Wednesday 16th August 2017

We were awake again at half five, if not an hour and a half before. Again. But outside the day was dawning clear and bright, and the moon was just visible in the lightening sky,

We were ready to go out by half six, and with the plan to go to the south east corner of the park to see more geothermal action. Sun was coming up on the way to Tower, and mist rose in every rivver valley, over every lake and pool. I could have stopped and took shots, but would not have done it all justice, so take my word. Glorious.

We take the road up and over the middle of the park to Canyon village, where at the gas station I buy coffee and cookies, so we could eat and sip on the winding and misty road towards Old Faithful. We stop a couple of times at some fumaroles, and all we could see was so much steam, but the vents gave out the noise of an express steam locomotive.

And despite being only seven, a few people were about. But by the time we got to the Middle Basin, there were just a few parking spaces left, one of which we bagged, and set off over the bridge and along the boardwalk to the many fools and terraces that steamed in the cool morning temperatures, and reeked of sulphur.

Pools of all shapes, colours and sizes, reflecting the now clear skies and wooded hillsides. I marveled again at the patterns and colours of the thermophiles that live in these conditions, and take their photograph.

Strained parents tried to inform and educate their children, and I said to one how great he took the time to read each information board to his uninterested two daughters, and told him, one day they would appreaciate the effort.

We drive past Old Faithful and its crowds, although to be honest traffic was so light, it wasn’t a problem. We stop off at a smaller geothermal site, more pools, fumeroles and small geysers. Amazing really, and a river meandering through the activity, and water from the geysers and pools drain into the river. All around all sites is Bison poo, as I think the animals go there in the depth of winter where the hwat stops the worst of frost making eating easier.

And we are done there too, so take the Grand Loop road south and then eat towards Yellowstone Lake, where we hoped it might be quieter and we could get some food which was not burgers.

I am sidetracked by the discovery beside the road of a small lake covered in water lilies, and the air filled with dragonflies and butterflies. We spend a fine half an hour here, chasing both, and me getting more shots of American Painted Ladies and a Green Comma.

We drive along the shore of the lake, and I spy a small island with a single tree on it, so think of a friend of mine in New zealand who has a lake nearby to where he lives which as a tree growing out of the water near the shore. Anyway, I think this island and tree deserve a photograph, so snap it.

We find the lodge, not that it was lost, but it is being renovated, so we nearly didn’t try to go in. A good job we did as the wooden building was fabulous, and the cafeteria was open, and served other things, so had a bowl of chili and a salad, jools had chicken pie and salad, and the dining room, which must have sat 500 at least, was nearly empty. We have a seat by the window, looking out onto the lake.

On the way back take the road to the east gate to see what the scenery was like; moslty a dead forest caused by some fire in the recent past, thousand upon thousand of dead tree trunks covering hillside after hillside, thankfully it was sunny or it would have looked spooky.

We turn for home, as thunderclouds form overhead and we could hear the distant rumble of thunder.

We do stop at one final geothermal site, a mud volcano, which, if I’m honest did disappoint, most being lost on clouds of steam, but the bubbling was more of muddy water than say, mud.

At the top of the pass back towards Tower, we stop twice to look for wild flowers and more butterflies, as I bought a book on both at the lodge, so now can identify what we see, sometimes.

The pass was in bright sunshine, yet to the north the sky was black with stormclouds and the wind picked up. On the drive back, it did rain, but not too hard and by the time we got back to the cabin, the sun had come back out and the ground was drying.

We go back to the falls after a cup of coffee, as I wanted to take detailed shots of the coloured terracing, there were still many people about, but not too crowded, but I do smirk at the trend of people wanting to be taken into front of something, as if that is the only proof they were here. As if it matters, so I watch French families and Indian familes take selfies and shots of each other, then get the shots I wanted, sthen wait for Jools to take her shots.

We have chicken wraps on the stoop for supper, along with bottles of Moose Drool, which was pretty darn good way to end the day…..