WEBVTT - I Was Promised Bison: Yellowstone Part 2 Full Throttle 0:00:00.480 --> 0:00:03.440 So on our Yellowstone first part or we talked about 0:00:03.520 --> 0:00:06.000 both of our individual first trips to America's O G 0:00:06.240 --> 0:00:09.440 National Park, along with info on thermal features and a 0:00:09.480 --> 0:00:12.360 super volcanome that you don't really need to worry about. 0:00:12.560 --> 0:00:16.160 Probably now it's time for the sequel episode, which I'm 0:00:16.239 --> 0:00:19.919 calling Yellowstone Full Throttle. Is that a nod to Charlie's 0:00:19.960 --> 0:00:23.560 Angels sequel moving? Yes, it absolutely is, because, just like 0:00:23.600 --> 0:00:27.240 that insane sequel are part two episodes of Yellowstone is 0:00:27.280 --> 0:00:30.840 filled with stunts and sites that defy logic and possibility, 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:33.960 and subbing in for Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy 0:00:34.000 --> 0:00:37.720 Lou we have you Me and Finn and grizzly bears 0:00:37.760 --> 0:00:40.720 instead of an evil de me More. I guess that's right. 0:00:41.040 --> 0:00:43.480 This is our first time actually seeing a grizzly bear 0:00:43.560 --> 0:00:46.680 in the wild. But don't worry. Everything worked out just fine, 0:00:47.200 --> 0:00:49.680 seeing as we're alive and talking about it right now. 0:00:50.200 --> 0:00:52.800 Few it was all my worst fears and wildest dreams 0:00:52.840 --> 0:00:56.720 converged into one memorable, epic moment. But you'll have to 0:00:56.720 --> 0:00:58.880 stay tuned because there's a lot of ground for us 0:00:58.880 --> 0:01:01.920 to cover in this second part episode of Wyoming's Yellowstone 0:01:02.040 --> 0:01:07.000 National Park. Hi, I'm Matt and I'm Brad. This is 0:01:07.040 --> 0:01:09.960 park Land, a production of I Heart Radio. We sold 0:01:09.959 --> 0:01:12.720 our aloft in Chicago, moved into an RV. Now we're 0:01:12.760 --> 0:01:14.720 traveling the country at full time with our dog Finn, 0:01:14.880 --> 0:01:20.080 exploring American's national parks, and today we're returning to Yellowstone 0:01:20.160 --> 0:01:24.399 National Park in northwestern Wyoming for part two. So in 0:01:24.800 --> 0:01:27.360 part one we actually talked about things like the frontiersman 0:01:27.400 --> 0:01:31.040 who first documented Yellowstone and how it became the first 0:01:31.160 --> 0:01:34.920 national park in the world. That's right, the world. Yes. 0:01:35.200 --> 0:01:37.840 We also talked about how Yellowstone got its name, about 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:40.280 the troops who protected the park for thirty two years 0:01:40.360 --> 0:01:43.560 before the National Park Service took over, and about President 0:01:43.640 --> 0:01:46.720 Chester A Arthur's glamping trip. But don't worry, there won't 0:01:46.720 --> 0:01:48.280 be a quiz at the end of this episode, so 0:01:48.360 --> 0:01:50.240 feel free to go back and listen to part one 0:01:50.280 --> 0:01:52.960 if you haven't, it's a doozy. For this part, we 0:01:53.000 --> 0:01:56.040 want to talk more about Matt and Ice trip here 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:59.760 together last summer. We had both visited separately at first, 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:02.360 so it was exciting to revisit this iconic park again 0:02:02.480 --> 0:02:05.480 with our r V. I needless to say, it was 0:02:05.520 --> 0:02:09.400 a totally different experience, especially since their view is so huge. 0:02:09.880 --> 0:02:13.760 We saw completely new things completely. So let's cut right 0:02:13.800 --> 0:02:16.160 to the chase and talk about the star of the park, 0:02:16.320 --> 0:02:20.560 which are the thermal features. They're colorful, they're big, they're loud, 0:02:20.760 --> 0:02:23.480 they're scorching hot, and they smell like that time our 0:02:23.639 --> 0:02:27.040 r v's Black Tank exploded all over you. Like, that's 0:02:27.040 --> 0:02:31.080 so true. Oh, the sophic smell of these features is 0:02:31.120 --> 0:02:33.440 really intense, and you can just easily smell it through 0:02:33.480 --> 0:02:35.880 your car or our V as you drive through Yellowstone. 