West USA Road Trip August 2022 (page 2 of 4)

For the wildlife part, we won’t see any bears, unfortunately! Or at least, I’ll be lucky enough to see the backside of one, but that’s about it.

But there are still the other locals. Some are pretty imposing.

Gorgeous! A feast for the eyes. I can’t wait to go back...

Gorgeous! A feast for the eyes. I can’t wait to go back...

Same here! Can’t wait to return. I was supposed to do another road trip in 2026 in that area with Rushmore, Little Bighorn, Yellowstone, Glacier NP, and Seattle, but the Prime Minister (my wife) firmly opted for the southern part of the country—Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona.

I’ll consider it for 2028 if my health holds up! 😎

Still in Yellowstone with some big storms. We're trying to find the breaks in the weather to see a bit more than the bare minimum. Actually, over the 4 days we've been here, we've had some pretty satisfying moments.

The colors are really remarkable. It's crowded, but manageable. We can still take photos without too many people in the way. The big downside? The cellphone has become the go-to for photos. Tourists snap pictures however they can, get too close to restricted areas, take their photo, check it out, and take the time to post it on social media. Meanwhile, you're waiting for them to move so you can have a clear shot.

In the northern part of the park, the Mammoth Hot Springs site is a spot you’ve got to check out. The area’s nice, it’s busy, but we handled it just fine.

Hello everyone,

Yellowstone is indeed a volcano, but it’s also a land of rivers and streams. By taking a few back roads here and there, you can discover some really nice hidden gems.

Sometimes, it’s hard to stop at a spot because parking spaces are scarce or there are too many people. But you adapt—and it’s magical.

And that's not all when it comes to the torrents. Let's take a closer look.

It’s time to leave Yellowstone with a few regrets due to the unfavorable weather. We’ll cross through again, departing from West Yellowstone to reach Cody. A pretty nice drive, but unfortunately, we also saw the damage from forest fires in the park. As a (former or not) "firefighter" with some specialization in forest fires, I don’t entirely agree with the U.S. "Let It Burn" policy. That said, it’s important to understand that the vastness of the territories requires adaptation in firefighting and strategic choices.

One last crossing through the park.

Before continuing the travel journal, I need to take a writing break. I'm on a work assignment for the National Deuch Gathering! A concentration of Citroën 2CVs, each one more beautiful than the last, not to mention the Méharis! Anyway, I'll be there from morning till night from the 27th to the 30th of May! So, not much time or energy to write. And if you're passing through Agde in the south of France, don't hesitate to stop by!

See you soon.

https://nationale2025.fr/

And here we are, back after a week among the Deux Chevaux. A unique world with its own rituals, its "enguelades" (heated arguments), its "jamaiscontents" (never-satisfieds), and its beautiful—or not so beautiful—vintage cars!

In short, if you want a Deuch that runs with everything redone, it’ll cost you 20,000 €! For a Méhari, the price goes up to 25,000 €.

I had some great meet-ups with crews who crossed France from end to end to attend these Annual Meetings.

And now, back to the USA.

We hit the road toward Cody through Yellowstone. Actually, we’re heading down to Cody. The drive is gorgeous—we stopped by a river for lunch, and life is good.

We roll into Cody in the late afternoon, check into the hotel, and then take a stroll around town.

Cody has its Main Street, of course. Given how close it is to the big Harley rally in Sturgis, bikers are everywhere—and super friendly for photos.

After grabbing a drink in a cozy little tavern, we head to the grounds for the daily Rodeo held in Cody.

I’ve seen some skilled riders before, but watching what the local cowboys and cowgirls do with their mustangs—you’re left in awe.

The US anthem at the start is a given, and it’s definitely a show worth seeing without hesitation.

I got a bit mixed up with the visits in Cody. Actually, on the first day after arriving, we visited the reconstructed old town at the entrance of the city.

It’s a pretty interesting place to discover how people lived in this unique region. Well worth a detour.

So for the second day, we’ll be visiting, among other things, the Cody Museum. It’s quite large and well-organized, perfect for spending a good chunk of time there.

The Buffalo Bill Museum is definitely worth a detour, even if ol’ Buffalo Bill wasn’t exactly an angel in his day.

And I’ll start reducing the image sizes—otherwise, I’ll never finish this travel journal!

The visit to Cody continues with a reenactment of a Western scene from the time of the Old West conquest. It’s easier to follow the cowboys' adventures, the Sheriff, and the ladies of ill repute if you understand English well, but the show is still fun.

For the rest, the usual souvenir shops and local products, with one in particular for professional cowboys that’s quite remarkable.

The legendary Irma Hotel restaurant, packed with tourists spilling onto the terrace.

Cody is a stop that’s not without interest on the journey that will take us to Rock Springs for an intermediate stop.

The drive to Rock Springs is long. We make stops for photos and we’ll arrive in town by the end of the day. A little shopping, a dip in the hotel pool, and the next day some car cleaning with a fun, laughing vibe at the local gas station.

Between Rock Springs and Moab, the drive is long too. Plenty of photo ops in the middle of the surrounding solitude make this sun-scorched road more enjoyable.

We’ll arrive in Moab late in the day, and the peace and quiet are over. Mass tourism begins here. The hotel staff points out the best spots to check out. The hotel is on the outskirts of Moab—obviously packed—and they allow dogs of all sizes. We won’t say anything about the room carpets. Breakfast is nothing special, but lots of people stock up on supplies for the day. Just to be clear—I’m not saying it’s always the French who behave like this! 😎

It’s early, and we’re hitting the road again to head to Dead Horse Point for sunset photos. For the shots, there’s a mix between Dead Horse Point and Canyonlands. Sorry for the mix-up!

Heading back to the hotel on our first day in Moab under a pretty intense storm!

Dash cam video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqcapYTxUxE

On the second day in Moab, we head to Arches NP. Early enough to avoid too many people at the entrance.

Lots of photo stops, an iconic site, and the heat really ramping up. We run into a French family who tells us they got caught in a storm yesterday afternoon—a downpour, according to them. And during the storm, part of it was spent outside the car.

We wander along a pretty busy trail. By around 12:00/1:00 PM, it’s way too hot, and we decide to head back. Too bad, but it’s unbearable. Maybe we’ll come back another day...

Once the worst of the heat has passed, we're heading to Canyon Land and the surrounding area. It's not very crowded, which is just as well—I can take photos in peace. We'll head back to the hotel in the late afternoon.