It's very hard to see but this is the osprey on the nest.



Wild flowers on the way up Mt. Washburn

If you look closely you can see the trail that we were taking up to the top.

The coyote walking right by us.

Above the timber line.

We made it.

Time for celebration.

Our goal, the lookout tower at the top of Mt. Washburn.

7-16 (Fri)
Nancy and I decided to hike Mt Washburn today. On the way there we saw a black bear and and osprey on her next with two young ones.
We got out of the car and began our hike at 10:00 We were at the top by 12:30. Right before I was on the final push to the top a coyote came walking down the path right between a group of us. He didn’t seem perturbed by us at all. We decided to go down the opposite side of the mountain that we came up. The only problem with this was our car was about 6-8 miles away. We began hitching. It took us about 15 minutes to get a ride but it seemed like forever since we were so tired.
After we got our car we drove down to Canyon and had a very late lunch.

Nancy and I drove down to Old Faithful this morning because the park was having a 40% off sale for employees. They have a bigger store than we do at Mammoth so we had more of a selection. Bruce called us as soon as we arrived (he was working there today) and told us to come to the EDR and have lunch with him which we did. We walked around to all the places we book in that location so we would know what we were selling.
On the way down we saw a coyote standing on a rock. It would have made the coolest picture but of course by the time we stopped he had gotten down. We did get some shots of him.
On the way back we stopped and took pictures of a young grizzly bear that was right up by the road. He wasn’t in any hurry to walk away.
Tonight we played BINGO in the upstairs lounge at Aspen.

Brink of the falls

Nancy and Bruce

In front of the lower falls

Lower Falls

Lower Falls again

Hiking Elephant Back

View from the top of Elephant Back

At breakfast this morning we invited our friend, Bruce, to go hiking with us. We went to the Lower Falls. We walked to the “brink” of the falls, hiked Uncle Tom’s Trail (320 steps plus) and walked down to artists point. In the afternoon we hiked Elephant Back. That was five miles round trip. We got back to Mammoth just in time to have dinner and do our laundry.

On our way to Wraith Falls

River by the Natural Bridge

The first snowmobile, used by a mailman. McLeod

On the dirt road going to Livingston

After breakfast this morning we hiked Wraith Falls. We went to Gardiner and I had perm. Nancy had her hair cut and colored. We were both very pleased with the outcome. We left there and drove to Livingston. We were going to have lunch but it was 2:30 and every place we went to was closed. We finally settled on a Chinese Restaurant. We were the only ones in there but at least we got something to eat.
We drove to Big Timber and on to a National Park on the other side. We hiked the Natural Bridge, then tried to find Big Beaver. We drove on a dirt road for about 30 minutes and never found it. We drove back to what we thought was a town but it turned out to be a fishing camp with one house. I knocked on the door of the only house in McLeod to ask directions for the back/dirt road back to Livingston. He man gave directions, I guess he was Mr. McLeod, and said he and his wife had lived there since 1959. On the dirt road to Livingston we saw multi million dollar homes. To get groceries they probably have to drive an hour.
We stopped for dinner in Livingston at some little Toco stand. Before going back to Mammoth we had the car washed and got more gas. We got back to the dorm at 10:00

After dinner Nancy and I rode out to the Lamar Valley. We saw a black bear (cub) on the way out. It was down the hill a little way. People at the top of the hill were all taking pictures. All of a sudden we saw everyone running - the bear had started up the hill towards them. When we got out to the valley we saw lots of buffalo and then we went out to where there had been a kill a few nights ago. There was a grizzly chewing on it and a wolf circling around trying to get his share. On our way back we were stopped by a herd of buffalo. They kept crossing the road in front of us. Three of the cars ahead of me got through but then I was stuck. I tooted my horn and flashed my lights to no avail. They probably hung us up for at least 20-30 minutes.
By the time we were driving back to Mammoth it was dark. We had to be really careful that an animal didn’t jump out in front of us. We actually came upon a fawn on the side of the road. When she saw our lights she walked right out into the road. We were hung up there for awhile until she figured out that she should go up into the hills.

Children's parade - Cody

Children's parade

At the Cody Museum

Buffalo Bill Dam

Guess who?

The beginning of the "Stampede"

A bareback rider

The Buffalo Bill statue

The dumbest show in the world

Going over the Chief Joseph Highway

In front of the Irma Hotel where we saw the dumbest show in the world.


Part of the Old Town of Cody - that we didn't pay to see!

