If you’ve been checking the blog for updates you’ve noticed that it’s been a while.  Well we fell in love with Yellowstone and didn’t want to leave and there are very few sites with wifi or cell signals.  Yellowstone is so beautiful and so pristine – you can really feel that you are a part of something greater and older than the here & now.  So the lack of technology doesn’t hinder the vacation it really enhances it.  I really wonder how the pioneers must have felt knowing when they left their homes that it would be next to impossible to see the loved ones they were leaving behind ever again.  They must have been stronger in spirit than we can ever truly imagine. However, we do live in the 21^st and we must stay connected.  So it’s good to get a room in a hotel with a wifi once in a while.

To catch up on activities…

We arrived in Yellowstone late (5PM) on Sunday night.  We didn’t have any reservations for camping and due to Monday’s schedule needed to be as close to the west entrance as possible.  The ranger at the northeast entrance suggested that we high tail it to the west entrance and leave the park to find a camping site.  We were told that ALL camp grounds fill up by 10AM.  This left us in a quandary as to what to do on Monday morning for Monday night.  Should we try to get a camp site outside of the park for 2 nights?  Would we even be able to get a site for that night?  As we drove through Lamar Valley I realized that we should try to make a reservation for one of the big campgrounds for Monday night before we left the park.  At Madison Junction we turned into Madison campground witht eh intention of securing a site for Monday night.  I waited in line and finally got to ask that all important question… Are there any openings for Monday night?  Yes, at Grant Village.  Wonderful that was good.  Then I tempted fate and asked if there were any opening here for tonight.  I’ll check, maybe something fell through the cracks.  Yes the supervisor has an opening.  We’ll take it!  Thank you, Lord for providing a camp site.   We got the bear lecture:  NO food or cooking equipment is to be left out at night, NO water bottles or any type of cosmetics were to be put in the tents. We bought the firewood and set up camp.  40 degrees and the temperature was dropping.    All was well I thought.

Grace woke me up at 1 AM throwing up.  IF water bottles attract bears what would vomit do?  Do I sleep in the car with her?  Do we spend the night in the bathroom?  Rodger, what can she throw up in that seals tight so no animal can smell it?  Genius husband that he is he finds the water jug- 2 ½ gallon container that seals well!  So hour by hour I wake up and help Grace to throw up into the jug.  I wonder, “Should we try to cancel the horse back riding  trip scheduled for Monday?  Can I even reach the people, there’s no cell signal.  Will Grace fell up to riding this is her MUST do activity?”  Morning dawns and Grace has stopped throwing up.  She says she wants to ride. 

Monday we went for a 2 hour horse back ride.  I haven’t been on a horse in 30+ years and haven’t missed the beasts at all; a few BAD experiences at summer camp convinced me that horses were not all that others thought they were.  BUT wanting to have a family vacation and stick together as a family I screwed up every ounce of courage I could muster and saddled up with the rest of the family.  The area was beautiful- really amazing (I never thought I’d find an area of the USA that I would ever find that rivaled New England in beauty, but I would live in Yellowstone if I could!).   And I found out that the horses here aren’t all bad.  Kudos to Dry Outfitters for having trained their horses so well.  And I wonder if God didn’t give us children that force us to confront our own fears- He does have that sense of humor or good sense. 

Tuesday I got up early- earlier than I thought.  My phone said it was 4:30Am but for some reason didn’t register that we were in Mountain time and so it was actually 3:30.  But once up I couldn’t sleep so I stayed awake until it was 5:00 and I woke up Rodger to take me to a Photo Safari trip at Old Faithful.  The guide’s name was Lisa and she knew the area really well- where to get some amazing pictures and also a lot about ALL cameras.  Since I only had our Nikon for about 2 weeks this was a wonderful learning experience.  I’m sure that all of my pictures taking has been enhanced by that one short trip.  While I was doing the safari, Rodger and the kids packed up camp and drove to Mammoth; no small feat.  You cannot comprehend the distances or traffic caused by animals or sightings of animals until you try to drive from 1 point to another.  The map can say 19 miles but that will take at least 45 min for curves, switchbacks, Bison on the road or a bear on a hillside.  So they got to Mammoth in time to get a campsite.  And it was the best campsite we had; stayed there 4 nights.  After Rodger & the kids picked me up we explored the basin area and oohed and ahhed at the pools, steam vents and geysers.

