Return to Pine Trees and Vegetation Typical of Elevations Somewhat Lower in the Mountains. But Not So Low All the Snow Is Gone.
[the engine noise diminishes] “….. as we reach lower altitudes. “
Beartooth Pass Highway, MT. Here we see dark redbrown in the short dense bushes. Look closely!! These are stunted dwarf pussy willow trees growing, appropriately to willows in general, in a swampy low bog area. This is of course more of the Narrator’s "meltwater". Note patch of snow by trees at top of the hill. New Topic: On ZMM page 105 the Narrator says “Everything is so intense in this sunlight. Dark shadows, bright light. Dark blue sky. The sun is bright and hot when we’re in it, but when we pass under trees along the road, it’s suddenly cold. ” As already mentioned several times, my photo along this highway, Rt212, do not show what this passages from ZMM, due to the high atmospheric moisture when I was there. I have already given links to some good examples. Send email if you have any more.
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(Photo = 106-06340c ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 148)

A Cathedral Aisle of Pines!
“The forests return.“
Beartooth Highway MT
We are beyond all the swithcbacks and into smooth easy scenic driving! ************************************
(Photo = 106-0642 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 149w)

The Narrator's Lakes and Valleys.
“We move among rocks and lakes and trees now, taking beautiful turns and curves of the road .. I want to talk about another kind of high country now in the world of thought, which in some ways, for me at least, seems to parallel or produce feelings similar to this, and call it the high country of the mind. .. If all of human knowledge, everything that’s known, is believed to be an enormous hierarchic structure, then the high country of the mind is found at the uppermost reaches of this structure in the most general, the most abstract considerations of all.“ [Cont next.]
The Highcountry, Beartooth Highway, MT. .
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(Photo = Summer2006 0147 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt =151i )

Now We See Why the Beartooth is So Famous
“ .. Few people travel here. There’s no real profit to be made from wandering through it, yet like this high country of the material world all around us, it has its own austere beauty that to some people makes the hardships of traveling through it seem worthwhile. “
Beartooth Highway, MT. Beautiful mountain valleys. Finally the road is level. The curves are gentle now. The Chautauquas cover “Immanuel Kant’s famous Critique of Pure Reason“. We learn that “ We have in our minds an a priori motorcycle“! In this photograph you see my first real photograph of the famous local landmark, Beartooth Mountain. The twin peaks of this mountain have curved sides and very sharp peaks. This helps create the impression of a Beartooth. You will see this is the mountain shape of most high mountain peaks that are subjected to deep snow and glaciation. The curved shape is created by the deep snow and ice (with imbedded rocks) sliding down the mountain side, and grinding off the mountain sides until steep slopes are created at the top. Of course, the slope remains more gradual near the bottom, hence the curves sides. If this goes on long enough the sharp point is finally created, similar to the sharpening a dull knife.
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(Photo = 106-0649 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 151w)

A Second View of the Famous Beartooth Taken Summer 2006.
“We move among rocks and lakes and trees now, taking beautiful turns and curves of the road .. I want to talk about another kind of high country now in the world of thought, which in some ways, for me at least, seems to parallel or produce feelings similar to this, and call it the high country of the mind. .. If all of human knowledge, everything that’s known, is believed to be an enormous hierarchic structure, then the high country of the mind is found at the uppermost reaches of this structure in the most general, the most abstract considerations of all. .. Few people travel here. There’s no real profit to be made from wandering through it, yet like this high country of the material world all around us, it has its own austere beauty that to some people makes the hardships of traveling through it seem worthwhile. “
Beartooth Highway, MT. In my earliest reading of ZMM I thought the Narrator's austere "The Highcountry of the Mind" and the above passage took place in the those stark treeless tundra scenes above 11,000ft we just saw. Instead his philosophy discourse takes place in beautiful mountain valleys where the road is level, the curves are gentle, and the views just tremendous! We were able to find a very nice NFS Campground just a few miles on down the road.
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(Photo = Summer2006 0158 ...... ZMM Page = 111 ...... WayPt = 151`|w|' 6780ft)

