Memorial Day Weekend, Yellowstone Park: Part Two

I woke up this morning...eager to have another whole day off in Yellowstone Park.

Wait, wait, open the blinds slowly.

Does the wet cat give you a clue?  Back to rain, sleet and snow.

I lounged with roomy until she got ready for work and decided that I was going somewhere no matter what the weather.

So back to West Yellowstone to visit with David Barnes, the owner of Yellowstone Traders.

He had offered me a job at one time (that was before he got to know me better) and I wanted to see how he was doing.

Did I mention that it was cold and rainy?  Guess I did.

Here's David holding up one of his beautiful buffalo hides.

I hope that's what it is.  It sure looks better in his store than on the buffalo.

I can just picture a roaring fire, a buffalo hide on the floor, useless lap kitty barfing in the middle of it...kitty is ruining the image.

And there are more hides, like cow and alpaca and who knows what else.

Fortunately, David doesn't do this himself.  There are no bloody tracks to the back room.

It's an attractive, clean, blood free store.

He also has fantastic bison leather computer bags and purses.

Hubby will like this because they have compartments for guns.

It is the west...danger lurks around every corner.

For the gentler soul, there are buffalo teddy bears and furry pillows and all kinds of unique items for the West Yellowstone visitor.

O.K., David, that's my advertisement.  I really do like the store and I certainly like the company.  Check out David's website at http://www.yellowstonetraders.com/.

Also check out his blog.  You'll get a feel for what it is like to live right outside the gates of Yellowstone Park.

I have to add that David is originally from St. Louis, Missouri.  He had a nice respectable job at Anheuser-Busch in the digital marketing IT department.  He got caught in some huge layoffs and decided to shake his life up.  He found this business for sale on Craig's List.

Mama Barnes was not happy with the move to the middle or the end of nowhere.  I guess the moral is, don't let your son look at Craig's List.

West Yellowstone has a slew or herd or something of bison statues, decorated in a variety of ways.

Of course, I found the one fish and it was too cold and rainy (I have mentioned the weather, right?) to photograph the bison, so you're stuck with a fish.

Back home in Ohio in the town of Beavercreek, they have painted beavers.

I'm not saying anymore about the topic.

Here is the Ho-Hum Motel.  Rumor has it that a lot of the indigent end up there.

There is even a fund to help put them up.

Now I know where all of the Yellowstone employees go when they get fired.




 

Here I am going through the gate, back to Yellowstone Park.

See the rain?  The cold, cold, rain?

I decided to walk around Old Faithful, just to get a little exercise, and this is what I have to put up with now.

Tourists walking slowly, tourists acting badly,  tourists talking on cell phones, tourists messing with my quiet time.

I thought you needed one more picture of steaming, bubbling things.

I stopped by the Old Faithful Inn to pick up roomy for dinner.

She's the one on the left. 

Have you noticed how dark it is in there?

I'm getting one of those head lamp things that miners wear.  Think it would be against the dress code?

Around 7:00 tonight, the weather cleared up.  The rappers are outside my window playing their favorite tunes.

Did I mention more than once that it rained the two days I was off?  I go to work at 2:30 tomorrow, so technically, I still have some time left.  Stay tuned for Memorial Day Weekend adventures, Part Three.  There may be sun.

Post Cards From Yellowstone Park

I'm going to whine just a teeny bit about working in Yellowstone Park.  Don't judge me.  Don't turn away.  This is therapeutic for me.

First of all, it is raining, which means by the morning, it will be snow.

I have tomorrow off.

If the roads are passable, a phrase I never expected to say at the end of May, I'm going back to West Yellowstone to poke around.

This is the state of my affairs....a hole in my sock.

Roomie's socks still look pretty good.

Maybe I'll cut holes in them while she sleeps.

I'm feeling spiteful.  The snoring has pushed me to the edge of a dangerous cliff.

Remember my friend, Susan?  The one who said good bye to Yellowstone?

I called her tonight.  She's lounging on the beach in Biloxi.  She's going gambling later.

She thinks I should run away soon before the bears get me or before I go postal on someone.

Sniff, whine.

O.K., thanks for hanging in there.  I'm finished.

Now for some Yellowstone history.  Here are some real post cards from the 1900s.

This prim lady is spending quality time in one of the original rooms at the Old Faithful Inn.

The room still looks like this and I am as serious as a Sunday sermon.

