Life up close

Yellowstone is an odd collection to say the least, an eclectic geology show and safari all rolled into one, overlaid with rich historical accents and a dash of horror show.  I mean what else do you say when you swerve to avoid a branch in the road only to discover it is a partially gnawed leg.  For the nerd in me, it doesn’t get much better than this.  Yes, when your last two book purchases consists of a field guide to birds and Theodore Roosevelt’s biography, you might be a nerd.  I’m embracing it.  I even bought a pair of binoculars.  This consisted of an uniformed visit to a local sporting goods store that went like this.  “Um…yeah…everything looks way closer.  I’ll take these.”

            Over the course of five days I watched water go up and water fall down.  The earth steamed, boiled, burbled and crackled.   I climbed mountains, cruised the valley, and chased rainbows.  Yellowstone has it all.  Except oxygen.  Above 8,000 feet, it could really use a reintroduction of oxygen.

             I have always been a fall girl.  Blame it on the name.  I held a strong bias that the parks should be seen between Labor Day and Thanksgiving. Yellowstone showed me that there is really something to love about spring thanks to Doug McLaughlin. By pure chance and curiosity I met this man who generously shared his high power scope with me and took me on an impromptu tour of the Lamar Valley.  I have not endorsed products or accepted sponsorship for this trip on purpose.  I am not out here to sell myself or anything else.  I do recommend good people and Doug McLaughlin is good people.  If you care to really see details of Yellowstone up close, buy or rent one of his scopes (opics.yellowstone@gmail.com).  His generosity with his lens as well as his intimate knowledge of the park literally opened up a whole new world. There were babies everywhere! Baby moose, baby elk, baby bison, baby owls, baby goats, baby geese, baby bears and even baby wolves!  In a moment in my life when there are nothing but earthquakes, it is good to know that life goes on.