Old Town of Cody

7-1 (Thurs) On our way to breakfast it was hailing and I do mean huge balls of hail. We left for Cody at 8:30 this morning by that time the sun was beginning to come out. We went through Cook City and up over the Chief Joseph Highway. It was a breathtaking drive. We stopped up on a mountain and ate our bag lunch that the EDR fixed for us. The first thing we did after arriving was go to the Visitor’s Center. We found our hotel and checked in. It was a very clean and nice cabin. They only downside was the bedspreads. They were just too busy! When we check in they invited us to have appetizers and soft drinks from 5-8 p.m. We went to the “Old Town” of Cody. The buildings were the original but we didn’t want to pay $8 to see what was inside them so we took pictures and left. We went to the Old West Miniature City and Museum. It was free and darn worth the price. It told the story of the development of the west and was a great Indian museum. When we finished there we walked up and down main street. It was in the high 80’s or low 90’s and the heat almost made us sick. We heard that the Stampede Rodeo was going to be in town for the next four nights. This is when the really big stars come once a year. Cody has a rodeo every night but this one was special. We went to the Rodeo office and managed to get tickets for the evening.
We went back to our hotel because we were starving so we decided to try the free appetizers. The old people (like us) who were “tending bar” couldn’t believe that we were making a meal out of their samples! Their eyes almost bugged out of their heads. Fortunately for them we were going to the “shoot out” and had to be there by 6:00. Well . . . the shoot out was the biggest nothing, the biggest dud I have ever been to. The wind was blowing like crazy and all you could hear in their “mikes” was a whistling sound. The first 20 minutes of the “show” was thanking the advertisers and asking us to spend money with them. Then the show began . . . it was plain stupid and was as if 3rd graders were performing.
We went to dinner then on to the rodeo at 8:00. We enjoyed it but got home way after our curfew. It was midnight before we got in bed!

7-2 (Fri)
We had an A/C in our room and slept so well last night. We watched Good Morning America on TV ! We found out the latest news about the “bachelor” and his girlfriend breaking up. Just what we have been wondering about all summer!
We ate breakfast at “Grannies” before heading off to the Buffalo Bill Museum. On our way we found out that they were having a children’s 4th of July parade so we decided to watch that before going to the museum. We sat down on the curb with our cameras. It was just like the small town parades that you see on TV - really cute. From there we went on to the museum. It was wonderful, just as we had heard. We didn’t leave there until about 2:00. We had lunch at the Irma Hotel which was a hotel that Bill Cody had owned and was named for one of his daughters.
On our way back to Mammoth we stopped at the Buffalo Bill Dam. They had the flood gates open and the water was rushing out. By the time we got back to Yellowstone we were cold which was a relief from the way we felt in Cody.
We stopped at the General Store at Fishing Bridge inside the park and tried on an Indian headdress so we could have our picture taken.

More pictures to come . . .

6-23 (Wed)


Gary's roommate, one of the security guards, and a friend of ours has had it with his job. Tonight is his last night so Nancy and I are taking him out to dinner and for wine tonight. Last night we got out my photo printer to print a picture of Yellowstone for the front of his going away card. First we printed another picture and then we worked on the computer fixing the picture for Dan. When we got ready to print his picture we couldn't find the cord that connected the computer to the printer. We spent 45 minutes looking for it. Our room isn't that big . . . we looked under the beds, in both closets, in the bathroom, under the covers, in all the drawers, in our backpacks, everywhere and some places twice and three times. Finally Nancy remembered that we didn't use a cord, we used the SD card!!!! Oh my gosh, how dumb was that?





Today is payday and tomorrow we are going to town! We're very excited (about town!)

6-21 (Mon)

Nancy and I walked the stagecoach road to Gardiner tonight after dinner. It was a five mile walk. When we were almost there we came upon an elk. Since we were out in the open with nothing to hide behind we were a little leery. We climbed up on a ridge to avoid it. We hitched back with a couple of guys who had just finished a 22 mile hike from Hellroaring Creek to Gardiner.

6-18 (Fri)
Heavy, heavy frost on the cars this morning. By the time we went to breakfast it had all melted. It looks like it is going to be a bright warm day. I'm off on a hike and Nancy is off to work. Tonight we're planning to go to the rodeo.

6-17 (Thurs)
It was snowing when Nancy and I walked to breakfast this morning! Today is my day off but it is too cold to do much and the sun isn't out so it isn't good for taking pictures.

Last night Nancy and I went to the Map Room in the hotel to hear the author, CJ Box. He writes books that take place in YS and the surrounding area.

Friday night we're going to the rodeo.

There is always something going on to keep us entertained.

6-15 (Tues)

Two buffalo came down off the hill around noon. One of them stopped in front of a cabin and looked inside since the door was open. I thought he might go on in but he didn’t.

Nancy and I were going to walk after dinner tonight but it started to rain. A bunch of us were standing outside when we saw an elk corner a young girl up on the hill. Gary was yelling to her to get behind a bush. Matt who was on duty went up the hill to try to scare the elk away. He got chased into the trees. Gary went out in the rain to try to help. He talked the girl from bush to bush. When the elk wasn’t looking she made a run for it but Matt was still stuck in the trees. The Rangers finally showed up and went up the hill after Matt. They were banging shovels and finally got her attention so Matt could get away. The elk had a calf nearby.
Tonight we sat in the lounge and socialized. There was a real cute girl from Bulgaria who kept us entertained.

Gotta room for me?

I didn't like that room anyway.

It's time to scare a few tourists.

6-15

I haven't written for awhile because I have been too busy. First I was as stressed this year as I was last because I couldn't remember squat when I got back here. I had a day and a half of remediation and then it was back to the phones. Now I'm fine.

Sunday, Nancy, Gary and I explored the upper loop of the park. We went to Roosevelt, Canyon, Lake and to Fishing Bridge. We had a great time. We even played in the snow.