Our Trek across
Yellowstone National Park by TD Cooper
Our Trek across
Yellowstone National Park
“Hey, dad, when are we leaving on our trip to Lamar Valley?”
“Son, I’ve told you, we need to wait until the snows melt. Yellowstone
has many treacherous obstacles that can be hidden under the snow,” dad
explained.
“Honey, what about the wolves, with just the three of us we’ll be easy pickings
for them,” mom said.
“Another good reason for waiting until summer. The wolves will have many
animal choices and won’t be hungry for my tough old hide.”
Time crawled for Junior; he was sick of eating scrub in Westgate
Yellowstone and had been assured Lamar Valley was full of green grass. He was
ready for summer and the long walk across the Park.
The day finally came. “Junior, wake up, the last of the snows have
melted,” dad said as the sky brightened.
“Hip-hip-hooray,” Junior cheered. “Hurry up mom!” He bounced as mom chewed
her breakfast scrub.
“Junior, calm yourself it’s a long walk, now eat something and drink
some water. Remember you are to stay close to your father and me at all times.
The park is dangerous to children. Your hide hasn’t aged into a tough old bull.
And we haven’t talked about the humans, stay clear of them too,” mom said.
The three buffalo set out on their trek through the park, walking the
entire day. As the sun began to set, Junior’s head hung low. “What’s wrong?”
mom asked.
“We aren’t even out of our valley, and
I can still see the herd off in the distance. Mom, this is boring, when do we
get to the good stuff?” Junior moaned. She snorted and laughed.
The following week… “Wow, what are all those clouds squirting from the
ground?” Junior asked.
“This part of the park is hazardous.
Each one of those clouds of steam is coming out of the Earth’s crust. The
volcano below our feet is heating water and shooting vapor and gases into the
air. Every day new spouts appear. So
don’t wander off alone, you could get trapped in a pool of hot water or step in
a mud pit and burn,” dad explained.
“Oh, what is that smell?” Junior asked, snorting the stench out of his
massive nose.
“It’s sulfur, a gas coming out of the ground. Don’t worry, when we cross the
next ridge it won’t smell,” mom said, nudging Junior around a steam port.
“Oh, look, honey, the humans are
gathering to watch Old Faithful, she must be close to blowing,” dad said.
The ground began to gurgle, the steam thickened, and before Junior could
comment, water shot a hundred and thirty feet straight up into the air. “Hey,
that was cool! I want to see it again!” Junior laughed.
“Hey guys, we are at Yellowstone Lake. Let’s graze, drink, and rest
before we head over that mountain,” dad said, nodding in the direction of a
mountain ridge taller than Junior ever imagined.
“Hey dad, there is a bear and her cubs over there.” Junior pointed.
“A Grizzly… give her plenty of room Junior,” mom said.
“Cool, I’ve seen Grizzly bears, Black bears, moose, antelope, elk, deer,
a fox, and tons of different birds. Hey dad, check out the lone, bull bison
walking up the road,” Junior said.
“Yeah, they hang outside of the herd during rutting season, and Fred is
holding up traffic,” dad groaned.
“Watch out Junior!” mom warned as a human jumped out of his car and challenged
the old man.
“That human is making a mistake; Fred is in no mood to be toying with an
idiot.”
“He’s pawing at the ground and staring Fred in the eye. Oh no, Fred’s
tail is standing up!” Junior observed.
“Junior don’t look!” mom screamed
and blocked his view of the human vs. buffalo. She hurried Junior off.
“Junior, we are standing on the rim of the volcano and Lamar Valley is
on the other side of that ridge where the grazing is endless, and the water never dries up,” dad snorted.
“Good, I’m ready to be there and away from all the humans. They scare me
more than I thought they would. I mean most of them respect my home, but the
few that don’t could spoil it for all of us.”
“You’re right, Junior! I think it’s great when we can all live in
harmony. It’s too bad when some don’t understand what is at stake for our kind,
we almost died out once.”
“We are here, look!” Junior cheered. “The valley stretches as far as I
can see, which is nothing but buffalo, grass, and water. I see youngsters my
age. Can I go…? Do you think they will like me?”
