Thursday July 19, 2014


Hi Everyone,


Time to play catch up.  We have not stopped.  Tuesday we went to the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center.  This is a non for profit wildlife park and educational facility.  We saw two bears feeding.  The first one was Sam who was found wandering in a fishing village with his sister Illie in 1996 after their mother disappeared (Illie passed away in October).   Sam is much larger than the Yellowstone grizzlies, he weighs about 1,000 pounds.   We also saw Grant and Roosevelt, brothers from Yellowstone Park after their mother was euthanized out of concerns for public safety. 


We also saw two packs of wolves.  These animals are feed animal carcasses just like they would find in the wild.  We got to experience the wolves howling after fire sirens were heard.  Wolves ears are very sensitive.  Jim was able to get a video of this experience.


Yesterday we spent touring the lower loop of Yellowstone.  We had the best tour guide who was full of knowledge about the park and told the best jokes.  I snowed off and on yesterday, at one point we walked a half of mile in the snow to look at Mammoth Hot Springs.  The lower loops has many hot springs, mudpots, fumaroles and geyers.   There are some hot springs where the ph level is 1.   We then traveled to Old Faithful Geyers and we just got there in time.  What a sight to see.  
We had lunch at the Old Faithful Lodge which was built in 1908.  My Dad helped build the new roads into this lodge in 1930.   The old part of the lodge still has shared bathrooms (rooms are $150 a night).  Rooms at the new part of the hotel are $350. 


Are experience continued to visit more waterfalls and hot springs.  We saw more bison and elk today.  We actually saw a whole herd of bison who stay together to protect the young.


We did met a young man who works at the park and happens to be from Gainesville.  He said that just a couple days ago (he did not have a camera or a phone) had a National Geographic moment in front of his dorm bedroom window when a grizzlie and a black bear had a fight over a baby elk.  He said the park rangers where using sirens and plastic bullets to break up this fight.  He said what was sad was to see the Mama Elk walk around the rest of the day bewildered at the lost of her baby.  Such is nature beautiful at times and ugly others.  Once a mother always a mother.  


Jim and I are off to explore.  No snow today so we are going back to the lower loop to do more exploring on our own. 


Love to all,
Debbie and Jim