Lone Star and a good bye to Old Faithful 5.15.15

I said goodbye to Old Faithful on the 14^th and left many friends there as I traveled to my own location and anxiously awaited the arrival of my coworkers and to finally open my restaurant. The EDR had some ups but too many downs for my taste. If I was offered EDR supervisor again next spring and didn’t have plans to go on some exotic or wonderful trip, I would gladly except that position and have the park to myself for as long as I could. It was a lot harder to leave the Old Faithful area due to the many great people that work in that location. I can’t express how enjoyable it was to hang with so many great people while finishing up the preseason contract.

Before leaving the Faithful Area, I had the pleasure of hiking to Lone Star Geyser. The trail was a paved road but no cars are allowed on it. I planned to do the hike around noon but the weather said no. I waited until about 2PM to start the hike with Marc and Emily and we headed a mile east of the dorms to Keppler Cascades. The 50 foot walk to the lookout is a quick and easy walk/stroll. For the amount of walking you do, you get so much more to look at. I opted out of taking pictures just because I took some about a month before with Ryn. After listening to the gushing sounds of water flow 50 feet below us while admiring the view we headed back to Matilda to move on. I joked around and said Keppler was the hike of the day and the three of us laughed and hopped in.

We drove for about a minute before getting to the trail head for Lone Star. For those who may have just started reading the blog, I have never visited any of the geyser basins until this season (season 7) except for Old Faithful. The trail for Lone Star follows a river for 98% if not 100% of the way. From time to time the water would be rushing and at other areas placid.

Within the first five minutes of walking we stopped by the river and noticed a Damn and couldn’t find out what it was for. We still ponder this and I sometimes lose sleep over it. The whole hike is 4.4 miles or so and is very flat; a person in a wheel chair could stroll to it although I don’t think I would recommend it.

Some spots of the paved/dirt road had some spring runoff and quite possibly rain puddles from earlier, but besides that the hike was very enjoyable. Unlike hiking on a natural trail, you don’t have to watch where you step and for a change can watch nature pass by. I enjoyed the tall Lodge Poles swayed with the wind as the light shuttered through the pines and watched and listened to river flow. During the hike the river flowed south to north but then there were times where these small spring run offs were flowing north to south. Something to do with the elevation I suppose or perhaps I truly do live in a magical kingdom where that can just happen. SCIENCE!

Not too far into the hike we went off trail and did a smidge of bushwhacking to some thermal features. WE didn’t dare go too close for the fear of boiling our legs and/or bodies to death but an adventure it was. I found some “green” areas to tread upon and found that it was a marsh. The water went into my shoe and it was cold; no thermal water there. On the way back down I decided to walk on fallen over trees and found some Lichen growing on a dead branch with some brown leaves and things. So I took a picture and it turned out right the first time. I think I’m starting to get a hang of it.

While walking down the road and just sharing stories of our pasts and really just getting to know one another we passed a couple of people hiking back. One family said that it had just gone off about an hour ago and we should hurry and wait to see the next one. Marc replied to the person, “It’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey to that destination,” and I couldn’t agree more.

We came upon a prairie that had some nice yellow grass with some pines that covered the calm river that flowed in front of a beautiful mountain accompanied by a white sky. While hiking I took the lead and sat down on some logs that seemed to have been placed by someone who thought, “This is a good place to sit,” and they were right! We took a small rest for about 10 minutes or so and filled up on food and drinks and enjoyed the view. It turns out this “resting spot” was only 10 minutes from the geyser.

Upon reaching the final end of the trail, there were some logs that were put down to block traffic but we thought it was foot traffic as well until we were close enough to read the signs. The signs said no bikes beyond the point. We stepped over the logs and after taking five steps, we saw Lone Star. I saw Lone Star as a giant hot rock with a fountain above but so massive it was truly unique. Marc and Emily “wowed” and we continued the walk but couldn’t take our eyes off of it.

I saw an informative post and went straight to it while the geyser was hissing and rumbling. See picture for details. So after I read the information board and took the picture I walked around and found a log bench someone made with a couple of dead trees. I started to take some pictures to get my camera ready for the eruption and made some changes to fine tune it and I was set.

