Jacob

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 * My Family Trip to Wyoming**

My trip to Wyoming with my family, Mom, Dad, Julia, Sierra, and I was very interesting. On our first night, we went into Cody, the town the cabin we were staying in was near. It was about 5:00 P.M. on a Sunday night, so not many shops were open. First, we went to H.B. Trading Post, a Native American themed gift shop. Then we went to the Cody Dinosaur Center, where there was a T- rex skeleton as big as a classroom! It was a dark brownish color with teeth as big as my hand! I also bought bismuth, a multi-colored rock that looks like a bunch of rainbow staples fused together.

A few hours later, we went to the Cody Stampede, the world's only rodeo that runs every night of the summer. There was barrel racing, bareback riding, calf round up, bucking broncos, and best of all, bull riding. Only one person stayed on a bull for eight seconds. One of the bulls was going crazy in the pen, so they let it out into the ring. It jumped over a six foot fence and landed in with the young steers. It only took about two minutes to get it out. Luckily, none of the young steers were injured. After the rodeo, people flooded out of the stands. We finally got out and drove back to the cabin. Almost as soon as I got in bed I drifted to sleep feeling the best I've ever felt.

The next day, we went down into the Grand Tetons National Park. We stopped at a small picnic area and took some amazing pictures of the beautiful, snow covered mountains. There were some blue, puffy flowers that were so soft, I wanted to stuff them in a pillowcase. An amazing river snaked its way through the park. It was so calm and pure, that it looked like drinking water. After the picnic area, we stopped at a little chaple with a big window and an awesome view of the Tetons. In the entrance, there were four stained glass windows - one for each season. When we were driving back to the cabin, I spotted a bald eagle. Its head feathers were as white as new fallen snow on a winter day, while the rest of its feathers were a deep, dark brown. In my opinion, it was the coolest bird I've ever seen. We got home late again, so I had to go to sleep right away. I drifted off to sleep to the sound of the river.

The day after that, we went to the world's first national park... Yellowstone! We saw many cool animals, such as bison, many different birds, and an elk. The bison had thick fur covering their heads and front legs, while a thinner, finer coat covered the rest of their bodies. We only saw one elk, but its rack was fuzzy and it had thin soft fur. A few miles into the park, we saw Yellowstone lake! The waves were so big, our van got splashed! When we got out of the van, we were blasted with the smell of a freshwater breeze. We skipped stones for awhile. My dad skipped one so far, I lost count of how many times it jumped over the violent waves of my new favorite lake. When we got out at the world famous geyser, Old Faithful, the smell of rotten eggs filled the air... it was sulfur. The hot springs hissed like snakes. When Old Faithful erupted, a roar louder than a lion burst out of the geyser. A white, steaming tower of water shot fifty feet in the air. The wind sprayed a sulfury mist everywhere. Everbody cheered for the world famous geyser.

Our next stop was Obsidian Cliff. It was made of a black, glassy, volcanic rock. That cliff proves that there is or used to be a Yellowstone supervolcano. Yikes!

After that, we went up to Mammoth Hot Springs and Terraces. A thin layer trickled down a staircase of thick bactrial mats. It was getting late, so we started our voyage back to the cabin. Surprise! We got back late yet again, so we had to go to bed right away. A coyote howled. There was a splash in the river. Finally, when Dad's snores filled the room, I drifted off to sleep.

On our final day, we went into Cody. My family explored the different shops that weren't open on Sunday. We went to Cow Town Candy, where I got a chocolate-caramel brick.They even had a chocolate first-aid kit, complete with chocolate tonic, and chocolate-caramel pills that looked like fish oil. Then, we went to the Yellowstone gift shop that wasn't even in Yellowstone! I got a rock collection complete with quartz crystal, obsidian, and many more. We also went to the Buffalo Bill Cody Museum. I'll never forget my trip to the amazing town... Cody Wyoing!

"Yeah!" I shouted. I couldn't control myself. I had been waiting all day for this moment. My cousin, Brandon, Aunt Carol, and I walked up the front stairs. We went to the table in the lounge to sign in. We were finally going to the 4-H lock-in.
 * All Locked Up**

The waiting room buzzed with excitement. Kids flooded to the room where the first meeting would be held. We found out that we were the first group to go swimming.

"Yes!" we all cheered. Everyone rushed to the changing rooms. Brandon and I were the first ones in the pool.

"Oh yeah," I said as I saw the diving board. I sped to the board.

I took a running start, jumped, sprang into the air, and yelled," Cannonball!"

" Your splash almost hit the ceiling!" Brandon exclaimed as I got out of the pool. I cannonballed and cannonballed until it was time to get out of the pool.

Brandon said," That last jump made you look like you were flying! You caught some serious air on that one!" After we dried off, we met in the lounge.

Our chaperone yelled," FREE TIME!" We all sped to the best destinations.

Brandon and I raced to the Virtual Vault. There were stationary bikes, a rowing machine, an Ab-Solo workout machine, and Dance Dance Revolution. Best of all, there was a Tread Wall. It was a ten-foot tall, vertical tread mill with foot and hand spaces. If I wanted to, I could climb it all day. Brandon and I played some games there for awhile, and then, we went downstairs to the bounce house in the basement. We then played basketball until about 10:00 P.M.,when we had to meet in the track gym.The chaperones made us sing songs until it was time to eat. The staff called us group by group to go upstairs to eat. Finally, my group got called.

When I got my pizza, I devoured it and said,"Yum! That pizza was pretty good!"