Our big activity for today was rafting on the Yellowstone River. We used Montana Whitewater as our outfitter as we did on our last trip here in 2012. The boys and leaders suited up, fitted helmets and life jackets, and boarded the bus to the put-in, about a two minute drive away. There we received a briefing on basic rafting strokes and had their safety talk.
The river was mostly in Yellowstone National Park. Along the way, the group enjoyed lots of easy bounces and a few major bumps including one class 3 rapid near the end. One boy did get ejected but was quickly rescued. He loved it. In the quieter sections of the river, our guides made it more interesting by playing some “water games” such as spinning the rafts, splash wars, and had chances to swim in the water which was a bit too cold for most boys.
The group did spot two bald eagles flying overhead, which added to the beauty of the rafting trip.
The trip was a big success and the boys loved it. Some had never rafted and others were old pros. I feel certain all will want to take a future raft trip.
We walked back to the hotel, dried off, and then walked back to the market across the street to buy some snack food. We were planning a large and early dinner and didn’t want to be too full. Unfortunately, most of these boys when given the opportunity to go through a grocery store with some money to buy some snacks and they went immediately to the junk food aisle. They loved it, but that was a one-time experiment!
After our “light” lunch, we returned to the hotel for some rest and recreation. A few boys went swimming and others chilled in their rooms.
We enjoyed dinner at a diner within walking distance. Hamburgers, elk burgers, and bison burgers are house specialties and many boys chose one of the three. They also had chicken and other choices.
Finally, we capped the day with our first drive of the day … this one being a near-dusk ride back into Yellowstone to look for wildlife. We headed for Lamar Valley which in itself is a spectacularly beautiful expanse of wild land. We had eyes opened (even if mouths weren’t shut) looking for wildlife and we weren’t disappointed. We saw dozens of pronghorn antelope, at least 20 elk, hundreds of bison, and….wait for it…a black bear!
What an incredible day!
Click the link below to see photos from today's adventures.
www.flickr.com/photos/mindstretch/albums/72157670397309291
The river was mostly in Yellowstone National Park. Along the way, the group enjoyed lots of easy bounces and a few major bumps including one class 3 rapid near the end. One boy did get ejected but was quickly rescued. He loved it. In the quieter sections of the river, our guides made it more interesting by playing some “water games” such as spinning the rafts, splash wars, and had chances to swim in the water which was a bit too cold for most boys.
The group did spot two bald eagles flying overhead, which added to the beauty of the rafting trip.
The trip was a big success and the boys loved it. Some had never rafted and others were old pros. I feel certain all will want to take a future raft trip.
We walked back to the hotel, dried off, and then walked back to the market across the street to buy some snack food. We were planning a large and early dinner and didn’t want to be too full. Unfortunately, most of these boys when given the opportunity to go through a grocery store with some money to buy some snacks and they went immediately to the junk food aisle. They loved it, but that was a one-time experiment!
After our “light” lunch, we returned to the hotel for some rest and recreation. A few boys went swimming and others chilled in their rooms.
We enjoyed dinner at a diner within walking distance. Hamburgers, elk burgers, and bison burgers are house specialties and many boys chose one of the three. They also had chicken and other choices.
Finally, we capped the day with our first drive of the day … this one being a near-dusk ride back into Yellowstone to look for wildlife. We headed for Lamar Valley which in itself is a spectacularly beautiful expanse of wild land. We had eyes opened (even if mouths weren’t shut) looking for wildlife and we weren’t disappointed. We saw dozens of pronghorn antelope, at least 20 elk, hundreds of bison, and….wait for it…a black bear!
What an incredible day!
Click the link below to see photos from today's adventures.
www.flickr.com/photos/mindstretch/albums/72157670397309291
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