Don't Blow a Geyser

After escaping to Mexico looking for spring break parties, and failing, NOT went looking for party animals of summer in the great outdoors, heading out to check out our oldest National Park - Yellowstone National Park, so signed into law by President Grant over 125 years ago in 1872.

"Yee Haw!" declared NOT. Now I'm gonna find me some party animals under the summer stars!" But where does one find these party animals?

D'oh! Just look down. There are bears tracking themselves through the cement. That means they are around here!

He and Lis found an observation point to check out the woods for animals. Maybe he could find someone there. He felt real bold when he saw the wolves. "They are so small" he thought, looking through the telescope. NOT was never very good at understanding the concept of perspective.

Having gone on African Safari once, he felt the best way to find those animals was to take a Yellowstone Safari. "I didn't know there were lions up here" mused our befuddled duck.

Wait a minute, I thought Yellowstone was in Colorado! 

"Now wait a minute," declared NOT, "I may not be the best with geography, but I know that the Grand Canyon  is nowhere around here. It's too green!"

Sorry NOT, this is the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone - 1/4th the size, but just as gorge-ous.

The map didn't help him find his way any better than his problematic memory.

NOT looked at this twisted root system of a tree along the canyon and could only declare "Gnarly!"

"Now I'm getting somewhere. Everyone has got to go party with the duck!"

Wait! That's not a quiet lake! Lis protects NOT from having whitewater adventures, this time without a paddle or a boat!

Getting away from the water, NOT convinced Lis to go with him looking for party animals. Right there on her map, there was a notation for the "Wildlife Area."  Just what NOT was looking for - party central! But as he and Lis took off, the temperature was dropping. Suddenly white things started to fall from the sky. 

"What?  I thought I saw the last of snow for a while!  It's JUNE! raged NOT.

Alas, the party animals had gone in to hibernation again by mistake. No party to be found here.

"How you doing? Feel  like going in by the fire and partying?"

Unfortunately the twins went up to party at the continental divide. As one melted, she rolled towards the Pacific Ocean, and the other rolled East, towards the Mississippi River.  NOT was just stuck with the puddles left behind.

Remember, if you go where the wild wolves roam, be careful not to lick the yellow snow.

NOT felt the whole vacation just started to blow, until Doug reminded him that they could go see something that really blows - Old Faithful.

"Not bad," sniffed NOT, who proceeded to take a drink, tip his head back an do his own imitation of Old Faithful spouting.

"Now this is the life" declared NOT as he settled into the hot springs. Maybe it's not so bad up here after all. If I can't party with the animals, I might as well as relax."

*sniff* *sniff* Anyone smell Duck Soup?

To cap of the trip, NOT wanted to swing by Bozeman and get ready for the Vulcans. According to the movie Star Trek: First Contact, first contact between humans and aliens took place here.  Unfortunately NOT didn't read all the information, because the event is not supposed to happen until April 5, 2063. NOT decided he didn't want to wait 58 more years. He could watch the movie.
 

Photos courtesy of Doug Larrick and Alissa Daniels

Last Updated December 2005