0:02:36.080 --> 0:02:38.600 It's actually nowhere near as bad as Black Tank, though, 0:02:38.800 --> 0:02:42.320 I mean, yeah, yess, that's true. It is pretty impossible 0:02:42.320 --> 0:02:44.280 to miss these things when you're here, no matter what 0:02:44.360 --> 0:02:46.639 part of the park you're in, and that's because there 0:02:46.639 --> 0:02:49.400 are more than ten thousand of these thermal features, including 0:02:49.400 --> 0:02:53.280 about three guysers in particular. Most of these are categorized 0:02:53.320 --> 0:02:56.720 and mapped into different guys are basins throughout Yellowstone, like 0:02:56.960 --> 0:03:00.280 Monument guys are basin, Norris guys are basin in. My 0:03:00.360 --> 0:03:03.640 favorite West Thumb guys are basin. This is a thermal 0:03:03.680 --> 0:03:06.320 section that's right on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. So 0:03:06.360 --> 0:03:10.440 it's got a really beautiful and peaceful backdrop. So good, 0:03:10.600 --> 0:03:14.440 so good. The juxtaposition of these like technicolor almost neon 0:03:14.560 --> 0:03:18.560 hot springs and steaming pools against the emerald blue lake 0:03:18.840 --> 0:03:21.960 is just so striking and captivating. And there's this awesome 0:03:22.120 --> 0:03:24.360 and easy boardwalk trail that winds through a bunch of 0:03:24.360 --> 0:03:28.080 the guysers, so you can like meander through and see 0:03:28.120 --> 0:03:33.960 these two like colorful, bright features right alongside each other. 0:03:34.000 --> 0:03:36.160 It's amazing. It's cool and kind of creepy too, because 0:03:36.200 --> 0:03:39.520 these pools have billowing steam pouring out of them and 0:03:39.640 --> 0:03:41.839 out over the boardwalks, so a lot of the time 0:03:41.880 --> 0:03:44.040 all you see is outlines of people in the midst 0:03:44.520 --> 0:03:47.320 usually pushing for photos. I'm sure, yeah, I mean, Sam, 0:03:47.440 --> 0:03:50.400 It's it's hauntingly pretty and the visuals are just off 0:03:50.440 --> 0:03:56.920 the charts. Trails and for a whole another visual You 0:03:56.960 --> 0:03:59.280 can also just cross the street and hike the trail 0:03:59.360 --> 0:04:02.920 called Overlook Trail, which is pretty easy and only about 0:04:03.000 --> 0:04:05.640 one and a half miles round trip. Yeah, you can 0:04:05.720 --> 0:04:07.800 just park at the West Thumb geys Are Basin and 0:04:07.840 --> 0:04:10.080 follow a clear trail across the main road, through the 0:04:10.120 --> 0:04:12.640 woods and up a hill for a sweeping view of 0:04:12.640 --> 0:04:15.720 the lake. Um, these little clouds of steam just rising 0:04:15.800 --> 0:04:17.880 up next to it. I've actually done this trail a 0:04:17.880 --> 0:04:20.680 couple of times. It's it is easy. I remember this 0:04:20.760 --> 0:04:23.320 most recent time that I did it, I was seeing 0:04:23.640 --> 0:04:26.400 these kind of scary warning signs for recent bear sightings 0:04:26.400 --> 0:04:29.080 in the area, so I was on high alert, like 0:04:29.160 --> 0:04:31.680 more so than usual. And I know you're supposed to 0:04:31.720 --> 0:04:34.880 make noise while you're hiking in grizzly country, So what 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:37.880 I would do was I would occasionally cough really loud 0:04:38.279 --> 0:04:42.680 as if that would be a defense. But um, I've 0:04:42.720 --> 0:04:45.960 also been known to have really full blown loud conversations 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:48.799 with myself if and when I'm hiking alone in Yellowstone, 0:04:48.839 --> 0:04:52.160 which is not recommended and I'm not endorsing that. And also, 0:04:52.200 --> 0:04:54.400 please don't tell my parents that I was doing that. 0:04:54.600 --> 0:04:57.600 Oh yeah, you're screwing you realize this is I know 0:04:57.880 --> 0:05:01.160 I realized I had literally just told them. But so 0:05:01.839 --> 0:05:04.720 when you're visiting a Yellowstone during peak season in July 0:05:04.960 --> 0:05:08.120 like we were, you're