[Geysers] Obama Visit to YNP 8/15

[Ben Hoppe]

Saturday was a day in the Upper Geyser Basin where the only thing that was
not weird were the geysers. I don't have any times, and I didn't use my
notebook at all. I recorded no times, I just watched, observed, and took
some pictures.

I wanted to get out into the Basin around 8 or so, but I unfortunately
didn't get much sleep, so I waited until 930. At that point, I hopped on my
bike, and tried to find where I could actually go in the Basin. My first
view of the day was seeing probably 200+ people on the end of the boardwalk
nearest to the Inn, all trying to find a place to see "the show". All access
routes to Geyser Hill, the Inn, and the Lower General Store were all closed.
I was told by a ranger that I could go to Three Sisters Road, and then use
the gravel path toward Castle to get downbasin.

I got to Three Sisters Road by using the highway, and there was a Law
Enforcement car along with someone from Secret Service barricading the road.
Secret Service didn't seem to keen on me going past the barricade with my
bike, so he checked my bag, found nothing incriminating, and let me go. I
biked down to Fan and Mortar, then walked from Grotto to Sawmill where I
talked to one of the rangers. While there, I took a picture of the security
helicopter, which then circled me. I talked to the ranger and explained a
Deep Drain in the Sawmill Complex.

After standing around the Sawmill Complex for awhile, I suddenly heard a
sound that had a repetitive booming sound that reverberated through the
geyser basni. Sure enough, 3 helicopters, two Sea Stallions and one Apache,
came into the area and landed at Black Sand. Marine One had arrived. From
what I heard, the President was in one helicopter while his family was in
another. I was going to wait for a few minutes to see the Motorcade, but
then "splashing in Main Vent" came over the radio. I went down there and got
to see Fan and Mortar start at 1240 for a beautiful eruption. I had to work
at 1:45pm, so I left F&M just after 1245. I got stopped at Castle by an
interp from Lamar Valley/Roosevelt and another gentleman from Secret
Service. I got to have a very nice talk with the Secret Service and the
interp. The Secret Service agent kept on giving a verbal play of what was
happening, which was nice. I had advanced warning then, that the
Presidential Motorcade was coming towards the Lower Store. I was not able to
see the President, but I did count over 30 cars in the Motorcade. In my time
at Castle, I also took a picture of the Inn, and after zooming in, it looks
like there were some snipers up on the top. There were also snipers on
Observation Point.

I got through the traffic at about 1:30, and got to work 5 minutes early!
Apparently, when at the Lower Store, the President bought ice cream. My
store manager was in there. She said that Secret Service checked every
person in there as if they were going on an airplane, and that around 11am,
the doors of the store were locked, and everyone was locked in there. When
he came in the second time, just after 1pm to buy ice cream, he took
pictures with people, shook hands, and said thank you and that everyone was
very kind.

What a day in the Upper Geyser Basin.
-Ben Hoppe

-- 
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in
me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who
loved me and gave himself for me. - Galatians 2:20
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