Sunday, September 12 - Day 10

We traveled 100 miles yesterday around the park.

It was 40 degrees inside the tent this morning with heavy frost. BRRRR.

Got up at 6 am and heard a strange noise - I thought it was the bathroom door closing and Dave said it was an elk bugling. Cool. He was inside the campground because it sounded close. We got ready to go to the showers and on our way down we encountered a bull elk. He crossed behind us and I got a photo of him in the passenger side mirror. He was bugling right behind the car.

Went to mass at 8 am in Gardiner, MT. The priest was a good speaker and at the beginning of mass had asked where people were from. Some from New Hampshire, Louisiana, and Madrid, Spain. The church, St. Williams, was a little smaller than St. Paul's Oratory in Pyrites.

After mass we went to the Town Cafe for breakfast of french toast and eggs. Talked to people from Nashua, NH who sold their home and are now living in their motor home. Went back to the visitors center area and took the loop to Tower Roosevelt and down to see the “Grand Canyon of Yellowstone”. What beautiful scenery and huge landscapes. I got some still photos and video of it.

Stopped at many overlooks and went by Lamar Valley Road where we saw lots and lots of bison. Two different herds of about 15 each crossed the road and we had to stop to watch them. Some of the areas we stopped at was Undine Falls, a beautiful overlook and heard elk, a petrified tree - which didn't look so scared (petrified) to me, but Dave says that it must be important because it has an iron fence all around it. Some people said they saw a bear and two cubs later in the day - which of course, we missed; Calcite – where rocks were bleached, Tower Fall - a beautiful waterfall – where we had a dish of ice cream. We continued traveling along Dunraven Pass and the elevation was 8,859 feet and we saw snow in the mountains and also along the side of the road.

There was a beautiful snow capped mountain range which we think is the Grand Tetons.

Went down to Gardiner again for a burger that our friend, JC Palermo, told us about. Helen's – home of the hateful hamburger. It was huge - a half pound - loaded and delicious.

Back to campsite and we have to break down camp tomorrow because the campground closes for the season. We want to hike the South rim of the canyon, which will be beautiful, and then head down to the Grand Tetons.