With family members having health issues I decided to return to Minnesota for a couple of days. I drove 880 miles (14 hours) straight through. I left yesterday morning at 5:00 and will start back to Yellowstone Saturday morning. It was a strange feeling driving through the park with only a bit of light shining through the clouds. I could see the steam rising off some of the thermal features and I paid careful attention to what was on the roadway ahead of me. I have never really been too excited at the prospects of driving in the dark in Yellowstone but luckily for me there was no sign of the Magnificent 7 on the roadway (or anywhere near it for that matter), only a herd of elk in the distance by a lake south of Mammoth. There seems to be a bit of truck traffic on the roads at that time of the morning. Probably early deliveries for the concessionaires in the park.
The drive was pretty uneventful but for some road construction and showers in North Dakota. When I return I will have my friend Denise with me. She has never been to Yellowstone and thought that with me returning she might as well come along for the ride and catch a plane home next Wednesday from the Jackson Hole airport. During my hours off from work I am hoping to show her my favorite wildlife viewing areas with hopes that a grizzly or a wolf will make their appearance.
One bonus of being out of the park is faster internet and the ability of uploading pictures. That is my next project.
