Fairy Falls

Wow.  Today, Saturday, I played hokey from work and instead went on a hike with Rose and Steve.  We went to Fairy Falls, an incredible waterfall at the end of a 1.6 mile trail. But first there was a mile hike from the parking lot to the trailhead, so all in all, about a 5 mile hike.  The falls themselves exceeded expectations.  It's a 200 foot drop off the edge of the caldera.  We didn't expect it to be so magnificent.  Well, Steve did as he had been there about 5-6 years ago.  He was amazed how tall the forest leading up to the fall had become.  That area had been affected by the huge fires in 1988.  We first planned to go after breakfast, but none of us had much gumption, so we planned after lunch.  Well, by then it was too hot, imagine that! so we decided to go after an early dinner.  Eventually, by 5:30 we hit the road. It was about a 10 minute drive to the parking area and then we hit the trail.  It was a fairly easy trail, edging along the geyser basin for awhile before entering into the forested area.  I wish I could put pictures in the blog, but can't seem to until I have better wifi.

Yesterday, Rose and I went to Big Sky, Montana.  I think I said Idaho in yesterdays blog. After we left the medical center, we stopped at the Lake that tilted, Hebgan Lake and Quake Lake in the Gallatin National Forest.  It was a lake that was formed after an earthquake in 1959.  There was a huge landslide that blocked much of the canyon and formed a lake.  A lot of property damage and lost lives, but still rather interesting.  Again, I wish I could add pictures.

Other than the hikes, life is pretty much the same here.  Eat, sleep, work and play. It still is exciting to watch Old Faithful go off.  I do want to see Grand Geyser, but that is more like a 4 hour window when it come to eruption.  Somebody should teach it to read clocks like they did with Old Faithful.  Some of the stuff tourist ask is quite amusing.  Like, do they turn off the geysers at night.  One of the guests insisted there was lava flowing here.  When the guy she was talking to said there is no lava, she wanted to talk to his manager since he obviously didn't know much.  Incendently, the lava is about 3 to 5 miles below the surface here.  Someone else asked when we let the bears out. Someone else asked at what altitude do the deer turn into elk.  Can't think of anyting else at this moment in time, but it is amusing.

Work is going great, especially since I haven't been there for 3 days.  We do have a bunch of people either leaving or have left.  One of my favorites, Jon, left to go home and back to college.  He writes poetry and came here to be inspired.  He said it worked.  This place is magical, like no other place on earth.  The beauty that surrounds us daily is breathtaking. 

Thanks to everyone who is taking care of Than in my absence. I feel much more comfortable knowing you are there for him.  Please keep up the good work.  I'll be home in just over 2 weeks.