Enough sunshine for a -

pickernick basket Yogi!

Well I had to get a reference in somewhere but sadly we didn't have time for one as we were leaving the park this morning. It was sunny but very cold (in the 30's F) and to compound matters we had a power cut. We were up early so got our showers quickly before the water ran out and also managed to get the buffet breakfast that had been started but they had already run out of coffee. That's ok we start the day with tea!

Out along the lovely Haydn Meadows steam was rising from the road and the Yellowstone River and as ever the Bison were in evidence. We had to wait quite a while for a huge bull to walk down the middle of the road in front of us. You don't argue with them!

This is Calcite springs for obvious reasons. The Yellowstone river has cut through the rock but on the left steaming hot springs (you might just make them out) have coated the rock with calcite. Just across from where we parked to look at this view we saw a small deer with this baby. They were literally just above the road. I haven't identified this one, the ears look a bit like a mule deer but the older one's didn't and it had small straight horns. As you can see it was very curious.

Here you have all that is Yellowstone; hot springs; spectacular scenery and amazing wildlife. We left via the NE gate through the Lamar Meadows scattered with herds of Bison. You almost get blasé about seeing them. We didn't see the rarest creatures like bears or wolves but just knowing that they are there is almost enough.

Out of the park we climbed up the amazing Beartooth Highway said to be America's most beautiful road. It starts in the Shoshone National Forest, Wyoming and summits at nearly 11,000 feet, with some fresh snow today despite the blue skies, it then crosses into Montana, descending down onto the 'Cowboy' plain of 'Big Sky' Montana it was 70F and summer again.

A change of pace and style for the next week we've changed from Mountain time to Pacific time. At least it gave us an extra hour today!