It looks to be a beautiful day here in downtown Gardiner, MT on "Father's Day." This is my third Saturday (even though it is Sunday) as my daughter Natasha calls it. I work four days and am off four so there are three Saturdays and one Sunday according to her. It just points again to the fact that how we measure time in many many ways is a social construction of reality.
I had the biggest camping debacle of my life the day before yesterday. I had gone down to Norris campground about midway through the two loops in Yellowstone. It is a great campground and I got an excellent tent site . . . but, while putting up my tent I was attacked by swarms of mosquitos. So, after getting my abode for the night up, I headed out for the day. I returned in the evening to no little insects flying around. Had eaten dinner at "Old Faithful" so did not need to do that. The tent was nice and cozy and I retired relatively early. At about 2:30am I awoke freezing. My forty degree bag let me down for the first time. Tossing and turning and awake the rest of the night; as soon as it was light (about 5am) I got up to make some coffee. That is when I found out my fuel canister on the backpacking stove was empty. Still freezing with my down sweater and knit cap on I tore down the tent and headed to "Canyon" for coffee and breakfast.
I had planned to camp two nights but that was not going to happen. After a "hardy" breakfast at the "Canyon Cafeteria," I headed down to get some shots of the falls at Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. As usual, it was spectacular. I love that area much more than the geysers. From there I went over Dunraven Pass hoping to see a Grizzly or two. But, alas, that was not to be. However, near Roosevelt there was a Black Bear sow and cub. I could only view them from my moving vehicle as there were too many people on, and all over the road to stop. Then it was back to Gardiner to recover from my ill-fated camping fiasco. Thus ended my endeavor in the "great outdoors."Time here seems to be flying by. I have a little less than a month and a half left. The job is good and the people are, for the most part, great. As mentioned before it is a lot like working the information counter as a a ranger. It has gotten, by degrees, a lot busier. The plan after departure from here is to head up to Glacier Park for a few days before heading back down to home, Arizona. Perhaps on the way I will hit a couple of plays at the "Utah Shakespeare Festival."
We had a big "to do" here last Thursday. The governor of Montana and the high "mucky mucks" from the park had a ceremony to sign an agreement which will provide for a new gateway into the park for the north entrance. The famous Roosevelt Arch will remain the icon that it is but will be more approachable for photographs with out stopping the traffic through it. They are going to build a bypass road into the park, new entrance stations, and spruce up the area around it. This all took place in front of and across the street from my work position. They even had a stagecoach pulled by horses to take the governor and park superintendent the 100 yards from our building to Arch Park for the "signing" and speeches. There was quite a crowd in attendance. It was "big doings" for Gardiner, MT.
My last thought for this blog is a recognition of the passing of a wonderful man this last week. That was my first father-in-law, Paul Bissonnette. He along with my grandfather Stan Sausser were the most respected male role models in my life. May he rest in peace.
Again, Happy Father's Day to all of you for whom it is relevant.
Thats about it from here in Montana, granted it was "slim pickens" this time.
Adios!
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