Our training and job

We began our training on Monday, May 21 at West Yellowstone, MT, a small city at the west entrance to the park. It's a good thing we left early because we were stopped three times by buffalo in the middle of the road. You just have to wait until they decide to move along. When we got there we filled out paperwork, got our picture taken for ID, and got our black shirts that we wear to work with jeans and tennis shoes. After that we learned general information about the company, Delaware North. The next session was Green Path, where we found out about the conservation efforts that take place at the park. The last topic was Guest Path whose theme is "Creating special experiences one guest at a time" which was basically the ten ways we are expected to treat the guests when we are working.

On Tuesday morning we received alcohol serving training since we sell alcohol in the store. In the afternoon we stocked the shelves in the store from the warehouse located in the basement of the store.

On Wednesday we had cash register training in the morning and had a chance to practice on a demo computer. In the afternoon we stocked shelves in the clothing department. It amazed me how quickly items were sold and had to be replenished.

On Thursday morning we learned cash handling policies and procedures - how to cash out at the end of a shift. In the afternoon we started working the register. Fortunately it was not too busy so we had a chance to ease in gradually. Everyone was very helpful to us "newbies."

We worked a regular shift on Friday and Saturday and had today off. We're getting the hang of it and making our fair share of mistakes. (I call them blond moments!) The supervisors are very understanding and encouraging, thank goodness. There is so much to remember in the beginning.

Details about life here: Most of the employees are retirees like us from all over the country. Some have worked here many years and some are first timers like us. There are about 80 employees at our General Store which is located right across from the Old Faithful Visitor Center where the geyser goes off about every 90 minutes. So the store gets quiet when Old Faithful erupts because all the guests are over there, and then we see a stream of people heading for the store to shop. It's very large with a grocery section, gifts, clothing, a snack bar, and two lofts. One loft is for outdoor gear, and the other is an ice cream shop. They have quite a variety of products.

We are scheduled one of three shifts each day: either 7am - 3pm, 10:30am-7pm, or 2:30 pm- 10:30pm. We have 1/2 hour for lunch or dinner. We get two days off in a row together. This week our schedules are exactly the same which pleases us very much.

The employee dining room is at the store so it is quite convenient when we are working. The food has been very good with a nice variety at each meal. There's a salad bar and fresh fruit at every meal which pleases me and also lots of homemade goodies which makes Dan happy. They serve the big meal at lunch time and a smaller one at dinner. We won't go hungry that's for sure.

Now the bad news: It's been COLD and snowy. When we set up last Sunday it was sunny, warm, and beautiful, but a cold front came through and we have had rain and snow ever since. The highs have been in the 40's and lows in the 30's.  When we got up Friday morning we found about six inches of snow on the car. Fortunately Dan still had the snow brush/scraper that we bought last year.

 Unfortunately my shift started at 7am and none of the roads had been plowed. We made it through without any trouble.

 In the afternoon the snow turned to rain and then back to a wet snow.  And it's been doing that ever since. We're looking forward to warmth! Please send us some!

Lander, WY to Yellowstone National Park, WY

On Friday, May 18, we left Lander early in the morning because rain and thunderstorms were in the forecast. It was overcast but not raining. As we drove west we crossed the Togwatee Pass with an elevation of 9658 where there was snow on the sides of the road.

After waiting about 15 minutes at a construction stop sign, we traveled about two miles on unpaved roads. We were so glad that it wasn't raining or it would have been a muddy mess.

When we entered Grand Teton National Park there was a flashing sign "Caution, bear with cubs crossing." When we drove a little farther we saw lots of cars pulled off the road with cameras pointing to the woods. We couldn't stop in the RV and didn't see any bear in the distance.

During the rest of the trip we saw plenty of snow in the higher elevations. It was plowed to the side of the road.

We even saw a few ducks on the snow.

Some of the lakes were thawed but some were partly frozen.

When we drove past Yellowstone Lake on our way to the campground at Fishing Bridge it was very cloudy, but the lake wasn't frozen.

It drizzled a little when we set up, but all in all we had better weather than we expected. That night the temperature dropped down to 26 degrees. YIKES!!! We love our electric blanket!

Since we had an extra day before we had to report to Old Faithful camping area, we decided to take a drive over to where we would be staying and working.  The lake looked much better in the sunshine.

After finding the general store and the camping area at Old Faithful we drove to West Yellowstone, MT, the nearest city about 30 miles from Old Faithful and looked around. Then we drove the loop around Madison, Norris, Canyon Village, and back to Fishing Bridge. Yellowstone is a BIG park with 2.2 million acres. On the way we saw some elk. This one posed for us.

We also came across some buffalo with their babies. They were so cute!

On Sunday we left our campsite at Fishing Bridge and drove 44 miles to our spot at Old Faithful. The campsite is over a mile driving but less that a mile walking on the path to the store where we work. There were several sites to choose from, but none of them gave us enough clearing through the trees to get our dish reception. So we are without tv except the shows that we recorded on our dvr. We don't like missing what is going on in the world, but don't mind not hearing all the political talk. But thank goodness we do have a good Verizon signal for our phone and mifi internet connection.

