Today was spent looking for elusive wildlife as we experienced the Canyon, Washburn, and Tower-Roosevelt areas of the park. From my perspective, it was challenging. Not because I’m afraid of wild animals, but because I’m very afraid of heights. Little did I know when we started this morning that we would be going from six thousand feet above sea level to almost ten thousand feet, with sheer precipices on one side or the other of our vehicle.
As the day progressed, I learned not to look out the window. Also, as the day progressed we found more and more wildlife. Bison, golden eagles, a lone wolf, pronghorn, and finally a black bear. Our bus would pull over so the tourists (domesticus touristicus) could snap their cameras while I came out from under the seat to see the wildlife. (Turns out I’m better on heights when the vehicle isn’t moving.)
At the end of the day, we were returning to Canyon Lodge when someone on our bus sighted a forest fire in the distance. It wasn’t just the smoke which we had been feeling all day. It was the actual flames of the fire. Burning brightly across the area and competing with the moon for attention.
We are now in our cabin, but who knows what tomorrow will bring. If you’ve seen the devastation of the 1988 fire and understand how long it takes to rebuild, you pray that this current fire will be contained and doused somehow, soon.
It was the wildest animal we saw today.
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