Monday, July 27, 2015

Day 44: Artists Paintpots (7/18/15)

I didn't write anything in my journal for this day! I woke up feeling mentally rejuvenated (again I thank you Terminator) but still lagging physically with this cold. I decided to drive into Old Faithful where there is service and a general store to get more meds. On my way I passed Artist Paintpots and thought well artist is in the name and I am an artist so I should definitely stop there. It was an excellent choice because more strange phenomenon awaited me. Bubbling mud pits, vibrant hot springs...the pictures speak for themselves. Plus picture me standing there, transfixed and puzzled, mouth slightly ajar, thinking "what the....?"

After this adventure I went on to Old Faithful area where I honesty spent a lot of the day in the hotel lounge after I picked up some DayQuil. I eventually summoned enough willpower to walk to Castle Geyser, where it started raining shortly after I arrived. Got some sweet pics with the dark clouds behind the geyser smoke though. On my way home I almost missed a magnificent rainbow. Magnificent not in scale, but the colors were so beautiful and warm because of the setting sun on the stormy clouds. The sunset was phenomenal. I stayed and did a sketch at Biscuit Basin and hope to do a painting when I come home with the steam from the geysers and the Firehole River in the foreground.

Hot spring near artist paint pots.
Overview of Artist Paintpots.
Steam was coming out of these.
The color is very vibrant.
That COLOR!
Bubbling muddy clay like pit (the scientific term).
The mud bubbles kept popping and blowing mud bits in the air.
...my bubbles. Finding Nemo anyone?
Milky blue pool.
Bobby Socks trees.
Firehole River
Firehole Falls
Castle Geyser with ominous storm clouds.
Crested Pool (I think)
Just bubbling up from the center of the earth!
Thomas Moran's watercolor!
In front of Castle Geyser
There is some real crazy stuff here. Shag carpet, in the middle of a geyser? Come on people.
I almost missed this rainbow!
Stormy evenings make for the *best* sunsets.
Sunset sketch of Biscuit Basin. And yes, ducks on my dashboard.

 

 

2 comments:

  1. Love the storm clouds with the geyser steam! Great pics. Do you remember any of this from when we were there on our second part of our Lewis and Clark trip?
    Brought back memories to me....especially the artists paint pots!
    Love, mom

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  2. Holy cow--- you weren't kidding. Those colors are jaw dropping. So amazing!!! So glad you shared these pics!

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