The next time I write I'll describe our training and job.

Cheyenne, WY to Lander, WY

Fortunately the problem we had with the inside battery power was not a major one. A cable corroded and broke in half. The RV repairman came to the campground, found the problem, and was able to replace the cable. So we were able to take the trolly tour of Cheyenne on Tuesday afternoon.

Cheyenne, a Shoshone Indian word meaning good horseman and strong warrior, is the largest city and capitol of WY with a population of 59,000. The whole state has only 460,000. It ranks 9th in land area but 50th in population. The Union Pacific Railroad has 75 to 100 trains going through the depot every day. What a huge operation! The train depot includes a museum of many historical items.

We spent about an hour and one half riding around the city with the driver guide explaining the history of the city and pointing out buildings such as the Wyoming State Museum, State Capitol, Botanical Gardens, Governors' Mansion, and homes of important people. We wish we would have had more time to explore some of these attractions. All around the city were 27 boots of different sizes and decorations. They were auctioned off to raise money for the county, and the bids started at $5,000. Here's one we liked.

The next day we drove 266 miles from Cheyenne to Lander,WY. The scenery was quite a contrast to the flatness that of MO and NE. There were some long grades up and down. We hit quite a bit of wind at times, and Dan worked hard keeping the RV steady expecially when trucks passed us.  Here are some pictures of the countryside. The cattle looked like they enjoyed grazing by the pond.

We passed several windmill farms.

This was our first view of snow covered mountains in the distance.

Between Cheyenne and Laramie there was a statue of Abraham Lincoln that was created in 1959 for the 150 anniversary of his birth.

Here are a few more scenes of the countryside in WY.

Since we still had plenty of time to spare we decided to spend a day sightseeing in and around Lander. In the morning we went to Sinks Canyon State Park which is south of the city. The visitor center wasn't open yet but we got to see the park. It got its name because a rushing mountain river flows through a canyon and halfway down it abruptly turns into a large limestone cavern. The crashing water "sinks" into cracks in the back of the cave.

The river runs underground for 1/4 mile until it emerges down the canyon in a large calm pool called "The Rise." In the past they ran dye tests to prove that it is the same water from the sink to the rise. The amazing part is that it takes two hours to reappear at the Rise. It was fascinating to see the process in action and the scenery was beautiful.

We drove back up to the city and visited the Freemont County Pioneer Museum. It was very well done with many displays that gave the flavor of how life was in the 1800's in Wyoming. Dan tried to buy a beer, but there was no one there to serve him.





Our next adventure took us about 35 miles southeast of the city to the South Pass City Historic Site. On the way we saw many areas where snow still on the ground. This is one example of the snow fences that dotted the countryside. We were glad that we passed through in May instead of February.  

It took us several wrong turns to find the city (population 5). We weren't too sure about turning onto the gravel road, but after a mile and a half we finally found the town. It consisted of 30 historic log, frame and stone buildings from the boom and bust of the gold rush in the mid 1800's. We enjoyed walking through them and seeing how life was back then. It's hard to imagine the challenges that they faced The only other people visiting there were a group of kids on a field trip, and they left shortly after we got there.

The gold mine is still there, and they are working on restoring it and making it safe for visitors to tour in the future. 

On our way back to the campsite we passed many beautiful scenes including the breathtaking Red Canyon. 

At this point we had driven 2760 miles. On Friday we drove from Lander to Yellowstone. On my next post I will describe that part of the trip.

Nashville, TN to Cheyenne, WY

The tour of Nashville was excellent. The tour guide was very informative and humorous. We drove through historic downtown, Riverfront Park, Fort Nashborough, State Capitol, Bicentennial Mall, Parthenen, Vanderbilt University, and Music row including historic RCA Studio B where many popular songs were recorded. This is the State Capitol.

We stopped at Ryman Auditorium where the Grand Ole Opry was in residence from 1943-1974. It closed when the new Opry House opened. After laying idle for years it was restored and reopened in 1994 for tours during the day and concerts at night. The day we were there they were setting up for a Loretta Lynn concert that evening. This picture was taken from the balcony.

The country Music Hall of Fame was our next destination. We were given an hour and a half but could have spent many hours exploring all the displays on three floors. Anything and everything you ever wanted to know about country music could be found there. There were so many costumes on display and areas where you could hear the stars' recordings. We were amazed with the Silver Dollar Convertible, Elvis' gold Cadillac and gold piano.

It was impossible to get a picture of the Hall of Fame on the inside because it was so large. But it was very impressive to see. This is the outside of the building. The cylindrical shape of the rotunda depicts water towers and grain silos found in rural settings of TN. The four disc-shaped tiers on the roof represent the evolution of recording technology: the 78, the vinyl LP, the 45, and the compact disc. We were impressed with how well country music was depicted throughout the building.

