Day Seven Continued

So where was I?  Oh yeah, Jackson Hole Wyoming on my way to Yellowstone National Park.  A gorgeous ride with the majestic Tetons on my left, sunny blue skies,  and Old Faithful ahead of me.    Something I had been looking forward to for days, months and years. 

I was surprised that I did not see more wildlife through the valley and into the park.  The park is busy.  When I pay my fees to get in I notice that most of the campgrounds are already full.  There are some in the north part of the park.  Something will work out, I tell myself.

I head towards the geyser basin.  Nature’s own Disneyland.  We have exploding geysers, wildlife and waterfalls.  I have read that the entire park sit atop an active volcano.  Sometime she is going to explode and life as we know it will be change.  Mt. St. Helen’s was nothing compared to this one when it goes.  It will happen, but not on my watch.

They have added a couple of new buildings since my last visit.  More parking as well.  More buses and more people. 

I am sensing a theme here.  So many people find a nice thing and then because of the popularity, they screw it up.

The Old Faithful Inn is a majestic building.  Open to the ceiling with trusses build from logs. An incredible stone fireplace.   A National treasure. 

I know where I am heading.  To the  deck overlooking the geyser.  The countdown is on.  20 minutes or so before the next eruption.  What a great day.

The geyser burbles and makes some small blasts of four to five feet.  Steam seeps from the opening.  Then it quiets down.  It repeats its burbling and small blasts.  Then it quiets down again.  Then we get a sustained blast of four to five feet.  Instead of quieting, it grows and blasts to its full potential, 100 feet in the air.  Old Faithful continues this sustained blast for minutes then slowly subsides.  The water drains back into the geyser leaving steam and an odor of sulfur.  Until the next show.  Well worth the trip.