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A few update to share after a month-ish of service visits:
Ford made right on the issue for some MY2023 Broncos ordered with the modular bumper. Many, like mine were shipped with a plastic ābash plateā instead of metal. Ford corrected this via Customer Satisfaction Program #23B10. Local Lincoln dealer has a great service department and did the work. Only took a couple days to get the parts after calling.
While there, I asked them to take a look at the lingering hood/trail sight/grill body gap issues Iāve been dealing with since getting the bronco back after repairs due to a collision earlier in the year. I also asked them to look into a squeaking sound that seemed to be related to suspension or body flex. The service department declined to repair these issues as they felt they were still the result of the aforementioned collision/repairs made by another dealer. They nicely summarized their assessment, suggested possible service needed, and sent to the dealer that had done the collision repair.
I then took the Bronco back to the body shop that did the collision repair. They confirmed that the Lincoln dealerās service department was correct and made the recommended repairs - replacing a slightly bent cross brace of some kind that supports the radiator, intercooler, etc. Unfortunately this slightly improved but didnāt fix the body panel fit issues and Iām now working with the body shop and my insurance to figure out whatās next.
Regarding the suspension/body flex squeak, they were able to identify three driverās side body mount bolts that were not properly torqued from the factory. They fixed this issue.
With the fall weather turning colder here in the Great Lakes, this seemed like a good weekend to swap my summer 33ā M/T tires for the new 32ā A/Ts that will be better for winter. While I was at it, I also installed an OEM transfer case skid, based upon this post by @anomdeplume
Pics below. Will report back on the tire performance but on a quick trip out to the freeway and back, the ride was quieter, smoother than the Falken M/Ts, as would be expected.
Ford made right on the issue for some MY2023 Broncos ordered with the modular bumper. Many, like mine were shipped with a plastic ābash plateā instead of metal. Ford corrected this via Customer Satisfaction Program #23B10. Local Lincoln dealer has a great service department and did the work. Only took a couple days to get the parts after calling.
While there, I asked them to take a look at the lingering hood/trail sight/grill body gap issues Iāve been dealing with since getting the bronco back after repairs due to a collision earlier in the year. I also asked them to look into a squeaking sound that seemed to be related to suspension or body flex. The service department declined to repair these issues as they felt they were still the result of the aforementioned collision/repairs made by another dealer. They nicely summarized their assessment, suggested possible service needed, and sent to the dealer that had done the collision repair.
I then took the Bronco back to the body shop that did the collision repair. They confirmed that the Lincoln dealerās service department was correct and made the recommended repairs - replacing a slightly bent cross brace of some kind that supports the radiator, intercooler, etc. Unfortunately this slightly improved but didnāt fix the body panel fit issues and Iām now working with the body shop and my insurance to figure out whatās next.
Regarding the suspension/body flex squeak, they were able to identify three driverās side body mount bolts that were not properly torqued from the factory. They fixed this issue.
With the fall weather turning colder here in the Great Lakes, this seemed like a good weekend to swap my summer 33ā M/T tires for the new 32ā A/Ts that will be better for winter. While I was at it, I also installed an OEM transfer case skid, based upon this post by @anomdeplume
Pics below. Will report back on the tire performance but on a quick trip out to the freeway and back, the ride was quieter, smoother than the Falken M/Ts, as would be expected.
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- #63
SuperWinch SX10sr on a RC High Winch Mount. Hella LEDs wired to the aux switches. Still need to align them and get out in the country for a night test.
I love my Base.Pics from the day it was deliveredā¦
ā¦and a few days later when we picked it up and had the dealer install 33s on the stock steeliesā¦
Shout out to Krapohl Ford Lincoln in Mt. Pleasant, MI. Wonderful communication and service through the entire reservation/order/delivery/purchase process.
And it was only $34,580.
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Looks great, thanks for the pics on the 32's.
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Not the most photogenic modification. Rustproofing added last week at Henderson Bros. in Midland, MI. Highly recommend them if youāre in the lower peninsula, eh!
They coat everything inside and out. They sprayed my ā97 wrangler too. After a couple weeks of strong smells, burnoff and dripping, itās all good!
