Tornados, Rain, and Moose

Sorry it has been a few days since we've updated!! It has been a wild time lately. We'll start the day we left Kentucky (last Sunday)...

After the wedding (which was very nice) on Saturday, we woke up Sunday morning in the Hotel, ate breakfast and hit the road. We drove North up through St.Louis where we saw the Arch. Then made it to Missouri where we drove for several hours. It was quite boring as it was mostly farm land. At about the 8 hour driving mark I decided to turn on the radio. Only a minute in of listening to a good song, it started making a loud beeping noise. Silly me, thinking this was one of those emergency tests, I decided to change the channel. "Don't change that you tool!," Brandon said...I was like "woah...alrighty then." He explained that it was probably a weather warning- WHICH IT WAS. It was calling for Tornados and Baseball size hail. GREAT - no camping tonight! We still decided to stay on our route, turning off the exit not much after the weather alert. At the turn off we saw news vans sitting on top of the hill!! JUST WHAT WORRY WART me wanted to see. Freaking, we decided to stop at the gas station. I ended up asking the "sheriff" what us naive new englanders were supposed to do in this crazy situation. He said in a southern accent, "I done been a Hillbilly my entiiire life and a tornado is worse than any hurricane you ever seen...you can't outrun it, you need to stay here." OKAY OFFICER!! After he scared me shitless (and Brandon - though he wont admit it)we went inside and sat a table for two seconds before we were told that everyone needed to go into the basement. After an hour in the basement we came back upstairs where we sat down at the table again. Not a minute sitting down and a poor girl our age pulled up to the gas station with dents ALL OVER her car, the back windshield was smashed in, the Front had giant smash marks and her Weimeriner (sp?) was pacing in and out of the car (obviously scared). As the girl was really upset and scared and decided to go outside and bring her dog inside so she didn't have to worry about him while she cleaned up the mess. Brandon went out and helped her tape up the back windshield and then the Camera guy and News Anchor came over to film her bashed up car. It was a such a crazy few hours!!...

After our sleep in the hotel we started back across Nebraska. Around lunch time we decided to take a detour to find somewhere to eat. On the map about 3/4's west of the way through the state was Lake McConoughy. We went along some really cool back roads and dirt roads and when we got there we entered a camping ground that was absolutely the most beautiful place in the middle of the farm land. Brandon and I could not believe how nice it was! After lunch we drove through several more small farm towns and took pictures beside the trains. :) Driving into Cheyenne, WY through to Laramie, WY we headed to a State Forest to find a campground. When we came to a sign that said "Welcome to Colorful Colorado" we realized we had made a little OOPS! Trying not to get discouraged we found our route back up to Wyoming. At around 8pm we came out of the back country of Colorado and happened upon a great little campground. Both of us being exhausted it was the perfect spot for the night.

We woke up the next morning at each others throats. Not a nice start to the day, but we got over ourselves when we were entering Jackson, WY. How can you be mad when you are in country like we were in?! It was absolutely gorgeous! The Grand Tetons are something everyone should see. They are so ginormous it's insane! Jackson is one of the coolest little cities ever! You feel like you are back in the early days in a western town except modernized! The last two days have been spent in the Teton National Park at Jenny Lake where we had to lock up everything we have so that the Grizzly's don't come to visit. Our campsite was perfect with a view of Grand Teton and Middle Teton. We have seen lots of wildlife including Prong Horns (like antelope or something), Mule Deer, Ground Squirrels, and even a moose. We had a couple small brown birds visit us after every meal to see what they could steal! So cute!! Last night we treated ourselves to a shower and a nice meal at Calico Pizza near Teton Village. This morning after another rainy night, we packed up our gear, came to this great little cafe for lunch and when we finish we are heading to Yellowstone. We will try and write again soon!! Brandon says 'hi' to everyone as I am hogging the computer.

LOVE FROM THE BOTH OF US! xo

PS - Pics are not uploading at the moment...check later or tomorrow for all the pics of the bride and groom, the storm, and camping!!:)