Friday 18th August 2017

Time to leave Yellowstone, and such a bitter parting. In four days we have felt right at home, and now are able to find bison/elk/ospreys/butterflies/flowers/geysers and whatever, and enjoy looking at them and the drive to get there. The beauty of the park is sensational, and my words cannot due the place justice. Just thankful it was preserved as it was back in the 19th century when the park was created. And we have it now, as it was, roads, lodges, gas stations notwithstanding, and huge parts of it are too remote for all but the most fearless and dedicated trekkers can get to.

It will take months of processing in our heads to comprehend all what we have seen and done, reviewing the pictures. And remembering all what we have done. Heck, we even managed to be fairly active, despite the altitude which had given us such concerns last week.

We were awake at 6 again this morning, we both have showers, then pack and load the car which seems to have shrunk. But it all fits, in time. And we are off. We have to pay the bill first, of course, and once we had done that, instead of setting off out of the park, we turn right and go round the upper terrace drive of the upper terraces of the Mammoth Falls.

We had been here a day or three ago, and it was crowded, so to go back at just after seven would be splendid, no?

We park at the top, with just one other car there, and in the light of the morning sun, which had just risen about the mountains to the east, shining through the clouds of steam from the terraces. There is a wooden boardwalk to take us further to the edge of the drop, pools reflecting the sky and distant mountains, before the final view is from the side of the falls, with terraces, steps and small waterfalls of boiling water,

The as if by magic, a crowd of camera wielding Japanese tourists appear from nowhere, and the peace and tranquility was broken, as they jostled for the best selfie positions, and selfie sticks were brandished like a sword. I had my shots, so we walked back to the car, along deserted boardwalks again.

One last drive through Mammoth Village, then take the road to the north entrance instead of the Loop Road. The road drops quickly from seven thousand feet to just about five, ears popped, and we passed long lines of cars and RVs making their way up the long steep road into the park.

Sadly, after 5 miles we came to the gate, meaning we were leaving the park for the last time. We hope to return one day that’s for sure, maybe in the winter, if visitors then are allowed at that time of year.

There is a large town outside the gate, Gardiner, and we thought we might have breakfast there. Gardner is a OK place, a row of faux western style shops, most selling clothing or providing adventure trips on the rivers in the park. And there was the cafe.

Tables had not been cleared, and the servers had an attitude, but we found a clean table and ordered food and drinks. Jools had biscuits and gravy, as she had seen someone have it the other day and thought it looked OK. But was a disappointment, too much gravy was the verdict. I had eggs with peppers, onions, hash browns, bacon and biscuits. Biscuits are a disappointment to me too. And was served with the worst up of coffee since milky coffee was stopped being served back home. Brown hot water, not improved by cream and sugar.

We walk round the town, at least the frontage looking towards Yellowstone, but there was nothing we needed to buy, so set off for Bozeman, Montana.

The road crossed the Yellowstone River, then followed it along what was called Paradise Valley. Once through the gorge, the valley flattened out, and scrub gave way to farmland, mostly yellowing grass, but some had been watered and looked deep green. The road ran straight for miles on end, with the speed limit of 80mph. We cruised at 50 or 60, enjoying the coolness of the morning as we had the roof down.

We only had a journey of 90 minutes, so we stopped off at the only big town on route, Townsend, Montana, and turned out to be a great decision. For one thing it had a railroad museum, but then I didn’t visit as they had a real live railroad next door, so I could watch freight trains miles long thunder by.

We walk into the town after parking, and found a great collection of buildings, and lots of art shops. Many buildings had old fashioned neon signs still, so I go round snapping them, and some of the shop fronts dating from the 19th century. We visit a great bookshop, and talk long with the owner, then go next door to a coffee shop to make up for the poor one we had earlier. Huckleberry latte with an extra shot, turns out is a king of coffees and worked very well.

