Montana Trip - Day 11

[up at 0800 - packed and left hotel around 0830 - stopped at post office and got gas nearby (prices wildly fluctuate) - would definitely return to Jackson! - drove north on US-[89] - first view of Grand Tetons [National Park] (SPECTACULAR!) - stopped at visitor center - drove around on some of the (one-way) scenic roads (deer), walked down to Jenny Lake - great panorama (a little hazy) - drove up Signal Mountain (Massachusetts people) - lunch at Signal Mountain Lodge (corned beef) - made it into Yellowstone National Park around 1330 - stopped at waterfall near south entrance - drove through park on way to Old Faithful (my only planned stop) - saw something on the map about a place called Lone Star [Guyser] - stopped there (close to Old Faithful) - met some folks who said it goes off every three hours and that I missed it - decided to walk up there anyway - was about a 2.5 mile (40-45 minutes) hike up an old road - pleasant (sprinkling) - squirrel - got to geyser (nothing happening) - luckily, there was a book there with notes about previous eruptions - timing was almost perfect! - started to bubble and splash around 1500L - it lasted about 30 minutes with a big finale! - walk was well worth it - walked back with some other hikers (from Sante Fe) - passed the time with good conversation (walk took about an hour) - drove down to Old Faithful - got more water - that time meant I almost missed the Old Faithful eruption - as it was, saw the last few minutes - got ice cream in hotel - souvenirs - walked over to visitor center and got some tips on what to see before leaving the park - backtracked to "Thumb" and drove along the river / canyon - mud volcano - lots of wildlife (and cars) - many people with binoculars, telephoto lenses - buffalo, elk, one moose! - beautiful [Hiram ?] valley... - evidence of closed trails (where the tourist recently got mauled by a bear ?) - made it to Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone before sunset - saw falls (Artist Point) - drove a little farther and found Brink of the Falls - getting dark - realized I would still be in the park after sunset (not what I wanted...) - drove back west on Norris Canyon Road and then north (on US-89) to Mammoth - pretty remanents of sunset - steam vents everywhere across the valley - red/pink sky - stuck behind a trailer for awhile, but then got past him - smooth sailing after that - dark, curvy road at north entrance (not as relaxing as south entrance...) - through Gardiner, Montana - continued north on US-89 (52 miles) to Livingston, Montana (good speeds all the way - no wildlife, luckily) - found a place to stay (Livingston Inn Motel) near I-90 (2130L) - later, I drove back to a place I'd noticed as I entered town (Rosa's Pizza) - good dinner (pizza and salad) and conversation with one of the cooks - back to room - some TV - tired! - bed at 2300L.]