They coat everything inside and out. They sprayed my ā97 wrangler too. After a couple weeks of strong smells, burnoff and dripping, itās all good!
Iām just going to say itā¦ base steelies with 32s is the best looking wheel/tire combo.Another pic after getting back. Moderate mud on these things looks like the Build & Price renderings.
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Looks great and love the mods so far! As a base, shadow black MT owner that also suffered a bad crash, the homecoming has been wonderful! Enjoy her and keep posting!
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- #70
Saw your thread on that. Glad youāre safe and the bronco is back. Definitely gets you over worrying about door dingsā¦
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Spring tire swap. Toyo ATs now in storage and Falken MTs back on. I forgot how much nicer the 33s fit the 2 door, aesthetically.
After 7 months driving the Toyos, I thought the Falkens would be a crude ride by comparison. Not really. The smaller Toyos feel choppier. The Toyos are a little quieter but they āringā at highway speeds, as opposed to the āthrumā of the Falkens. The latter is less annoying.
With our winters dwindling to a couple isolated storms each year, I donāt feel like Iām sticking my neck out to run MTs year-round. Also, the 3.73 gearing just feels more dialed-in with the 33s. I love that there is no lack of power on these rigs, even with the 2.3L.
Just my thoughts a week after the seasonal swap.
After 7 months driving the Toyos, I thought the Falkens would be a crude ride by comparison. Not really. The smaller Toyos feel choppier. The Toyos are a little quieter but they āringā at highway speeds, as opposed to the āthrumā of the Falkens. The latter is less annoying.
With our winters dwindling to a couple isolated storms each year, I donāt feel like Iām sticking my neck out to run MTs year-round. Also, the 3.73 gearing just feels more dialed-in with the 33s. I love that there is no lack of power on these rigs, even with the 2.3L.
Just my thoughts a week after the seasonal swap.
How are you liking the 33 MTs? Is the ride stiffer than with the 32s? also how fast is the tread wearing down? Thanks.Spring tire swap. Toyo ATs now in storage and Falken MTs back on. I forgot how much nicer the 33s fit the 2 door, aesthetically.
After 7 months driving the Toyos, I thought the Falkens would be a crude ride by comparison. Not really. The smaller Toyos feel choppier. The Toyos are a little quieter but they āringā at highway speeds, as opposed to the āthrumā of the Falkens. The latter is less annoying.
With our winters dwindling to a couple isolated storms each year, I donāt feel like Iām sticking my neck out to run MTs year-round. Also, the 3.73 gearing just feels more dialed-in with the 33s. I love that there is no lack of power on these rigs, even with the 2.3L.
Just my thoughts a week after the seasonal swap.
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I like them! Iām sure the ride is a little firmer than tires that arenāt an E-load range. But I counteract that by running the pressure a little lower (at 32 psi). Wear seems to be good at a little over 20k miles. I rotate them religiously at 5k miles, so Iām sure that helps.
Havenāt gotten around to posting a recap yet, but we took a road trip this summer from Detroit to Seattle and back. The ride/road noise was a non-issue. Iām sure these tires will get a little noisier over the next 20k miles, but no complaints so far!
Thanks!
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Great Northwestern Road Trip
August 11-28, 2024
Drive time: 116.05 hours
MPG: 17.5
Distance: 5,294.5 miles
Key points: Marquette/Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Glacier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Seattle, Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park.
Itinerary
Sun, Aug 11 ā Depart Detroit/Arrive Marquette, MI
Detroit to Marquette is one of our favorite ālong weekendā trips and this one was even better, with weeks of vacation to look forward to, and our final chance of the year to spend some time along Lake Superior. After arriving in Marquette we headed straight for the Black Rocks of Presque Isle Park.
Mon, Aug 12 ā Marquette
Spent the day around Marquette, with a Pictured Rocks Boat Cruise in the afternoon.
