The Millers Go RVing - Day 20

I was awake before everyone else so I started the search for the needle in the haystack- an RV park with an available site near Yellowstone on July 4th weekend. By the time R woke I was feeling stressed. He started making phone calls and found a site in Gardiner MT at the north entrance. PTL! After he booked the site, we got to wondering if they might also have a site for the next night too; he called back and sure enough- we would have to move to a different site the 2nd night but they had a vacancy. That was a huge relief.

We entered Yellowstone at the west entrance and started working our way around the lower loop. It was extremely crowded at Lower Geyser Basin, so R just pulled off beside the road and stayed with the RV while A & I walked in to where we could get pictures.

When we were ready to move on, Big Bertha wouldn't start. Oh no! Now what? R jiggled some wires and she fired right up. Sigh of relief. 

When we got to Old Faithful, the parking lot was packed so we parked in a Buses Only spot and hoped for the best. We went to the Visitor's Center first so JS could buy a fishing license. He got to chatting with a guest wildlife artist that was there, so we were there for awhile. We should've checked the eruption schedule and gone out to Old Faithful first because it erupted while we were milling around the Visitor's Center and we had to wait for the next one. I guess this way we got front & center seats before it got crowded. 

 R & I hiked the trail around the parameter while the kids saved our seats, so R could see some hot springs.

  

It was quite warm sitting in the sun waiting. And listening to kids around us complaining about the long wait. In this instant-everything society, kids these days don't know how to wait. The geyser would shoot little bits of water now & again to keep us guessing.

 Around 2:15pm -on schedule- it did erupt. For about 3 minutes. 

Again, something very cool to see in person.

When we got back to the RV, there was a warning citation on the windshield for parking in a Buses Only spot. Fortunately it wasn't a fine, because there really was nowhere else to park a large vehicle. And we weren't the only RV in a bus space. 

It was a 'zoo' getting out of the parking lot so we decided to head toward Gardiner. Big Bertha had a long hard pull to get us over Craig Pass. Another cool-down rest required. But we couldn't have asked for more beautiful scenery or more perfect weather. Turn off the a/c and roll the windows down kind of gorgeous! 

Somewhere around Yellowstone Lake we ran into rain. The first rain of the entire trip, other than a few sprinkles here & there. I really expected to have rain interfere with our itinerary long before this. We were not able to see the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone because of the rain. We drove out of the rain in the upper loop of the park. And started seeing bison. 

  

I had heard so much about how rough the roads are in Yellowstone. Just when I commented that the roads aren't nearly as bad as people say... knock on wood... what turned out to be freshly paved area came to an abrupt end and we got onto the winding, rough, narrow road everyone complains about.

We had a long steep mountain to descend. R was stressed because Big Bertha was as wide as our lane and very little berm, and I was about as tense as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs -on account of the steep drop-offs & no margin for errors. As we went down, down, down both of us were wondering how we're ever going to get Big Bertha back up that steep climb the next day.  

  

By the time we rolled into Gardiner at the bottom, the brakes were soft & spongy. For the umpteenth time. Lucky thing we bought brake fluid back in CO because we sure are using it! 

 

We walked from the RV park down into town and ate at the Cowboy's Grille. We would recommend it; the food was good, the cowboy waiters did a good job, and they have the unique distinction of employing college exchange students- there was a note on the table to exercise patience with these young men who are learning a new language & new culture. Our waiter was identifiable as one of these due to his heavy accent. 

 I had this bison burger and JS had an elk burger -2 more items crossed off the bucket list! Both had a distinct wild taste, unlike beef.

I was going to do some laundry, but I could not believe my eyes when the campground's washers had a $9.75 per load price tag! I thought it might be a misprint, but they all said the same price. Ok, so everything is pricey in this little tourist town, but there is no way on God's green earth I am paying a whole roll of quarters for 1 load.

See those green bags in the forefront of the picture below? The campground owners put covers over the flower baskets overnight to keep the elk from eating them. Yes, the elk were grazing in the campground around us. Someone set off some fireworks after dark that royally scared the cow grazing right next to our RV. 

to be continued...