Up at 6:00 AM, after an on-and-off sleeping night (a surprising number of vehicles came through all during the night).  35 degrees, clear with high, thin cirrus.  Al and I chatted til about 6:50, then we roused ourselves.  There were no showers at the bathhouse, so only a quick wash-up was possible.  After yesterday’s strenuous activities, we’re all pretty grungy at this point - and looking forward to the Lava Hot Springs tonight.  For now, some deodorant and fresh clothes will have to cover a multitude of sins.  Packup done by 7:30, then breakfast:  bagels, fruit, coffee, and donuts.  I replaced the batteries in the passenger van Motorola just before we loaded up (Ted had left it on overnight).  Gone by 8:00, passing at least a dozen Scout/youth groups on the way out.  Stopped briefly at the Ranger Station on the way out to let them know we had indeed been there the previous night.  The guys saw an elk in the woods as we left the campground, but I was too busy driving and missed it.  We soon passed Yellowstone Lake (pelicans (!!!), ducks, and Canadian geese in residence), plus we also saw about a dozen steaming hot springs alongside the shoreline.  The burned off areas gave way to thickly wooded stretches.  Per our discussions with the Ranger back on our C&O Canal shakedown last May, we’re doing the “Western Loop” today - avoiding the tourist trap of Old Faithful.

Our first stop was at the Mud Volcano Area, a very active hydrothermal area in the southeastern part of the park.  After checking out the “Parking Lot Pool” (where we got our first real taste of the powerful hydrogen sulfide odor of the springs), we took a raised walkway which meandered about 2/3rd’s of a mile around the area, passing all the major features:  The Mud Caldron, the Mud Geyser, the Cooking Hillside (where I got some great photos), the Sizzling Basin, the Churning Caldron, the Sour Lake and Black Dragon’s Cauldron, the Grizzly Fumarole, the Mud Volcano, and the Dragon’s Mouth Spring.  For me, the Churning Cauldron, Mud Volcano, and especially the Dragon’s Mouth Spring, were the most awe-inspiring, while the Cooking Hillside was the most beautiful.  We left at 10:00.  Soon passed a small buffalo herd (approximately 25), which was attracting quite a crowd.  200 yards later, there was another herd on the left, quite close to the road.  Then smaller herds further along, again on the left.  Then after another mile, multiple herds on the right.  Then even more along the Yellowstone River .  We pulled into the Yellowstone Canyon Visitor Center about 10:15, and spent about an hour wandering around the Center and the associated shops.  Of special interest in the Center were the videos of dumb-ass tourists being attacked by the local wildlife after walking up on them (guess someone should have told them Yellowstone isn’t a “petting zoo”).  Then we headed down to “Inspiration Point,” where we grabbed “mommie shots” of the Scouts and father/son pairs with the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone as backdrop (pretty impressive!)

About half the Crew decided to take the canyon trail to the next overlook (Grand View); two miles?  I drove the van down to the Grand View Overlook; Mike headed down to the next overlook just in case the hikers missed us.  Charles, Thomas, and Sam came with me, and basically passed out in the shade after taking a look at the view.  The rest of the Crew came in after about 45 minutes; I retrieved Mike via Motorola, and we headed back to the Canyon Store to grab some drinks for lunch.  Then down to the Virginia Cascades Waterfall (quite beautiful, but I failed to get a photo because there was no place to pull off).  About a mile later, we pulled off for a picnic area, which overlooked a huge meadow.  A number of fishermen were walking across the meadow to fish the creek that fed the waterfall.  The picnic area was crowded when we arrived but soon cleared, leaving us multiple tables.  We spent 25 minutes on lunch (another lunch meat and PB&J sandwich spectacular) and hit the road.  Hugh now driving, heading for the west entrance.  We spotted our first elk herd 15 minutes after leaving the picnic area (about 20 of them, on the right hand side); then we saw 2 more buffalo on the left, then another elk herd 1/4  mile later.  2 miles later we passed more steaming sulfur springs, then past Gibbons Falls.  Finally we turned right on the northbound highway, soon passing another large herd of elk spread out over 2 adjoining meadows - maybe 30 in all, including 1 bull with a really impressive rack.

