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Post by ZenRider on Sept 30, 2013 19:07:01 GMT -5
Yes, it's kind of like Disney. I think a lot of it comes about from helping with speaking with the foreign tourists that don't speak English so well, through, perhaps, college exchange programs. There are American students that do much the same thing in other countries. Someone had mentioned a lot of the American college students had already left, as their schools were starting and they were starting to get to minimal staffing. Common, it's already snowed there! A lot of the stores and campgrounds close after Labor Day, so works for Colleges that start after or kids that can get a waiver to catch up on their studies. Most of the kids (young adults) struck me as being pretty smart. Yellowstone is a popular place with world travelers. Most of the jobs they held were the type college students might hold. As a lot of the USA colleges have already started, it was mentioned that most of them had already left. A lot of retired or just fed up with the grind Americans have a lot of the main concession jobs. Pays not great, but often comes with some kind of lodging or a campsite for those with campers. Which is why a lot of them are retired from some other job. One was lamenting getting to much into a routine and hadn't seen as much of the park as she had hoped. You know me, when I have time, I'll talk to everyone.  OK, sometimes when I don't have time.  At least a couple of the kids doing the goofy shoot out in Jackson Hole were leaving for New York for acting jobs that weekend. Check out the crazy sleeper bus from Germany I saw!  OK, thought this was funny. Doesn't he realize that sign says No Parking Shuttle  Where's that comma when you need it? |
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Post by Bara on Oct 1, 2013 3:33:27 GMT -5
Hmmm. A driver by profession. That's why you blank out 'No Parking' signs, just like the UPS guy we met in Windsor High Street. No, just kidding, I know it wasn't you! Judging by this morning's World News, you got your Yellowstone trip done 'just in time'. |
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Oct 1, 2013 12:39:18 GMT -5
Because of the caldera? I think that's one of the things that makes Yellowstone so cool. It's a freaking volcano!!!! An almost world ender type of volcano at that. If it were to erupt, the ash alone would decimate the US crops. Think Iceland but bigger..lol. The last eruption was a bit over 600 years ago if I remember correctly.
Zen- I talk to everyone too. Drives my friends crazy..lol. We were there in late June/early July, so probably during the height of the season. The boyfriend wants us to do a snowmobile thing this winter up there. He did it last year and said it was awesome. I so hate the cold though, and it's pretty expensive, over $1k per person, not counting the flight. I'm also horrible at driving anything besides a car type vehicle. I'm sure I would stay wrecked most of the time..lol.
We saw lots of those buses out there too. We were trying to think of a business that we could do inside Yellowstone. I thought we could do a food truck that sold different kinds of tacos- veggie tacos, fish tacos, traditional, etc. People could just pick what they wanted, it would be easy for us to make ahead of time and prep beforehand, and we could drive around from major sight to major sight. The bf wasn't down for it though.
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Post by Bara on Oct 1, 2013 17:12:09 GMT -5
No, not the geysers, I meant the news we're getting about a 'shut-down', whatever that means. I heard that major parks like Yellowstone are being closed down and the staff laid off.
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Post by ZenRider on Oct 1, 2013 20:28:56 GMT -5
No, not the geysers, I meant the news we're getting about a 'shut-down', whatever that means. I heard that major parks like Yellowstone are being closed down and the staff laid off. It means stupidity in politics. |
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Oct 2, 2013 9:54:00 GMT -5
No, not the geysers, I meant the news we're getting about a 'shut-down', whatever that means. I heard that major parks like Yellowstone are being closed down and the staff laid off. OH, yes, all national parks are closed because of the shut down. My friend is a forest firefighter and she is shut down (no pay, no work) until this is over. It sucks for these people. Those considered essential must report to work, even with lack of pay. Non-essentials get time off, but still no pay. They can't even take sick, holiday, or vacation time during the shut down, so no pay whatsoever for them. |
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Post by Bara on Oct 3, 2013 6:57:39 GMT -5
I don't know. The Smithsonian, too, and other museums and 'non-essential' staff. I don't understand the concept of 'shut-down'. Well, of course I understand, as a businesswoman, why you wouldn't continue paying staff you don't need. 2+2 = 2.5 it just doesn't work.
But this is huge! It is probably not appropriate for me to have raised the question. We have many and diverse political views.
However, RR, I hope your friend regains her post. She is obviously a brave woman.
