Yellowstone National Park (June 19-20)

As our vacation memories dim and our current schedule makes demands, it becomes increasingly difficult to finish this log. Did we take that big trip? When was that? Is anyone reading anymore? Then I feel a little manic because this blog represents the written record of our adventure. I have to finish this.

We arrived at Old Faithful under brilliant blue skies and near 70 degree temperatures. Where was that crappy weather? The stuff that made us change our camping plans and book a cabin at Old Faithful? Oh well, let's go with the flow. Or rather, let's get in line because there are a lot of freaking people here.

Old Faithful is a complex at Yellowstone. It sees more visitors than any other site within the park, and as a result, has a disneylike atmosphere. Up Next: Old Faithful Erupts! Get Your Seat NOW! For those that know Craig and me, you can imagine the discomfort we felt in this setting, as tourist after tourist ambled down the steps of their tour bus, took the obligatory geyser shot, bought a few Yellowstone T-shirts, ate an ice cream cone, and then got back on the bus. I could imagine the tour bus PA system: "And to your left, you will see nature."

Ughh. Well, buck up campers, and let's get our cabin. Only we couldn't get into our cabin, though we were told time after time to "wait just another half hour or so." Instead, we hiked around the basin (in company with 500 other visitors), and we ate ice cream in the lodge (with 100 other people) and generally started to feel sorry for ourselves because this wasn't how we wanted to see the park. After four hours (and two eruptions), we got back in the van to head to a less populated space, which was a whole lot more difficult than we imagined.

Finally, at 5 pm we returned to Old Faithful and received our cabin key. Hopes high, we drove around the back of the complex to a sea of asphalt populated with one room cabins. Upon viewing the cabin for the first time, Julia pronounced what we all were thinking, "I don't like this hotel. I want a new one." Me too kid, but this is where we are staying.

I should say that for those who don't like to camp, the cabins at Old Faithful are entirely adequate. If, however, you would like to make your own meals or like to feel a little closer to nature, this place isn't for you. We did take a walk after dinner (a depressing meal of cereal and cheese and crackers) and found a bison lumbering along the river below our cabin. For a minute, I thought this isn't so bad, but then we got back to our cabin and it was that bad.



What do you do at a time like this? You break camp. As soon as we woke the next morning, we were packing. It was Father's Day, and there was no way we were going to spend another day surrounded by more people than nature. We headed north to a National Park Service Campground in the Norris Geyser Basin, hoping that we would be early enough to get a decent site.

Without a doubt, we managed to get THE BEST site in the campground, which still astounds me, because most people started to grab sites at 7am, and we didn't roll in until 9am. I think Father's Day worked to our benefit. Most families relaxed on that day and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast. Our site looked out into a beautiful meadow, and we only had neighbors on one side. After the tent was up, I put Julia down for a nap, and Grace and Craig took a Father's Day hike (a story that he should tell, but included grizzly bear fur). When they returned, we went down the road to tour the geyser basin and were treated to an amazing site: Norris Soldier Fly larvae swimming in a pool of 100 degree water. We're total nerds, larvae excite us.

Below is the slideshow from our first two days in the park (including larvae!)