This was the final day of paradise – this time in the very high mountains north of Yellowstone. The Beartooth Highway doesn’t bother taking the lowest pass, it just heads straight up and over the summit plateau. The best way to describe the area is that it is like the Cairngorms on speed! Tundra on the plateau, huge snow patches, massive corries and cliffs, highountain lakes. Wow!

Fortified by last nights steak – and a good sleep – we cruised up a 700ft warm up climb, descended for 10 miles, and then began the main climb. 

   The picture above is of the Bear’s Tooth itself. Tim has put it on his ‘to do’ list. 
At about 8000 ft, as the trees thinned, we entered an alpine scene, with beautiful flowers in the meadows. There was, unexpectedly, a coffee stop.  

     
The final 1000 ft snaked up hairpins.

   
We even impressed the motorcyclists, who shouted encouragement. On the top we caused quite a stir, and a kind family took our picture.

   We were on the top by 12.30.  At 10947 ft, this is by far the highest place I have ever been on a bike. There is nothing so high in Europe, so unless I go to Colorado ……

The descent was epic, right down the wall of a huge canyon, on massive hairpins. About 5000ft in one go. 

We stopped at Red Lodge for chicken salad, and then blasted out the last 40 miles down a 1% grade in well under 2 hours. This was despite 2 miles of dirt through some roadworks, amd changing a rear snakebite puncture! We were flying! 

Sadly, we are back to nondescript edge of town motels and nearby fast food outlets. But the Yellowstone river is still close by – now with a chemical works on the bank! An easier day tomorrow. And this is where we stop messing about sightseeing, pin our ears back, and head east.

Yellowstone was simply a delight from start to finish – a new wonder around every corner. We saw grizzly bears (one was Yogi, for sure) fishing in the river, herds of bison (some from 10 feet away), coyote, osprey and Mr Ranger Sir himself – complete with hat! And then there was the geography: thermal vents, geysers, mud vents, acid pools, the Yellowstone Grand Canyon with its 2 massive falls! To a long distance cyclist, used to the relative motonony of the open road, this sensory overload in 90 miles was mind bending! 

   
 
  
   
   
 
  
     
Ok, so the bears were too far off for pictures (luckily) but it was thrilling to see that unmistakable bear profile when they lifted their heads.

The day also included one of the best, car-overtaking, descents yet, from the Dunraven Pass on the flank of Mt Washburn, at 8859 ft another high point for the trip.

We have now left the park by the NE entrance and tomorrow there is the small matter of a 4000 ft climb to 10,800ft on the Beartooth Highway. Weather looks ok though. 

Stop press. Just had a huge steak in the Beartooth Cafe. Fantastic. Will sleep well tonight. 

I am running out of superlatives for today. Suffice to say that the 2 day loop south round the Tetons has proved well worth while, despite the rigours of the Teton Pass yesterday. Jackson was a great little town. But leaving it this morning, on a smooth bike track, with the wind behind us and ravishing views in all directions ……. This is what we came for! 

  
We have acquired probably the definitive collection of photos of the Tetons from all angles.  

     
But the best views were from Jenny Lake, tucked in under the mountain.

 
Before finally leaving the Tetons we called in for coffee at a lodge with the most amazing view from a huge picture window that I have ever seen.   

  
At lunch we met 2 scots doing the official ‘northern tier’ route west to east – same  direction as us. But, because  of my idiosyncratic approach, and refusal to take the same route as everyone else, we were actually doing the same stretch of road in the opposite direction. That confused them! 

After lunch we entered Yellowstone Park and climbed up beside the Lewis River Canyon. There were great views from all the overlooks, and plenty of bear-hiding forest. The roads were calmer than expected, low speeds and no trucks (except Pepsi, Coke and Ice cream delivery trucks!)

       
And finally, we crossed the Great Divide for the third and (we hope) final time. All downhill to the Atlantic from here.

   
We are now settled in to a lodge on the shore of Yellowstone Lake, feeling very pleased with ourselves. 13/40 cycling days is nearly a third already – though we are little more than a quarter of the way across! And a day off tomorrow to rest the weary legs and sore posteriors. 

