Monday, August 30, Day 84
Before we head out on our Yellowstone adventure, Hubby has to put DEF in the truck again. We never get a really early start on both travel days and day adventures., We are not on a schedule so it does not matter what time we leave. We are never in a hurry. By the time Hubby puts DEF in the Big Boy Truck, we get our cooler filled with cold drinks and snacks ready and get the fur kids into the truck, we leave the campground at 11 am.
Leaving our campground, the road we take to get to Yellowstone passes through beautiful mountains. We have to go through several tunnels located a few minutes out of Cody. We are not pulling the 5th wheel so the tunnels do not bother me. The tunnels are not marked for height but they look high enough for an 18 wheeler and a big RV to pass through without issues. Tunnel heights are something most people do not even think about. RVers are very aware.
Our America the Beautiful pass gets us free entry once again. Yellowstone has it all. Mountains, lakes, streams and waterfalls, canyons, wildlife, geysers, mud pots, stores and gas/fuel stations and nice roads with plenty of pullover spots. And don’t forget Old Faithful. We’ve been to Old Faithful twice before so we decide not to stop today.
Do you all know that Yellowstone is home to a supervolcano that last erupted about 640,000 years ago?
We enter at the east entrance and pass Yellowstone lake. It’s very smoky today. Several times my camera would not focus because of the smoke. There is a massive wildfire in California (Caldor Fire) firefighters cannot get under control. I read where California is closing all of their National Park and National Park campgrounds until September 18th due to the wildfires. All of those people that have labor day reservations will have their reservations canceled.
Not only do we need to put DEF in the truck this morning, we notice our fuel tank is half full and we both think we need to fill up with fuel. We probably should have filled our tank back when we were still in Cody. No, we wait until we are in the park where fuel is more expensive. We fill up at a Sinclair station right inside of Yellowstone.
After Hubby fills the tank, I go into the Yellowstone General Store. Nothing I am interested in buying so I just look around.
Another National Park requires masks regardless of whether you are vaxed or not.
The fur kids are excited to be at Yellowstone. As people walk by the Big Boy Truck and see the pups, they ooh and aww and even take pictures. Benji gets the most attention.
Benji, in the first picture reminds me of a character I’ve see on TV or in the movies. But for the life of me, I can’t figure out what or who. Please comment if you think so too.
I get my selfie taken in front of a huge mud pot.
We pass the Brink of the Upper Falls and decide to stop. I get my camera and take a short hike.
From this viewpoint, I can’t see much. Oh well, I captured a picture and left.
We have not seen much wildlife on this whole Wild West Adventure. We did see this Buffalo near the side of the road. There are a few others but they were too far off to get a picture, even with the zoom on my camera.
Tuesday, August 31, Day 85.
Can’t believe tomorrow is September already. Today would be an easy, relaxing day. We would take a short ride and scope out downtown Cody. We get takeout food from Peter’s Cafe. This is a cute little cafe right downtown Cody. I order a salad for me and a sub for Hubby. The food is very good. So good, we return the next day.
Let me tell you about our story at Cowtown Candy. I send Hubby in. I have alerts set up on my phone for credit card purchases. As soon as Hubby or I use our credit card, an alert appears on our phone. I got the alert that a purchase was made for $43.70 before Hubby got back to the truck. Did Hubby buy out the whole store. When he gets back to the Big Boy Truck where the pups and I are waiting, I find out he bought nine pieces of chocolate candy. I figure they were laced with 14K gold. When we get back to the camper, I take the candy out of the bag and low and behold, there is a receipt. I need to see the receipt. There is a caramel candy apple for $8.99 on the receipt. We didn’t get a caramel candy apple. Geez
Wednesday, September 1, Day 86.
Today, our hope was to go to Lamar Valley where we think there are a lot of wildlife. We get an earlier start today. We leave camp at 10 am instead of 11 am. Aren’t you proud of us. On the way to Yellowstone, we go right pass the candy store and with receipt in hand, I go in. A sweet young lady is behind the counter. I start to explain to her (very nicely) that we got charged for something the previous day that we did not order. Next thing I know, three clerks are running to the counter laughing. I guess they saw that a candy apple was sold yesterday and they didn’t even have one to sell. I guess it was a mystery to them. They even put a message out somewhere. I don’t know if it was just to staff or on social media because they needed to know how that happened. They were so happy I came into the store so the mystery was solved. Instead of a refund, I asked if I could just get more of the chocolate covered cherries that Hubby likes. I’m glad I solved their mystery.
We enter Yellowstone on the East Entrance which is 55 miles from our campground. We go past Fishing Bridge and head towards Canyon Village. Darn, the road is closed to Tower. We thought we saw a road closed sign when we were here on Monday but we were hoping it was at another intersection. The road that is closed is the only way to Lamar Valley. We won’t be going there today. We’ve been there twice before on our motorcycle adventures so we were not real disappointed.
We will just spend time at the Falls and Canyon.
I read that the falls are most impressive in the spring when the Yellowstone River is higher from all of the snow melt in late May and early June. I thought it was pretty impressive here on September 1st. Where does all of this water come from now in September when the west is in a drought. Where is the mouth of the Yellowstone River?
The canyon is also most impressive.
You know what else is impressive? The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone.
It’s chilly today so I am glad to have on my jacket I bought from Rae Lux online Boutique.
After leaving the park, Hubby stops at a scenic overlook to capture some pictures.
He gets pictures of a Marmot. Marmots are relatively large ground squirrels.
God Bless, Stay Safe and Be Kind to Every Kind.
Interesting fact from Google:
What would happen if a “supervolcano” eruption occurred again at Yellowstone?
If another large, caldera-forming eruption were to occur at Yellowstone, its effects would be worldwide. Such a giant eruption would have regional effects such as falling ash and short-term (years to decades) changes to global climate. Those parts of the surrounding states of Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming that are closest to Yellowstone would be affected by pyroclastic flows, while other places in the United States would be impacted by falling ash (the amount of ash would decrease with distance from the eruption site). Such eruptions usually form calderas, broad volcanic depressions created as the ground surface collapses as a result of withdrawal of partially molten rock (magma) below. Fortunately, the chances of this sort of eruption at Yellowstone are exceedingly small in the next few thousands of years.
Glamping in my RV 