Majesty

I had a moment of real panic there.  I thought I had left my kettle at the last motel.  Most of the motels have some way of making coffee, but the coffee is usually rubbish.  However, because there is a machine for it they do not provide a kettle.  So, I bring my own.  It's been lots of places, even Alaska.   It must be about the best £6 I've ever spent.   However, all is well.  I had just repacked stuff differently. I was in Starbucks in Park City and was going to replenish my coffee supply.  They only sell it in 1lb bags.  I'd never get through that much, and I don't have room for it.  Fortunately I found a nice little coffee roaster in Cody.

As I packed the bike in Idaho Falls this morning it felt like it was getting warmer by the minute, so I thought I might manage without my rain jacket to keep out the wind.  I lasted half a mile.  It seems to be like this until at least mid-day.  The sun may be warm, but the air is still cold and if you move through it reasonably quickly it chills you.  So, all layered up.

Looking at yesterday's photos I decided that we didn't need any more of straight roads and high plains/deserts.  That dealt with the first 80 miles.  Though I did see a sight that I should have photographed.  I went through a town where new houses had been built with their fences backing onto the dual carriageway - loads of them.  I could see nothing from horizon to horizon except this town, but the houses had to be built virtually on top of the road.

I'd done the first bit on the Interstate because there just weren't any convenient roads going my way.  When I got off it, the scenery improved.

You're never far from an ATM today.

It may be a bit hard to see because the photo is so small when it is uploaded, but there are dozens of fairly large fish milling about here.  Spawning I presume.

I was going to use Yellowstone as a cut through, so I wouldn't spend ages there, but it is such a magnificent place that you can't be near it and not go.

These are geysers in the distance.

So are these, with all the attendant minerals and salts that have been spewed out.

This is the biggie, "Old Faithful".  I missed it by minutes, but wasn't going to wait around for an hour or more in the hope of seeing it.  The sun was scorching, but with all the snow around the air stayed quite cool, especially down by the water.  I guess it had only recently melted and was being topped up by more snowmelt.

And here is that snowmelt.

And here is the snow.

You can see here that there is still ice in the water.  The divide is, of course, a ridge rather than a point, so there are a few signs.

There were a lot of dead trees like this.  The aftermath of fire perhaps.  I saw few animals, probably because I didn't go looking for them.  There were some bison grazing by the roadside.  A bit unnerving as you pass.  In fact I saw one outside the park.  I was going to report him, but I guess he had things to do.

As I came out of the park and climbed some more I passed this lake which was still mainly frozen.

Then just some superb roads heading for Cody.

Quite a few places had big eruptions of spring flowers.

That looked like rain to me as well, but I hoped it was going to bypass me.

It didn't, so I put my rain jacket on again, but it didn't come to anything.  The trouble is it can be such a downpour that if you don't get waterproofs on quickly you get soaked.

This is the outflow of the Buffalo Bill dam.  It was the highest in the world in 1910 when it was built.

I've gone traditional again this evening, but well maintained traditional.

Some shots of the town.  Contrary to all claims I suspect everything which looks old is phoney.

Cody is the rodeo capital of the world.  Come to think of it the only rodeo I have been to was in Cody, so it must be true.  The town beats its relationship to "Buffalo Bill Cody" and its relationship to the past to death, but it is what it is known for.

It says "Cody Dug Up Gun Museum". I didn't go in.  Nor did I take advantage of the "fun for the whole family" offered by the Cody Firearms Experience.

Nice main street, which still survives as a lively shopping area.

I had a good helping of ribs tonight, and my coffee and Lindor, so I'm feeling ready to curl up with my book.  I've had a look out and it looks like some sort of storm is brewing - very overcast and windy.  I'll let you know if it comes to anything.