We didn’t.
Regardless, it was still worth missing a few hours of sleep.
The park looks like an entirely different place that early in the morning. The
roads are clear of tourists, the buffalo are roaming the meadows looking for an
early morning drink, and the hot springs are steaming more than any other time
of the day. So much that it was almost eerie, but pretty.
After our unsuccessful bear hunt we ended at the trailhead
for Lone Star Geyser. We had been looking forward to this trail all week. Why?
Because we didn’t have to hike, we could bike! By this time it was close to 8AM
and had felt like we’d been up for days. We powered through and jumped on our
bicycles. We would peddle ten feet and then Mr. B would have to stop and
readjust his go-pro camera. He had it attached to his wheel, attached to his
handlebar, attached to a stick, so on and so on. You get the idea. Unfortunately
I couldn’t peddle ahead because I didn’t want a bear to jump out on in front of
me with my husband a mile behind. My point is, this video he plans to make at
the end of this trip better be worth it.
The trail was only 2.5 miles until we reached the geyser. A
little steam was rising from it and we learned from the only other couple
there, that it has just erupted the hour before. That meant we would have to
wait another two hours before it would erupt again. We had waited all week for
this, we weren’t turning around now. So we huddled next to a tree and sat
through a rainstorm.
The wait worth every minute – at 9:45AM the minor eruption
went off and by 10:15 the major eruption was shooting 70 feet in the air.
Unlike Old Faithful, it was like a private show just for us and the 8 others
who had also joined. It was awesome. In fact, it may have made up for the
non-bear sighting early that morning. Nah, I lie, I still really wanted to see
a bear.
By the time we rode back to the truck, we were exhausted. We
made it back to camp, just before a thunderstorm rolled overhead and napped for
over 2 hours. It was the perfect afternoon, the sound of rain drops hitting the
camper, while we were snuggled in bed.
Our Yellowstone journey was nearing an end, so we decided to
celebrate and have dinner at the Old Faithful Inn. Dinner was mediocre, but
dessert was one of the best I’ve ever had – Huckleberry Shortcake. Have you
ever had a huckleberry? If not, you should. They are famous in this part of the
country and are my new favorite berry. I
will be ordering huckleberry ice cream and having it shipped specially to
Colorado, even if it costs half my paycheck.
Day 6 was one of our favorites yet and was a great way to
end our stay in Yellowstone.
I can’t believe I am saying this, but I can’t wait to come
back.
Probably with three Bores kids in tow and only to see a Grizzly
Bear, of course.
Tomorrow, we wake up early again to start the second half of
our vacation in Grand Teton National Park.
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| Yellowstone at Sunrise |
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| Lonestar Geyser [Mid-Eruption] |
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| Lone Star Geyser and Mr. B [End of Eruption] |
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