More Random Pictures:

This picture of YNP tour drivers was taken in 1924. Back then buses weren't used for tours, but open touring cars. The driver standing highest in the picture later became a famous Hollywood actor. Remember the movie Sergeant York, the movie about the war hero Alvin York. The main-lead in that movie is seen standing at the top of the photo, yes, Gary Cooper. 

One day washing buses Virgil and I had a visitor. The bison standing by those pine trees nonchalantly walked through our lot, between two buses, sort of towards us, then stood where he is in this picture and ate some grass (I'm glad he likes grass). Virgil said one came through a couple years ago, spraying him with the hose and the bison loved it, standing still for several minutes while Virgil gave him a bath. Virgil tried it on this one and he didn't care for it at all. He sort of jumped and moved on further away from us. Phew!

LaRayne and Tim at the south gate entrance.

At the north gate entrance to GTNP. There is only a 1-2 mile stretch of forest separating these two national parks on the same highway.

This picture taken in 1927 is a cutaway cabin showing and describing the luxurious amenities provided (read caption in picture).

Last Friday, Aug. 2, we drove over the Beartooth Pass between Cooke City, MT and Red Lodge. LaRayne had been over this pass many years ago when she was a kid. She remembers counting nine switchbacks. This very curvy road at 10,900 ft. gave a very expansive view of the countryside.

Another view from Beartooth Pass.

This is the Chief Joseph Scenic Highway (47 mi.) which runs between Cooke City, MT and Cody, WY. This part of the area where Chief Joseph and 1,000 Nez Perce Indians tried to escape the U.S. Calvary into Canada. This tribe endured many hardships on foot during this 1,800 mile trek including a six-day battle and eventual surrender to the calvary. The Nez Perce were only 30 miles from the Canadian border. 

Chief Joseph Scenic Highway - We drove all those switchbacks to get to the top and take this picture.

At the top.

Driving south out of the CJ Hwy. This red-rock mountainside was bright orange.

This is a winter picture of the bus barn where I work. These Bombs (Bombardiers) are what are used to provide tours to the visitors. Behind them and to the right is also a yellow Ford van-bus that has the wheels removed and tracks installed. These buses in the winter are called "snow-coaches". Then directly to the right and behind the barn are fifteen snowmobiles. These are rented by winter visitors and snowmobile tours are given by our guides. Virgil (my co-worker) was a snowmobile tour guide last winter, accumulated a total of 500 snowmobile miles.

Very Grand!
I had to bring this picture of the Grand Prismatic Spring to the forefront of my blog. I learned some very interesting information about this that makes it even more spectacular. This spring is 370 feet in diameter, and it depth measured at 121 feet. WOW! That's twelve stories underground. Not your average size pool is it? It is the largest hot spring in the United States, and ranks third largest in the world.

I'm also assuming everyone knows that YNP has more combined thermal, geyser features than anywhere else in the world.

Today I'll review my work location at YNP. I work at the "Bus Barn" at Old Faithful Village. My primary function is washing different kinds of tour buses assigned to the Old Faithful Transportation Department. I also drive-escort Tour Guides to different sites and drop them off, or pick them up from riding on private motor coaches. Private tour groups hire our Tour Guides to provide oral presentation throughout bus tours in Yellowstone. Our guides can be gone from anywhere between 1-4 days depending on tour type. My driving take anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on location drop-off/pick-up. I really enjoy the driving trips as it allows me to site see along the way (and I'm getting paid at the same time).

Here is a tour of the Bus Barn:

 
Rear of Bus Barn with our wash pad. My dormitory by the way is less than a five minute walk from here.

My office.

1936 White tour bus. These buses were sold to Glacier National Park in the 1970's. Yellowstone realized their mistake of selling these nostalgic vehicles to Glacier, and bought them back the next year agreeing to pay $1,000 more than what they sold them for. Four are stationed at Old Faithful and a few are at other locations. They have original bodies & chassis' with updated engines, transmissions, and reupholstered seats.

Interior/dash of 1936 White - Notice original wood trim around windshield.

MCI - MC5 Tour Bus. MCI first began building buses for Greyhound in 1939.

Yellowstone has five of these and they are all located at our bus barn. They are 1975's and were purchased new by Yellowstone for public and private tours. Two of them have restrooms. All of them are powered by Detroit diesel engines and have over 2-million miles each. My co-worker is seen at the right of the bus. His name is Virgil and he's from Texas. He's been here four years and the past two years he worked through the winter season driving snow coaches and snowmobile tours.

MC5 - interior

MC5 - driver's seat

Glaval Tour Bus - we have six of these at our location

Glaval - interior

2009 Prevost Tour Bus - newest bus in our fleet. This is the only bus of it's kind here in YNP. This goes out on 1-day, and 4-day tours.

