Day 42, Tues, June 26 to Grant Village, Yellowstone
Early, cold start at about 7:00a. On to Coulter Bay where we planned to have breakfast. On way into village I was leading and got to get a great view of a Grizzly Bear being shooed away by rangers. They were stoning him to get him away from the guests. Dave, a wary bear watcher, was happy to see his back from a distance going the other way. This is a spectacular setting beyound words. Then we crossed into Yellowstone Park.
Coulter Bay, Grand Teton National Park
Coulter Bay photo, cluttered with Ruffians Craig, Sharon, Dave, Nick
Sharon and I saw a wolf cross the road just as we were about to enter the park.
Lot more climbing than we expected, but not all that difficult. Just a lot more RV's than we had encountered. And assuming many were rentals with drivers not too good at knowing where they were sweeping the shoulder with their mirrors and wide bodies. Climbing in pleasant temps and little wind was a delight in such nice surroundings. We pulled into Grant Village on Yellowstone Lake early, calling it quits after a short day of about 45 miles.
Bear warning signs and trails closed all over. Our campground had just been opened cause such a large bear problem. Dave was fun to tease cause he's really nervous about bears. But a leisurely afternoon and evening around camp (it took us 1 hour of line standing to get one of the last sites) left us without a bear sighting. Enjoyed visitor center films on the fires of 19 years ago. We cooked dinner at camp. Dave cooked his dinner away from camp, cause he didn't want any odors around the camp to attract Yogi.
Day 41, Mon, June 25 to Signal Mountain Campground, Grand Teton National Park
We made it up the long pass with a little help. Road construction "forced" us to take a pickup truck ride for about 5 of the climbing miles.
Swim in cold mtn lake!!
Still left plenty of climbing, and much of it on a bumpy road. Going over Towgotee (sp?) pass and another Continental Divide Crossing. This pass only 9500ft. Not bad really. And so pretty. Others traveling to the east had said they were getting plenty of snow in this area only weeks ago. We got blue skies and a bit of wind in our face. AFter cresting the pass and heading downhill we got our first glimpse of the Tetons. WOW!!
They shoot straight up from the prairie. No foothills. NIce campground at Signal Mountain. Very well run, cared for and good lodge next to it for a good meal before Nick Dave & I made an afterdinner 24 mile ride (without gear) to see Jenny Lake.
Day 40, Sun, June 24 to Dubois, WY
A DAY OF BESTS
Riding into Dubois, thru the Badlands. Pretty, but windy as #@^!
Ready to see Elk in Yellowstone
We traveled in a pack today. Early start with Tony, Dave & NIck, joined by the 3 retired cops and Gretchen (who had been abandoned by her group). Outstanding red rock scenery combined with more desolation. Winds began easy, then picked up fiercely. We stopped to enjoy a swim in Wind River. ... a name well deserved. In our face all afternoon. I did the skinny dip, while the other fellows remained modest in front of mother, Sharon. Stopped at Crowheart general store, in the middle of nowhere. BEst general store we've seen on the trip. Everything you'd need in good quantitiy. Then we got to Dubois against a severe wind to the very handsome town, western theme. Reminds us of Winthrop, WA, but a bit larger. Cowboy Cafe was highly recommended. We all agreed one of the best cafes on the trip. Good service and food. Then our KOA campground was the winner of all campgrounds to date. Lush grass, indoor pool, laundry, free showers, etc. About $6 pp. We wanted to go further, but the winds were just too strong. No use wearing down, when we could get up just a little earlier to gain same ground, much easier.
all lined up for grub at Cowboy Cafe
Dubois, WY
Day 39, Sat, June 23 in Lander WY
We are about 150 miles from Yellowstone. And nearly 3,000 miles along our road from Norfolk News, VA to Seattle.
6:30a start after hot cereal and fruit breakfast. Left at about the same time the mosquitoes made their appearance in mass. 40 miles to Lander, one of the nicest cities we've seen on the tour. It seems very healthy. At the gateway to Yellowstone and Tetons. Red rocks and special geology along the way. Tonight we expect to camp only 10 miles from here on Ray Lake, so will almost be like a day off, 50 miles. Preparing us for more climbing ahead. a 9500 ft pass between here and Moran Junction (in the Tetons).
Dave just called ahead to our planned campground at Ray Lake. Host said it was lousy up there with weather and bugs. Better to stay in Lander. So we have only a 40 mile day today.
On the outskirts of Lander
Our welcoming committee to picturesque Lander, Wyoming.
We rented a car after some tough negotiation from a motel manager and took our friends Tony, Nick and Dave to a large Pow Wow celebration, 15 miles out of town A gathering of native american tribes from around the USA. Lots of dancing and fried bread. We had a nice visit with Tommy Drapper, a well dressed Navajo from New Mexico.
Tommy Drapper from NM
A rodeo at the Pow Wow ... no one from our group wanted to ride this big boy.
We returned to our camp in the city park after dark to find the sprinklers going full blast into the side of our tents. Sitting in a puddle of water, we mov ed to drier ground. After Sharon shooed teens away from our zone for causing too much noise, the sprinklers changed zones and nailed us again. And after that move, a 3rd rotation found us in the firehose force spray zone again. We finally retreated to the covered pavilion, but not totally safe from the blast of those powerful sprinklers.
skinny dipping...ok for family view
Sharon made me put skinny dip pic in, so I show her entering Colorado in the squat position. Note the pink helmet for camoflauge.