I turned the camera off and lit a cigarette and laid down on what was somewhat of a comfy log seat. I would take a puff and think of nothing but nature and then Lone Star started to gargle and hiss louder every minute and de jevu struck. I recalled a dream of seeing Lone Star but to this day I feel that I never saw a photo or video and everything fit in quite perfectly. I sat up from the log and stared into the geyser just watching the signs of the geyser starting to erupt. I shuffled over to my two friends on some logs that sat right in front of it and pulled out my camera. Every small eruption seemed like the next one was going to be the main eruption. While waiting with anticipation, and the sound of my camera clicking away with every small burst of water, I continued to look at Marc and Emily as they were taking a selfies and then BOOM! Not really a “boom” but the loud sound of water releasing and spreading out all over the rock happened and my finger would release every ten seconds while my camera would turn 90 degrees to get a different view. As Lone Star was going off I looked at the playback screen and decided that perhaps an auto mode was appropriate for the situation. I switched the mode and took pictures in landscape and horizontal and flipped back to my manual. I have two great pictures of Lone Star and the thrill of trying to capture the amazingness while it went off raised my blood pressure. I saw what I wanted in the picture and to capture it was going to be something challenging. There are two pictures posted; one on manual and the other auto.

Right before the geyser was going off a storm was winding in. The two asked if we should double step it and I replied that it wouldn’t matter. We walked with a fast pace and sure enough the rain caught up to us. From there I continually stated that it couldn’t get any worse and sure enough, a slight drizzle is all that happened. Marc may say differently as he had some snow/hail on his clothes, but none-the-less, we made it. The clouds opened up as if we were coming back from a battle and needed something to be happy for. The light shined through the trees on our left and lit the river up on the right with the trees standing tall and lighting the foliage with its rays. I tried to take a picture of this majestic scene but failed.

After the eruption of the geyser, we headed back and both of them thanked me for including them in on the hike and I thanked them in return. We met a couple on our return from the geyser and told them that it just went off. So they decide to turn around and walk with us while asking us questions about the park. We walked about ten minutes or so and filled them in on everything that we might know and a huge puddle came up in the pathway. This is where Marc carried Emily across the muddied trailed river for the second time; the first being on the way in. After that puddle we were separated by the couple and ventured on back to Matilda.

You can get to know someone in the workplace and think you know them; or you can invite them on a hike and get to know the real person. Nature has this amazing ability of releasing a person’s true self. If you want to know someone…Take them on a hike. When you are 1000’s of feet above what you are used to, the air is thinner, the beauty is higher, and the person is weaker. When you do that, you will find the true person.

The two people I hiked with to Lone Star were truly amazing people. I couldn’t ask for a better three person hike. I learned a lot about two people that I never really hung out with but wish I did. Now I’m in a location that is pretty remote from Old Faithful due to a bridge being out for the next 3-5 weeks. Fortunately I have to open my own location and devote my time to that to make sure that things run smoothly.

As being offered an Assistant Dining Room Manager position before the season even starts, I’m filled with more confidence to make the strides needed to help run a successful business this summer. I truly only see good things coming this season and honestly can’t wait to take the step up. For a while, Old Faithful will survive without me; like they have always done, but for me to survive without them is something I have never done. I will truly miss the OF people that work away to make play.

Now I’m moved into my new room here at Grant Village and have to say that it feels like a hotel room. It is the best dorm in the park hands down…At least the wing I was put into has the best dorm rooms; there is a pool table in the lobby along with exercise equipment and a ping pong table. Not too bad Grant, not too bad.

There isn’t much to comment on at the moment. Tomorrow is the first training day and I hope that the correct people show up on time. We had a TRUE manager meeting today. F&B, AF&B, ADRM, ADRM, CHEF, SOUS CHEF and SOUS CHEF, met for a one hour meeting that was much needed. I’m not sure if this usually happens but it felt good in all the ways. I look forward to a great season here in Grant! We shall see what tomorrow brings!

Until then,

National Park Bum,

MacKeag Resh

P.S.        Not many people may be in the area to afford a bumper sticker and support the cause. Fear no more. I have just joined “GoFundMe.com” which is a place that offers funds for people.

http://www.gofundme.com/ufdjzs

Most funds go for a great cause of life or death and others go for a place where a regular Joe like me just needs a few bucks to make a dream come true. Sure I’m asking for a lot…I want stuff that I cannot afford but would love. Donating to my fund is simply stating this: You like what I write and you would like to see more from a different park and camera. I’m not one to beg for funds but at the same time I do offer a free service…No harm, no foul.

We shall see what happens. I have a gofundme account and this blog won’t shut down even if I don’t get funds. I will continue to shoot photos and type away as my brain sees and you will continue to read as if I mentioned nothing at all. I have an art and I will continue to share it. All I can really ask for is the sharing of this post and let the word spread! Thanks again!