Category Archives: Uncategorized

Lake Yellowstone Hotel to Jackson Lake Lodge, Wyoming. Saturday, June 22, 2024. I was wrong before. This was actually my eighth trip to Yellowstone (I’m Yellowstone the Eighth I am). Even more reason to be blasé about it. Breakfast at the hotel was very nice, as was the view of the lake. Rounding the cornerContinue reading “Gobsmacked”

Pahaska Tepee Resort to Lake Yellowstone Hotel Friday, June 21, 2024 Yellowstone National Park has an outsized reputation as the nation’s (if not the world’s) first national park, one of the largest, and one of the most legendary. Everybody has heard of it, it’s a UNESCO world heritage site. I have been there six timesContinue reading “The other Yellowstone”

Cody to Pahaska Tepee Resort, Wyoming. Thursday, June 20, 2024 Almost exactly 3 years ago, I did a post from Wisconsin titled “Uh, Doc, West would be THAT way”. I was heading due east, precisely the wrong direction, to kill time while I waited for the Illinois highpoint, Charles Mound, to open up. I couldContinue reading “Up the Shoshone”

Red Lodge, Montana to Cody, Wyoming. Wednesday, June 19, 2024 I wanted today to be my first rodeo, but I got in too late. Cody, Wyoming is famous for its Fourth of July rodeo, but it has one every night. It’s about 4 miles out of town, so I didn’t make the detour. I’ve goneContinue reading “Still not my first rodeo”

Absarokee to Red Lodge, Montana. Monday-Tuesday, June 17-18, 2024. Granite Peak is considered by many to be the toughest highpoint after Denali. It’s the only one that requires rock climbing skills. The other tough ones are all ice climbs. The year we all turned 50, that is 20 years ago, my friends Brian, Eric, andContinue reading “Not taking it for Granite”

Big Timber to Absarokee , Montana, Sunday, June 16, 2024. I hadn’t thought of it before, but with my parents gone and being the oldest child, I guess I’m the pater familias. Anyway, today I got the most wonderful Father’s Day gift. Hour-long conversations with my children, one while I was being blown down theContinue reading “Pater Familias”

Bozeman to Big Timber, Montana. Saturday, June 15, 2024 I read more about Bozeman, it’s the fastest growing metropolitan area in the US. Once a quiet college town (Montana State University), it has attracted the attention of the gentry, who have moved here in droves and jacked up the real estate prices. The motel proprietorContinue reading “Ride with the wind”

Big Sky to Bozeman, Montana. June 14, 2024. OK, so maybe I’m embellishing a bit. But it was in the ballpark. The good folks at Freeheel and Wheel were spot on, the road was terrible. Everything they said, plus potholes and a 3-mile stretch of scarified or grooved pavement. I was on the road byContinue reading “Yea, though I bike through the valley of the shadow of death”

West Yellowstone to Big Sky, Montana. Thursday, July 13, 2024. I surprised myself in my college, which was all about science and technology, by falling hard for Shakespeare, particularly Shakespearean tragedy. We studied the four major tragedies and discussed how each of their heroes had a fatal flaw. Macbeth had ambition; Othello, jealousy; Lear, insecurity/egotism;Continue reading “Fatal flaw?”

Ashton, Idaho to West Yellowstone, Montana. Wednesday, June 12, 2024. Another sunny day on US 20, another brisk tailwind. I passed a sign that reiterated what I discussed yesterday and got a prettier picture of them rising over Henry’s Fork The day began with a sharp hill, 6% grade, but I can manage if IContinue reading “Gateway town”