Gentle viewer -- While in Yellowstone, I discovered that it didn't make sense to record things simply in static images because I often ran into situations where there were sounds and motion needed to make a scene whole. So, I took massive advantage of the video feature on my camera and made many short (and the occasional not too short) film clips. The film clips have thumbnails that are much smaller but should play as videos easily if your browser is properly configured.
It was our last day at Teton Village, so we got started a little bit earlier than we had before and prepared for the ride to Yellowstone
and soon after we entered Yellowstone, we were at the Continental Divide
where I walked to the sign
and posed with the sign
and then Suzanne left the car
and as I posed at the sign
Suzanne came
and together Suzanne and I posed with the continental divide sign
after which Ben posed with the continental divide sign. As a result of all of this, we not only understand how water flows but we ourselves could be water flowing from this spot.
Next we went to the visitors center
and while I was talking to the ranger, the cell phone rang and Suzanne had a nice conversation with Jane in Spain
before we headed off to our first stop where we saw a trailhead marker for a hike to an overlook of Yellowstone Lake and still being in Tetons mode
we followed the trail until Ben and I paused where we were to cross a street and waited for Suzanne
and then we paused again to let Suzanne catch up and for us to decide that this trail was not attractive enough to complete and in fact to realize that we had missed the attraction (which was the West Thumb Geyser Basin).
Once back at the parking lot, we saw our first bubbling pool
and recorded its bubbling.
Next we read the warning
and recorded the trail we would be following
and came across our first geyser -- the seismograph pool which goes at 167 degrees
as shown by this sign.
Next was the BlueBell pool
before we learned about thermal gardens
and saw one
with the massive, clear and beautiful Yellowstone River as the backdrop
for the lakeside spring
to which these birds seemed oblivious
This geyser at the lake has a wonderful story -- the person who found it remarked that you could catch a fish and cook it by putting it into the geyser
which is appropriately named the Lakeside Geyser.
As we were watching this, we saw kayakers go by
which suggested that the lake wasn't too warm though we did agree that paying attention to this sign
which would preserve sights like this was important
as we came upon fishing core
and this beautiful pool (of very hot water)
known as Black Pool.
The colors flowing out to the lake were very impressive as we later learned they represented various bacteria in areas cool enough to support such life
and the pools that came along continued to impress us
as we came to Abyss Pool
which seemed inviting
and Twin Geyser
which consisted of 2 parts
and then we were on to this beauty
that we identified as Blue funnel Spring
as we took one more picture.
The next geyser
bubbled and made a gurgling noise
as did the geyser after
where I forgot to turn off the video and so recorded an artistic collection of images.
Ledge Spring
was quite impressive
as were the Thumb Paintpots
which were our last thermal activity at this sight
before I recorded an overview of the whole site
and we got back into the car to drive on to the Lake area but our ride was interrupted by this bison by the side of the road
who slowed down traffic
until our turns (mine and Ben) came to take many pictures getting closer and closer
and then drive on to the Lake Lodge
where we went in
inspected the menu
and Suzanne had her salad
as Ben had his fried chicken
and this vegetarian chili
was designed to make my self portrait happy
as Ben uncovered his chicken
for all to see
including these bison who walked past the window as we were eating.
but before we dug into the cookie that would be dessert.
Getting back on the road, our progress was again delayed by this bison sharing the road with us
and so we stopped in the Hayden pasture to watch bison make their way across a stream
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and then saw the herd
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as we obeyed the caution sign
though we kept taking more pictures
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and this one rolling in the mud
before we stopped at a sequence of mud volcanoes
and made a video for the first
before moving tot he second
and creating a video
recording the details of mud volcanoes
and the sulfur cauldron
and a final mud volcano
with its video
where Suzanne and Ben read the signs
and then we came across bison trying to keep cool by rolling in the sand
as part of the herd
and saw a coyote across the stream.
After a few pictures of Suzanne and Ben
we observed another warning about bison
read the map
and scientific explanation for the mud volcanoes
and began the trail along the fallen lodgepole pines
to this explanation of mud geysers
so that when we saw our first
we were ready to capture it in video
and after the explanation of the churning cauldron
we took these videos
and at the black dragon's cauldron
this video
before sour lake
presented itself
and we had this explanation of a grizzly fumarole
before we saw it.
Next we learned about mud volcanoes
took a picture
and made this video
and at Dragon's Mouth Spring
this was the image
and this the video
before we drove onto into another traffic jam
where we stopped with crowds along one shore
to catch this image of a wolf on the opposite shore.
