We had no accommodation or shows lined up between Missoula (Montana) and De Moine (Iowa) and basically the whole of central America to cross with no accommodation, so we decide to route our way via seeing one of Nik’s cousins who moved from NZ to live in Jackson (Wyoming). The drive from Missoula to Jackson was easily the most spectacular of the tour. I have no idea what the scenery is normally like, but a massive snow storm was hitting up the central US as we were passing through it, so everything was simply beautiful.

We all had no idea how many mountain ranges you needed to drive over to get across the states, I’d always figured it was just plains and valleys you drive through, but the bulk of the time you’re really elevated quite high. I’d driven a few icy roads in Canada before getting to the US, but this little roadtrip today definitely takes the cake. Some parts of the drive we were going through a total white out, where the road was totally covered and all you could see were the faintest of tire tracks. When the road wasn’t totally covered, you’d get what we nicknamed “Road Eels”, these amazing little road drifts of snow which, well, funnily enough, resemble dry ice skating over the road.

Driving on snow is always scary, but I find it funny at the same time, it always makes me feel like a tourist as we are creeping along at 10mph while the locals are hooning past with reckless abandon in their Dodge Utes at 65mph. Do not try to drive around America without a 4WD, that’s all I’m saying.

We get about 20 minutes away from Jackson and a gigantic mountain pass and it’s getting dark and snowing. To get to Jackson we have to go over a mountain with a 10% downhill grade over 10 miles, it’s a really famous pass and several locals had already warned us about it, even in dry conditions. We decided we weren’t going to take it on…and even though we’d been driving all day, had no money and were only 20 minutes from our destination that we’d fork out for a motel. After visiting every motel in town to find the cheapest deal, I pay and sort out our keys…in that time Rhys (of course) had found some locals to talk to, who made fun of us piking out and told us to get hard and that the road was easy, we decided we were up the challenge and the steady stream of cars towards the pass gave us confidence, so I get our money back and we set off.

Again we crawled over at some ridiculously slow pace as the locals overtook us over and over again, these locals have balls of steel, going over this mountain was like driving on an iceblock. The road got so steep and we were going so slow that we were actually more paranoid that the van would not make it over then the state of the slippery roads, but we managed to get to the top and inch our way down the bottom, and how glad were we to make it to Jackson! Nik’s cousin Mark and his partner basically treated us like kings (seriously) for the next few days.

(PS..I know my parents and girlfriend won’t like to hear about me driving sketchy roads…but don’t worry, I always play it safe, I was even overtaken by an 18 wheeler truck going up the pass)

We stay at Mark’s partners cozy house the first night after they take us out for drinks at the local pub, from here on in basically Mark paid for everything we did over the next couple of days, we kept “trying” to pay our own way, but we’re not too proud to accept charity, so accepted his awesomeness We decided that since we’d found such a sweet town to stay in (Jackson Hole is basically the Queenstown of the US – beautiful snow resort and expensive as). After Mark takes us out for breakfast to a classic American diner we head back to his place and spend all day napping and watching DVD’s.

Mark had been telling us that he’d lined up some sweet accom for us that night, staying with a friend of his who was looking after his bosses house. We arrive at this “house” to discover it’s an 8 million dollar mansion!! and absolutely stunning. Surrounded by snow and as flash as we’d ever seen we just walked all around the house(s) with our mouths gaping open, we’re such hicks. Multiple bedrooms, games rooms, outhouses, stunning views…just wow. We spend all night in the “Media Room” hanging out after making an awesome dinner. The excitement of staying in such amazing accommodation made it hard to get to sleep as we wanted to stay up as long as possible to sample everything the house had to offer (such kids), but eventually we had to get some sleep.