Driving through Grand Tetons National Park in the snow - with roads remaining passable - is one of those
magical experiences you always hope for. I know "too much of a good thing" can be a problem but for us it was just great. I'll add a few more
pictures of our route as we cruised along. Of course we had already made our first "big game" sighting but it would not be long before we were able to add to the list. Soon the somewhat dense forests we had been traveling through began to give way to periodic meadows and mountain glens that offered open expanses of grazing land and broad
watering spots for some of the local residents. Before long we arrived at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park - an almost seamless transition in the middle of the forest. We proudly flashed our magical "Senior Pass" and entered the park. A photograph of an Elk simply cannot convey the majesty, power and beauty of these incredible
creatures - but - we have tried. In fact one of my favorite photos is the one we showed you a while back as we traveled down the Alaska Highway through the Yukon Territory. That one showed an enormous bull Elk in full gallop running alongside our car with the "velvet" from his antlers flapping like small flags as he ran. Anyway - at
one of these alpine meadows we began to see evidence that we had company. In addition to the creatures we were
beginning to see, subtle changes in the topography - and some that were not so subtle - made us aware that we were entering a land of strange and mysterious forces. We began to see pools with steaming, crystal clear water overlying bottom substances of incredible, vivid colors. Streams flowing into and out of
these pools appeard to have been drawn by someone testing a new box of crayons - Amazing!! I wish we had time to talk about the tectonic phenomena that created all this!! We have
never made any pretenses about our absolutely childlike excitement when we see something new and fascinating and it seemed as though at every turn of the road we were being treated to new and increasingly marvelous gifts. The terrain continued to evolve and we knew that we were approaching one of the centers of activity - the place
 |
| Old Faithful Geyser |
where we would be lodging for the evening - the Old Faithful Lodge. Of course, Yellowstone really doesn'thave a whole lot of experience with 'subtle' and a
 |
| Old Faithful Lodge |
s we made our way up the drive to this venerable structure we were greeted with one of the most magnificent sights on the planet - Old Faithful Geyser!!! What an absolutely marvelous way to be welcomed to your home for the evening!! We checked into the lodge and spent a little time getting familiar with
our surroundings but, as delightful as the lodge was - with roaring fireplaces in the lobby, enormous log railings surrrounding four stories of open balconies and so much more - we could
hardly wait to get back out on the road for some more exploring!!! So, we grabbed a quick sandwich at one of the many restaurants and lounges that are everywhere in the Inn we saddled up for more adventures. They were not long in coming!!! We have been to Yellowstone at different times of the year and each season has its own unique characteristics. To me, though, (and I think we all shared the feeling) being here at a time when it is snowing - BUT - you
can still get around safely - is about as good as it gets. To see huge,
wild creatures is always exciting - even when it is in a distant meadow. But - Yellowstone seemes to "one up" all of your expectations. We were cruising happily along, checking out the amazing scenery when we saw some cars stopping ahead of us. Realizing that such a slowdown usually
meant a wildlife sighting we got ready - but we weren't!!! All of a sudden, our car was absolutely engulfed in some of the most astonishing creatures God ever put on the earth. Yes, there are those that are bigger and those that might be fiercer but for almost pure majesty, it doesn't get much better than the American Bison!!! They were everywhere!!!
And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, ambling right beside the car came the rarely sighted "Flower Child Buffalo!!" Have yeu ever seen a cooler sight??? We were to see many more of these beautiful
beasts over the next couple of days - along with scores of their neighbors, the Elk, but this was an experience that will forever be right up there at the top of our listf!! But - like I said, Yellowstone is relly big on "one-upping" and, although we didn't know it yet, she had saved one of her REALLY big surprises for
us. We'll get to that in a bit. For the time being, we were too busy being dazzled by the sights we saw everywhere we looked. The mighty Yellowstone River always makes i
ts presence known and the many lakes that lie throughout the park add their 'sparkle' to the landscape. Occasionally, though, one of the lakes with less current flowing through succumbs to the temperature and quickly becomes snow-covered. At the same time, there are swiftly
flowing streams and rivers that occasionally drop great distances, forming powerful waterfalls and rapids. In fact, one of the things we did not visit on this trip that you should try to see if you are ever out this way is the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone." Although in my opinion it comes up far short of "the real thing" it is awesome in its own way and one of the characteristics that I found remarkable was the surrounding colors. Whereas the Grand Canyon is famous for its reds and browns, the canyon in Yellowstone has stark yellows, whites and grays. Cool! As the snow continued to fall, with increasing indications that some of the roads might soon become impassible, we decided to call it a day and head back to Old Faithful Lodge to do some "interior exploring. We'll close for the evening but tomorrow as we get ready to hit the road again, I can promise you we'll show you some sights that really had us on the edge of our seats!!! So, get a good cup of hot chocolate, warm up your toes and come on back. See ya.