rarely alone, which is nice. So 0:05:08.200 --> 0:05:11.080 people are literally everywhere, for better or for worse. Yeah, 0:05:11.120 --> 0:05:14.839 that's the thing. Like you're especially like we were here 0:05:14.880 --> 0:05:17.280 in July, and it's unusual to have a trail to 0:05:17.320 --> 0:05:20.080 yourself for more than a few minutes during this prime time. 0:05:20.960 --> 0:05:23.440 And on the other side of that coin, that's also 0:05:23.440 --> 0:05:26.599 potentially embarrassing for me, knowing that people more than likely 0:05:26.839 --> 0:05:29.479 could easily overhear me talking loudly to myself and having 0:05:29.520 --> 0:05:33.680 these like ongoing dialogues about me narrating my week or 0:05:33.839 --> 0:05:36.680 talking about silly things like upcoming movies I can't wait 0:05:36.720 --> 0:05:39.799 to see. I'm just like fully in conversation a mode 0:05:39.800 --> 0:05:44.839 with myself. You are entertainment at its finest on these drills, 0:05:44.920 --> 0:05:47.640 that's for sure. That's that's great. I hope people appreciated, 0:05:47.680 --> 0:05:50.320 I guess and if need be, though I am armed 0:05:50.320 --> 0:05:52.200 with bear spray at all times. I had a clipped 0:05:52.200 --> 0:05:54.640 to my little fancy fanny pack as fanny packs are 0:05:54.640 --> 0:05:56.760 coming back, the one that's like blue with the white 0:05:56.760 --> 0:05:59.799 strap and a lemon on it. Yeah, and then there's 0:05:59.839 --> 0:06:02.120 like bear spray on it, right, and it says spells 0:06:02.160 --> 0:06:04.120 all the words sour, but I think the O is 0:06:04.200 --> 0:06:07.919 a lemon. Yep, that's it. So good. So that's what 0:06:07.960 --> 0:06:09.840 I That's what I clipped my bear spray too, So 0:06:09.960 --> 0:06:13.960 a little mix of whimsy and like dead serious. Yeah, 0:06:14.040 --> 0:06:15.919 and it's all gonna be okay in the end. We 0:06:16.040 --> 0:06:18.279 just gotta get you out on the trail again for 0:06:18.320 --> 0:06:20.760 you to relax. I'm ready, me and my Fannie pack already. 0:06:21.760 --> 0:06:23.640 Now let's get back on the road, because navigating a 0:06:23.680 --> 0:06:27.080 park as large as Yellowstone is an important piece, especially 0:06:27.160 --> 0:06:29.719 for people driving an RV. The main drive in the 0:06:29.760 --> 0:06:32.240 park is the Grand Loop Road, which is basically a 0:06:32.279 --> 0:06:35.239 giant hundred and forty two mile figure eight that runs 0:06:35.279 --> 0:06:37.680 through the middle of the park and it divides into 0:06:37.680 --> 0:06:41.560 different sections. Yeah. I remember before I first came to Yellowstone, 0:06:41.640 --> 0:06:44.000 I was definitely overwhelmed, as I'm sure most people are, 0:06:44.080 --> 0:06:46.599 because it is huge. It's more than two million acres, 0:06:46.640 --> 0:06:50.080 so you could easily be forgiven for assuming that it's 0:06:50.120 --> 0:06:53.600 like a giant maze and really elaborate and complex, But 0:06:53.839 --> 0:06:56.520 surprisingly that's not really the case. The way that it's 0:06:56.560 --> 0:06:59.200 laid out and mapped, it's actually really straightforward and easy 0:06:59.240 --> 0:07:02.680 to follow once you stick to the map and kind 0:07:02.720 --> 0:07:05.200 of get your bearings driving through a little bit exactly. 0:07:05.279 --> 0:07:09.279 The Grand Loop connects to all five parks main entrances 0:07:09.320 --> 0:07:12.800 and exits, and it crosses the Continental divide twice, which 0:07:12.840 --> 0:07:15.560 is pretty cool when you think of that. Yeah. Um, 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:18.000 it's well marked with huge signs on the side of 0:07:18.000 --> 0:07:20.120 the road with pull out so you can get photos 0:07:20.320 --> 0:07:22.920 with the signs. I mean it has it all, yes, 0:07:23.000 --> 0:07:25.720 And speaking of pullouts, here's a little helpful p s A. 0:07:26.080 --> 0:07:29.880 Please use them. We beg you. People are constantly holding 0:07:29.920 --> 0:07:31.520 up traffic here by stopping in the middle of the 0:07:31.560 --> 0:07:35.080 road to get photos of animals, and I totally