# We're Back!!!



## Nathan

Other highlights included a Mini-rally at Rafter-J Bar in Hill City with Crismon4.









Pictures are currently downloading, so you'll get the text version first:

The trip started out with a bang when 180 miles from home we had a blowout on the Duro's.








Pulled over, sureveyed the smashed skirting and when bending down to loosen the lugnuts, smelled gas.








Well the brilliant designers on the 28RSDS ran not one, but 2 gas lines in soft copper right behind the rear right tire (the one that let loose obviously).








To make a long story short, turned off the gas, limped to the nearest campground and then spent the next morning replacing the gas lines, patching the wheel well (torn apart also) and then making sure everything was water and wind tight. Middle of the day was spent getting 5 new tires (Loadstars was the best I could do, at least they are radials). On the road again by 1:00pm.

The rest of the trip was much less eventful! We hauld across I-90, stopping in MN, Wall SD, Redlodge MT.
Drove the beartooth highway with the OB (picture at the pass as proof is coming







). It really wasn't that bad except for the road is very narrow. Grades didn't give me a problem, and the turbo on the Diesel helped at 11,000 feet.







Many curves had the front truck tires on the side line and the trailer tires on the center line or vice-versa. Take it slow and it was very doable as long as you are comfortable watching your mirrors.

Spent 7 days in Yellowstone. The raods on the north end aren't really any wider than the beartooth, just the drop is a little less if you fall off (It would still be a major problem though....







)
Weather was perfect, sights were all good except it was incredibly wet after a very snowy winter.

Spent 2 nights in Tetons. Little bit of rain, but that's ok, the mountains were still beautiful.

Spent one night in the Bighorn Mountains on the way to Mt. Rushmore. I'd like to have spent more time there, but there were fireworks waiting.

Saw the 4th of July fireworks on July 3rd over the Presidents with Crismon4 and Family. Definetly something to do once! Very crowded, and if anyone want's to go next year, p.m. for tips on how to make it relatively painless!









Left Mt Rushmore and hauled home, arriving home today. 2.5 weeks of adventure, and now a mountain of laundry left to do.


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## Camping Fan

Nathan said:


> Pictures are currently downloading, so you'll get the text version first:


Waiting for pictures as I turn green with jealousy.









Glad you had a great trip after not such a good start.


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## Sweathog62

Excellent Report..... We are heading out this Friday for Yellowstone!! Looking forward to some of your pics...


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## Nathan

A couple early ones (i.e. unedited....)

















Finally, how on earth can you actually fall off the edge here?!?!


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## GarethsDad

Was this your first long trip with the new truck? How well did your PSD handle it compared to your old truck? James


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## camping479

Sounds like a great trip and the photos so far are fantastic. I remember as a kid being at crater lake in july and the snow at the edge of the parking lot was higher than a school bus.

Those black streaks on the trailer in the one photo are really distracting









Mike


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## Nathan

GarethsDad said:


> Those black streaks on the trailer in the one photo are really distracting
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
> Mike


I agree, they are now gone, but perhaps I'll have to wash the trailer in Adobe.









The tallest snow cut we drove through was taller than the OB when I checked in my rearview mirrors to make sure I was clear of it. I could just imagine that insurance claim on the awning: I ripped it off the trailer with a snowbank....


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## Nathan

Again, not too much cleaning up, but here's a sample of what we saw July 3rd.


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## wolfwood

*NICE!!!*

<green with envy







>


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## Sayonara

Well done Nathan !!! Bring the photo album to the Michigan Rally !!! Cant wait to talk more about it.


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## nonny

Also green with envy but grateful you were safe in the blowout. Looking forward to more pic ~ these are awesome! Welcome home!


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## Nathan

Sayonara said:


> Also green with envy but grateful you were safe in the blowout. Looking forward to more pic ~ these are awesome! Welcome home!


Thanks guys. I have to talk to DW about the Rally. She signed us up to a weekend in August with her sister, so I have to figure out our plans.

The blowout didn't cause any handling issues with the 350. Of course I do hate stopping on the side of the expressway.


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## Airboss

So glad you guys had a great trip! And thanks for sharing some photos, too!


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## skippershe

All I can say is WOW!


