A Grand Teton National Park traffic jam has afforded us the opportunity to discuss what everybody will be called once they start becoming aunts and uncles (by their middle names apparently), while we wait, on safari to see our first grizzley!
Our first stop in the area, Sports Authority, was to purchase Bear Mace! It shoots out 25 ft. John was looking at the vast selection of mace-type sprays, perplexed. Along came a clerk who directed him, after he heard we were camping in Yellowstone, to the Big Bear Mace!!! He informed us we're more likely to use it on a moose, than a bear!
I'm grazing on Sam's blueberry's now, quite bear-like. They're horrible. Voluptuous, purple blue, mush, and tasteless! I wish the baby berries along our snowy trek to Lassen's sulphur pits, Bumpass Hell, had been ripe! While huckleberry lined the paths along redwood trails, blueberry scrubs clung to the cliffs creating the illusion of security along the 3 ft wide rocky path, feet high slippery snow/ice marked trail. Grace bravely traversed the points where she had to "bear crawl" --stay low--so-as not to slide down as she ascended or descended. Remarkably, tourists from around the world: China, Japan, India, Germany, Netherlands...traverse this trail, and similar ones, without apparent trepidation. These balance on a precipice attempting the perfect background vista...usually one that presents the object as daring in the face of a precarious natural setting. And let me tell you, nature sets THE stage for dare devils!
I recall twenty-somethings at Grand Canyon jumping off 2 ft stone built safety walls protecting one from a straight fall into the Canyon after a simple slide across rocks. One pierced through, tattooed upon "kid" staged a jump about 5 times trying to catch the perfect air, in the perfect shot! Afraid for him, we stayed far off the edge, as per John's directions!
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We just entered Yellowstone, leaving behind the Tetons that actually spring from a small lake on the east. The valley, Elk Valley, is on land that is sinking more quickly than the block upon which the Tetons rest. Apparently, there is the same limestone on the mountains that is 4 miles below the surface of the valley!
Wildflowers bloom in abundance! I love the lupine, in which we took pictures in Maine last summer!
We're passing a gorge/canyon now. It is a small version of Grand Canyon. I didn't expect it. A wild river runs through it, which we'er riding along now. It has rapids some larger than others. Water seems abundant. Meadows, boggy, with streams lacing through, still ponds...Wildlife won't get thirsty here, and neither will we, for we had to buy a CASE of Blue Moon type beer at Sam's. Shoot! It takes a huge party or a year to drink through a case!!
Minutes later, we've descended and a slow moving stream, almost a long pond remains parallel to the van. A faster stream,with rapids just made its way to our stream, and now I'm passing a meadow with 8 ft creeks meandering around.
A HUGE lake, Lewis Lake, just appeared, on the other side, western side, of the road. A beauty of Yellowstone: Brigadoon appears around every corner. My understanding is that Yellowstone looks reborn daily! That is the joy of this place.
Some people fish, shoulder high, in what must be frigid water. I imagine they've said nothing for hours. Just listened, listened. Another gift of Yellowstone...
------again, in reverse order of our experience:
Lewis Lake (named after Lewis and Clark?) We just passed the continental divide marker! 7088 ft!
A random pond in marshy meadow.
The canyon with Snake river.
The Snake River, which runs to the Pacific going through Idaho Falls, where we spent the night in a Comfort Inn last night. (good waffles and coffee, this morning! Great pillow too)
We've yet to see significant wildlife here, although a moose presented itself to us, standing in a brook, about a half mile from the WY border in Idaho. John back-tracked so we could see it.
ugh
