Matilda, Robert and I went to Cooke City

The ride was uneventful for a while. It was Roberts first seasons so I showed him Undine Falls; his reaction to everything was priceless. I reacted in the same manner my first season...

"What the #@*% is happening right now??!!"

The beauty of the park is shown with what I think is beautiful...but really, the park is way more beautiful than what I show; I just take it for granted. Kind of a conundrum...After being here for so long, (2 years), you let the small things, (bison, elk and the natural beauty of the landscape), get away, but even then, I know where I live is thee most beautiful place in the lower 48 states; possibly the world. If I don't explore the rest of the world than it could be a true statement.

"If you enjoy your work, than you never work a day in you life"-???

Totally true. There are many options on your day off and what you decide to do with them is your choice. I was lucky enough to have a companion on this trip...Not for company but for sharing the enjoyment of my backyard. Below is a buck eating some grass on a hill side. The both of us we're like, "F#$@ YEAH!" 

Below is a picture of some Bison that were doing "Bison Stuff"...It was a very cold morning and with Matilda, (The Truck), not having heat, made for a cold drive. None the less we found a herd of bison with frost on their fur. Regardless, the bison continued to do bison things; moving their horns in the snow to show grass and eating it. If we had arrived 10 minutes earlier I could only imagine that they would have been crossing the road; making me nervous...I have passed bison in a Lebaron before, and being that low was scary enough, but now I'm in my own vehicle and just pray that they decide that the brown truck isn't a bison they want to mess with; Bison have horrible vision...

We came up to Lamar where I told Robert that his mind was about to be totally blown by the freedom of the land, to where he closed his eyes and I had to tell him to open them after the curve in the road. Upon reaching Lamar we were greeted with some very nice clouds. There was one cloud that was hovering above the valley, with my depth perception, 100 feet if that. It created an unreal experience for the both of us.

Below is a picture of the hovering cloud that was afraid to get be called fog if it were to drop in altitude.

The whole journey to Lamar Valley was filled with frosted plants. The frost on a cold morning truly makes Yellowstone a, "Winter Wonderland". Below is a picture taken around 10am Mountain time and I couldn't believe that the frost was still hanging onto the branches as it did. Below is my all time favorite photo of the season; hands down.

I finally managed to capture the image during winter of that I did during fall. I will have a post about the two pictures soon, comparing the two. Not much has changed between the two but the difference in WINTER and SUMMER blew my mind. Though the photos of winter and summer are not the same, they are very identical and make for a great comparison to my opinion...

Matilda, Robert and I made it from Mammoth to Cooke City and back to Mammoth without a problem. If the heat were to work in Matilda, it could have been a more enjoyable ride, but I was given a truck and it delivered what I was offered. The photos I take and share do not do justice to Yellowstone. The only way to experience the landscape of Yellowstone, and the only way, is to visit the park and enjoy the natural wonders that are within the park.

After so many seasons in the park, I have taken some things for granted but I know I'm doing so. Others will come into the park and not even leave the car except to go into the hotel that they are staying at which blows my mind away. The percentage of that is higher than you think. Perhaps that is why I like winter more, the guests come and make something of their vacation than just driving through the park and saying they saw Old Faithful go off. My photos of the park and my experiences may be great, wonderful, inspirational, mind blowing, and all other adjectives that describe great photography, but if you were to come to Yellowstone, you would have a different opinion...truly.

All I can hope is that these photos that you see inspire you make a trip out here and live the experience of a lifetime. I am fortunate enough to live in a place that is filled with exciting new adventures and hope to continue so for a very long time. Until the next adventure, which "will" include photos of ravens and coyotes and a bison using the restroom in public, I say, "Come visit and see you soon."