Sparky loves it when Eldo decides we need a change of scenery, he more so than she. She works in the schools at least three to four days a week, he stays home and researches on the computer and learns all kinds of random things on Youtube but mainly about travel--how to travel using points, best destinations for reasonable vacation costs, how to travel in style on a budget, how to manage points for hotel stays and flights, you get the picture. Eldo is VERY good at it. He plots and plans for WEEKS usually. He has accumulated a LOT of points thru credit card usage and using the right card when charging things to get bonus points, etc., and has helped Sparky visit her daughter in Houston for almost zero cost mainly using travel points. A WIN!
So weeks and weeks ago, he started a research project for somewhere we could go during Sparky's October Fall school break--five days off of school and where should we go? He never gets specific until he's got some terrific, frugal costs for a destination and amazing flight bargains. Sparky heard off and on about Carribbean cruises, trips out west, fall trip to Alaska, (OOOOOHHHH, YEAH!)-- but too cold for Eldo, maybe a midwest trip to the U.P.?--you name it, he was investigating it. He was waiting to see how Sparky's health was, too, as far as planning longer flights and traveling. Sparky is doing well with her cancer, it's not in remission, but no new activity and that's good. Lots of bathroom problems but she never knows when that is going to happen, and that's bad, so he took that into consideration. He waited till Sparky had the all clear on her echocardiogram, the latest test, and within a day of getting those positive results, he booked a trip for us to Yellowstone National Park! The park shuts down for a couple of weeks at the end of October, (October 31st) to prepare for winter visitors, so we had several days of reduced visitation in the park, plenty of room to park at the viewing points, and somehow, we got extremely lucky with the weather. It was milder than normal for that time of year and sunny every single day. It was brisk (in the twenties or low thirties in the early mornings, then it would warm up to the 50's-60's during the day.
The flights were free using points, and points also paid for our rental car. We stayed for two nights outside the national park in West Yellowstone at the Kelly Inn and Suites, then our last two days were at Canyon Village Lodge inside the park, close to Old Faithful.
We flew from Indy to Dallas, to Bozeman, MT. These crop circles were so interesting to see from the sky on our flight west!
The Bozeman International Airport was so beautiful, lots of wood beams and western decor. And our first bison sighting! haha...
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| Kelly Inn and Suites |
It was a 90 mile drive from the airport to West Yellowstone, the town we stayed in the first two days. The Kelly Inn and Suites had beautiful western decor and the outside was just as interesting as the inside! They had multiple bears that were wooden or plaster(?) sculptures climbing up the outside walls of the hotel!
Just as soon as we checked in, we were off for our first drive on the main road through Yellowstone N.P. to see some geysers and go looking for wildlife. The park was being run by emergency personnel as the government was in the middle of the shutdown. Our gate attendant was an EMT and we thanked him for helping keep the park open.
As far as exploring the park, we got a map from the park station entrance and for each day we plotted out a different route-working our way north then east, then the next couple of days east and then south, looking and marveling at everything we saw. Our last day we ventured into Teton National Park. This was our second visit to Yellowstone in many many years.
The very first day our tally was: 4 bison, 5 elk, a bald eagle and a herd of elk with one bull male. Sparky got so many bison photos that she isn't sure which day which bison were seen, but it was every day! The elk were usually quite close to the side of the roads....Or there would be large herds out in the meadows grazing.
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| the edge of Grand Prismatic Spring |
The mudpots are hot springs where acidic water dissolves rock into clay, making bubbling mud. The smell of sulphur in the air was overpowering!
One of our favorites was the fumeroles, the hissing steam vents. We saw a very powerful one in the park while we were there, and it was very LOUD! It was a ROAR of hissing steam!
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| Morning glory Pool |
She caught this photo that captured the surrealness of the steam and the early morning vibes at the park. It's one of her favorites, another tourist enjoying the scenery.
The first day was a very promising start to a wonderful trip. Be sure to check out the rest of our journey in the coming days....Thanks for reading!