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Post by ZenRider on Oct 5, 2013 13:16:00 GMT -5
Leaving the Grand Tetons:   Into Yellowstone:  Just missed seeing a moose again. Did see some elk.  Just thought this was a nice view...  then I realized something was moving by the lake...zoomed in, saw a tree top moving in the wind, then I saw this guy's antlers move!!  Now that's a bull elk!  Headed to Old Faithful. Where we were teased for about 20 minutes with false starts, but had fun talking with the other people waiting. Here it goes. Um, no...  Maybe this time...no again. Rinse repeat.  Maybe...  Could be...  Woo Hoo!   Off to check on some of the many other geysers in the basin. Hey, there's the Bee Hive geyser over there.  Hmmm, this bubbling pool is kinda neat.  Hey, wait, the Bee Hive geyser is erupting!  Worth two pics, because it erupts every 10 hours to 5 days, so have to pretty much be lucky to catch it going. Made a retired geologist I talked to later during the trip very jealous.  If you are looking for colors, this is the place to go.   Cool, another geyser erupting...  A couple of cute rodents. Boy they can be hard to get a picture of.   On the trail to the Old Faithful overlook is the Solitary Geyser. Kind of a man made geyser. It was just a spring/pool, until they tapped into it in the late 1800's for hot baths and such at the lodge. Even after the pipe were removed, about a hundred years ago, it continues to erupt, but doesn't get as high as it used to. So perhaps someday it will settle back down to just being a spring?  Old Faithful from the overlook. Gives a whole different perspective as to just how high the water gets when it comes out!   Wasn't due to erupt until the early AM. Much as I think geysers are cool, I'm not very good at waiting, or getting up at 430 AM to see one.  Plus this one was pretty cool even when it wasn't erupting.  Was hoping to see Old Faithful at sunset or even after, but Old Faithful was running late and a sudden downpour, coupled with not having secured a campsite for the night yet... will have to leave it should I ever make it back there again.  |
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Post by ZenRider on Oct 5, 2013 22:29:31 GMT -5
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Oct 9, 2013 16:08:55 GMT -5
I'm giggling because we have some of the same photos, like the geyser going off with people on the viewing deck. We also laughed about how unreliable old faithful is now.
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Post by RacetrackRejects on Oct 9, 2013 16:09:05 GMT -5
GGRrrr.. having so much trouble posting lately.
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Post by ZenRider on Oct 12, 2013 14:20:14 GMT -5
Yeah, I have a feeling most people that go to Yellowstone end up with very similar pictures. Was joking in one of the gift stores that I should just leave the camera at home and just buy a few of the postcard books. |
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Post by ZenRider on Nov 2, 2013 17:19:05 GMT -5
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Post by niaru on Nov 3, 2013 8:17:24 GMT -5
Wow, they're all beautiful! You should frame some of them - #38 for instance. And many others! Such eerie colors and contrasts.
Is Yellow Stone the 1st National park the was created? I always get confused between YS and Yosemite. Was YS named after those weird rock/mineral formations' color?
I'd love to take a vacation there, too. Or in any of the other parks, Glacier park, Grand Tetons, etc. Preferably on horseback, or hiking...*dream dream*
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Post by ZenRider on Nov 3, 2013 13:02:04 GMT -5
Thanks Niaru, it's hard not to take a good picture there. Took that picture (38) at the Mammoth Hot Springs. It's the variety of colors in the thermal areas that really makes Yellowstone stand out. OK and the thermal/geyser areas themselves. For the bright colors we can largely thank the thermophiles and bacteria mats, some of the oldest forms of life. Yellowstone is quite the educational experience. About the only thing that can make the other parks seem better is they tend not to be quite as crowded as Yellowstone. I was there when the season was winding down and there were quite a few people there. I got kind of lucky when I was at the Porcelain Basin, as it started to rain and a lot of people left. I stood under a tree  and waited it out. After two short rainfalls, it pretty much cleared up a bit and was nice again. Sadly, when it is the least crowded, much of the park can be all but inaccessible due to the weather and road conditions. Not to mention all but one of the campgrounds are closed in the park from about early/mid September, until mid/late May, as are most of the stores and such. Beyond that, I don't think there is another park like it really. BTW, if I had been able to make it back next year (with my job change, the chances of me getting any summer weeks off are pretty much slim to nil and was tough enough where I was on the seniority list in package car) I was going to try to go on one or two of the horseback tours. The sometimes advantage of traveling alone, one can sometimes slip into something like that as there may be room for one more, but rarely two or more. Which is handy, as the way I travel, making advanced reservations can be difficult. Really wish I could have gotten three weeks together for that trip. Looking at the Geyser cam, all I can say is brrrrrrrr, but pretty and no crowds. www.nps.gov/features/yell/live/live4.htm |
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OK, sometimes when I don't have time. 
Plus this one was pretty cool even when it wasn't erupting.
