Still on the Beartooth Highway, we rolled into Yellowston at the Northeast Entrance.Two miles in, we succumbed to 40 degrees and stopped to layer on. Happily warm with our seat heat and extra clothes we dove into fantasy land. Nowhere in the US or maybe even the world can you find such a diverse ecology. Immediately, the smell of sulphur that is pervasive throughout the park greeted us. The juxtaposition of the noxious and the sublime is surreal.
Buffalo blocked the byway and even fought for our entertainment. Tree line roads opened to mountain vistas and the Yellowstone River carried us along our way. Shocking mineral deposits and steaming aqua puddles, placed us on another planet. Ironically, "The Dark Side of The Moon" played as we rode through fields, smoking, white and barren. This is what makes this park exceptional.
Overly inhabited "Old Faithful" and other main attractions, kept us riding through. Imagine seeing all this without brochure or trail guide. You are a pioneer, traveling West to a better life. With excitement, you encounter beauty as you have never known it. Game in profusion and forests forever. But then, the earth erupts with steam and odors from Hell permeate the air. Time to move on!
East, South, North and West we figure-eighted the park. In the early 90's we visited this park only several years after the devastating fires of 1988. Tears welled in my eyes at the blackened ruins of thousands of acres. Today we saw the regeneration of the forest. Pines and firs grow gamely among the black skeletons of burned trees. The hills are green again, giving proof to the ability of nature to overcome all odds. Today my tears were ones of joy.
We found a relatively secluded spot for lunch and we basked in the warmth of the sun, shaking off our earlier chill. Following deep blue Yellowstone Lake, we made our exit to West Yellowstone, seeing a Moose cow lifting her head lazily from her drink to nod goodbye to us.
Montana confronted us with a whole new type of beauty. In the distance we could see glimpses of the massive Rockies. Into the Gallatin National Forest, we followed the Gallatin River North. A Mecca for fly fishermen, the river was dotted with anglers, some up to their waists in the gentle flowing water. Taking a break, we walked down a slight hill to the stream and sat in peace as we watched and listened to the water bounce over the rocks.
Freewheeling down into the valley, the mountains loomed as we rode through aptly named Big Sky. Our goal for the day was Bozeman, where we have settled in for the night.
Nature showed us all her facets today. Capable of scenes ranging from the Underworld to the ethereal, she never rests. Now, surrounded by the immensity of the Rockies, we again are assaulted by beauty. Her gifts are endless.
Yellowstone Lake
Mountain Bike?
Rocky Mountain High!
No comments:
Post a Comment