Day 11

Tired from the storms overnight. I guess Mother Nature decided to display her own 4th of July fireworks.  We take our time drying out and packing up. Cook the rest of the eggs for breakfast. Mosquitos are still pestering us (I killed 11 of them by the time we left camp) but not as bad as last night. We leave Yellowstone by the south entrance and drive through Grand Tetons NP, stopping a couple times for pictures. Very picturesque, beautiful park. We have driven 2,992 miles so far on this trip. Stopped for lunch in Jackson. Fun town but completely overrun with tourists everywhere. Found a sandwich shop on the back side of town and went to park to eat. Unfortunately for Rocco it was a "no dogs allowed" park. :(  continue on our way south via scenic drive. Stop for gas and a plan in Rock Springs, on I-80. Decide Flaming Gorge is just too far out of the way and head for a private campground in Rawlins. It was certainly no scenic area but price was right ($18 for the night) and we were the only tent in the tent area. Picnic dinner after we set up. So far, so good. Until about 10:20 when we are in the midst of the loudest, windiest, most awful thunderstorm of the trip. We are using ourselves as human tent stakes in the corners and wondering if we should run for it and abandon the tent to the plains, wherever it might end up. Thankfully the gusty wind also meant fast-moving storm so it was over in about 10 minutes (the longest 10 minutes of Felisa's life though Bella said she would've slept through it if we hadn't been making such a fuss and waking her up. Rocco was also super scared!). We relocated the tent and added several more stakes. At 11:35 we were settled back in and hoping for a quiet rest of the night. Thankfully, it was.