Yellowstone - the Epilogue

Having thought I was going to OD on emotion the night before (see Yellowstone Blog 3) I was looking for a peaceful day and some perspective:






We went down into those fields to be stalked by a coyote which we heard first and you have to look close in the photo to spot him…



Whilst looking at this scene other loud noises from a bigger creature came from the bushes. We kept still to see if it would emerge …bison crossed my mind, not to mention moose and even grizzlies of which I had seen one in the distance on Dunraven Pass.



Then up here for some literal perspective of Jackson Hole which is really Jackson’s Hole









Then it was back down to Jenny Lake where we had started. The historic….erm…Landing



And a rest by the Lake:








We now have the camping bug...as the next blog will show.

Yellowstone Part 3 ..Things can never be the same again

You have probably worked out that we heeded Ranger Droll’s words and got out before the snow.

That night in Colorado 3 feet of snow fell and it is lower than Yellowstone.

So where to find an encampment now then?

Coulter Bay, still in Yellowstone just above the Tetons.



Tent up now off for a walk around the lake.

Well at least it wasn't steamed...



Is that a buried hippopotamus, don’t be silly the thin mountain air is obviously getting to you .........

It’s Moominpapa (look it up if you don’t know)



Off again






Then the evening drew in and here we come to a point where the pictures can’t really do justice to the brilliance of this. It might help to zoom in.

Suffice to say I wept absolute heart and soul watching this unfold. Poor P didn’t know what to do with me after. It starts muted and grey and a force 10 gale was blowing:


















Thank you P.

x

Day 3 in Camp Run Amok

My my what big ears you’ve got…or is that because I am so close and I am aged 6 again and I get that excited I shake and pics never quite as good as should be.



Jellystone here we come..screech of brakes to take this



Then



And





We arrive at our first campsite in Jellystone. You have to get there in the mornings to get a spot. 3 million visitors a year, 1.5 alone in the months of June, July and August.

P

3 nights please

Ranger Droll

Nope you can only have 2 tomorrow is the last night. The park shuts completely. If you ain’t out by 11 am Monday morning will dig ya out in May.

Now take note of this as the tourist guides are a bit vague on this. There are some camps still open but not many.

Tent up no bear lockers…and this is another area of confusion…some campsites say you must put food in bear lockers and never in cars etc. Then those that don’t have lockers say it’s ok because claw marks and dangly trim are always explicable to the car hire company.

Tent erect, firewood stacked.

Not content with my old geyser…





Not sure I wanna be a tree



I’m a troll



I almost got an extreme facial taking this



There’s quite a bit going on in this one



And this one




And there is room for little life



This mooched on in 5 yards away



Meet your ancestors



Heading back we came to a phalanx of photographers and I mean serious zoom lenses with camouflage covers causing pileups on the only road through Yellowstone. We joined in with our modest Canon Elph. Well P had too as I wasn’t big enough in the crowd..



Dusk in Yellowstone



I cooked chicken stuffed with mushrooms and wrapped in bacon on that and I don’t think I have boasted about our extensive camp kitchen facilities …

1 corkscrew
1 bottle opener
1 bottle stop
3 sets of plastic knives, forks and spoons
4 plastic plates,
3 fray bentos type pie dishes
1 8” frying pan
1 dainty saucepan
a set of disposable toasting forks
1 plastic fish slice
1 cup off the top of the flask. This was originally supplemented by another plastic one but it fell victim to "jump on the passengers' luggage" high jinks at DFW
1 box of matches



Did I mention that we had washed up in cold water the night before and the fray bentos trays also doubled up as cereal bowls.

Day 4 - I make the tea again since King Tut is having meteorological issues……there is ice on the camp stove, the clothes outside of his mummy’s tomb though still inside the tent are damp.

I also valiantly try to light a fire with wood which was drizzled on last night. Eventually I succeed, make pancake mixture from scratch...in my fray bentos tray...

Anybody mention village idiots or smurfs now or ever….



MMm smoked pancakes, smoked tea, smoked fruit and fibre (we share 1 cereal bowl between us that morning)

Where to today Trapper P????

Err I dunno Booboo.

How about Montana

But before we get there




Also taking in sulphurous mud pools along the way





A herd of



The paintpots which, with the odd exception, were a little disappointing.




Approaching big sky country








But first some more volcanic stuff





Getting closer to the border it just seemed to get bluer and bigger





And there it is through the Roosevelt Arch, Montana



And this sums up Gardiner, Montana



Many times you might have said if you take the cars away it's just like ...but no really here if you took the cars away..



The mind boggles, who is gonna get jiggy with a grizzly?



Right next to the sign...Is it there as a temptation?



Sometimes you never know whatcha gonna learn



Heading for base camp



Then lone buffalo (LB) up for molestation appears around the corner, currently on the other side of the road

Just it and us. P slams brakes on:

P

Take the wheel and I will get a shot

LB

What you looking at

S

It’s looking at us. It’s not happy

P

It’s ok

LB

I said

S

P it is cross, it is heading straight for us

P

Pass me the camera. Watch you don’t drive into that rock

That rock is an entire mountain..I toss camera and grab wheel at the same

LB

Don’t make me come over there

S

No P it is, it’s really mad, it’s gonna charge

P (slightly higher voice)

It’s ok just keep eye on car

LB

Want a right fender?

S

No P really, it’s a hire car, he’s coming at us

P

Don’t panic, just need to put it on wide angle

S

P! P!! P!!! P!!!!!!!

LB

Had you going there din’t I. Yeuch, yeuch, yeuch, yeuch

I can’t believe I managed to take any more still pictures. But I did.



I made P stop for this even though the sun was setting and we needed some tucker




Bloody hell not more



Then I made him stop for this too

Night P,

Night S

.

Night Ranger

LB

Night

What the …..

Well it was the last night that humans would be camping in much of the park for another 6 months. Every animal in the forest came out for a party…we never recorded it but should have because it was just truly amazing, though neither of us dare get out of the tent.