Peeping at Tom

A special moment at Yellowstone: This big guy, head begrimed with mud, had just finished swimming across a river, the bottom of his coat still dripping wet. He walked over to my car, stood there for a few moments, looked in at me, and then slowly trotted around the car to join his buddies. He was so close I could have reached out and touched him. Of course I was thrilled and quickly snapped this photo. The photo doesn't really do justice to the magnificent presence and immense size of the animal.

Yellowstone: Critters in My Camera

Lamar Valley, Yellowstone: This coyote and one of his buddies suddenly appeared in front of my moving car on a bridge. I was able to slowly drive alongside him and snap this. He looked sideways at me with a "get outta my face" look before he vanished into sagebrush beyond the bridge.

Stud Elk, Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone: It was common at Yellowstone to see a giant bull elk, like the one above on the left, surrounded by a harem of females numbering as many as 30.

Sometimes, a stud needs a nap.

In a pine forest an early morning frost covers a buffalo bull. My camera flash gives an eerie yellow glow to his eye. Click on the photo for larger view.

But Will I Make the Cover of National Geographic?

Me and bronze buffaloes.

My shot at an elk: statue at the National Museum of Wildlife Art. In the background is part of the vast range of the National Elk Refuge.

I had some very weird (but all good) things happen to me during my trip to Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons. For example, I'm at the beautiful National Museum of Wildlife Art outside Jackson Hole, Wyoming, admiring my new favorite sculpture, "A Change of Seasons" by T.D. Kelsey, which features two giant buffalo. I have to nab someone to take my picture in front of this masterpiece. There's an older gentleman and his wife in the parking lot. I'll pick on them:

Me: "Do you mind taking my photo?"
Him: "Sure will."
Me: "I have the camera all set for you. Just stand here and click."
(He quietly snaps the photo and leaves to get his car to pick up his wife.)
Her (his wife): "Do you know who just took your picture?"
Me: "Uh, no."
Her: "That's a National Geographic photographer."
Me (in complete disbelief, in the style of a blithering idiot): "Geez. What's his name?"
Her: "William Allard."
Me: "Wow."

HERE'S the info on the dude who took my photo. Do I know how to pick a photographer or what? How weird is that? More strangeness coming.

Elk on the banks of the Firehole River, Yellowstone National Park.

Oxbow Bend of the Snake River, Grand Teton National Park.

I'm still going through all the photos from my trip, so for now I'm posting two of my favorites. While driving along a road close to the banks of the Firehole River in Yellowstone, I noticed the tips of two giant antlers down on the river bank. I pulled over, hopped out, got my camera ready, and . . . whoa. I came upon this magnificent creature, a huge bull elk, posing for me. I was only 15-20 feet away but near my car, safe from being hoisted onto his antlers. In the other photo, Oxbow Bend of the Snake River, near the Teton Mountain range in the background, was a special place, a prime stomping ground for moose. Spectacular beauty. (Click on the photos for close-up view.)

I'm Not Dead, But I've Been to Heaven

Me and a buddy at Mammoth Hot Springs, headquarters site of Yellowstone National Park.

Yellowstone overwhelmed me. The experience was much greater than I had anticipated. I'm in a daze after seeing hundreds of buffalo and elk, four wolves, five grizzly bears, three coyotes, rock-climbing bighorn sheep, and a bald eagle perched on a tree limb snacking on a fish, all in a magnificent landscape. The moose did a good job of avoiding me, though. I'll be posting more photos and giving you an account of what I did, but I won't bore you with too much text. For now, suffice it to say that it was a kind of spiritual experience. More to come, including how I was held captive by a herd of wild buffalo in the Grand Tetons.

I would love to see a moose at Yellowstone. Lots of 'em out there.

This photo was taken at Yellowstone on September 22 of last year. Yikes.

This will be my last post for a while because I will soon be leaving for Yellowstone, a dream trip. The weather at Yellowstone these days is iffy, with temps in the 40s now but Saturday a high of 26 is predicted with snow likely. When I arrive next week it is supposed to be in the 40s and sunny. We'll see. I'll have to be prepared for anything while living in a tent. It's all good.

I'll leave you with these words about Yellowstone from naturalist John Muir:

"The alpenglow is fading into earthy, murky gloom, but do not let your town habits draw you away to the hotel. Stay on this good fire-mountain and spend the night among the stars. Watch their glorious bloom until the dawn, and get one more baptism of light. Then, with fresh heart, go down to your work, and whatever your fate, under whatever ignorance or knowledge you may afterward chance to suffer, you will remember these fine, wild views, and look back with joy to your wanderings in the blessed old Yellowstone wonderland."