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## NDJollyMon

Cool. Glad you had a good time. Love those NP's. Glad Beartooth went well for you....I love that drive!


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## Chasgirl

Thanks for sharing, that was AWESOME. We hope to make it to Mt. Rushmore one of these days. BEAUTIFUL!


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## cabullydogs

Awesome, I can't wait to hear more.

Your post is one of the exact reasons we got a TT, I can't wait to get out and see the country!


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## Nathan

Ok, I put a few pictures







up on Picasa: Here


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## Lady Di

Great photos!

We didn't have that much last year in June.

Couldn't do the Beartooth either due to rockslide.


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## Sayonara

GREAT PICTURES !!! Thanks for sharing.


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## bradnjess

Awesome pictures. Looks like quite an adventure with little ones. Glad you had a good time and made it home safe.

Brad


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## Nathan

bradnjess said:


> Awesome pictures. Looks like quite an adventure with little ones. Glad you had a good time and made it home safe.
> 
> Brad


Thanks everyone.

We actually almost got a deer on our way home in Minnesota. Luckily it ran just fast enough for us to miss it (of course no time to slow down and you can't turn







...). Otherwise I might have had to pay Carey for a custom bumper...









We know the kids won't remember it all, but they did have fun and we'll end up back there again. DS starts Kindergarten this year having visited (or at least driven through) 24 states since he was born.


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## Carey

Nathan said:


> Awesome pictures. Looks like quite an adventure with little ones. Glad you had a good time and made it home safe.
> 
> Brad


Thanks everyone.

We actually almost got a deer on our way home in Minnesota. Luckily it ran just fast enough for us to miss it (of course no time to slow down and you can't turn







...). Otherwise I might have had to pay Carey for a custom bumper...









We know the kids won't remember it all, but they did have fun and we'll end up back there again. DS starts Kindergarten this year having visited (or at least driven through) 24 states since he was born.








[/quote]

Those dang deer in Minnisota are a menace, uh! I have hit 1 and have had about 10 near hits there.. Maybe eating all that corn makes em stupid or somethin..

Sure glad you missed it! That Ford ya got is way too pretty to be banged up!

Carey


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## Nathan

Colorado~DirtBikers said:


> Those dang deer in Minnisota are a menace, uh! I have hit 1 and have had about 10 near hits there.. Maybe eating all that corn makes em stupid or somethin..
> 
> Sure glad you missed it! That Ford ya got is way too pretty to be banged up!
> 
> Carey


I agree about minnesota after seeing this one, I-90 at 10:30 at night. The dash lights are dimmed, the high beams are on, I'm looking as far in advance as I can and a darn doe comes out of nowhere. She ran left to right and acutally I lost sight of her as she neared the right side of the truck (yes, we were so close I couldn't see her due to the hood). No impact, so I kept driving. I acutally looked for hair the next morning and didn't see any. DW was nearly asleep and was startled awake by the incident (I did hit the brakes moderately, but it was over before the truck could react). Her comments were "What was that?"

As for the truck, it's a lease so I would have had to make a claim, but I was thinking of your bumper the whole rest of the way home.


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## Carey

lol Thats pretty much how mine happened, except the deer stopped and I hit him dead center in the grille.. Everything on the dash or in the lil cubbies was on the floor..

Glad you lucked out!

Carey


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## Outback Steve

Did anybody notice that the smoke resembles the Statue of Liberty?

Gary


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## Nathan

Outback Steve said:


> Did anybody notice that the smoke resembles the Statue of Liberty?
> 
> Gary


Interesting observation. I'll have to look at the others too (I have several hundred shots of the fireworks....)


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## bradnjess

Nathan said:


> Did anybody notice that the smoke resembles the Statue of Liberty?
> 
> Gary


Interesting observation. I'll have to look at the others too (I have several hundred shots of the fireworks....)
[/quote]

Thats awesome, especially with the American flag off to the side.

Brad


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## NDJollyMon

I've hit 3 deer in my days...all 3 were in MINNESOTA!
One hit spun my car around in circles at 65 MPH. Nearly killed me.
Another time, I was towing a popup with a Ford Exploder...but I kept the thing under control.
It sure does scare the daylights out of you!
REMEMBER...try to hold the wheel straight, and put the brakes on. Swerving equals....BAD!


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