And that's How Clouds are Made

Following Lucas' revival from the unraveling of his dirt-angel-spectacular we went to see Old Faithful with The Rabbi, and it started hailing even-though the sun was out.  It was pretty cool, even while people gathered with their eyes and brains attached to poles trying to get the best shot possible of something that was the equal distance from all the way around from all of us.  

Old Faithful

We continued on to find something not surrounded by benches and popcorn, to a less consistant but more interesting geyser recommended to Kellen and Tys by a ranger earlier the other day.  It was near the Kepler Cascades, past the parking lot behind some Road Closure signs, a mellow trail along a creek 2 miles each way.  This mystery geyser goes off every 3 hours, and lasts around 15 minutes, but there was no way of knowing if we were... on time so to speak.  We got lucky, and caught the last 5 minutes of it in the rain.

Lone Star Geyser

It wouldn't be a prime day without some sort of breakdown... The Rabbi left for the Fountain Paint Pots and when we were set to meet him there, the van wouldn't start.  It got to a point where we ended up calling a Tow truck from Old Faithful.  It was raining again, and at first it looked like there was some hope as Tim the tow guy got all excited that it was a carburetor issue (at a glance) so he unscrewed some stuff and ended up completely fucking it up.  Then he saw the choke was on, and suggested that was possibly the problem, as it there was just too much air coming through and making the van sound really weird.  The cherry on top was how he charged Kell $100 for doing absolute jackshit... we thought Kell was going to lose it... I mean he definitely did in some shape or form cause he put everything back the way it was. A serious bummer... but in the end we made back to Madison Campgrounds in time to see like 60 bison crossing across to the river and meadow.

Fountain Paint Pots

WHAT ARE YOU MYSTERY BUILDING?!

Next morning, headed out early out of Wyoming and getting to South Dakota round 8PM?... looked up some campgrounds and ended up in what felt like someone's backyard.  

Frog legs at Killian's Tavern

It was the most random high level campground we've woken up in... there was gardening and construction happening just outside the bubble window, and people walking their dogs, jogging over the bridge.  Then Lucas bumped his head under the bench-tent.

Total miles driven: 400

Total vanMeltdowns: 9
Total # of bison seen: 87362025

One More Shot for the Rabbi

"... After my prayers I thought to myself, there is no other building on earth I'd rather be, than outside"

-The Rabbi

We got to Yellowstone around 330-ish-PM, and to Madison Campgrounds around 5PM which was a serious record so far for us to arrive anywhere in the last week... On the inside we were all skipping around throwing confetti in the air and spraying champagne because there was still daylight out for us.

It cost $25 to get into the park, and $23.somethingsomething plus or minus give or take / per night - no reservations. 

Took some pit-stops along the way like Hayden Valley and the mud volcanoes among other greenery... No matter how many times we saw bison, it just never got old.  There was a pretty close group of them later on, and one snuck up right behind me as I was loading some polaroid film.  It was pretty fucking mystical and I stopped breathing for a second... Bart on the other hand (I named him Bart) did not give a shit and just looked at me, and went back to eating next to my feet.

Hayden Valley

BART SPIRIT BISON

Once we got the fire going and started "dinner" aka leftover lunches, whiskey, soup, and PBR, Tyson and Lucas took a walk around the campgrounds where they ran into our neighbor The Rabbi Kalman drinkin schnapps on his lawn chair finishing his prayers.  Referred to from here on as The Rabbi...

The Rabbi & Kellen

Lucas and Tys spent about an hour talking to him about what he was doing, when finally he joined us along with Shane, the Canadian next door,  and it turned out to be more than your average campfire.  The Rabbi came by himself from Little Rock and proved not to be as judgmental or conservative as one may think... he was super open and enthusiastic about the privilege we all have, to go on such adventures and whatever belief we may lean on... It was really refreshing to meet a stranger who was so encouraging yet doesn't know A thing about you.  Earlier Kell and I were talking about certain conversations back home that go in a cycle ... generic and nearly robotic, with no attention to the little things like noticing the differences in the sky or what "feeling at home" really could feel like... The Rabbi was so personable, it was like he just picked at our insides, bringing to the surface the things that we have thought so far on the trip but haven't quite said out loud.  Also, he called me out for my swearing problem... That was long overdue so I can't really say anything against that.  Later on Shane and Kellen played the guitar and harmonica while all fuzzy warm bromance feelings progressed.

Cleanin out a whole bottle of whiskey made sure I was done and ready for bed by midnight... soon joined by Kell... we don't last too long in the cold ...

Woke up to rain, and then to a dirt-covered Lucas, Schnapps in the fire, a broken tent, and my wine bottle... empty... the mysteries then solved once Tyson woke up and walked backwards through it.

After I had given my last shot to the Rabbi (I find out later he was so far drunk off his Schnapps he gave it to Kellen instead, whatta cheater!) the boys had dove into my wine, as The Rabbi danced around throwing cookies into the fire while passing around the rest of his Schnapps (Yes, if I say that word one more time I will slap myself in the face). Once done, Lucas threw that into the fire as well... and proceeded to do what we now call The Lucas Shuffle, falling backwards into the bushes and making dirt-angels.  Loses his wallet along with his phone.  Tyson is chasing him around the campsite to put him to bed, and drags him under one arm, and with the other picks up a dollar, then a twenty, and another dollar all strewn across the dirt and then his wallet.  Phone was found later in the morning, half in the mud... wasn't the brightest moment, but it was hilarious as hell... until then Lucas recalled falling onto the tent and breaking the poles... so that was a minor bummer.  Phone barely survived after we got some rice, and actually his head cold went away too... turns out whiskey, PBR, chardonnay, Benadryl, and schnapps will whip just about anything into shape but your mental stability.

Anyway, onto Old Faithful...

Total miles driven: 100

Total bison seen: 24

Bromance bonds made: 2