Wyoming 2008

After a winter with record snow levels and a cold and wet spring, the sun is finally out since yesterday. The forecast for the whole week is splendid - we cannot believe to be that lucky. And we aren't - as we did arrive at 9:30am at Jackson airport to start our trip early (we got up at 2:30am at home) but our luggage has not arrived. Our luggage and bicycles were loaded on the next plane from Denver that returned to the airport with mechanical failure. So now we are stuck, while the Grand Tetons are calling us to come and enjoy.

We rent a car for the day, so at least we have wheels to go out and explore. It's not the type of wheels we want, but hey at least we are outside!

We drive to Moose Junction, just a couple of miles north from the airport. Moose Junction has a general store, pizza restaurant, outdoor store and even a bike shop (incl. bike rentals). We buy bread and some other groceries, so at least we are set for our trip once the bikes arrive. We stop at the Grand Tetons Visitors Center and pick up some maps and information.

We have a picnic at Cottonwood Creek, overlooking the mountains and a horse meadow.

After making some phone calls, we learn that our bikes will come in on the 4pm flight, so even time to do some hiking.

We did this same trail a couple of years ago on our cross-country skis - quite a different scenery now in the summer.

Boulders and big logs don't stop the water from finding its way downstream.

Our luggage and bikes do indeed arrive on the 4pm flight. But it is close to 5pm before we have all our pieces of luggage together, and close to 6pm before the bikes are assembled again and ready to roll.
Our original plan was to ride straight to Jenny Lake, but we decide to back track a couple of miles towards Jackson to the Gros Ventre campground and start our trip tomorrow.

Approaching Gros Ventre campground, we run into our first herd of bison. Some are on the left side in the fields, some on the right side, some are in the middle of the road. We try to stay at a safe distance, but many bison have calves and that makes them unpredictable. One of them doesn't like the look of us at all - or at least that is what it seems - and starts to run towards the road tagging 15 more in a row. We cycle as fast as we can to get out of the way, and when we look over our shoulder we see the group running across the road into the field on the other side right behind us. Not a great first experience with bison - knowing that many more will follow, but we make it past the herd safely. At the entrance of the campground there is a coyote hanging around with her 3 cubs. We certainly realize that we are in the "wild, wild west"!

It is quite a few years ago that we put up our tent and cook on a little campging stove. But we have done it so many times that we haven't lost the routine.