well, we are back. Tetons were awesome, but Yellowstone was indescribable. link to first blog
One picture per day posted in this blog http://www.craiglehoullier.com/blog/2017/9/23/experiencing-yellowstone-national-park-and-the-grand-tetons
We spent 6 full days at Yellowstone (stayed in Cooke City MT, just outside of the NE entrance) and 2 full days at the Tetons (stayed in Victor Idaho). We had warm days, sun, clouds, some rain, some snow, some wind - mostly perfect days. The only real crowds were at the Upper Geyser basin (meaning Old Faithful), and the Middle Geyser Basin (which we didn't get to see).
We are working through the 1300 picture we took, but there are some good ones. We saw pronghorn, bison, coyote, elk, deer (sadly, no moose or bears). There were a few bison parades - right down the middle of the road. Male elks locking horns. The amazement of the Norris Geyser basin and lower Geyser basin...Yellowstone Canyon. Our favorite parts were our slow, long, delightful drives through the Lamar Valley....always different depending upon the sun angles, sky, viewpoint....deeply moving place.
We liked how it "put us in our place" - made us feel the magnificent wonder and power of nature, and the relative lack of importance of we humans. The 10 days away from cell signals, the internet, news etc was very healing. It was a game changer sort of trip - lots to contemplate.
Once my wife and I get a few blogs done on our trip, there will be pictures! Thanks for all of the tips posted to my prior OP on our coming trip (sadly, come and gone).
Oh yes - the Tetons - majestic, impressive - but the shock of the Porcelain geyser basin at Norris or travertine at the Mammoth Springs - or the vast rolling hills of the Lamar Valley did it for us...though we loved the Laurence Roosevelt center and walks around there.
Next year we hope to visit our daughters - a long drive from Raleigh to Abilene TX to Olalla WA - seeing as many parks as we can along the way, with Yosemite and a few of the AZ/UT parks on the list for sure.
= new reply since forum marked as read
amazing. I'm glad you got a break from the news while immersed in nature. We have such a tendency to focus on all the negative shit affecting us, it's good to see the world too.
Time away, truly away, right now sounds like heaven to me. Toss in the majestic wonders of nature you just had the joy to experience, and it sounds like a perfect escape to me. 
[URL=
.html][IMG]
[/IMG][/URL]
