ittam

It is probably the most famous national park of the USA, famous for nature and free roaming animals. And yes, I do have to agree, despite rushing through the park we saw a whole lot of things, like animals, snow and geysers. The most fascinating has been the close encounter with a bison. While innocently waiting on and taking pictures of a herd of bison walking by at about 25m distance one of them decided that we (I was not the only one staring) were a threat. He came charging in a zig-zag manner towards me. As soon as I saw the red in his eyes I calmly walked towards the truck and got in. No actually I ran for the truck, as did everybody else around. That bison was crazy, I tell you or just making fun of us. The man from the next car laughed out loud and exclaiming, see the strong humans run. I thought that was quite funny.

The prairie dogs were also very funny in their manner and I was happy to see them alive and running after seeing hundreds of them end up as roadkill near Denver. There it had looked more like mass suicide at the edge of the road. A gruesome sight to behold.

The geysers were fascination especially when you know that you are walking in the caldera of a super volcano whose pressure is rising all the time. I see the geysers as some kind of valve for the magma underneath to let of steam, so to speak. Most geysers were more like boiling ponds with a sulfuric smell to them, but in one location there was the biggest one that exploded every 90 +/- 10 minutes. The Old Faithful Geyser. People started to cluster and take seat to watch the show of natures power. Quite impressive and over much to quickly.

In Denver we arrived with the thermometer showing 92°F (= 33°C), which would be way too hot in Baltimore but was almost comfortable here. Though after a day my exposed skin was slightly red, not being used to this anymore and forgetting the sunscreen.

This big Colorado city is really at one mile above sea level. Driving from Missouri we went up and up till we reached this plateau leading to the Rocky Mountains.

Visiting family of my two travel companions and being welcomed into their home, eating delicious afghan food and talking into the night was great. The next day we visited Denver and stumbled into the Chalk Art Festival, where many artists and children drew onto the street and sidewalk transforming it into a colorful scene with crowds of people pilgriming by to glance at the artists, study the art or just watch the watchers.

Driving a truck has a huge advantage compared to driving a car, you are much bigger and therefore people are afraid to be in your way. You notice that especially when you try to change the lane on the interstate highway. Suddenly everyone is so forthcoming and makes some room for you. Apart from that the driving is pretty straight forward. Watch your width for your lane has not grown with the vehicle you are driving. And switch the radio channel every few miles for either the channel has dropped away or the commercials are just too annoying to be listened to. 

Thursday evening we passed by Friends of Miruais and they had invited us to stay over and we thankfully accepted for our weary bones were in dire need of rest.

Then after a breakfast with real bread (not this white insubstantial thing they call bread here) we went on to drive further west to St. Louis and beyond.

In St. Louis we met up with Christine and her family. It was great to see her again after 10 years (so she told me and I could barely believe it for it did not feel that long ago, the memory still being kind of current). Finally meeting her kids having only heard of them from afar was great and they were really fun and very interested. Later we had to go on for the miles did not diminish by themselves, so after a few farewell pictures and waves we hopped back into the cabin of our yellow monster and circled back onto Interstate 70 going west. Kansas here we come!

"A fool thinks himself to be wise, but a wise man knows himself to be a fool." - William Shakespeare