Where in the World is the Scott Family? (Day eight...delayed)

Yellowstone, day two.

This day was most exciting! While at the wolf kill the night before, we got the goods from the rangers about where to see the good animals (bears, moose, etc.) Not that elk and Bison aren't exciting, but once you've seen 25 or 2500, you feel the need for some more variety.

So, Friday, we headed the way the ranger told us to go. First, we drove past some Bison in the mist:


Then, the Yellowstone river, and as you can see, it wasn't too bad to look at.


Of course, the river flows into the Yellowstone lake which is completely frozen:



We ate some lunch at the lake and then continued to head north.

Suddenly up on the ridge we saw this:

A mama grizzly and her baby, all snuggled in for an afternoon nap (click on the picture to enlarge image.)

Then, about five minutes later, another bear in the grass:


We were so excited, we could hardly contain ourselves.

Evie, as you can see, was also thrilled:


We continued north toward Montana, and out in the marshland we saw this:

A mama Moose and baby, who was less than thrilled with the photo being taken by my husband.

Even though we were 200yards away with a 300mm zoom lens (hence the fuzziness) we didn't linger...no need to make her cranky.

We stopped at the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and Bryan snapped this picture while I stayed int he car with sleeping Evie:


We continued North, when I asked Bryan to pull over so I could switch to my short lens as we were leaving the highly populated animal area, and I wanted to be able to shoot some more scenery. I had no sooner clicked the lens into the camera body when he shouted "camera, camera, camera!!!" at me. I looked up and aimed forward, just in time to capture this:

That's a BIG male moose running out in to the road in front of us.

Did you know that it is in Yellowstone that you will find the 45th parallel?

Well, at least the sign is in focus...

Finally, we reached the end of the road...


But we stopped and took a picture with the sign on the other side, since we neglected to do so the day previous...

This is a perfect example as to why I prefer to be BEHIND the camera


Finally...the famous Yellowstone Arch...

Where in the World is the Scott Family? (Day seven...delayed)

Hello again!

No internet the last few days...here's a recap:

On Thursday, we http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifheaded out for to Yellowstone National Park. As we were staying in Jackson, we had to drive through Grand Teton Nation Park anyway, so we made a quick pit stop at the Snake River turn out, so I could try again to get a good shot of the Tetons; this also happens to be where Ansel Adams took his famous shot: Tetons and the Snake River.
Of course, he took that shot in 1942 and a lot has changed since then, namely, about 10 Evergreen trees now block the view. So, my shot didn't turn out quite as I had hoped. (Because as you know, the only reason my picture isn't EXACTLY like Ansel Adams' is because of a few trees...)
Here's my attempt:



Bryan and Evie enjoyed the scenery:


A picture of me, so my daughter believes I was on this trip...


After the brief pit stop, up to Yellowstone we went; we spent all day in Yellowstone...

We discovered it is very cold in Yellowstone.




We saw Old Faithful, (who is not so very faithful anymore.)


We saw the remains of a recent wolf kill...rangers were standing by, alleging that the wolves or a bear would soon return, so we camped out with about 50 other people, mostly professional photographers, hoping for that once in a lifetime shot:

I had lens envy

The wolves never showed (actually they returned at dusk, but we couldn't wait that long as we had a baby who woke from her nap) but an immature bald eagle came to eat, so I took his picture:

Also a herd of elk came back...I assumed they were coming to pay their last respects:

I don't think I would return to the scene of the murder, when the murderers were still at large, but that is just me, and I am not an elk.

After the Elk funeral, we drove back for the night, which was a terrifying two hour drive through the dark, with elk and bison walking and jumping out into the road the entire time. I have never seen Bryan that unnerved behind the wheel. He drove slowly, white knuckles gripping the wheel, me in the passenger seat calling out plays like a navigator "elk, right side! Bison, left side!" Stop!!! Elk coming, right side!"

