Day 11: Jenny Lake (Teton National Park) to Bridge Bay Campground (Yellowstone) – 76 miles

The whole first week of this trip was too easy. Good weather, abundant food and shelter…all good practice to get into the swing of things.  

Today was more challenging. I was expecting to only ride 55 miles, so I took a leisurely start – it was cold and I stopped a number of times in the first 15 miles to switch layers and take photos and eat more breakfast (after the 4 pancakes and giant serving of scrambled eggs I had this morning at the JLLodge employee dining room – thanks Luke!).   

 Moral of the story it was 11 by the time I got to Yellowstone, 11:30 after waiting in the long line of cars and RVs for park entry. I was only 2 miles into the park when the first thunderstorm rolled in. By the time I got to Grant Village and discovered that the campground there isn’t open yet for the season, I was cold and sweaty and ready to go explore the Geyser Basin and other yellowstoney things there. But no, I had to keep ridding another 20 miles to the bridge bay camp ground (the nearest one that’s open- at least it was a flat ride along the edge of the lake), where it’s proceeded to rain and drizzle all evening. Everything I have with me is slightly damp already (due in part to my errors in putting wet things in the wrong panniers). Hoping tomorrow is sunny and I can dry out! 

I’ll give Old Faithful a chance tomorrow morning, but thus far the Tetons are by far my preferred park- there I fel like I could almost be back in Switzerland, with the steep jagged peaks on the edge of the lake… Yellowstone’s just not doing much for me.

[more photos coming when I have better service]

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