Tues, Aug 13 ā Depart Marquette, MI/Arrive Fargo, ND
A stopping point on our way to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Fargo was a place to visit an icon of the silver screenā¦
Wed, Aug 14 ā Depart Fargo, ND/Arrive Theodore Roosevelt NP, Medora, ND
Pleasant morning drive to Medora. Checked into our hotel in this very tourist trap town, and then headed out to explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park. After a couple hours of rain, the sun started breaking through and made for some dramatic views as we hiked along the ridges of the badlands. The first of many buffalo sightings.
Thur, Aug 15 ā Depart Medora, ND/Arrive Choteau, MT
A drive day into the rolling plains of Montana. Found an Amish grocery and deli on our route. Long stretches with no other cars. Just the open road. Cruising at 80-85 MPH getting 13 MPG.
Fri, Aug 16 ā Depart Choteau, MT/Glacier National Park āGoing to the Sun Roadā/Arrive Whitefish, MT
Glacier National Park was truly unbelievable! Going to the Sun Road is the most beautiful and fun stretch of [road] driving Iāve done outside Mauiās Road to Hana. We hiked a few miles to Hidden Lake, saw too many waterfalls to count, and dipped our toes in Mountain streams. The wildflowers were gorgeous. There were small streams every couple hundred feet crossing the wildflower meadows.
First bighorn sheep sighting. They were probably 100 feet away! Didnāt have to āun-holsterā my bear spray or knife. Not even a bear sighting from the car. No wildcats either.
Sat, Aug 17 - Depart Whitefish, MT/Arrive Chelan, WA
Nice drive from western Montana, through the Idaho panhandle and across the high desert of Washington state. Leaving the Rockies was eerie. We thought it was foggy but as we descended we realized we were just in some lower-than-usual clouds. When it finally broke we were in the western foothills of the Rockies.
After a few hours, we stopped in Bronners Ferry, ID to let the boys play at a playground.
Then we drove down through Spokane, WA where we stopped at Manito Park for a picnic lunch. Look at this garden at the parkā¦
Later that day, driving through the high desert of Washington, we saw several dust devils!
Sun, Aug 18 - Depart Chelan, WA/Wellington Ghost Town/Twedeās Diner/Arrive Seattle, WA
Wildfires thwarted our plans to drive through the northernmost pass in North Cascades National Park (Hwy 20 was closed for several miles for use by fire teams). So, we drove west on US-2 along the Skykomish River. For the first part of the drive (between Entiat and Leavenworth) Google Maps provided an alternative route option using local roads and a stretch of US Forest Service Road 6800. Being a Bronco owner, I jumped at the opportunity. What a drive! Steep, narrow switchbacks, and beautiful.
Once back on US-2, a few miles further west, we took a short trip up Tye Road to the ghost town of Wellington. The site of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. In 1910, after a week or so of heavy snowfall, a lightning strike hit the mountain and caused an avalanche that swept a passenger train down the mountainside. The remnants of the train are supposedly still there and can be accessed by a trail. We opted for this photo by the gravel parking area, because who knows what kind of wild animals (or ghosts) lurk there?
After that, we headed to Twedeās Cafe in North Bend for lunch. This diner was where many scenes were filmed for the show Twin Peaks, which we love. A creepy murder drama from the 90s.
Then we drove into Seattle and spent the afternoon at Gas Works Park on Union Lake and saw the city skyline. Many house boats docked there, including the one from the movie Sleepless in Seattle.
Sun-Mon, Aug 18-19 - Seattle
On Monday, we toured Seattle (as passengers in a friendās Toyota 4Runner, which planted a seed in our minds) and we saw some really neat stuff. Early in the morning, we visited Carkeek Park on the Puget Sound. The tide was out so we were able to walk the beach and see little crustaceans. Then we drove past the Fremont Troll, which is under an overpass. Thats a VW bug in its handā¦
Then we went to Pike Place Market. The first public market in the US. It was incredible. Endless vendors selling EVERYTHING you can imagine. We ate and drank coffee until we were stuffed. Saw the first ever Starbucks, but opted to not wait in the 1 hour+ line. We also saw the Gum Wall in a nearby alley.
Then we headed to āSeattle Centerā and the boys played in the fountain. Then we went to the MoPop museum, which had a really impressive collection of music and pop-culture memorabilia. Highlights were the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits, and the Sci-fi and fantasy exhibits.
