1. Why did you pick the place(s) on this trip?
Joni: Having visited 33 states, I had the opportunity to combine a trip to a friend’s cabin while also visiting national parks in Montana and Wyoming as well as stops in Idaho. This trip checked off another 3 states for me.
2. How did you plan – did you have a travel agent, go on a tour, go in with a specific plan or play it by ear?
Joni: I wanted to see Old Faithful and Yellowstone National Park; the rest I left up to Steph to find other national landmarks and interesting spots for the trip.
3. Did you have any difficulty coordinating your schedules to plan the trip?
Joni: I already had plans to meet up at a friend’s cabin in Troy, Montana so we planned our mother-daughter trip to coincide. Steph flew in a few days later and picked me up from the cabin.
4. What were your specific goals?
Joni: I had 3 goals.
- My first goal was to hike in the mountains. I started training in May to have the stamina for hiking in high altitudes and rough terrain. We ended up hiking approx. 75 miles in Montana and Wyoming over the course of two weeks so the training was worth the effort.
- I was also looking forward to seeing the wildlife in that area of the country. I had never seen bison, elk, or grizzly bears in their natural surroundings. We were able to see all three!
- As an artist I love to paint nature and wildlife. As it would have been difficult to paint on location, I was able to work off the hundreds of photos I shot.
5. Did you have any snags or issues traveling to or from your destination?
Joni: No snags! The trip ran smoothly from beginning to end.
6. How did you get around while on your trip?
Joni: We flew into Spokane and Steph rented a car when she arrived. We visited 3 states (Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming) and drove over 2400 miles! And we walked a lot!
While on the trip we also took a red bus tour through Glacier National Park as well as using shuttles in the park. Shuttles helped with parking situations.
7. What did you pack?
Joni: Being the second mother-daughter outing, I was more prepared but still brought more than I needed. I packed a digital camera, a portable battery charger, too many clothes, bear spray, a foldable backpack, and hiking boots. The portable charger was a must when we were on the trail due to poor cell reception and photos/video running down the battery quickly.
8. What did you pack but didn’t use?
Joni: Bear spray – however, it was worth the feeling of safety to have it with me on the remote trails. There were some clothes I didn’t use – I brought too many shirts.
9. What do you wish you had packed but didn’t?
Joni: Nothing – It was well-planned and Steph’s packing list was complete.
10. What were your favorite foods or meals from the trip?
Joni: Fresh Idaho rainbow trout from Bullwinkle’s in West Yellowstone. I ordered this dish more than once! I also liked the breakfasts we ate at small diners and restaurants along the road.
11. What was your favorite experience?
Joni: I had a couple –
- Out of the locations we went to, Glacier National Park was my favorite.
- Out of wildlife viewing, my favorites were the National Bison Range and Yellowstone National Park due to close encounters with bison and elk.
- I felt most accomplished hiking to Hidden Lake in Glacier National Park. One year earlier, I would not have been able to do this hike so all the training paid off!
12. What was your least favorite experience?
Joni: There were a couple stops in the national parks that we had to skip due to overcrowding at pull-offs or parking lots.
13. Is there anything you wish you’d done?
Joni: Not something I wish we’d done, but we weren’t able to locate moose and black bears on the trip.
14. Who took longer to get ready?
Joni: Me, of course.
15. What souvenirs did you buy?
Joni:
- Two pair of earrings – one from Glacier and one from Yellowstone
- A multi-charm keychain from Glacier – I attached it to my backpack to make noise while we hiked to deter bears
- An advertising spoon for Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone
- A pair of wooden salad tongs in the shape of bear paws in Grand Teton
16. Where would you like to travel next?
Joni: North and South Dakota or an international trip, possibly Amsterdam
17. Where have you traveled in the United States?
Joni: I’ve been to every state except the following 14: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Arkansas, Mississippi
18. Where have you traveled internationally?
Joni: Mexico, Bahamas, Dominican Republic, and Canada