get 0:07:35.120 --> 0:07:37.760 that and understand it. It's really cool stuff and these 0:07:37.800 --> 0:07:40.160 are you want to take photos of wildlife like this, 0:07:40.680 --> 0:07:43.280 but it creates such a mass, especially in the summer 0:07:43.320 --> 0:07:46.680 when this place is swarming with vehicles. Plus is dangerous 0:07:46.720 --> 0:07:50.000 for both the animals and other drivers. So there's a 0:07:50.000 --> 0:07:52.320 time and a place and stopping the thew street is 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:56.120 not it absolutely like at certain times, traffic a Yellowstone 0:07:56.160 --> 0:07:59.200 is I think worse than traffic in Chicago. It's too much. 0:07:59.440 --> 0:08:01.680 I remember we're getting road rage at one point while 0:08:01.680 --> 0:08:03.920 we were driving back to our our v site from 0:08:04.000 --> 0:08:07.120 Yellowstone Lake one day. Yeah, there's really only so much 0:08:07.120 --> 0:08:08.880 I can take after a long day of driving and 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.880 hiking and exploring, which is also fun but exhausting, Like 0:08:13.440 --> 0:08:14.840 you reach a certain point where you just want to 0:08:14.920 --> 0:08:17.120 kind of get back, in our case, back to our 0:08:17.200 --> 0:08:21.600 r V and like unwind. And when you're stuck for 0:08:21.680 --> 0:08:25.920 like hours and hours behind slow moving people and like 0:08:26.160 --> 0:08:29.880 stop traffic, it really really wears on you. So I remember, 0:08:29.920 --> 0:08:32.480 there's this one time I was behind this slow driver 0:08:32.840 --> 0:08:35.680 like just taking a sweet time on a joy ride 0:08:35.679 --> 0:08:38.120 in front of me for like miles on end. And 0:08:38.400 --> 0:08:40.440 the thing that aggravated me even more was he just 0:08:40.520 --> 0:08:43.400 like had his arms sticking out his window and it 0:08:43.480 --> 0:08:46.160 was like, you know, going through the Brie. I'm like, 0:08:46.320 --> 0:08:50.600 this isn't what are you doing that. It's like this 0:08:50.720 --> 0:08:53.480 little thing that just kind of drove me crazy. I mean, 0:08:53.520 --> 0:08:55.560 I've never seen you get road rage like this either. 0:08:55.640 --> 0:08:57.800 I mean it was really silly, but it was also 0:08:57.840 --> 0:09:01.200 really saying something. I guess that's mostly because you rarely 0:09:01.280 --> 0:09:05.320 drive though, true, but I usually enjoy driving through national 0:09:05.320 --> 0:09:08.360 parks like this, analong scenic roads and granted, like nine 0:09:08.360 --> 0:09:10.520 and nine percent at the time, it's relaxing and scenic 0:09:10.600 --> 0:09:14.160 and lovely. But occasionally I I do get moments like 0:09:14.200 --> 0:09:16.840 this where I start to like shoot steam out of 0:09:16.840 --> 0:09:20.040 my ears, like I've got too many old faithful guysers 0:09:20.240 --> 0:09:23.360 strapped to my head. We should also point out that 0:09:23.440 --> 0:09:25.640 it's super important to start your day early and drive 0:09:25.640 --> 0:09:27.720 into the park as soon as you can, because, like 0:09:27.760 --> 0:09:31.960 we said, traffic can be a beast. Most parking areas 0:09:32.000 --> 0:09:33.959 fill up super quickly, and you don't want to look 0:09:34.000 --> 0:09:37.400 like Matt it was steam popping up. I'm sorry, you 0:09:37.480 --> 0:09:41.480 guys are steam Yeah, Jatta singing out of my head. 0:09:41.720 --> 0:09:44.160 I'm constantly shocked though, by how early these parking lots 0:09:44.200 --> 0:09:46.920 fell up. It's it's really crazy, like, especially since many 0:09:46.920 --> 0:09:49.959 of these parking lots are huge and they're filled to 0:09:50.040 --> 0:09:52.880 capacity even when we get there early. Like are these 0:09:52.920 --> 0:09:55.680 people nocturnal? Do they just sleep in the parking lots? 0:09:55.800 --> 0:09:57.439 Are they? How are they here like before us? I 0:09:57.480 --> 0:10:00.720 don't understand, Like do you hear the road range that? Like, 0:10:00.760 --> 0:10:03.120 just even thinking about it, I'm like, it's all coming 0:10:03.120 --> 0:10:05.440 back to me in a really unfortunate way. It's okay, 0:10:05.640 --> 0:10:09.079 it's all gonna be okay, Right, we just gotta get 0:10:09.120 --> 0:10:12.480 you out on the trail again so you relax. Yes, Well, 0:10:12.520 --> 0:10:15.200 the trail for me, like hiking here is the best medicine. 