random sights over the last several weeks

I recognize I haven't posted anything here in a long time. Sorry. Life is very busy and the internet is very slow. Even this post has taken me several days to upload.

I have played a lot of softball this summer... far more than I had anticipated in signing up for the housekeeping team. We play an average of two games per week and have practice one more day. Last Saturday I played on a "Lake Region" team in the Colter Classic Softball Tournament, held in Mammoth Hot Springs. Since our team was made up of the best eight guys and best four girls from the regular teams, we dominated the entire day. After five games, we were undefeated and beat the Mammoth team who has taken the title for the last five years! Though very fun, it was a very long day.

This summer marks the return of the 1930 buses to the park. With new engines and a few tweaks here and there, they are once again taking the "dudes and dudets" (what the visitors were called up until the 60's) on tours of the park. My friend Molly and I were lucky enough to catch a ride on a sunset tour one night. Though very cloudy, it was a highlight of the week!

This is not an uncommon sight in the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Absolutely magnificent!

Surprisingly, I do more than just play here. This picture is of the Cabin Office, where I spend seven or so hours, five days a week. Up until today, I spent the day loading up one of the above pictured "Molly" carts, lugging it around to the front of each cabin, proceeding to make beds, wipe mirrors, scrub showers (well, we're supposed to scrub, but...), and cover my hands in more germs than scientists probably know about. But today was my last day for that... at least for a full-time job. Starting tomorrow, I will be a team leader. Basically, instead of cleaning the cabins, I will walk around and check about 50 throughout the day, making sure they have been properly cleaned. Though I had accustomed myself to being a "Pillow Puncher," as we used to be called (today it's just "Room Attendant"), I am greatly appreciative of the promotion... especially the increase in pay!

A couple Mondays ago, I hiked up Sepulcher Mountain... about a ten mile hike in the north region of the park. As the sun was rising over what is called Hayden Valley, the bison were making their way to the Yellowstone River, their watering hole for the day. This day, however, the valley was filled with fog and the sight was absolutely stunning.

This is a fairly typical sight in and around different mud pots. It still seems crazy to me that I live in the caldera of the world's largest active volcano. Yikes!