Winter lasted long enough this year in Island Park that some of us got to spend time with our imaginary friends. Thanks to the atmospheric river that has flowed over us for the past four months, prayers were answered and we had consistent snow, maybe too much for some -- especially when the roof falls in! One pithy observation was that this winter is the worst case of global warming in the past 40 years. As early as February, the men at the Island Park Landfill had had enough. On one of those days when big lazy snowflakes were drifting down, I commented on how beautiful it was but was quick to understand that they did not share my opinion of the enchantment of more falling snow. From my perspective, those who sit by the fire, hugging their teddy bears and hiding from winter only make things worse. To really enjoy winter, you have to get out and embrace it. Between blizzards, we went to West Yellowstone and took a tour to Old Faithful on the big yellow bus with fat tires. It was one of those clear and below-zero days -- perfectly stunning. The driver/guide fancied himself to be the world's expert on everything Yellowstone -- wildlife, ecology, and geothermal features, but he was a little fuzzy on Sasquatch. A brief pictorial history of that adventure follows:
We did not see Sasquatch at Firehole Falls but we did see his tracks -- pretty good evidence. My hopes were up for a Sasquatch sighting.
That was until my fuzzball brother-in-law, BW, stepped all over them and messed everything up. The smartest thing he ever did was marry MK’s sister.
Then there were these two hopeless lovebirds, documenting their escapades in this Firehole selfie. Despite being great-grandparents, they are still very much in love. This is MK’s brother, GH, and his wife, CH, who were always cavorting around in the snow. They scared away more Sasquatch than we saw.
By the time we got to Old Faithful, MK's sister, DW, woke up and joined in the hunt for the elusive Sasquatch. Despite these skilled trackers, there were no sightings.
Seasonally camouflaged, these critters only show up for a picture when you least expect them, then they just disappear -- blending into the snow. Take it from this fellow who thought he and his friend were all alone -- and was surprised when he looked at his selfie! Turns out that the shy Sasquatch are actually camera hogs. You better hurry if you are going to get pictures of a Sasquatch in a winter coat. The weather is changing and they will soon shed their winter coats and blend into the forest again. Just like my inlaws. Ever vigilant, RT