Did you know there was a guy who jumped into a 200° F hot pot at Yellowstone to rescue his dog? When they pulled him out his last words were, “That was stupid. How bad am I? That was a stupid thing I did.” When they pulled off one of his shoes, the skin of his foot came off with it. That’s one of many things I learned in the perfect coffee-table book Death in Yellowstone, a gift from my brother-in-law.

My mom’s parents, Owen and Verona Slaugh, spent time in Yellowstone on their honeymoon in 1940 –

Here’s (one side of) a couple of Owen’s 3-D photos from the 40s:

My dad’s family were also frequent visitors:

I was in high school during the fires of 1988:

Fires of 1988

Bison in the smoke – fires of 1988

Welcome to West Yellowstone Barbee Que – referring to Bob Barbee, the superintendent of Yellowstone during the fires of 1988

Burnt trees after the 1988 fires

Fifty-seven years after my grandparents, Wendy and I honeymooned in Yellowstone as well –

Wendy and Justin in Yellowstone – 1997

Justin and Wendy in Yellowstone – 2014

We’ve had a few family reunions there over the past few years. I try to make a video each time:

I never take my dog. But if I did, I wouldn’t jump in after him. That would be stupid.

Cool formations

Colorful hot pot

Grizzly bear across the Madison River

Old Faithful at sunset

Bison in mid-poop

Molt season

Playing in the Firehole River – Yellowstone