Prevost - interior (not sure who picked out the pink color combo, but it wasn't me).

Chevrolet Step Vans - we have five of these and they go out for single day tours. I failed to mention everything here except for the MC5's and Prevost are all 4-wheel drive for obvious reasons. These vans and the Glavals also get their wheels removed and replaced with rubber snow tracks (kind of like a army tank) for winter tours.

Washed and ready for service!

Today and tomorrow are considered our weekend off here in Yellowstone. Last night we traveled south into Grand Teton National Park and are staying in Jackson Hole, WY. We were here two weeks ago and got rained out from kayaking on Jenny Lake. So with only our boats in tow we planned on kayaking both days.

Today we got up at 6:00 a.m. By time we ate breakfast at The Bunnery Bakery & Restaurant, picked up some things at K-Mart, and drove 30 minutes to Jenny Lake we didn't get on the water until
9:30 a.m. The water was crystal clear, calm, and the view was something we'll never forget. There were others already on the water too in kayaks, canoes, and paddle boards. There is also a boat shuttle service that takes visitors to hiking trails on the other side of the lake. These boats were the only thing creating any wake, which was very manageable for kayaks. We did have to turn into the wake a few times, but otherwise it was fine. Once we paddled the shoreline over to the shuttle service dock area we were able to get out and rest our legs a bit. LaRayne found a small stream running into the lake. Upon further investigation LaRayne found this stream to actually snow melt coming from high up on the Tetons, running down into the lake. We stood in it for awhile in our water shoes and it was obviously colder than the rest of the lake. After a 15-20 minute rest we paddled off around the remainder of the lake shoreline. I'm estimating we went a total of five miles. Kayaking around the perimeter of the lake created lots of different vantage points of this rocky mountain range.

Tomorrow we plan on repeating today. This will be LaRayne's last time in the Jackson Hole area before returning to Troy. She only has two more weeks of work left at YNP. She will then have to take her soft serve ice cream cone curl trickery back home to the Midwest.

Today's pictures:

Me on west shore standing in the snow melt stream

LaRayne on west shore standing in snow melt runoff, running into lake

Beautiful Day

NW corner of Jenny Lake, bow pointing SW

Paddling the west (mountain side)

The launch site (see the clear water)

Chilly morning, 43. Another work day for LaRayne and I. She works from 6:00A-2:30P and I work 7:00A-5:00P. We plan on driving 30 minutes south to Lewis Lake right after work to kayak. Winds are suppose to be light and variable all day high of 78, so it should be a nice evening to paddle. I'm hoping for glass-water conditions.

Sunday on our way home from supper there was a bison right off the sidewalk (50 ft.). We pedaled by slowly on our bikes.

Yesterday on our way home from supper there was a yearling mule deer right off the sidewalk
 (50 ft.). We stopped on our bikes for a few seconds to watch it.

Sorry that it has been twenty one days since my last blog entry. The main reason is even though I like my new job washing tour buses a lot, I'm working way-more hours and I'm just plain tired in the evenings to post anything. The past two weeks I averaged 9.5 hour days. Plus the wifi here is like, fast basic internet, and it takes forever to upload pictures.

Okay, enough excuses. This past weekend we went to Jackson. The first day we went biking on the trail I'd done several weeks back by myself. LaRayne loved the trail being real close to the Tetons. As we rode through Moose Village we actually saw a bull m-o-o-s-e while crossing the bridge. The next day we were going to kayak on Jenny Lake but we got rained out. So, instead we went to Teton Village and rode the tram up the mountain. We were actually in-and-out of the clouds at the top.

Today, 7/20/13 we did an all-day tour Yellowstone Park Loop in our van and drove to Mammoth Hot Springs, Tower, the Petrified Tree, then drove through Canyon, on down to Yellowstone Lake and Lewis Lake to kayak. The water was too rough at both lakes so our kayaking was a bust. But there is always next weekend! Our tentative plans for next weekend are to car-camp at Colter Bay Marina/Campground and kayak on Jackson Lake both days.

Here are some updated pictures. Sorry they are not in very good order. I had trouble with my cursor cooperating.

Taken from inside our minivan on July 6th. Yes, that's snow on the side of the road.

Bike Trail Along Tetons

Moose Next To Bike Trail Bridge

Presbyterian Chapel along bike trail

Taken inside looking towards pulpit with window in background. How could anyone preach a bad sermon with this as their backdrop.

Smiling With Clouds and Mountains In Background

Tower Falls

L&T at Tower Falls

Hiked Up Steep Hill To Get This Better Picture of Grand Prismatic Spring