Our next stop was at the Yellowstone Falls where we parked to catch a view of the upper brink of the falls
and read the story of the falls (and grand canyon of the Yellowstone)
before looking down at the Falls
and recording their motion
and as we walked away from the crowds
this is what we saw
and these scenes
lead to these dynamics
as this scene
lead to these
before we took some more pictures
as Ben settled into a comfortable spot
and as the falls passed,
we surveyed the scene
and watched the falls
in motion
as we watched the falls
and looked up to where our walk had started
as Ben and David posed
then Suzanne posed
and Ben
and David
looking to the falls
and the crowds
with Ben sitting up the hill
as we watched the crowd
and Suzanne's view of it.
Next we drove on to the Canyon Visitors Center
and read the rationale for Yellowstone
and saw this map that gave a clear view of the volcanic region
before my battery died and was replaced.
A kindly ranger sent us off to Inspiration Point
from which the shifting ground
gave an excellent view of the canyon
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and Ben and Suzanne
and Suzanne and I posed for pictures against this backdrop
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before we took final pictures
and made our way to see this massive glacial boulder along the road
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Our next view of the canyon
came from Lookout Point
where we could see the falls at a distance
and learn how falls are made
before focusing in
and making this movie
and having the views in static
and dynamic
convince us to walk down the trail to improve to these views
and have these family photos
taken by these gentlemen
as I took their picture.
After a final view of the falls
and the river making the canyon
we started back up the steep trail where Ben found this face in the rock
and picked its nose
which I zoomed on
before finding this fallen tree with signs of bug activity on its skin.
ON the drive to Old Faithful, we passed this coyote in a field
and this deer by the side of the road
before getting to our room
where the meshing in the window
blocked getting a picture of the most famous geyser that we looked out on.
After cleaning ourselves, we made our way to the lobby where we admired the ceiling
and the balconies
while Ben noticed when the next eruption would be
and we made our way into the line for dinner
where Ben
and Suzanne
studied the menu
as I ordered my Yellowstone Sunrise and Suzanne her Morning Glory
while the bread
and salad came
and Ben ate from the buffet
as we had some bread
and wine
from this inexpensive bottle (#21 for $17)
with this cork
to accompany Suzanne's salmon
and my corn cakes with beans and rice.
Ben got bread pudding for dessert along with his meal.
As he studied the dessert menu
Suzanne and I ate his bread pudding
and he took these pictures of the bread
the drink menu from both sides
and me
and then his brownie sundae arrived for dessert
so that we could take this final food picture
and Suzanne could have a cup of coffee before we called it a meal
and made our way to the signage
that defined Old Faithful
but discovered that in the dark all that we could capture of the actual eruption
was the shoulder of the person in front of us.
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and soon after we entered Yellowstone, we were at the Continental Divide
where I walked to the sign
and posed with the sign
and then Suzanne left the car
and as I posed at the sign
Suzanne came
and together Suzanne and I posed with the continental divide sign
after which Ben posed with the continental divide sign. As a result of all of this, we not only understand how water flows but we ourselves could be water flowing from this spot.
Next we went to the visitors center
and while I was talking to the ranger, the cell phone rang and Suzanne had a nice conversation with Jane in Spain
before we headed off to our first stop where we saw a trailhead marker for a hike to an overlook of Yellowstone Lake and still being in Tetons mode
we followed the trail until Ben and I paused where we were to cross a street and waited for Suzanne
and then we paused again to let Suzanne catch up and for us to decide that this trail was not attractive enough to complete and in fact to realize that we had missed the attraction (which was the West Thumb Geyser Basin).
Once back at the parking lot, we saw our first bubbling pool
and recorded its bubbling.
and recorded the trail we would be following
and came across our first geyser -- the seismograph pool which goes at 167 degrees
as shown by this sign.
Next was the BlueBell pool
before we learned about thermal gardens
and saw one
with the massive, clear and beautiful Yellowstone River as the backdrop
for the lakeside spring
to which these birds seemed oblivious
This geyser at the lake has a wonderful story -- the person who found it remarked that you could catch a fish and cook it by putting it into the geyser
which is appropriately named the Lakeside Geyser.
As we were watching this, we saw kayakers go by
which suggested that the lake wasn't too warm though we did agree that paying attention to this sign
which would preserve sights like this was important
as we came upon fishing core
and this beautiful pool (of very hot water)
known as Black Pool.
The colors flowing out to the lake were very impressive as we later learned they represented various bacteria in areas cool enough to support such life
and the pools that came along continued to impress us
as we came to Abyss Pool
which seemed inviting
and Twin Geyser
which consisted of 2 parts
and then we were on to this beauty
that we identified as Blue funnel Spring
as we took one more picture.
The next geyser
bubbled and made a gurgling noise
where I forgot to turn off the video and so recorded an artistic collection of images.
was quite impressive
as were the Thumb Paintpots
which were our last thermal activity at this sight
before I recorded an overview of the whole site
and we got back into the car to drive on to the Lake area but our ride was interrupted by this bison by the side of the road
who slowed down traffic
until our turns (mine and Ben) came to take many pictures getting closer and closer
