West Yellowstone, Montana: Starting with an update about the concert last night. As suspected, Larry the Cable Guy was moved indoors due to the massive thunderstorm. Quite a fiasco, it’s seems, after chatting up a few RV neighbors this morning. Larry the Cable Guy started telling jokes in the indoor theatre well before the 8p start time, and well before everyone was seated. Some people missed half the show while waiting outside the arena to be seated. Those seated missed the other half being interrupted to let people move into their seats. Our neighbors said it really wasn’t a very good show. Larry just seemed off. Another camper said he seemed tired. Seriously, I had to google to learn who he was, but I gather he makes a living telling self-deprecating red-neck/fat jokes? Probably a different crowd will gather tonight. The resort was setting up the venue this morning for another outdoor show. Tonight: Tesla, Buckcherry, and Great White. Had to google them as well.
Our drive today kept us on I-15 to Highway 20. After leaving the populated I-15 areas, the drive is just spectacular. High mountain passes (7000+ feet) and miles of forests, rivers, and lakes. Arriving into West Yellowstone (Montana), we checked-into our reserved campsite at the Yellowstone Grizzly RV Park. We have camped here so many times, and I can't even explain the perfection of this park. Huge sites. Everything is perfectly manicured. Situated so you can walk into town (West Yellowstone, Montana), and just blocks from the west entrance to Yellowstone National Park. Premium pull-through 50 amp site are just over $100 a night. Ouch, but you get what you pay for at this location.
After arriving and "setting up camp" we took a quick drive through town to re-acquaint ourselves with West Yellowstone, Montana (made a stop to the post office). and then packed-up a light snack/cocktail picnic basket and headed into the national park. It was well after five o'clock and most of the traffic was headed back to West Yellowstone (and dinner and motels), but we continued our drive to Madison where there are usually so many bison. Nothing. Did not see one animal. A few ravens the size of turkeys - that was it.
We took a diversion drive along Firehole Canyon to see the waterfalls and catch the late-afternoon swimmers braving the icy waters.
Driving back towards West Yellowstone, traffic stopped... universal sign of an animal sighting in Yellowstone National Park. It was a female elk. And she was pooping. Boring.
One of our favorite spots is the Riverside Drive side-road between Madison and West Yellowstone. This is a great spot for a rest. Once, about 100 years ago, we were here to witness hundreds of bison come over the top of the hill on the other side of the river, walk across the river (!), and continue about a mile down the paved road to a meadow. To this day, it is one of the most amazing things we have ever witnessed. We stopped here this evening to have our cocktails (okay, DT was driving, but I enjoyed MY cocktail).
Today at this spot, we witnessed a Hindu man performing his evening sun-worshipping ritual. We were clearly seated in folding chairs next to the river, clearly enjoying (adult) beverages and appetizers, but the ceremony happened ten feet from us. He was accompanied by a dozen of his family members (from India, from San Francisco, and Boston - all quite fun). His family waited (and chatted with us) while he performed the ritual.
We returned to our campsite for an easy dinner. DT grilled a steak (we ate half!), and I smashed the remaining potatoes (from the salad nicoise) and roasted them in duck fat, garlic, and rosemary. Salad was served.
Meanwhile, in Costa Rica:
A big day planned in Yellowstone tomorrow! Until my next update, I remain your national park correspondent.