Tourist Trip

Well this year has apparently had a record number of visitors to the park so far. And I can believe it, the place is packed! The Boss and I don't spend too much time on the trails, but recently we have been seeing a lot of tourists... or "tourons" as some people affectionately call them. Now I don't want to appear egotistical, but I don't really consider myself a tourist any longer. Maybe it is because I am a researcher now or because I feel as though I have more intelligence than the average tourist. Either way, I don't associate myself with the tourists of the park and also feel as though I can make fun of some touron stupidity.

This past week I have had some entertaining interactions with some tourists in the park. I talked to one lady who was amazed at how close she saw a bison earlier in the day and couldn't believe that it would just walk on the road. She exclaimed "I just know it wasn't real! It had to be some person dressed up in a buffalo costume walking on the road!" I assured her that what she saw indeed a living animal, but I am not sure she was convinced. One of my favorites is when we happen to see a tourist on the trail and they ask us what we are doing. This happened one time when Boss and I were scoping out some aspen with our binoculars from the trail. They were convinced that we had seen something very exciting and were disappointed when we told them what we saw, maybe a little confused too. By the look on their faces I am sure they were thinking Why would anyone waste time looking at trees through their binoculars... Or maybe when we say we are looking at "aspen" they think Ass-pin? Did they call me an ass-pin? I don't really know, but I am pretty sure they were expecting something besides some trees.

Now generally this lack of knowledge about the park is sad, but not really doing any harm. However I have seen some other things that are just dangerous. I saw one family hiking and somehow got off the designated trail. Soon the father yelled "Oh the trail is over here!" At this point I look over to see the family hiking through a thermally active meadow area, completely off the trail. The kids weren't too happy about stomping through the wet meadow, but I imagine they would have been even more upset if they would have ended up stepping in boiling water. Later that week I saw a bison near the road that attracted quite a crowd. He was sitting about 30 feet from the road, which was now packed with vacated cars. All around the bison was a ring of tourists taking pictures. The result was a bison that was completely encircled by cars and people. At the time it wasn't that big of a deal, but I can only imagine what would have resulted if the bison decided he was tired of his nap and wanted to leave... and had a crowd of people blocking his way.

I don't have to deal with the tourists too often, but when I do I sometimes find myself a little annoyed. At the same time, however, it still makes me pleased to see that so many people can appreciate the wonders of Yellowstone. So I think from now on I will try to be polite and helpful to the tourists I come across, despite their lack of intelligence.