Let’s get out of this park…..

June 22, 2023

Quote of the day: Let’s get the show on the road and the troops in out of the hot sun. Russell Polen, Post Master Mannassas Virginia

I’m very eager to get away from these mountains and into the prairies, where I hope to have a tail wind and some flat land to ride on. Hopefully I’ll be able to do more than the 40 or 50 miles a day that I have doing. And maybe get away from the high tourist prices I have been paying.

I left the canyon campground in Yellowstone this morning around 9 o’clock after a poor nights sleep due to the cold. I slept well till about 330 when the cold woke me up. Checking the weather I noted the temperature dropped to 25°. I practiced my sleeping bag calisthenics most of the rest of the night. As the tent was set on a slightly sloping area (they always have cheap hiker/biker camp sites out here and always on the worst terrain) and all of my sleeping gear is synthetic and slippery, I was sliding all over the floor of the tent all night long as I tried to get comfortable and warm. There is some good news to this, however. Remember those saddle sores I told you about some days ago? They seem to have resolved themselves as last night I froze my butt off.

From the canyon campground, I continued on towards the east gate of Yellowstone. I didn’t expect much in the way of scenery or geologic features in this part of the park, however I was quite surprised to find multiple steam vents and sulfur Hot Springs all over the place. They were even at elevations above 8000 feet. It has amazed me at how the roads were built here as some of these steam vents seem to go directly under the road and exit on cliffs by the side of the road. You would think the asphalt would eventually melt away. There was one scenic overlook which actually had a vent that had formed in the middle of the parking lot. When not around the steam vents and sulfur bubbling up from the ground the scent of the area is that of pine trees and Christmas. It seems this part of the park has suffered a number of wildfires over the past several years but the vegetation is coming back nicely. It was too early in the season for some of the vegetation I would like to see such as huckleberries and blackberries, but there are an incredible variety of wildflowers to be seen. I can only guess at their names, as I am unfamiliar with plant life in this part of the country. Many of them resemble plants that I am familiar with back east but I am sure they are not the same.

This particular area of Yellowstone has a number of flat fields and wetlands, as well as lakes and ponds. I saw a number of water fowl only two of which I could identify, Canada geese and mallards. I also saw a number of great blue herons,hawks, and osprey. The rivers out here or crystal clear, and I did see a few trout while riding over Fishing Bridge. I should’ve taken a picture of that bridge since beside it was a sign reading Fishing Bridge, no fishing.

Other than fish and birds, I did see a number of grizzly bears and bison. I probably saw six or seven grizzlies, and tried to take pictures. But the road blocks from stopped traffic as everyone was trying to get the best photo was a bit unnerving. No one was paying attention to the road or me. Additionally, every time a grizzly or bison attracts such attention the Rangers rush to the area to be sure everyone keeps a safe distance. At one point I saw a mama grizzly with three cubs, and since I was on a bike I was immediately told by the ranger not to stop but keep moving along. Most of the bison seemed pretty laid-back and not at all disturbed by the crowds. My closest bison sighting was with a single giant that was just strolling along the grass next to the shoulder. Several cars coming the opposite direction were stopped but on my side it was just me and a little Prius. I feared the Prius would just cruise on by leaving me unprotected and only a few feet from this behemoth but luckily I maneuvered myself to the cars drivers side keeping the car between myself and the bison. Good thing I did as this monster immediately crossed the road after we passed him. I don’t know what would have happened if that Prius driver had decided to pass faster. And I am positive the driver had no idea I was even there as he was focused solely on the bison. I also got a close-up of an elk. Hopefully the picture I took turns out as I was only about 30 or 40 feet from her. Unfortunately, from Canyon Campground to Cody, Wyoming, there is almost no cell service so I’ll have to post this and whatever pictures I can come up with at another time.

This portion of the route was generally uphill, but gradually so for the first 15 miles or more. After that the climb began in earnest. I topped out at a little over 8600 feet. Today’s ride required climbing over two passes. The second was around 8500 feet high. The surrounding mountains in this portion of Yellowstone are a bit more rugged than the portion I visited earlier. The tree line was well demarcated and peaks were covered with snow. There was even snow along the road side where I traveled. Waterfalls seem to appear magically out of the cliffs, tumbling hundreds of feet to the valleys below.

After reaching that second pass my path was downhill for seven or 8 miles. Sometimes at seven or 8% grade. I topped out it only 29 mph because a storm was blowing through and I had a fierce headwind. By the time I got to the bottom of the mountain it was drizzling and threatening to rain harder. Luckily, I came upon the Pahaska Tepee Resort. They’re quite expensive but after considerable reasoning I was more than willing to duck out of the cold, rain, and wind to get warm and prepare for tomorrow. Besides, having no cell service I had no way to find a resting facility up ahead. I did know that the majority of park and forest service camps this side of Yellowstone do not allow tent camping due ti a high concentration of grizzlies.

This resort was built by Buffalo Bill as a hotel. The original building still stands. There’s a small convenience store, a restaurant, a gift shop, and multiple small Cabins built at various times over the past hundred years or so. And apparently when Buffalo Bill founded the town of Cody, he approached a railroad company to bring the railroad through. They would only do so if he agreed to build a hotel in Cody and at my current location. This would service the Yellowstone national park for vacationers.

I’ll hopefully get to Cody tomorrow before it rains. Last time I had cell service the weather man was calling for rain starting mid day. If no head winds the 50 mile ride should be mostly downhill. See you then.

Just to prove I’m really here

Today's ride: 40 miles (64 km)
Total: 949 miles (1,527 km)

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