1127 September 5, 2024 Another Day In The Life Of A Wanderer

The sign at the bank said that it was 32 degrees as I set out for my morning walk.  I was wearing layers and the sun was bright and warm and it felt good to be moving.  Today, I walked through town.  I passed businesses called Bullwinkle’s and Slippery Otter and Dancing Moose.  There is a nature theme here in West Yellowstone!

I found a hardware store and went in to get a few things.

Tim wanted to take a ride on a nearby scenic highway.  We packed the Jeep and started on Route 191N through Gallatin National Forest and over the Madison River. 

We seldom camp in a town but we really like it here and even tried to stay longer! We like our little corner site.

We turned onto 287 or Hegben Lake Road.  We stopped right at the water’s edge.

We saw a marker for a historical sign and we stopped to read.  We had stumbled upon the Earthquake Lake Geological Area.  On August 17, 1959, a big earthquake, 7.5 on the Richter scale, shook this area.  There was a huge landslide and the landscape was permanently altered as a result.  28 people lost their lives.  Looking around, you would never expect that something so awful could occur here.  The scenery is peaceful and beautiful. 

The landslide that occurred, stopped the flow of the Madison River.  Earthquake Lake began to form as the water backed up to fill the canyon.  The water rose 9 feet each day.  The lake was up to 190 feet deep.  The trees that had been living in the bottom, were flooded.  The ghosts of those trees still stand today.

If you look at the mountainside, you can see where the mountain collapsed.

There was a campground near the river’s edge.  Many people staying there were buried underneath the rocks and mud.

We walked the path to the Memorial Boulder.  This 3,000 ton rock came across the road and stopped to rest at the site of this memorial.  We took some time to be quiet here.  The Earth’s forces are so very powerful

No bears today.

The river beyond Earthquake Lake.

We traveled on and turned onto Route 87.  We saw an antelope cross the road.  A second later, Tim saw a dirt road that looked interesting to him and he made the turn onto what was coincidentally called Antelope Basin Road.  We rode over meadows and streams and among hilltops and mountains.  This is our favorite kind of wandering.  We did not know where we were going and we had no particular destination in mind…just follow the road and see where it leads.  We had a full tank of gas, plenty of water, lunch and nothing but time!  It was kind of nice to be off of the conveyor belt of ants that is the national park road.  For most of the 7 miles, it was just us. 

We found a nice picnic spot and sat in our chairs admiring the stellar vista. The sky was so blue and the air smelled sweet.

We debated whether or not we should continue on our quest to find the other end of the road and we decided to keep going. 

Tim stopped to ask number 748 if she could kindly give us directions.  She stared at us blankly as cows will often do.  She wasn’t very helpful.

We were more than a little disappointed when the road ended abruptly at a gate.

We turned around and went back.  We passed a truck hauling horses in a trailer.  Two cowboys rode in the front and a dog rode in the back of the pickup.

Roadblock.

We passed some guys setting up what looked to be a hunting camp.

Then, we were back on the pavement and on the road to West Yellowstone.  We had the very best day!  As Ollie would say “PopPop has all the best ideas!”