Yesterday’s final photo – at over 7000 feet on the Taghee Pass, just before Mike rescued us from the approaching apocolypse – had a welcome to Idaho sign, as well as a Great Divide signboard. So yes, we have turned back east slightly, back into Idaho. I didn’t want to feel we were rushing through without smelling the proverbial roses. So we spent today heading south in order to do a grand circuit of the Grand Teton mountains. Being red blooded males away from home it seemed important to view the Tetons from all angles! 

But first I have to mention last nights hotel. It was a beautiful wooden fishing lodge, right next to the Henry Fork river. This was the view from our room.

   
 Today the ride was in three parts. First idyllic pine woods, down a lovely river gorge, with deer and birds all round. This was on a scenic byway with little traffic.  

 
Then onto rolling farmland – wheat and Idaho potatoes. But always with great views of the Tetons. 

   
And finally, after 80 miles, a 2500 foot climb up the Teton Pass, the top half of which was consistently at 9 and 10%. This tops out at 8430 feet, our highest yet. A Motorist was moved to high 5 us and take our picture.

   
 In the process we climbed into Wyoming, our next state. From the top there was a screaming 5 mile 10% descent. We reached 48mph, equalling my record. Another motorist was moved to pull along side at the bottom and tell us off for going so fast! 

A much better day than yesterday – mainly because the strong W wind was across us most of the time as we headed south, not in our face. And the roads were smoother and quieter.

Stop press. Just had the best meal of the trip so far in an asian restaurant. Chicken and veg stir fry with noodles. Yum. Jackson is full of posh tourist shops – a nice place.  

A hardcore cycling day today! It started with a single climb of 70 miles in length. I have never climbed anything like it before. They do things big in America. The gradient was consistently between 1 and 2%, following the beautiful river Gallatin in a winding, wooded valley between sandstone cliffs. There was no flat ground at all to break it up. Rain threatened, but held off. 

  The problem was that, as we gained height so the headwind increased, and the top 30 miles were a serious battle into the wind. We made it in just over 5 hours cycling, with a second breakfast en route. The summit is at 7250 feet, our highest point yet.  
  
The battle with the wind continued all the way to West Yellowstone, on 88 miles, by which time we were pretty far gone. We considered staying there the night and then going direct to Yellowstone – but the town was fully booked. So on we went for a final 32 miles, over the Targhee Pass. As we started the climb an enormous thunderstorm pelted us with ice cold hail, and then eased back. It was past 4pm when we reached the summit (having started at 6.30am). Now the full force of the storm was very nearly on us. We were facing the prospect of 20 miles riding into the teeth of the wind that would inevitably accompany the torrential rain. We began layering up. 

 
I stuck out my thumb. A guy called Mike stopped in his pick up. The bikes went in the back and, suddenly, everything was very easy! Thanks Mike! We are now watching the storm from our hotel window, overlooking another lovely river. Better weather forecast tomorrow.

Last night, as thunder threatened to the west, we struggled to find anywhere to eat. These edge of town hotels are fine – but they are surrounded by nothing but crappy fast food outlets. The first we went into was actually a casino, with pizza attached. We left. The second was Taco Treats. Possibly the worst meal I have ever tried to eat. I gave up and steered us to the supermarket for picnic items to take back to the room.

Today’s cycling seemed harder than yesterday, despite the shorter distance. We were following a larger road, with a bumpy, gravel strewn shoulder. And most of the day seemed to be uphill into a headwind. Or perhaps that was just the state of my legs after yesterday. The road was also incredibly straight, many miles stretching away further than you could see.  

 
After about 25 miles Lake Missouri appeared down to our left. At the end of the lake we crossed the not-so-wide, infant Missouri, not once but twice. 

  
Then there was a long section of roadworks, after which we had to scrape the tarred on stones from our tyres. We were in a vast, open grassland, high up, and with distant mountains all around. This is ranching country, but they are so far off the road we just saw the entrances.

  
Late in the day we found a quiet back road. So quiet that there were wooden bridges over 3 rivers that unite to become the Missouri at this very spot. And a section of gravel road.

   
   
We stopped for coca cola and ice cream in Manhattan. No, not that one – we are not going that fast! The Manhattan Garden Cafe was a little oasis of coolness, and the Swiss owner regaled us endlessly with tales of all the long distance cyclists that had passed through. Now we are in another edge of town hotel – but we are assured that the pasta place next door is good (actually ‘the best in Belgrade’ was what she said, which isn’t quite the same thing. We’ll see.) 

