We left Saturday afternoon June 27th and got to Yellowstone around 7:30. The Peterson family was 2 hours behind us so since we had the tents and most of the other stuff we set up camp, then went to the cafeteria for dinner the Peterson arrived right before it closed. We all went to bed after that.
Sunday June 28th Canyon Area,
We had a late start, because Aimee wouldn't wake up, when she finally woke it was almost noon. We were staying at Canyon Village Camp ground so we saw all the things that were close that day. Grand Canyon, the Upper and Lower Falls, and Mud Volcano Trail.
Everyone else had had enough but Randy and I and Kevin and Carie wanted to hike down to the Lower Falls. It is a very step hike down. On the way up Carie need to use the restroom and so Kevin pushed on her back and she pushed on mine and we made it half way up in no time, Then I had to stop and catch my breath and waited for Randy to catch up. My heart was racing so fast I had to rest for a while because randy thought that if I didn't I would have a Heart Attack. It was worth the hike but I won't be doing it again anytime soon.
Monday June 29th Old Faithful and Fishing Bridge and Yellowstone Lake,
We went to Fishing Bridge and Yellowstone Lake and went of the Continental Divide and then to Old Faithful. One of my favorite places is the Continental Divide. It wasn't the same as last time we where they I think because we were there a month earlier, so the Lilly pads weren't in bloom. It I love Lilly pads when then are in bloom. This day ended up being one of my favorite days. Last time we were there we didn't get a chance to walk around the other part of Old Faithful, so this time I made sure that we had enough time and that we went to tired. When we got there old faithful was going to erupt in less than 20 minutes so we sat and waited. It wasn't as cool as I remembered from the first time I saw it but it was still COOL! Then we had lunch and walked around the gift shop. By the time we were done and walked around the back side it erupted again. I thought it looked much BIGGER and COOLER from this point of view.
Then we walked around the path to Morning Glory Pool. As we were walking to it there are signs that tell you when they thinks some of the Geyser's might erupt. So after spending a short time at Morning Glory Pool we walked back to Riverside Geyser. We sat to wait for it, 5 minutes later it erupted and in the mist you could see a Rainbow. The eruption last for 20 minutes.It was very pretty. (bottom right 2 pictures).
Then we went back to see if the Giant Geyser had erupted, and it hadn't. With this Geyser they give you a 4 hour time frame. and the 4 hours were almost up, so we sat and waited 20 minutes later it erupted. It a huge eruption, bigger than Old faithful and it last longer It is the tallest predictable geyser in the world. (Bottom left 2 pictures). It was by far the coolest I have ever seen. Randy and Tyler didn't get to see it because Tyler was to tired to walk over to it and he had to use the bathroom. When we were done watching Kevin, Carie, Clay and I finish walk the back half. Carie and Clay had to use the restroom so it left Kevin and I to finish. In the middle of it, it started raining softly so we picked up the pace, then it started pouring, so started running. I am not a runner and poor Kevin was kind enough not to leave me behind, so we would run for a minute than walk and so on until we got back to the Old Faithful Lodge where the rest of the family was waiting. We were soaking wet. I have not been in a rainstorm like that forever. It was kind of fun. So we waited around and a little later went up to the deck and watch Old faithful erupt again. (Top left hand picture). It looked ever bigger from that point of view. I can't believe we saw it erupt 3 times that day and saw the other Geyser erupt. It was a great day.
They only thing that would have made it better if all of us were doing it together. Mom and Dad and Brenna and Aimee had fallen behind on the road and we lost touch so we only meet up with them at the end in the lodge. On a side note if you have never been inside the Old Faithful Lodge go and see it. It is one of most Beautiful Hotels I have ever seen. The wood work is unbelievable. This night Aimee had to leave to go back to work and Caryn did arrive when she said she would so Mom, Dad, Brenna and Aimee stayed in a Hotel in West Yellowstone because the road that would make it fast to get to our camp site closed @ 10pm and Caryn wouldn't be here until 11:00, and to take the other way around would be a 3 hour drive and then Aimee would have the same 3 hour drive to leave because the road didn't open until 8am.
Tuesday Jun 30th, Norris Geyser Basin.
