Aug 29/08 - What was I thinking...

Friday, August 29th, 2008

From Rod’s grocery shopping foray of the night before, we enjoyed a great breakfast of yoghurt with cut up nectarines and peaches. We fuelled both bikes and left Browning, Montana just after 8:00 a.m.

We won’t belabour the first ½ of the day. Suffice it to say – it was quite gruelling. If you can (again) get a picture of the Michelin tire man – that is how I felt. Layer upon layer to try and keep the cold at bay. It severely restricts my mobility though and I can’t help but think that like the medieval jousters I need a crane to put me atop my steed. T-shirt, long sleeved turtleneck, lined windbreaker, and my First Gear riding jacket with the winter liner IN! Once again the wind does it’s best to throttle us and we arrive in Great Falls at 11:00 where we were to have stayed the night before. We decide to lunch there and try to warm up. I have to admit I was feeling pretty much discouraged and beat up at this point. I started to think maybe I have done this too many times and for too long for this to be fun anymore. 35+ years of riding have left their imprint on both hands and knees. I always thought I’d get to be 80 and riding the equivalent of a GSXR! I have compromised by trading my sport bike for more of a cruiser type. I am re-thinking the trip and dreaming of a warm sunny beach in Puerto Vallarta. Rod, my rock, encourages me and tells me he thinks it will get better from here.

Wonder of wonders… after lunch the sun has come out bringing with it a vague memory of warmth. We travel south on 89 fuelling in Neihart and again in Livingston. By 3:00 we are in full sunshine and Rod is riding in shirt sleeves and I’m in a light jacket. My flagging spirits are buoyed by the sun and great tunes on my iPod. The sun hides for a few minutes above a huge lens cloud making the edges appear illuminated.

We ride through the pass between the Absaroka Mountain range and the Rockies. Mercifully the wind has abated – somewhat. A lone eagle is playing in the air currents – drifting, soaring, diving. At least someone is enjoying the wind.

We arrive at our B & B in Gardiner just before 6:00 p.m. Coming through the front gate a beautiful garden complete with swings and sitting areas greets us. Someone has lovingly created this oasis for just this reason – to welcome their guests to a home away from home. Our host Nancy comes out to welcome us and give us an orientation to the house. She doesn’t ask for payment information just says “Oh, we can take care of that tomorrow”. Again, small town trust and simplicity. She tells us of the buffalo that come to spend time in town in early February and March. One made his home in their backyard for a couple of weeks last year. A shopkeeper on the main street told us it is not uncommon to see an entire herd of buffalo stampede down the main street outside the shops in spring. They are massive creatures and it is hard to imagine not feeling frightened that they would leave a tremendous amount of destruction in their wake. She laughed and said they are really quite friendly creatures but there is one ornery old bull who doesn’t know when to take his leave and they have had to escort him out of town on occasion. At Nancy’s recommendation we dine at “The Loft” just a short walk away. We are seated at a huge picture window that overlooks the foothills leading into the Gallatin Range. I enjoy homemade soup and a very fresh salad bar and Rod decides to give bison a try. It is a little chewier than he anticipated. Hope it’s not the ornery old bull.

We walk back to our room and pick up my laptop. There is an internet connection at the pharmacy/ice cream and confectionary shop. Sounds like dessert is in order with getting out a Blog entry. At 15 cents per minute with an agonizingly slow connection I don’t spend much time to peruse emails and such.

We stroll leisurely back to the B & B relaxed and replete after a long and arduous day and look forward to a soak in the old fashioned claw foot tub and bed. Opening the door, I first say – “Oh Oh, smells like someone has burnt their toast”. My eyes immediately start to tear and we realize it’s a little more serious. The whole lower floor is completely filled with smoke. Someone has left their dinner on the stove at high heat and it has exploded in the kitchen. I grab the phone and call the number that Nancy left for their apartment just around the corner of the next street and Richard says they’ll be right there. Nancy lets some of the local workers who live where there is no kitchen use hers and the result was a little less than desirable in this case. I had to laugh when I saw that the one pot that had exploded had contained eggs which were now spread out all over the kitchen. I can relate to that one having exploded eggs myself and know the resulting mess and just how far those darn things can travel. Little projectiles each one of them. It’s not too bad upstairs and we reverse the direction of the window fan to try to both cool the room and expel the smokey fumes. Finally I do get into the tub and immediately fall asleep. Then of course, it’s hard to try to drag yourself out and get ready for bed.

Tomorrow we head through the North Gate into Yellowstone Park. New territory for us both.