I’m off for more fall wolf watching. This time I’ll be sharing pullouts with friends Maureen and Rick.

It’s a drizzly day in Bozeman when I leave around 11AM. I stop in Livingston to get a gift of pastries for my buds.

There is a tiny bit of snow on Emigrant mountain. Not much wildlife to see on the way, though, other than a pair of sandhills flying overhead. Still, it’s a very pleasant drive.

Just outside Gardiner I see a herd of about 40 elk bedded in a bright green irrigated field to the north.

There are still a lot of people in the Park and my progress is delayed when I get stuck behind some slo-goes. It’s still drizzling.

Note: A Slo-Go is a driver who prefers to drive slowly through the Park, usually around 20MPH and forgets to follow the Park rule: "Slower Traffic Use Pullouts". I am totally in favor of slow driving; it's safer for the animals, a good way to spot something and an excellent way to enjoy the beauty of the landscape. But it's very inconsiderate of other drivers. And there are SO MANY pullouts available to use!

This is the second of two “all day rain” days the Park has had. The Park always needs rain though, and it’s left a bonus: a nice white cap of snow on all the high peaks.

In the two weeks I’ve been gone the fall color has stepped up quite a bit. All through the Blacktail I find myself ooing and ahhing at the pretty yellowing aspens and a few orange ones, too.

When I reach Slough, I turn down the campground road to get myself re-oriented. This past week, the Junctions have been feeding on a bison carcass right in Slough Creek, visible from the gravel lot.

I see the horn and the bare spine just above the water. No wolves around. But the rainy mist is not conducive to scoping anyway!

I head back to the main road, trying to avoid many deep potholes full of muddy water. A careless driver going way too fast hits one dead center and splatters my car, painting it all over with mud, including on my moon roof! At least it wasn’t open! Ah, well.

In Lamar Canyon I can see the river is also chocolate colored.

I enjoy seeing Druid peak dusted with white, as well as the fingers of Mt. Norris. The rain continues at road level.

I reach Laurie’s around 2:30 where I am warmly greeted by Maureen, Rick and also Bill H who has stopped by for a visit. We have a happy catch-up.

Instead of braving the inclement weather this evening we counter-program ourselves by meeting up with our northeast-based wolf-watcher friends at the Miner’s Saloon.

The four of us join Gary, Celia, Krisztina and Debbie around a long table for beers, food and comradery. It’s a lovely way to begin my visit.

Today I saw: bison, a coyote, sandhill cranes, elk, pronghorn and the spirits of Allison, Richard, Jeff and Chloe.