Day 8: Yellowstone NP, Canyon, Mammoth Hot Springs, Lamar Valley, and Grizzly

Today we took a slightly longer drive to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone NP. It was much colder today than yesterday, but we were amazed to see how much snow was still around the canyon. Unfortunately, most of the trails were still closed, so we could only take a few photos of the Lower Fall, but we couldn't do a short hike as planned. However, the canyon itself and the waterfall were still very impressive. There is also an Upper Fall, but we couldn't get there.

We then went to Mammoth Hot Springs. Hot springs have left behind huge deposits of limestone. Here too, we occasionally encountered the familiar smell. 😝

Since we had only seen a few Tatankas so far, we drove to Lamar Valley. This valley is known for its large number of animals. The drive there was well worth it. We saw countless Tatankas in several large herds. On the way back, we even had the luck of seeing a small herd of baby bison grazing right next to the road. We were happy! 😄 On the way back, the road suddenly became blocked. A tree had fallen and was blocking the road. A friendly ranger came to each car to report what had happened and how long it would take to clear the road. That would never happen in Germany! 😕 After a good half hour, we continued. A very clever driver, who had previously overtaken the entire line of waiting cars on the left and now blocked the left lane, received a stern warning from a ranger. I would have been interested to know how much the fine was. Back at Mammoth Hot Springs, there were 4 elk cows lying in front of the Visitor Center. It took me a while to realize that "Elk" means "Hirsch" and "Moose" means "Elch".

On the way back, Evi spotted a grizzly bear when a bunch of cars were already parked on the side of the road. She bravely got out of the car and started chasing the fleeing bear with her camera. Then she got back in the car and stopped again a little later. At that exact moment, the car coming towards us also stopped... and then there was a crash. A motorcyclist couldn't brake in time and crashed into the back of that vehicle. I only saw the motorcyclist being thrown strangely bent next to the car. I had a bad feeling about the motorcyclist. Of course, I went straight to him, he only had shoulder pain. After a brief examination: Maybe a broken collarbone. Otherwise, he felt extremely nauseous, but he wasn't seriously injured. We then continued to clear the road. My goodness, what a shock. 🤤 The bear was gone by then! Then we continued to the hotel. It actually started snowing. Temperatures just above 0°C. 😣

Now for the quiz resolution: After extensive research, it turns out to be... Tatanka-AA! The piles are lying around here in tons...

Congratulations Marlies! 🏆 You will receive something typical of the country, of course personally handed over...🥇

~C.