Yellowstone, Day 3, beaver-squirrel sighting

Surprised to see pictures from my kids' points of view pop up on photo stream. Fun to have their perspective of our trip and not just mine as family photographer/chronicler.

 

Breath-taking beauty: birds-eye view of the Grand Prismatic Spring and a family hike up to see it. There are boardwalks that circle the spring below, but the steam prevents you from seeing the incredible color. A hike via the Fairy Falls trail gives a beautiful treasure.

The boardwalk view gives you a muggy view of the colors reflected off the steam. Here you can read about tiny animals that are extremophiles, able to survive in impossibly hot waters.

Like most things in life, it takes a bit of work, but oh so worth it!

At the top, near one of many burned trees in the 1988 fires.

 

 

Bubbling springs, geysers and children blowing off steam with preadolescent hiker comments such as "They call this (boiling, spewing sulfurous Dragon's Cauldron) an attraction?" Parental restraint to not smack some ingratitude with my maternal backhand as we walked through grassy meadows under brilliant blue skies. Vision people! Open up your eyes and soak it all in.

Snow-capped mountains, rolling green hills, and craggy red rock formations all in one drive.

Yoga moments by Lake Yellowstone

A picnic eaten INSIDE our rental car as the blustery winds and mosquitos would have discouraged even Yogi Bear from a picnic by the water. "Hey, Boo Boo! You are about to blow away!" (We are terrible campers.)

Beaver-squirrel second sighting properly identified as a marmot.

 

 

"Moose on road" flashing street signs and grizzly bear warnings keeping us hopeful and camera ready, but we're still on a bear hunt and tracking moose.

A pitiful attempt at teaching my family the art of singing a round on a scenic by-way to Cody. Hoping the fireside cowboys can teach what I could not.

Wooden Indians outside of trading posts. Browsing through arrowheads and polished rocks and admiring turquoise and silver and other Western artistry.

Around-the-clock cries for Chapstick (adjusting to the more arid climate)

A's attempts at speaking Western-ese "Don't rightly know, Missy" when I ask random questions like "Are those sage green plants sagebrush?" Realizing that we have become dependent on Googling things in cell service areas to satisfy our curiosity instantaneously. Seeing a Shoney's Big Boy in the middle of a field and wondering what the significance is.

Referring to one another as Darlin' and Pardner

Saying "happy trails" to the historic Old Faithful Inn and "howdy" to the Best Western (Kid comment on hotel chain name: Where else would you stay?) They were very happy to re-enter the wi-fi zone.

This hotel is amazing. We have stayed at Wilderness Lodge at Disney and Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC. They were copies. This was the historic model. I loved watching Old Faithful blow from the balcony porch as people did one hundred years ago.

After all the walking and driving, it felt great to get a shower and settle into our hotel for tomorrow's day in Cody.