The great great great grandchildren of the mice in this room are still there.  And again, I am serious.

This picture from the late 1800's shows tourists at a bear feed.

I'm wondering how many of them made it back to camp with all of their limbs attached.

There was a geyser water swimming pool around 1914.  Water was pumped in from one of the geysers.

The life guard sat on a 25 foot tower and swung from a rope, Tarzan style, to reach the other end of the pool.

Employee housing was in there also.  I'm sure it was damp, hot and noisy.  Nothing has changed.

Starting in the late 1890's, employees entertained guests at night around the campfire.

Don't even go there....I will draw a line in the sand.

They even made up cute camp songs.  This one was to the tune of O' My Darling Clementine.

There's a camp up in the mountains

With the fir trees all about.

Years ago they named it Faithful,

It's the best without a doubt.

Cheer for Faithful, cheer for Faithful.

She's the finest of them all.

Here we live just like a savage,

From the Spring until the Fall.

At least we're not savages anymore.

Well, it's time for me and my rubber chicken to say good night.

Don't worry, hubby.  I'll try to clean up some before you come to take me away from Yellowstone.

Bison in Yellowstone Park

I know that I've shown you lots of bison poo.  I think it's time that we talk about the creature who makes numerous piles around Yellowstone Park.

I was stumbling to work this morning,  not paying too much attention to my surroundings, and wowee, zowees...there they were.

That's the Old Faithful Inn in the background.

I needed to get there by 7 a.m.

That sidewalk is "usually" where I walk.

This isn't the best picture, but my hands were cold, fear was slowing my reflexes and more were headed my way.  I did what I could.

I made as wide a path as I could around them.  I frantically waved at a young man on his cell phone walking down the sidewalk, directly into danger.

I was successful, so don't worry about any bloody pictures.

Later in the day, Grizzly son and I took a drive to find bears or wolves, but all we came up with were more bison.

This herd had lots of calves.

They are also called "red dogs" because of their coloring.

Isn't it amazing how the babies can be so cute and then grow up to be.....adult bison.  Not cute.  Impressive, though.

There were lots of babies in this herd.

This must be the queen bison mother.

Sweet little babies.

Don't you just want to take them home for the kids to play with?

Got a couple hundred acres of grass for them to munch on?

Now for bison facts.

The bison is the largest land animal in North America.  Even bigger than Oprah off her diet.  Sorry about that.

The male bison stands 6 feet tall from hoof to shoulder and can weigh up to 2,000 pounds.  And you wonder why they give me the creepie crawlies.

The hump on the back of bison is from the movement they make back and forth with their heads to dig through the snow.  These nasty looking creatures eat vegetation and digging through Yellowstone snow builds up some big muscles in their necks and shoulders.

The female has one calf and the gestation period is nine months.  Their health insurance only allows one day in the hospital which leads to some problems, but.....oops, health care is a whole other discussion.

Bison can run up to 30 mph.  I can't.  I am afraid.

Bison behavior is unpredictable.  They can appear lazy and then for no reason, just take off after you, a car, a tour bus, or another bison.  Remember the 30 mph and the 2000 pounds?  This is a bad combination.

I'll leave you with this link from Animal Planet.  http://animal.discovery.com/videos/jaws-and-claws-2-bison-clash.html.

I'm not sure how it ends as my video capabilities here in Yellowstone Park are minimal.  I hope there isn't any blood and gore.  Let me know.

For now, I will stay alert.  No stepping in bison poo, and I will be looking behind trees for the moody things.

Working 9 to 5 in Yellowstone Park

No big adventure in Yellowstone Park like I warned you yesterday.  I feel such a responsibility to make every day photo worthy or at least have an element of danger. 

Today could have been boring work day in anywhere U.S.A.  I woke up to this.

It was colder than it has been in a while.  This is my poor, brave red car.

It has been wrecked on a country road during a snowstorm in Ohio.  It spent a month in the hospital, but is as good as new.

It drove through 120 degree temperatures in the sand of southern California. It braved the freeway and the treacherous drive to Yucca Valley without a complaint.  And now I do this to it.  You will go home, little Mitsubishi.  Hang in there.

I tried walking to Old Faithful, but I didn't get far.  I was losing feeling in my extremities.

This will be a quick tour of the sights I see every day.

A swamp between my dorm and the Inn.

The Old Faithful Clinic and the Ranger's Station.

Not a ranger in sight.

The Post Office which is right next to the Ranger's Station.