Tues, Aug 20 - Depart Seattle, WA/Arrive Port Angeles, WA
On Tuesday, we loaded up and took the Edmonds-Kingston ferry across the Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula. Once landed in Kingston, we drove to Port Angeles. We drove up to Hurricane Ridge in the northern part of Olympic NP. It was rainy and foggy so we didnāt have the best views, but we did it!!! Rain and fog were a major theme of our time in Olympic.
Tues-Wed, Aug 20-21 - Olympic National Park
On Wednesday, we saw some incredible sites. In the morning, we drove to the Hoh Rainforest and hiked the āHall of Mosses.ā It was incredible to see trees so large and everything was covered in moss. It rained all the way there but in the rainforest it was quiet and no rain (or at least it didnāt make it through the dense canopy). There were crystal clear streams and we saw tiny salmon hatchlings in the water. In fact, I was leaning over to watch them when my sunglasses fell in the water.
We headed west for about an hour to Rialto Beach on the Pacific coastline. The tides were out and we were able to walk along the shore, climbing on the massive fallen trees and driftwood. We saw a seal swimming in the water (we first thought it was a dog being pulled out by the riptide, but then realized that seals actually have the same head shape as dogsā¦ ). We walked probably a mile or so, and then we came to a stream that we were able to cross using a log jam of giant trees. It was an adventure with a five year old in tow. But he was a champ. Here are some photos of the beach:
Thur, Aug 22 - Depart Port Angeles/Mt. Rainier NP via Chinook Scenic Byway/Arrive Ellensburg, WA
On Thursday, we packed up and drove back east, south of Seattle, through Tacoma and back into the Cascade Mountains. We drove up Sunrise Road, on the east side of Mt. Rainier. It ended up being clear enough to see ALL the mountains except Rainier. But in some ways that made it more epic. That there were all these giant mountain peaks we could see clearly, but Rainier was brooding and shrouded in clouds. At the top of Sunrise Road (the highest elevation road that gets near Rainier), we hiked a couple miles on a Nature Trail. No bobcats or bears. Just beautiful views in all directions.
From Rainier, we drove a couple hours to our stopping point in Ellensburg, WA. I cleaned bugs off the front of the Bronco. SO. MANY. BUGS.
Fri, Aug 23 - Depart Ellensburg, WA/Arrive Island Park, ID
A long drive out of the Cascades, across the Washington plains, and into the Idaho/Montana Rockies along US-90. Stayed in Island Park, Idaho about 25 min from the West Gate of Yellowstone. The boys were happy about the bunk beds, vintage arcade game, and āseparateā kids living room area. This will be home until Monday morning.
Sat-Sun, Aug 24-25 - Yellowstone National Park, WY
We awoke early and headed out a little before 7 to beat the crowds and traffic. We took the northern loop of Yellowstone, which featured several smaller springs and geysers, Mammoth hot spring, and the āGrand Canyon of Yellowstone.ā Here are some picsā¦
On Sunday, we headed out early again, this time to the southern loop of Yellowstone. Along the way, we saw Grand Prismatic Spring and many other springs and geysers, including Old Faithful.
Mon, Aug 26 - Depart Island Park, ID/Arrive Rapid City, SD via Crazy Horse Memorial/Mount Rushmore
On Monday morning, we headed out at 6 a.m. to get a jump start on our longest drive day - Island Park, ID to Keystone, SD. We had originally planned to loop south to drive through Grand Teton NP, but the drive after that would have been through a part of Wyoming with several active wildfires. There were intermittent highway closures along our route with LONG alternative routes. So, we headed north from Island Park instead, following the I-90 corridor east until Moorcroft. There had also been several recent wildfires along that path, as we found. It smelled very strong. Like cigarettes more than campfires. Very interesting to see, but eery as well.
The weather report scared us a little. 70 MPH winds, quarter sized hail, and warnings to shelter in place. Fortunately, the storm front was ahead of us, so as we headed southeast on Hwy 16, we followed the storm path, about 30 minutes behind it. We saw trailers and campers blown over, and steel roofs peeled off and blown across the road. The lightning strikes hitting the mountains on the horizon were really something to see. And it was clear how lightning can start fires in the dry Wyoming brush and grasslands.