Dude, Don't Eat Me

So, since I'm leaving for Yellowstone in a week, I thought I would check the latest on what's going on with the grizz and other wildlife. And I read this from an Idaho TV station about increases in bear encounters in the Yellowstone area:"Why so many bear encounters in the month of September? According to Fish and Game, right now is the time of year when bears are trying to put on as much fat as they can to get ready for hibernation. It's called hyperphagia, which is Latin for "pig out."

That's just perfect. It's "hyperphagia" and I'm gonna be out there as a potential walking lunch for Yogi and his pals. I'll have to deal with it.

I had an exceptionally nice weekend with hug buddy the Dairy Queen. We saw the Illini whip the Nittany Lions, toasted the Fu Dogs at Allerton with some fine wine, and Sunday I ate enough fat at the Clinton pork and apple festival to choke a whale. And what the hell is a Nittany Lion? Looked it up and found that the Penn State mascot is a mountain lion that long ago roamed around Mount Nittany, which overlooks the present campus. Nittany is a Native American word meaning single mountain. Now you know.

Yellowstone's Wolf Packs

I would be happy just to catch of glimpse of some of these magnificent animals during my upcoming Yellowstone trip. A predator of the buffalo, the wolves at Yellowstone have been identified as being in 13 distinct packs numbering 137 wolves in all. The smallest pack has 4 individuals, the largest 19. More packs exist just outside of Yellowstone's boundaries. The wolf's main prey in Yellowstone has been elk, but old, sick and very young buffalo also have been victims of wolf packs. I have seen video of mother buffaloes protecting their young by kicking and goring wolfs, even tossing them in the air, but much of the time young buffaloes become isolated and are seized by the wolves. Occasionally buffalo bulls form a defense for helpless buffalo and ward off wolves with a tough stance.

It's Monday

To hear a real grumpy buffalo, it's fun to turn up the volume on this. I love the last little spitty snort.

Potpourri

Young girl of the Taos tribe, photographed by Edward S. Curtis in 1905.

With my fondness for good photography and Native American heritage, websites that feature the photography of Edward S. Curtis are favorites. Stunning portraits like the one above as well as Native Americans at their homes and in the field are treasures. The portfolios can be viewed HERE.

It's going to be cold when I get to Yellowstone in October, but that's OK. Of the few campgrounds that remain open in the fall, it is first-come first-served as far as acquiring a campsite. A co-worker has loaned me a book on Yellowstone waterfalls. More than 250 are in the park, which reveals the vastness of the place. I'm planning my time there carefully so that I can cover certain areas that are prime on my list. Of course one trip won't be enough, so I hope to go back several times. Besides the huge herd of buffalo, I want to see wolves.

An event at Allerton Park in November that I hope to attend is "An Evening with Poe," which features readings from the works of Edgar Allen Poe in the stately Allerton mansion, along with wine (from a cask of amontillado?) and a candlelight tour. It's a pricey affair at $20 a pop, but I don't get out much, and Poe is a favorite. Weatherwise, a dreary evening would fit right in. Quoth the buffalo, "Evermore!"

Down the Avenue and in the Garden with the Dairy Queen

My favorite Fu Dog

One of the many Chinese musicians

The Dairy Queen

Last weekend: Wow. Started off with a good time with Red Chief followed by another episode of Survivorman, who had it pretty good this week on an island in the South Pacific. He had plenty of fresh water thanks to heavy rains and there seemed to be food aplenty with coconuts, crabs, snails and other creatures about. All in all, I thought this was his easiest stint.

Spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Allerton Park near Monticello strolling with the Dairy Queen along the Fu Dog Garden, down the Avenue of the Chinese Musicians, and around the stately Allerton mansion. Dairy Queen? That's Kathy (above, in sunglasses), and although she has not formally met any of the herd, she already has a buffalo nickname. She is fond of dairy products, so that was an easy one. So yes, to any buffaloes tuned in, Democrat Tom actually has a hug buddy. I've warned her of the herd "mentality", but she will soon have to experience it firsthand. (She knows how fond I am of my bison homies.)

Whirlwind Weekend

A lot to do this weekend, but I won't bore with many details. Monday posting will include photos of my exhilarating lifestyle. Hah. It starts tonight with watching Red Chief for a bit, followed by a glass of wine and tuning in to Survivorman, one of my favorites on TV. Tonight he's on an island in the South Pacific. If I can get half of what I want to get done this weekend, I will be ecstatic. Taking photos at Allerton Park, a very special place, will be a highlight. You'd think with all those statues out there they would have a nice sculpture of a buffalo. If I win the lottery, Allerton will have a buffalo statue. Over and out.

"I'm Gonna Kick Your Butt"

When a Lion is a Bear

Follow-up to yesterday's post: Lion at the Art Institute of Chicago is fitted with a Chicago Bear's helmet in preparation for the Super Bowl earlier this year. Gotta love it.

