Mammoth Hot Springs

I got up early this morning because I wanted to try and get a campsite on the north side of the park. I didn't have much hope as it was the 4th of July. I hoped to see some wildlife along the way but it was pretty foggy. I stopped at Tower Falls which were pretty cool. I think I saw a wolf on the way but I was driving and by the time I slowed down and got my binoculars it went off into the grass. I got to Mammoth and scored a campsite which I was pretty excited about because otherwise I would have had to sleep in my car. I got the Bungalow all set up and then decided to hike to Mammoth because the campground host said there was a connecting trail. Well it connected up a freaking mountain and I was regretting my decision to save gas about halfway up. I kicked a chipmunk on the way up (accidentally) and then almost ran into an elk at the top of the trail. They were everywhere. Mammoth is cool in that it is set around Fort Yellowstone.
All the old building are now private residences but it has such a historical feel. I hiked all the way around the Lower and Upper Terraces which is about 3-4 miles I guess.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me but I can barely walk at the end of every day. I did get some bad blisters (from wearing cowboy boots hiking) but it’s my ankles and calves that ache. I can’t decide which leg to limp on so I just hobble along. I think I need some new shoes or something because I am miserable. Maybe hiking 6 miles a day is not helping ;) After all that I decided to treat myself to a burger and fries because it’s July 4th. The other reason is that I have the diet of a seven year old and I needed real food. Before I left, I went to Sam’s Club and got graham crackers, fruit cups, applesauce, crackers and fruit snacks because it was all non perishable. We’ll see how long this “diet” lasts. I drove into Gardiner to get some internet access while it was raining. I didn't end up seeing any fireworks because the closest show was 60 miles away. Surprisingly, I've been sleeping like a log every night which I wasn't expecting.