Once we were in the black hills there were - no kidding - small ādriftsā of hail along the road.
We stopped at the Crazy Horse Memorial and Native American Museum near Custer. Really beautiful Native American artwork, especially the beadwork.
Then we headed to Keystone (road fatigue had set in, so we skipped Needles Hwy) to check into our room. We went out for dinner and caught the evening ālightingā program at Mount Rushmore.
Tues, Aug 27 - Depart Rapid City, SD/Arrive Sioux Falls, SD via Scenic/Sage Park Rd/Wall Drug/Badlands NP
We headed out of Keystone southeast on Hwy-44 to the ghost town of Scenic, SD. Iāve never seen an abandoned town that isnāt restored as a specimen. Note the Longhorn Saloon sign stating the year (1906) and āIndians Allowed.ā
A few miles past Scenic, we headed toward the āback doorā of Badlands NP via the washboard curves of Sage Creek Road. Beautiful country, with Springsteenās āBadlandsā on repeat.
Thatās when we headed up to Wall Drug. What a site. The Mecca of all tourist traps!!!
After our coffee, pie and donuts, we headed back into Badlands NP along the loop road. Saw prairie dogs, antelope, and bison. This was our final national park of the trip. We continued east to downtown Sioux Falls for the night.
Wed, Aug 28 - Sioux Falls, SD/Arrive Detroit, MI
Home sweet home.
August 11-28, 2024
Drive time: 116.05 hours
MPG: 17.5
Distance: 5,294.5 miles
Key points: Marquette/Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Glacier National Park, North Cascades National Park, Seattle, Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainier National Park, Yellowstone National Park, Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, Badlands National Park.
Itinerary
Sun, Aug 11 ā Depart Detroit/Arrive Marquette, MI
Detroit to Marquette is one of our favorite ālong weekendā trips and this one was even better, with weeks of vacation to look forward to, and our final chance of the year to spend some time along Lake Superior. After arriving in Marquette we headed straight for the Black Rocks of Presque Isle Park.
Mon, Aug 12 ā Marquette
Spent the day around Marquette, with a Pictured Rocks Boat Cruise in the afternoon.
Tues, Aug 13 ā Depart Marquette, MI/Arrive Fargo, ND
A stopping point on our way to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Fargo was a place to visit an icon of the silver screenā¦
Wed, Aug 14 ā Depart Fargo, ND/Arrive Theodore Roosevelt NP, Medora, ND
Pleasant morning drive to Medora. Checked into our hotel in this very tourist trap town, and then headed out to explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park. After a couple hours of rain, the sun started breaking through and made for some dramatic views as we hiked along the ridges of the badlands. The first of many buffalo sightings.
Thur, Aug 15 ā Depart Medora, ND/Arrive Choteau, MT
A drive day into the rolling plains of Montana. Found an Amish grocery and deli on our route. Long stretches with no other cars. Just the open road. Cruising at 80-85 MPH getting 13 MPG.
Fri, Aug 16 ā Depart Choteau, MT/Glacier National Park āGoing to the Sun Roadā/Arrive Whitefish, MT
Glacier National Park was truly unbelievable! Going to the Sun Road is the most beautiful and fun stretch of [road] driving Iāve done outside Mauiās Road to Hana. We hiked a few miles to Hidden Lake, saw too many waterfalls to count, and dipped our toes in Mountain streams. The wildflowers were gorgeous. There were small streams every couple hundred feet crossing the wildflower meadows.
First bighorn sheep sighting. They were probably 100 feet away! Didnāt have to āun-holsterā my bear spray or knife. Not even a bear sighting from the car. No wildcats either.
Sat, Aug 17 - Depart Whitefish, MT/Arrive Chelan, WA
Nice drive from western Montana, through the Idaho panhandle and across the high desert of Washington state. Leaving the Rockies was eerie. We thought it was foggy but as we descended we realized we were just in some lower-than-usual clouds. When it finally broke we were in the western foothills of the Rockies.
