hrj

I called the concession group that runs most of the Yellowstone campgrounds and got reservations for Monday through Friday. (Two days at Madison, three days at Bridge Bay. Sorry, cryptocosm -- I considered following your suggestion to try for a night at the Old Faithful Inn with a geyser-view room, but although the same concession company runs both the Inn and the campgrounds, they're handled by different reservations operators, and I didn't feel like dealing with the added complication of juggling options.) I was worried that there would be major availability problems on this late notice and still (barely) within the season, but it turns out that camping out of the Element means they can fit me into sites that don't work for either full-size RVs or serous tent-campers, so they had plenty of spots I could use.

The general plan was to spend Saturday and Sunday driving there, and (ideally) sleep at a rest area those two nights, then set up at Madison (near the West Entrance) Monday and spend Monday and Tuesday doing the sites between Madison and Old Faithful. I figure one day of biking between the two and doing all the little side sights and trails, then one day driving to some of the longer hikes on that route (like Fairy Falls). Then Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday I move to the Bridge Bay campground. (I'd originally thought about doing even more moving about -- since camping out of the Element means I pretty much pack everything up every day anyway -- but one of the campgrounds I'd been thinking of they don't do reservations, and a couple others were already closed for the season.)

So I was figuring for the next three days, I'd spend one hiking the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone area, one doing things around the lake, and one left unscheduled. It occurred to me that "doing things around the lake" might be improved by doing things on the lake, so I went online and turned up an outfit that does half-day guided kayak tours in the Grant Village area. So I called them up for a reservation -- it seems they require a 4-person minimum to do a tour, so my first choice of Thursday was out because they didn't have anyone else signed up for that day, but they already had a 4-person group reserved for Wednesday morning, so I went with that one. (I briefly contemplated simply seeing if I could rent a kayak, but with only that one day's lesson I've had, I'd rather be in company.) This means that Wednesday morning I need to pack up early enough to drive from Madison to Grant Village by 9:30, but I figure I'll cope. So Wednesday will be Lake Stuff Day, then Thursday will be Canyon Day. And Friday? Who knows, maybe Friday I'll just hang out in camp and do nothing.

So Saturday I'll start with a nice leisurely exit via Grand Teton Park and get as far as is reasonable, then Sunday's all about getting home.

I have a packing list. I have most of my preparatory shopping done. I have the cat and the CSA box taken care of. I have ... *ACK* Cal Shakes is this Thursday ... I have one less evening to prepare in than I thought. (Ok, that last was for dramatic effect. I actually noticed about Cal Shakes yesterday.)