Yellostone 2024
It’s been years since I've been to the park. My childhood memories are simply highlights that don’t include the amount of driving that takes place to get from one tourist attraction to another. But once we were in the park, it all felt so familiar.
The landscape calls to me. The intrigue of what’s around the next corner or just beyond the trees that densely line the roads. Wide-eyed and on the hunt for wild animals, it’s hard to focus on the road. I desperately want to put the truck on autopilot and perch myself on the roof with a scope and camera. I want to park at every pullout and scan the horizon, treeline, riverbed, and cliffside for signs of wildlife. If there’s a dirt road my imagination wanders aimlessly to see where it goes and how long I could be out there without seeing another human being.
For the most part, we stayed on the main path. We hit all the popular spots, and despite the crowds, we found wonder and awe. But the very best part of the trip was having my sister Kady and her husband, Matt, as the ultimate tour guides. They gave us a full, behind-the-scenes look in several locations, where it takes a bit of time. Quiet patience. Looking through the scope and slowly scanning the area around an unknown wolf den. Or a high mountain ridge where a tiny spec seen with the naked eye, is actually a momma grizzly bear and two cubs.
Times like these remind me of how important it is to SLOW DOWN. Find a spot in nature… even if it’s a few yards off the main road, and sit. Sit with the sights and sounds. Let your senses be entertained and your imagination run wild as you enjoy the stage where nature has been performing an incredible act since the beginning of time.
