Boating on the Yellowstone

Yesterday I went along with our friend Matt for a ride down the Yellowstone.  Matt works for the Invasive Species Action Network.  They do various projects to help control invasive species.  Liz went with a couple weeks ago to collect bugs that will be released in dense plant populations.  The job Matt was working on yesterday was mapping where invasive plants were spotted along the river.

We met up in Livingston in the morning.  Then we hopped into his truck and drove to the drop in point.  The section we were to do was from Grey Owl down to Pine Creek.  It would be approximately 15 miles.  We got the boat in the water and I waited with it while Matt dropped of the truck at the end point.  His boss was waiting there to give him a ride back.  And by noon the two of us were on the water.

It was a perfect day for it.  Sunny but not too hot.  As we cruised down the river we made waypoints on a gps and noted what plant it was.  We also noted how dense the plants were.  Later they will go back with bugs that eat the invasive plants and release them in the larger patches.

About three hours later we got to the pull out point.  We beached the boat and waited til the ramp was free.  Before long we had the boat back on the trailer and were headed back to Livingston.  It was a fun trip and for a good cause.  Hopefully I/we will get to go again.