We had a great time out in Wyoming & Montana this past July. It was the first MTA experience for 60 percent of our group this summer and I think most would agree it was a fun time. The other 40 percent of the boys have been on two, three, four, and even five MTA trips before. They knew what they were getting into, but of course - every trip, every day is a different experience. It's just one of the things that differentiates these programs from a typical summer camp experience. The boys this summer hiked and explored in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks, rafted the Yellowstone River, took a horseback trail ride in Cody, visited a couple of museums, saw a rodeo, and of course - got glimpses of lots of wildlife including a mama bear with two cubs, bison, elk, antelope, and bighorn sheep. Click to see some photos from our most recent trip.

And we're always looking ahead...

Boys are already signing up for our 2013 trips. The first up (June 2013) is a seven-day experience in the West Virginia mountains. We'll base in the Greenbrier River Valley area which has plenty of great activities to keep us as busy as we want to be. We'll get to hike, explore, tube, take a train ride, visit America's best-kept secret, bike on the Greenbrier River Trail, and much more. The activities are suitable for all ages starting with boys who will have finished the third grade. Click for more info on West Virginia.

The Europe by Eurail expedition will be our major trip for 2013. This is our fourth adventure across the Atlantic. Can you imagine traveling across Europe by train getting to choose where you want to visit, how long you want to stay, what you want to see? This is exactly how we do it. We will have reservations for the first two or three and last two or three nights - then every day in-between is up to us. This trip already has a waiting list, but if you're interested in joining us there's always a chance. Most of the boys have been signed up since January or February and circumstances do change. So click to read more and let me know if you want to add your name to the roster. There's a chance we'll do another trip to Europe as soon as 2014 or 2015 since these trips have always had very strong demand.

We’re all home, well kind of. One leader stayed out in the Tetons for another ten days, one leader is in Massachusetts for a family event, one boy went fly fishing on the Snake River in Idaho for a few days, and a few more are staying with grandparents or friends for another day or two. But most of us are home – albeit about ninety minutes late. Our flight was early leaving Jackson Hole Airport and arrived in Dallas-Ft. Worth a tad bit early. But our flight from there to Greenville-Spartanburg had a couple of delays for mechanical reasons. But we’re not going to let an hour and a half change the successes of our 12-day adventure. It’s all an adventure right?

It was a great trip. We did a lot and the boys and leaders learned a lot about living and working together in a big group. We had 20 boys and four leaders on this trip – the largest group I’ve ever taken. It was a group that got along amazingly well. We had three sets of brothers, also another first. And our group was complimented at least eight times and possibly as many as ten depending on who was counting. This has never happened. We usually average three or four compliments in a good year and zero in a bad year. Don’t get me wrong. We got zero compliments last year and I attributed that to our large group of seventeen boys and those guys last year were a great group of kids. But this year’s group proved the theory wrong that big groups couldn’t get compliments. Twenty boys this year and a mess of compliments and I am very proud. I’m sure I still owe them some treats! They didn’t ask for IOUs, but I’m sure those boys who come on a future trip will remember exactly how many treats they’re due.    

To recap, we spent four nights in Jackson, Wyoming; four nights in Gardiner, Montana; two nights in Cody, Wyoming; and one night in Dubois, Wyoming. We hiked in the Grand Teton National Park and in Yellowstone National Park. We explored lots of geothermal features in Yellowstone and saw tons of wildlife including four bears, hundreds of bison, elk, pronghorn antelope, bighorn sheep, and more. We witnessed Old Faithful and eruptions of other smaller geysers. We rafted on the Yellowstone River, took a horseback trail ride in Cody, and attended a rodeo. We had a docent-guided program about Buffalo Bill at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center and another docent program at the National Bighorn Sheep Center. We chowed down on a western chuck wagon dinner at the Bar J Ranch and were entertained by the resident singing (and joking) cowboy wranglers. We drove into Idaho to have a world-famous milkshake at the Victor Emporium and we explored all the small towns and cities where we were staying. We saw incredible views of mountains and rivers and valleys. We went swimming in our motel pools, folded our laundry at a Laundromat, found three geocaches, played miniature golf, and picked up enough souvenirs to help several local economies. We saw a cowboy shootout (re-enactment) and walked the dusty street of a recreated Western town. And we ate a lot – a whole lot.

Boys were able to see friends they hadn’t seen in a year and many boys made new friends. I personally feel that everyone experienced some personal growth during our adventure.