0:10:15.240 --> 0:10:18.360 It comets me down in between driving stints, that's for sure, 0:10:18.760 --> 0:10:21.440 and for all these reasons, that's why we chose to 0:10:21.480 --> 0:10:23.160 rent a car and not use o r V for 0:10:23.200 --> 0:10:26.040 the entire time in Yellowstone. We drove through the park 0:10:26.080 --> 0:10:29.560 once from the east side to the west um, so 0:10:29.640 --> 0:10:32.240 that way we could park in West Yellowstone where we 0:10:32.320 --> 0:10:34.839 manage the luck out and book a last minute r 0:10:34.920 --> 0:10:38.160 V spot. Um. But this was over July four weekend, 0:10:38.200 --> 0:10:41.480 so we are real lucky. This just really makes it 0:10:41.520 --> 0:10:44.679 that much easier for parking and navigating because a lot 0:10:44.679 --> 0:10:48.559 of the parking areas have super limited spaces for large vehicles. Anyway, 0:10:48.679 --> 0:10:52.520 that's definitely true, and I can't really imagine like only 0:10:52.559 --> 0:10:55.439 being in Yellowstone with an RV, especially in like July. 0:10:55.880 --> 0:10:57.640 You'd have to get up like the night before. You'd 0:10:57.679 --> 0:11:00.960 have to like Black Friday it and not leave the 0:11:00.960 --> 0:11:03.560 park at all, just have your r V stay in 0:11:03.559 --> 0:11:05.760 a parking lot and be ready to go at three 0:11:05.800 --> 0:11:08.480 in the morning or something. It's ridiculous. Yeah, Fortunately, having 0:11:08.480 --> 0:11:10.200 a rental car, we could wake up at a more 0:11:10.240 --> 0:11:13.440 reasonable hour, get coffee in West Yellowstone and then head 0:11:13.440 --> 0:11:16.320 into the park by seven am and be just fine. 0:11:16.800 --> 0:11:19.080 Plus since we have Finn with us, of course, We 0:11:19.120 --> 0:11:21.080 didn't want to like constantly be leaving him in the 0:11:21.160 --> 0:11:23.440 r V while we went off hiking because for a 0:11:23.440 --> 0:11:26.280 lot of reasons, this is not a very dog friendly park. 0:11:26.800 --> 0:11:30.040 They're not allowed on any trails whatsoever or in thermal areas. 0:11:30.200 --> 0:11:33.360 But all of which makes sense, and considering the immense 0:11:33.400 --> 0:11:36.520 wildlife here, you do not want a feisty little dog 0:11:36.559 --> 0:11:39.400 like Finn causing trouble with a wolf or a bear 0:11:39.520 --> 0:11:42.160 or a bison or something. It would be a regular 0:11:42.200 --> 0:11:45.320 brew ha ha. Yeah. Then, and you know all these 0:11:45.360 --> 0:11:49.160 animals like dumping everywhere and people not like picking it up. Yeah, 0:11:49.280 --> 0:11:52.319 it would be horrific because people are rude like that. 0:11:53.640 --> 0:11:56.920 But I feel like we prepared for Yellowstone properly, uh 0:11:56.920 --> 0:11:59.600 and did it right. Um. We were able to tackle 0:11:59.640 --> 0:12:01.319 a lot of this park in just a few days 0:12:01.640 --> 0:12:04.200 that we were here, which we're gonna talk a lot 0:12:04.280 --> 0:12:24.280 more about after this quick break. Hi, I'm Matt and 0:12:24.280 --> 0:12:27.640 I'm Brad. This is Park Glandia. In today's episode is 0:12:27.760 --> 0:12:32.160 Yellowstone National Park? Part two? All right? First things first, 0:12:32.320 --> 0:12:34.440 let's take it back to what brought us to Yellowstone 0:12:34.520 --> 0:12:36.960 in the middle of prime time, Like we literally arrived 0:12:36.960 --> 0:12:39.440 in the fourth of July, and I can't really think 0:12:39.480 --> 0:12:41.720 of a better place to spend July four in America's 0:12:41.720 --> 0:12:45.080 most iconic national park. All that was missing probably was 0:12:45.120 --> 0:12:48.080 like apple pie and maybe baseball. We did have a 0:12:48.080 --> 0:12:50.880 hot dog though his name is Finn. Oh my gosh, 0:12:51.000 --> 0:12:53.880 that's right. Yeah, what a patriarchal little bunch