After a few hours, we stopped in Bronners Ferry, ID to let the boys play at a playground.
Then we drove down through Spokane, WA where we stopped at Manito Park for a picnic lunch. Look at this garden at the parkā¦
Later that day, driving through the high desert of Washington, we saw several dust devils!
Sun, Aug 18 - Depart Chelan, WA/Wellington Ghost Town/Twedeās Diner/Arrive Seattle, WA
Wildfires thwarted our plans to drive through the northernmost pass in North Cascades National Park (Hwy 20 was closed for several miles for use by fire teams). So, we drove west on US-2 along the Skykomish River. For the first part of the drive (between Entiat and Leavenworth) Google Maps provided an alternative route option using local roads and a stretch of US Forest Service Road 6800. Being a Bronco owner, I jumped at the opportunity. What a drive! Steep, narrow switchbacks, and beautiful.
Once back on US-2, a few miles further west, we took a short trip up Tye Road to the ghost town of Wellington. The site of the deadliest avalanche in U.S. history. In 1910, after a week or so of heavy snowfall, a lightning strike hit the mountain and caused an avalanche that swept a passenger train down the mountainside. The remnants of the train are supposedly still there and can be accessed by a trail. We opted for this photo by the gravel parking area, because who knows what kind of wild animals (or ghosts) lurk there?
After that, we headed to Twedeās Cafe in North Bend for lunch. This diner was where many scenes were filmed for the show Twin Peaks, which we love. A creepy murder drama from the 90s.
Then we drove into Seattle and spent the afternoon at Gas Works Park on Union Lake and saw the city skyline. Many house boats docked there, including the one from the movie Sleepless in Seattle.
Sun-Mon, Aug 18-19 - Seattle
On Monday, we toured Seattle (as passengers in a friendās Toyota 4Runner, which planted a seed in our minds) and we saw some really neat stuff. Early in the morning, we visited Carkeek Park on the Puget Sound. The tide was out so we were able to walk the beach and see little crustaceans. Then we drove past the Fremont Troll, which is under an overpass. Thats a VW bug in its handā¦
Then we went to Pike Place Market. The first public market in the US. It was incredible. Endless vendors selling EVERYTHING you can imagine. We ate and drank coffee until we were stuffed. Saw the first ever Starbucks, but opted to not wait in the 1 hour+ line. We also saw the Gum Wall in a nearby alley.
Then we headed to āSeattle Centerā and the boys played in the fountain. Then we went to the MoPop museum, which had a really impressive collection of music and pop-culture memorabilia. Highlights were the Nirvana and Jimi Hendrix exhibits, and the Sci-fi and fantasy exhibits.
Tues, Aug 20 - Depart Seattle, WA/Arrive Port Angeles, WA
On Tuesday, we loaded up and took the Edmonds-Kingston ferry across the Puget Sound to the Olympic Peninsula. Once landed in Kingston, we drove to Port Angeles. We drove up to Hurricane Ridge in the northern part of Olympic NP. It was rainy and foggy so we didnāt have the best views, but we did it!!! Rain and fog were a major theme of our time in Olympic.
Tues-Wed, Aug 20-21 - Olympic National Park
On Wednesday, we saw some incredible sites. In the morning, we drove to the Hoh Rainforest and hiked the āHall of Mosses.ā It was incredible to see trees so large and everything was covered in moss. It rained all the way there but in the rainforest it was quiet and no rain (or at least it didnāt make it through the dense canopy). There were crystal clear streams and we saw tiny salmon hatchlings in the water. In fact, I was leaning over to watch them when my sunglasses fell in the water.
