day one, after I set up camp ...
For $20, I get myself a campsite in the Moraine Park section of the park. It is, as requested, the park's "noisiest" campground. After pitching my tent, I ride out a little to get a better view of the valley, where I can watch about a hundred elk. It's mating season, so they're all running and bugling. Awesome to see and hear.
I take this photo inside the campground as I head to the outskirts to see the big herds. These are just a few ladies crossing the street, weaving between tents.
This is just a cool tree and sky photo I snapped while watching the elk. This is on the opposite side of the street as all the action.
Some of the elks in the field, zoomed in and cropped from my digital. I love that these ladies are showing off their butts.
A nice shot on film with my telephoto lens.
As I get to camp, I build a fire and huddle up. Getting cold at night. The sky is mostly clear, so I sit fireside with my constellation book and my book light and find at least a dozen constellations, teaching myself some new ones. It's pretty cold overnight, but it's worth it. All night, I hear elk, owls, and packs of yipping coyote.