** CAMPING!?!?! **

Not quite sure what made me think camping in Yellowstone National Park was a good idea.  I am not a camper.  I have no interest in a tent, cooking on a fire, or staying awake all night in anticipation of having to use "bear spray" to get a grizzly bear off me (I would be the biggest piece of meat, so a bear would definitely pick me!)

But, I did it.  The rooms in and around the Yellowstone National Park area were upwards of $300.00 during this time of the year.  A campsite was $12.  How bad could it be?!?!?!

If you MUST camp, this is the campsite to do it in.  Bridge Bay Campground (http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/bridgebaycg.htm) is in a very central location inside Yellowstone.  It is super-clean, friendly, and, except for the bear warnings, it was perfect.  The bathrooms (that you have to WALK to - they are NOT right at your campsite) were very clean and there was plenty of fresh, running water (something you come to appreciate when camping).

So, this is my camping story.  I don't really want this as a steady thing, but every now and again, it's kinda fun (ah, well, maybe not!).

The accommodations.  Basic, to say the least.

This big item is at every campsite.  It's a steel box that is impossible to get into.  You have to put all your food and everything that smells inside of it so that bears don't come into your campsite at night looking for food, or looking to kill you.  Oh, Great!

In the event of a bear attack, I am going to TRY to wedge myself in this box!

Our firewood!

I am a regular watcher of "Naked and Afraid".  On that show, the people start a fire using a wet twig, some string they make from palm fronds, and a bird's nest that they steal from a bird.  The fire starts quickly and never goes out.  Hummmm.  How hard can it be?!

Well, my experience wasn't quite that easy.  First, I wasn't naked.  Second, we had matches, a lighter, and a flame-thrower and couldn't get the fire going.  Being that I don't use a GPS, I use paper-maps, I had plenty of paper-maps in the car (maps I wouldn't need again).  Well, maps are GREAT to get a fire going.

Now, THAT's a fire!

The beginning of the sleeping accommodations.

Things are looking up!!!

 When we checked-in, we were given this warning about bears, buffalo, and elk in the area that will attack you.  Oooooh, GOOD to know!

We quickly realized one box of firewood was NOT going to suffice!  All my maps, all my firewood is GONE!

This plot of land is not bad for $12-bucks!

As it starts to get darker, I am starting to reconsider spending that $300 for a nice room! 

I made it through the night, and woke up to a beautiful sunrise over Yellowstone Lake.

This is the breakfast you are stuck with when you don't have anymore firewood!  (And, the Madeline was a tad stale!)

Again, I wouldn't want to do this regularly, or even again for a while; but, it was a good experience and a very nice campsite.