06/03 What a difference a day can make! This morning was absolutely miserable. It rained all night and didn’t let up until about 8am. I quickly packed up the tent before it started again and set off for Madison. It started raining again a little after I left West Thumb. That resulted in the toughest 17 mile stretch of road since that infamous day on the Katy Trail. There was no wind but it was cold out so going downhill gets a little chilly when you’re wet. The thing that made it tough was really just the constant long, steep hills. The rain and the cold just added to it. The road winds up crossing the Continental Divide twice. The second time there was a little lake at the top that eventually drains into both the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico.
Anyway, I was a wet mess by the time I arrived at Old Faithful. My timing was good because the geyser erupted 10 minutes after I arrived. Or so I saw from the cafe where I was devoring a cheeseburger and fries. I went over and took a pic but didn’t want to wait another 30 minutes for it to do its thing again so I left. I’ve seen it once before so I knew what I was missing.
Right when I was leaving something appeared above me that I haven’t seen for days. Blue sky! At least a little bit. I rode on until finally the sun broke through. After that it was perfect.
Lot’s of wildlife activity. While getting ready to leave Kepler Cascades I spotted a coyote on the other side of the road (Grant–identification please?). I took about 5 pictures and the next thing you know there were a dozen people standing next to me taking some. And then sure enough some dimwit with a P&S camera needed to get closer so he runs across the road and scared the coyote away. He got an earful for that (from me too).
In one of the valleys a little before Madison there were a million bison. A group of them were standing by the side of the road so I asked a guy in a Jeep if he could ride next to me so I could get by. Worked out perfect. The buffalo charged him and almost knocked his Jeep over. Just kidding. They kept right on eating. Also saw some elk which was my first for that.
I finally met another long distance touring cyclist today. Pete is riding with his friend from Washington, D.C. to Missoula, Montana. Well, he was riding with his friend but I guess they got in a fight so his friend was miles ahead of him. 
We just chatted at the side of the road and then he went on ahead of me. He was on a road bike with less gear so I would have slowed him down.
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Enjoying the updates; I am pretty sure that rat looking thing is a beaver. Take Care.
Hey. I wish I would have seen its tail. I think it was a muskrat because it seemed small for a beaver.
Speechless!!! I’m in awe of this beauty I see before me and I’m not talking about myself.
Are you looking at the picture that has my legs in it again?! I’m your nephew for Pete’s sake.
Best pictures yet. Spectacular!
Thanks Auntie. Hope you are having fun with Aunt Leigh and Zach.
ummmm you forgot about Unlce Alan………..nice
Oooops.
See – now aren’t you glad you still have the DSLR with the big lens? That could have been you chasing after the coyote. The photos today are amazing; the best yet!
Man I would have been crying if I only had my 3x P&S with me. What a mistake that would have been. Thanks for the compliment.
Bring a baby bison home for me please.
Yes they are rather cool little fellas. Not nearly as gangly as a baby moose.
Fan friggin tastic, Scott ! You shouldn’t starve out there with all that wild life..MMMMM a big juicy buffalo burger…….
I had an elk burger for the first time the other day. I didn’t like it though. The elk didn’t either.
Actually, that’s not a coyote…it’s a fox. LOL…j/k. Hopefully you’ll see some wolves at some point (and, of course, bears). You’re definitely right about the Muskrat…the big give away is its feet (especially the hind feet: they’re not big & webbed).
Pics are amazing. I know you – and probably many other people – would rather be looking at pics taken in direct sunlight…but those are definitely plentiful on the internet and everyone else’s photo albums. There are some amazing colors, intricate earth tone palates, and “lack of shadows” that bring out different and unique themes and feelings in these. The picture below the Muskrat reminds me of something Bob Ross would paint…and perhaps add a happy little snow-capped Teton in the background.
I love how Yellowstone has signs posted everywhere and that you’re continually reminded in fliers (and in person) to keep your distance from the wildlife. Yet, you always wind up with some brainless twit that doesn’t think that rule applies to them. Last time I was there, some guy crept up to some buffalo crossing the road, on his belly none-the-less, to get some pics. I’m sure the pics turned out amazing, and if he didn’t win anything for them, he’s the type that might wind up winning a Darwin award at some point.
There’s only one thing on my mind now…damn…I need to move to the west.
I’ve really been bummed out about the pictures in general just because it’s so hard to tell on this laptop monitor what the optimal brightness should be because the ambient lighting is never the same. I run into the same problem with trying to level the pictures. Nothing is level in a tent.
When I’m going through them I try to do it at night so I don’t have to crank the brightness up all the way and use up all the battery and half the time I end up holding the laptop in my hands to try and level the pics if they need it.
When I do end up posting them I always get the feeling that they are too dark (and crooked). I know direct sunlight pics are a dime a dozen but it makes it so much easier. I can’t remember the last time there was a cloudless day but that should start changing as the wet months pass. I’m glad you liked them though.
My favorite bumper sticker is: It’s a shame stupidity isn’t painful. That might be a little jaded of me but there are soooo many stupid people out there. Maybe a little shock or something would motivate them. They can’t all be genetically stupid–maybe some are just apathetic/lazy and need some encouragement.
I love National Parks and try to get over whenever I can, thanks for the great post. I’m off to Redwoods this weekend.