The Yellowstone madness starts early. As Terry, Mike and myself eat breakfast at the Great Western motel we are surrounded by excited Japanese tourists, quickly grabbing a bite to eat before their bus takes them to join the mayhem in the park. For all it’s beauty we are glad to be heading the other way…
TransAmerica
Yellowstone You Almost Blew it! Grant Village to West Yellowstone
“Has Terry got a problem?” I yelled to Mike riding behind me on his recumbent as Terry suddenly ground to a halt on the shoulder. “No, he’s fine, just putting a bag on his head,” my American companion replied. In any other walk of life this would have seemed a most bizarre conversation, but cycling…
One Elk of a Day – Jenny Lake to Grant Village, Yellowstone
By Terry We got our mojo back … up at 6, out by 7 (ish), 20 miles before breakfast. A good start, but mainly because for the third day we haven’t spent time having showers. There are various advantages of leaving early … fewer people are around to notice how unsavoury we are, less traffic…
We’re Going to Jackson – Jenny Lake to Jackson to Jenny Lake
It’s the morning after the night before and Jenny Lake has changed completely, dark clouds prowl the skies and by 8.30am we are all taking cover in our tents as a thunderstorm strikes. And bear (no pun intended) in mind these tents are designed to be carried on packs and bikes – ie they are…
We’re Going on a Bear Hunt – Dubois to Jenny Lake, Grand Teton National Park
Going on a bike ride can bring its own hazards such as punctures and bad weather, so you need to go prepared. But today brings an additional concern – the possibility of rounding a corner and encountering a 800lb Grizzly Bear which will be surprised, and then quite possibly very angry, at being disturbed by…
Bury My Heart – Lander to Dubois
Ok, so I’ve got a real problem writing today’s blog. It goes right back to when I first decided to cycle the TransAmerican Trail. At the time some people just didn’t get it. I’d get a blank stare as if I’d just joined some bizarre religious cult, or decided to live on cauliflower for the…
Lamont to Lander – from a Chevvy to a Bevvy
0530. That’s too early … especially as our night in the back of an old Chevrolet station wagon was so comfy. But needs must … we had 95 miles to do today. The ‘campsite’ was JD’s garden and it was a wonderful cross between a fairy grotto and a scrapyard which surrounded her trailer home….
You Land, You Die – Saratoga to Lamont
Motorists on the i80 Interstate to Rawlings this morning would have been shocked to witness a group of six cyclists engaged in some bizarre flagellation ritual – arms and legs flailing and then frantically hitting themselves on the head, arms and legs. Strangely they showed no signs of stopping, indeed the harder they smacked themselves,…
Roaming in Wyoming – Warden to Saratoga
Warden is billed as the Moose viewing capital of Colorado, but sadly it failed to deliver, unless of course you count the giant plastic moose outside the Moose Creek Cafe, where we ate our breakfast this morning. As we left, the town was busy preparing for its annual rodeo, so we saddled up our horses…
What goes Kerdunk, Kerdunk, Kerdunk? Or how to spoil a beautiful bike ride. Hot Sulphur Springs to Warden
‘What shall we do today guys?’ came the chirpy but unnecessary question from a tent at a sub-zero 6am . ‘About 60 miles!’ came the icy answer from the other 3 tents in unison. So began another day. Waking up right by the Colorado river was special, but not so special that we’d hang around ……