Yellowstone

When we were planning this trip, Yellowstone was high on our list of places to visit.

We used our National Parks Senior's Pass to get into the park free. The queue was only a couple of cars long.

There were quite a few fishermen.

However we were soon in a queue that barely moved. The reason became apparent after twenty minutes when we passed a group of buffalo. Each car load of people seemed to want to stop and gawk.

Yellowstone is famous as a hot springs and other geothermal features. 

In the geothermal areas there are lots of these signs.

The pathways are very good and made out of a Trex type material.

Some of the colours are wonderful.

The boiling mud pools are fun to watch.

Some small geysers started to perform as we arrived.

The tourist horde.

We arrived at Old Fiathful just after it had done its thing. We had to wait 90 minutes for the next show. We relaxed in some chairs outside the food building.

We don't know why these yurts are here.

Be glad I don't wear one of these.

The visitor's center.

The Old Faithful Inn. 

People waiting for the performance to begin. The temperature was about 90 degrees and the sun was strong. We both got sunburned but at least I was wearing my hat.

Most of the time there is just a wisp of steam coming out. 

Occasionally there is more steam and some small spouts as it whips itself into a frenzy.

Then away it goes. It went off right on time.

It blasts away for a few minutes and then subsides. The horde leaves.

We then continued driving around the park including the large lake in the middle.

It's all very pretty but we were becoming very tired. Two weeks of travel had finally caught up with us and we were not really appreciating what should have really impressed us. The Park Service website warns that you need to pack plenty of patience when you visit the park. There is constant traffic and the roads have lots of curves. Parking at the major attractions can be frustrating.

Still, we drove on and on.

Buffalo in the meadow.

An interesting part of the drive. Marianne does not like to be the passenger when we are close to steep hills by the road and I don't blame her.

Eventually we reached our bnb in Livingstone which is near the northern exit to the park. We were so tired that we decided to take a couple of days off at our next stop in Missoula, Montana.

The lesson we have learned is that we need rest days. It's not just all the driving. It's also all the fabulous scenery that we have been seeing since we left home two weeks ago. We have become blase.