Woke up ready to get day started with brief snack of Italian sub and night before shower I was more than ready. Got myself some gas I find if always at least close to full I should be groovy headed to my greatest disappointment of trip and that would be Yellowstone. Great views great geysers and the not so great everything else.
Looking good so far but view wasn’t problem. Great geyser but again not the problem. This is who I thought was a ranger. He’s a tour guide (not with park) he did say some 24 folk have died in the abyss pool. The reason for rough estimate is divers will die if they go down. Last year they found a foot floating but that’s it. I asked for picture he wanted to know what for. Told him for friends family so I can show them the guy with foot story. He said make sure you mention some tour group I forgot on purpose. Again theme park. I thought this was overdoing it but once again humanity proves me wrong. On my way out.
While Grand Teton was a national park this seemed more like national theme park. Tours of 30 or more no have nice day, thanks or anything resembling civility. Go go go and throw more people through the metaphorical turnstiles.
Montana. Big sky indeed. Still bigStill big but also kinda ominous.
Got my but close to next stop which will be glacier national park. Almost there gonna sleep night free campground again in back of vehicle due to the obvious I mean ominous.
Campsite at Grand Teton as I said is GRAND. Hikes great also. That being said 10:50 I awoke to the sounds of giggles and yammering from several young women. Annoying yes echoing throughout camp. Since awake of course it became pee o’clock. Did my business with several kids in restroom for nothing nefarious all were in there texting following or whatever social media they are addicted too.
Confused I returned to camp still hearing the yammering and said matter of factly Ladies if gonna do that for everyone else’s sake learn to sign. It stopped and my sleeping bag hollered.
Woke up early to get good parking spot at trailhead oddly it worked.
Groovy way to start day Groovy way to start the hike.
I was going up to inspiration point It better be as quite long and arduous. We will see.
Started around this gorgeous lake. Kinda sweet huh?
It kept going up lots of up. But each turn offered more to see. I found out day packs have little to do with anything but water and bear spray. The rest of empty space will be filled with all your layers. It started at 40 and got 80 by halfway point stuff that stuff in your pack or suffer the heat that be suffering.
Doe a deer you know the song. Animal 1
Starting early only those not wanting to deal with crowds need apply. I’ve no evidence but hikers in general are the most civil folk I’ve met. Always a please, thank you, need some water, let me get out of way you’re faster , and the simple easy good morning. I dig these folk. My sister thinks it because they’re mostly from across the pond and in other countries people have manners. She is probably correct.
Hard to see but above the rock is black bear. It was a bottle neck all of us phones in getting pictures. The midsized animal payed us little attention. He/she were probably a teenager texting and trying to get our pictures hoping it’s comments about the bipedal freaks goes viral.Does it need comment? Really?View from inspiration point number 17200 feet elevation it’s been 7 yrs(at least)without a drink and I’d forgotten how it felt altitude makes me wobble and I used to do it on purpose.
Time for turn around. Gravity is my enemy as I’ve stated before. There’s no where to fall but really down.
This one’s for Wendy. She do dig on flowers and is cleaning my apartment while I’m away. Let it never be said I did the least I could do. Thanks SISYa may have to zoom but it is a mooseLast but certainly not least captain marmot.
After that it was all easy(relatively), wide trails, easy navigation a walk in the woods perhaps and once at camp before a long hot shower I had probably the greatest cigarette ever.
Middle of night it started raining and getting blustery at campsite. My car camping/sleeping needed a test drive so packed up my tent and slept in ecosport turned out to be a great idea. While not looking closer at weather not so much.
I’m setup for napping
And then 4am came I woke eagerly to get on to road and this is what awaited me.
Not great view due to snow. Little better. Not much. This from inside car. I wasn’t going to smoke in this car I can wait till a stop for gas. yup that ain’t happening.
I packed up at least got out of the rather primitive campsite and on the road…for a bit.
Google is a little behind in this weather and th directions they gave not a plus.
Yes it would get worse And so it did
After waiting at a highway parking area not a rest stop with about seven big rigs and couple of emergency services trucks plows started coming through and was able to hit gas station bout 7 miles away. I’m now an expert at driving 2mph with hazards on.
Gentleman manning counter gave me proper directions and I was on way. If ever near Casper Wyoming this is place to stop. I’m not receiving any consideration for this endorsement. Many thanks
After that I was on way again and it was better faster up so much when standing to get gas my head felt much lighter. great shots along way not so much on the quality but I’m alone so bring a friend to take em.
Groovy DittoYou really can’t see speed limit sign but it says 55 daytime 45 nighttime.
It seems counterintuitive but this was one of the great days so far. I felt like a child going on Xmas vacation looking at all the snow and getting more and more excited as dad tells me and my sister to shush so he can concentrate on the road. Problem being I’m not a child and I’m driving.
