Funniest Day of the Trip - I love My Dad!

---

Big full day today! Started out early with breakfast at the hotel again. Plan for the day was to head into the park straight to Norris Geyser Basin, then back track and check out the Canyon area. Picnic lunch somewhere. Stop at Fishing Bridge then out of the park again. Head back to Cody stopping at the Buffalo Bill Dam. Then time permitting a choice of things to do in Cody. 6pm reservations at Cody Cattle Company for dinner and song. Finally Cody Night Rodeo.


• Drove straight through to Artist Paint Pots & Norris Geyser Basin very cool to see bubbling mud and steam. Very stinky too from the sulfur.
• Next we checked out The Grand Canyon of Yellowstone. Spectacular! Saw the Upper and lower falls. It was a little warm though - that seems to happen on every trip we bring our Texas heat with us.
• Time for lunch. Ate at the picnic area at Otter's Creek. Otters are my favorite wild animal but none to be found that day. We could see where they live and some beavers but didn't spot them.
• We were doing very good on time and not getting caught in jams. Our last stop in Yellowstone for the day was Fishing Bridge. We got to see the famous stupid tourists of Yellowstone in full force. The parking area on the far side of the bridge from the campground sits under a small cliff then down to the water. A large herd of buffalo / bison whatever decided they were coming down & over the road to the other side. Now we as intelligent tourist parked far from the trail they were on. Other folks right in the middle and didn't bother to move - just face in the camera clicking away. I will just say they were not American. None of them got gored ... not even a trampled camera ... darn. A park ranger came along and spoiled the show. Mom & Dad took a walk to the middle of the bridge; while Dave and I walked down to the river. We maybe saw some bear prints!
• Enough excitement. We headed for Buffalo Bill Dam - meant to be a quickie check it out stop. https://www.nps.gov/articles/wyoming-buffalo-bill-dam.htm So the parking area is pretty far from the dam building. An employee on a golf cart was picking people up. Dad had to ride due to his leg issues we thought. We went in the very small building and Dave even went to the restroom. The three of us then toured the small building watched the little movie then went outside. We are in the middle this dam looking out and then it dawned on us that we had not seen Dad in 45 minutes and there was not really anywhere for him to be. We look back over to the building that is all glass and see him peeking around the wall in the theatre and then he sees us. Mom & I start cracking up at this. Then is the next thing Dad is walking out to us and his pants don't look zipped. So I make the mistake on this dam of saying something. Then we find out the real reason reason he took off out of the car so fast - his bowels again. Come to find out he didn't exactly make it. My Mom had bought him spanking new Levi's and all news undies for the trip. He busted the zipper on a brand new pair of Levi's and if that is unreal enough. He managed to rip off a brand new pair of Hanes from the waist band no knife. Us three are in hysterics at this point in the middle to the dam. No telling what the folks in the building thought. We continually laugh about this all the time.
• Wow with this delay we get back to Cody about 3pm amazingly so. Stop at Tecumseh's Old West Miniature Village and Museum - this place was so cool. Complete diorama of all kinds of old west history - sadly closed now, packed up & shipped off to California. Dad with his cattle corral wide open hung out in the car. LOL.
• At this point Mom & Dad went to the hotel and Dave & I went to explore town a bit. There was a gun museum Dave wanted to check out & we needed to gas up. The museum was closed and a down pour came down. So we got gas & went back to the hotel to slowly get ready for the night.
• http://www.thecodycattlecompany.com - Cody Cattle Company was tonight's dinner & fun - dinner was all you can eat served chuckwagon dinner. Then the show. It's mostly one family and they are amazing! All champs in their age groups for their instruments. After the show you can walk over or drive - we drove - to the rodeo. Cody's Famous Night Rodeo. We were there for the last rodeo of the summer. Big competition as it was finals! Loved it. The trifecta tickets are a great value!
• You would think we have maxed out calories for the day right? No. Dad and I never, as good Texans, pass up a Dairy Queen. So we stopped in as a to go. Until we saw many of the cowgirls and cowboys from the rodeo were there! So we ate in listening to the chatter.


Another late night back to the hotel! This was by far my favorite day!

---