You know that your vacation has gone too long when you are starting to feel that your vacation is no longer a vacation, but a chore, a rat race from one direction to the other. I guess, that's because I have been on the road for almost three weeks now (though I spent nine days in Minneapolis recuperating). Of course, the fact that San Francisco is so close now also makes thing so different.
Therefore, as I am writing this blog in Pocatello, I am torn between two choices: either going back to Yellowstone and continue to Grand Teton Park, which I skipped yesterday because I spent too much time hiking, or going straight to Salt Lake City before going home to San Francisco. So, it is the choice between continuing the vacation that no longer that appealing or to return home, though of course, still stopping here and there as usual.
Of course, if I want to go back to Yellowstone, it is a pain in the neck to do it. The road from here to Yellowstone is horrible. Aside of three hour drive, I find Idaho's roads to be pretty annoying, with 35-MPH-zone in every several miles of 65-MPH zone along Highway 20 (Plus constructions abound). Not to mention really horrible drivers.
I have not said anything about fellow motorists for a while, but here's my question: why so many idiots decide to drive around 50 MPH in 75 MPH area? Especially yesterday, so many idiotic Californian drivers who did not even use their turning signal until the very last minute before they entered hotel, supermarkets, etc. Vans, SUVs, RVs, and busses also pretty much annoying due to their size: it is impossible trying to observe the road when they are right in front of you. My only consolation is to imagine their face when they are filling up gas at $4-4.5/gallon with their really horrible 10-20 MPG rate. On the other hand, my 2000 Honda, fully packed with my stuffs back from Columbus, reaches between 35-40 MPG, though at some point, it dropped to 32 MPG. I don't know why.
Anyway, just a small tip, if you are an impulse vacationer like me, who have not reserved my hotels months in advance (Yellowstone hotels are completely booked from several months ago), you may want to stay in Livingston, MT. While it is still two hour drive from Yellowstone, the road, however, is pretty empty and it was a breeze going from there to Yellowstone. However, keep in mind that I am traveling in late June. I don't know whether the week of July 4 will be worse.
Okay, on to the map:
Road to Yellowstone
Entrance to Yellowstone
Tourist trap in the middle of Yellowstone
Mammoth Hot Springs. Yellowstone is located in an ancient caldera, causing it to have so many hot springs. Unfortunately, you can't take a bath there lest you want to commit suicide. Hot+highly acidic = Bad.
Passing hazardous area
Norris Geyser Basin. Apparently, there are many geysers in Yellowstone. In fact, the famous "Old Faithful" is not the biggest geyser in park. The distiction belongs to the "Steamboat," though last time it erupted was back in 2005. Old Faithful is famous due to its predictability and relatively frequent eruption.
I would call this hole "Puff the stinky dragon." It stinks badly. It is an example of so many holes in this basin.
So, I accidentally passed to this "Firehole Lake Drive" and to my surprise, apparently there was a geyser which would erupt soon (I happened to be there at around 4 and there were crowds already. A notice said that it would erupt between 4:25-4:40). So, what else to do but to wait?
Waiting for geysers is like waiting for your water to boil, watching paint dry, etc.... So frigging boring....
To my surprise, another geyser erupted close by. Damn.
Plus, so many false alarms:
Is it?
Damn, a dud.
Finally, at 4:45....
The eruption lasted around 10-15 minutes with several towering sprouts happened in the interval.
The eruption then became smaller and smaller. Notice that the hole becomes empty.
Remember the previous geyser?
Now, the Old Faithful. At this point, it erupts every 90 min, though each year the interval changes. Plus, you can't predict the eruption accurately by the second. It is a myth.
Crowd waiting for the encore.
The eruption
Leaving Yellowstone
Time to go now. I think I will go today to Salt Lake City. We'll see. Unlike the usual, I have not booked hotel for tonight. Let just hope everything for the best today.
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