Day 10 - West Yellowstone - Day 1

We got up at our normal time this morning to find a small swimming pool (well, maybe a big mud puddle). Apparently the sprinkler system around the RV area where we were parked had run most of the night and the one across the street behind us was still running, resulting in a large muddy area right behind the RV - where we needed to be to hook up the car. It wasn't pleasant, but we got it done.

Then, west again toward Belgrade where we intended to purchase fuel since the price was about a dime less than in Billings. Off in the distance to the west, snow capped mountains rose above the buttes. I took a couple of pictures out the front window of the RV (I'll attach them after this little bit). There was very little else to talk about - other than the fact that we aren't in Mississippi anymore!!!!! Mountains with snow. Real mountains with snow. Absolutely beautiful.

Anyway, we make our way through a little edge of Yellowstone Park (a little edge that highway 191 runs through) on the way to the town of West Yellowstone. We didn't see much of the town on the way through to the KOA, because the highway on which we continued west was right at the north edge of town. Anyway, we got to the KOA and couldn't level the RV!!! The space where we are parked is quite sloped to the left. When we attempted to level, the entire left side of the RV was off the ground. Can't do that!!! Anyway, Mike (a retired engineer who works at the KOA) showed up and sent Mike (a young handyman who works in the park) for boards. They placed four long boards under the real tires and a stack of two wide, short boards under the front tire on the left side of the RV. Jimmy backed up onto the boards and we were magically level!!!! I would never have figured it out. So, we landed at West Yellowstone KOA.

Once we got settled into our space, we decided to ride over to the park and just see a few sights. We had a long wait to get into the park. There doesn't seem to be much abatement of tourism over here due to fuel prices. There were only two lines working at the entrance, and there were lots of cars backed up trying to pay their fee and get into the park. Thankfully, Jimmy bought a Golden Age Pass on one of his trips with Garrie Colhoun - so we just show the pass and his driver's license and in we go!!!

Not far past the west entrance to Yellowstone, we had to brake suddenly. Of course, the speed limit is only 45, so you don't have to brake very hard. Cars were pulled off on the side of the road to see the bald eagle nest up in the very top of a dead tree. You could actually see the bald eagle's head. Of course, we didn't stop right then since there wasn't a place to pull off. At one point, the rangers had put signs along the side of the road and you could not stop since it would bother the eagles.

On we went into the park. There are a lot of buffalo out here. They just go wherever they want to go, stop wherever they want to stop, eat whatever they want to eat, rub up against the trees to get all that winter fur off, poop wherever they want to poop, etc. There are signs all through Yellowstone telling you not to pet the buffalo. I'm sorry, but who in their right mind would walk up to something that big and try to pet it. When we came upon our first herd of buffalo, they were just out in the grass eating right at the parking area. I think they like to have their pictures taken. They just stand there and pose. They really look like nickels. Anyway, on that first little excursion, buffalo was about the only thing we saw. But, they were everywhere. There was one field where there were three babies with their mothers. Awesome experience.

We also saw our first thermal fields. Not the big geisers. More like hot springs or mud pits. I was quite impressed with how tourist friendly Yellowstone is, while maintaining the majesty of the park. There are boardwalks throughout the park where the tourist can safely observe the unique geo-thermal areas without endangering themselves or the park.

All pictures for the Yellowstone excursion will be in one blog later in the week - or, your can go to my picasa web site and view them whenever you wish. You will have to copy and paste the url in order to go to the pictures I think. At least I did when I tested it. That url is:

http://picasaweb.google.com/mcthomas2005