It seems like years ago that my better half wrote about the slow down (the four wonderful days spent at Waterton).  I am here to tell you about the great big speed up.  First, let me tell you that each and every trip we vow not to speed up.  Past trips we have made valiant attempts to spend days in Iowa or Wisconsin or Nebraska, sucking up the adventure with as much abandonment as we would in, say, Montana.  It just doesn’t work that way.  Once the road tilts us back it is foolish to fight gravity. Yesterday we woke up just south of Portland (Albany), drove 4 to 5 hours to Crater Lake, found out the boat rides have not yet begun (snow, snow here is everywhere), decided not to camp at the lake and drove in search of a campground.  Late Friday nights our options were slim and we slept at a nice hotel in Bend.  After a fun time walking the riverfront we ate a mediocre Thai meal and then swam at the hotel until 11.  Today we drove about 400 miles to a wonderful, happy KOA in southern Idaho.  The campground is crowded with happy, fresh families on their way to the Tetons and Yellowstone.  We can tell they are beginning their adventures because everyone is happy and smiles.  And so were we as we made wonderful chicken tacos at our site and then swam outside until past 10.  Tomorrow we hope to camp in the Tetons and then spend two nights in Yellowstone.  And then the speed up will begin in earnest.