Driving start: sunrise
Driving stop: sunset
State(s): ID, MT, WY
Tourists for a day.
Keith got us up early for this adventure. However, it was worth it!
Sightings: ravens (Keith's favorite), bison, moose, osprey, bald eagles (fledglings)
We started our loop tour of Yellowstone National Park from the West Entrance. First stop was a Trumpeter Swans habitat along the Madison river.
Gibbon Falls
Pick up sticks
Artists Paintpots - loved this section the best so far!
"Warning - In thermal areas the ground may be only a thin crust above boiling hot springs or scalding mud. There is no way to guess a safe path: new hazards can bubble up overnight, and some pools are acidic enough to burn through boots. More than a dozen people have been scalded to death and hundreds badly burned and scarred."
This bubbling brew was the best!
Virginia Cascade
The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
Lower Falls
Mud Volcano
"Warning - Many visitors have been gored by buffalo. Buffalo can weigh 2000 pounds and sprint at 30 miles per hour three times faster than you can run. These animals may appear tame but are wild, unpredictable, and dangerous. Do no approach buffalo."
After we took a photo of the sitting buffalo, Syd and I witnessed a buffalo crossing. We slowly backed away as it lumbered across the street. A second buffalo decided to cross the street and took a break midway. He stopped traffic going both directions. Everyone held their breath waiting to see what he would do. Fortunately, he continued to cross the street without giving us a look.
Lunch at Lake Village General Store. Summer interns from Hong Kong and Columbia manned the counters.
Old Faithful - so where is it?
About 40 minutes later... There was more to this. It actually got pretty high. This is just a snapshot of the start of video footage which I will post later.
We were pelted with intermittent hail storms on our way back to the hotel. Other than these hail episodes we've had good driving weather.
Syd: grumble grumble grumble (while walking down a switchback trail to see the Lower Falls)
Keith: C'mon Syd. You have to sweat a little for the good things in life.
"Bubble bubble toil and trouble..." --Shakespeare
