11 September 2015,  Friday

This morning topped yesterday morning. The temperature at 7 am is -4.3
degrees C. We kept our long underwear on and put on jackets as we
emerged from the tent. The good news is that we continue to stay warm
with our sleeping system despite the sub-freezing temperature.

I mix up some oatmeal pancakes for breakfast, and O fires up the Kelly
Kettle just so we can pour hot water into our cups to hold and keep
our hands warm as we work. Stainless steel spoons are very cold at 25
degrees F!  By the time breakfast is done and the dishes washed, the
temperature has climbed to 40 degrees F. It feels downright warm
in the sun!

Today is our day to play tourist. We take out our “Yellowstone in a Day”
book.  We are both a bit embarrassed to have such a book, but it is
useful.  We head for the Norris Geyser Basin first and spend way more
time there than we are supposed to. So much for Yellowstone in a day.
As we are walking along the boardwalk and getting bathed in warm
sulfurous vapors, Vixen Geyser unexpectedly begins erupting!  It is
not as grand as Old Faithful, but it is more special precisely
because it is unexpected. As I look out over the geysers and mudpots
and fumaroles I can also see pine-covered mountains that seem to go
on forever until they meet the distant deep blue of the sky.  It
looks like a great green ocean.

After our geezer geyser tour (I had to put that in) we make the obligatory
stop in the book store. O is looking for info on the chemistry and
biology of the geysers. It is a good thing we’ve eaten a lot of food,
otherwise we would not have room in the car for all the books. O will
have lots of reading material to work on in front of our new
fireplace insert this winter.

From the geyser basin we head towards Old Faithful with a brief detour
through Firehole Canyon with its beautiful waterfall. We learn that
Old Faithful is due to perform at 4:18. We have just enough time for
an early supper-late lunch, then we join the crowd awaiting the
spectacle. It’s an experience everyone should have at least once. I
shoot about 200 photos as the geyser erupts. I hope a few come out
well.

It is getting late in the day for tourism, but I want to catch Artist’s
Point in the afternoon sun, so we drive towards Canyon, the area of
the park that includes Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon. It is spectacular!
So spectacular that we decide to return tomorrow to see the morning
sun illuminate the lower falls.  There are many trails in the area
including Uncle Tom’s Trail with more than 300 steps leading to a
view of the lower falls.

It’s dark and the temperature is cooling quickly by the time we return to
camp. Time to get ready for bed and see if I can manage to sleep
another night with the sounds of new bridge construction continuing.