Day 38, Fri, Jun 22 to 6th Crossing / Sweetwater, WY 88 miles
Spent/wasted some prime riding time in am trying to get pics onto website without success. But enjoyed easy riding for the first 33 miles to Grandma's Cafe. Out in the center of nowhere. Grandma was in the city getting her hair done, but her replacements did a fine job of loading our plates as we watched a rain cloud pass over with some big drops, but lasting a shortwhile. We are now cycling from the southern edge of Wyoming thru some very remote/barren country. Mostly flat, with hills in the distance. Not without beauty, however. Enough recent rain to have a tint of green and desert flowers. A few antelope mix with the cattle.
We were considering stopping at Jeffry City, but had no inclination whatsoever to stay after a brief look. Sagebrush, no water/shade. Did have a pit toilet in the local "park". Local mini-mart cafe engaged 2 charming kids to man the till and serve patrons. We all ordered more than we needed. Their store was very bare for choice and quantity. I asked the young lad for his recommendation. He suggested the white grape juice with cherry flavor. It was a good suggestion.
We are now traveling as a regular foursome with 25ish Nick and Dave. Real nice young fellows who are very congenial with everyone they meet. Tony was with us again at breakfast, but then struck out on his own. Haven't heard/seen from Rod for a couple of days.
Nick Dave
It's sunny. Time to shake it out!
Overnight stop at Sweetwater junction/6th Crossing was a trip highlight. It is a Mormon sponsored site that commemorates an era in their pilgramage from Iowa City to Salt Lake City ... their Zion. A park with camping areas and a visitor center is an oasis in the midst of this great Wyoming expanse. We were treated to a talk and video by volunteer missionairies. The Mormons in the late 1840's and 1850's recruited members from around the world to come to Salt Lake. Companies of families left Iowa City pulling carts. Not horse/oxen drawn carts, but human pulled carts, like rickshaws. The Willie Company and the Martin Company each got stuck in the snow/blizzards here without supplies. Word reached Salt Lake and Brigham Young inspired his colleagues to mount a rescue effort. They launched it immediately. The Willie Company was stuck in Sweetwater and rescued there. The site is now used by youth groups who come in period costumes and pull these carts across the barren prairie to get an idea of what their forefathers/mothers did. Very inspiring.
The Mormon historical site at Sweetwater. The 6th Crossing, where pioneers were stranded and saved en route to Salt Lake City too late in the season.
Replica of the human powered carts they pulled/pushed from Iowa City to Salt Lake. Travelers were allotted 17 lbs of personal items each. When they were almost out of food, they were given 8 ozs of flour per adult, per day. They chewed rawhide to try and abate the hunger.
The mosquitos were bad tonight. Early to bed behind the netting.
Also saw our young friends demonstrate the fine art of "yogi". This is a cyclists term for going up to another camping party, outfitted by auto or motorhome. Hang around long enough and look hungry, extracting a donation of food. We did bring our own food with us, as groceries or cafe not available here. But our Yogi friends were able to score a feast of dinner from the Mormon camp group. Chicken, salad, fruit, rolls, cookies, milk ...
Other terms used by cyclists beside Yogi, are:
Poaching: camping in a place without permission. harmless. just need a place to pitch a tent. usually requires after dark setup and early departure. We did that once in Hayder's Gap, KY.
Traveling with Plastic refers to well off cyclists who don't camp out. They stay in hotels, eat out. They just use the credit cards. Keeps the loads light and protection from weather and mosquitos. We've only been in motel 4 nights since our first week. Even though Sharon and I each have a sleeping pad that's pretty well flat by morning. You get used to it.
Day 37, Thur, June 21 to Rawlins, WY 112 miles
Riding into no man's land. The desolate flats of Wyoming. It was a great expanse of nothing!
Up at the cafe at 6:00am for early breakfast and launch. Were joined again by Nick and Dave, plus 3 retired policemen from the Bay area, Tom Rick & Rich. We've seen them since Sunday. Pleasant, uneventful day of riding. Some climbing, but a lot of cruising too. Crossed into WYOMING in about 22 miles. Our 7th state. We are on a roll. At border we met up with an old riding mate, Tony, so enjoyed his company once again throughout the day. Still no days off for Craig and Rod. Rod continues to ride solo. Tough headwinds the last 20 miles to a camp. We're camping at an RV park just outside of town. We are about 3 hard riding days from the Tetons and then Yellowstone.
Our traveling clowns Nick and Dave welcome us to Wyoming
Day 36, Wed. June 20. to Walden, CO
Early rise to be on the road by 7:30a to do 61 miles with some climbing before the winds or bugs got us. Rode with young legs of Nick and Dave again. We had a delightful ride across picturesque, but desolate landscapes. Moose country, but we didn't see any. Vast expanses of ranch land, framed by mountain peaks and streams running thru. Arrive in town by 12:30P. Earliest arrival of our trip. Almost like a day off. Still on a consecutive riding day streak of 36 days.
I hope the picture loading gremlin is fixed. The support team said they think they found the problem. I'll need to find a computer with the right software to download and get photos ready for posting on the site... stay tuned. (1:53pm, Rocky Mtn time) I tried the "fix", still not working at 2:30p... time to go make camp