After leaving Nashville we drove through western TN, a short distance in KY, and into MO. Even though we drove through St. Louis in early afternoon, there was lots of traffic. One lane was closed so traffic had to merge. Dan did a remarkable job maneuvering through the five lanes of traffic. The Gateway Arch by the Mississippi River was an impressive sight.

The drive through MO was mostly flat with farms and fields on both sides of the road. We drove through the southwest corner of IA and into NE.

After spending Sunday at a campground in Waco, NE we left for WY Monday morning. The drive through NE was more of the same scenery. We passed farmhouses, silos, and miles and miles and miles of fields with bales of hay, a few clumps of trees and some cattle sprinkled here and there. All along the roads were irrigation systems consisting of tubes to carry water and wheels to move along the ground. It was fascinating to watch them in action.

Yesterday when we stopped for a break we discovered that the power off the house batteries were not working. Dan has been troubleshooting and talking to the manufacturer and  RV tech. We're hoping the solution will not bee too difficult, but at this time we're not sure. We hope to have an answer today.

So far we have traveled 2287 miles and have a little over 500 to go. We have reservations at a campground in Yellowstone for Friday and Saturday, check into our spot on Sunday, and start training Monday. The weather has been sunny and beautiful with highs in the 70's and lows in the 50's. We changed time zones yesterday and are now two hours behind eastern time.

We're on the road!

We left Spring Hill Thursday morning, May 3, 2012 and traveled to southern SC. Unfortunately we did not get out of Florida before love bug season. They splattered the front of the RV. Yuck! Here's Dan cleaning them off.

On Friday we proceeded on to Myrtle Beach. Our son Doug with Mary, Daimen, and Cheyenne joined us with their trailer. Our daughter Donna with Jessica and Chris, who live in Myrtle Beach, came over after school and stayed with us. We had fun swimming, walking on the beach, and playing miniature golf and ping pong. We also found time to play Kings Corners, Rummikub and Spite and Malice. We were able to see the super moon on Saturday night over the ocean. It was a magnificent sight but I forgot to take a picture! We had thundershowers late in the evening, but by Sunday the weather was beautiful again. Doug and Donna cooked a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning including bacon, sausage, eggs, and pancakes. I made the toast. (We trained them well!!) Here's Daimen and Doug busy at work.

After breakfast they headed off to see The Avengers. Everyone thought it was a great movie.

The kids were kind enough to pose for a photo. Front row: Cheyenne (10) & Daimen (14)

Back row: Mary (16), Jessica (15), Chris (13)



We left SC Monday morning and headed west through SC to the western edge of NC near the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. It rained throughout the night and was dreary in the morning. Although the forecast for the day was for scattered thundershowers we grabbed the umbrella and left for the park. The road from the campground to the park included the southern end of the Blue Ridge Parkway. On a clear day it would have been a beautiful drive, but it was mostly foggy that morning.

The park was created in 1934 and includes a little over 500,000 acres. Elevations extend from 870 feet to 6,643 feet. We visited the southeastern section of the park including the Oconuluftee (meaning: by the river)Visitor Center, the Mountain Farm Museum, and the Mingus Mill. It was very interesting to learn about the area and the people who lived there. We also took a three mile walk along the Oconaluftee River to the city of Cherokee which is in the middle of the Cherokee Indian Reservation. This is the visitor center.

The Mountain Farm Museum replicates a 19th century farm including a farmhouse, barn, corn crib, apple house, springhouse, sorghum molasses mill, working blacksmith shop, and garden. A group of fourth grade students dressed in costume were getting hands on experiences including cooking at the farmhouse. It was interesting to watch. This is the farmhouse.

 The path to the river cut through a field behind the farm buildings. It was a peaceful walk with lots of fern and moss and some wildflowers with a few small hills. The river was very clear and moving swiftly. Just as we returned to the visitor center it started to drizzle, but it didn't amount to anything.

After the walk we drove about 1/2 mile to Mingus Mill, a historical grist mill that uses a water powered turbine instead of a water wheel to power all of the machinery in the building. Corn was ground to cornmeal and sold to visitors. The miller explained the process and we were able to walk all around inside and out and feel the rumble of the grist mill in action.

We didn't get to see all of the park in one day so we hope to go back another time. On the way home the scenes on the Blue Ridge Parkway were much better. This is a view from an elevation of 5150. There were about eight levels of mountains in the distance that didn't really show up on the picture.

Today we drove from western NC to Nashville, TN. We went through some heavy rain in the mountains of eastern TN. When we stopped at the TN visitor center to get a map and Nashville info we were greeted by a lady who gave us a moon pie and invited us to the Moon Pie Festival later this month. A photographer took our picture with the moon pie lady. Maybe we'll be part of their article in the paper! As we traveled west the skies cleared, and by the time we got to Nashville it was sunny and 77 degrees. Tomorrow we are doing a Grayline tour of the city. We haven't been here for many years and thought it would be a good way to see all the sights. They will pick us up at the campground so we don't have to drive into the city.

We are now in the central time zone. We have traveled 1090 miles on our journey. So far we have been blessed with mostly good weather. We hope that we don't encounter any harsh spring storms.