Wednesday, we did a few little hikes along the north rim.  Paint Pots were nice but the mud pots were “way cooler.” Tower Falls was neat.  Ate supper at Roosevelt Lodge- our favorite lodge at Yellowstone.  The history was amazing and the atmosphere rustic yet elegant.  Preston & Rodger are now reading a book about Teddy’s presidency.  When we got back to camp it was about 10:30 and the Persids meteor shower had started; Sumner & I lay on the picnic table and watched about 10-12 falling stars. (Preston & Grace were too exhausted to watch with us.)

Thursday we stayed near Mammoth.  Drove to Gardiner, just outside the north entrance, to see the arch that Roosevelt had laid the cornerstone for in 1903.  Then we went to the point where Boiling River flows into Gardiner River.  Boiling River, as you may guess from its name, flows from a hot springs.  Where it enters the Gardiner there is a natural Jacuzzi.  Some rocks dam up a small pool and the affect is wonderful.  Hot water giving way to ice cold spots.  We soaked for a good 30 min. and then walked down stream to an even larger area of hot water and icy spots.  That area wasn’t as good with the children as the current was extremely swift.  If I hadn’t had a very tight grip on Grace I’m sure we would have lost her to the main river.  Our angels were doing extra duty that day!  I had to really pull the kids back up to the starting point.  As we got out to leave we saw a herd of elk drinking in the river just 50 yards form us.  We started down river and had another group of elk cross the path right in front of us.  (The elk also walked right through the campgrounds at Mammoth- about 20 feet form our tent- and like to hang out in the Mammoth area at this time if year)  Finally made it back to Mammoth in time to get showers at the hotel (they charge $3.50/shower but you get towels and soap!).  The front desk people smiled big when Preston & Grace asked how long the showers were.  UNLIMITED!  So after 5 days of quick washes and doing our hair over a bucket with water heated over the campfire we had the luxury of a real, hot shower.  We grabbed a quick supper and meet the Evening Wildlife tour to Lamar Valley.  We got to ride in a 1937 touring car- all rebuilt engine and refurbished interior.  The top was rolled back so we could see the hawks and osprey soaring overhead.  We saw a great number of bison, some pronghorn antelopes and a Black Bear!  The bear was eating berries from a bush near the Pebble Creek campgrounds.  Then moved off across the creek; our driver followed and we spotted her about 50 yards from the road.  As we watched the bear walked right towards us.  She probably got as close as 20 feet when she dug at a log to get to the insects.  Truly a highlight for the trip!

Friday we went on a stagecoach ride at Roosevelt Lodge.  The kids loved being on the stagecoach.  We saw a yellow-bellied marmot.  Rodger & I enjoyed the history of the stagecoaches and each tried to put ourselves back in time to feel the experience of a 1800’s traveler.  Then we did the most amazing hike of our family’s life.  We hiked from the trail head to the top of Mount Washburn.  The total hike was 6 miles, a rise of 1400 feet and winds at the top sustained at 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.   The hike, roundtrip, took us 6 hours including a rest & lunch in the fire tower at the top.  BUT the views were spectacular!

Saturday we had to say goodbye to Mammoth and we headed out after a climb around the actual Mammoth Hot Springs.  Drove to Canyon Lodge for a well deserved room & tub.  Except there was a miscommunication and there was no room waiting for us.  Instead we settled for a very rustic cabin- no elegance here- and a shower.  But Rodger did the laundry and we saw the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone (Sumner wonders if there is a Yellowstone of the Grand Canyon).  That was the most spectacular place in Yellowstone for me.  In fact I made myself get up early on Sunday morning to get some early morning pictures. 

Sunday after a very good Ranger talk about animal signs we drove towards the Lake area.  A HUGE bison blocked our way for a few minutes until a park ranger came beeping his car (not honking, but a special beep) at the beast and it moved on across the road.  This absolutely delighted the children and me.