Check THAT Off The Bucket List!!

Where do I start....???
We went 153 miles today - and spent more time on the bike today than any of the other days where we drove over 300 miles. We finally got into Cody, Wyoming about 3:30...
Woke up a little later than normal and went out to breakfast at Running Bear Pancake House. I had the Papa Bear (one egg, bacon, and 1 biscuit and gravy) and Jeanette had the Baby Bear - a (huge) english muffin with ham, cheese, and egg on it.....Then, we hit the road....

Crossing "Riding through Yellowstone Park on a Motorcycle" 
off of my bucket list....

Right off the bat out of West Yellowstone, we pull into the park and pay $20 for motorcycle access. I think this is the best $20 that I have spent since Jeanette and I bought our wedding rings. WHAT a deal!

153 miles of pure riding bliss.....

Anyrate, I just wanted to let you know that IF you don't have "Riding a Motorcycle Through Yellowstone Park" on YOUR bucket list.....I strongly suggest you add it...what a great day. After we first entered the park, we saw a bunch of people standing on the side of the road - gawking. I saw a pulloff - but didn't take it - because I was just getting used to the park. I didn't see what they were looking at - however Jeanette did - but couldn't take a photo. It was a bunch of buffalo laying down next to the road.
So we kept on going - BEE-YOU-TEE-FULL roads - no trucks allowed. A lot of RVs - but they were going slow - and the speed limit is 45 miles an hour in most places - and it occasionally drops down to 35 or 25....but the whole day, we did not feel rushed or worried about traffic.

Right inside the entrance gate, 
(we took the "west entrance") we had tree-lined streets - 
but this was just a taste of what was to come....

We had the occasional motorcyclist pass us going the opposite way

After awhile, the tree lined streets gave way 
to some gorgeous scenery 
- wide open fields with the river running beside it. 
The river followed us throughout the day.

Beautiful mountains and buttes all along the route 
- SPECTACULAR!

A little bit of everything - wide open plains....

So we went about an hour into the park - just loving the scenery and getting to know how to avoid traffic (you really don't - you just pull over into one of the MANY pulloffs and either wait for traffic or take some photos.) We eventually found a small pocket of geysers....(this was not Old Faithful)

I remember this one was called the "Celestine Pool"....

This was called "the Mud Pot"

This was the "big geyser" in that area - it was interesting enough.

There were walkways that took you out to the geysers, 
so you could get close-up photos 
(some of the walkways were made of composite wood - 
especially close to the geysers - as water sprays all over - 
and tends to destroy the regular wood planks)

Jeanette took this photo....
not sure I am reading too much into it....
but I did have Mexican a few nights before....

Well, we finally got to Old Faithful - but, it was SUCH A tourist trap, neither of us were real impressed - and frankly, it was starting to "kill" my Yellowstone buzz. So we got back on the road and (for me) this next part was the best ride of our adventure so far. I will let some of the photos tell the story....

Driving around, we saw a lot of small geysers....

Yes, that is snow on the ground...

The river was our constant companion

more river, more curves...what is not to love?

Even though it was cold out - the sun was shining most of the day.

Our first glimpse of Yellowstone Lake...

Yellowstone Lake

Still more snow.....

Right after this, we started going downhill - 
with some steep (scary) terrain on our right side - 
so Jeanette quit taking pictures until we got 
on more solid terrain....

We finally said goodbye to the park - after about 100 miles.....

However, on the way to Cody, 
there were still some very interesting photos....

The temperature in Yellowstone was (easily) in the 60's.....we were cold - especially when the wind came whipping off of the lake. But when we got out of the park and close to Cody, it was easily in the mid 80's. AND the wind was terrible. When we stopped for the last photo shoot, the wind nearly knocked over the parked bike.....so we took it nice and easy coming into Cody.....
We took a bunch more photos - just incredible scenery. And I know probably some of you have taken the trip by car....but this is where the ride on a motorcycle is just in a different league - and I can't tell you enough how much we enjoy it. So now, that is it for tonight. Tomorrow will be another easy day (and a slightly special one for us....) as we travel from Cody to Sheridan, Wyoming.....
Thanks for sharing our adventure!
WnJ
GNTNYCGTB LY <3