Tue, May 24, 2011

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

When we travel we don’t do a lot of planning we just let each day happen. Every day is a surprise.  – Donna Downey

When we woke up this morning in West Yellowstone it was raining.  It was tempting to just roll over and sleep the morning away but not really an option when you can’t wait to get into the park.  We did decide that the light would only get better so we took time to enjoy a leisurely breakfast at one of our favorite cafes.  The temperatures were only in the upper thirties so a good breakfast would be a good thing to carry us thru the cold day. 

As we entered the gates the ranger informed us that, due to the snow, another section of road was closed.  We had already mapped out our route and this closure did not affect that so we were off.  It’s hard not to get a little disheartened when it is cold and rainy and you know that the majority of the shots will have to come from the window of the Jeep.  But all of that disappears when you get the first opportunity to get a photograph.  

We spotted a pair of photographers set up along Riverside Drive trying to photograph a bald eagle.  They had on full rain gear and were both setup under the rear door of their SUVs.  It did not look like fun and we didn’t like the composition of the shot so we happily moved on.  We were very lucky to spot a Great Blue Heron.  They can be very shy, even in Yellowstone, and he was fairly close to the road but there were some thick trees between us.  This could be a good opportunity if he felt safe enough to stay put.  I quickly got ready and got a couple shots and then we moved up just a little closer and found a hole thru the trees that afforded us a better shot.  He seemed content to sit quietly on a piece of downed timber with the Madison River water flowing quickly over his feet.  We were not in a wayside of pullout  so just a few cars stopped momentarily to see what we were shooting and most didn’t even notice him and moved on.  So within thirty minutes of entering the park, my day was made.

As we drove further into the park the rain turned to a light snow and as the elevation climbed so did the snow.  We took the road across the middle of the park and it was covered completely.  On the Yellowstone River side of the park all the way out and into the Teton National Park the snow remained.  It looked and felt like winter instead of just a few weeks away from summer.  All four of us love the snow so we had a great day despite the limited opportunities for wildlife photography. 

There would be no view of the Teton Range today due to the low hanging clouds.  Paris and Dodger did have a thrill on one of their stops though.  We found a grassy area without snow or mud for them to go outside.  It also was an area full of ground squirrels!  Both Dodger and Paris found several of their den entrances and Paris did her best to dig her way in.  After taking a few shots of her enthusiasm we called her off before she could do any real damage.  I’m sure she would rate this as the best stop of the day.

In Jackson Hole we stopped for gas and got a recommendation for a Mexican Restaurant just a few blocks away.  The Wort Hotel is our usual stop for a great meal but we decided we should try something different this time.  It turned out to be really good and it also felt good to be inside a nice warm building after almost an entire day of in and out of the car in the cold.

After a quick trip to the grocery store to re-stock our picnic supplies we headed south toward our destination of Pinedale, Wyoming.  We have a nice room and since we ate lunch at almost 4:00 pm we are opting out of any supper tonight. 

We are very well tonight and hope that y’all are too.

Peace, Hope & Love,

Donna, Charles, Paris & Dodger