We wrote today off to site-seeing around Yellowstone, with a quick transit from the North to Northeast park enterance, then over the incredible pass on hiway 212 and back up to I-90. There was snow on the ground, and we got hit pretty hard by hail a couple times. But as with every day so far, the weather cleared just in time to let us air our gear and set up a perfect, dry camp before another storm rolled in. I think I actually prefer it exactly this way. Just enough roughness to make a good story, and to make me really appreciate the sun and clear skies we do get. Plus, it's scary and exhilarating to be riding twisty mountain roads as hard as we can with a thunderstorm that looks like it belongs in a Lord of the Rings scene gaining from behind. (And with us and the sidecar, riding as hard as we can on windy roads means 10 below the posted speed limit with a PT-cruiser towing a pop-up trailer riding our ass, signaling to pass.)
We made a good camp just before Billings, and talked the 15-year old kids next door into letting us shoot their BB guns. They were definitely hoping for some of our whiskey in return, but we did the right thing.
So many thunderstorms! You northwest boys are probably getting used to that by now.
ReplyDeleteJeff, we get a BB gun once you come home? It might be useful in keeping the neighbors dogs from using our yard as their toilet.