| Grand Teton National Park | | | | Yellowstone National Park, but naaah - that would |
| It was a little bit of a haul from Lander, Wyoming to | | | | have taken some of the fun out of it!. |
| the Grand Teton National Park. I guess it was about | | | | We had mapped out a route that ran back south |
| 150 miles or so when we began to notice a | | | | toward Jackson Hole, then westward over a |
| difference in the terrain. One of things that caught | | | | southern pass across the Tetons themselves. This |
| my eye on the sides of the highway were these | | | | route would put us riding partially over the Grand |
| wooden 'fence' sortof things. I really had NO idea | | | | Tetons!! The temptation was too hard to resist. |
| what they were, or why they would be constructed | | | | Not only would the route we chose take us over the |
| along the sides of the highway. | | | | Tetons, but we would wind up on the "back" (west) |
| My ever so genius brother-in-law and riding partner | | | | side of them so we can see what that side looked |
| explained it to me. Those things are to help keep the | | | | like. Our path also was going to lead us through |
| snow drifts from getting to bad on the highways. It | | | | Idaho, and as we headed northbound, we would skirt |
| made sense to me. I can imagine that the winters in | | | | across a small part of Montana before entering into |
| the middle portion of Wyoming can get pretty bad. | | | | the west side of Yellowstone National Park. |
| With the wind rushing through, I have no doubt that | | | | So with our route in mind, we broke down camp, and |
| some major snowdrifts can accumulate on the | | | | repacked all of our camping gear. That task was |
| highways. | | | | becoming easier as well. It's interesting though that |
| The further into the ride we traveled, the more ups | | | | somehow, we managed to load our gear just a little |
| and downs we found. The hills starting getting a little | | | | differently onto the motorcycles each time we piled |
| steeper. We did run into some road construction, | | | | it all on them. |
| though. Parts of it even turned into gravel for awhile | | | | Once loaded, we started out, looking for a place to |
| - ouch!! It seemed like we had not been in the hilly | | | | gas up along the way. I looked like Jackson Hole was |
| part of the ride for very long, and the next thing we | | | | going to be the closest gas stop, so off we went. |
| knew, we could see them. The Grand Tetons!! | | | | Southbound we rode, toward Jackson Hole. The |
| I had already reserved a campsite in Grand Teton | | | | mighty Grand Teton Mountain range was off to our |
| National Park for us to bed down. Since we had been | | | | right, and there was just no way to ride without |
| riding for a pretty good ways by now, we decided | | | | looking over from time to time to catch a glimpse of |
| to head directly toward the campground. As it turned | | | | these mighty beasts. |
| out, we rode right along side of the Grand Teton | | | | We stopped in Jackson Hole for fuel, and a quick bit |
| Mountain range on our way to the campground. I still | | | | to eat. Once we found our road heading westbound, |
| think about that view!! | | | | we were off toward the ascent over the Tetons |
| I took along a really small tent. I called it "the coffin | | | | The road was amazing. No real hard switchbacks, just |
| tent" because you basically had to lay down to get in | | | | easy flowing curves (a few tight ones) as we |
| and out of the thing, and once it was setup, it looked | | | | started climbing. There were a few places that we |
| kindof like a coffin. It was OK, but in hindsight, I | | | | could see the road spilling down the mountain behind |
| wished I had taken a different tent. Even though it | | | | us toward Jackson Hole - it's weird to watch road |
| packed up really small, it was a pain to get in and out | | | | below you as you are riding.. Over the pass we |
| of. It was almost impossible to change clothes inside | | | | went, and begin the decent on the other side. |
| of it. I have found much better tents since then. | | | | Once we 'landed' on the 'back' side of the Tetons, |
| We headed back to the office, got another map of | | | | we stopped for a minute to get off the bikes and |
| the area and a little camping food, and then headed | | | | just take in the view from the other side. It was |
| back to our site for dinner. A few pieces of wood | | | | almost as incredible as the front. There were not as |
| later and a little cooking, and dinner was served! | | | | many jagged edges on the rocks, though - they |
| We only had reserved two days in Grand Teton | | | | were a little more rounded.. |
