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Mountain Mike's Cafe in West Yellowstone, Montana
Stopping here for lunch before the IMAX movie, one of the funniest things happened. OK, so yknow how I've been taking photos of the meals I eat. Most people ignore that I'm doing it, but here at Mountain Mike's there happened to be a family sitting behind me. When I took the photo, their almost teenaged kid asked, "Why's she taking pictures of her food?" And her father said to her, "Those Japanese tourists take pictures of everything."
What?! I turned around and said, "I am NOT Japanese." They just stared like they didn't understand English. Whatever. BTW, as Jules put it, "Now that's a tasty burger!" so I'd definitely recommend Mike's for their hamburgers. Here are some photos they had stuck up on their walls. The older photos were taken to document the winter storms that West Yellowstone experiences (photos are from 1962, 1967, 1974, 1979)
Yellowstone IMAX in West Yellowstone, Montana
Having spent so much time at the GDC, I didn't have time to watch both IMAX films "Yellowstone" and "Wolves." So I chose the one
about the wolves and I certainly got my money's worth. My only complaint is that they're so short. The "Yellowstone" film is only 34 minutes long and "Wolves" clocked in at about 45
minutes. I could've sat there for two hours easy watching the films.
Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg, Idaho
The brochure to Yellowstone Bear World, which I picked up at while visiting the Grizzly Discovery Center, proclaims that
they're "just south of the West Yellowstone entrance". Alrighty then. So I head down Highway 20 and drive and drive and
drive and drive. Where the hell is this place? Turns out it wasn't JUST SOUTH. It was more like almost TWO HOURS SOUTH of
the West Yellowstone park entrance.
So of course just as I get there, a keeper is closing the gate. She tells me they re-open at 9am, but that doesn't help since
by then I'll be halfway across the state. Oh well.
Apparently, there are those in the Idaho area who aren't too keen on bears roaming around and being forced to beg for treats. In a way, I agree. However, if it's a choice of turning the bear into a beggar or shooting him cos he's eating out of some woman's trash can, I'd much prefer the former - and I'm sure the bear would agree if he could.
An interesting article about the whole place: "Attraction Puts Bears On Parade"
Random Drug Search along Highway 20 in Idaho
Heading back north on Hwy 20, I come across another of those "Caution Road Work Ahead" signs. I've sat through lots of construction so don't think much of this until I see another sign that says "Drug Sniffing Dogs Ahead". Suddenly the car ahead of me pulls over. Gee, wonder what they're stopping for? Heheh.
I'm having deja vu again as every single car in the northbound lane of Hwy 20 is pulled over.
Driving away, I see a Volkswagen bus pulled over and all four passengers are sitting alongside the road. Although all four are white, they've got dreads and look totally Rastafarian. Hello! Could they be an easier target?! Why not just post a sign outside their bus that they're potheads? Duh.
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