Different question about Yellowstone

StarkNaked nailed it. Watched ravens unload a couple's picnic supplies while the guy and lady walked down to the river. It was as if these things were watching for the couple to move and they moved in. Pulled stuff out on the table and even opened containers that were in the basket. Thugs apparently had a lookout, because they flew off before the couple got back from the river. These things are pretty smart for sure.

StarkNaked wrote:
The ravens are smart enough to open backpacks and will ransack anything they can open. Once again, no food left in the vehicle, even while you're just out walking the boardwalks.

Agree with this! We watched a couple of ravens unzip duffle bags in the back of a pickup while in Yellowstone. They flew off with the snacks they found inside. Our ranger guide said it happens all the time.

Funny, no one has mentioned Yellowstone's most vicious creature, the Culicidae. For the non-PHDs and Google Challenged, that is the mosquito. One of the funniest scenes I have personally encountered in Yellowstone was being behind a Jeep when stuck in a Buffalo Jam. It was in the perfect spot, a low, wet area on a calm day. You could see the black cloud descending upon us all. For me, a simple push on the power window buttons prevented the inevitable draining of all my bodily fluids. For the Jeep, not so much. They were apparently very ill-prepared and were tearing apart that jeep looking for anything to cover their exposed flesh. (I though about tossing them a can of OFF, but hey, Mosquitos got to eat too. Circle of Life and all)

Ravens are the biggest problem with critters. I've ridden motorcycles in Yellowstone on several occasions and they have stolen everything from my gloves to the key right out of the ignition while I was removing my helmet!

I did have some excitement with a buffalo when the traffic was stopped and the big boy decided to cross right where I was. (Guess he didn't see me or something) This guy decided the traffic was took thick and came right at me to cross the road. Other cars and RV's too packed nose-to-tail to get through. I couldn't move fast enough, so I just froze there. Some kid in an RV in front of me, sticking his head out the window, took a photo. Wish I could get a copy of that!



While rain can be an issue, it's usually short lived and easy to duck under a tree and just enjoy being in Yellowstone!! (Here I am watching some elk on the other side of the Yellowstone River as DW and I wait for the rain shower to pass)

The ravens are smart enough to open backpacks and will ransack anything they can open. Once again, no food left in the vehicle, even while you're just out walking the boardwalks.

jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

The question was pertaining more to animals while sightseeing, but also with the thought of parking it during the evening. We have reservations at Fishing Bridge, and from what I understand no soft sided RVs are allowed due to bear activity.

All of the comments and suggestions about food wrappers and coolers left in the Jeep are all welcome and make plenty of sense.

Doug

ddndoug wrote:
Thanks for all the replies. They are all in line with what I was thinking, but not having been there before I didn't want to do anything to put my family in danger.

Trackrig - What time of the year were you there?

Doug

We were mid May last year. In lots of places on the southern end you couldn't see over the snow banks from the jeep. If you wanted a picture of the rivers in the canyons, you had to park and climb up the snowbank.

Bill

We went last July. We experienced a hail storm, we would not have enjoyed being topless.

Since bison traffic jams are very common, I think this could end up with a bison getting very up close and personal.

jmtandem wrote:
Yellowstone is very popular with motorcyclists and touring bicyclists. What is the real question you are asking? Weather, animals.......???

This, I have ridden my MC in Yellowstone many times with the weather (rain) the only down side of the day.

Have fun and enjoy Yellowstone topless.