Can You Say Continental Divide? Can You Say It 5 Times?

For some reason Blogger won't upload my pictures. So any mention of pictures in this post won't make much sense. I'll get them up ASAP.

After a successful week in Lander, we're now back in Missoula for a bit of respite. This week never got booked in our schedule, so all we're doing is helping around the main office with various little projects. Who knew mundane office work could be so enjoyable? After six weeks of kids, kids, kids, anything involving only a copier, highlighter, and some folders becomes very appealing. Plus, another tour team is here which has been a lot of fun so far. It's great to be able to hang out with somebody other than Mallory and to compare notes about the job.

Our journey up to Missoula on Sunday took us straight through Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Even though we only had 2-3 hours in the parks as we drove through, it was a rewarding visit. As we wound our way through the mountains towards the Tetons, there were several other peaks tantalizing us with their snow dusted crags and spires. I've seen plenty of pictures of the Tetons, but I was so excited to see them for the first time in person. Finally, after expecting them around many corners, they appeared on the horizon. Even from that distance they were impressive. I've seen a lot of mountains, but this range is one of the most beautiful. A razor-sharp towering above the flatlands below; a sheer wall with a few trees attemping to scramble up the side. A sight you must see someday.

We drove north past the Tetons and entered Yellowstone. The park isn't instantly stunning the way the Tetons are, its gems are tucked away. At least some of them. As we drove towards Old Faithful, we noticed a ranger flagging traffic on the upcoming bend in the road. We slowed and noticed the reason for the traffic directing. On the side of the road was a grizzly with her two cubs rootin' around for grubs in a small clearing. We pulled off the road and joined the other parkgoers in some wildlife watching. It was strange to see grizzlies right off the road completely at ease with a row of cars full of onlookers. I guess it's hard to keep the wilderness 100% wild with millions of tourists every year.

We hopped back into our bear-proof theatre-mobile and continued our trek. We arrived at the Old Faithful area and hopped out for a little looksie. The nation's favorite geyser sits and the far end of Geyser valley, a geothermal wonderland full of geysers, hot springs, bubbling pots, and steam vents. In the last photo above you can see in the foreground the steam from old faithful, a geyser spouting on the right, and the steam from a geyser erupting in the distance. That gives you an idea of what it's like. There's a great boardwalk around Old Faithful that takes you by all of the various natural phenomena in a sort of steaming hot moonscape. After taking a lap on the boardwalk, I took a place among the crowd waiting for the 1:36 eruption (give or take ten minutes) of the marquee geyser. After a bit of teasing, it finally erupted. Not too spectacular, but definitely a sight unlike anything else. I think a lifetime of fountain watching kinda takes some of the spectacle out of it, but none of the fountains I've seen shoot superheated water. Nor are they powered by nature.

We drove down through geyser valley, certainly one of the more fascinating landscapes I've ever seen. Next stop was the Painter's Pots mudpots, but we got to see more than just more bubbling mud. A herd of bison had taken residence along the boardwalk to the mudpots, with a large bull standing right next to the trail. I loved seeing the bison, but I also wanted to see the mudpots. Some others walked brazenly by the bison along the trail and so I decided to as well. Now perhaps this wasn't the smartest thing I've ever done. I mean, they do hand you a flyer at the entrance that reads "Danger, people are gored by buffalo every year." Nevertheless, I nonchalantly passed Mr. Bison safely and delighted in the burping and bubbling of several mudpots, springs, and geysers. Returning from the geyser field the bison were still there and had begun to move into the parking lot. A ranger arrived and at his direction, I stepped off the trail to allow more distance between me and the herd. Stepping off the trail in a National Park seemed so wrong. All those years of advisory signs have written "stay on the trail" into my moral code. As I passed the ranger, he thanked me for making a good decision. If only he had seen me earlier.

I had hoped to see the rainbow colors of Prismatic Spring, but somehow I missed the turnoff. We left the park and headed up toward Missoula. By the time we reached Missoula we had crossed over the Continental Divide five times. That's kinda cool. I arrived at my homestay for the week and was greeted by a local micobrew, three dogs, and conversation. Not a bad welcome.