Yellow Stone - Grand Teton

Nevada City Mansion, Fountain Flats, Old Faithful, Isa Lake, Jenny Lake / Tetons

Last several days have been truly amazing. 30 miles or so after last posting I was in Nevada City, MT an old mining town that in 1890 swelled to 10,000 people now about 50 but wonderfuly renovated, the shops are filled with period gear and such. Next up and over Virginia pass. I spent Thursday night camping along the Madison river at Missouri Flats, I donated blood to I think every mosquito in MT while pitching the tent and ended up just jumping in and going to sleep...that was a mistake as no dinner left me with little energy the next morning. From Missouri Flats it's a gentle uphill ride towards West Yellowstone passing Earthquake Lake formed in 1954 (I think) from a landslide blocking the Madison. West Yellowstone is the northern entrance into Yellowstone, I watched the IMAX movie on Yellowstone (they had A/C). Riding into Yellowstone is needless to say scenic. Quite a conflict for me as there's much to see but this trip is a bike trip across America not a trip to Yellowstone so I stayed on course and somewhat raced through stopping at Fountain Flats, Old Faithful, and Upper Geyser Basin, onward going over the Continental Divide twice once at spectacular Isa lake (8261ft) where water from the east side flows into the Missouri and Mississippi and water from the west side flows into the Columbia and Snake. Camped at Grant Village, all spots were full but luckily they never turn away a biker or hiker, pretty difficult to get camping spots in Yellowstone...only so many and there are a lot of people. Sidenote, Yellowstone is swarming with Europeans taking advantage of the US Peso....some are driving RVs, no offense but a bit scary as they're more accustomed to smaller vehicles on the positive side they're more accustomed to dealing with cyclists so on balance just fine. Woke up to a very cold morning I think around 35'F, I really don't have the right warm clothes (only needed for about 6nights so figured I would just suffer a bit as I didn't want to carry more gear, sleeping bag is warm enough) so took a bit of time getting going. Day 15 of this trip was from Grant Village to Jackson where I am now resting at a friends house. Crossed the CD again yesterday (4th time so far, shame it doesn't run straight). Final highlight of Yellowstone was Lewis and Shoshone lakes. Bit of new gravel being laid on oil on the way out of Yellowstone making for a miserable and dusty ride. Into Grand Teton which riding along Colter Bay looking at the Tetons for hours just may have been the most beautiful mountain / lake landscape I've ever seen. Coming into Jackson I was tormented by brutal 40mph winds directly in my face, I recall flying into Jackson it's always windy but I never came in on a bike before, it took me an hour to go 10miles and it was slightly downhill. Last night festivities began at the Million Dollar Cowboy where if you sit at the bar you're sitting on a saddle. I greatly appreciate Mark and Zach lending me their couch but one more night is all my ailing spleen can handle so leaving Jackson in the morning for what will be the highest climb of the trip thus far and once more over the Continental Divide at Togwotee pass 9,658ft and onward to the metropolis of Crowheart, WY population 163 smack in the middle of the Wind River Indian Reservation, I hope it's not windy but figure they got the name from somewhere. So far 1260 miles with 15 riding days and one day rest, today, roughly 1/4 done with some serious mountains coming up in remainder of Wyoming and Colorado.