Things we will miss about West Yellowstone.

Jamaicans.

Danny & Lorie at the bakery.

The scenery.

Exotic housekeepers such as the sultry senorita on the right.

Will at the Laundromat and his dog Rosco, who is always up for a game of catch.

The Three Bear Pool.

The kids at the Playmill, though we never expected to.

Our friends Anar, Sasha, and Emil.

And of course, Enes.

Things we won't be missing about West Yellowstone.

The Loaf n' Jug.

Dwarfish doorways.

The Ho-Hum Hotel & the beastly broad that runs the place.

Boredom at the front desk.

The Pinecone Playhouse. Don't invite "everyone" to a party if you don't really want everyone "invited."

The shifty seller of hides and furs on Canyon Street.

Brittany.

The understaffed properties where we once were employed.

The mushrooms growing from the carpet at the Traveler's Lodge. Yes, mushrooms.

Inevitable toilet problems and maintenance issues in general.

Pigeon Predicament

There are many bizarre occurrences at the front desk.

One morn at the Yellowstone Country Inn, numerous concerned guests made phone calls concerning an "injured bird" wandering along the second floor stairwell.  Descriptions of the battered bird ranged from a "baby raptor" to a "full-grown duck."

With paperwork to file, maintainence issues to resolve, people to check out, and keys to collect - the desk clerk kindly explained to each guest that he would resolve the problem when able to do so.

Viewing this phone response unsuitable, one impatient vacationer entered the front office (amidst the turmoil of many ill-tempered tourists), set the wounded winged creature atop the desk and left.  The room became silent as every head turned towards the bird - a crippled and contaminated pigeon.  Eyes widened and faces grew further sour.  The clerk could sense possible lawsuits lurking in the air. 

Though the man had used a towel to transport the bird from the balcony to the office, he had not provided anyway of containing or caging it.  The clerk quickly emptied the contents of a cardboard box and fiddled with the fowl until it was secure and somewhat out of sight.

Business continued as usual despite the squawking shifting brown box in the corner.  The office door opened and closed with each departure as the clerk pondered what was to be done with the new company pet. His shift would not end for another seven hours.  Just then, the windows of heaven were opened as was the office door, revealing the solution to the problem - Melissa Marshall.

Without hesitation, Melissa armed the box and bird like a NFL player about to score a touch down.  She then manned her bicycle and rode four blocks to the wildlife recovery center.  The bird died shortly after.

GOOD BYE MR. GÜR

A selection of photographs taken as we bid adieu to our dear friend Enes.

The Replacements

At some point in life, everyone desires change.  For some, a needed change can be found in something as simple as a new haircut or the purchase of a new article of clothing.  Others long for more drastic alterations, as was the case with our employers at West Yellowstone Motels.

Like an overworked middle-aged man experiencing a midlife crisis, our employers traded us in for the more exotic models pictured below.

Yin, Chase's substitue from China.

Jake & Sean's replacements from Jamaica: Shaneile & Renea. 

Replacing Drew: Roman, from Moldova.

Idolatry

 A glimpse at the insane amount of statuary that line the streets of West Yellowstone City.

 

Exodus 32:8 - "...they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods."