Yellowstone with the Halversons

Upper Falls, Yellowstone National Park

Yellowstone River Valley

We got back late last night from a great trip to Yellowstone. We left Thursday as soon as Taylor was done teaching, and drove up to Herriman (sp?), where we picked up our niece, Macy Halverson. We also stopped and talked with people at the Cruise Lady, the travel agency helping to arrange our Mediterranean cruise next summer. We were there longer than planned, but Macy never made a single complaint. That is how she was the entire trip -- I complained a lot more than she did at having two days of long driving! Here's a photo of Macy from Friday. We'd been in the sun all day and still Macy had energy to chase after Taylor's shadow, trying to stomp on his head!


I actually drove on the way up. This is not normal for us! (I hate to drive and Taylor loves it.) But that way he was able to connect to the internet using his cell phone and get some work done for Cisco. It's amazing what technology does these days. I listened to the first Harry Potter book on tape. I have enjoyed the movies but never read the books! It's about time to catch up with this modern literary phenomenon!

We got into camp during a rainstorm. Luckily, there was only a bit more rain on Saturday, but otherwise we had great weather while in the camp.

Friday we spent in the Upper Geyser Basin. Old Faithful is the easy one. But we wanted to see "Grand". We all got too much sun waiting for it to go off, but it was neat to see when it finally "played."

There are more than 10,000 thermal features in Yellowstone.
Behind Taylor, you can see steam from vents, springs, or geysers.

Old Faithful (Blake's favorite, because you can count on it!)

Blake, Taylor's autistic brother, was at the end of his tether, though, with all the walking and the wait in the sun. While my ideal would have been long hikes, his ideal is eating and sitting and asking people how many children or grandchildren they have! He knows that I have 13 nieces and nephews on the Halverson side, and 8 on the Rampton side. He's excited for our adopted boy to up the numbers!

Castle Geyser

Riverside Geyser

Tiny thermophile bacteria give the water this color.

Friday night we took a stroll by the Firestone River, which ran next to our Madison campsite. The water was invitingly warm, and we promised ourselves to jump in on Saturday (though it didn't happen). Three boys did so, trying to swim across to the other side, where a herd of elk grazed. Luckily the current wouldn't let them make it -- or perhaps they were intimidated as several big elk came and stood sentinel close to the river's edge!

Before bed, Taylor and I talked for a while with Richard/Dad. We learned that the Halverson connection to Yellowstone actually goes back as far as Taylor's great-grandfather. Richard's own father had been quite busy with work (he had his own steel company), and so Richard's only real childhood memories of his father are their summer vacations to Yellowstone. As Taylor grew up, his family went to Yellowstone every 2-3 years. It's a place of great meaning to the Halverson family!

Saturday we did several short hikes near waterfalls (my personal favorite parts of the park). We saw Gibbons Falls on the Gibbons River, and Lower and Upper Falls on the Yellowstone River. We also walked through one area where the 100s of trees lay dead because, after an earthquake changed the rock layers beneath, the ground temperature had risen to 200 degrees Fahrenheit!

Richard & Kathy at Gibbons Falls

TJ & Macy at Gibbons Falls

Artist Paint Pots

With the Yellowstone River in the background

Lower Falls

Lower Falls

Oh give me a home...

Macy -- smiling & cheerful as always!

Prismatic Spring

Moon rise over Yellowstone Lake