Love to Walk in Yellowstone Park

It has been another long and full Yellowstone day.  If you feel that there are not enough hours in the day, may I suggest that you live in the Park for a few months.  I believe that the sun comes up around 4:30 in the morning and goes down around 10:00 p.m.  Now, this probably isn't true, but it sure feels that way.

This morning I are a gourmet breakfast (sarcasm) and went for an hour walk around the Old Faithful geyser basin.  The one thing I will miss the most about Yellowstone is the great opportunities to walk.  Back home, walking on our country road is almost more dangerous than this,,,,

stepping in bison poo while looking at the pretty little flowers.

I know, I'm back on the poo thing, but seriously, it is a problem.  And if there is poo, there are bison.  Fortunately they were dropping their poo somewhere else and my walk was safe and pleasant.

The Castle Geyser was going off and going off and going off as I strolled by.

Quite impressive as it only erupts 3 times a day and it lasts for 15 or 20 minutes.

Now that I'm a Yellowstone Park expert (sarcasm again), it's fun to watch the tourists running to get a picture.

The poor simple souls don't know that it lasts lots longer than Old Faithful.

And if you run at this altitude, you should carry an oxygen tank.

This is what happens to trees if they are down wind from a geyser.

Of course there is always steaming water pouring into the river.

A somewhat eerie landscape, but you get used to it.

There is always something steaming, bubbling and spitting around here.

This is the Old Faithful Inn in the distance.  I was trying to figure out how to get there.

I was afraid if I walked any longer I would start to look like one of those dead trees.

I liked this dead tree.  I felt like Dorothy looking for the Emerald City at this point.

I wouldn't have been surprised if the tree had winked at me and pointed towards the Inn.

If I only had a brain or courage or a bottle of water.

Just as I was giving up hope of ever seeing civilization again, three lovely girls from China came along.

This gave me hope.

Or perhaps I was really off track.

One girls asked if I wanted her to take my picture, so I grabbed the other two for a little more interest.  You must be tired of seeing me.

 They were the sweetest girls I had met in Yellowstone.

I finally made it back to the Old Faithful Inn.  And oh yes, I got to wave at the hubby back home.  I found the web cam hidden in the trees at Old Faithful.  I called him, he pulled it up on his computer and there I was waving like a fool at a tree.  It brought tears to our eyes, I must say.

I went to work at 2:30 and didn't stop for a breath until 10:00 when I limped home on my swollen ankles.  Just another day in this strange paradise.

Tomorrow is the long trek to Livingston where my dental fate will be determined.  Keep your fingers crossed that I don't come home minus a tooth.  I know I will come home a lot poorer.  I just want to get it over with.  The anticipation is almost worse than....no....the actual dental work is always worse.  Needles and drills and...put your head between your knees hubby.  He hates the dentist.  Wish you were with me to hold my hand.

Also tomorrow, hubby is driving my oldest son to the airport so that he can join us in Yellowstone Park.  Isn't the hubby a fine man?

More tomorrow.  There will be photos of the trip and maybe the gaping whole in my mouth.