A Real Police Car, But No Policeman, Is Effective in Slowing the Error Prone Ways of the Tourist!.
“At Cooke City John and Sylvia look and sound happier than I have seen them in years, … “
Cooke City, MT. I can tell you from direct "personal encounter”, that seeing this Police Car is very effective way to get the “newbee” to slam on the brakes! I was promptly reminded of my ZMM obligation not to be in “such a hurry“. Avoiding being in “too much of a hurry“ is a ZMM master motif. My RMcNally Map shows Colter Pass (8066 ft) as Just before Cook City, MT. At the Pass we left Wyoning and entered Montana. After Cooke City, MT, I went through town of Silver Gate, MT and at the East Entry Gate to YNP, will leave Montana and be in Wyoming. All of YNP is oficially in Wyoming. The Narrator's eight page discourse on philosiphy, his "The Highcountry of the Mind", is completed. After Cook City he discusses Phadrus's experience at Montana State College Bozeman.
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(Photo = 106-0665 ...... ZMM Page = 120 ...... WayPt = 156`|f|' 7620ft)

Was the ZMM Restaurant the Once-Upon-a Time MaPerkin's Cafe' Now a Grocery Store?
“ … and we whack into our hot beef sandwiches with great whacks. I’m happy to hear and see all their high-country exuberance but don’t comment much, just keep eating. “
Cooke City MT
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(Photo = 106-0666 ...... ZMM Page = 120...... WayPt = 157w)

These Pines Are Out Side the Town Limits. Note the Present Day Absence of Pine Trees Inside the Town Itself.
“Outside the picture window across the road are huge pines. Many cars pass beneath them on their way to the park. We’re a long way down from the timberline now. Warmer here but covered over with an occasional low cloud ready to drop rain. .. I suppose if I were a novelist rather than a Chautauqua orator I’d try to "develop the characters" of John and Sylvia and Chris with action-packed scenes that would also reveal "inner meanings" of Zen and maybe Art and maybe even Motorcycle Maintenance. That would be quite a novel, but for some reason I don’t feel quite up to it. They’re friends, not characters, and as Sylvia herself once said, "I don’t like being an object!" So a lot of things we know about one another I’m simply not going into. Nothing bad, but not really relevant to the Chautauqua. That’s the way it should be with friends. …. (Continued Next)
Cooke City, MT. The Narrator’s “ across the road …. huge pines. most certainly must have been there. Witness the big pines at right in this Cook City close up. When I was there I saw NO big pines to photograph in the business area. Apparently too many parked cars, new buildings, and parking lots plus need for firewood, have eliminated all the big pines that were once in this valley. Shame! Low Quality!
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(Photo = 106-0665c ...... ZMM Page = 120 ...... WayPt = 157`|k|' 7573ft)

Cooke City Originally Depended On Mining In the Surrounding Hills. But, As This Sign Board Reveals, The Town Mostly Relies On the Continual Flow of Tourists.
(Continued fm previous) “At the same time I think you can understand from the Chautauqua why I must always seem so reserved and remote to them. Once in a while they ask questions that seem to call for a statement of what the hell I’m always thinking about, but if I were to babble what’s really on my mind about, say, the a priori presumption of the continuity of a motorcycle from second to second and do this without benefit of the entire edifice of the Chautauqua, they’d just be startled and wonder what’s wrong. I really am interested in this continuity and the way we talk and think about it and so tend to get removed from the usual lunchtime situation and this gives an appearance of remoteness. It’s a problem. “
Cooke City, MT. The Narrator, prompted by John, next discusses Robert and Gennie DeWeese whom they will be visiting the next day. He says: “Outside a light mist has made the motorcycles wet. I take out the plastic bubble from the saddlebag and attach it to the helmet. We’ll be entering Yellowstone Park soon.“
Cooke City, MT. ************************************
(Photo = 106-0667 ...... ZMM Page = 122 ...... WayPt = 157`|m|' 7573ft)

