The Day We Drove Through

On the day we drove through Yellowstone National Park, I expected to see Old Faithful. I also expected to be able to drive through in a couple hours. The enormity of the park overwhelms me to this day. I anticipated seeing a few buffalo grazing in the fields, not massive herds. I had heard about open range, but didn't know what to expect until I was driving, about sixty miles an hour on an open road, inside the park and a buffalo decided to take the same route. Fortunately for me I saw him miles ahead.
Wildflowers dotted the landscape, while the Rocky's spread as far as my eyes could see. Buttercups, and mint swayed in the gentle breezes.
Rounding the next curve were signs which posted the history of "Dragon's Mouth". Just the sound of the name was intimidating. I parked the car and walked up the boardwalk to the cave. A turbulent hot spring with a cavernous mouth greeted me. Water splashes rhythmically in and out of the cavern. A combination of hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide and water vapor gases expand creating a pressure explosion inside the cavern.
When we finally reached Old Faithful, some seven hours later, we found a comfortable, rock chair and waited. When she finally erupted people all around us clapped. The strong sulfur smell lingered in my nostrils during the half hour hike back to the car.
I was not ready to leave Yellowstone that day. I wish we had planned to spend a week there. When we talked about driving through, that's exactly what I thought. Driving through. I had no idea how big Yellowstone National Park really is.
I will never forget the sound of the rushing waters through the canyons.
I plan to go back for another visit. This time, it won't be for a "drive through".