We walk back to the railroad tracks and the sound of locomotive whistles were calling, and a freight train that went out of sight down the line was waiting for the road to clear, I snap the front, the wait for the train to come in from the other direction, and then the one nearest moved off, three locos at the front, three in the middle and two at the end, and the train took 5 minutes to rattle by. Amazing.

Over the road there was a bar, in an old hotel building, whose neon sign had lured me in in the first place. I order a beer then change my mind, so the guy brings me two bears. I could have complained, but accept the two beer and an orange juice for Jools.

We soit at a bench overlooking the street and old station building beyond. There were doors, but these had been pushed back, so we sat with a cool breeze blowing in as I drank to pints of IPA. That meant Jools would have to dive to Bozeman.

By two in the afternoon, it was eighty five in the shade, after driving into town, we find a place to park and walk along the “historic” main street. It was too hot to walk too far, we just needed to find a place not McDonalds or Burger King to have lunch cum dinner.

We find a non-chain place, and order non-burgers, but were served in buns. I have some kind of oriental shrimp in spicy sauce. It was good, even better inside the air-conditioned restaurant.

At three we could check into the hotel, so we drive back to the interstate and next to the junction there it was, a chain, but with big rooms and the most most powerful air conditioning in chrisenden. We binge on the free internet, catching up on the news and for me, facebook updates.

As a treat, we go to the local Walmart as I needed a new watch, so buy a fifteen buck Timex special, I am guessing it will last longer than the bag of shit i paid fifty quid for a few months ago. Walmart is an experience, they sell guns, but you need a permit, which makes it OK.

We also have chocolate, more chocolate and beef jerky. All the food groups. And we laze on the big bed, listening to Radcliffe and Maconie for five hours. Sheer bliss.

Thursday 17th August 2017

A day of taking things easy. Or so that was the plan. And with that in mind we slept in until half past five! And then lay in bed for another hour, as there was no geothermal stuff to snap today, and what we did want to do, or I wanted to do, required lovely warm sunshine to warm the tiny butterfly flight muscles. You see, yesterday when I purchased the book on Yellowstone wildlife, the teller asked if I had seen any blue butterflies. That sowed the seed, and in one of the books it said a nice one could be found up on Mount Washburn. Now, the best laid plans of mice and men and all that, the mountain is big, over 8,000 feet tall, and the butterfly, small. So the chance of being in the right place to see them was slim. But, lets take the chance.

We left at eight, it was another glorious morning with lots of sunshine forecast, so we stopped to fill up in the village and get coffee and burritos, then drive to Tower and onto the mountain. It was just a question of what we would see.

Lots as it happened, several lone bison, including one that walked beside the car, and six elk who were wandering along the Grand Loop Road at Phantom Lake, we snapped them good.

THe road from Tower I call the up and over, it starts from the river plain can climbs to the mountain top, or near to it, in a twenty minute drive. It is quiet this time of the day, so I can try to throw the Mustang round the corners.

The only drawback was that to get to the top of the mountain, or as near as you can driving, meant taking the rough track road, lumping and bumping for a mile and a half, round hairpin bends, and all the while the hard suspension of the car transferring every lump and bump to our spines.

We do make it to the top, where clouds had rolled in and a coo, stiff breeze was blowing. There were no butterflies, and not at 10 degrees either. So I make do with snapping the wild plants around, som familiar some not, and other forms of wildlife: four Dusky Grouse, several Clark’s Nutcrackers, a Pine Martin(!) and various crows and other SBJs, taking up two hours.

I join Jools in the car for a bit, we talk and admire the view, but in that time the sun came out and the wind dropped, and once back outside i could see butterflies. Most were American Painted Ladies, but a couple of Fritillaries too, and after another 90 minutes looking, I find a female blue, I believe to be a Rocky Mountain Dotted Blue, and so being female was mostly brown. Another half hour brought no luck in seeing a male, so we move on to a site lower down the mountain.

My luck did not change, I see one blue, but it fails to settle, so I give up, having got at least one of what I was searching for.

