Day 32 Rest Day at Madison in Yellowstone

Gregory borrows binoculars to view the elk

Firehole Falls

Gregory flying into firehole swimming hole

Gregory and Mom take the plunge!

Daddy and Gregory get ready to jump off the ledge at the firehole.

Super Soup!

Date: Aug. 20, 2009

From: Madison Campground in Yellowstone Natl. Park

To: Madison Campground in Yellowstone Natl. Park

Route: Hwy. 287

Passes:

Miles: 6 miles (Firehole Canyon Drive)

Top Speed: 47.7 mph

Weather: Sunny and warm

License Plates Collected: 5 Montana plates

We spent a couple hours this morning visiting Erik and Shelly and their sons Conner and Alex from Kingston, Canada. They were both teachers and planned to take the year off and do travelling with their boys. They do what is called a 3-4 and work for 3 years but spread the pay over 4 years. They were headed out that morning and we were sorry we didn’t have more time to get to know them. Shelly generously offered us milk, orange juice, yogurt and a banana and we had a feast for breakfast. This was especially a treat because Madison Campground has no store. They also gave us a bottle of wine to go with our dinner that night.

The best part of the day was the Firehole Canyon Drive swimming hole. It was just a few miles from camp and we spent the entire day there floating down the rapids and soaking in the sun. Gregory thought it was one of the best stops yet. The volcanic rock was a bit tough on our feet and without river shoes we had to gingerly walk our way out to the ledge of “the firehole”. This ledge is underwater a few inches and the jump off point in to the rushing river that propels you down stream and around a boulder so you can climb out, walk around and do it all again. It was a blast.

On the way back we spotted our first heard of elk in the meadow alongside the road. Gregory asked some fly fisherman (parked at the roadside enjoying crackers and cheese and beverages) if he could borrow their binoculars and they gladly obliged. He was so thrilled to finally see some wildlife in the park and there was a calf among the same group of six.