Day Six

Day Six is over, and I'm resting in the Stage Coach Inn in West Yellowstone, Montana. It was definitely an up and down day. DOWN: My neighbors next door to my hotel room this morning made a bunch of noise around 5am, waking me up about an hour before I wanted to be up. UP: The Peregrine Fund World Center for Birds of Prey (www.peregrinefund.org) was great, with some up-close encounters with raptors. DOWN: Just as I was pulling up to the Craters of the Moon National Park, the rain and hail started to come down. I ran in the visitor's center, looked at a few exhibits, and then ran back to the car to decide whether to make the trek into the park, as the rain had temporarily lightened. A lightning bolt that struck nearby made the decision for me. UP: There were a couple of points where one side of the highway was closed, and they had a pilot car driving back and forth to let cars through. I got lucky and hit these points so that I lost no more than a few seconds. DOWN: I lost about a half hour's worth of video from the camera set up in the front seat, and the numerous rain storms made it hard to take good photos. UP: When it wasn't raining, I got some quality shots, including one of a rainbow I couldn't believe. (They'll be posted shortly.) But to tip the scales toward an UP day, I got a nice mountain view out of my hotel window, so it's all good! Tomorrow takes me through Yellowstone National Park, so keep your fingers crossed that any rain stays away!