It's Hard To Believe That We Must Continue To Drop In Elevation To Reach the Center of Yellowstone National Park.
“The road ahead is foggy. It seems like a cloud has drifted into the valley, which isn’t really a valley at all but more of a mountain pass.“ Photo at ?Lulu Pass, Several miles East of
Cooke City, MT. I suggest you continuously watch the elevation numbers given at bottom of each photo capton. You will see that we continue to go to lower elevations. Athough this seems strange, it illustrates that Yellowstone National Park Is Actually in a Low "Caldara", that is surrounded on all sides by high mountains! Why? Are there are some pretty serious geological reasons for all this? Recall that YNP has gobs of geyser, hot springs, hot mud pools. This thermal and volcanic activity is associated with an underlying geological "hot spot". This Hot Spot, eons ago, was sufficiently severe to have pushed UP a whole area much, much larger than YNP itself. This "push-up" was perhaps a mile higher than we see today. Subsequent to this "push-up", the "hot spot" receeded, and the center of the push-up, now Yellowstone Park, really a valley, settled to the lower park found today! This of course left high rocky mountains in a ring all around the park. The Beartooth Range is part of this ring of mountaions. Photo needed for this passage. Snow covered mountain may be the Beartooth? Does any one know?
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(Photo = 106-0660c ...... ZMM Page = 122 ...... WayPt = 157i 7573ft. Photo at = 155`|w|' 8062ft)

Yes Indeed Here It Is, Straight Out of the Old Picture Books!, Here We Enter YNP. According to the Map, We Leave Montana (Again) for Wyoming.
“At the park entrance we stop and …. “
End Beartooth Highway at Northeast Gate, Yellowstone National Park, MT. Note: Although there is no sign or other indication of it, we have left Montana, and are now back into Wyoming. All of the YNP is ofically in Wyoming. We started on US Route 212 at Laurel, MT and will continue on Rt212 until just prior to Mammoth Hot Springs, YNP.
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(Photo = 106-0672 ...... ZMM Page = 124 ...... WayPt = 158`|w|' 7365ft)

There Are Very Good Reasons Why the “Smokey Bear Hat“ Looooks Just Like a WWI Army Calvery Hat!
“ ….and pay a man in a Smokey Bear hat. He hands us a one-day pass in return. “
End Beartooth Highway, MT.
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(Photo = 106-0670b ...... ZMM Page = 124 ...... WayPt = 158 `|w|' 7365ft)

I Hope My Photos Are “ .... a Moment That Will Be Preserved On Film For Years.“
“ Ahead I see an elderly tourist take a movie of us, then smile. From under his shorts protrude white legs into street stockings and shoes. His wife, who watches approvingly, has identical legs. I wave to them as we go by and they wave back. It’s a moment that will be preserved on film for years.“ On US Route 212, Northeast Gate,
Yellowstone National Park, WY. Yellow Wild Flowers at he Northeast Gate of Yellowstone National Park. When I was there no one else was taking pictures at this Part Gate Area. Thus I have to say I am sorry not to have a better photo to fit this ZMM Passage. Here I am moved to wonder it this scene isn't one of Pirsig's many personal photos, which I believe, with extensive maps, were right by his side as he wrote ZMM.
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(Photo = 106-0675 ...... ZMM Page = 124 ...... WayPt = 159`|w|' 6741ft)

The Open Pasture-Like Grasslands, Great For the Buffalo, Look Like The Doings of Humans! But More Likely Are kept Free Of Trees and Otherwise Maintained By Nature Started Fires. This Is Shown In Other Of My Photos. See Other Refferences to Disasterous Yellowstone Forest Fires.
“ Phædrus despised this park without knowing exactly why...because he hadn’t discovered it himself, perhaps, but probably not. Route 212, NE corner of
Yellowstone National Park, WY. On road into Yellowstone National Park (YNP), just East of Lanar River crossing. A herd of Bison is seen in the distance. Note flat valley-floor framed by mountains. As I understand it, open spaces like this were the rule in my native Ohio Countryside. Domination of (or by) deep forests is a result of humans that promptly stop all Nature Started Fires. This often creates dangerous build up of under brush and deep dry leaf layers. So when a fire does get started, huge disaster results. Nature Started Fires usually are frequent enough to prevent this dangerous build up. Panorama will be uploaded ASAP.
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(Photo = 106-0683c ...... ZMM Page = 125 ...... WayPt = 160`|x|' 6605ft)

