Yellowstone Park WY, Thursday 7 May 2015

Coffee has come a long way (need I say to MY taste) since I was last here some 14 years ago. When I handed back the key this morning I mentioned that I would be heading to a coffee shop, whereupon the receptionist said "If you don't want to pay for it, you can have a cup here" and immediately showed me the label on the bag of beans.

I'm glad I crossed the road to Coffee Crossing. This is a quirky, fun, local place. After you order, you can roll the dice and see if your order is free. There's a sign that says 'Sorry about the wait, high maintenance customer in line'. For 25c you can get a handful of pistachio nuts out of a gumball machine. And they had gorgeous works of art titled "Little Birdies" from the local primary school - so sweet!

Next stop, Yellowstone! Thanks to a recommendation at Conference (thanks Laura!) I came in via the North Entrance, and got to see the iconic stone arch. This sign confirms it - I made it!

This cracked me up

The Mammoth Hot Springs terraces were all snowed in, but it was still an amazing place to see.
The calcium rich water has created fascinating travertine with ripples and variegated colours.

The snow was wet, so I could make a great snowball

and it created a stark contrast with the trees.

This was a surprise!

There was a lot of driving from the north to Old Faithful. The varied scenery kept me interested, and there were constant reminders of the geothermal activity just below the surface. Here we are!

When it let off steam it fizzled like soda. The place was packed with viewers, despite the weather. I have a video of it, but I can't make it got right way up - sorry!!!

There is a Grand Canyon within the park, which I got to glimpse. Plus I was excited to spot a few of these lovely creatures.

 

My planned exit was to the East. Little did I know that I would be going via Sylvan Pass, at an elevation of 8,524. It was stunningly beautiful, but not so relaxing to drive,with snow flurries, limited visibility and a sign about avalanches. A quick shot of the frozen lake with drifts of snow.

And then it was all over.