Lamar Valley at Sunrise, Yellowstone National Park
Copyright © 2009 by Greg Willis
Have you ever read the book by John Steinbeck about his travels with his dog Charley, in search of the true America? I did many years ago, and remembering this it somehow triggered me to one day travel to the U.S. with my wife. I was also in search of promising and overwhelming landscapes, of people, animals, and the way of living, as well as anything that would come our way. The main reason, though, was to enter on a spiritual journey to the New World. I’ve had a desire for many years to try and meet the Hopi Nation. Not as a tourist, but in an endeavor to get to the core of this fascinating people. Here is Part 3.
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It is a long way through the north of Utah, east Idaho and a small part of Montana, where we get ready to stay for two days in the Days Inn hotel in the small town of West Yellowstone. Only an hour later we enter Yellowstone Park and immediately are overcome by its wonderful nature. Unfortunately a big fire blazed through here almost two decades ago. Great pieces of land are sill bare with young new trees and bold stems of trees that were there before the fire. Still, even now there is not much growth left. Furthermore, scientists tell us that the giant caldera forming this overwhelming landscape is due to explode into a gigantic inferno sometime in the future.
We are not thinking about that though, and stop for the great herds of buffalo that are trotting along the road and in the woods. We see moose along the river, and more buffalo that are wading and swimming across the river. We watch a bald eagle eating his fish and spot teals on the meandering Yellowstone River.
A little bit further we observe the hot springs, where Mother Earth burps and sometimes stinks in all kinds of ways. Beautiful colors, yellow bubbling water that sounds like prayers and sighs. You cannot imagine the things Mother Earth has to say to one who listens well. It is cold and you have to listen well to make out what she has to say, but when you open your heart to her, it all seems to be very clear and obvious.
Once again we meet bison on and off the road. We are moved by the young light-colored ones stalking through the herd, frolicking as cubs sometimes do. We would like to caress them, but it surely is not wise to get out of the car and get closer to these soft creatures. They weigh very much, even the young ones! Mum and dad with their big can-opener-like horns would surely think of our car as a can if we tried. So we stick to taking pictures, which is of course much safer.
But there is much more. Elk, mule deer, a coyote mother who feeds her 5 cubs, a dozen bighorn sheep on a rocky hill not too far away, and a cheerful black bear not even 30 yards away who is, with a grin on his face, scratching his tickling back against a tree. Further on a big marmot who is swiftly seeking the safety of its hole, and moose as well. In short, there are plenty of animals and we are fulfilled by an enormous gratitude that we are allowed to witness all these treasures.
Yellowstone is the place where part of the stories of Winnetou and Old Shatterhand took place. The Nez Perce Native American tribe (led by Chief Joseph), of whom we visit a small shrine, and the Shoshones lived here in this wild nature. That is all in the past now because white man has taken over everything and put the Natives in reservations where they have to deal with joblessness, drinking problems, shortages of water, etcetera. For all other minorities in the U.S.A. all seems pretty well taken care of; for the Natives this is still not very much the case.
But then, the show must go on. We visited the “Old Faithful.” According to Wikipedia this is a cone geyser located in Wyoming, in Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Old Faithful was named in 1870 during the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition, and was the first geyser in the park to receive a name. It is one of the most predictable features on Earth, erupting almost every 91 minutes. The geyser, as well as the Old Faithful Inn, is part of the Old Faithful Historic District.
It was there that we had planned to meet John Cali, the host of this blog. Unfortunately, because of a certain family affair, John was not able to meet up with this appointment. But instead we had a very pleasant conversation on the phone from the Old Faithful Inn. Later on we stayed to watch two eruptions of the geyser. One viewed from the front, the other from the other side. Very impressive, to say the least.
After all the awesome sights of Yellowstone, we travelled through the adjacent Grand Teton National Park. These magnificent peaks, with their awesome reflections in Lake Jackson once inspired me to write the Thirteen Mountaintops story, my first contribution for this platform. All in all, this has been a great adventure and we are very happy to have been here.
Copyright © 2014 by Hans Brockhuis
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Here is a magnificent video overview of Yellowstone National Park. Cody, Wyoming, where I live, is only about 50 miles from the park’s east entrance. In my opinion, Yellowstone is one of the most spectacular places on our beautiful planet.
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Please share your thoughts and comments with us below.
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About Hans Brockhuis
Hans Brockhuis is a Dutch lightworker, writer and translator. His bilingual website, Running Fox Pages, features spiritual work of himself and others. Working as a translator and editor, he has been and is active in processing various publications, either in English, Dutch or German. See his portfolio here. If you are interested to follow what Running Fox is offering, you may subscribe to his newsflashes. Simply send an email to this address mentioning “subscribe Running Fox” in the subject line.
Susan
Thanks for this post and it’s wonderful stories. Thanks also for the reminders of the history that we were never taught! The only choice is to choose love now…
Love and blessings,
Susan
John Cali
Thank you for your comments, Susan. I’d never thought of it that way, but you’re right — we were never taught that part of our history. And my college major was American history.
Hans
Thank you Susan. Of course I am not aware of what young Americans are taught in school. But it is my feeling that you are so very right when you urge us to choose Love. In fact it is the only way…
Karen
Awesome, Hans and John share outstanding stories!
I love reading them and even seeing the videos and newsletters both do, it lifts my spirit and wraps compassion around my soul!
God Bless!
I share you both with many in communicational and offering of site information.
Sincerely,
Karen Lee Samson
John Cali
Thanks very much, Karen! We appreciate your sharing the posts with others.
God bless you,
John
Hans
Thanks Karen. It’s Always good to hear from you. Yellowstone certainly has been a wonderful experience and in this way – also through the posts of you and John – it can be shared with many.
Patricia
Beautiful article
John Cali
Thanks very much, Patricia.
Hans
Thanks Patricia. Glad you like it. Wish you well!