We were on our way to Silver Gate for lunch, and if there was space near the Osprey nest, we would stop. There was and we did.

And good job we did as in the nest with the two juveniles was one of the parents, while on a dead branch near to where we parked was the other eating a fish. And its young called out repeatedly for food, and it kept on eating.

I wanted flight shots, to see the markings on the underwing, and soon the other parent took off from the nest and flew round its partner, screeching, so in the end both parents went to the nest to feed their young, making a nest full to snap.

Job done.

We get back in the car and drive out ot the park, stopping at the cafe a mile from the gate, we park up and take a table in the front window, and were given menus by their trainee Russian waitress.

We manage to order our lunch, what I though was peppered steak actually was steak thins and bell peppers and cheese in a seeded bun. Oh well, it was good.

We had the afternoon to ourselves, well we had the whole day, whole 5 days to ourselves, but you know, no plans. So on the way back, we stop off a couple of times at likely spots to hunt butterflies, meadows and river banks.

The first one I find more Skippers, whatever they’re called over here, and a white and something that looked like a Clouded Yellow, passable shots of all three.

At the next site I get shots of a Green Comma, another fritillary and a small Brimstone like butterfly, all to be identified once we get home to Blighty.

On the drive back, we come across more Bison, crossing the road, we both get shots, but as we are Bison’d out now, we move on to allow others to get shots, but still we see people within 10m of the beats, and one quick charge and a flick of those sharp horns and it would mean a mountain of paperwork for someone. I did not stalk or get too close to Bison at any stage, happy with seeing them up close when they strayed or crossed the road. The one time i did see a herd safely, is the only time I snapped them with the 6D, the rest are with the compact.

I drop Jools off at the stors so she can get coffee and chocolate for us to enjoy on the stopp, and I go to the cabin to unload the car.

We sit and watch new folks arrive at the nearby cabins; French and Belgian. The Belgians being noisy, but then you would with the beers they drink back home.

We make plans of the morrow, packing and traveling to a city, where we might just get a decent internet connection and catch up with six day’s news and football results.

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…..

Tuesday 15th August 2017

Yesterday we went for a snooze at six, and failed to wake up until nearly 11, meaning too late to do anything really, so we went back to bed.

All would have been well if the car hadin’t got bored and made the alarm go off twice. No idea what was wrong, so in the end we had to leave the car unlocked.

All was well this morning when we got up at six. Got up, but had been laying awake for at least two hours. But all was well, just now we could get up and go do stuff again. And as before, do the really popular stuff when the park is either empty or asleep, which is why we were heading for the Canyon and two sets of falls before seven, and just as the sun was rising.

As was the mist.

Mere photographs could not do the scenes justice, the morning light on the mist as it rolled down from the mountain tops, all tinged in pink. We do stop a couple of times for shots, but mostly just enjoy being some of the few people up and around at the early hour, lucky enough to see it.

We arrive at Canyon Village, and fill up the car, as it was reminding us it had only 45 miles of fuel left, and Yellowstone wasn’t the best of places to run out of fuel. However, I can say I am one of the few people to have locked the keys to his hire car, in the hire car, on the top of a mountain. You really could not make this up.

So with the car refuelled, we drive to the lower falls, and first of all go to the overlook, and with the mist wrapped round the fir trees on the edge of the gorge mising in with the spray from the waterfall, and again with the golden light, it was magical.

There was a train: three eights of a mile long, but dropping 660 feet. I knew the shots would be worth it, so we start to totter down. And down, and down. Zig zagging down the side of the gorge, with the roar of the falls getting ever louder.

With every step down, we would have to climb back up, and at over 7,000 feet, it was going to be interesting.

Once down at the bottom, there was a viewing platform right over the falls, allowing you to look down from the edge of the cataract. It was magical, and with just three young guys from Boston with us, we had it all to ourselves.

Of course, then came the walk back up, stopping every turn or two, but recovery seemed to get quicker and easier, and in ten minutes or so, we were at the top.

