[Geysers] Ramblings

[Gary Einstein]

Last Sunday, my family and I left Yellowstone after spending 6 days in 
the park.  After two days in the Tetons and an airplane ride home, any 
news from me is old news (After reading the posts from Barbara, Tara, 
Scott, and others, during the time I was without internet, they did it 
better, anyway).  This post contains some random thoughts and feelings 
on my return home.

? My trip highlight was my first Fan and Mortar.  I have been a GOSA 
member for about 20 years and have managed to see many geysers erupt, 
but F & M have eluded me.  The Aug. 21 eruption was great, even in a 30 
mph wind.  I placed on youtube a quick computation of clips and stills 
      www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQFCSIyCrMQ

? Is there anything (you can do in public) better then relaxing when 
waiting for Grand?  It doesn't matter if you read a book alone, or talk 
with other gazers or visitors.

? I only make it to Yellowstone about every other year (see below).  I 
get to  vicariously enjoy Geyser Gazing by the webcams and through the 
posting by others whose names become familiar.  This trip I was lucky to 
be able to meet some of them and learn they are also very nice people.  
I enjoyed the 6:30 a.m. visits at Beehive or Grand with Barbara 
Lasseter, long talks with various members of the Cross family at Grand 
and the Inn, hearing (tall?) tales from Bill Warnock, along with meeting 
and talking with others.  Thank you all.  It made my trip more enjoyable.

?Things that will stay in my mind for a long while:

    ?My 1st Fan & Mortar
    ?Beehive erupting with the wind just so, so that it seemed I could 
reach out and touch the water spout, and the roar it made
    ?A certain person standing in rain gear in a blowing wind directly 
in/under F&M's spray for the entire eruption, and throughly enjoying it
    ?Jeff Davis, sore foot and all, struggling to Grand and then F&M
    ?Tara's walking violin finales
    ?An ospray with a fish in it's talon flying over Grand, and a coyote 
and it's pup walking by me at Daisy
    ?"The Wave" by visitors waiting for Old Faithful

? A lesson I keep learning and forgetting (or hoping I'm wrong)--Don't 
come to Yellowstone to watch geysers with those that do not share your 
passion.  *I love my wife and daughters dearly, but next time I visit 
the park, it will be without them.*  They think I'm crazy to get up at 
6:00 a.m. and spend the day visiting geysers.  This trip, to keep family 
harmony, we spent two days visiting, as one gazer put it, water 
traveling the wrong way, at canyon, and seeing bison. Don't get me 
wrong, the other features at Yellowstone are great, but I came hoping to 
see F & M, Grand, etc., enjoying the vistas and wildlife in the basins 
as extras.  "I've already seen Grand" and "I don't want to wait for 
another geyser" became the battle-cry s of my wife and daughter.  I've 
already made reservations for late May of 2009, and I'll come by myself 
and hope to visit with other gazers then.

?  I knew it was time to leave when on Sunday morning I missed by 10 
minutes or less Grand, Riverside, & Lion.  I have mixed feelings that 
Fan & Mortar have erupted twice since I left, and Giant yesterday, 
especially since people I visited with just days ago saw them both.  But 
the good part is that the same excitement will be there on my next visit.

Hope to see you next Memorial Day,



Gary Einstein


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