we were. 0:12:54.640 --> 0:12:56.880 Uh and right before Yellowstone we were at the rodeo 0:12:56.960 --> 0:13:01.040 and Cody, Wyoming, which also feels like an Americana thing 0:13:01.080 --> 0:13:04.040 really very much. So. Yeah, all the cowboy hats and 0:13:04.120 --> 0:13:08.559 chili and beer and lassos and star spangled everything. This 0:13:08.640 --> 0:13:11.480 was an experience. Yeah. I was working at the rodeo 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:14.559 selling maple syrup and we were in the area for that, 0:13:14.720 --> 0:13:17.079 and you and I were able to attend the rodeo 0:13:17.280 --> 0:13:20.120 one night just for fun. Yes, and you forced me 0:13:20.160 --> 0:13:22.560 to sit on a huge cow, which was outrageous, like 0:13:22.600 --> 0:13:25.520 a real cow, And I was I thought you were 0:13:25.600 --> 0:13:28.280 joking for the first several minutes that you're suggesting it. 0:13:28.320 --> 0:13:31.240 I'm like, I don't want to do that. Do people 0:13:31.280 --> 0:13:33.880 do this like it's actually happening. That was a bowl 0:13:34.200 --> 0:13:38.680 that was a ball, well it was it was like animals. 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:41.520 That was a bowl And uh, yeah, it was really 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:45.120 cold out that night, but it was that was epic. 0:13:45.360 --> 0:13:50.600 I really loved that experience of sitting on that bowl. Um. 0:13:51.000 --> 0:13:53.040 We got some chili from one of the food vendors 0:13:53.040 --> 0:13:54.800 and went up into the bleachers to watch some of 0:13:54.800 --> 0:13:57.560 that rodeo. Yes, it was intense, let's put it that way. 0:13:57.600 --> 0:14:00.800 A lot of fast moving animals and dex as cowboys. 0:14:01.280 --> 0:14:03.080 It was fun though. It was an experience and it 0:14:03.120 --> 0:14:05.320 was super close to Yellowstone. So after the road here 0:14:05.480 --> 0:14:08.120 was done, we went into the park for three or 0:14:08.160 --> 0:14:10.360 four days to visit it together for the first time 0:14:10.520 --> 0:14:14.240 together together. Right, yes, but but first before the rodeo 0:14:14.559 --> 0:14:17.120 segment was over, because this was like a multi day 0:14:17.320 --> 0:14:20.280 thing that you were working at. I remember taking the 0:14:20.320 --> 0:14:22.280 rental car into the park on my own one day 0:14:22.360 --> 0:14:23.920 driving and it took it was a while. It took 0:14:23.960 --> 0:14:25.880 like two hours just to get in and go to 0:14:25.960 --> 0:14:28.000 like one of the hiking trails I wanted to do 0:14:28.200 --> 0:14:31.040 because this park is huge and we're staying kind of 0:14:31.040 --> 0:14:33.360 a little ways away. And I did one of the 0:14:33.360 --> 0:14:36.560 trails by the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone Section, which 0:14:36.640 --> 0:14:41.160 is this gorgeous segment of Yellowstone River with huge like 0:14:41.320 --> 0:14:45.920 raging waterfalls and it's it's mes rising, amazing place. Highly recommend. 0:14:46.600 --> 0:14:48.440 But this is where I did one of the most 0:14:48.440 --> 0:14:51.680 grueling hikes I've ever done in my life. And that's 0:14:51.680 --> 0:14:53.800 really saying something coming from you. I remember, you came 0:14:53.840 --> 0:14:57.240 back fully exhausted, and that never happens. Yeah. I did 0:14:57.280 --> 0:15:00.640 the seven mile Hole trail, which is ten mile round trip, 0:15:00.880 --> 0:15:02.920 and it descends down to the bottom of the canyon 0:15:02.960 --> 0:15:05.240 along the river, and it's the only trail in the 0:15:05.280 --> 0:15:07.960 park in this section that descends to the bottom of 0:15:07.960 --> 0:15:11.160 the canyon like this. But guess what, what goes down 0:15:11.280 --> 0:15:14.280 must come back up or something like that. And I 0:15:14.320 --> 0:15:17.760 apparently forgot about that before I started my hike, because 0:15:17.880 --> 0:15:22.040 it really hurt, and I suffered immensely, and I've never 0:15:22.120 --> 0:15:24.000 I don't think I've ever like huffed and puffed and 