The mail men are just as grumpy here as they are back home.

This is the Snow Lodge which is another hotel just behind the Old Faithful Inn.

Everyone wants to stay at the Inn, but this is newer and not as, shall we say, run down.

We call the dark, dreary atmosphere at the Inn, "historic."  Uh huh.  Whatever (said in my Valley Girl voice.)

They are building a new visitor's center.

It's almost bigger than the Inn.  The grand opening will be in August.  Alas, I won't be there for the ribbon cutting.

 This is me staring down the road, thinking about hitting the trail.

Not an exciting day, but the best I could do.

Here's what I do at work, just to give you an idea of why I gotta get out of this place.

These are the phrases I repeat eight hours a day, standing behind a counter in a silly uniform with my "Judy Ohio" badge.

"What credit card would you like to use?"
"Would you like to contribute a $1.00 to the Yellowstone Park Foundation?"
"Would you like an open account?"
"The bathroom is just down the hall."
"No, we do not have wi-fi in the Park."  (liar, liar, pants on fire.)
"No, we do not have a work out room."  (walk the trails, idiot.)
"Old Faithful goes off in 90 minutes."

OMG!  I might as well be saying, "Do you want fries with that burger?"

I have become a McDonald's employee and didn't realize it. 

That about sums it up.  Just to liven things up, one of my 20 something bosses comes along and points out a mistake I made.  Please, criticize me some more.  There is a shred of dignity left that needs to be stomped on and ground into the dirt.

By the time I got out of work, the snow was melted and the temperature was mild.  Of course, I was too tired to do anything.

At least I have a great view.


Before I go to sleep early like a first grader, I need your help.  I want to continue my blog when I return home.  Here are my thoughts.  Please give me yours.

1.  I plan on joining some walking clubs.  I can take pictures of my adventures and nature along the way.  The negative is that I may not be able to do it every day.

2.  Not a light topic, but I was thinking of interviewing people in my area who have been affected by the economy.  They all have a story to tell about the jobs they lost and how they survive.  The downside is that it isn't funny and I like funny.

3.  Hubby wants me to do some writing for the local hospice that my friends started.  We were thinking about telling the stories of hospice families.  Of course, they have to agree to this.

4.  Here is a crazy idea that needs a lot of help.  Has anyone written their novel on-line?  I have a great idea for a novel, but lack the drive to get it done.  I really want to do it, but I need immediate gratification.  Could I write a chapter at a time in a blog format?  How could I make money doing this?  Could I let you guys read it for free, but charge other people?  Help me here, my creative friends. 

Leave your comment and if you have been following my blog, please sign up to be a follower.  I have been stuck at the 37 mark for some time.  I know you're out there.  Don't be afraid.  I don't have enough money to show up on everyone's door step.

Oh...I promised hubby to give our business a plug.  If you need medical uniforms, check us out at www.scrubsdirect.com.  You happy now, dear? 

Until tomorrow, Judy in Yellowstone Park is signing off.

Surprise...It Snowed in Yellowstone Park

I'm posting early today because it's back to work at 2:30 and off at 10:45.  This is what I saw when I opened my blinds today.

Yellowstone Park likes to surprise you once in a while. 

Or always.

It is 39 degrees today with more snow and 30 degrees tomorrow with more snow.

More snow....more snow....more snow.  If I say it often enough, I will accept my fate.

I have to admit that it is beautiful.  There is no wind and it feels quite mild.

These two love birds live across the hall from me.

They are walking to work.

They are happy because they have a full bar in their room.  Their door was open yesterday and they were making Long Island Ice tea.  They didn't offer me any.

The down side to the slushy snow is this.

The path to the employee dining room is under construction.

We have to walk through this and up some icy steps to get our gruel. 

For the last two days, the young man dishing out the slop has complained of being sick.  Hopefully, I am immune to all germs after living here for a  month.

I decided to walk around the Old Faithful Geyser basin for some exercise and got to take this great shot of Old Faithful going off.

These are the times I long for the expensive camera, but I'm pretty happy with the results from my simple digital.

I know you've been missing the poo.

Picture title, "Snow on bison poo at Yellowstone Park."

It could win an award.

This sign greeted me at the start of my walk.

How many of you see this when you take a stroll?

And if you did, wouldn't you just run back to your warm bed?

I bravely plodded on down the trail anyway.

There were other people around who looked tastier than me.

