Day 37 & 38, Thursday, August 24, 2012, West Yellowstone to Grant Village, Yellowstone Park and a rest day
Up very early, for me, to breakfast at a cafe opening at 6:30 AM, then back to the motel to put the panniers on the bike and dress warmly. It was very cold, comparatively speaking, this morning. Possibly 39 degrees. I put my wind front tights on, Showers Pass jacket and merino wool gloves. It was adequate meaning I did not feel chilled.
Those who possessed Golden Eagle cards showed them at the gate. Those who did not paid. We will be staying an extra day at Grant Village. There was no room at the inn so we have reserved camp sites.
Yellowstone is a different place in that one senses things are different here. This in spite of the constant stream of cars and RV units passing us by. The amount of new, young, lodgepole pines covering the hillsides and adjacent to the road is astounding. Yes, indeed, fire is an important ecological ally. I wonder how nature will reduce the density of the new growth in ten years or so. Another fire, pine beetles, both, again, or something new and challenging?
I was on the lookout for wildlife and looked down on my right and there was a cottontail rabbit nervously twitching ears and nose and I and the rest of us rolled by. Was he waiting for a break in the traffic so he could cross the road?
We began to use every pull out to pull out and eyeball the terrain for some sign of big game. Bob chose not to pull out and down the road he rolled. A bit later we round a corner and there is Bob stopped on the shoulder along with a bunch of cars. Just before we reached him there was another pull out and we did. there was a break in the lodgepole pine density and I was able to see what Bob had stopped to see, a bull Elk, and off to the left were several other Elk. I snapped the pictures below.
Great shot of Elk butt. Bull Elk butt. Herb is looking at the two below.
The pictures below are of Elk. I don't care if Herb insisted they are geese to my eyes they are elk!!!
See the rack on the lead bull? Impressive, huh?
See the Elk grazing. Only Elk graze in the grass.
When we reached Madison and turned toward Old Faithful and Grant Village we pulled off into a park area. All of a sudden people were pulling up in their cars, including a bus, and parking willy-nilly and dashing out with camera in hand. The bison bull below was heading for water.
We took the Firehole River loop and I took the pictures below of the falls.
We stopped for lunch at Old Faithful. We watched a film about Yellowstone, through which I slept and then it was time for the water show. I shot a video with my iPhone, but am not sure I have the knowledge to insert it into my blog.
After Old Faithful it was time to climb to the Continental Divide, twice. the first climb, to Craig Pass, got us to 8262. There was some descent then we began to climb again and got to 8516, but it was not the divide. We descended some more then climbed back up to 8391 to cross the divide the second time. From here it was a descent to Grant Village and our camp sites.
Day 2 was a rest day and time to do laundry. The morning was very chilly and we were moving slowly. We got to the breakfast site while Geno and Frank were still there then Geno and Frank rode off to Hayden Valley to spy Bison herds. They did and rode their asses off on the way back.
Statsl: D= 59.4, T= 5:41, Mx= 39.1, Av= 10.4, El Gain= 2809, Mx Alt= 8316(add 200 feet), ODO= 4318.
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