Make Time: Idyllic Yellowstone

Yes - all of this was done in one day. I drove up from Jackson, Wyoming on Sunday afternoon and got to my campsite (Tower Falls) around 5:30pm. On my drive I saw golden fields of bison, elk, and deer - breathtaking. I stopped a few times to witness the beauty up close, but I had to keep an eye on the time because I didn't want it to get dark before I got setup. Luckily I arrived at camp just in time - paid my $15 for the night - and setup my car to sleep in. This is the first time I've slept in my car, and it worked out amazingly. I prefer staying in the tent, but it's getting cold now (not to mention bears are very hungry right now because they are about to hibernate). So I took my bike out of the car and then had a full half of the back to sleep and lay out. Perfection. I met some German girls at the campsite who were traveling throughout Canada and the northern US for a few months. Good people. I woke up about 7am and absolutely got after it. I wanted to see as much as I could of Yellowstone, and I actually saw all the things I wanted in one day. There were a few major roads closed in the park, which made is easier to see everything in one day, but I still managed to see Old Faithful, Lower and Upper Falls, Grand Prismatic Spring, Firehole Lake, Mammoth Springs, and many other stops along my route. There is so much beauty and space in Yellowstone - it's hard to put into words what I witnessed. So inspirational. So peaceful. So many Asian tourists! Arg! There were huge busloads of them in the park. I wouldn't have minded so much if they weren't so hell bent on taking a million pictures at every location I tried to see. I'm cool with pics (obviously), but if people aren't stopping and just appreciating the beauty with their eyes then I get annoyed. Take your pictures, but first you should appreciate the scenery with your eyes, heart, and mind. After a day of running around the park in the rain, with the tourists everywhere, I decided to head up to Bozeman, Montana for the night. On my route I saw that I would pass through Livingston, Montana, which is supposed to be an amazing town, so I found a beautiful campground and stayed there last night. UNREAL. I was all by myself in one half of the campground, and my car backed up to a huge private farm with mountains behind it (pic below). I slept again in the car and once again it was very comfortable. It rained a bit last night as well, so it was nice to listen to the rain on the car as I fell asleep (not to mention it was nice not to be in a wet tent).

I woke up this morning to the most peaceful scenery. The campground had a fantastic shower, so I finally cleaned up after two nights in my car, and then drove through the town of Livingston, Montana as I made my way here to Bozeman, Montana. I didn't stay in Livingston but wow that was one of the most beautiful mountain/western towns I've seen in the country. Another thing - as I was driving into Montana from Wyoming I got this emotional feeling. The mountain landscapes and the sky in Montana are breathtaking. No joke. At this point Montana is the most beautiful state in my mind and heart. It has really been emotional driving through such beautiful country. Good for my soul.

I'm sitting in a coffee shop here in Bozeman now, but am about to head out to grab lunch and explore the city before either staying here or heading up to Missoula for the night. Either way, I'm in a very happy place and feeling lucky to be here...