45 goes to Yellowstone

[Ben Lamb]

Fun trip this week with the wife's family to the deadest national park in the world. The chocolate cake was not beautiful and there were no golf courses. I think I will have my secretary who used to be a trained seal change that. I think a Trump golf course is just what this place needs, along with some cake and a few taco bowls. Anyway, here is my report on my summer vacation:

There were no elk. I know elk, believe me. Nobody knows elk better than I do. Here are some reindeer we saw instead:

Ystone20173BenBledsoe by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone20172 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone20171 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone201720BenBledsoe by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Who let these guys in the park? I don't even know why they are there. Low energy. Sad!

Ystone20176 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone201719 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr


My friend Vladimir really liked these cats, but I didn't think too much of them. I tried to move on their mother, but she wasn't having any of it. I guess she didn't know who I am.

Ystone201715 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone201716 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

I wanted to try and ride these cows, just like a real cowboy, but my wife said no. She is an enemy of the people! We watched them swim across a "river," and one of the little cows got swept downstream. I cried a bit, but then remembered how much I like veal (well done please)!

Ystone201713 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone20179 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone20178 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

People should really keep their pets on a leash in the Park, or at least keep them in their cars. I got yelled at for feeding this dog my sandwich and the dumb dog bit me! I tried to put a rope on the dog, but he ran away. Very rude!

Ystone201712 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

Ystone201710 by Ben Lamb, on Flickr

 

[noharleyyet]

Keen monologue...nice pics

 

[recon6036]

Great pics!

 

[JohnCushman]

No wonder the grizz are so big...it's like a friggin buffet

 

[kansasdad]

I am sitting here, BIGLY impressed in my flyover state (red state salute!!). You better plan a Huuuuuuge vacation next time so you won't have to slum with those creatures any more.

 

[Ben Lamb]

Next vacation, we're going to Alaska. I hear I can see Russia from someone's house.

 

[FAIR CHASE]

No donkeys?

 

[Sytes]

When do the deer turn into elk?

 

[Ben Lamb]

No donkeys?

Unfortunately not. They were around, but we didn't see any. Missed the grizz shows as well. Watched some wolf pups through the spotter & binocs, but they were too far away for photos.

Elk were everywhere. I was amazed at how many were around, and not in the usual spots, but widely spread-out and with a lot of calves. It was good to see. Tons of black bears, including two large boars fattening up on grass. One was just inside the park by Cooke City and was a nice cinnamon phase black bear, the other was coal black and about 300 pounds. Big old pumpkin-headed guy with a tag and collar.

With only two days, we skipped Grand Teton altogether and never went south of Old Faithful. The people watching was pretty good, as well. Park is filling up, and Canyon to Tower is the usual chit-show, but the Lamar, Hayden, Mt. Washburn, Roosevelt, etc were all in top form. Menu at Mammoth is good too this season (It's a Xantera concession, for Duke's Daddy's benefit ).

 

[6mm Remington]

Great pictures and story line!

 

[bobbydean]

Great narrative and pictures.

 

[belly-deep]

I was down there a few weeks ago. Tons of elk, but what really shocked me was the number of bison. They are everywhere! Of course, I haven't seen the park since the 1990's.

We saw 5 griz, 1 black, and no wolves.

 

[publichunter1]

Nice pics. Glad you had a good time.

Planning on taking the family up to Yellowstone July 10-13 for the first time good Lord willing. I have a list of places in the park I want to see but any other suggestions are always appreciated.

 

[406LIFE]

That's awesome. The wife and I rotate Glacier and Yellowstone for a week every summer. Next year is YNP and I can't wait to get back. My bucket list never gets smaller when I go there, always adding more to it.

 

[Corax]

Thanks for the story and the great pictures. Beats the stuffing out of Disney World, even if you did not get to see Yogi and BooBoo.

Back in 1992 I was able to arrange a side-trip to the park in February after a business trip to Billings. I did not think I would be able to find a room in the park, but the hotel at Mammoth was almost empty. I had a couple days of tremendous cross-country skiing, and in the evening got treated to someone's vacation pictures, which turned out to be slides (remember those) of climbing the highest mountain in the Soviet Union - 24,000 ft.

 

[Elkhunter24]

Great pictures!

 

[Nameless Range]

Great pictures and narration.

 

[noharleyyet]

Can you mimic Melania's pattern?

 

[Ben Lamb]

FLOTUS and the kid are off limits.

 

[noharleyyet]

Iswydt.....