We all slept in. I got up in the middle of the night and turned the heat on to take the edge off of the hard cold that had set in overnight. We knew it was coming and it put a unique twist on summer for a family from Alabama.
I stepped outside to set up the propane grill for bacon, eggs and hash browns. The air was still somewhat cool but the sun let me know it would be warm today. We all enjoyed breakfast then began the morning routine of showering before closing up the utilities for the day's drive. I'm grateful to the mans with the 2 schnauzers in Salt Lake City who told me we would be able to easily drive throughout the park (I thought we might have to shuttle, the first of which we never saw).
We met Jerry who was staying next door to us. He and his wife had retired from a school system in Utah and were traveling with his or her parents. We compared gas mileages and talked about our lives. They were pulling a large trailer so they could unhitch the truck and tool around at will. Jerry had had his 2nd knee replacement in April and was getting around well.
Cell phone access takes on a whole new meaning in these parts. We had hoped to find a signal strong enough to allow us to transmit photos and catch up with texts. The attendant at the camp registration office told Beth and Tessa that if we drove out the main entrance and turned left then drove for 3 miles we would see the cell towers across the lake and could reconnect with the outside world. We never did see the towers but could see by the ever increasing bars on our phone screens that we were heading in the right direction. We were able to send and receive texts as well. As make a couple phone calls, but we never did receive the right signal to allow us to send or receive data.
As we drove along the highway toward Old Faithful we stopped at a number of "pull outs" as the mood or scenery drew us and we took many pictures, some of which will certainly be posted on our various media sites. The Old Faithful Inn complex is large and obviously visited by many throughout the year.
The Wilderness Lodge at Walt Disney World is modeled after this property. We arrived about 45 minutes prior to the next outburst of the famous geyser and decided to spend our time in the gift shop. The offerings were what one might expect but the prices were surprisingly reasonable. The gift shop cashier told me that the Inn opens in mid-May and closes in mid-October. I can only imagine what the Inn and surrounding area looks like mid-winter.
A sign to the left of the hotel registration desk posts the time of the next geyser display with 'a+/- 10 minutes' addendum due. To the unpredictability of Old Faithful. We arrived at the vast semi-circle seating area about 15 minutes early with phone cameras, SLR and iPad in hand. The 'show started about 20 minutes late but did not disappoint! The whole geyser ecosystem is fascinating with subsurface water boiling at 199 degrees Fahrenheit.
We walked back to the Inn and selected a little restaurant/bar to get a bite to eat. Our waiter was Landon. Originally from Atlanta, he had been out here since August, worked the Inn. Waiting tables last season, then worked the resort at Big Sky during the winter. He was heading back to Atlanta after this season to await the arrival of his sister's baby due in December in Gadsden, Alabama (Beth's hometown).
While waiting for our food, a chipmunk decided to run through the restaurant which provided a temporary show for the guests. Small cheers broke out as two of the waiters "guided" the little patron to the nearest exit.
On our way back to the campsite, we encountered the now predictable gathering of cars/RVs ahead which signaled wildlife ahead. At one stop a large bull elk was feeding next to the road. Tessa snapped a ton of pics. At another, two moose were feeding as well. No bears yet! Beth read that there is at least one bear attack on humans per year. In 2011, two people were killed by bears. They are not to be messed with.
After setting up the site for the evening, Beth, Tessa and Jonathan walked to the other. Side of the motorhome and met another retired. Couple with a schnauzer (is there a pattern here? We. Talked about their travels and of the folks they knew in the Birmingham area then came back to the rig and settled in for the night after planning our trip to the Upper and Lower Falls tomorrow.
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