This was simply one of the best days cycling ever. Scenery such as I have only seen on films. Wide open grasslands leading to mountains with scattered pines, small derelict wooden barns, cattle in some places, horse ranches in others. Narrow wooded canyons with cliffs, winding through to the next open vista. And always that big Montana sky. Wow! 

  
To begin with it was overcast and cool – great for cycling but not so good for photos. After 50 miles we stopped for brunch at the Stray Bullet Cafe in the tiny wooden wild west hamlet of Ovando. This was the first place since leaving Missoula! I had been looking forward to this moment for at least 2 years and, although it wasn’t quite as quirky as I had imagined, the three generations of women did us proud with a second breakfast and a pack up for the remaining 77 almost uninhabited miles. 

   
 
After Ovando we picked up an afternoon tail wind as the sun came out. We were still climbing, but at a good speed. And still the scenery was stunning – huge glacial moraines hundreds of feet high and miles long swept down from the mountains and cut across the grasslands.

   
 
After 95 miles, and at the second hamlet of the day, Avon, we had run out of water. The hoped for Post Office wasn’t open so Tim knocked on a door where we had seen boys playing. Well, we got a hero’s reception and had a lovely play with the kids into the bargain!  8 year old twins boys are fun. 

For the final miles we ran beside the railway again and were treated to the sight and sound of more enormously long trains. One had 2 traction units front and back and 4 more in the middle! And nearly 200 wagons. The track ran beside low crags and I was expecting Butch Cassidy and co to come swooping down to hold up the train! (I may also have sung the Casey Jones theme tune).

  
And finally there was the small matter of the McDonald Pass. I am not used to starting the main climb of the day with over 100 miles in the legs, but needs must. And it had been the fastest 100 I have ever ridden.

  
At 6225 feet this was our highest point so far. But more important it is the Continental Divide. I had to have a pee on the top – just to see if it would end up in the Caribbean, via the Missouri and Mississippee, or the Pacific via the Colombia River!  The views off the very fast descent to Helena were great.

  
It’s not much of a hotel, but we were here before 5pm. Not bad for 125 miles and 6000 feet of ascent. We are now in search of large quantities of food.

Everyone assumes that we are in town for today’s marathon. But we managed to resist the temptation to join in. In fact it was pretty much all over by the time we had got up! (They started  at 6am to beat the heat).

  
We wandered round the area near the Uni campus, where there are some lovely, delapidated wooden house.

   
 
The campus itself is very attractive – and the Uni of Montana has a mediim sized social work dept! Mmm.. 
  
It also has good views of the hills behind, labelled L and M (M just visible above) for Lake Missoula – mentioned earlier. In the next photo you can just about make out the horizontal lines of the various lake levels. (The zig zag lines are the path leading up to the M – no we didn’t!). This was the vast lake that drained explosivley through the Clark Fork river valley that we were riding yesterday.  

But most of the day we spent reading and lying down. Can’t think why. Tomorrow the adventure resumes. 127 miles and 6000 feet of ascent across the open, big skies of the Montana grasslands, with only 2 tiny settlements all day – oh, and we cross the Great Divide. Can’t wait.

There had been rain in the night, and we woke to low clouds on the mountains. So we knew we were in for different weather today. 

But first, here are some photos from last night of the damned dam, and the 50ft high, snakey concrete fish ladder.

   
 
We had steaks and beer on a deck overlooking the river, watching the deer and the herons. The only thing spoiling the tranquilty were the huge, honking freight trains rolling through about 50 feet away. We counted 123 wagons on one of them. Again, the locals were very friendly and we were offered the use of a nearby fishing cabin. Sadly we had already checked in to our motel. 

After a quick breakfast at the 24hr gas station we were away early, heading up valley. Except it wasn’t really up at all. We didn’t gain any height in 65 miles of riding. The river just sits there quietly. Not a place for kayaking or rafting. Its because of the Missoula flood erosion. And this had also scoured the valley sides, so we cycled under huge crags. Side valleys played havoc with the wind direction. One minute we had a good tail wind and were purring along at 25mph, and the next minute it was in our face and we were doing 13. 

Entering Plains a train came past us – for what seemed like an eternity.

