biscuit basin
Funny name for rocks that were suppose to look like biscuits. The geothermal plumbing of these pools and springs made sense when I thought about how many times my boiling water for pasta runs over the sides of a lidded pot. That water’s gotta go somewhere. This area deceives a tourist much like Bison conceal their agility and strength. One step off the boardwalk, provided for the safety and convenience of the public, and a person could be permanently maimed or die. One photo taken too close to a buffalo, and a human is a gored target.

old faithful
Guides will explain that this geyser is not the most spectacular example of geothermal eruption, but it wowed everyone watching it. The crowd anticipating Old Faithful’s plume presented a cultural lesson to me. A middle-aged couple of undetermined Asian ethnicity, a Mennonite family of ten, a solo business man wearing stiff shoes and a tie and sports coat, three motorcycle bikers, and a variety of people speaking their native language. All of us watching a geyser. All of us valuing a rarity of nature. All of us walking away thinking “that was something.” All of us more alike, than different.

grand geyser
We were lucky. Grand Geyser located at the top of the Old Faithful basin and the boardwalk vented with water and steam spewing in a show that was unexpected. Prideful, even elegant, this display was the perfect counter-comment to Old Faithful’s predictable behavior. Grand Geyser’s neighbors also delivered other unique versions of geothermal truth because thousands of years of belching steam and liquid has created diverse sculptures. At the end of this section of the boardwalk is Morning Glory pool, a victim of vandalism. Each year the park service has to “clean out” the tons of debris that visitors have thrown into its waters, thus changing its thermal activity. Definitely an entry for Yeah, They Did That (see yesterday’s blog), if someone vandalizing was caught on camera.