Up at 5:30 this morning. 37 degrees and cold!!! Had a great breakfast at the park cafe. Hit the road at 8….late start but this has been the coldest morning yet…was soaking up the heat in the cafe 🙂
It was freezing cold this morning…toes cold, hands cold, nose cold….just cold!!!!
Exited the Teton Park at 9:25 after about 13 miles to some beautiful sunshine and warmth. No wind….perfect riding day thus far.
Entered Yellowstone at 10 am….nice weather. Parked at a pullout a couple miles in to walk down a trail and see Moose falls…posted pics below but have some good video I’ll post after the trip is over.
Found a US Flag by the side of the road so being the 4th of July thought it only appropriate to attach to my bike 🙂
Stopped at 11 am with 25 miles in at the top of a big climb to put on mosquito spray. Too cold to do it this morning and they were feasting big time on me and I didn’t even realize it. Lots of mosquitos yesterday and today.
About 11:40 with 30 miles in stopped to take photos of Lewis Falls. The scenery is spectacular here and it’s perfect riding weather. Feel like I need to stop and take photos every 5 minutes. But have a lot of climbing to do today and if I’m going to make west Yellowstone I need to keep moving.
40 miles in and Stopped at the mini mart at Grant Village. It was about a mile off route but not much after this so needed to stop to fuel up. Had a turkey sandwich, Diet Coke, orange juice for lunch and picked up a Hostess frosted chocolate cup cakes for the road. The three others I camped with last night are staying here tonight, but I’m feeling great and am moving on. It’s 12:45 and I plan to do another 50 or so miles as long as the great weather holds out and the wind doesn’t kick up in my face.
At 1:50 crossed the Continental Divide for the second time today and at around 2:45 crossed it for the third time today…my climbing legs are getting a workout today.
About 3:15 arrived at old faithful…didn’t go see it though….just ate a grilled cheese sandwich and fries in the restaurant. Sent Tori and June something from the gift store. Still got a few miles go today. No cell service all day.
At about 6:30 pm Arrived at West Yellowstone — which isn’t in Yellowstone — it’s a town just outside the West (Montana) entrance to Yellowstone. Checked in at Al’s Westward Ho Motel—no, I don’t get the name, but it’s a clean, comfortable, affordable room, so it’s all good.
Was a fantastic day of riding. The weather was perfect. The wind was calm. The scenery was spectacular. I rode completely through Yellowstone today….saw one buffalo, one Moose, one Bald Eagle, and endless beautiful countryside. I crossed the Continental Divide three times today—I think that makes 7 for the trip thus far—covered 92 miles, and entered Montana, my 8th state of 10. And I feel strong and ready to do it again tomorrow.
Happy 4th of July everyone—I’m sitting here in a hotel room in Montana listening to fireworks outside. I haven’t kept up with my total mileage, but I think I’m over 3,000 miles for the trip thus far. This is shaping up to be an adventure of a lifetime for me, but I’m ready to knock out the other 13-14 hundred miles or so and get back home to June and Tori 🙂
⊗
