YS2

  Early in the morning we got up and drove to Old Faithful.  The geyser had just gone off when we got there so we ate some breakfast and came out to see it "blow".  Joel spotted another one going off in the distance that we got to watch as well!

 I have not yet figured out what Jayden is looking at, maybe a bird? HA!

After watching Old Faithful we started driving along the Yellowstone loop.
 

There are SO many stops along this loop that its hard to even remember exactly which pictures are which stop.

 These pictures are from Upper, Midway and Lower Geyser Basin and the Fountain Paint Pot.

 Feeling the heat off the ground

 Joel has his Jr Ranger booklet that he has to work on and return in order to get his badge of honor.

They were VERY serious about it too!

 We didn't really think much about being cold since we have been so used to 100 degree weather here but we forgot to factor in that we would be up in the mountains and in fact in the mornings it was in the 30's.  Brrrrrr...so John had to get a long sleeve shirt.  Here he is sporting his new "manly" shirt.  (Dad, I think you'll like this one)

 Jewel Geyser

It was just spectacular, you can't really find words for it so hopefully the pictures will do the talking.

 The scenery around the loop continued to change.  We were suddenly in this very rocky section so of course the boys (John) wanted to get out and climb.

 Mammoth Hot Springs

 When you got to the visitor center and campground area of Mammoth there were tons of elk just meandering around.  It was so funny!

 

 We had heard about boiling river.  A river that was "boiling" and warm that you could enjoy.

It was bizarre!  The river was cold but then where the water enters into the river off the sides it was hot, boiling hot! So half of your body could feel cold and the other half hot if you sat in the right places.  You couldn't get too close to the sides where it comes in off the falls because if you did it actually almost burned.  You could be standing there in the cooler water and just get a gush of HOT!  The picture below completely explains that.  Look at Jayden's face.  He got a gush of HOT!

 The boiling river must have been relaxing enough to put Joel asleep.

 The Petrified tree

 This picture really shows the fire damage that occurs in Yellowstone

Near Tower Roosevelt we got out and were hiking along one of the scenic views and we noticed people stopped and pointing.  Here it was a bear!! John got his wish and got to see one.  He came right up to us and crossed over the path we were hiking on.  I have to admit even though it was super cute I was a little nervous about Mama bear being around and angry!

When we got back to the gift shop we heard the ranger say that he is a 2 year old and his Mama left him about 6 weeks earlier for a Male bear. Awe!!

We ended the day at Canyon Village campgrounds for another "comfy-restful" night in the van.