Work

First, I will say that work has been going great. I have been staying very busy. After we completed our orientation process on Friday, we started working almost immediately. For the past couple of days I have been cleaning cabins and hotel-style rooms located throughout Canyon Lodge. Because we are preparing the cabins for the first time since last year, we are “deep cleaning.” As part of this, we have to do some extra cleaning. That means having to spend time on your knees scrubbing toilets and showers; and even worse, cleaning the floor with a hand rag. The work is hard, but I am managing.

I stopped by the on-site Canyon Visitor’s Center today. It’s amazing. It has a movie theater and everything. There is also a bookstore in the visitor’s centers that has a lot of books that relate to Yellowstone.

Canyon Lodge will open on Friday, so that’s when things will start to get pretty interesting. I’ve been told that this is the hardest week we will ever work, considering we are having to “deep clean” every location in the park. After it opens, we only do general cleaning which is much easier.

Took a look today at my countdown calendar, 86 days remaining in Yellowstone National Park!

My first impressions

Early this morning I woke up and made my way to the Greyhound Bus Terminal in Bozeman, MT. When I was choosing my hotel, I specifically chose one that was closest to the bus terminal. In fact, it’s right across the street. The hotel -- Western Heritage Inn -- was very nice compared to other brand name chains. The rooms and facilities were modern and up to date. The hotel also served a delightful continental breakfast that included muffins, bagels and juice. If you are visiting Yellowstone for any reason and must stay in Bozeman, I would strongly suggest the Western Heritage Inn.





At approximately 7:15 AM we boarded a big yellow tour bus which took all of us up the mountains to Gardiner, MT where we checked in. The drive took an hour and a half, but it was the best hour and a half of my entire life. Never have I seen such magnificent beauty. It was like something from a film. The bus was making its way up the mountains by driving through other surrounding mountains. We also encountered beautiful roadside streams that were truly picturesque.



After arriving in Gardiner, MT, I completed loads of paperwork and received my employee uniforms which consist of black pants and a red button-up shirt. We then headed to Mammoth Hot Springs which lies just within Yellowstone. There, we ate lunch and attended an orientation. While exploring, I came across some elk that were grazing grass just a few feet away from humans!


After some additional traveling, I was dropped off at my final destination which happens to be 7,734 feet above sea level -- Canyon Lodge. At the moment, the lodge is still closed, so it’s very peaceful. There are but very few people here. We begin our employee training tomorrow morning. I hope it will be great. I am definitely looking forward to the experience.

Oh, and this evening I saw a groundhog (locally known as a whistlepig) trying to get some food from a dumpster. It was the cutest little rodent. And, earlier today on our way up the mountain to Canyon, we were forced to stop for a few moments because a heard of buffalo was blocking the traffic. It was a most amusing sight.

My Summer Address

For those who would like to send me postal mail, I have included my new mailing address. In order for the mail to arrive at the correct destination within Yellowstone, it's important for the address to include "Canyon" as I have included below.

For Regular Postal Mail: (including packages)
Michael W. Barker
General Delivery - Canyon
Yellowstone National Park, WY 82190

The Countdown

I'm recognizing that I have but eight days until I begin this great adventure. I will be exposed to many things that will be completely new to me. I'm set to fly into Bozeman, MT on May 26th. I'll be staying at a nearby motel for the night. The next morning I'll cross the road to hang around the Bozeman Greyhound Terminal while I wait for the bus that is supposed to take all of us to Gardiner, MT where I will check-in and get my uniforms. From there, we're supposed to head to Mammoth Hot Springs for lunch and orientation. After that, we will head to our work locations where we will finally get to unpack and figure out where we will be living for the next three months! I'm ready to start cleaning some rooms!