Close to home

Today was a day off, so after a leisurely breakfast Don asked if I wanted to go see a few places close to where we're camped. (He's still scouting out fishing locations.) Our first stop was across the river from the campground. We had to drive back into Gardiner, cross the Yellowstone, pass the high school and the research institute, and then take the gravel road back into the park and along the river. We stopped at the Gardiner Cemetery and took some pics.

Our trailer is the one in the upper (hillside) row, far right.  What you can't see is the Yellowstone River just below the lower row, hidden by the hill.

Don's looking for a trail down to the river.

Looking south towards Gardiner.

Don, the river, and Yellowstone RV Park.

From there, we headed back towards town, but stopped to catch a picture of what is an everyday occurrence in front of Gardiner High School - elk on the football field.

Our next stop was the Roosevelt Arch. Constructed under the supervision of the U.S. Army at Fort Yellowstone, its cornerstone was laid down by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. The top of the arch is inscribed with a quote from the Organic Act of 1872, the legislation which created Yellowstone, which reads "For the Benefit and Enjoyment of the People."

From there we drove up into the park, past Mammoth Hot Springs, and into the YCC employee housing area.  A service road takes you past the maintenance yard, and after only half a mile you come to Joffee Lake.  Full of small brook trout, it's a popular fishing spot for Yellowstone employees. Don will be able to put his float tube in it after the lake opens June 15.

 

Our last stop was the General Store, where I introduced Don to my boss, Robyn, then showed him around the store. We then had to have a scoop of ice cream, and we sat outside on the employees' porch to enjoy it and watch the elk and bison grazing just across the street.

Tonight we enjoyed a barbecue put on by the department leads Richard (Grocery) and Gene (Gifts).  They provided beef filets, chicken, baked beans, and potato salad.  We then joined Sheri (Fountain) at her trailer where she has a gas fireplace, and sat and talked for a while with Craig and Martha D and Marilyn and Tom G.

 I'm off tomorrow, too, so I think we're going to Yellowstone Lake.