<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style>  </head> <body bgcolor=white lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple> <div class=Section1> I might add that the weather was spectacular for this time of year – essentially cloudless both days and highs about 50.  Some modest wind that apparently grew stronger after noon on Sunday did little to detract from the overall great weather.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> It wouldn’t surprise me if some folks decided to bag a trip to the park once they heard that Giant had erupted (we found out en route, 90 minutes after we could get our money back on the motel in Dubois, so we figured what the heck…)  But I tell you, it is utterly wonderful and different to be in the park when it is so empty.  On Sunday the ONLY people we saw in the basin were the 4 gazers and Kelli, the naturalist.  That was it.  Saturday was a bit more crowded, like maybe 10 at Grand.  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The most impressive thing about the non-crowds is the silence.  <st1:place w:st="on">Old Faithful</st1:place> is extraordinarily loud all by itself – and for some reason it’s noisier in the daylight in late Oct than the middle of the night in July.  The wee bubblers at Beehive are noisy, even Sawmill is quite noisy from Beehive!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> The second most impressive thing is the sun angle.  It’s so low that it’s like 6 PM light all day long, with odd shadows at Grand (nice rainbows, even at midday), and the shadow of Giant’s cone falling into Mastiff.  The light makes everything seem more vivid.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> We cannot come closing weekend, but wish that those who do make it enjoy equally great weather.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> A few other geyser notes.  The water in Giant’s platform was very high, almost to “April” heights.  The hot period we did see came after Bijou pauses in which the water in Mastiff was easily visible to me on several occasions.  But the hot period itself was pretty measly.  No big deal, and one data point 22 hours after an eruption is pretty meaningless.  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Also, the water level at the Paint Pots was quite high, with “red spouter” – the area behind “A Fumarole” – splashing beautiful terra-cotta colored water.  <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> BTW, I’m pretty convinced that the tallest predictable geyser in the world is <st1:place w:st="on">Old Faithful</st1:place>, not Grand.  At least this year.  Lordy, the two eruptions we saw on Sunday of OF were immense, much taller than the Grands we saw this weekend.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Enjoy closing weekend!<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Paul Strasser<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> </div> </body> </html>