Hello from Yellowstone National Park - it's amazing!

I think I wrote last on the 18th - the days go quick and we have travelled so far since then that there is a lot for me to update everyone about! Back to South Dakota and Mount Rushmore - it's an awe-inspiring sight, the four Presidents carved high up on a mountain, especially against a bright blue sky. We wondered round it for quite a bit and took plenty of photos (including a Saints shirt one!). The history of the Mountain is very interesting - there are museums and visitor centres around so we spent a while exploring. Next we set off to the 'Crazy Horse Monument' - when finished in 30 years or so, it will be the biggest monument in the world - made by the Sioux tribe to match Mount Rushmore - but right now its a long way from finished...We drove a long way to Deadwood - where the TV series is based upon (and where Calamity Jane and Buffalo Bill are from) - it's a real American cowboy town full of small casinos, leather and gold shops - we spent a whole afternoon and evening here - its an exciting place in the middle of nowhere!

Yesterday we arrived early at Devil's Tower - a geological wonder that rises about 50 feet up into the air - its a beautiful sight. We had an hour to walk 1.5 miles around the base but after lots of stopping for photos we spotted a 'half way round' sign with about 15 minutes left - a jog to the end! We crossed into Wyoming State and drove through the Thunder Basin National Grassland, stopping to watch prarie dogs. Then a long drive up and across the Bighorn Mountains - it was one mammoth drive - we were expecting snow at the top as the clouds were so low and the temperature dropped sharply but it held. The scenery was out-of-this world - beats the Chilterns any day!

We hit Yellowstone today after a stop in Cody last night (plenty of cowboys around there). The change in weather is amazing and its caught all of us out - it was 30+ degrees in South Dakota but its 10 degrees by day and -5 by night here - I am wearing all of my clothes (literally - I am a right miss-match) and have invested in a hat. Yellowstone is amazing! We have driven around lots of the Park today - the Lake, geysers and thermal springs (I wasn't expecting them at all but the colours of sulphur, mud and cler blue water make for some great photos). We have also seen bison and elk, hopefully some grizzlys tomorrow. We are staying a a great place just into the State of Montana - I've always wanted to see Montana so its exciting to be here. There are mountains all around, forests, wildlife - it's paradise on Earth!

Grace xx