After the last update, we found the ol' swimming hole where we were staying in the Yosemite Bug Lodge and had a bit of a splash around.
The next day (4) we went to Yosemite National park. It was amazing, and there were incredible views. We drove all around it, and up Tioga pass (to around 10500 ft above sea level) where we had a play with the snow there (remember, this WAS california!) and to see the amazing view there
Tioga pass view
Yosemite valley
The next day we were off to Vegas. The two Richards went on the rides on top of the stratosphere tower, and the view was incredible from there of the strip (see below). The next day we went to a gun club, saw Bellagio fountains, Mirage's garden and volcano, and even did a little slots!! We also found a foot-long hotdog for 99cents, which we all - Roy especially - enjoyed.
Following day was off to The Grand Canyon. The days we spent there were... words cannot describe how amazing the canyon view is. The pictures will never do it justice - but here is us at the rim, inches away from a 4000ft drop!!
The next day was up to the Arches national park, which were also impressive formations, formed by plate movements (as opposed to the Grand canyon, which was all formed by erosion)
We then went through middle america - not a lot to do there. Denver (Casa Bonita was the worst meal we have ever had) Mount Rushmore (it has been raining so they all looked like they had been crying, and also it was very 'America is amazing, Britain is crap' in all the presentations, which got a little old...) Sioux Falls (nothing there. If you ever have the option of South Dakota - DO NOT GO!! IT IS CRAP!!) Then we got to Mall of America (where we took a wrong turn on the way home and ended up in our first ghetto). Loads of shops, and a theme park. It was cool, but there are no pictures (it WAS a shopping mall, what do you expect!!)
We then went on to Wisconsin, to see house on the rock. Again, if you ever have the opportunity to go, DON'T!! it was rubbish (modern art crap that you had to pay to get in and then pay more to get the exhibits to DO stuff!!) THe best thing about there was that we stayed in a motel eerily reminiscent of The Shining...
Then off to Chicago, where we went to a Medieval style banquet with jousting, an aquarium, and got lost in a ghetto at night... it was rather scary, although not as scary as the cars with half the doors rusted through!!
After Chicago we went across to Cleveland. We didnt manage to get to the Rock hall of fame (boo) but we did spend 4 hours in the Pro Football HoF, which was amazing (well, Charlotte and Roy didn't find it so enthralling, but Honey and I did!!)
Then it was off to Pittsburgh for big burgers. The 2lb ones looked HUGE!! So we all chickened out and went for smaller 1lb ones instead... That's right - smaller!!
We then headed up to Niagara falls, via our 3rd ghetto of the trip, stopping off at a bar for Buffalo wings where the dress code read 'strictly no gang colours' Nice wings though...
Niagara falls were amazing. Maid of the mist (boat ride), Journey behind the falls (tunel) and Cave of the Winds (platform at base of the falls) were very wet so we got a disposeable camera, so pics not available yet. Youll have to settle for this.
Cave of the winds Hurricane deck is just out of shot, bottom right
We then went to Vermont to the Ben and Jerrys factory, for a tour and some ice cream
Which brings us to Maine, sitting in a library. Off to have some lobster now - update soon!! (ish...maybe...)
