Turning South

After being on the road for three weeks, I am finally headed in southerly direction. Was planning on "siwashing" out tonight, but finally the rain caught up with me. After twenty one days, I finally had to turn on my windshield wipers. In the event anyone is wondering, when I shut the engine down this evening, I have driven a total of 7,270.6 miles. Tonight, I spend the night in Dubois, Wyoming. An area known for their Rocky Mountain Big Horn Sheep.

I left Cody, Wyoming this morning just as dawn was breaking. Each day, I seem to find something more beautiful and make intentions to return. Today, was no exception. Make a note, if you are going to explore Yellowstone National Park. Enter or exit the east entrance which is just 80 miles west of Cody, Wyoming. You will pass through the Big Horn Canyon and the valley of Shoshone River. The rock canyon and river valley is spectacular. It now has a special meaning to me, which you will discover why as you go through the posting.

Yellowstone N.P. is a gem stone in the crown of our National Parks. Been there so many times, but each time, I discover something new as it is ever changing. It was a disappointment to see that some of the magnificent Ponderosa Pine forest are not reduced to bare trunks and branches due to the Pine Bark Beetle infestation.

As a note to my wife, who usually travels with me. We messed up last year when we came out of Yellowstone and turned north to Jackson, Wyoming. We saw only a portion of the Grand Tetons from a distance. The spectacular display of mountains is south, we should have turned south to Dubois, Wyoming. However, due to the low cloud cover and rain, they were still spectacular.

There are several species on my "bucket list" that I have great concern about obtaining, however, today two of my concerns were taken care of. Some call it "lucky", I call it fortunate that I have been able to see and learn each day more about the species in which I am searching. I am "lucky" in the respect that I have the opportunity to achieve a goal.

Two of my concerns are as to how and where I was going to obtain photos of two species of the bear. The Black Bear and Grizzly Bear. Today, I was fortunate to obtain both and it was not in the Yellowstone. The many trips through there, we have never seen a bear, until today.

The first Black Bear came into view just a few miles from Cody, Wyoming in the area of Buffalo Bill State Park. He was a "Old Boar"and was moving through the prairie grass on the banks of the Shoshone River.

"Black Bear"

"Big Black Bear"

"Yellowstone National Park Northeast Landscape"

This little Black Bear found a nice rock in the sun in order to take a nap, every few minutes he would awaken and look around to see what was happening.

"Black Bear Napping In The Sun"

I have seen herds of Bull Elk, but this is the first Cow Elk that I have seen since leaving Montana. "Cow Elk ~ Yellowstone"

Most photographed bear in Yellowstone N.P. today, I spotted this little guy, appeared to be a yearling, maybe two year old. I had him to myself for twenty minutes, by the time I left, there was a road block with cars parked on both sides of the road. I have never seen so many cameras, some with lenses three feet long, bigger than the bear! Black Bear Feeding On Leaves ~ Yellowstone

These are the shots that made my day. I was still outside the Yellowstone and in the Shoshone River Valley, about twenty miles from where I saw the big Black Bear Boar. I was actually looking at the river, at what looked to be a good run to fish for trout. Then I saw a movement and some dust in the trees. Down the road a bit before I got stopped, backed up and there was "Mama Grizzly" and her cub. Next time you hear Governor Palin talk about the "Mama Grizzlies", this is what she looks like. She was busy digging up a pile of roots and branches for some reason, perhaps a stash of food that she had buried earlier. I was not going to investigate. Remembering, the Brown Bear at Hallo Bay, I sat down as not to represent a threat. Although, she watched me, she went about her business, but kept herself between me and the cub, unless he happened to take a peek around her shoulder. Not wanting to draw attention, each time I heard a car coming, I would put my camera down. No one stopped. I had her to myself for forty five minutes and finally she wandered off, with the cub out front. My day was complete and it had not even started.

"Mama Grizzly" There something about this pile of limbs and dirt that she is standing on and digging into. I think she is standing on that log, to show that is her territory, do not intrude any further.

"My Spot ~ My Cub ~ See My Claws"

"Also Did You See My Teeth"

"One Little Peek"

During my trip, I have seen Buffalo by the hundreds from the Yukon to Nebraska. Today, I would estimate that I saw 1,000 ~ 1,500 head of Buffalo in herds of a dozen to two dozen. The majority of them in the northeast corner. I ask a Park Ranger about them, this is their wintering area and they are just now moving into this area. The "buffie" population looks very good.

"It Was A Very Good Day"