Finally at GT. After the day I’ve had I can call it that. Rangers are great asked important questions like did I have bear spray-check bearvault-check. Told me rules I’m to leave no food water trash personal hygiene accessories outside of car or bear vault. If I didn’t have one every site comes with a large one with padlock and a key.
Woke up with more of same as I got while sleeping.
Lovely geese but the honked into night and were as good as any alarm in morning.
Today was wake up get moving as camp real good and real cheap, 15 bucks cheap. It was 1st come. Not a hiking kinda place although I did get 5 miles in along the water.
Great spot and as I mentioned lovely fly fishing. I’ll take the Steves word for it.
Drive over groovy until not. Bout halfway through got ugly skies and an emergency winter storm warning.
And in 10 minutes this ugly was gone. Captain fly plying his trade.
Am the only one here with no rod or net it’s very quiet everybody is to busy fishing. From my limited understanding fly fishing is to fishing what sashimono(Japanese woodcraft )is to being a contractor. It’s an all encompassing lifestyle. A love of the artisan. Definitely in the cool pile.
While the other campers busy tying flys and wading into stream I was walking the short trail along its shore.
Tranquility Forgive photographs I still suck. Although I doubt any of the anglers know that they are here. No walking just flying.
It’s little before 2 time to eat and get to bed so I can drive to Grand Teton. I’m told(thanks Pat) there’s a lovely restaurant with a great view on top of some sort of hill.
Visitors center opens at 8. I was advised to show up early and since I sleep poorly no problem. When I arrived approximately 7:10 four people in line by opening close to a couple hundred. Considering only 20 per tour chances are strong many going home empty. It’s only bout 3/4 kilometer but also has 300 stairs into cave per rangers extremely strenuous. Currently waiting with other tourists we leaving in 5.
Ranger Emma at entrance
No food no water no bags of any sort if you touch anything that’s not a handrail trouble is assured.
This is the entrance we can’t use. The one we can was dynamited back when they could do that.
Not long but 300 or so steps down and down. I suggested an escalator but they weren’t interested. 😜
This one called post office as they look postboxish Ranger Emma again. I was charged with following her behind the kids. I was to block going down other passages and when Bruce the caboose (final guy who’s job is to say move along and you can’t go backwards)came then I was allowed to go head to front to do it again.
The reason for the exploration of cave was just that. One guy did it cause he was 16 and curious. No mining not even guano.
This writing was done long ago by surveyors. Third largest cave in US and only 5 to 10 percent mapped. Lots of turns to nowhere kinda like Winchester House but without the spiritual medium component. And finally the modern world rears it ugly head.
Great and only national park cave. After that a couple o hikes a coyote, no picture, I was driving and back home to get shuteye. Tomorrow Casper Wyoming and no reservations it’s on 1st come 1st serve basis. Huge trout fishing per both Steve’s Lauer and Butler. Good walking on shore not much hiking but I’ll deal. After on to Grand Teton.
It’s a moving day gotta get hike in early and hit the road. Great trail on way out of park perfect to stop and get 5 miles in.
Once again I only got the warning. Thanks to randomness. I got a candy cane-i got a caramel apple-I got a rock…good grief!!!!!Not a big desert but this is always the ground I think of and want to see.
Now the fun really begins. I didn’t expect one of the more humorous parts to be on the road but I know zilch.
It wasn’t a long drive to the next part problem was bout 35 miles of it were gravel and really sucked. 40 avg 50 max. Before that I got this unexpected strangeness.
Before the dirt I was on BIA 2 that’s Bureau of Indian Affairs 2
I only saw couple cars of an hour and no bicycles.
The whole 50 miles I thought it was just a shoulder.
Made it to Windy Cave no worse for wear excluding dust. First thing let’s pull a tour of cave. Only way to get that done is first come first blah blah. they open at 8 but it’s starts getting crowded for the line much earlier. Good thing my early is earlier than most.
Another sticker for the bumper. I’m nothing if not hokey.
Sticker on off to campground run by Army corps of engineers they we setting as I arrived early we said hellos and once finished with setup I started mine. I Asked bout good places to eat they gave Mexican and I can’t say no to that anywhere. Here’s the really nifty part on way to pick up what do I see shining like a beacon Phillips 66 with a casino!!!! No way was I gonna go through life saying I had this chance and didn’t take it. I had an extra dollar and slots took it.
Polar bears. Why not 22.20 and only cost a buck. HA. My gambling now complete all I wanted was to play in gas station but to get 22.20 Sauce for the goose.
I now no why it’s an army core of engineers campground. Flooding is a big option here. Luckily it’s protected by an alarm er horn.
Forgive quality its done through mosquito netting. It’s right by my tent at entrance. Do you think I’ll have time.
Up early grabbed a gas station breakfast burrito this is 5 star and an absolute treat. Aftet it’s time to hit the trails. Here’s to the park folk cause without their signage I’m fairly certain many lost or at least me and that’s enough to worry about.