  
We also passed through Paradise, though we agreed that it left quite a lot to be desired. The owners of the fishing cabin drove past and wound down the window for a chat. Just like the tdf team cars – but no magic spanner.

  
Soon after Paradise the rain started, so no more photos I am afraid. After the 65 flat miles we stopped for brunch at the Bison cafe before the only (very gentle) climb of the day. I loved ordering a Huckleberry Short Stack with 2 eggs over easy. And I’ve nearly got the accent!

The Bison cafe is fairly near the National Bison Reserve. Sadly, this is one attraction where road bikes are a serious disadvantage. The idea is to drive miles of dirt track from an already remote visitor centre, over steeply rolling hills, looking for the beasties. And anyway, it was raining, so the bison were probably sulking. We stayed in the cafe. I am sure there are bison photos on the internet somewhere.

Fuelled by eggs and pancakes we flew up the hill in steady rain, and on to Missoula. This last section had much more traffic and we were riding a broad, but very dirty shoulder. The Continental 4000 tyres that we put on proved brilliant, coping even in the wet with bits of lumber, huge quantities of sharp grit, broken glass and assorted animal bones. The only thing they cant handle is the spiky wire from the shredded sidewalls of truck tires. So after one puncture each in good weather earlier in the trip, we were weaving furiously to avoid shreds of tire so as not to puncture in the rain. Running downhill to Missoula we actually kept pace with a train for several miles.

Our second day over 100 miles was done soon after 2pm, so we are off exploring soon. And a day off the bikes tomorrow.

Last nights meal at McDuffs brewery was great, and the beers fantastic. A big salad starter, but then the chIcken came with broccoli but no carbohydrate. No good for a hungry cyclist. So I had to balance the meal by having the chocolate brownie, made with their Porter beer. Quite the best ever. It was 5 inches square, and an inch and a half thick and had space on top for 4 huge scoops of ice cream. Oh, and lashings of chocolate sauce. 

We had a walk on Sandpoint beach, with some geese.

    
This morning our friendly host at Sweet Magnolia made us an excellent breakfast, and told us his life story. Used to be an engineer, down South, but came here on holiday ten years ago and stayed. ‘I had my mid-life crisis with my wife and family in tow’. They all came. Watch out Helen!

The first 25 miles today were round the north shore of the Pend Orielle lake. It is hard to say how good this was. The long views across the vast expanse of water were hazy, because of high altitude smoke from a huge bush fire about 35 miles away, but I took some close ups of the Pack River delta, and some floating logs.

        
Here is some geography for you. Sandpoint is on the site of the trigger for one of the most gigantic, spectacular, and cataclysmic flood events ever to take place anywhere on the planet. During the past ice age 13,000 years ago Sandpoint was just beyond the southerly extent of the ice cap. A glacial tongue projected south and, at Sandpoint, it blocked the Clark Fork River. Because the river is bounded by mountains on all sides this created an enormous lake south of the ice sheet, some 200 miles long and, in places, up to 2000 feet deep. The centre was at what is now Missoula, where we are headed tomorrow. It is thought that the lake took about 50 years to form, but the spectacular moment came with the near instantaneous collapse of the ice dam. Pretty much the entire lake emptied in about 24 to 48 hours – with a wall of water moving at 80mph, at about 100 times the flow rate of the Amazon. This created the ‘channeled scablands’ south of where we’ve been riding, towards Coulee Dam, and smaller temporary lakes where the water was constricted at various points before it escaped to the sea, creating the Columbia river gorge behind Portland. There is a 15 min video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Na-yPW-52I if you have time on your hands!

We turned up the Clark Fork river valley, entering Montana, the third state of the trip, and followed the valley all the way to Thompson Falls. At times the smoke haze obscured things, but in the afternoon the sun came through. 

 Lunch was at an amazing casino/bar full of pensioners playing cards. About 50 of them around card tables. 

The Montana rail line also comes through the valley – so we were treated to the sight and sound of these enormous trains rolling through.

And now we are in a basic motel, right beside the falls, now dammed. On arrival we discovered that we have skipped ahead by one time zone and gained an hour. We must really be heading East.

  
By the way, apologies for apparent lack of response to your comments. A glitch is disconnecting me from my server after just one post – so progress on posting anything is very slow. But I am loving reading them. Thanks.