Yellowstone. I have often seen its majestic and primitive beauty in books, movies and television specials. One of my favorite Clint Walker movies is Yellowstone Kelly. Although I doubt that the movie was filmed in Yellowstone, I can imagine Kelly and Anse Harper battling the Crow and Cheyenne in Hayden or Lamar Valley. Unlike countless millions of visitors, both US and foreign born, I had never been to Yellowstone. I had never experienced the faithfulness of Old Faithful or wolves in the wild. Not until September, 2002 when my wife, Debbie and I had the privilege of accompanying Kirby and Debbie Jonas and their kids on a trip to Yellowstone.
Yellowstone is not one of those natural wonders that you can visit one time, say you have been to and never go back. Yellowstone is an ongoing, never ending experience of wildlife, mountains, meadows and kids and good friends. It is an addiction for which there is no cure. The purveyors of this addictive experience were none other than our own Kirby Jonas and his wife, Debbie. I suppose my wife Debbie and I could have driven through the park, map in hand and said later that we had been to Yellowstone. But it is only due to the imaginative and keen mind of an accomplished author and artist like Kirby that you can truly say you have experienced Yellowstone. I am not trying to set Kirby up as a professional tour guide. The man's time is very precious as it is. And why he took precious time away from his writing and painting to make us feel so special God only knows. I do know that his heart is as big as Yellowstone and just as magnificent.
I should have anticipated the Yellowstone experience. Before I became addicted to Yellowstone and even before becoming reliant on the love of my wife, Debbie, I became unashamedly addicted to the western in any form. Movie, book, art. It didn't matter. I even enjoy watching the old Tim McCoy movies! But only Kirby's books paint word pictures so strong that I easily place myself in the role of Tom McClean or Tap Kittery. Kirby's writing is an incomparable art form in and of itself. And this word artist seeks out other forms of art such as a Yellowstone and then seeks to unselfishly share his discovery with others.
There were many enjoyable moments throughout our trip but perhaps the one that will remain in my memory the longest was the bison charge in the Lamar Valley. There is nothing that really compares in terms of pure excitement than to see two bull bison running toward you at a full gallop. A freight train barreling at full throttle at you could not have been more intimidating! Obviously we escaped. And should that ever happen again Kirby I promise not to leave Matthew behind!!
But in terms of total natural beauty nothing will ever compare to the double rainbow brilliantly displayed against a black stormy sky with old faithful spouting forth in the foreground. I am embarrassed to say I didn’t have a camera to preserve that image.
The Jonas family is extraordinary. My Debbie and I now have a new brother and sister. And those Jonas kids are the very best. We were honored to be with them in Yellowstone. But more than honored, I was humbled to be the recipient of a gift from Kirby manufactured by Colt. More on that at a later date. I need to hold on to a few of those September memories just a little longer.
Dave
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