Today was my first day off. I was contracted to only work 32 hours a week. So however they arrange my time is up to them, but I have today off and then work tomorrow and then have Tuesday and Wednesday off. Tomorrow we begin our summer hours where the store will be open 9AM to 9PM. So we are going to start working what they call split shifts. You basically come into work and work for a few hours then off for a couple of hours and then back to work for a few hours. Tomorrow I work from 11:25AM to 2:40PM and then back to work at 5:30PM and work until 9:30PM. So basically it is close to 7 hours of work. Myself and a few of the other workers have asked why they do this, but have yet to come to a good reason. The only thing I can think of is that I basically have to eat lunch before work and eat dinner before going back to work.
I got up early today and ate breakfast quickly so that I could get on the road to West Yellowstone. I planned on attending the First Baptist Church there and their Sunday school started at 9AM. It takes me about an hour to get there from my dorm and I wanted to start a little early to ensure I found the church in time. Stepping out of the dorm to go eat I was snowed upon. After breakfast I headed for the car and was rained on. The weather in the mountains is pretty interesting for sure. As I drove to West Yellowstone the sun came out but it was still only 40 degrees. Always on the lookout for wildlife I drove the speed limit and much to my surprise a herd of Bison were attempting to march down the highway coming my way. I reached the area where traffic was stopped and on my lane it was just one car in front of me and a few behind me. On the other side of the road was a tour bus and several cars behind it. We were all stopped admiring the Bison and their marched up the road toward me. Some would follow the highway and some would just keep crossing over one side and then back to the other. I rolled my window down and took several pictures. They were close enough for me to be able to reach out and touch one or two as they passed me by, but I did not for safety reasons. I looked at my clock in the car and calculated that I really needed to get moving so that I could get to the church on time. At last all of the Bison passed me by except a mother and its calf. Well wouldn’t you know it the calf decided to nurse at that time and just stopped the Mom in front of the tour bus on the other side and started to feed off of Mom. Now it would not have bothered me as they were on the other side of the road but the guy in front of me decided to go to full camera mode and would not get moving down the road. God was teaching me a lesson about patience. So I decided to take a few pictures of the nursing calf while I waited. Finally either the Mom had had enough or the calf was done and they moved passed me on the road and the car in front started moving. I made it to church with 10 minutes to spare.
The church was small but located in town and I parked on the street and entered the church. I knew what would happen I would enter in and get the look from all in the church to a new visitor. You know the look, it is the same look an old west bar group would give a stranger walking through the batwing doors with the sheriff’s favorite gal by his side. Well I did get the look but it only lasted a second and the folks greeted me warmly. Sunday school was very good and the Bible passages we studied were very good also. After Sunday school I got to meet a few of the folks who were regulars of the church and they all seemed very friendly. The morning worship was next and they played the old songs that I knew growing up and used a piano as the main music. I really enjoyed singing the old songs. Not that the new songs are not good, I just like to listen to the old songs as they take me back to when I started attending church in Vicksburg Indiana. The morning message was pretty good and after the service was over I shook more hands and left to try to get my phone and computer updated using a better internet than the park can provide. By the way about one third of those attending the church today were visitors like myself and I think the church really enjoys it when the tourist season starts as they get a real bump in attendance.
I managed to get my computer and cell phone updated and went in search for a light that I could attach above my bed so that I could read. I found a place in town that was a Radio Shack once but when they went out of business the store just converted itself to an electronics shop. They had what I needed, so I will be able to read in bed tonight.
I headed back into the park and worked my way up north to find a small but interesting hike I could take to get my legs back in shape. I found one about thirty miles north of where I live called Artist’s Paint Pot. I pulled over into the parking area and looked at the sign detailing how far it was to the geyser area. It said it was about three quarters of a mile to the area. So I calculated about a mile and a half hike. Which sounded good so I put on pullover sweatshirt that I had in the car and headed up the path. The snow and rain had stopped but it was still around 40 degrees. The walk was pretty good and there were only a few other people hiking that day. Most of the walk was through the woods but I knew we would come upon the geyser basin soon as I could smell the sulfur smell that comes from most geysers. Sure enough the woods opened up and there were plenty of geysers all around the path. The signs said to stay on the path and not approach any water or geyser. Most of the water coming up will pretty much burn the skin off as it is very very hot. The trail soon came to a loop around the basin and I took the path to the left that would lead to a short climb up around 200 feet. Once at the top of the climb you could see the whole geyser basin and I could see why they called in Artist’s Paint Pot as an artist could create a pretty beautiful picture of the area. You not only had the geyser’s going off but looking down the path and up you could see some very nice snow covered mountains. I continued on the trail and it soon started to descend, but not before coming to a unique little geyser called a mud pot. This thing made a noise like a burp/flop as the geyser just pushed up mud and spewed it out. The trail had a sign post that you could read about the mud pot but I did not approach it because the mud pot was occasionally spewing mud on the platform and the sign. It was just covered with hardening mud. A pretty neat site for sure. Well I continued down the trail and back to the car. I can tell my legs need work and I also can tell my lungs are not exactly used to high altitudes yet but given time the legs will get better and my high altitude breathing will be just fine.
I headed back to the dorm for dinner and watched part of the Cubs loss to the Giants on the TV in the dorm gathering area. The Cubs have been on a little losing streak since I have been gone. I hope they perk up when the face those dreaded Cardinals later this week. Well I will get this posted and try out my new reading light. You all take care and I hear the weather in Indiana was pretty good today as Cathy said she mowed today.
p.s. Today was my wedding anniversary. Cathy and I have been married for 34 great years. It was pretty tough being away today from her but talking to her on the phone helped a lot. Thank you Lord for a great wife.
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