There were animal prints on either side of the path, leading into the woods.

I'm pretty sure they were bison tracks, but they were nowhere in sight.

Whew!

I made it back without seeing one animal.

They were probably sipping hot cocoa somewhere.

These ravens were outside the general store.

You can't tell, but these fellows are the size of a Beagle. 

On the domestic side, I finally washed my sheets.

If you can't tell, they are flannel and have snowmen and Christmas trees on them.  They were on sale.

My room is so cramped that I have to move two end tables just to make my bed.

I'm thinking this sheets will be clean enough until the end of June.

Way too much work to change them.

No adventures tomorrow as I work some weird midday shift from 9 to 6.  I will be asking for your help though.  I have several ideas for a blog when I get home.  Obviously the Yellowstone Dreaming won't work if I'm writing about incontinence.  Don't worry, that's not one of my topics. 

I will be asking for your opinions and suggestions.  Until then, enjoy the warm weather where ever you are.

Hiking to the Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone Park

Before we get into today's adventures at Yellowstone Park, let me reassure my followers that I am mainly leaving because of the tooth.  It is glued together.  I make $7.75 an hour here. That does not pay for an implant, a bridge or a large pizza at the employee pub.

I am hoping that the glue holds until the end of June when hubby comes to escort me back to Ohio and my dentist, Dr. Ed.  I will continue to blog.  I just can't stop now. I am addicted.

I have been searching the internet and found that there are quite a few walking clubs in my area.  I plan to explore my backyard, get exercise and meet some people.  The adventure and photos will continue.

Now, back to hiking in Yellowstone Park.

It turned out to be a beautiful day here with blue skies that you only see in the west.  Wish I could take them back to Ohio.  Grizzly son and girlfriend were kind enough to take me with them to the Lone Star Geyser.

In the top left hand corner, you see Old Faithful.  Just a short distance east of it, you see the Lone Star Trailhead and a little red line that heads south to the Lone Star Geyser.

Doesn't look far, does it?  It was 5 miles round trip, which is pretty good for this old girl who until a month ago did nothing but sit on her butt.

The real challenge was this.

The trail was covered in snow.  It is an old service road that has been closed for many years.

It is one of the few trails in Yellowstone Park that allow bicycles.

Not today unless your bike has snow tires and chains.

We came across a little dam.

Have no idea why it is there.

It was an absolutely beautiful hike next to the Firehole river.

The weather was perfect for a hooded sweatshirt.

Hiking works up a sweat, if you must know.

Could it be more beautiful?

Other than having snow up to my ankles, this was just perfect.

We were feeling pretty smug about our 5 mile snow hike when a female jogger sped past us.

That's her racing ahead of us.

Later, a couple with their baby in a stroller came down the path.

I would have taken a picture, but I was afraid they might have been offended.

Baby, stroller, snow....why?

We passed a beautiful clearing, kind of hoping and kind of not that a bear might be lounging there.

The girlfriend and I were hoping for not.

Grizzly was the one looking for bear and claimed if it came after us, he would run for his life and we were on our own.

Girlfriend may have words with him later.  He could have at least lied.  Women like that in a man.

This is a smashed bicycle rack right before the geyser.

Nature has a way of winning over civilization in Yellowstone.

Here's the Lone Star Geyser.  It had just erupted before we got there, and it only goes off every three hours.

We didn't stick around for the next show.

It was pretty anyway.

Here's me in front of the geyser, just to prove I haven't stolen pictures from the internet.

I'm still smiling because I hadn't thought about making the trip back down the snowy road.

One more pretty picture.

We made it back without spotting any wildlife, other than Grizzly son.

Our shoes and pants were wet, our legs ached and we just wanted to sit down.

After changing shoes, we took off to the Old Faithful Inn for our reward...huckleberry ice cream.

Huckleberries grow around here it seems, and you can get anything made out of them...candy, hand lotion, lip balm, etc.  It was brilliant.  I promised myself that I would say brilliant once a day because our English guests use the word often.  I love the British.

It was a good day, wasn't it?  I don't go to work tomorrow until 2:30, so there are opportunities for adventure in the a.m.  My laundry is done and there is no other housework to do, so I will be out and about.

Hubby, don't panic about the charge on the bank statement to Land's End.  My hiking shoes are too small and my  toes are starting to curl up like the Wicked Witch of the West.  I really, truly, absolutely need them.  Hugs to you all.  I am surviving.