Yellowstone photodump

As a kid, I loved camping. My favorite family vacation memories are all camping, especially with the way my dad made camping a ton of fun. Camping to him, was all about the experience, so he made the experience great.

As an adult, I enjoyed camping up until a few years ago. The last time I tried sleeping in a tent was in 2008. I ended up spending the entire night walking laps around the campground.

Nightmares, night terrors, flashbacks, pseudo-seizures, insomnia, and sleep paralysis all made trying to sleep AWFUL. Adding a tent in the mountains to that mix was disastrous.
But I missed camping. I wondered if I would ever be able to enjoy it again.

A few months ago, I started planning a trip to Yellowstone National Park.
I researched all the good places to fish. Hikes I wanted to go on. Places I wanted to see.
I was excited, but I wasn't sure if I would sleep at all. BJ reassured me that if we needed to pack up and come home early because it was too hard to sleep in the tent, we would. I didn't have to worry.

It was awesome.

At night, I slept soundly.

 I spent the days exploring, hiking, fishing, and having the best time.

Firehole River with fumaroles and geysers all around. It was a beautiful (and interesting and different) site to see.

I visited Old Faithful, Fountain Paint Pots, Firehole Falls, Kepler Cascades, Sulfur Caldron, and several other amazing sites. 
I hiked up Nez Pearce Creek and fished along the way.
I hiked around in Yellowstone Grand Canyon, and visited Artist's Point. (It was slightly anti-climactic to get to the end of the hike and realize we could have driven there... Still, it was gorgeous.) 
I hiked up DeLacie Creek to Shoshone Lake and fished along the way. (Three miles to the lake. ONLY accessible via trail. That was way cool.)
I fished the Gibbon, the Madison, and the Gallatin.
I was devoured by flies and mosquitoes... it was itchy for a few days, and then it got better.
And I didn't get eaten by a bear, because I promised my mom I wouldn't.
I survived BJ keeping and eating a fish. (Hey Dad, are you proud? I did it!)

A pool of very hot water. I can't remember it's real name, but BJ called it "Pool of Instant Death"

A geyser that wasn't Old Faithful, but I thought it was cooler than Old Faithful.

Nez Pearce - I caught the first fish that day, which meant I caught the first fish of the trip!

Sometimes BJ likes to hike in his socks.

Climbing over logs to cross the stream to get to the little hole (without frightening fish). This is my, "I'm triumphant!" pose.

My "honey hole". Seven casts in a row = seven fish in a row. (I love that BJ's fly rod is also in this picture.)

Mosquito bites. My whole body looked like this. Even with long sleeves and insect repellent. Nobody better give me any lectures on "selfcare". I tried!

I just thought this tree was amazing. It was still alive and growing. It should have been dead and on the bottom of the canyon, but it found a way to not only survive, but thrive. I admire trees (and animals, and people) like this one.

The falls from the trail. Do you love my Chaco's? I love my Chaco's.

The falls from Artist's Point.

Fishing the Gibbon

I'm very proud of this picture. To me it just says, "Montana Fly Fishing". That was a great day.

It was such a good, healing, relaxing, wonderful trip. Feels like ME. That feels happy, and exciting, and... good! The next trip has been planned for more than a year. It will include horses... updates to follow. :)