It's a zoo out here

Sorry for the delayed posting, but we have been without internet and cell coverage the last few nights - now that's really roughing it! I guess we should have expected crowds at Yellowstone, it being the middle of summer and all. It still came as a shock to see the number of cars and people on the road there. And this was a monday, it's hard to imagine being able to accomodate even more people on the weekend.

So what was all the fuss about? Those of you that have been there will know it is certainly spectacular. On Sunday we looked around the basaltic volcanoes at Craters of the moon and on Monday we drove through the Yellowstone Caldera, gotta love all this geology! The scenary is wonderful and the active fumeroles, hot springs and geysers are quite an experience. You can see the steam from quite a way off, and then, if you are lucky enough to find a parking spot, you can walk on a trail that takes you around to see the different geysers, fumeroles, hot springs, bacterial matte and boiling mud. It is a treat for the senses, or at aleast four of them. You can see the steam and the bubbling water and mud, you can feel the warmth of the steam as it wafts by, you can hear the whistle of the steam escaping through the narrower orifices and you can smell the sulphur dioxide escaping with the steam.

We did go on to Old Faithful, the main Geyser of the basin, and there the crowds were over the top. The predicted next eruption was in about an hour and a half, so we decided not to stick around for the show, spectacular as it undoubtedly was. We did see some wildlife, including two Bison, a coyote and a herd of Elk.

We hit the road south towards the Grand Tetons (pronounced Tee-tons by the ranger) delayed somewhat by more roadworks. These are fearsome looking mountains with jagged peaks and shear sides and high enough to still have snow on many faces. I'd like to return here and see what the hiking is like in the mountains.

We continued east through Wyoming and eventually ended up at a campsite in the Wind River canyon. It didn't take us long to find out how the river got its name. The wind was blowing hard while we were trying to put the tent up, and while we managed to get it up the whole windward side was blown in, effectively halving the space. It took about an hour of fiddling around to get it to stand up properly. And then it started raining. It was a rough night.