A Favorite Place

Native American in stone under a gushing fountain on the statue's pedestal.

One of the lions at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Because it was such a nice day, during the noon hour I visited one of my favorite sites in Champaign and took some photos. As an admirer of Native American heritage as well as wildlife and sculptures, I have always appreciated the bronze sculpture "Prayer for Rain", which has stood in a fountain in Champaign's West Side Park since 1899. In addition to the panther and the deer in the sculpture, there is a bronze plate on the pedestal that has a depiction of a buffalo. That, to borrow a phrase from Abraham Lincoln, is "altogether fitting and proper" since buffalo were roaming residents of Illinois long ago. Only recently did I find out that the sculptor of the statue, Edward Kemeys, also created the two stately lions that guard the entrance to the Art Institute of Chicago.

Autumn Journey to Yellowstone

Buffalo moms and babies swimming the Madison River at Yellowstone.

Elk, Madison River, Yellowstone National Park

Looks like the best time for me to visit Yellowstone this year will be in October, so right now Oct. 7 is the target date to leave. It will be cold out there that time of year, snowfall even a possibility, but I'll be prepared. I'll be camping at the Madison Junction campground, where the Firehole River and the Gibbon River converge to form the Madison River. The area is a prime place for wildlife, including buffaloes. Will also visit wildlife havens Lamar and Hayden valleys in Yellowstone, with hopes of getting glimpses of moose, wolves and grizzlies (and of course more buffalo).

Fantastic photo above of an elk at Yellowstone. Here's the photographer's description of how he got the shot: "I was sitting on the bank of the Madison River trying to photograph trumpeter swans when I heard something on my left. I was quite surprised to see this bull elk, perhaps five yards away. Luckily I had my second camera with a short lens by my side."

With the Chief In the Wilds of Maplecrest Drive

With a headlamp for light, Red Chief and I read magazines in the tent. To my amazement, once I turned off the headlamp and announced it was time to sleep, it wasn't 10 minutes before the little guy was snoozing.

Sunday morning, 7 a.m., having just awakened.

The Chief cooking bratwurst.

The big camp-out Saturday night in my back yard was a great fun. The Princess, Tim and his wonder dog Ali cooked out with us and stayed for a while. The perfect weather included a brilliant full moon, which I stared at for hours while the little guy was in a deep sleep. Next morning was fun with reading the Sunday paper and getting McDonald's pancakes and sausage for breakfast and eating out our campsite. With a huge smile, the Chief announced that we would have to do this again. Sure will.

Under the Stars

Looks like the weather will be cooperating for my camp out with Red Chief Saturday night. I think the little guy is going to have a blast. I know I will. With his always high energy level, getting him to sleep will be a challenge. The last time he used a sleeping bag at my house was during a blizzard this past winter, in the wilds of my living room as he and the Princess Mother had to stay overnight. He thought that was pretty cool; the Princess was not happy when kept awake by his giggling and squirming. This time, she has the night off and can relax at home. And with the start of Illini football tomorrow, I'm a blissful bison.

Grip & Grin

Actual on-the-scene photo of Red Chief and me in a battle of grips as I meet his challenge of arm wrestling. His smile forecasts the joy of his eventual death grip on me. Had to keep the little guy entertained all day yesterday as kindergarten was not in session. Big adventure this coming weekend as the Chief and I camp out in the wilds of my back yard.

Had to miss the Buffaloes' Burrito Loco Challenge and full moon run last evening as Itchy Brother from the burbs was in town and the family herd gathered. It's just as well that I missed the 4-mile run, followed by inhalation of a mammoth burrito, then a 5-mile trail run under the moonlight. Training has been lax.

The Dude Abides

Clutching a big glass of wine last night, I watched "The Big Lebowski", which features Jeff Bridges as The Dude (above), an unemployed bowler who loves to drink White Russians. Hilarious, as are other Coen Brothers movies (Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?, Fargo, Raising Arizona,). Always bizarre characters, strange scripts. I'll have to add Lebowski to my favorite movies list, thanks to Princess, who first got me to watch it. A new Coen Brothers movie, "Burn After Reading", is in the works, featuring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, John Malkovich, and Frances McDormand (female lead in Fargo).

And speaking of the dude, Red Chief is in his first day of kindergarten. Noontime report from the Princess Mother was that the Chief was nervous at home before school, but once he was at school he was fine. He was thrilled to have his own locker and what's really cool is that he has new Spiderman shoes, which he claims make him run faster.

I've decided to drive to Yellowstone rather than go by plane, but exactly when I go is still under question. I can't wait too long or it will be too cold for camping. I was hoping to go in mid-September, but the closer that gets the less likely is seems it will happen then. I'll have to go by early October to avoid cold weather out there. The average temps for Yellowstone in October are 55 degrees (high) and 29 degrees (low).