A turn of the century, steam powered, belt driven, ten horsepower sawmill in operation. It took as many guys in red suspenders as horsepower to run that thing.
Friday
Travel day. Through the park again, but this time in the motorhome. Drive by and sometimes stop to admire rivers, geysers, bison, elk, deer, osprey, eagles, nutcrackers, juncos, ravens. Judy wanted to see a bull moose, but we didn’t. South out of Yellowsone Park, and in the north entrance to Tetons. Still watching for moose in all the willow fields. Outside the parks, we got a mom and a calf. Judy says a mom and a calf equals one bull. Owls.Got an unusual bird. Great Horned Owl. Not unusual because it was a great horned owl, but unusual because it was standing on the top of a power pole in the middle of the day. Couldn’t stop to examine him, we just blew past in the motorhome. But then a really unusual thing happened. A few miles later we passed another owl, just like the first one. We talked about turning the rig around to go check that one out, but didn’t. Really, what are the chances, two great horned owls would be behaving like that within a few miles of each other? But then again, this is Wyoming. What else are they going to stand on for a good look around? Well, I guess there were a few trees along that river. And if you see a bird like an owl, it’s not at all unusual to see its mate within the next few miles. At any rate, so began the debate between Judy and me about whether those were real owls or stunt owls. Guess we’ll never know unless we drive back to see if they are still there with their feet glued to the pole or they’re gone. Stopped for the night in Riverton.
West yellowstone
Floated the Madison with Rick. Judy caught the first, biggest, most, and last. Annie got so excited for one of Judy’s catches, she leaped out of the boat to help. Luckily, Rick had just gotten out to go net the fish. He caught Annie midway to the water, dropped her back in the boat, then netted the fish. The usual good time on the river. Watched an Osprey catch a fish, followed by an aerial ballet with a bald eagle until the osprey got harassed into dropping it. The eagle then went after the wounded fish but didn’t get it. Wild Kingdom on the river.
West yellowstone
Annie and Rick discuss strategy.
Yellowstone
Wow. Lows in the thirties! That was a quick transition to fall from hot days and nights. Beautiful blue sky. Calm. Highs in the seventies. No color yet. Must not really be fall. Maybe Indian summer. Fishing on the Madison at the Raynolds Pass Bridge. Rainbow trout. Caught a few. Watched a guy take a quarter mile hike along the bank, working his fish downstream. He landed a twenty inch rainbow. But the catch of the day? Watched an Osprey high in the sky plummet to a messy splash in the river and rise with a trout in the talons. Not some delicate, swoop low and snag a trout with a talon on the fly. More like an osprey pretending to be a brown pelican, hitting the water like he was dropped in a sack. But, splash notwithstanding, it was an awesome thing. Bison. Elk. Dinner at the Beartooth Barbecue. Still love the barbecue. Still don’t like the vinegar slaw. Tomorrow, a float with Rick.