After we left Yellowstone Park we headed East and did all right until we hit the Big Horn Mountain and what trouble we ran into there. Everything was all right until we got to the top of the mountain and there the road construction started. They can only work on these roads during the summer months on account of the early and heavy snow in the late fall and winter. Everything was OK on the route until near the top and the going was terrible. We had to crawl along - some cases one way traffic. At one spot they had a couple of trucks standing by to push you up in case you couldn't make it. We went around curves that would scare the daylights out of anybody and once in a while some fool would come tearing around a curve on the way down with his brakes screeching when he came on to us. The ladies in the back seat died a thousand deaths and between their yowling it was difficult to keep the car on the road. Old Betsey finally made it however. Not a skip in the motor. We started going over these Black Mountains at 3:45 and didn't get out of them until after 7 PM.
went back to the cottage and told the ladies they wouldn't believe us but neither would they pay a visit. Got to bed and had to use double covers. Woke up about 5:30 and so cold that I started the wood stove going in my room. For Kindling they have these processed small logs that are impregnated with either Kerosene or some other chemical that allows them to burn slowly but freely. Got the gang up after a while and the Kids and I went down to the Outhouse with a wary eye open for bears. No Bears. Did our duty - back to the Cottage - packed up and went for breakfast at the Coffee Shop. On the road again to complete the circle of Yellowstone and go out at the East Gate.
another Ranger who showed Colored Slides on a Screen explaining how Yellowstone had been discovered - what the geological structure was- how this whole area at one time had been covered by the ocean and when this receded how the erosion was caused. He spoke of the trail trip they would take in the morning - showing pictures of what they would see and explaining the formations. They have four areas such as this in Yellowstone and each has it own contingent of Rangers to take care of the public. We saw all kinds of geysers - Mud Volcanoes- the most unbelievable things and at that we could only a very little time at each point of interest and of necessity had to pass up equally important points of interest. During our travels around the park we saw a total of twenty-nine bears. They would sit on the side of the road waiting for a car to come along. When the car would stop they would get up on their hind legs and hook the claws onto the window and wait for something to eat. The were quite persistent too, and when we started up the car would walk sideways until they finally had to let go. I must tell of another incident. Coming back from the Camp Fires after nine o'clock the kids had to go to the rest Room so went along with them. Some man was just ahead of us and as quickly as he turned into the Rest Room just as quickly did he come running back - shouting "There's a big there down there." Well that startled us but being nosy we decided to look and sure enough this great big bear (he must have weightd about 700 lbs.) was just turning the corner going the other way. We finished our job and when we
which is the Headquarters for Yellowstone National Park and which was originally an Army Base. A big hotel had a lot of small cottages all around the Hotel and we were assigned to #12 and # 13. These cottages had no toilet facittilies, only a lavatory-which meant that when you wanted to go to the Can you hadt o go outside to a community affair- a number of which were scattered around the place. Anyway we had a nice Supper at the Coffee Shop. Gladys had a Salad - Helen had a Roast Beef Sandwich with a piece of Lemon Pie. Tom and Jean had a Childrens Roast Beef Dinner w/Ice cream. I had chili con carne w/ baked Ham Dinner and Cherry Pie. We paid $4.98 for the four of us but it was worth it. When we mentioned that we came from Boston, our waitress brought over another waitress that came from Arlington and who was glad to talk with somebody from home. She just came up to work for the summer. After supper the kids and I went to a Campfire Meeting where we sat on logs around a Camp Fire and listened to a Ranger talk about the origin of Yellowstone and how it finally became a National Show Monument. He had the group (about 200) sing a number of Songs finally ending up with Callilopi Song. This was quite interesting. He split the group into four sections the first group sang "Oom PaPa" the second group sang "Oom PooPoo" and the third group sang "Oom Skeedle de Dee" and the fourth group sang to the melody of "When You are in Love" It went over big. This Ranger then turned us over to
Thursday Aug. 4th
Left Afton Wyoming
Silver Stream Motel
Starting Mileage 22269
Arrived
Mammoth Hot Springs
Yellowstone Park, 22488
Elapsed Mileage 219 Mi
Gas
Jackson 10.5 @ 38.1 4.05
Breakfast 1.49
Supper 4.98
Lunch-on hoof
Yellowstone 1.01
Bears around
Lubritorium
29 Bears
Left Silver Stream Motel after breakfast about 9AM and finally arrived in Yellowstone Park
First stop in Yellowstone Park where we followed the Map until we came to "Old Faithful." It's one thing to read about it and another thing to see it. Helen and Gladys wouldn't walk about 200 ft to see it because somebody had told them the smell was terrible. So they spent their time around the Store where they sold Souvenirs and Post Cards.
The kids and I got to Old Faithful as the Ranger was giving a lecture about the Park and Old Faithful in particular. He kept watching his watch all the time and to the minute she started to boil and then spouted about 100 ft in the air. I had bought a book on the particular geyser but it had too much statistical information so I changed it for a guide Book later. We had arrived there around noon time which left us 1 1/2 days to get around. We kept going around the circle from left to right seeing what we could find for a Cabin to stay at. We finally arrived at Mammoth Hot Springs
Gas
