Day 54 - Yellowstone Park, WY

The Yellowstone roadway is a large figure eight and we knew we weren't going to ecompass all of it. After some debate we took the east side route skipping old faithful and the other gueysers in favor of riding along the lake and through Hayden valley. "see old faithful when you are 70 with your grandkids" one guy who camped in the park told me and I took it to heart.

The morning was beautiful and cool as I rode along the tree lined lake from Grant Village. The road took me up over several hills as I spun along enjoying the view of yellowstone lake and the mountains behind it.

I passed several areas of trees which had been burned in a forrest fire. I had learned this is good overall for the forrest to prevent feul build up. In addition the lodgepol pine tree will reseed the ground with one type of cone which opens up only under extreme heat. Fires were always a part of the forrest and he trees have adapted.




I entered Hayden valley, a huge open and rolling clearing along a river with up to two miles of visibility. Herds of Bison sprinkled the hillside. Some sat right by the road side resting under the trees without the faintest care for the passing tourists. These massive animals are around 2000 lbs and have to give themselves a coulpe heave ho's to get themselves back on their feet.

I stopped along the route to spy a grizzley bear and two of her cubs through binoculars I borrowed from one of the several people watching them. A little ways beyond a coyote lazed about in the grass, unaware of all the watching eyes.




I approached south rim road and rode up a steep hill with the promise of a great views of Yellowstone grand canyon. Iwas not dissapointed. I stopped at uncle toms trail which lead me down a steep series of metal stairs halfway down to the base of the lower falls which spilled volumes of water over ancient stone down into the canyon river below.




I continued along a foot trail for 1.5 miles along the rim of the massive canyon. The stone along it's walls where brown and an ochre yellow ( hence the name) stained from minerals and other geothermal activity. The foot path was slight at points runing right along the edge of the canyon. Trees on the edge of the cliff had half of their roots exposed from the slow errosion.

I was so amazed by the canyon I decided to follow the north rim after hiking the south rim to experience it again.


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