DAY 254 TUESDAY 20th MAY 2008

Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (Miles to Date: 25775)

We woke to another pleasant morning up at 8000 feet – a bit chilly but at least the sun was shining. Mark has some phone calls to make around lunch time so we decided to head up to a thermal area called Mud Volcano first thing. Before heading out we go to our favourite bear spotting area, and our success rate is maintained as en route we get to see a large black bear working it’s way beside the lake and into the surrounding woods. The area here is very active and the air is filled with the acrid smell of sulphur. There is an short, but interesting board walk through the Mud Volcano area which goes past a number of thermal features. The first feature is called Dragon Mouths Spring, which is hot spring which puffs out steam – hence it’s name. The next feature is the one that gives the area it’s name, Mud Volcano. This is now a bubbling mud pot, but 70 years ago was an explosive volcano of mud, erupting many times a minutes throwing boiling mud tens of feet into the air. Today sadly it is much calmer. We spend a pleasant hour mooching around the various features, which is made all the better as we are here earlier enough to avoid the throngs of tourists transported here in tour buses (mind you it is much quieter here than in the summer months).

In the afternoon the weather has started to close in a bit so after Mark has made his calls we head off to one our favourite areas in Yellowstone, the West Thumb area down on the banks of Yellowstone Lake. Here the thermal features are very different from Mud Volcano, they are relatively calm super heated pools. Whilst they look inviting falling into these would mean instantaneous death! Having said that they are perfectly clear and you can see to the bottom of many, sometimes as far down as 90 feet. The edges of the pools, where it is slightly cooler, are highlighted in yellows, oranges and browns by the ever present thermophiles. The steaming pools are in stark contrast to the lake which is still covered by ice – it is not too cold here, in the mid-60s but the ice remains a stubborn adornment on the chilly lake. We gently amble around the various pools. Our only annoyance in one mother who has ignored the signs about staying on the boardwalks and has her daughter stepping on to the surrounding ground for a photograph. The reason for the boardwalks is not only to protect the fauna in the area, but the ground is a thin crust and a person’s weight can easily break it causing you to drop down into a potential pool of super hot water below!

Not yet done with the day we drive 40 miles north to see the most famous thermal feature in Yellowstone, the Old Faithful geyser. We had been to see Old Faithful last year but in July when there were huge crowds. Today the numbers were more modest, but there is still a healthy number of people out to watch. For the last 75 years Old Faithful has been delighting visitors, originally throwing steam and boiling hot water 150 feet every 90 minutes or so – making it the most reliable of the geysers in the Park. It used to go up every hour but years of earthquakes have re-arranged the plumbing extending the eruption times out. One of these days Old Faithful will sadly be quiet for ever – so those who haven’t seen it get there quick!!!

The weather is somewhat grey today but it does not seem to deter people waiting for Old Faithful to go up. So not wanting to be party poopers we settle down for the show. Whilst the National Park Service is telling everyone that the geysers of Yellowstone (which two thirds of the world’s total) are totally natural – we suspect there is a little man underground with a big lever. With travel comes cynicism!! What ever the case we are all delighted when Old Faithful starts to bubble steam and water before going into its all so impressive full eruption. After a few minutes everything starts to quieten down and the hot jets start to recede and eventually calmness returns to the geyser.

Our geyser fetish satisfied, we head off to the wonderful Old Faithful Inn, once the largest log cabin in the world. On a cold, wet day (although today is pleasant) it is a haven of warmth and comfort. The main lobby is truly amazing. It is centred around a spectacular free standing, four sided stone fire place, the stack of which rises five stories up through the roof of the Inn. The stair cases wind there way up into the sky, joining together a number of mezzanine floors and platforms, some what resembling a rustic Hogwarts. We love this place – it has a real special feeling.