Here Are More “Smokey Bear hats“
“Something else. The guided-tour attitude of the rangers angered him. “
Yellowstone National Park, MT.
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(Photo = 106-0671 ...... ZMM Page = 125 ...... WayPt = 158 `|w|' 7365ft)

YNP Mammoth Hot Springs Have Left the Huge Mound of Mineral Deposit Seen Here. View To the North Showing Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel & Restaurant Facility. In the Trees to the Right, Note Red Tile Roofs of the Former Army Fort Yellowstone. These Buildings Are Now The Headquarter Facilities For YNP Administration and Staff Housing.
“[Phædrus despised this" [Yellowstone National] park without knowing exactly why...because he hadn’t discovered it himself, perhaps, but probably not. Something else. The guided-tour attitude of the rangers angered him. The Bronx Zoo attitudes of the tourists disgusted him even more. Such a difference from the high country all around. It seemed an enormous museum with exhibits carefully manicured to give the illusion of reality, but nicely chained off so that children would not injure them. People entered the park and became polite and cozy and fakey to each other because the atmosphere of the park made them that way."
Route 212, NE corner of Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY. This photo is shown here, because it so nicely shows the Fences and Boardwalks the Narrator complains about here. Perhaps, by poetic analogy, we could conclude that the “The Bronx Zoo attitudes of the tourists” in Philosophy and High Country of the Mind, disgusted Phaedrus also just as much?
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(Photo = 107-0711 ...... ZMM Page = 125 ...... WayPt = 171`|w|' 6445ft)

Is This “An Enormous Museum"[that gives] “The Illusion of Reality?
“It seemed an enormous museum with exhibits carefully manicured to give the illusion of reality, but nicely chained off so that children would not injure them."
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY. Of course, we all agree with the Narrator, that without the "man made fences", the hordes of people who come here would soon completely destroy these wonderful formations. But the "man domination" (people, roads, parking lots, fences, mowed grass, etc) all inescapably change the wholeness of where you are. (This thought continued in caption next.) So the ZMM Pilgrim, knowing this, endeavors to leave the "beaten path" and explore/absorb the real thing when ever possible. The Narrator, on the next page (p126), discusses what he learned about Oriental Religions from his trip to India and the study of Oriental philosophy. He gives a passage that speaks to what he is saying about his objections to YNP: “In all of the Oriental religions great value is placed on the Sanskrit doctrine of Tat tvam asi, "Thou art that," which asserts that everything you think you are and everything you think you perceive are undivided. To realize fully this lack of division is to become enlightened. “
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(Photo = 107-0715 ...... ZMM Page = 125 ...... WayPt = 174`|w|' 6320ft)

More Mineral Deposits. Note the Curved Grey Line Just Aove the Buildings Center. The Road Going North Out of the Park Follows This Valley of The Gardner River.
“People entered the park and became polite and cozy and fakey to each other because the atmosphere of the park made them that way. In the entire time he had lived within a hundred miles of it he had visited it only once or twice.
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone National Park, WY. What the Narrator says is true of my fellow tourists at these springs. I found my self “striking up conversations” with many different people, and even talking to and helping children! For example, one knowledgeable man, seeing me take so many pictures, decided I was interested in learning more. He took the time to explain how YNP itself was essentially a giant “caldera”, or “basin” that had “sunk down’ in the center of the surrounding high mountains. This formed a high ring of mountains all around a considerably lower park. He showed me, from a high board walkway, like this one, how to look at the mountains to the North (above photo) to actually see this was true!
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(Photo = 107-0709 ...... ZMM Page = 125 ...... WayPt = 170`|w|' 6449ft)