magical experiences you always hope for. I know "too much of a good thing" can be a problem but for us it was just great. I'll add a few more 
pictures of our route as we cruised along. Of course we had already made our first "big game" sighting but it would not be long before we were able to add to the list. Soon the somewhat dense forests we had been traveling through began to give way to periodic meadows and mountain glens that offered open expanses of grazing land and broad
watering spots for some of the local residents. Before long we arrived at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park - an almost seamless transition in the middle of the forest. We proudly flashed our magical "Senior Pass" and entered the park. A photograph of an Elk simply cannot convey the majesty, power and beauty of these incredible 
creatures - but - we have tried. In fact one of my favorite photos is the one we showed you a while back as we traveled down the Alaska Highway through the Yukon Territory. That one showed an enormous bull Elk in full gallop running alongside our car with the "velvet" from his antlers flapping like small flags as he ran. Anyway - at 
one of these alpine meadows we began to see evidence that we had company. In addition to the creatures we were 
beginning to see, subtle changes in the topography - and some that were not so subtle - made us aware that we were entering a land of strange and mysterious forces. We began to see pools with steaming, crystal clear water overlying bottom substances of incredible, vivid colors. Streams flowing into and out of 
these pools appeard to have been drawn by someone testing a new box of crayons - Amazing!! I wish we had time to talk about the tectonic phenomena that created all this!! We have 
never made any pretenses about our absolutely childlike excitement when we see something new and fascinating and it seemed as though at every turn of the road we were being treated to new and increasingly marvelous gifts. The terrain continued to evolve and we knew that we were approaching one of the centers of activity - the place
our surroundings but, as delightful as the lodge was - with roaring fireplaces in the lobby, enormous log railings surrrounding four stories of open balconies and so much more - we could 
hardly wait to get back out on the road for some more exploring!!! So, we grabbed a quick sandwich at one of the many restaurants and lounges that are everywhere in the Inn we saddled up for more adventures. They were not long in coming!!! We have been to Yellowstone at different times of the year and each season has its own unique characteristics. To me, though, (and I think we all shared the feeling) being here at a time when it is snowing - BUT - you 
can still get around safely - is about as good as it gets. To see huge, 
wild creatures is always exciting - even when it is in a distant meadow. But - Yellowstone seemes to "one up" all of your expectations. We were cruising happily along, checking out the amazing scenery when we saw some cars stopping ahead of us. Realizing that such a slowdown usually 
meant a wildlife sighting we got ready - but we weren't!!! All of a sudden, our car was absolutely engulfed in some of the most astonishing creatures God ever put on the earth. Yes, there are those that are bigger and those that might be fiercer but for almost pure majesty, it doesn't get much better than the American Bison!!! They were everywhere!!! 
And just when we thought it couldn't get any better, ambling right beside the car came the rarely sighted "Flower Child Buffalo!!" Have yeu ever seen a cooler sight??? We were to see many more of these beautiful 
beasts over the next couple of days - along with scores of their neighbors, the Elk, but this was an experience that will forever be right up there at the top of our listf!! But - like I said, Yellowstone is relly big on "one-upping" and, although we didn't know it yet, she had saved one of her REALLY big surprises for
us. We'll get to that in a bit. For the time being, we were too busy being dazzled by the sights we saw everywhere we looked. The mighty Yellowstone River always makes i
ts presence known and the many lakes that lie throughout the park add their 'sparkle' to the landscape. Occasionally, though, one of the lakes with less current flowing through succumbs to the temperature and quickly becomes snow-covered. At the same time, there are swiftly 
flowing streams and rivers that occasionally drop great distances, forming powerful waterfalls and rapids. In fact, one of the things we did not visit on this trip that you should try to see if you are ever out this way is the "Grand Canyon of Yellowstone." Although in my opinion it comes up far short of "the real thing" it is awesome in its own way and one of the characteristics that I found remarkable was the surrounding colors. Whereas the Grand Canyon is famous for its reds and browns, the canyon in Yellowstone has stark yellows, whites and grays. Cool! As the snow continued to fall, with increasing indications that some of the roads might soon become impassible, we decided to call it a day and head back to Old Faithful Lodge to do some "interior exploring. We'll close for the evening but tomorrow as we get ready to hit the road again, I can promise you we'll show you some sights that really had us on the edge of our seats!!! So, get a good cup of hot chocolate, warm up your toes and come on back. See ya.
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