Last time we were there part of the basin was closed, because they had pools the were erupting stop erupting and ones that weren't erupting were erupting. This time it was all opened. So everyone put Mom and Dad and Brenna walked the whole thing. When we went back to the cars a guy came up to me and asked me if this was my car. I said yes and he began to tell me that a Crow was getting under the tarp and coming out with food in his mouth. We opened it up and he had gotten into Carie's stash of goodies and left what he couldn't care on the top of the truck. While preparing lunch we saw the same Crow unzipped a bag on a Motorcycle and trying and take something out. We scared it off and when the guy showed up we told him what had happened. They are very smart Birds.
The next stop was Artist Paint Pots. We had never done this one and boy were we in for a treat. At the top of a step climb there is a gorgeous view (top left picture) and the mud pots that squirts mud up onto the deck and sometimes on to you (picture in the middle left). Next stop was Fire hole river. We were all so excited to swim int the river (that's why I wearing my swimsuit in some of the pictures). But when we got there it was closed because the water was flowing to fast. We were all so disappointed, and was the only thing everyone was looking forward to do the whole trip.
Mom and Dad were done for the day but our family and Kevin and Carie who are our car mates so they pretty much had to do what we did went Fountain Paint Pots. Okay so there are some VERY stupid people out there, this guy leaned over the board walk and touched the hot acid water with his hand to See if it was hot, I really don't know but it was stupid. Randy had bought this book Death in Yellowstone and talked about this exacted pool were some guys dog jumped into the pool and he jumped in after him to save him, now how stupid is that. I don't know if the guy got burned or what when he touched the water I didn't want to stick around and see. Then we drove Fire hole like drive and saw the White Dome Geyser erupt. (right middle picture). I tell you I can't believe we had seen so many eruption. Then it was back to camp for dinner and the Ranger program. then off to bed because it was going to be an early day so we could try and see if you could see any wildlife.
Wednesday July 1st, Northern Yellowstone
On this trip we saw a bald Eagle, tons of Elk and Deer, Muskrats, Otters, herds of Buffalo, All the different types of birds in the park. Fish, Antelope, a male Grizzly Bear, 2 baby Black bears and one Mommy Black Bear, Chipmunks and Squirrels, Coyote. The only things were didn't see were a Moose and Wolves. None of us and ever seen Bears in the wild and it was really neat and scary all at the same time.
Random pictures. Breena and Caryn. Caryn, Brenna and Dad. Tyler and Clay. The gang having lunch and Kevin and Carie.
Mom was in awe of all the Wild Flowers. She took more pictures of flowers than of the trip. Its a good thing we all had camera's or we would have hardly any pictures of the other beautiful and majestic things we saw.
(middle picture) When we left Wednesday morning it was very foggy, put once you got higher it got clearer. This is what it looked like looking down Very cool. Just different things we saw on the northern part of Yellowstone between Canyon Village and Norris Geyser.
Mammoth Hot springs
This time Brenna and Caryn came with us and Kevin and Carie and Tyler went with Mom and Dad. We started at the bottom and they started at the top. Clay, Caryn and Brena wanted to walk up the trail and since I was feeling good we were going to drive to the top. We drove to the next terraces and it started sprinkling and we grabbed the umbrella. Poor Clay and Caryn got stuck in the rain, like I did a few day earlier, put it didn't rain as long or as hard.
This is my FAVORITE picture I took while in Yellowstone.
This is the only sunset we actually paid any attention too.
Thursday July 2nd, West thumb.
We packed everything up and left. Randy's parents went the way we came I wanted to the boys to see West Thumb and the Grand Tetons. But that was a big mistake. It took us 4 hours longer to go home than if we would have gone home the way we came. Next time we will not go home that way. We didn't get home until 11pm. Then I had to turn around and repack everything to leave the next morning to leave by 6:30 to go to Capital Reef National Park. Randy didn't want to go so it was just me with my Family, but that will be my next posting.
The Grand Tetons From the car. There was so much construction between West thumb and though out the Tetons randy Didn't want to stop, so these pictures are taken from the car driving down the road.
The drive home. Clay stayed under his blanket the whole time watching what ever movie we had in. They did such a good job on this trip without to much fighting our whining in the car. In Norther Utah We saw this Beautiful double rainbow. It was so bright and amazing. I love to see rainbows after it has rained.