It was a long and stressful drive, only made more difficult by the screaming baby in the backseat who was tired and hungry. And so half way back, we had to pull over so I could move to the back seat. There was a herd of bison on the road with us however, so I opted to crawl over the seat (an interesting feat) instead of get out of the car in the middle of the dark with the giant, unpredictable wild animals all around me. I then sat in the back seat, feeding Evie a bottle with one hand, continuing to help call out animals to Bryan from the back seat.

When we were about 10 minutes from the hotel, it finally happened, an animal jumped out in front of a car and was hit. It was either a very large mule deer, or a young elk. We couldn't quite tell because it was thrashing and writhing on the ground in agony in the middle of the highway blocking lanes in all directions. It was very upsetting to watch. We didn't hit it, a vehicle hit it about a minute before we got there, but the person just drove off, leaving the animal there in the middle of the highway to suffer and block traffic. Not sure what to do, we called the non-emergency number for the local sheriff and they sent somebody out right away to take care of it.

Ahh the mountain life.

Factoid of the day:
There are no buffalo in North America, we only have Bison here. Calling Bison, Buffalo is a remnant of stupid white people naming animals the wrong thing. Buffalo live in Africa, are black and hang out by the water; where is a Veggie Tale song about them.

Where in the World is the Scott Family? (Day six)

Today we hung out in Jackson and Grand Teton National Park.

We walked around downtown Jackson on the old wood sidewalks...



We met a buffalo...



We drove through Grand Teton National Park...


I had a BLAST with my camera, even though the weather was against me...



We saw some wildlife...UP CLOSE





We saw a Wild West Show, complete with a shoot out...



Evie was scared of the guns and cried, so she and I went for a walk and stood far, far away. Apparently Bryan took our picture with the zoom lens:


When we got back, Evie had fun taking a bath with daddy.



Tomorrow, we leave in the early morn so I can try to get a cloudless shot of the Tetons from the same spot Ansel Adams took his famous photos, and then we head to Yellowstone (5o miles north) for the day.

Where in the World is the Scott Family? (Day five...sort of)

So sorry for the delay, we were so dead dog tired last night, I just could not bring myself to getting to this until this evening.


We drove from Colorado Jackson, Wyoming. This was the longest leg of our journey (8 hours,) but as we are all now seasoned in the way of driving cross-country, it was without major struggle.


As long as Elmo played on a constant loop in the back seat, our tiny passenger was happy.


We did stop in Laramie for lunch and while there, did a drive-by of the old town area, which is the home of the "only prison to have ever held Butch Cassidy."

We drove by, but opted not to get out or pay the entrance fee.

Most of the trip involved this scenery:

I was beginning to think, seriously Wyoming, I don't know what anyone sees in you.

But then we entered here...


and then here...


So I decided, okay, Wyoming, I apologize, you are pretty cool after all...


Question of the day:
How do the deer know to cross here? Do they have a button to push like humans do at the crosswalk?

(Answer: there is a big radar gun-style sensor stuck in the ground running parallel to the road under this sign, when the animals walk by, the sign flashes.)

Where in the World is the Scott Family- (Day four)

Today was a pretty lazy day. It was raining, complete with Colorado-style thunder and lightning storms. So, we spent most of the day around the house just hanging out, which was great.

Karen and I did go to lunch and left Grace and Evie with the men-folk once they were down for their naps.

When we returned home, this is how I found my husband:



After the girls played, ate and bathed...


...and they were snuggled in bed for the evening,
we were able to get to the business of quality adult interaction, also known as playing Wii:

(bowling)



(check out that ready stance)



(cutthroat tennis...my clock was cleaned, if you will.)

Good times had by all.

There was laughing and talking and sharing mixed in there with all the tennis and bowling and what-not, but for the most part, it was healthy competition and a lot of smack-talk, provided of course, by me.

Tomorrow morning, we leave for Jackson Hole. We will be sad to leave our friends and new favorite state, but we are looking forward to the second half of our vacation to commence.