May 22 - Bear Jam Is Not a Condiment

Since my ride of desperation got me so close to Gardiner, I had a bit of time to spare. And I'd bought that Parks pass, so I might as well get some use out of it. I decided to head for the Yellowstone, using scenic routes. I've had enough of I-90 for the moment.

The Beartooth Highway was closed at the time of our visit in 2010, and it's been on my to-do list ever since. If it's been opened, I can use the northeast entrance, and reach Gardiner through the park roads. If not, I'll make a stop in Cody, which has a Sierra Trading Post outlet, and then use the east entrance. To get there, I took US 310 south. The scenery was quite pleasant – lots of rolling hillsides and mountain views.

Along the way, I pulled off to look at some abandoned buildings that have a historical marker. Turns out, these were the remnants of the Smith Mine, scene of the worst underground coal mine disaster in Montana history. 

 The buildings were left as a memorial to the 74 men who died on February 27, 1943. Some were killed in a violent explosion, but most succumbed to poisonous methane gasses. Two of the men had time to leave a note for their families:

"Walter & Johnny. Good-by.

Wives and daughters. We died

an easy death. Love from us both.

Be good."

The investigations into the disaster revealed that cigarette smoking was allowed in the mine, and that they used matches to light their blasting fuses. Neither was a good idea in a place where methane can build up.

Eventually, I found myself in the town of Red Lodge, which has a quaint Main Street and lots of motels. Just outside of town, I found a sign informing me that the Beartooth was still closed. No surprise.

No matter, a stop at the Sierra Trading Post will be very useful. I really could use a nice long-sleeved overshirt, and some really good sunglasses. I've been getting more & more sensitive to glare as I get older. My current sunglasses are better than average, but I still squint a lot when it's really bright. I'd made up my mind to spring for a really good pair, and I expect STP will have some at good prices. For that kind of money, I want to try them on.

After bit of backtracking I found my way to US 120. It's a nice drive, and I made good time to Cody. Sierra Trading Post had exactly what I need – a nice blue chambray work shirt and extra-strong sunglasses. The ones I like set me back $80. Hopefully, they'll spare me lots of eyestrain and headaches.

After coming out, I became very tempted to steal a dog. She was in the back of a pickup that was parked next to me. A lot of dogs will get territorial about their vehicle, and bark their heads off when you come close. But this one was very sweet. She came right over  when I said hello, and I saw right away she was old and arthritic. But still, she tottered over to let me pet her, and gave me lots of kisses. I noticed that she was wet from the rain, and shivering. Now, what kind of asshole leaves their poor arthritic dog suffering in the chill while they look at clothing? It was also obvious she was starved for affection. After a few seconds, she put a paw up on the side of the pickup, like she wanted to get out and come with me. There were tags on her collar, so I guess the owner looked after her to some degree. Dogs aren't allowed in the Yellowstone dorms, though. If that hadn't been an issue, I honestly couldn't say what I would've done. Hopefully she has a better life than this encounter suggests.

With my shopping done and temptation to commit a felony resisted, it was time to hit the road again. The road to the East Entrance winds through the Shoshone Valley, which is spectacular. There are amazing cliff formations everywhere you look. 

There is also a lot of wildlife, especially once you enter Shoshone National Forest. I made a very rare sighting of a flock of bighorn sheep. Most of the year they're only found on high mountaintops. But in mid-May, those were still snowed in.

When I showed my pass at the entrance gate, I was given several warnings. One was that a mother grizzly and two cubs had been seen near the road about five miles ahead. The other was that a storm had passed through, and since then the mountains had been "raining rocks". Four cars had been damaged already, and one of them had its undercarriage pulled apart. The ranger advises me to drive very slowly, and keep an eye out for falling rocks. I agree that this sounds like a wise idea.

The bears must have moved on, but I saw plenty of rocks on the road surface. Most were fairly small, but I still don't want them bouncing around my axles, transmission, gas tank, etc. Fortunately, Avalanche Peak doesn't live up to its name while I'm there. There was still a lot of snow at the higher passes.

Not long after I reach Yellowstone Lake, I saw some cars clustered near the Sedge Bay picnic area. I was very excited to see that they're viewing a grizzly bear! I've seen a black bear in the wild, but this was my first grizzly. Its age appeared to be somewhere between a cub and a full-grown adult, probably a year or two old. It was digging around and eating something it found underground, most likely some sort of root, or maybe insect larvae.

When I first pulled up, there were about 5 or 6 other cars trying to get a glimpse & take pictures. We were joined by quite a few others, both on the shoulder of the main road, and the picnic area turnout. There were also a few that stopped on the travel lanes of the road, which made us an official Bear Jam. 

Wildlife Jams are common in Yellowstone National Park, despite being illegal. You're never supposed to stop in the travel lanes, or block them by not pulling all the way onto the shoulder. But it happens many times every day. People get excited and don't think about what they're doing. Usually the rangers shoo everyone off, unless the animal shuffles away before they arrive.

The worst snarls occur when bison decide to cross the road, or worse, use it themselves. It's easier walking there than on the grass. They'll stroll along for miles, blocking one or both lanes. Do not challenge them. You'll just end up as a YouTube search result when someone types in "Yellowstone stupid".

Anyway, I stuck around watching the bear for awhile. There was a short time when the other cars had me penned in, which made me a bit nervous. But a ranger pulled up, and people started to move along. Just as well, sunset wasn't far off and I wanted to reach Gardiner before dark.

The TraveLodge had good signage and was easy to find. It was around 9 when I checked in. the front desk clerk told me that John had called, and was concerned that I hadn't checked in yet. My estimate have been between 7 and 8 PM. I had underestimated the distances in the park. Trouble was, I had no way of calling back, lacking a calling card or working cell phone. I couldn't even send an email, since the hotel's internet had been knocked out by the same storm that had caused trouble in the park.

For $129, I was a bit miffed that they had no pool or hot tub. But it's early in the season, and a lot of places weren't open yet. It's a seller's market, really. The room was nice, at least. The only thing I didn't like was the shower. For some reason, it was shaped like a right triangle, and had the showerhead in the narrowest part. It was very hard to use.

At check-in, I'd been warned that the restaurants closed early, and I'd have to hurry to catch the one place that stayed open till 9. I was too tired to care, though, and made it another cheese sandwich & PBR night.