[Geysers] Weekend geyser report for 10/28 & 29 (Kitt B.)

[barger]

Greetings!
     After disassembling 3 pumpkins during 3 preschool classes, I headed straight for Yellowstone with my usual 20 minute Wal-Mart delay.  I worked my way past pastures filled to the brim with deer and headed up Sylvan Pass as the sun set.  (Yes, this is when Giant chose to start its eruption.)  Work seems to be completed for the year (inside the East Entrance), so there are no delays with the exception of a reduction in the speed limit.  There was only a small amount of snow on Sylvan, but the roads around Yellowstone Lake varied from dry to an icy snowpacked blend.  (Today I found the road from Canyon to Fishing Bridge to be the same in the tree shaded areas.)  Anyway, I made my way cautiously, but directly to Old Faithful.  I found 2 bikes in the bike rack and one car in the Lower Hams parking lot.  In the shroud of total darkness, I unloaded my bike, and went to the Visitor Center to down load times from the Log Book.  
     10/27/06 Log:  Castle - 0330E, 1637E
                           Daisy - 0650, 1215E? (did I copy this correctly?), 0330E, 1306ie, 1617
                           Grand - 0907,0220E, 1650
                           Riverside - 0753, 1415
                           Beehive - 1132 (ind. 1124ie)
                           Giant H. P. - 1049 d=2, 1501 d=1, 1615 d=1
                           Lion - 1351ie
                           Plume - 1122
                           Oblong - 1710
     After trying to reach several gazers who were communicating via radio with no luck, I headed for West Yellowstone.  (Madison camp ground was still open, but I would have had to stay until 8 AM to register the next morning and I wanted an early start.  I did see a fox when I drove through to check on Great Fountain which had already erupted.  My sleep was restful, but short since I wanted to get back into Yellowstone.  
     October 28th arrived cold and dark and once again Great Fountain had already erupted, so I continued to the Upper Geyser Basin.  I arrived in the dark and not so patiently waited until I could see.  Oblong was in eruption at 0721, Grotto was off, and at 0724 I found that both the safety sign and the Giant sign had rolled.  I pedalled back to Castle and found Tilt's Baby in eruption at 0750.  I cautiously made my way by foot on the extremely slick boardwalk past Castle and headed to Grand.  West Triplet was in eruption at 0807 (and ended at 0839).  Grand erupted on the next Turban at 0816 (T1C) kissed by the peachy glow of the sun.  Daisy erupted at 0908.  I went to the Hill and Depression was noticed by Paul S. at 0914ns with Lion joining in at 0916.  Plume erupted at 0930 and Riverside's steam cloud appeared over the hillside at 0936.  Beehive's Indicator started at 1029 and I waited for Plume (hello - 1035), before noticing Aurum's steam cloud at 1039.  The breeze continued to shift back and forth and as Beehive started its eruption at 1043 some people headed north and watched a backlit Beehive and I headed south and watched a fuzzier Beehive with a double rainbow.  Lion erupted again at 1047 and we noticed that Little Squirt was erupting at 1053 as we passed it on our way off the Hill.  After hitching a ride with the Strassers back to my vehicle, I found out that there is something besides the Visitor Center that was open in the Basin.  From 10 AM to ?4 PM the Snow Lodge's Gift Shop and the Geyser Grill are open.  We headed to the Lower Basin to check on Fountain which had been seen by Darryl and Ann S. at 0823ie.  Pink Cone was in eruption at 1147 and Labial erupted at 1157.  The Fountain Paint Pots are great right now with different levels burping mud.  Some pots were even throwing up ropey mud.  Paul, Suzanne, Kevin S., and I enjoyed a snack as we soaked up some sun.  Spasm erupted at 1310, but Jet was varying and we decided to head back to catch a Grand, although we did a Great Fountain detour and watched it erupt at 1441 (with a P=0).  We left after the first series, and as we drove into the Upper Basin we saw Grand at 1506.  West Triplet was in eruption at 1516 and Rift started at 1518.  At least Grand was a 2 burst.  Riverside erupted at 1532 and Giant had a Hot Period at 1636 (d=2m17s).  Daisy erupted at 1700 and Artemisia's steam cloud was seen at 1704.  We decided to call it a day and headed to Enos for steak and some yummy hot potato salad.  I drove back to Madison with a contented smile on my face as I listened to Sarah Brightman's Diva.  I turned my clock back the hour and was in bed by 8:30 PM.  (This was the final night that Madison camp ground would be open this year.)
     I was up and arrived at Old Faithful to find Dome erupting at 0530.  Plume erupted at 0556.  I pedalled down the path and became enveloped in geyser fog.  Bijou was still splashing, but Grotto was in eruption, and Spa erupted to 2/3 the height of the biggest tree at 0630.  I headed back to Castle which erupted (well it minored at 0731).  Plume erupted at 0654, then Old Faithful at 0658 (long), then another Plume at 0749.  Oblong's steam cloud appeared at 0804 (ie) and the Strassers and I went to watch an Old Faithful eruption.  Kelly (an Interpretive Ranger) was headed to Grand with her trusty laptop ready to give up to date information on the last eruption of Grand.  Old Faithful erupted at 0829 (long) and we saw Plume again at 0841 as we headed for Grand.  We were at Castle when Kelly radioed the 0325E for Grand, but then we took a little time figuring out if that was the corrected time or not (since day light savings time started overnight).  We realized that we were a little early for Grand's window, but it had also had some short interval eruptions.  We had watched a Turban from Castle, and one as we arrived at Grand.  Kelly then radioed that Riverside was in overflow and we enjoyed Grand at 0940 (G1Q).  (The start for Grand's window was 0940.)  :o)  Riverside popped above the trees at 0946 and West Triplet started to erupt at 0957.  I enjoyed one more Old Faithful at 1015 and found Great Fountain just finishing at 1100.  (I saw one 5 foot splash.)  I then continued toward home by way of Norris and Canyon, but it was windy and I didn't stop.  The wolf watchers were out in full force over in Hayden Valley and I saw 6 swans there.  I saw another 48 swans in a protected cove on Yellowstone Lake.  It was a beautiful day and I hope that next weekend can be as beautiful.  I hope to see many of you for Closing Weekend.  Kitt Barger     
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