Got my first sign. No rattle snakes yet 🤞
Much of the hiking was as before, not in bad way , other worldly with the feeling that at any moment you’ll look around and have no idea which way to go. Think of a roundabout with 100 exits.
Right?left? catty corner? Kattywompus? It’s all the same.
Then I saw another hike looking as I’ve stated other worldly and then it happened bout 2 miles in and a right turn down and there it was my oasis. Actual trees and shade.
Don’t kid yourself self I stayed and drank water till I had to pee twice.
Driving down a park road and saw trailhead sign and not to many cars. Perfect I thought..I didn’t bother to question why no cars perhaps it’s because they dont feel comfortable with falling. The hike itself rather short perhaps a quarter mile(I should have known) but what’s not mentioned is it’s all stairs if the stairs were made out of loss gravel. Getting up horrible but doable. Down it was a water slide but with the aforementioned gravel. Thank goodness hiking pants durable and my butt thanks the durability as well.
It’s not that I don’t like the view but down sucks.
After that short ridiculous hike itself rather back to camp to do something I haven’t done in, er a while a Shower, did I mention that it was for me the greatest shower in the history of showers. Not even close. Lourdes got nothing compared to the rejuvenation I received at a humble campsite public shower.
Campsite in the light. By tonight windy and foreboding.
Sleep tomorrow a quick and definitely easy(easier anyway) couple miles and onto The Windy Cave, gosh I hope they were being ironic.
What the poop is The Wall? I had no idea till my buddy Steve informed me. It’s called The Wall drug but that’s a huge understatement. It has its own exit , its own old west main street and although I have no evidence I’m fairly certain its own town. While a trifle isolated there are neighborhoods, town hall, and I imagine its own community all built around this busy isolated attraction with the community being inhabited maybe by its employees. It is the perfect American company store and company town.
If it’s wanted and western chances are you’ll find it here.
Right before the wall must be mentioned just making a turn in the other direction would have brought me to Sturgis home of the infamous bike rally going throughout the black hills. I’m kinda thinking maybe an EV run in the area…nah it’s gonna be a while before the infrastructure is anywhere besides cities but until then.
Bikers welcome of course but how bout really neat EV’s.
Got to Badlands national park and immediately found it A. Awesome (literal) B. Other worldly.
First I thought of prehistoric termites but settled on Phase IV(70’s sci-fi classic) vibe. No where near exact but the vibe is there.
To campsite apparently we have a red flag warning. Meaning at campsite no fires, which includes smoking !!! So far trip doing wonders for my habit. Were it not for my general density I figure that my tent would be on other side of the state. Throughout night wind beat my tent and yours truly up like a harp seal. Sleep surprisingly comfy and all the more soothing due to the wind. Middle of the night and it’s pee o’clock like a putz I forgot glasses and after doing my business I spent 20 or so minutes finding car/camp. A nod’s as good as a wink to a blind bat. More to come.
Last post ended with goodnight and it’s ending extremely well. Before hiking my last for the day I went to local station to fill up for drive to badlands tomorrow. While not exactly barter gas(see Cabin in the Woods) it was as close as I’ve seen and it was groovy. Large sign on pumps said pay first I understood with the absence of anything digital on the pumps definitely the click clack of analog. Went in and clerk (lovely woman) knew immediately of my curious face “ it’s a favorite part of older folks trip” it is as I’m older and haven’t seen since I could first drive. Extremely cool. I gave my card she flipped on pump number 3 and I was off to the races. It filled up and went inside and damn they used a full on digital card reader!! While situational this wonderful place drips irony. Goodnight and this time I mean it unless something else neato happens.
There’s lots of irony in the local water. Thanks for the gas and especially the pumps.
Good morning all woke up a trifle late by that I mean the sun almost up. Exceptionally tired. Eat gas station sandwich (on Naan!!!!) and went to nearby rest stop/trail head
This is hole I followed Alice down.
Down is easy it’s the up part(always near the end) that is your foil. Lovely and slightly alone. Not as much as I’d prefer but as lesser known as teddy is it’s packed. Thank all for the signage , or circles and I would be good friends.
Upper right sign post not a fair scramble
It very nice that trailhead at rest stop as when finished I rested this time no interruptions.
Nothing better than an Aptera in the bathroom it beats a tapping foot anytime. Hats off to Tom for mad (according to me) photoshop skills
I am for All intents and purposes a tourist, a dilettante, pretending but tourist seems best. As such I did what all tourist do.
The Roosevelt national park sticker I added today as I’ll add more when hitting those parks. The bear vault I got when I received it, it may or may not be necessary but gotta put food somewhere and that where might be useful. It’s nothing official but keeps a record of which I usually don’t. Keeping updated for now.
One more hike today then bedtime for bonzo(it’s a reference to old Ronald Regan movie). Goodnight.
Meanderings Of An Abject Fool 