8/4/98

Even though we stayed up until 2am the night before playing on the web, we woke up really EARLY to find a campsite inside the park. We are learning the art of competitive camping and here it is an advanced sport. We had done our research and had identified that there was only one campground of the seven with flush toilets (which have become quite a priority for me), but we decided to go for it. At the campground we learned there is no attendant, you have to drive around and just be at the right place at the right time when someone pulls out of a spot. Well, we looped around the campground three times finding nothing and then right as we turned a corner a motor home pulled out. We got a wonderful site right on the edge of the loop with a great view of a hill and meadow. It even had a flat spot for the tent. After such an adventure we took time to set up and have a leisurely breakfast.

There are two "loops" in the park and we decided to start with the upper loop. Yellowstone is a volcano base where land and forest have grown on, yet the hot magma just under the surface creates some really neat stuff. It is like nature's Disneyland with great special effects and wild sounds. Traffic moves slowly and when there is any sort of wildlife off to the side of the road, it completely stops. It makes it nice for sightseeing and David gets a chance to look around.

Our first big stop was at the Mammoth Hot Springs. Here the heat from underground comes up as steam or bubbles up through water. Algae and bacteria in beautiful bright colors grow in the water and add an energetic hue to the pools and small streams. After checking out the hot springs, we bought a snack at the store and found a wonderful picnic spot right by a river. We needed a break from the crowds and the heat. Rejuvenated, we drove to the petrified tree and tower falls. The afternoon was spent looking at all angles of the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone and the Falls. The canyon is amazing, sharp drops with brilliant colors. We got a view of the waterfall from just above where it drops.

We got back to our campsite early and made dinner and a roaring fire. The fires have become our favorite part of the evening. The night was clear and the moon almost full.

Tomorrow we hit the lower loop,
janet.

return to trip log