Into The West (Wyoming): Day 6

[trowa_barton101]

9:10 am: Wednesday, May 18
Finally on the road to Yellowstone. I was up and ready by 8:15. hammercock needed an extra half an hour. Now, she wants to stop for bottle water. The delay meant that the trip will be on a rainy morning instead of clear sky. Maybe I've gotten too used to functioning on 5 hours of sleep.
We have to do better on Saturday. Hopefully, I'll calm down in the 60 mile drive to the Yellowstone South Entrance.
Fortunately, the Grand Teton station is closed. If people knew, they would have entered Teton National Park for free.
Note to self: Get a digital camcorder. Waiting for film to load is a pain.

10am:
There are times in which I feel like I'm the only one awake in this trip. This includes the convenience store clerk.

11am:
We are only a few miles into Yellowstone, and I am amazed as to the canyons, pine trees, and snowcaps. I can see how one can romanticize about a place like this. The smell of fresh spruce and pine is breathtaking..

11:50am:
Lewis Falls with the icy rain. Riddle Lake Trail was indeed closed due to bear management.

4pm:
Inspirational Point lives up to its reputation. Mud pits, waterfalls, canyon, and bison. Still recovering from inhaling sulfur gas at 8,000 ft

5:20pm:
A bison is wandering beside a road taking the evening commute.

6pm:
There are dozens of bison on the road. Calves. Adults. Apparently, hammercock's mom can't get enough pictures. The same with elk. A herd is feasting near the Yellowstone River where a lone iceberg drifts.

6:05pm:
Buffalo jam! Thirsty buffalo claiming dominance of the road. At least a dozen of them are calves.

6:20pm:
How the hell did I get to Montana? I thought we were heading to West Yellowstone. Apparently, West Yellowstone is in Montana. Now the challenge to find a place overnight begins.

10pm:
We have toured West Yellowstone in all of its glory. A lot of bars and casinos. It's mostly a dead town in the off-season. We went to the Outpost for dinner. Finally got my buffalo burger. It was better than beef. The huckleberry sundae was delicious. I *heart* huckleberries, even in soda which is made from real sugar. Afterwards, we went to the local IMAX theater and saw the film on Yellowstone. They also have a film on Lewis & Clark, but we were late for that.