September 14

We had planned to get up early and do some animal viewing, but we were both tired, so that did not happen.  Instead, we got out about 8 and went to West Glacier for breakfast.  The only restaurant in the park was already closed for the season, and the place we ate at was closing that day after lunch.  A lot of businesses were closing down about a week early since the season was so bad, with the fires.  Lana wanted to buy some gifts, and with everything closing down, we decided that now was the time...so we shopped and messed around for a while, then drove up the mountain  to hike.  We hiked to and around Avalanche Lake, starting at about noon.  It was warm with partly cloudy skies, with a good breeze out on the lake...it was turquoise colored and surrounded by steep cliffs.  Very pretty.  Then we drove up to Logan pass, hit the visitor center, and came down through St Marys.  As we came down off of Logan Pass, we saw some cars pulled over and a lot of people out with cameras, so we stopped to see what was up.  There were two Bighorn Sheep at the edge of the road, just walking around, grazing, ignoring all the people.  We were able to get very close to them and got some great pictures.  We stayed there about 30 minutes, then headed on.  We ate at the East Glacier Lodge, very impressive lobby but so-so food.  We have gotten spoiled with the way we do steaks at home, most steaks we get at restaurants just don’t measure up!  Got back to the room after dark.  We were in the car all day, didn’t crank the bike.  

 

 

 

 

September 15

Yesterday we had tried to decide what to do today, and had never made a final decision.  It was our last night of reservations, but we could extend...should we stay and hike till noon, then head to West Yellowstone, or stay in Glacier another full day, or head to Yellowstone right away?  We finally decided to leave.  We got on the road about 10 and drove to Yellowstone, about 420 miles.  Nothing spectacular, just nice scenery and an uneventful drive.  Good weather, I had to strip off a layer, had temps up to 73.  Took a room at a so-so hotel called the Stagecoach, and made reservations for 2 more nights at the TravelLodge, which was nicer and cheaper.  About 450 miles.

 

September 16

Today’s plan...ride Yellowstone.  Lana has never been here, so we thought we would ride around the park to give her an overview, then decide on some areas to come back to for photos and hiking.  Weather showed a 30% chance of rain, low about 41 and a high of 61.

Weather forecasters are liars.

I chatted with a guy in the parking lot as I loaded the bike up.  He said something about the weather.  I told him that the rain chance was only 30%.  He smiled.

We were out a little after sunup.  At the park gate, I asked a ranger if Beartooth Pass was open, he told me a lot about himself and very little about  road conditions.  I gave up.  It started to drizzle just after we entered the gate.  Almost immediately saw a some elk by the road.  Then some more elk.  Then a herd.  Then a couple of herds.  They must have been having an elk camp meeting, they were thick as fleas.  We rode up to Mammoth Hot Springs, went to the Visitors Center, asked about Beartooth Pass again, and were told that if it wasn't closed yet, it would be after today’s weather.  Bummer!  The guy I had seen in the parking lot this morning drove up, asked how I was liking the rain.  I reminded him that there was only a 30% chance, and this wouldn’t last long.  We rode up to Dunraven Pass, which was closed, hiked Tower Falls, and backtracked to Mammoth for lunch.  On the way down, a car flashed it's lights and motioned for me to stop.  It was rainman.  He reminded me that there was a 70% chance of it not raining, smiled, said goodbye and rolled up his window so as not to get wet.  There is a smart aleck in every crowd. 

 

 After lunch, we rode the rest of the park.  So far, the temp had not gotten above 54, and now it started to drop.  I was fairly cold, I only had one layer on my legs, and the 3 layers up top were not doing the job.  Lana had 3 layers on top to bottom PLUS the electric jacket, and was quite toasty, thank you very much.  As we ran down the shore of Yellowstone Lake, heavy crosswinds developed, it was spitting rain mixed with snow, and the temp got down to 37.  Lana was so warm and comfortable that she was dozing off!  Then we turned west and crossed the divide, the sky cleared, the sun came out and it warmed up to 55!  Welcome to the west!  

 

 We got back to town around 6:30, having ridden 240 miles.  We saw swans, bison, a gray fox, and two coyotes feeding on an elk carcass in the Firehole River. 

 

We moved to the TravelLodge.  There was a filthy, road-weary Harley out front with a bumper sticker that I loved.  It read: “Trailering a motorcycle is a sickness.  There is help.  Call 1-800-SCARED-TO-RIDE”.  After we checked in, we hopped over to the Imax Theater to catch the 8pm LC show (excellent), and went to the hotel restaurant for dinner.  As I walked up the host stand, I noticed a sign...credit card machine down.  I made a comment to the host, and he said;

“Yes, cash or travelers checks only.  But we are closed.”

