Miles: 90
Visit: Yellowstone National Park
Date: 05/28/2008
“Would you rather dip your hand in a Yellowstone hot spring? Or drink a Dixie cup of radioactive water?"
Hmmm... Tough question, I know. This was the "death is not an option" question that weaved through the members of our group during our trip to Yellowstone National Park. I naturally chose to drink the radioactive water. I like having both hands. Can't help it.
Our group woke up early and we drove to Yellowstone around 8:00am. We packed all of our gear into the vans, because that night we would be staying in the town of Gardiner, just outside of Yellowstone. The ride went relatively fast and once we got to the park we were greeted with a terrific sight. Bisons!
That’s right the road was full of Bison. The mighty beasts, with a shaggy patchwork of fur and dirt, moseyed along the road holding up traffic for about a mile. Our van was trailing the group of seven Bison. Though this was a cool sight, I was a little apprehensive about discouraging the beasts with our presence. Granted, we are in a 2,000-pound van, but the bison could still strip the van of its sheet metal and put a hefty dent in the side panels.
After following the herd for roughly 35 minutes, we continued our tour of Yellowstone. Entering the Mammoth Hot Springs village, we were surprised by a pack of elk. At first it was difficult to identify what the four-legged "layman-like" animals were, but after further study, we concluded they were elk without their antlers. The elk, seemingly harmless, wandered around Town Square and appeared to own more of the land than the actual residents.
We made our way to the mammoth hot spring and examined the large snowy steps of sentiment. The steps, formed by decades of geothermal activity, emitted a strange sulfur smell. The smell, similar to rotting eggs, proved bearable and after viewing the area in great detail, we returned to our vans and headed south.
The Norris Geyser Basin was our next stop. This area, though very beautiful and rich in color, offered a horrible smell. Far worse than the smell at mammoth spring, this stench was completely horrendous. After about an hour of viewing different geysers and hot water springs, we finally were out of the area. Don’t get me wrong, I love the site, but the smell almost killed me.
Our last stop in Yellowstone was a very historic location. Old Faithful Geyser is the most famous and recognizable geyser on the planet. With water spewing out upwards at 200 degrees Fahrenheit, it is a truly natural phenomenon. Witnessing this dazzling column of water shoot out of the ground with increasing force, I was amazed at how many people were watching as well. Events like this that draw such large audiences, secures my faith in humanity. Just as old faithful has stayed on time for hundreds of years, humans with remain faithful to the environment and will continue to appreciate the earth’s beauty throughout time.
Yellowstone national park is an awesome sight. The wildlife is plentiful and the nature remains pristine. My previous concerns about national parks and historic sites becoming tourist destinations have all been wiped clean after today’s visit. I understand now that the majority of people visiting this site have an appreciation for the outdoors and would never hurt our environment. I also know now that the purpose of a site like Yellowstone is to educate the public about the beauty and fragility of our earth. It is incredibly humbling to see park ranger’s work hard to present good information and research to a sometimes-ungrateful public.
Hopefully I can come back to Yellowstone and explore its vast wilderness more extensively. Though we did see a great deal of the park, we barely scratched the surface. Yellowstone has much more to discover and much that the public does not see.
After a long muggy, cold, and wet day walking around Yellowstone, we piled in the van and returned to our best western hotel. Though the majority of Yellowstone is in Wyoming, our hotel was located in Gardiner, Montana. Gardiner is a small town just off the Wyoming border and like many places in the west; it is hard to discern were the actual boundary is located.
The town offered us little to do other than roam around its faux cowboy western shops and search for a food source. Kara, Steve and I left the group early and found a small pizza shop across the street called: "Outlaw's Pizza." A major reason why we wanted to split off from the group was primarily due to the billing situation. Throughout the west many restraints refuse to split checks, this not only creates a tabulation nightmare, but also frustrates our groups. Most college students don’t carry cash.
The pizza police was good, but the strange thing about the restaurant was the amount of French employees. All the waitresses were French and none spoke English well. Granted Americans do not speak English well, but these girls were very bad. Kara and I joked with Steve that he was going to get the "special" desert and would get to see the "down stairs" restaurant.
Joking aside, the restaurant employees treated us well and we eat for a relatively small price. After dinner we walked around the town of Gardiner for a little while and observed the local scenery. The town is weird. Almost like a ghost town, the area has very little commerce other than the steady stream of tourists coming to Yellowstone.
After a long day of exploring and walking around Yellowstone, I was ready for sleep. I nuzzled up in my Best Western bed and slipped into a deep sleep.
Afterthoughts:
Though Dr. Laythe and I disagreed on the drive from Seattle to Issaquah, we are better now. I apologized, just as I always do, and he quickly accepted my apology. He also mentioned that he felt bad about the entire situation and explained what was going through his head during the break fiasco. I like Dr. Laythe and I am glad we are still "kosher."
Carrie on the other hand, is still not talking to me. I’m not sure if I should approach her about the issue or if I should let this argument slide under the rug. I personally do not care what happens. Carrie and I are not very good friends anyway and if she prefers acting like a child, than that is how I will treat her. I may sound harsh, but hell I was hurt too. Maybe I’ll reconsider… I usually do.
Entering Yellowstone National Park
"Corps of Discovery" slain by the Norris Geyser Basin!
Old Faithful Geyser
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