Buffalo Herd! Yes!!!

Some of us just finished our hike down 300 plus metal steps to feel the mist off of Lower Falls cooling their face.  Ben decided my descent, with him snugly held against me, would be the best time to "melt down" and flail!!  I maintained an iron grip on the open railing, and squeezed a screaming Ben, with my left arm wrapped around him.  My left hand became a vise grip on his forearm.  The open wire steps revealed plunging terrain beneath me.  Adrenaline pumping up my anxiety, I turned around at 150 steps and panted my way up.  8000 ft high, gave me less confidence about the security of my, now trembling, legs.  (Kirsten's legs shook violently after her ascent.)  I rested periodically on the bendches provided:  a woman with knee replacements suggested I let Ben walk.  "Are you out of your mind??"  Some Asian folk cheered me on, in Chinese, but I understood.  I sheepishly admitted to another man, who said I was "crazy" in a good way, that "No, I was a Marine." and that "prudence" had taken over at the 150th step, where I turned and began my return to stable ground, not a waving staircase, attached to rock known to shear!

The family got pictures, even of a young CLEMSON alumni proposing!!  Providential!  

We ventured off, again, on our DAY-LONG excurision to Old Faithful, traveling along a long that grows longer with each mile-marker.

After a few curvy, slow miles a traffic jam appeared: AGAIN!  "Ooooo, they must see something."  Indeed, two herds of buffalo, about 30 head each, had begun their approach to their crossing of Yellowstone River, a mile up, or so, from the falls.   MAN-BULL took the lead as the herd, several calves included, swam, and drifted with the current, one behind the other, as they forded the river, across an ages old path, no doubt.

The boys collected clumps of bison fur, shed from their ragged winter coats.  Johnny asked for it, but flung it down when Brian said, "Ha Ha!  Somebody just cleaned their brush!""  Not!

We drove away, through an ancient, extinct lake, become a meadow, toward Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful.  The lake was bigger than Yellowstone Lake (20 miles by 15 miles; 110 miles of shoreline; 332 ft deep; freezes over completely in winter; thaws by late May; 42 degrees at the bottom year-round;.)  It's elevation is 7733 ft, and it's one of the largest mountain lakes in America.  (I wonder if Tahoe is bigger?)

Mt Sheridan, 10,308 elevation, stands at the rim of the ancient caldera(formed 600,000 years ago)  that is Yellowstone! Another bay, West Thumb, is 4 miles by 6 miles.  It fills a crater that was formed only 200,000 years ago.

Ah!!!! Whooo-Weee!  We're here!!!!  Old Faithful, HERE WE COME!!!  6.5 HOURS after we started out!