Yellowstone
07-16-2026
Picking up where we left off… We awoke relatively early after a late night following the gig to haul our asses to Yellowstone. We arrived around 3pm, and the ranger at the gate gave us the recommendation of hitting the southern loop that evening and the northern loop in the morning. Following their advice we drove south through a chain of sulfur geysers; holes in the ground leading to hydrothermal vents where ground water is heated by the volcanic system hidden below the surface of the park. We pulled up to Old Faithful around 5:45pm with maybe 30 minutes until its estimated eruption time.. We got ice cream cones at the lodge and it felt like Disney world.. lots of screaming kids and lines to wait in. Stuffed animals, pins, and patches lined the walls. Large LCD screens were mounted on the walls where you’d order before being ushered off to one of three pickup windows.. the inside of the lodge completely contrasted what laid outside of it. Thousands of acres of land, largely unspoiled by the hands of human kind. The park was so expansive, it felt like one you really had to see from the window of a car if you only had a few days to spare. I think it would take a month or so to begging to get familiarized with the land. We waited on the wooden benches that sat in a crescent around Old Faithful and waited for it’s finale. Hundreds sat beside us amidst a sea of chatter that crescendoed every time it bubbled over a bit more than its usual constant gurgle. “This is it” or “Here it comes” .. even thought that was hardly ever the case. I had read online that when it’s time, you’ll know. And sure enough the geyser began to spit. Giant clouds of steam and hundreds of gallons of scalding hot water were hurled further and further into the air until its climax. It was spectacular, and even more amazing that it has happened every day for the last few thousand or perhaps millions of years, a handful of times a day. Like the earth keeping time in its own bizarre way. We pressed on into the park that evening. Daylight was on our side in Wyoming, often pushing into the late evening, sometimes past 10pm. We saw a herd of 5 or so elk behind a wooden fence, and a herd of buffalo in the shade of the setting sun, brandishing its yellow hue against a sea of pine trees. It was a gorgeous night, it finally moments spent racing the sun down the last stretch of gravel road back toward our campsite. We got the tent set up and made a quick dinner. Anjelina went off to bed and I waited up a while under the stars, hoping to see the fox that the gate keeper told us likes to frequent the loop our campsite was situated within. Sure enough, with a pinch of luck, they walked right by me, right though our campsite and beside the picnic table I had been leaning against, staring up at the night sky. I followed him over to the campsite adjacent to ours, and watched them snoop around for scraps of food on the ground, and then scurry off onto the next site to continue its forage.
An incredible day all in all, spent in the fresh air supplied by many acres of brilliant fir, spruce, and pine. Gracious for my health and to be out exploring the world. Another day of wandering was ahead of us, and I’ll leave the details, anticipating their unfurl in the next chapter.
Thanks for reading,
Lots of love,
Harrie

























































































