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| White Dome Geyser and riding bikes along Firehole Lake Drive |
We are waiting out a storm that will be dumping 6-18 glorious inches of snow all over Colorado and into Wyoming. 18 inches of snow across multiple mountain passes is no joke even in May, so we dilly-dally in Yellowstone and Teton for a bit. Normally this would be a fun flex but homesickness has hit hard and we are ready to just get home.
It’s colder here in Bozeman, Montana as a reflection of that big storm down South. Camping is a no-go with lows in the teens. Quick stop at Wild crumb which has stacks of treats and freshly baked breads. And so much of it! We leave with a huckleberry scone, a cinnamon bun and a carrot apple muffin which are devoured for breakfast while a black bean breakfast sandwich (feta, black beans, red peppers, pesto, egg) and a ham and gruyere croissant will be relished for lunch.
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| ham and gruyere croissant |
Goodbye, Bozeman. We only visited briefly but this stay very much exceeded our expectations. Hello, Yellowstone and the big sky valley with deep, snowy white-caps lining both sides of the meandering Yellowstone River. Wow, the political billboards.
Charging in Gardiner is cold. We stay in the car which we almost never do - it’s an opportunity to stretch legs - and catch up in the strange, nebulous e-mail, text, phone and computer world. There is very little connectivity in Yellowstone. We check weather, plan our our next charge, gauge prices and find a few options for our next stay along potential routes home. Charging in Bozeman and Gardiner are cheap compared to charging in Canada - one thing cheaper!
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| first stop Mammoth Hot Springs |
We walk the white travertine terraces at Mammoth first. Change is constant but we are still surprised at how much the springs have moved and where new thermal activity has popped up since our last summer visit. What a treat to be here with so few people! We continue down the road, making a few stops at places we haven’t stopped in awhile. The paintpots this spring are so viscous.
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| Artists Paintpots |
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| gloop |
Look closely as you drive through these valleys and see the big bodies of sand hill cranes with their long necks poking out of the undergrowth. We think they look like what wild ostriches would look like in Africa. We stop along along the Gardiner River for apples and the remaining of our coveted baked goods. Dear Wild Crumb, how do you create these delicious, beautiful, tasty bites?
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| Gibbon Falls Picnic Area |
In West Yellowstone we pull up at the grocery store and add to our dwindling mix of road trip supplies. With connectivity, we find a relatively affordable room available at the Old Faithful Inn. Why not?
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| Go Buffs! |
Back into the park against traffic, just a little, on this off season, cold day.
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riding bikes on a melting road
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Firehole Lake Drive
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| Firehole Lake |
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| 'nuf said |
At Firehole Lake Drive we unload bikes and set out along this paved road (which is currently closed to motorized traffic). Very cold hands. So much water! So much ooze. Many of the thermal features are overtaking, maybe melting, the road on this short two-ish mile loop.
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| Black Sand Basin |
Grand Prismatic Spring has gone viral in this world of likes and followers but on this cold evening the parking lot is open and just a few people are braving the frigid wind. We are still too cold from riding bikes and stop to re-freeze at Black Sand Basin instead. We have this area all to ourselves. So calming if only we could keep our teeth from chattering.
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| Old Faithful Inn |
Finally we arrive to check into Old Faithful Inn. The welcoming lobby is full of people: sitting around the massive fireplace, playing games at tables by the bar, rocking in chairs overlooking the main level. Cozy, good vibes!
