We are home from a four-week road trip to the northwest of the USA and southern Canada. We traveled nearly 5,000 miles by car. It was a work/vacation trip, so we did a little of everything concerning keeping up with the office and writing, etc… by email, texts, and skype; yet we kept in the relaxation frame of mind and never let the fun stop, even when we spent time on work.

I took tons of photos, and I am basically happy with many of the shots. There are way too many to post here and too many to choose the best. They are all the best to me. Ha. So here are a few of the peaks and valleys we experienced.

We visited a number of national parks in the US and Canada. The biggest three were Glacier National, Waterton Lakes National, and Yellowstone. So here are some of the sights.

We celebrated our 29th wedding anniversary on top of a high mountain in Park City, Utah!

This of course is New Mexico. We really enjoyed the red rock and more arid terrain of the Land of Enchantment! Miles and miles of colorful, gorgeous mountain ranges.

Most of the bison we saw were in Yellowstone. They hang out away from the streets, herded together deep in the meadow and by the lakes. Often they are visible from the roads, but very far in the distance.

But the day we went through the park, a group of them were by the street, and they were running and kicking up dust. It was like a stampede on tv. Really. I tried to catch it on video but was too late. It happened in a flurry, but I did manage to photograph a few of their faces as they stomped by us. They are so awesome. So ancient. So American. I really love to watch them as they really are a symbol of the true wild-west beginnings of America and way before, supplying so much of the native American’s need for food and warmth!

This black bear popped her head up out of a bush in the middle of one of our picnics. We were in the car so felt safe, but she was close to us. Close enough that we got some good shots. I love how she is just savoring the sunshine, summer breezes, and berries. Just what a bear should do before the snow flies.

The antelope are so beautiful. A few were close to the road as well, so we got good views.

We didn’t see many elk at all this year. We learned that they move out of Yellowstone in the winter to other sanctuarys.

This year we saw female, big-horn sheep on the high mountain cliffs which we had never seen. And we still have never seen the males. We always seem to miss them! But it was thrilling to run into this little herd of sheep scampering on the high places —  effortlessly ascending and descending in skips and easy leaps. They were so much fun to watch.

We visited a bird sanctuary in Canada, and I was thrilled to get some close ups of several eagles. They are huge and amazingly strong and majestic.

Prairie falcon.

The night before we visited Yellowstone National Park we stayed in Gardiner, Montana, and our hotel was on the banks of the Yellowstone River. We slept with the windows opened and enjoyed the fresh, night mountain air; and we could hear the roar of the river too. The sound filled our heads and hearts with expectation and joy. I awoke several times and enjoyed listening to the teeming waters in the dark as it coursed through the canyon with such power.

I wrote this the next morning before we drove through Yellowstone: “We slept on the banks of the Yellowstone River last night, and our hearts roared as loud as the water surging over the rocks. We joyed for the light of life and the discovery of God in creation!”

And we did find God in all that vast and varied beauty. We always do. And we stopped to worship Him as we travel because we were overwhelmed with His majesty.

“The earth is the Lord’s the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein” ~Psalm 24:1.