At 2:30 we entered Montana - our 4th State on the trip.  We were in Montana for only 10 miles, however, then passed through West Yellowstone (a small town).  Crossed the Continental Divide one last time as we entered Idaho (there was a sign so stating; you certainly couldn’t tell otherwise).  I played the “Southern Fried Rock” and the “Harley Davidson Road Songs” CD’s after we left West Yellowstone.  It rained lightly on and off for about the next 30 miles.  Despite the fact that we had just crossed the Continental Divide, the terrain here was nearly flat, and the road passed through farmland and ranches.  There was also a fair amount of road construction.  Most guys slept for about an hour or so, then woke up for next hour heading into Idaho Falls.  We got mixed up on directions to North’s Grand Buffet, but a cell call got us straightened out.  At the mall, we gave the guys their release for 20 minutes to go check out a western wear store (Todd bought 4 western motif belt buckles).  Hugh and Mark gassed up the vans.  Another good buffet, but I held myself to just 2 plates on this one.  Of course, the guys chowed down as usual, then several bolted to the mall again to buy some socially unacceptable CD’s (which, vicious and cruel Scoutmaster that I am, I refused to play).

On the road again at 6:40 - and once again, we got disoriented, and had to turn around to regain Rt. 26/I-15.  Passed through extensive lava beds on the way to Pocatello and Lava Hot Springs (some areas were pretty desolate).  Listened to classic rock on 102.5, another decent station.  The land became fairly flat again; a combination of farmland and ranchland.  Mostly cloudy but warm, no rain.  Passed through Pocatello, then on to Lava Hot Springs, arriving about 8:30.  Easy check in, then a quick setup (we’re getting efficient again (on our last night!)  We were amused at a bunch of our neighboring campers swimming in the creek running through the campsite - despite all the “Absolutely No Swimming” signs.

Lava Hot Springs is a sulfur-free spring at the base of a lava outcrop which had been a neutral site for plains Indians.  The springs are in a cleft between two lava formations, squeezing the railroad, the highway, and the town into a narrow strip.  The effect was that the road and train noise reverberated off the surrounding hillsides, promising an unquiet evening.  Everyone but Mike and Hugh went to the baths around 9:00 (a 10 minute walk).  [While we were at the baths, Hugh finally managed to “donate” our 4 remaining propane cylinders at the campground office - not surprisingly, the guy said he’d be able to use them eventually.  That was good - I didn’t want to have to throw them away or have to try to mail them home.]  The baths consisted of about half a dozen pools of varying sizes, waist deep, with 110 degrees water.  There were also quite a number of people there - at least 100 - but spread out well enough that you didn’t feel crowded.  We headed for the largest pool on the far side of the complex, which was almost deserted when we arrived.  The guys all jumped right in, but Ted and I eased our way in.  110 degrees is a lot hotter than it sounds!  Painful at first, but you slowly got used to it, to the point where you could stand a full immersion.  I personally spent just under 45 minutes in the pool, and could literally felt the aches and soreness fading away; it was enough to make you fall asleep.  When I had finally had enough, I took a shower to clean off.  There were 2 young Scouts from Troop 891 in Salt Lake City also in the showers, and we chatted for a while.  Their Troop was going rafting on the Portneuf River the next day.  Ted was also talking with a local Scouter outside (also from Salt Lake City, but not from Troop 891), and I joined in for a few minutes after exiting the locker room.  Got dressed and headed back with Luke, Todd and Thomas.  Once I was back at the tents, I went ahead and crashed immediately.  Everyone else drifted back over the next half-hour or so; last back was Ted - he shut the baths down.  Still pretty warm outside, and I was still overheated from the baths, so I slept on top of the sleeping bag for about 2 hours, before the growing chill drove me back into the bag.  The “white noise” from the creek next to the campsite helped mute the highway noise - but didn’t help too much with the trains!