We headed west for about an hour to Rialto Beach on the Pacific coastline. The tides were out and we were able to walk along the shore, climbing on the massive fallen trees and driftwood. We saw a seal swimming in the water (we first thought it was a dog being pulled out by the riptide, but then realized that seals actually have the same head shape as dogsā¦ ). We walked probably a mile or so, and then we came to a stream that we were able to cross using a log jam of giant trees. It was an adventure with a five year old in tow. But he was a champ. Here are some photos of the beach:
Thur, Aug 22 - Depart Port Angeles/Mt. Rainier NP via Chinook Scenic Byway/Arrive Ellensburg, WA
On Thursday, we packed up and drove back east, south of Seattle, through Tacoma and back into the Cascade Mountains. We drove up Sunrise Road, on the east side of Mt. Rainier. It ended up being clear enough to see ALL the mountains except Rainier. But in some ways that made it more epic. That there were all these giant mountain peaks we could see clearly, but Rainier was brooding and shrouded in clouds. At the top of Sunrise Road (the highest elevation road that gets near Rainier), we hiked a couple miles on a Nature Trail. No bobcats or bears. Just beautiful views in all directions.
From Rainier, we drove a couple hours to our stopping point in Ellensburg, WA. I cleaned bugs off the front of the Bronco. SO. MANY. BUGS.
Fri, Aug 23 - Depart Ellensburg, WA/Arrive Island Park, ID
A long drive out of the Cascades, across the Washington plains, and into the Idaho/Montana Rockies along US-90. Stayed in Island Park, Idaho about 25 min from the West Gate of Yellowstone. The boys were happy about the bunk beds, vintage arcade game, and āseparateā kids living room area. This will be home until Monday morning.
Sat-Sun, Aug 24-25 - Yellowstone National Park, WY
We awoke early and headed out a little before 7 to beat the crowds and traffic. We took the northern loop of Yellowstone, which featured several smaller springs and geysers, Mammoth hot spring, and the āGrand Canyon of Yellowstone.ā Here are some picsā¦
On Sunday, we headed out early again, this time to the southern loop of Yellowstone. Along the way, we saw Grand Prismatic Spring and many other springs and geysers, including Old Faithful.
Mon, Aug 26 - Depart Island Park, ID/Arrive Rapid City, SD via Crazy Horse Memorial/Mount Rushmore
On Monday morning, we headed out at 6 a.m. to get a jump start on our longest drive day - Island Park, ID to Keystone, SD. We had originally planned to loop south to drive through Grand Teton NP, but the drive after that would have been through a part of Wyoming with several active wildfires. There were intermittent highway closures along our route with LONG alternative routes. So, we headed north from Island Park instead, following the I-90 corridor east until Moorcroft. There had also been several recent wildfires along that path, as we found. It smelled very strong. Like cigarettes more than campfires. Very interesting to see, but eery as well.
The weather report scared us a little. 70 MPH winds, quarter sized hail, and warnings to shelter in place. Fortunately, the storm front was ahead of us, so as we headed southeast on Hwy 16, we followed the storm path, about 30 minutes behind it. We saw trailers and campers blown over, and steel roofs peeled off and blown across the road. The lightning strikes hitting the mountains on the horizon were really something to see. And it was clear how lightning can start fires in the dry Wyoming brush and grasslands.
Once we were in the black hills there were - no kidding - small ādriftsā of hail along the road.
We stopped at the Crazy Horse Memorial and Native American Museum near Custer. Really beautiful Native American artwork, especially the beadwork.
Then we headed to Keystone (road fatigue had set in, so we skipped Needles Hwy) to check into our room. We went out for dinner and caught the evening ālightingā program at Mount Rushmore.
Tues, Aug 27 - Depart Rapid City, SD/Arrive Sioux Falls, SD via Scenic/Sage Park Rd/Wall Drug/Badlands NP
We headed out of Keystone southeast on Hwy-44 to the ghost town of Scenic, SD. Iāve never seen an abandoned town that isnāt restored as a specimen. Note the Longhorn Saloon sign stating the year (1906) and āIndians Allowed.ā
A few miles past Scenic, we headed toward the āback doorā of Badlands NP via the washboard curves of Sage Creek Road. Beautiful country, with Springsteenās āBadlandsā on repeat.
Thatās when we headed up to Wall Drug. What a site. The Mecca of all tourist traps!!!
After our coffee, pie and donuts, we headed back into Badlands NP along the loop road. Saw prairie dogs, antelope, and bison. This was our final national park of the trip. We continued east to downtown Sioux Falls for the night.
Wed, Aug 28 - Sioux Falls, SD/Arrive Detroit, MI
Home sweet home.
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