Yellowstone Adventure

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Yellowstone Day1 and 2

Up at 4am today for a taxi for myself and Bill to Manchester Airport for our flight to New York. All ten of our British group went through check on with little trouble, except those with two check in bags who were made to past $100 extra. Luckily my pannier was small enough to go in the cabin along withy ruck sac full of paperwork, camera, chargers and computer etc. At Newark Airport we had to retrieve our clumsy bike bags and shunt them around the airport to the transfer desk - why couldn't they have gone straight through? Just to extract another $6 from us for the trolley? Once on the aircraft for Chicago we had a long wait. Firstly the engines would not start and we were told we would have to get off then told that the airport was closed down due rain and lightning. Luckily with a bit of a kick the engines started and the weather improved so off we went into the blue yonder with a pilot who sounded like he had just come in from the rodeo. The stewardesses were a bit less wholesome on this flight so fortunately the plane was running at design load capacity. Into Jackson just as darkness fell meeting Jeff at the airport and a coach into town and the Rawhide Motel. Out to the Brewpub for a very light snack and drink before falling into bed after a 25 hr day.
Woke up on Sunday morning more refreshed and a hearty breakfast at Bubba's Restaurant. Across the road was a very good bike shop so I bought a couple of puncture outfits in case of dire need on the trail. After building up our bikes we had a trawl around Jackson and its many splendid tourist shops selling all manner of top quality goods. Stuffed bears, wolves badgers, elks etc. Leather goods, such as clothing, saddles, Stetsons etc and the usual tourist jewellery, Indian crafts and paintings, all of top quality and price of course. We came across a Rotary Fund Raising event with a blind auction of goods and wine sampling - which we could not overlook, even despite our best efforts. Several country and Western bands were playing in the square giving a nice air of authenticity to the town. The weather was really hot in the morning so shorts were in order although several bouts of rain and hail appeared briefly in the afternoon which scattered the crowds somewhat before the sun came through again. Before we packed in for the day we tucked our bike bags behind the settee in the lounge of Dinah, who looks after the Motel, until we return in 3 weeks time. _·What a nice gesture! Today was a really nice introduction to America and the edge of the wilderness and of the Wild West to come.

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