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:26.320 gasped for air like this before in my life on 0:15:26.400 --> 0:15:28.840 any kind of hike. I remember, at a certain point 0:15:28.880 --> 0:15:32.840 I just fully stopped caring about grizzly bears entirely, and 0:15:33.520 --> 0:15:36.280 I had bear spray on me the whole time, of course, 0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:39.040 but it reached a point where grizzly bears and my 0:15:39.080 --> 0:15:41.720 bear spray were a complete afterthought. I didn't care, like 0:15:41.760 --> 0:15:46.280 if a bear comes, I'm done, Like like I'm just 0:15:46.320 --> 0:15:48.240 gonna just lay down, not even crawling to the feet 0:15:48.240 --> 0:15:52.680 of position. Right. Yeah, And I probably just would have 0:15:52.680 --> 0:15:56.120 been unfazed in comparison to the panous In. But at 0:15:56.160 --> 0:15:58.520 one point I also I lapped this group of younger 0:15:58.600 --> 0:16:00.800 hikers at one point too, was like a group of 0:16:00.840 --> 0:16:04.400 six or seven, probably like twenty year olds or something, 0:16:05.000 --> 0:16:07.360 and they were all really nice and the kind of 0:16:07.360 --> 0:16:09.520 sharing mind. They're like, wow, good job, and I was 0:16:09.600 --> 0:16:12.520 like thanks, and then like in my head like I'm 0:16:12.600 --> 0:16:16.040 I'm dying, And then I tried to like quickly get 0:16:16.040 --> 0:16:18.200 out of their lineup sight so I could literally lie 0:16:18.200 --> 0:16:20.240 down on the side of the trail and let my 0:16:20.360 --> 0:16:23.960 lungs like stop burning. That sounds crazy, but at least 0:16:24.200 --> 0:16:27.640 the views are great. And it's really cool too, because 0:16:28.160 --> 0:16:30.800 this is apparently the only trail that actually goes down 0:16:30.920 --> 0:16:34.440 into the canyon like that. I learned that the hard way. 0:16:34.600 --> 0:16:36.840 And let's not forget about the other trail we did together, 0:16:36.920 --> 0:16:39.360 which is about twice as long as you did. Told 0:16:39.400 --> 0:16:42.520 me it was, yeah, the Fairy Falls trail, which is 0:16:42.720 --> 0:16:45.360 one of my favorites. He told me it was three 0:16:45.400 --> 0:16:48.240 miles around trip. That was just a wild guess. For 0:16:48.280 --> 0:16:50.040 some reason in my hat, I was like females. It 0:16:50.080 --> 0:16:53.680 was definitely twice that at least, but it was really 0:16:53.680 --> 0:16:56.080 pretty and you know, it was just so sunny. There 0:16:56.080 --> 0:16:58.800 were a lot of like flies, um, which is not 0:16:58.880 --> 0:17:01.960 really fun. But yeah, not my ideal kind of wildlife 0:17:01.960 --> 0:17:06.320 for for hiking, I promised me. Bison, Yeah, I know, 0:17:07.000 --> 0:17:08.560 but I mean it could have been worse. That could 0:17:08.560 --> 0:17:11.439 have been like a treacherous canyon hike, could have been like, 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:15.400 you know, swarmed with grizzly banits or something. But so yeah, 0:17:15.440 --> 0:17:18.040 the Fairy Falls Trail, I love it, and this I 0:17:18.080 --> 0:17:20.040 had very fond memories of it from when I first 0:17:20.040 --> 0:17:22.000 did this trail with my family a couple of years ago, 0:17:22.160 --> 0:17:24.480 and that that's why I swear I remember it being shorter, 0:17:24.600 --> 0:17:28.000 because in my head that's I thought it was shorter, 0:17:28.240 --> 0:17:31.159 but I was probably disstracted by all the things we 0:17:31.200 --> 0:17:33.680 saw that time that I did it, like grand prismatic 0:17:33.720 --> 0:17:35.720 spring from the overlook at the beginning of the trail, 0:17:35.840 --> 0:17:40.040 and then all the bison, like hundreds of bison, plus 0:17:40.040 --> 0:17:42.320 the waterfall itself. Of course, I'll give you that, and 0:17:42.359 --> 0:17:44.679 you know what, that's nature, right. Sometimes you see it, 0:17:44.760 --> 0:17:47.160 sometimes you don't, and you just you can't. You can't 0:17:48.320 --> 0:17:50.199 be bummed out when you don't see it. But I 0:17:50.240 --> 0:17:52.439 mean I was a little bummed. But I mean they 0:17:52.440 --> 0:17:54.840 don't show up on cue. This is like, no, this 0:17:54.920 --> 0:17:58.200 is this is the real world. This is the real 0:17:58.880 --> 0:18:02.600 wildlife of yellows Um. The waterfall was amazing and it 0:18:02.640 --> 0:18:05.359 was totally worth it. It's just long, thin, ribbon like 0:18:05.440 --> 0:18:09.119 waterfall that crashes down into a cloud of mist, makes 0:18:09.119 --> 0:18:11.720 this stream that flows out into the meadows. I mean, 0:18:11.720 --> 0:18:17.400 it's just this great place for lunch or trail beers. Yeah. 0:18:17.520 --> 0:18:19.720 I was so nervous about that. Like I was excited 0:18:19.720 --> 0:18:21.600 about it because I love the idea of trail beers 0:18:22.280 --> 0:18:24.040 and I just have a built up at such a 0:18:24.080 --> 0:18:26.320 taboo in my head, I guess. But I kept worrying 0:18:26.400 --> 0:18:29.200 and thinking everyone around us was like a beer nark 0:18:29.359 --> 0:18:33.680 or something. It really was happening. They're a beer narc 0:18:33.720 --> 0:18:35.600 And I'm like, no, they're not. They're just people like 0:18:35.680 --> 0:18:37.679 they're just wish that they had a beer too, like 0:18:38.080 --> 0:18:40.159 they might happen them in their noble That one is 0:18:40.160 --> 0:18:42.520 definitely a beer and beer narc Look, he has a camera. 0:18:42.720 --> 0:18:44.840 I'm like, he's taking pictures of the waterfall. He doesn't 0:18:44.840 --> 0:18:48.600 care about our beers. Um, but the waterfall was amazing 0:18:48.600 --> 0:18:54.119 and totally worth it, So you're just ridiculous. Let's just 0:18:54.119 --> 0:18:57.400 put it that way, clear as day. Yeah. The rest 0:18:57.440 --> 0:18:59.280 of the trail was really awesome though. It takes you 0:18:59.320 --> 0:19:02.760 by these steaming little rivers and mud pots, through small 0:19:02.800 --> 0:19:07.439 patches of forest, and then out into this huge vast meadow. Uh. 0:19:07.960 --> 0:19:12.000 We didn't see any bison, as I pointed out, any times, um, 0:19:12.280 --> 0:19:15.160 or much wildlife at all really, aside for some horses 0:19:15.160 --> 0:19:17.600 that people are riding on. And they had Cody rodeo 0:19:17.640 --> 0:19:21.440 sweaters on. Um, yeah they did. Did I feel like 0:19:21.480 --> 0:19:24.280 I was wearing mine too? Yeah? No. They even point out, 0:19:24.280 --> 0:19:25.919 oh my gosh, they were at the rodeo too, Like, 0:19:26.160 --> 0:19:28.600 but these people were probably actually like in the rodeo 0:19:29.359 --> 0:19:31.960 because it was now officially over. Yeah, and I clearly 0:19:32.000 --> 0:19:35.080 looked like I had nothing to do with the rodeo, right, 0:19:35.640 --> 0:19:37.080 and not to rub it in, but the last time 0:19:37.080 --> 0:19:38.800 I was here, I did see hundreds of bis something 0:19:38.840 --> 0:19:41.640 like I said, and a fox So that was cool. 0:19:41.720 --> 0:19:45.399 That was exciting fox that didn't even really care that 0:19:45.480 --> 0:19:47.960 we're walking by it. So we'll call that one the 0:19:48.000 --> 0:19:51.199 fantastic Mr Fox, Mr Fox. Yes, So that's why I 0:19:51.240 --> 0:19:54.440 was hoping to see a little something extra or at least, 0:19:54.480 --> 0:19:59.120 you know, something beyond like domesticated horses. But I would 0:19:59.160 --> 0:20:01.800 say that definitely fair he falls, the waterfall itself and 0:20:02.119 --> 0:20:04.960 Grand Prismatic Spring totally made up for that. Yeah. We 0:20:05.000 --> 0:20:08.040 actually started the day early at Grand prism Springs, taking 0:20:08.040 --> 0:20:10.399 the board walk out to the spring itself, but the 0:20:10.480 --> 0:20:14.640 air was still croo cold. Yeah, and it was extra steaming. 0:20:15.160 --> 0:20:18.280 Right when the air is too cold and you combine 0:20:18.320 --> 0:20:21.840 that with scolding hot hot spring, then it gets way 0:20:21.840 --> 0:20:25.119 too steaming and it's ob scared. You can't really see it, 0:20:25.160 --> 0:20:26.960 just kind of sense it, and you're aware that it's 0:20:27.000 --> 0:20:29.240 there and now that you shouldn't go wander into it. Yeah, 0:20:29.240 --> 0:20:31.720