Sunday, September 9, 2012

Our Adventures in Teton Springs - Sunrise and the North Route of Yellowstone

This day of adventures began early - very early!!!  Was a wake-up time of 2:00 a.m. and departure time of 3:00 a.m. early?   Yes, it was!  Our tour guide, Donny knocked on each of our bedroom doors for the "wake up call".  Believe it or not we all cheerfully got up, loaded up and headed out so we could see the sunrise on the mountain; then, lightning, thunder and some rain greeted us!
Optimists that we were, we still proceeded to see the sunrise!

Our driver getting coffee

Ready to go!
We didn't have to worry about showing our pass at the gate of Yellowstone.  No one was there!

Here we are at the Grand View on the mountain.
It was a little chilly and dark!  Everyone was wide awake by then.

What grandeur!




What a beautiful sight at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone!
Steam was coming off the running water and a hint of the sun coming up.


Clouds still hung around but the glow of the sun was able to peek over the mountain peak


Photo op time again!


What grandeur and beauty!










Finally, a peek at the sun!  The weather ended up being perfect!


Breakfast was at the Old Faithful Inn


A busy place - we had to wait a few minutes for a table

We could order off the menu -  but it could take up to 20 minutes to get our order or go through the buffet.

We decided to go through the buffet.

The waitress brought toast, juice and coffee

After breakfast we visited the gift shop and then noticed that a tour would be starting in a few minutes.  The tour sounded like a good idea so we sat and waited for it to begin.

Our photographer relaxing before the tour

Our tour guide

The group gathered around to listen

Our tour guide gave us the history and some interesting facts about the Old Faithful Inn.  It was designed by 29 -year-old architect Robert Reamer.   Built over the winter of 1903-04 and at a cost of $140,000, it was opened for the 1904 summer season.  The impressive interior made of lodge pole pine logs rises 92 feet from the floor.   The Inn closes in October and reopens in April.  The windows are boarded up to prevent weight of the snow from breaking them.  The antique furnishings are stored and all the water pipes drained.  Temperatures can dip to -40 degrees.

Robert Reamer  - the architect of Old Faithful Inn

Look at the size of the tongs for the fireplaces!
The Inn had a huge fireplace that had 4 openings.  


Looking down from the balcony at the table where we ate breakfast

Mel and Jerry looking out from the balcony

 The tour guide told a funny story:  On top of the Inn are 8 flag poles with finials.  Inside one of them a note was found from 4 of the workers.  The note said, "It snowed like hell.  We drank gallons of wine.  Now there are 118 flag poles."  They signed their last names.

Father and son visiting

Time to load up to head for the North Loop of Yellowstone

Is the water hot???


The consensus was "Yes"!!!



The mud volcanoes area

A geyser errupting



The group in front of Firehole Falls


The buffalo going his own way

What magnificent views


Look at the shape of the rocks!

Jerry taking a rest

We drove out of Yellowstone National Park to Mammoth Springs - a very small town.

We stopped at the General Store of Mammoth

Jerry and Mel found a good spot while everyone else was browsing.
Mel had some ice cream as an appetizer before we went across the street to the ice cream shop.

Ready for ice cream!!!



Mel ordering our ice cream

Jerry and Margaret have decided what flavor they want.

A toast to our ice cream

Eat, visit and rest
The flavors of ice cream that were the most popular were peanut butter fudge and butter pecan.

This arch marks when you leave Yellowstone National Park

Going back into the park

Time to show our pass for the park

More beautiful sights


We stopped at the mud volcano area and the park ranger was getting ready for a description and tour of a few of the volcanos.


The park ranger explaining Dragon's Mouth

The Dragon's Mouth

The smell of sulphur was very strong!



The Cauldron

On our way home we saw something running in the field by the road.  A small road went off of the main road so we took it.  Donny was still trying to find a bear for Cathy.
There were buffalo everywhere - at least 150!  What a sight to see!
As you can see cars had to stop because the road belonged to the buffalo.  One just stopped in the middle of the road and stood there for a while.


Buffalo of all ages were in the herd.

Today we had seen such beautiful views, spectacular sights and amazing works of nature that God had made!  Just amazing!
We traveled from Idaho to Wyoming to Montana then back to Idaho!

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