Taming the iron horses, locked out, (geo)thermals, and still no bears...

5 August

We left Casey's heading east toward Yellowstone National Park. The drive was long and hot through the high desert. We made several stops - one of which included a visit to Wild Horse Monument on the upper Columbia River.



We arrived at our camp in Gallatin National Forest around 11:30pm. With just enough time to throw up the tent and sleep for a few hours before dawn. In the morning, I thought I had been dreaming about coyotes - but they were real - yipping and howling across the scrubland to one another.

6 August

I set off for the car to start packing up camp and realized I had no keys. Yes, that's right, I locked them up safe and sound - in the car. Luckily, Daniel had left his window open a half inch - just enough space to maneuver a sturdy stick to pop open the door lock. Whew!

We packed up and headed for Yellowstone. We explored the western and southern ends of the park. We saw Painted Pots, Grand Prismatic Spring, Old Faithful (of course) and several other smaller geysers and hot springs/pools.

Old Faithful was scheduled to erupt around 10:32 give or take 10 minutes. We arrived around 9:30 - I made myself some Thundermuck coffee in the parking lot while Dan ate his cereal. Just a few minutes before go-time I saw an Osprey off in the distance. It soared closer and closer to the geyser - then two more showed up. They must have known Old Faithful was due - they were screaming at one another and just as the geyser blew, they rode the thermal draft as high as they could go and left the top of it...looking for the next thermal. It was impressive and wondrous. They must have known the geyser would erupt then, but how? I was more impressed with the Ospreys than the geyser - but I am an ornithologist...




I had had enough of all the humans present in Yellowstone. It wasn't my thing. So we went south to Grand Teton National Park. Sure, there are people here, too, but not as many. We hiked a 2-mile loop this afternoon after securing a campsite for the evening. I thoroughly enjoyed a shower - I was dirrrrrty!




Tomorrow, more Grand Teton! YEAH!

Oh, and one last thing...

Mom, stop reading now...I have heard several reports of bears around camp and common areas! B E A R S! What does a biologist have to do around here to see a bear?!