I want to thank my three adult leaders for all their help and friendship – Ray Thompson, Howard Yarborough, and Jeff Peisner were incredibly capable and willing to step in and do whatever was necessary to see that the trip ran smoothly and safely and that everyone was having a great time. I also want to thank my student counselors – Mark Gilbert, Stephen Baker, Jack Lozyniak, and Hunter Smith for again showing me how misunderstood older teens can be. These boys were absolutely wonderful. I would take them anywhere and actually, three of them already planning their next adventure with me for the summer of 2013.

And thanks also to my upcoming student counselors – Jack Eatherly, Ben Bryan, and Jon Bryan. They were also very helpful and stepped up to the plate many times to lend a hand.

Of course, thanks to the younger boys who made the trip so much fun – Jack Riley, Becker Andry, Avery Wall, Thomas May, Brooks Sullivan, Will Rasco, Robert Harlan, Wills Clarke, Jackson Woodard, Aidan Lamb, David Gilbert, Connor Hovendon, and Ras Andry. I don’t know where they get their non-stop energy, but it’s contagious. It keeps me young.

Each year boys usually ask how much longer I plan to run these trips and I tell them as long as “I’m” having a good time. And so, did I have a good time? You bet! I can’t wait to next year.

Thanks boys, thanks leaders, thanks parents.

And that’s a wrap. MindStretch Travel Adventures Wyoming & Montana 2012 is now history    

Click to see some photos from our 2012 adventures.

Today's adventures started with a visit to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody. We let the boys explore a little on their own before having a guided tour focusing on the life of William F. "Buffalo Bill" Cody. We were divided into two groups for the tour and the kids were excellent. The Buffalo Bill Historical Center is a world-class museum - actually five museums in one.

From Cody, Wyoming we drove to our night's destination in Dubois, Wyoming. It was a long trip but the scenery was absolutely worth it. We drove through the Wind River region of Wyoming along the Wind River Mountains and even passed through the Wind River Indian Reservation.

We got into Dubois just about the time most shops were closing which probably wasn't a bad thing, though most boys aren't quite shopped out and still have money left. We did have time for some swimming, hot tubbing, basketball, and walking the wooden sidewalks of Dubois and then walked a hundred feet to the Cowboy Cafe for dinner where amazingly the boys picked up their sixth and seventh sincere compliments. This is by far a record - and compared to last year's zero number of complements - nothing short of phenomenal.

We are heading into Jackson tomorrow morning for our final couple of days. Lots ahead.

Click to see photos from our trip.

We had a busy day of adventures as we left Yellowstone National Park for Cody, Wyoming.

We took the park road out of Yellowstone that passes through Lamar Valley which is known for its abundant wildlife.

We weren't disappointed with our viewings. Today we saw another bear (the second one of the trip - the fourth if you count the two cubs we saw with their mama a few days earlier. We also saw antelope and great herds of bison including a couple really close up.

As we left the park boundary we took the Beartooth Scenic Byway up to Cooke City, Montana where we stopped for one of the boys' compliment treats at the Cooke City General Store which dates back over a hundred years.  After our treat we took the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway across Indian Pass (8,000 feet elevation) down to Cody.

We checked into the Moose Creek Lodge in Cody and then immediately drove out to the Buffalo Bill Dam to check it out. On the way back into town we stopped at the Tecumseh Trading Post which features an incredible private museum of the Old West including a miniature representation of the entire history of the West. The boys found it pretty amazing. They also loved the stuff for sale in the Trading Post.

We returned to our motel and walked the two blocks to downtown where we witnessed the Cody Cowboys Shootout, a Cody tradition. It takes place in front of the historic Irma Hotel - Buffalo Bill's hotel he built in honor of his daughter.

We gave the boys money for dinner and they could, in small groups, choose their own place for dinner. One group actually decided to pool their money and eat in the Hotel Irma dining room. After dinner, boys had time to explore some of downtown Cody.

It was a busy day and the kids are really enjoying themselves.

It should also be noted that the boys picked up two compliments today. The manager of the motel in Gardiner said they were great as did the store clerk at the Cooke City General Store. So that's five total compliments this trip and that sets a MTA record.

Click to see photos from our adventure.

It might still seem like a long time away, but 70 days or so from now we'll be exploring the wonderful natural areas of Wyoming & Montana. It's been four years since I've been there and I can't wait to get back. And neither can the kids and leaders. In fact, several of the kids and leaders were with us on the last trip out there in 2008. 

Now moms, don't worry....we won't intentionally get as close to a bison as it might appear in this photo and no, your son won't come home looking like a pint-sized version of Buffalo Bill. This photo was "borrowed" from the Wyoming travel guide and it just looked like a perfect intro to some of what we'll see and do.