YELLOWSTONE-CODY

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2009
Very busy--tired---by 5 pm yesterday we I realized that if we continue to explore the above we would not get to Gardiner until 9 pm. I decided to drive directly to Gardiner....as it was we got in around 7:pm..Our plan now was to return and tour Mammoth Hot Spring-Tower-Roosevelt-Canyon Village and go out of the east entrance through the Fishing Bridge and stay in Cody,WY. for the night.

So we hurry.....I'll carry out the cooler and load the van.......you go for breakfast.....I'll meet you there. What?
Breakfast is over? It's only 9:31 AM. They close breakfast at 9:30 AM? Okay, we will eat in Mammoth Hot Springs.
This is Mammoth Hot Springs:

YELLOWSTONE NORTH GATE

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS

UPPER AND LOWER TERRACES

TOWER ROOSEVELT

THEODORE ROOSEVELT CABINS

MT. WASHBURN

PHOTOS OF FIRE AFTERMATH

CANYON AND FALLS

ON THE WAY OUT

SYLVAN PASS
Mammoth Hot Springs is a geological hydrothermal (HOW DO YOUR LIKE THAT BIG WORD I copied it) area. One Quarter of a mile south of Mammoth Hot Springs, the upper terraced drive passes through a thermal area.I understand that these terraces began thousands of years ago and continue to well up to thousands of gallons of water leaving large amounts of travertine (you look up the word) daily.

The Tower Roosevelt area was named for the volcanic pinnacles. South from Tower Fall,towards Mt. Washburn and Dunraven Pass we were supposed to see Grizzly Bears. We saw no bears......period.....any place. The only place we will see bears is when we return to Chicago and see THE CHICAGO BEARS.

I must say driving to the top of Mt. Washburn (10,243 ft. high) on a very narrow pass (not road) and enough curves to have you stop and allow an approaching car to pass....was somewhat "scary"..When on top we ate lunch....At least, if it was our time to go we would go on a full stomach of potato chips-ham sandwich and coke.

Our last stop to see was Canyon Village. We drove around the North Rim, which is a 2.5 mile one-way road that leads to viewpoints. The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone plunges 1,000 feet. I understand that hot water acting on volcanic rock created the canyon's colors. The Canyon does provide some outstanding sights....The Yellowstone River which runs through the Canyons creates two major waterfalls....One at least 109 feet high he other 308 feet high.

We left Yellowstone at about 5:30 pm.....and headed for Cody, Wy...where we were going to stay for the night. It has been 54 years since we passed through Yellowstone......and then we were just passing through...I don't believe at that time I fully appreciated the magnificence of the park....To me at that time.....it was just a park.....Yes.....Old Faiteful.....heard about it.....saw it......for maybe 10 minutes and then drove on to Washington. I was probably like the lady from Iowa standing looking at Old Faithful and saying, what a great place to scald hogs......or the young boy my wife heard at Grand Canyon saying to his mother, what's the big deal, it's only a bunch of rocks.

I leave Yellowstone with a much deeper understanding and appreciation for its beauty and natural geological structure.

It's 9:05 in Sioux Falls....now ..August 30, in Barns & Noble....the only free WI FI.....and have only 40 minutes left on battery.....no plugs here...Good night....See you in Cody.......and ...