We have breakfast of salad and nectarines, I kid you not, before the short drive to the upper falls, where there was a less steep and much shorter set of steps to the viewing platform, made all the more magical by the mist that had risen. I snap it, and the mist wreathed trees on the far bank, then walk up where there was a small conference on what to do next.

In our preparations, we had left two days without accommodation booked, to allow us some flexibility, however, those two days were on Friday and Saturday, and all rooms in and around Yellowstone might be booked.

We drive round to Cooke City, Montana, where we had both thought the main street looked fun and nice to stay at. Once there was asked at the tourist information if they could help in finding a room, but we were told we would have to visit each and every motel and bar, casino to ask if they had rooms.

Only one did, but it didn’t really meet our standards these days, so we went back to the tourist information to use their free wifi, and after consulting a map, chose a town in southern Montana, did a search for rooms and came up with a condo with suits, and free wifi which should mean being online a little. It was all booked, so worries over, and being midday, we go over to a place opposite for lunch, our first meal in 22 hours, and have burgers. It was either that or steak.

Not the best burgers of fries in the world, but good enough to these hungry bunnies, we ate outside, the only ones to do so, but soaking up the rays, now that the sun had broken through.

On our way back to the park we see a cabin selling ice cream, so call in, and were given a waffle cone each with five scoops of creamy goodness, and these were just the singles at 3 bucks fifty each! Jools could not finish hers, but I wasn’t going to let huckleberry ice cream go to waste. I eat all mine, all except for the drips down my t shirt.

On the way back to the cabin, we stop many times to take in the views, or to look for wildlife. A friendly chap showed me where some mountain goats could be seen about a mile away, but also gave me the heads up on an Osprey’s nest near to the road further on.

At an overlook of a shallow river, Jools and I spend a fine half hour chasing butterflies, American Painted Ladies and some kind of Fitillary. All wonderful, and some photographed.

A few miles on, we see the Osprey’s nest and stop, next to the guy who told me about it. We watch to juveniles stretching and flapping their wings, and I rattle off probably 50 shots.

We move on and finally come to a place where a herd of Bison where near to the road, so we stop and I snap many of the animals, some rolling around in a dust bath. Just fabulous.

Back in Mammoth, we visit the upper terraces of the falls near to the cabin, but it is a joyless experience because of the numbers of people, but then still got some shots. But we can return in the evening or early tomorrow,

We had burgers for lunch, again, so in the evening, in the hope of improving our diet, we go to the resort restaurant, in the hope of vegetables, in for not other reason. We hadn’t booked a table, so had to wait 40 minutes, so retired to the bar, and where I was recommended a pint of Moose Dribble, a dark beer I was told. Turned out to have great depth of flavour, and it was a shame when that came to an end, but no worry as our table was ready, so we celebrated by ordering a bottle of wine. We ordered blush, but red came, but what the heck.

I had fillet of bison, showing they just don’t look good, the taste it too, it was accompanied by some mashed taters, and boccolini. Or, broccoli that had been on a diet. All good, as was the wine, and we may return to sample the huckleberry margerita. We walked back under a clear sky with the crescent waning moon high overhead. We were pooped, and it was cold, just above freezing, so we took to our beds.

Monday 14th August 2017

We were awake before six, and laying bed listening to the rain pouring down, and then dripping of the roof of the cabin. This was not in the plan, in fact we had bet in there being no rain at all, so brought no coats of jackets.

Darn it.

We get dressed, and with there being no tea or coffee making stuff in the cabin, we decide to go to Old Faithful and grab breakfast there and then see it do its thing. As it were.

We were on the road by quarter to seven, it was barely light, and as the main road climbed out of Mammoth, the mist closed in. It did cross my mind what we thought we were doing, out in this dreadful weather, but then it is our holibobs, and we must do stuff. And doing stuff today means getting to Old Faithful before the crowds.

