We had a late start today. We were exhausted from the last two days and it felt good to sleep in! So... we got a late start the park and had about a 1/2 hour wait to get into Yellowstone. It goes pretty fast, there are deer that graze near the North entrance and so we all act like we've never seen deer and get out binoculars and cameras and slow traffic down even further.
We're staying in Gardiner about 1 min to the park entrance and it's just an amazing view. So, even while waiting it's like waiting in heaven.
Once we finally got in the park the visitor population was up significantly compared to the past two days. We're guessing the fourth of July traffic kept the traffic down, but they're all getting here now! We waited in a lot more lines, including for bathrooms -- which included a frustrated parent with a son who "supposedly had to poop for the past 20 min" while they were stuck behind a slow moving RV and construction in the park. Fun way for them to start the day. :)
Also, one of Nick and I's vacation past-times is overhearing frustrated vacationers fight with one another. Lord knows we've been there. :) The meltdown I had in China Town in San Francisco one year makes these arguments look like child's play. We've accumulated numerous sayings from these overheard arguments. Today's was from an older man frustrated with his wife, we overheard him say to her, "I just want you to live your life!" To which she tried to explain that she was just making a comment about something! lol. Men, they're always trying to help.
We kept it a little lighter today, but we still didn't get out of the park until 7:30pm. Nick's mom is meeting us for part of the trip, so she got in tonight and we stopped by to visit her as well.
Headed to my aunt Glenna's tomorrow so more fun to come!
Didn't take a ton of photos, but did get a few great ones.
Leaving our house for Yellowstone this AM and these guys were getting breakfast. They woke us up last night walking behind the house bellowing. Pretty surreal to look out your window and see 5 of these guys walking around.
Mr. Buffalo bringing traffic to a stand still. I'm sure he has no clue why the humans are so amazed by him.
Classic Nick Timmerman.
Look how terrible I look! This picture cracks me up. Nick thought it would be a good idea to climb the hill behind the Grand Prismatic so we could get some awesome views. It was a pretty short hike and the view was awesome.
Nick climbed to the very top and got this shot. You can see the lines of people around the spring. Pretty cool shot.
Coming down the mountain.
What do mountain men do when they need to eat an avocado on a picnic, they use they're plastic knife and make it happen!
Right before we got rained on at Old Faithful.
These buses shuttle people around the park "old-school" style. We hit Old Faithful again today and got a shot of Nick in front of it.
Herd of buffalo on the way out of the park.
Have to look close, but there was another rainbow again today as we left the park. Beautiful!
Just love this part, rocks on either side. Love it every time we get to it!
These elk are funny, they're always hanging out in the town of Mammoth. People were taking lots of pictures and making Nick mad because they were getting way too close!
Well, that's enough for today!!
