Cool Works ® Meet Up Wrap Up - 2009 - Part III

Wednesday, June 24

Post Grand Teton shake out we collected E and friends and left Signal Mountain Lodge *sigh* and headed north back into Yellowstone National Park and over to Old Faithful.



Personally, I hadn't been to Old Faithful since 1993 so I was really looking forward to it. We had hoped to connect with Akscootr, but that wasn't to be. : (

Artsy trees along the way -


Now separated from E and family after the parking lot craziness, Patty aka P, and I headed for the famous Old Faithful Inn past the under construction visitor center, which is set to open in 2010.



Bathroom breaks, ice cream and a quick walk about the Inn and I found the spot where I had my first and last date with a boy my age back in 1983. My girlfriends, traveling with my dad and I, set us up. Picture two 10 or 11 year olds not talking to one another and me holding a stuffed buffalo. Ah the memories....



With geyser time approaching, P and I then ventured toward the not as faithful as she once was geyser to watch it and the crowd. B sought to find E and his secret spot to take a panorama of the scene at Old Faithful.



I had fun shooting people getting their photograph with the geyser sign.









Since I was there, they've changed the old wooden boardwalk to Trex, but the crowd seemed just as big as I remember, and the geyser does not disappoint.



About half-way along the boardwalk we ran into Robyn and the boys who had a front row seat to the geyser. We then re-connected with B and E, and E's boys, who had been scratching their many mosquito bites, were chanting a new phrase to help one forget that they itch. Funny.

"Mom, I do not itch. I do not scratch. Mom." Repeat.



At that point, everyone but P and I stayed for some silliness in the sun. Sugar and sun are a good combination. LOL.



While we were getting our sun on, some French visitors from Provence sat down (on me) next to us and as we were leaving, I said my hellos à français. I was proud of my mini-conversation and wished them well.

Then, B, P and I wandered into the Old Faithful Lodge and met up with one of their old time park friends. While they were talking, we were lucky enough to see Old Faithful erupt again. What an amazing site. Go there if you have not been!



We gassed up the VOD and waved goodbye to E and family. And then there were 3 CoolWorkers.

B, P, and I did some more sightseeing, ate some left over pizza and paid our respects to Mattie Culver, who is recognized on the cover of Death in Yellowstone - Accidents and Foolhardiness in the First Nat... by Lee H. Whittlesey. She died of TB way back in 1889 and was the wife of the winterkeeper of the then nearby Marshall's Hotel. You can find her grave near the Nez Perce picnic area.



Driving back towards Gardiner, we saw bison walking down the street. Cue the Monkees.




A coyote playing in the meadow.



Cool rocks.



A raven.



And then back to G-Town and to a not-quite lap dog, Indy.



Ah, what a cool trip!

Read the first part here.

Read the second part here.

THANKS for reading, meeting us and continuing to share your stories. What an honor it is to share the parks and the seasonal job tradition with you all.

Stay tuned for one last update from G-Town and Bozeman.