Yellowstone's Wrangler Lake, Bog Creek, Joseph's Coat Springs, Broad Creek, Wapiti Lake, Hot Springs Basin, and Pelican Valley. Part One of Two.

[TractorDoc]

The back cover will have quotes:

"The burden of carrying a heavy spoon is not something that should be taken lightly."

 

[Rockskipper]

"The burden of carrying a heavy spoon is not something that should be taken lightly."

Isn’t that a Soupy McSpoon quote?

 

[scatman]

I'm thinking @scatman needs a new Avatar. It is not the best quality but scaled down it should look ok.

View attachment 116100

Scatman can't change his avatar. My original avatar is the best picture ever taken of me! I was at my prime fighting weight! I can't remember if that was a selfie, or if Katie or Jr. took it.... maybe ten years ago now? More? I look like an old man now. I think the spoon has a hold on me in that shot.

 

[scatman]

"The burden of carrying a heavy spoon is not something that should be taken lightly."

Isn’t that a Soupy McSpoon quote?

Maybe we are looking at this all wrong? Perhaps we should form a fellowship and destroy the heavy spoon? What is the most remote thermal feature in Yellowstone @TractorDoc? Clearly heat and scalding water would destroy it? I'm not sure that I could carry the one spoon that rules them all to the remote thermal area though, the burden just being to heavy on me.

 

[Ugly]

Dropping the spoon in such a thermal feature is sure to cause the big one in Yellowstone.
But if you're doing a fellowship. I am in. I could be a Fool of a Took.

 

[Rockskipper]

I'm not sure that I could carry the one spoon that rules them all to the remote thermal area though, the burden just being to heavy on me.

Dooley!! led by Fool of a Took!

 

[TractorDoc]

Looks like a great trip. Looking forward to part 2!

Thanks Richard. Wish you could have joined us. . . but then again you would have just left us in your dust and wore us out even more as we tried to keep up with you.

Let me know what's on tap for next year!

Hugh has something planned for next year. He only told me about his plans when he was drunk on Angel's Envy Bourbon laced with Circus Peanuts. . . so I don't really know if I'm invited myself yet. From what I remember his idea will test my backcountry skills in ways that may send me crawling towards the nearest trail head. If that is the sort of thing that piques your curiosity you can PM him.

Looks like a good start to a memorable trip. Looking at the map and reading between the lines, I hope you headed towards Fairyland after this part. From what I've read, it would fit with your foreshadowing "mentally scarred but alive".

Thanks Scott!
Fairyland would have been a difficult yet worthy destination, but as Hugh alluded it was not part of our plan. We chose to expose ourselves to a different type of backcountry abuse. Here is a picture for a preview.

So you're thinking the spoon tripped my up, as opposed to it intentionally shifting around in my pack to throw off my center of gravity at crucial times?

I thought the spoon was too big to fit in your pack and you had it lashed to the outside?

(Something whacked me over the head while I was doing this - something heavy and made of metal...)

@Rockskipper -- just when I think you cannot outdo yourself. . . you double outdo yourself! Your talents are without limits!

Brilliant! Though creepy may be too tame.

I'll offer up "The Sinister Spoon of Yellowstone" as an alternative. I doubt that it carries the full weight of what it means to be in the presence of the spoon, but it does roll off the tongue nicely.

 

[kwc]

“I'll offer up "The Sinister Spoon of Yellowstone" as an alternative. I doubt that it carries the full weight of what it means to be in the presence of the spoon, but it does roll off the tongue nicely. “

I heartily endorse this new title of the @scatman adventure story.

 

[TractorDoc]

Isn’t that a Soupy McSpoon quote?

I believe it was Sporky Sporkerson that uttered that one.

My original avatar is the best picture ever taken of me! I was at my prime fighting weight!

I will admit that you look rather buff in that avatar. Classic Scatman smile too. You could have probably carried two spoons when that pic was taken.

Clearly heat and scalding water would destroy it?

I doubt there is any thermal feature in Yellowstone that could destroy that spoon. Not only would it be an act of vandalism, but I fear the earth would reject your offering and send it back to you at a high velocity. You don't want "Here lies Scatman -- Impaled by a Spoon" on your tombstone, do you?

Dropping the spoon in such a thermal feature is sure to cause the big one in Yellowstone.

I think you might be right @Ugly . The spoon could set off a chain of events that would result in the end of humanity on earth as we know it. At least we would be at the epicenter and would not have to endure the cold, darkness, and misery that the rest of civilization could experience. To make things worse, I fear the spoon would be one of the only things to survive the cataclysm. They really should put a warning label on these spoons in the gift shop.

I heartily endorse this new title of the @scatman adventure story.

Right on Kevin!

 

[Rockskipper]

I like the new title, but I'm too worried about that strange sound coming from inside the silverware box to stir anything up.

OK, I had it exorcised by my neighbor who's an exorcise instructor. He says if I don't pay him it'll get repossessed.

 

[Bob]

I'm thinking @scatman needs a new Avatar. It is not the best quality but scaled down it should look ok.

View attachment 116100

Would really be creepy with a real evil smile.......

 

[scatman]

I like the new title, but I'm too worried about that strange sound coming from inside the silverware box to stir anything up.

OK, I had it exorcised by my neighbor who's an exorcise instructor. He says if I don't pay him it'll get repossessed.


View attachment 116104

Who's that sitting by the campfire on the cover?

 

[Rockskipper]

Who's that sitting by the campfire on the cover?

I dunnio, it's from Shutterstock.

 

[scatman]

I dunnio, it's from Shutterstock.

I just assumed you had some dastardly outlaw names chosen for them.

 

[Rockskipper]

Sometimes not revealing what you know or don't know is the best part of valor.

 

[Reef&Ruins]

Ah some more @Rockskipper and @scatman gold. YES!!

 

[Rockskipper]

Ah some more @Rockskipper and @scatman gold. YES!!

It's @TractorDoc's fault.

 

[TractorDoc]

It's @TractorDoc's fault.

Usually that is how it is.
Every good trip report needs a protagonist, in this case @scatman. Then there is the antagonist, enter the Sinister Spoon. I consider myself the tritagonist -- he who was there to witness the events but played no real role in the back-and-forth battle between Hugh and the Spoon. I am willing to tell the story so that others can know how one larger than life utensil almost brought a grizzled veteran of the backcountry to his knees when it came time to eat breakfast. The drama that unfolded over those five days/four nights in September is difficult for me to covey with the written word and photographs. I simply hope to provide a foundation on which someone more talented than myself ( @Rockskipper ) can build a true to life experience that allows the reader to feel the spoon's mass and Hugh's disdain.

You will be glad to know that I've wrapped up sizing pictures and stitching together a few videos. Now I just need to get a few minutes to sit down and piece together part two for those that are interested.

I may have already given too much away with my previous picture preview. . . but here is another teaser to whet your appetites.

 

[Bob]

Cooking shoes??

 

[scatman]

It's @TractorDoc's fault.

Agreed!