Yellowstone National Park

It is something of a travesty that it's taken me this long to get to Yellowstone.  In fact, it's something of a travesty that I have traveled so many places in the world and seen so little of my own country.  Yellowstone was one of the few places on the trip that we designated for sightseeing.  Keeping in mind that the purpose of the trip was to see as many places as possible with an eye to whether I'd like to move there, we didn't stop to smell the flowers this time around.  We just tried to cover as much distance as possible.  With that said, Yellowstone was the big exception and certainly the most beautiful part of the often glorious scenery we saw.  So without further delay, the photos:

Bozeman, Montana:  A perfect portent of what's to come.

Immediately inside the park we came across this young man, prompting me to squeal, "Is it real?"

Also at Park Headquarters, an unperturbed herd of elk grazing away.  We were sternly warned by signs everywhere saying, "Do not molest the animals!"  

I became a bit obsessed with bison.  So much so that bison ranching could be in my future but come slaughter day, I would crumble.  This baby also caused me to squeal.  He would have fit nicely in the back of my new 4Runner.

Fabulous close up thanks to my mom who indulged my incessant demands for endless bison photos.

There was also loads of bird life in the park, including these lovely cranes.

No Yellowstone visit is complete without a viewing of Old Faithful.

Throughout the park are myriad hot springs and geysers which bother the animals not at all.

 The ribbon of road, a phrase oft used on this trip, stretching out to the mountains.

I had a bison obsession, my mom had a sign obsession.

Nope, it's not real.  We never saw one and realized the taxidermy in the hotel would have to do.

 View from within.  Moose country as my mom lamented many a time and we didn't see a single moose until Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

Exiting the park, the Tetons rise to greet you and welcome you to the southern park borders.

There aren't many peaks that make up the Tetons but they are grand.

So that's the first couple days of the road trip:  Seattle to Bozeman, Montana and then through Yellowstone and down into Jackson Hole, Wyoming.  Now I must go tend to the PB who has somehow managed to get into something in the yard and given himself hives.  Being the paranoid mama that I am, I called the 24 hour emergency vet and then made a trip to the store to get him Benadryl in the hopes that this will be a mild event for him and for my pocketbook.  He is making me pay for leaving him at home with grandpa!