Yellowstone: the good, the bad,and the ugly.

Headed out of Missoula towards the Bitterroot to hike in the am on Monday. Changed gears part way there and went to Yellowstone instead. Yellowstone is spectacular as always. Have seen it all... black bears, grizzley bears, bison by the thousand, elk, deer, wolves. And that was just in the first 4 hours. And IT STOPPED RAINING!!!
So, here's the good....


The Roosevelt Entrance to the park.



The number of bears was a bit alarming, curtailed some hiking.. no bear spray.



Thats a grizzly bear sunning on the rock below the top pine tree.



The bison herd in Hayden Valley.  Roughly 1,000 of them in the Valley. 



I don't get the "molesting"part. I don't think I want to get it either.



A rare daytime sighting of a wolf. In the Hayden Valley, my favorite part of the park.

 The bad.... Motels were expensive, I spent so much time in the park that I never got dinner, and it still rained a bit.



So that only leaves the ugly.

Prepare yourself.

No freaking out allowed.

Did you know that there are suicidial Pruis hating bucks out in Montana?

Yup, that's my car. Suicidal Prius hating whitetail/muledeer buck had an issue with me cruising down the highway and nailed me just west of Butte, Montana. And I even swerved to try to avoid him. Needless to say, my car came out better than the deer did, unless it truely was his intention to commit suicide. 'Cuz he didn't get back up after eating my headlight and fender. My trip is suddenly $250 more expensive thanks to a low "deer collision" deductible. So I'm heading home a couple of days earlier than planned, travelling only in the daylight to stay somewhat legal. I am completely unhurt, except my pride in that the car bagged a deer before I did. Also disappointed that I wasn't able to take home his rack as a trophy (too early in the year for the rack to be filled out and clear of velvet. His would have been huge come fall.). I will say that I became as big an attraction in the park as the living wildlife (new nickname.. maybe Sideshow Bob, or Deer Slayer?), and it resulted in several interesting convesations with complete strangers. And I will continue to turn heads as I slowly make my way back towards good ole hot and humid, mountainless, and staid St. Louis.