But the road was closed. The only road, the alternative would be to double back and go the other way round the park. But at seven, a truck appears and escorts the small group of vehicles through what alternated between so major, minor and complete rebuilding the pavement in places.

But we were through, and just the other side of the road works we see our frst geothermal phenomena, a steamy bubbling pond, with a boardwalk taking us over the reedbeds and into the middle of the pond. I take shots. Or course.

We go back to the car and drive on, but come to Thunder Mountain, a whole side of a hill transformed into a vision of hell, and scattered about were the skeletons of dead trees. I take more snaps.

We decide to drive on now to Old Faithful, as we could stop at every site and not ever get to our goal.

Up mountains, down the other side. Along amazing river gorges, over high bridges. And everywhere, steaming vents or pools all over the place, apparently placed randomly.

We drop down the edge of the caldera, and the trees thin and the geyser basins multiply. It is a surreal sight, and all the while leaden skies overhead, and a steady drizzle fell. Beside the road we see fabulous coloured pools, more vents, venting, but drive on.

We arrive at Old Faithful, and with the rain still falling, and no one waiting for the next eruption, we go on the hunt for breakfast. Inside the lodge, the cafeteria is closed, but a kiosk is going prepared food, so we stand in line and get our food, and being 18 hours or so since the last meal, it was just great. Even better was the coffee.

Where to stand for the eruption; fr away to get the whole effect, of close up so to see the action? Close up won. As time went on, more and more people started to arrive and take up positions in the seats surrounding Old Faithful. He, in turn, huffs, puffs and boiling water spills over. But with each cycle, the effects are more dramatic.

Until, it just kept going, and water, steam, soared high into the air, almost silently, the steam was carried away by the slight breeze, and the water falls to the ground, now cool, to gently trickle away to the river below. And in the process adding another layer of minerals on the terrace.

We go for a walk, down and round Old Faithful, and all along were more slumbering geysers and boiling pools, surrounded by carets of brightly coloured exophiles. I am amazed by the patterns, colours and textures, but most of all that life thriver here in the chemical rich boiling water, but it does.

A five minute walk away we are told that another geyser, Beehive, is about to blow, some 15 hours after the last erruption. A small vent, called the indicator was venting steam and water. But for this one, we were less than 10m from the vent. It bubbled and boiled, vented steam. And then, whoosh!, up in the air it went, with, well, not quite a roaring sound, more like a steam engine with it’s emergency release valves open. But this was more dramatic.

We walk on, past more dormant geysers, brightly coloured pools, suspended on a walkway so we could see close up, geology in action.

We walk back to the car, snapping the colours and patterns of countless pools, but really, it was time to go, and anyway, there were plenty more sites to visit, if we wanted.

Back to the car, and now the car park was jammed, and many more vehicles arriving by the minute. In fact, all the sites nearby were also packed, so we pass those, but turning down Boiling Lake Drive, where we see, more sleeping geysers, pools, vents and another geyser letting go from a distance. Oh, and the boiling lake, so called because it is a lake and in several places, boiling.

I take shots of them all, because I can.

It was now after one, and we needed food. So, we look at the map and see there is a restaurant at a place called Canyon. We drive there, a half hour journey through woods and past more steaming pools.

We fond a place to park, and in the store there was a soda fountain, we ask for a table, or seats at the counter, and are given a gizmo that will flash when we can sit.

20 minutes pass, and it flashes. We go in, and have stools at the end of one counter, we both order bison burger, which seems a bit odd in a national park, but hey, must be sourced well. Not the best burger, but we were hungry and did us well.

By now it was three, and we were tired, so we make our way back to the cabin, along a mountain road, that twisted and turned as it climbed, then dropped down the other side, jsut as quick. Would do another stage of Le t\our I feel.

We stop a few times for photos of the dramatic views, but we now really wanted to get home and relax.

We pull up at four, it could have been any time really, as my stupid new watch is broken, and now will not hand wind, so stops during the night and normal movement cannot give it enough potential to work more than a few minutes in an hour.