Next stop at Yellowstone was Old Faithful.
We waited...and waited...and waited. As we waited the kids played in some dirt. They seemed to like that.
After checking out Old Faithful our group split up. Cindy & kids, cousin Lauren, and our family stayed in the area to do a "little" hike. The layout is on the map in the middle of the above collage. We started at Old Faithful and did a loop up to the Morning Glory pool. The map said it was 1.4 miles. I assumed it was 1.4 miles for the loop - it meant each way. It took hours with all the kiddos - and it was getting chilly and dusk by the time we were done. It was very cool to check out all the hot spots on the way.
On our long tour of the area.
How could we resist posing by the Beauty Pool?
The reason for our sore feet. It really was pretty - even though the sign said that the colors had faded considerably over the past decades due to pollution. Cindy insisted that this was "the" photo op of the area. This is what postcards were made from and we HAD to see it. I think she was a little nervous that we didn't think the long walk was worth it...it was definitely worth it. The hike itself - hanging out, laughing, kids chasing around enjoying the sights, getting a steam bath from erupting smaller geysers - it all made it worth it.
A surprise on the way back to the parking area. The beehive geyser erupted as we were going by. The eruption was much more spectacular than Old Faithful, mostly because you could get so close. The Beehive isn't predictable, I think within a day or so, so it was a real treat. People closer were coming away soaked from the spray. It was getting a bit chilly so I was glad the kids were not tempted to get wet.
One final note:
So here we are. At Old Faithful and surrounding area. Hundreds of people. Miles of trails. Huge, packed parking lot. Been there for hours - I think about 7 by then. We were finally heading out and Abagial is no where to be found. There were huge crowds around the Beehive geyser and milling around Old Faithful still. We couldn't spot her bright red shirt anywhere. Come to find out that Allen had challenged her, betting that she couldn't run all the way to the car; maybe 1/2 mile from where we were, but certainly not within sight. Well, in the distraction of the Beehive geyser erupting she took off - but none of us saw her. Our group was a bit spread out at that point. When we all gathered, she was gone. Cindy hung with the rest of the kids at Old Faithful while Allen and I searched the crowds in different directions. Kind of a nervous feeling when a child is gone - even though you are sure that they are ok. We finally realized that the only explanation was that she took off to the car so Allen headed towards the parking area and caught up with her as she was coming back - wondering why we were taking so long. And I was so sure I had absolutely instilled "BUDDY SYSTEM" into the kids...now we know.
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