Road Trip - Night 8 through Day 10

HOW IS IT DAY 10 ALREADY?!?!?!

This is very worrisome.

Yellowstone Interpretive Dancing

After arriving at the beautiful Yellowstone National Park (the first ever national park), we promptly took in a roadside viewing of a mother grizzly with 2 baby cubs.  Obviously this was an amazing discovery and "so" Yellowstone of us.  I mean this is what it's all about, right?  Our first thoughts were something along the lines of: "awwww, omigod a baybeeee" quickly followed by: "THIS IS NOT A ZOO! GET BACK IN THE CAR!!!" 

We didn't know this at the time but the brochure in our car says that in average 1 person dies every year from a grizzly attack and mostly because a mother doesn't want to put up with roadside "aw'ing" over her cubs...and she really doesn't have to.  

Moral of the story: we're lucky to live another day. Thanks Bear.

Shortly after, we unloaded for one more quick stop to take in the beauty around us.

Jeff skipping rocks

Pioneers

the water was freezing!

The night was falling so we drove the 69 miles to Old Faithful Inn. To spend the night in? HA! Yeah right. We were there to park for the free parking lot located directly behind it.  Close enough! Free is a really great thing.  

The group hastily got ready and headed out to eat at the restaurant, passing geyser after geyser along the way. 

It was amazing.  Unfortunately, the wait for us to eat any time soon was not, leaving us no choice but to eat at the Bear Pit, Old Faithful's very beautiful bar next door.  It was LOVE at first cocktail.

Back at the RV, we decided to make a little memoribilia from the night's fun and string our wine bottle corks as Christmas Ornaments. Voila!

Day 9 began with an early morning walk to Old Faithful herself.  Sitting and waiting for the rupture, I knew that the anticipation was high, but I could never fully understand just how excited and in awe of a 100 foot steaming hot water spout I could be. Consider my breath...taken.

After that, we headed to Madison Campground (no cell service = no blog updates). 

We were the last RV admitted and immediately after parking decided to go on a murder-walk, or hike up Purple Mountain. 

"this is going to be GREAT!"

"I am dying."

For the first 30 minutes of hiking, I feared for my life. There was no shortage of Bear Warning signs. I was not prepared to face a bear (and not back down or run) AND I didn't have any BEAR SPRAY! Who doesn't have bear spray?! Unfortunately, I didn't even know that stuff existed pre-excursion. 

"Maybe I should have an entire gallon of water really quick"

Forty minutes into the up-hill hike, I tossed all bear concerns to the wind and sacrificed myself to the mountain.  I was SO tired, SO out of breath (let's blame the altitude), and my hip (yes, I'm 29) felt as if it was slowly unscrewing from my leg.  I held on as long as I could, but had to stop after just a few hundred feet short of the finish (the boys went on to the top as Jac and I sat as bear bait).

That night we had cause for relaxation and celebration.  Nobody had been eaten by a bear and my hip had not completely unhinged from my leg! Success!  

Pure exhaustion

Jeff and Ed went swimming at the most amazing watering hole where Bison lingered about 200 yards away and we all grilled and rested our weary bones.

Jurassic Park

Day 10 the achy bones crew packed up, ready to swallow up the last sights of Yellowstone. On our list: Bubbling Mud, Grand Canyon of Yellowstone, Hayden Prairie, and Water Falls. 

Bubbling Mud, there you have it.

Note: Bubbling mud and anything else sulfur-related smells like poop

Hair necklace.

I had a couple fly-aways

Everyone needs to go to Yellowstone, visit Old Faithful and stay at the Madison Campground!

Next Stop: Driving through the Grand Teton (breathtaking!!!)

Serene, yes...but don't be fooled. Someone is clipping their toenails. LOL. (For the record - I did not know this before snapping the picture)

and into Thayne, Wyoming for a massive 1 year celebration of Jac and Ed's wedding anniversary! 

Til Day 11,
L