May 19, Sunday Day 1.
We finally got our summer trip started, a day and hours late. (The delayed departure cost us time to visit planned sites in Idaho and Bozeman MT. and the planned entrance into Yellowstone from the north) It is planned to be an expansive trip through the Midwest and east coast with an interruption for a flyover with the grandson to France for a wedding celebration.
Nice day for driving and there was no traffic. As we sailed up, north, on I-15 there was intermittent light rain. Not enough to wet the pavement, but enough to create a psychedelic dance of raindrops dancing and moving on and up the windshield. We drove through a very flat valley that I imagine was once part of the Great Salt Lake and is now farmland surrounded by steeply rising mountains. The valley narrowed as we entered and drove through Idaho. We passed through Pocetello and south of Idaho falls we exited I-15 and turned northeast toward Yellowstone NP.
We stopped in Rexburg for some gasoline and eats. After years of watching the ads for "we got the meats" and saving, but never using their coupons, we ate at an Arbys. At 4:00 pm it was empty. We had a couple for various beef sandwiches, a shake (I guess there was insufficient milk in it to label it a milk shake) and a large cookie. The latter two were the best. The meats were good and plentiful by fast food standards, but the buns were soft and tasteless..
We reached Yellowstone NP about 6:30 pm. Our senior pas again gained us free admission. (A benefit Trump and his now discrased Interior Secretary prospectively, significantly increased the cost of. ) It is overcast and very grey. Lots of snow on the ground. As we drove through the park to our hotel on the north side of the park in Gardiner MT, we passed lots of rushing rivers. The temperature is 40 degrees. Where did our summer vacation go?
Not much auto traffic in the park, and what there wasseemed mainly to be exiting the park. We came upon a backup that was present on both sides of the two lane park road. I guessed either an accident or animal crossing. It was the latter. A herd (how many needed to constitute a herd?), many 20 buffalo were ambling down the roadway. Lots of calves and horns. They were not moving fast, but they calmly walked very close to the cars. Up close they are very big.
They were moving in the opposite direction we were, so our delay was minimal. For the people going in the opposite direction, I don't know how long their wait was. We also saw many mule deer and a few elk.
When we arrived in Gardiner MT, site of the northern entrance to the Park
and our rented condo, it was cold, but still light. The young girl at the condo office, a Ukrainian immigrant, was waiting for us. We have a nice little suite with kitchen in the middle of town at the Victorian Inn. After settling in and adding many layers we took a walk around town. Not much here, but to my delight I discovered an electric car charging station. Free usage no less. I moved the car there.
We ate some leftovers we had brought from home for dinner and watched the final episode of GoT.
We finally got our summer trip started, a day and hours late. (The delayed departure cost us time to visit planned sites in Idaho and Bozeman MT. and the planned entrance into Yellowstone from the north) It is planned to be an expansive trip through the Midwest and east coast with an interruption for a flyover with the grandson to France for a wedding celebration.
Nice day for driving and there was no traffic. As we sailed up, north, on I-15 there was intermittent light rain. Not enough to wet the pavement, but enough to create a psychedelic dance of raindrops dancing and moving on and up the windshield. We drove through a very flat valley that I imagine was once part of the Great Salt Lake and is now farmland surrounded by steeply rising mountains. The valley narrowed as we entered and drove through Idaho. We passed through Pocetello and south of Idaho falls we exited I-15 and turned northeast toward Yellowstone NP.
We stopped in Rexburg for some gasoline and eats. After years of watching the ads for "we got the meats" and saving, but never using their coupons, we ate at an Arbys. At 4:00 pm it was empty. We had a couple for various beef sandwiches, a shake (I guess there was insufficient milk in it to label it a milk shake) and a large cookie. The latter two were the best. The meats were good and plentiful by fast food standards, but the buns were soft and tasteless..
We reached Yellowstone NP about 6:30 pm. Our senior pas again gained us free admission. (A benefit Trump and his now discrased Interior Secretary prospectively, significantly increased the cost of. ) It is overcast and very grey. Lots of snow on the ground. As we drove through the park to our hotel on the north side of the park in Gardiner MT, we passed lots of rushing rivers. The temperature is 40 degrees. Where did our summer vacation go?
Not much auto traffic in the park, and what there wasseemed mainly to be exiting the park. We came upon a backup that was present on both sides of the two lane park road. I guessed either an accident or animal crossing. It was the latter. A herd (how many needed to constitute a herd?), many 20 buffalo were ambling down the roadway. Lots of calves and horns. They were not moving fast, but they calmly walked very close to the cars. Up close they are very big.
 |
| Commuting buffalos |
When we arrived in Gardiner MT, site of the northern entrance to the Park
and our rented condo, it was cold, but still light. The young girl at the condo office, a Ukrainian immigrant, was waiting for us. We have a nice little suite with kitchen in the middle of town at the Victorian Inn. After settling in and adding many layers we took a walk around town. Not much here, but to my delight I discovered an electric car charging station. Free usage no less. I moved the car there.
We ate some leftovers we had brought from home for dinner and watched the final episode of GoT.
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