| national Park, so we got a little rest, because we | | | | Back on the road we resumed, and headed |
| know the next day was a riding day. | | | | northbound, crossing into Idaho. This is the first time |
| Riding the Grand Teton National Park is an adventure | | | | I had the chance to see a real potato farm. They are |
| that I won't soon forget. We woke up at our new | | | | massive!! We passed several of them along the |
| campsite and got us a little breakfast before | | | | roadways, and they seemed to stretch out toward |
| venturing out to explore. We met our new neighbors, | | | | the west forever.. |
| which was really cool. My brother-in-law and riding | | | | Idaho didn't last very long, or so it seemed. But then, |
| partner is from Mississippi, and I from Tennessee. Our | | | | when you're riding a motorcycle and the wind is in |
| neighbors, as it turns out were from the south as | | | | your face, the weather is beautiful, sunny and warm |
| well. Wow, what a small world!. | | | | - time seems to have no meaning. We actually |
| We rode out of our campgrounds and headed south | | | | stopped at some point in Idaho and were talking |
| toward those amazing peaks. There was a really cool | | | | about when we would like to get to Sturgis South |
| place to stop with information about the formation | | | | Dakota. We wanted to get there in time for the |
| of the Grand Tetons - and some good picture taking | | | | motorcycle rally, no too early, and not too late. As |
| opportunities. The river below was small, but very | | | | we were planning our timing, I asked my |
| beautiful. We saw a raft floating down the river just | | | | brother-in-law what day it was, and with a |
| far enough downstream that we couldn't tell how | | | | dumfounded look, he replied "I don't know". I think |
| many people were taking a floating trip that day. | | | | that was the best part of the trip! The fact that |
| We arrived in Jackson Hole just around lunch time | | | | neither of us knew what day it was, and even |
| and stopped at a little restaurant for a bite to eat. | | | | better - we didn't care!! |
| The building across the street had one of the most | | | | The sun did follow us for a little while, but the |
| interesting roofs on it that we had ever seen. The | | | | weather began to start turning as we rode closer to |
| entire roof of that place was covered with grass!!! | | | | Yellowstone National Park. We crossed the Wyoming |
| Yes, actual, real, growing grass!!. We laughed about | | | | state line (home of Glacier National Park), and realized |
| that for a bit, wondering how they got the | | | | that it was going to get nasty. The temperature |
| lawnmower up there to mow the roof. | | | | started dropping, the sun no longer visible as the |
| After lunch, we rode around "the hole" for awhile, | | | | clouds encroached the sun above us. Then it |
| and then headed back northward to the road that | | | | happened, it started drizzling. |
| runs by Jenny Lake. The lake was crystal clear, | | | | A little drizzle is no big deal, and expected on a |
| sitting just beneath the rise of the Tetons | | | | motorcycle journey such as ours. We donned the |
| themselves. Picturesque!!. | | | | rainsuits and continued our trek. As we entered |
| That evening, we found a nice Italian restaurant at | | | | Yellowstone, though, the drizzle started turning into |
| the edge of a lake, the Tetons lust beyond it, | | | | sleet. Both of us were wearing the 'beanie' style |
| reflection mirrored in the clear greenish, blue water. | | | | helmet, so had no face protection. Ouch!!, those little |
| We were able to get a table on the wrap around | | | | pesky sleet particle hurt the face!! |
| deck, so we could eat our dinner while enjoying the | | | | Luckily, the sleet didn't last very long and it started |
| fantastic view. | | | | clearing a little bit as we approached the Visitors |
| Tired, full, and our eyes full of the beauty of the | | | | center near our campground. We stopped in at the |
| day, we headed back to the campsite to start our | | | | center, parked the bikes and proceeded to make |
| campfire. | | | | sure that none of our gear was too terribly wet |
| We woke up fairly early that morning because we | | | | before entering the store for a few campground |
| knew it was going to be a long day. Not only that, | | | | supplies - namely food.. |
| we were looking forward to the ride we were | | | | If you ever get the chance to Visit the Grand |
| planning. We could have easily ran straight north from | | | | Tetons - don't delay - It is really something to see. |
| Grand Teton National Park directly toward | | | | |