When in West Yellowstone on Thursday I stopped at the book store and bought a copy of the new book 'Squatters in Paradise'. It's a wonderful and hilarious look at being a 'savage' in Yellowstone. It gives an insiders view as to what it is really like working in Yellowstone. It's reccommended reading for anyone who has ever worked here.
I also got to eat a meal outside of the Park in over 2 months. Neil wanted to eat lunch in West Yellowstone and I was excited to try out some of the local cuisine. Unfortunately for me Neil had is sights on McDonalds. I relented and ended up eating at what could possibly be one of the most expensive McDonalds ever. I only had a fish sandwich which sat like a rock in my stomach and I ended up deciding to miss dinner that night. Once again, unfortunately for me, it ended up being BLT night!!! The most anticipated dinners in the EDR. I did get to drive the north loop and find one of the Magnificent Seven standing in the southbound lane holding up traffic. He didn't walk, he didn't move, he just stood there in his bison world with a long line of cars behind him. I was heading north and I managed to slowly pass him. Good Boy!
Yesterday morning Carl and I went to LeHardy Rapids and I got to see some of the trout swimming upstream. I managed to even snap a few pictures of the fish in the water. I didn't get to see any of them jump out of the water but a sign by the river says that during peak spawning season a fish jumps up the rapids every 10 seconds. We walked along the waters edge and it was a beautiful morning to watch the trout.
This morning I went outside with Bill, Craig and Hank to snap a few pictures of one of the Boys of Summer who was laying and chewing his cud in the trees behind the dorm. His huge rack was whacking away at the branches every time he turned his head. He is huge and gorgeous. And it also my sad duty to report the loss of one of the Boys of Summer. A few days ago one of them was hit by a car just south of here. His legs were broken and a ranger had to put him out of his misery. It's a terribly sad situation. I have lately been passing by the boys with only a mere glance at them. I guess I am just used to their presence. I will take the time to watch them more closely and appreciate them more as I don't know when one of the two remaining will no longer be around for all of us.