“What time do you close?”

“Nine.”

I looked at my watch.

“It’s five to nine.”

“Yes.”

“You said you close at nine.”

“Yes.”

“You said you are closed.”

“Yes.”

“IT'S FIVE TO NINE!”

“Oh, ok…but we are out of food.”

“What?”

“We are out of most things, we didn’t have a chance to got to Bozeman today.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No. We are out of this, this, this, this, this, and this, and we have this.   Would you like to eat?”

I couldn't help but think of the Monty Python cheese shop skit.

We went out for pizza.

September 17

Didn’t crank the bike today.

Cold this morning, mid 20's with highs to the 60s.  Snow flurries started as we hit the park and continued all the way to Grand Teton.  Looked around there a bit, but could not see the mountains for the clouds.  Came back to the park, saw a moose cow and calf, then back to the hotel.  That took the whole day!  Saw the Yellowstone Imax movie and had a gourmet dinner at McDonalds.

September 18

In the car all day.

Started out at 6:30, 28 degrees, with sunny skies and highs in the 60s.  Went to Hayden Valley first and saw lots of buffalo, then rode to the East Entrance over Sylvan Pass.  Great views of the lake, and a wonderful road, made me wish I were on the bike.  Then to the Old Faithful Basin to walk around, we spent a couple of hours there looking at the geysers and hot springs.  By that time (4:30) we were tired, and we were expecting Eric to arrive, so we headed in.  Eric showed up just before dark, having ridden a bit over 500 miles for the day (from Spokane), and ragging me for giving him bad directions.  I told him to quit whining and buy a map.  We were all hungry, and we found a place with a wonderful prime rib sandwich served by a Polish girl who was over on a student visa.  We talked and laughed and ate and drank till we were drowsy, then headed back to the hotel for a good nights sleep.

 

 

 

           

September 19

We were up early, planning to go back to Grand Teton, since the weather was clear today.  We climbed on the bikes, fired up, and I checked the temperature.  A balmy 25 degrees!  We rode into the park, and at some point pulled over to take some pictures.  Eric only had on a leather jacket, a polo shirt, jeans, and chaps.  But hey, he is from Alaska, and Alaskans never get cold, right?  I asked how he was doing.  “I’m freezing my ass off!”  A little payback for the ribbing I have taken from him in the past, when I was bundled up and he was in shorts!  Anyway, we pulled off at the Old Faithful Inn for a large dose of hot chocolate, and by the time we got back on the road, temps had risen to the low 40’s.  On to Grand Teton!  Lana and I had talked to a rangerette the other day when we were there, and had gotten interested in a hike on the far side of the lake up to a waterfall.  Eric probably wasn’t as enthused about hiking as we were.  Face it…when you grow up hunting deer and caribou in the mountains of Alaska, you have probably already seen the best scenery the world has to offer!  But he came along cheerfully, and seemed to enjoy himself.  I had wanted to ride part of Hwy 287, which I remembered from last year, but the day was getting on, so we headed back to the hotel.  About 250 miles today.

 

 

 

           

September 20

Today is Lana’s going home day, and Eric and I leave Yellowstone to pick the LC trail back up.  Had breakfast and got off about 10am, temps in the 40s, to climb to the mid 60's today.  We all set off on 191 north to I90, a nice road that skirted the edge of the park and had some great  scenery.  Lana turned off for the Bozeman airport at 84, so we stopped and said goodbye.  Eric and I then saddled back up for a short run on I90 to Three Forks.  It felt great to get back out on the open road again and open it up!  We ran up to the Three Forks exit, headed to the Missouri Headwaters State Park, but found that the bridge was out on MT2.  We backtracked into Three Forks hoping to find another route, and finally asked for directions, finding out that we would have to run back east 2 exits and come in that way.  As we ran east, there were detour signs to the state park...it sure would have been  nice if there had been some westbound!  We found the park, not very developed, but it was cool to stand there knowing that LC had seen a sight very much like what we saw today.  Took some pictures and  then got back on the road, 287 to 41, to Lewis and Clark caverns.  They were never visited by LC, but are right above the Jefferson River, and are quite impressive.  I would not have stopped there; it was Eric’s idea, and a good one.  $10 for a 2-hour tour with a hilarious guide nicknamed Gilligan.  Then back on 41 to Dillon.  Somewhere on the way we came to a historic marker showing a LC campsite...there was a little diner across the street with several bikes out front (it was Saturday), we waved as we pulled out. We also stopped at the marker for Beaver Head Rock, another significant LC site.  Stayed at a Guesthouse Inn in Dillon...we had thought of pushing on but it looked pretty desolate on the map for the next bit, so we decided to stop here.

 

Week Three