"Stir" takes to the road again!

[Stir Young]

Hey, its me, Gary Young! You know, the smart alecky guy who was gonna go out west??? I thought I might try doing one of these blog thingies about my trip to Yellowstone Park and back.

So who is Stir? Well, that's been my nickname since I was in high school. I was originally called "Youngster" by one of my friends, I guess because I only looked about 12 years old when I was a Junior. As time went on, "Youngster" got shortened to "Ster", or "Stir", as I prefer to spell it, and people just ASSUMED that the shortened variety came about because I "stirred" up trouble. Why, nothing could be further from the truth....c'mon, you know me....I'm a peacemaker!

Well, anyway, about 2 years ago, I embarked on a quest to find people whom I'd worked with in Yellowstone Park in the summer of 1969. It became a cooperative project as I found others, and they started looking too. Along the way, we've been able to account for about 12 people, and the idea for an employee reunion came about. That reunion took place on August 14th and 15th 2009, in Gardiner, Montana, and the story that follows will hopefully tell a little about the summer of 1969 in Yellowstone Park, and my journey back there 40 years later.

And just who is that mischieveous looking guy up above? Why that's me, in the summer of 1969, of course.

[Stir Young]

Alice was taking it easy when she proudly displayed the VeeDub!

[Stir Young]

Arky, being a long time GM supporter, showed his dislike for foreign cars!

[Stir Young]

Ris'Kay, with Ken to the left.

[Stir Young]

Diana had Rhonda, Arky and Fooge Brownie behind her.

[Stir Young]

Fooge Brownie proudly displayed the VeeDub! Behind him, on the left was Alice, Arky, Ris'Kay and Diana. Behind him, on the right, was Karen and Rhonda.

Fooge Brownie told a great story about his cap, and what he did to procure it. Its an official Yellowstone Park Service Stations cap, the kind worn by their employees. As Fooge Brownie worked for the YPSS from 1969 to 1971, he inquired if he could buy one on a recent visit to the park. He was directed to the company headquarters, where they dug out his employment records to verify that he indeed had been an employee. They didn't want those caps falling into the hands of just anybody!

[Stir Young]

I decided to take a picture of everybody holding the toy VW Camper. Some of them may not even been aware of its existence, but Fooge Brownie remembered getting a ride in it.

[Stir Young]

This picture goes with the above comment.

[Stir Young]

We decided to all meet at the Lower Terraces. The site of the old Gift Shop was right by this too. The day before, I hadn't been able to determine where that building had sat, but Alice had done research on it for a work project, and she took us right to it.

I didn't get a very good picture it the site, but this one shows what would have been the place where the left rear of the building sat, if viewed from the front.

[Stir Young]

This group shot was taken before we left for Mammoth.

Top, left: Fooge Brownie

Bottom, left to right: Alice, Diana, Arky, Ris'Kay, Stir

[Stir Young]

This shot of Arky and Rhonda was taken at their suite, after we returned from Mammoth.