepless night in the cold. The heated floor kept us pretty cozy, and it's made a good silly story to share ever since. That night we decided to give up on camping for awhile and make new sleeping arrangements until we reach Northern California. (So far so good ;) ) https://www.instagram.com/p/BoLgY-RB0JI/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=kczd4i64dwyp

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Night of Sept 17th: Two Leggins Fishing Access on the Bighorn River, Montana After a full day of Devils Tower and Little Bighorn Battlefield, we arrived at this free camping spot right before sunset. It was another night of many, where we had to chop vegetables and cook in the dark. Although it was a pretty spot and had decent reviews online, we never really settled in here. It was an uneasy place to be, with the neighbors dogs barking all night and people rolling in to party. It was also another chilly night, so no one slept very well, making our first day at Yellowstone the next afternoon a no go. Can't win them all, and at least it was free. :P https://www.instagram.com/p/BoLHftChsvL/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=h4z2xlerno8h

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Sept 17th: Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Montana After leaving Devils Tower, we arrived at the battlefield about an hour before it closed. We started by driving a road through the battlefield that had numbered stops, unfolding the story of the battle in the exact locations of major events. It was a heavy experience, with gravestones marking the places men had fallen. (Their bodies had later been moved to a mass grave marked by a monument at Last Stand Hill, where Custer also fell.) The visitor center was small, but managed to cover many perspectives of the battle. We were surprised to learn that almost half of the U.S. 7th Cavalry were immigrants, and that Custer had foolishly led them into a battle of terrible odds, due to his belief in his invincibility. (He had also undergone a sacred ritual with the Cheyenne Indians in the 1860s, making a commitment to never harm them again. A promise that was clearly broken.) For years, the battlefield was a monument to Custer's heroics, but time has rightfully changed the story you'll find visiting the National Monument. The Native American perspective wasn't even added until the 90s, but it was finally done so through the addition of the Indian Memorial. We were struck by its sacredness, the wisdom of the Native American leaders both then and now, and the call for unity of all backgrounds of people to heal the earth: "The battle was fought because the United States wanted the Black Hills and its natural resources...Ta Sunke Witko was a man who prayed with the Sacred Pipe, played with the children and listened to the elders. He saw that all living things were higher than him because he knew that mankind had the power of choice to do right or wrong, good or bad. Our grandfathers told us that all mankind were created equal, and they represent the earth man with no skin color. In order to heal our grandmother earth we must unify through peace." https://www.instagram.com/p/BoKw6CPhayG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1b9wdtkkj5mzj

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Sept 17th: Devils Tower National Monument, Wyoming We left the Badlands (on the 16th) and drove a few hours to Belle Forche River Campground. It was right next to Devils Tower, as you can see in the background of the photo of our tent. (We also snapped a photo of some scenery on the other side of the campsite.) We cooked supper together, and Reed made a campfire before bed. After a long morning of making breakfast and catching a bit of a break, we drove up to the tower and hiked the scenic path around it. After wrapping up our walk, we jumped back in the Subaru, on our way to Little Bighorn Battlefield... #devilstower #belleforcherivercampground #thatswy #wyoming https://www.instagram.com/p/BoGUwSWhsfp/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=qnwzv2gxg6dw

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Sept 16th: Badlands National Park, South Dakota "The Badlands!? More like the Dablands!" -Reed (every chance possible) We left our campsite in the morning and took a long drive through the Badlands, where we saw a picturesque bison on a ridge and a baby bighorn sheep. Eventually, the road brought us to the visitor center, where we studied up on geology and paleontology and watched a short film on the wildlife and history of the park. After some more peanut butter sandwiches in front of the center, we began our return to Wyoming... #badlandsnationalpark #thebadlands #dablands #dabbing #bison #bighornsheep https://www.instagram.com/p/BoCzgPHAz_j/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vovguhqf5k42

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Night of Sept 15th/Morning of the 16th: Sage Creek Campground We arrived at this free camping space in Badlands National Park, South Dakota in the dark. As we turned onto the road leading to the circle of campers, we were startled when our headlights landed on a bison sleeping very close by. (We also heard a few near the road we cooked our supper on after setting up camp.) It was a very windy night there, which made it difficult to sleep, but it was beautiful seeing the stars through the top of our tent. In the morning, we got to see a few more bison, Holly climbed a hill nearby, and we spotted our first prairie dog town as we left on our way to the park visitor center. #thebadlands #badlandsnationalpark #sagecreekcampground #prairiedog #bison https://www.instagram.com/p/BoBGkShgzcr/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=yp1hs8q99zme

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Also on Sept 15th: Carhenge outside of Alliance, NE We went just a little out of our way (on the way to the Badlands) to stop at Carhenge. We checked out the gift shop, walked around to see the artwork (including the Vivaldi inspired "The Fourd Seasons" and a car you could sign), and played some music at the center of Carhenge. (I've also accidentally included a photo of Holly making us peanut butter and honey sandwiches in the car. Apparently that's from later on, but I guess it's worth noting that we have been eating a *lot* of PB sandwiches on this trip. :P) "Carhenge was conceived in 1987 by Jim Reinders as a memorial to his father. While living in England, he studied the structure of Stonehenge, which helped him to copy the structure's shape, proportions, and size. Other automobile sculptures were subsequently added to the location of Carhenge, which is now known as the Car Art Reserve." #carhenge #nebraska #thefourdseasons #friendsofcarhenge #stonehenge #travelnebraska #peanutbuttersandwiches (at Carhenge) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn9WXohge5z/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1ecd90shi2f0q