We awoke to a partly cloudy sky and breakfasted on fat, carbohydrates and sugar as everyone should. Positively shuddering with anticipation, we entered Yellowstone Park at the North Entrance where I learned I have to be 62 to qualify for a Golden Age park pass. The ride through the Park was again great fun over the twisting turns and ascents/descents. The scenery is definitely a distraction! Several bison, one grizzly bear and small groups of both elk and antelope were sprinkled over the landscape as we rode along. I am sure there were birds, or possibly pterodactyls too, but we were too busy looking around to look up. Many geysers steamed, Old Faithful being the most famous and offered its blow (when a geyser spouts the hot water and steam) right on time with about two minutes duration. Very impressive and a real crowd-pleaser--there must have been a thousand or more gathered to witness the display. I talked briefly with the guy who controls the valve on the geyser that makes it spray…just kidding. There’s a valve, but nobody tends it…just kidding. Really. No, really.
We spent the next few hours viewing more scenery, handling the many autograph requests from admirers of beagles and lunched on bologna sandwiches and beer. I am happy you can enjoy a beer in a National Park (if I could only have a beer in church, ah, life would be bliss). This trip just gets better and better!
We left Yellowstone later than planned (or we just drove slower than we should have) and the skies darkened as we crossed-over into Grand Teton National Park. The road we took through GTNP offered more straightaways (fewer turns) and broader plains to each side...but at the edges of those plains loomed large, snow-capped mountains and some beautiful lakes and rivers. The skies began to drop a light rain on us and we worked for the next hour on trying to find a place to stay that would accept Lewis and Clark. Dropping their names had no effect on the clerks at the front desk of the first three stops, but at the fourth...jackpot! We landed a cozy little cabin from which Lewis promptly escaped as Dad was bringing in some stuff from his truck.
There was a time when I could run 100 yards in full football gear in about 10.5 seconds but those days are gone...Lewis would run ahead about 30 yards and look back like he was taunting me as I heaved and shuffled along...then repeat. The years have not only caught up with me but it seemed they were now leading by a considerable margin. Fortunately, a young man named Max offered to help and I was glad to gasp out a thin and wheezing "Yeeeeesssss" in response. Lewis responds far better to strangers (believing possibly that they have better food than that which I provide, but that's a beagle for you, always seeking to improve his lot) and allowed Max to approach and stand on one of Lewis' ears to keep him from running off. I thanked Max for his trouble and grabbed Lewis by his collar and hand-carried him back the quarter mile or so back to the cabin. Lewis was immediately shackled to the heaviest piece of luggage Dad brought and gave us no trouble for the remainder of the evening. I am now convinced I need to improve my physical shape as I obviously could not outrun my own A-double-S if it was on fire.
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