Yellowstone - Wrap-up

Our Yellowstone trip proved the journey is more important than the destination. During the planning stage, I had imagined Yellowstone Park with beautiful fall colors and clear weather without the summer crowds.

Surprisingly, Yellowstone was not one of the highlights of our trip. Although the park wasn't as crowded as during the summers, enough visitors were there to prevent us from finding a campsite within the park without a reservation (a first for us after many previous visits). Also, the overcast skies and rainy weather, damped our spirits as well as discovering we were there a week or two too early to catch the main fall color show.

Just proves you never know what you're going to find until you get there. The following map shows where we went and what we did.


View Yellowstone Wrap-up in a larger map

Despite being disappointed with our experience in Yellowstone, we did really enjoy this trip. Our favorites were:

	Idaho - although we've been to Idaho on many different trips, we've always had a good time. We love Idaho for it's many outdoor activities including: river running, camping and hiking  hot springs
	Southwest Montana - it was our first trip exploring this area of Montana, and we will return. We enjoyed both the weather and the people we met, as well as: hot springs and history ghost towns and geology
	Grand Teton National Park - no matter how many times we've seen the Grand Teton Range, it's always awe inspiring. We were especially happy to see the nice bike path through the valley running along the Tetons. Next time we'll be bringing bicycles.
	Logan Canyon UT - it was Peter's first time exploring the canyons along the Wasatch Mountains and he was captivated by their magic. I had lived at the base of Little Cottonwood close to Salt Lake City, so Logan Canyon was very familiar to me. I remember many happy days hiking these canyons and skiing at their summits.
	Hwy 50 across Nevada - aka the "loneliest highway in America." It does offer classic wide open vistas of Nevada's Great Basin area and parallels the historic Pony Express Route. We plan to drive this way again and spend more time exploring.

The biggest unexpected pleasure was driving the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and exploring the Buffalo Bill Center in Cody WY. Although visiting Cody was a remote possibility when we left home, we decided to go there after being shut out of a campsite in Yellowstone Park. You never know what you're going to find 'til you get there and this segment of the trip was a real treat.

Chief Joseph Scenic Byway

Buffalo Bill Center, Cody WY

Exhibit at Buffalo Bill Center

What proved to be the best resources for this trip?

	The Montana, Wyoming & Idaho Camping: Including Yellowstone,Grand Teton, and Glacier National Parks (Moon Outdoor series) This book was great in helping us locate beautiful and affordable campsites. We especially like it's many National Forest campground offerings.
	Playaway audio books  The Playaway format is far superior to either CD or tape based audio books. The sound is much cleaner with better controls and fewer problems on bumpy roads. Since these are pricey to buy, we recommend checking them out of your local public library.

If you're considering visiting Yellowstone National Park for the first time or you haven't been in many years, here are some recommendations:

1. Avoid going during the summer months.
2. Pay the extra money and get reservations at a campground (not Fishing Bridge).
3. If you still want to take your chances for an unreserved site, arrive at your chosen campground around mid morning and if you can find an open site, claim it immediately... otherwise, have some campgrounds outside the park picked out as alternatives.
4. Be flexible if things don't work out as you planned and have a plan B or C to fall back on.

Cloud towers after a storm

Yellowstone - Hwy 50 across Nevada

Although we started traveling on Hwy 50 in Utah the main stretch we'll be driving is across Nevada. It's this stretch of the cross country highway that's been called the "loneliest road in America" for it's wide vistas of sage covered deserts and mountains. The towns are few and far between. The Pony Express Trail roughly follows Hwy 50. Despite its reputation for little traffic, we do regularly spot other vehicles on the road.

Crossing into Nevada on Hwy 50 from Utah

Approaching Great Basin National Park

Our plan is to stay a few days visiting Great Basin National Park. To get more information on the park and campgrounds, we stop at the first Visitor Center (there are two in this park). Much to our surprise the Ranger on duty recommends we try Upper Lehman Creek campground. Since our camping guide book lists this campground as only good for tent camping, I ask if he's sure it's OK for a 24' motor home. Oh yes, he says, we should be fine, besides it has the nicest campsites.

Entrance to Great Basin National Park

Looks like a fun place

Turns out we should have taken the guidebook's advice instead of the Ranger's. The road through Upper Lehman campground is very narrow with tight curves. Just was we decide to get out, a large rock catches the end of our tail pipe as we try to negotiate a sharp turn. The tail pipe gets ripped off and in the process tears open the inner back tire. To make a long story short, we end up coasting slowly back down the mountain to a truck stop right on the Nevada/Utah state line (Utah side gas prices, Nevada side casino). Fortunately, they have a small RV park behind the truck stop. In the morning a ranch hand from a neighboring ranch knocks on our door to help us get the flat tire changed. Thank you Tom for getting us back on the road.

Traveler takes a photo of his jeep in front of the truck stop

Our campsite for the night at the state line truck stop

Connor's pass on the way to Ely

Both Yelp and all the locals agree the best place to get tires serviced in Ely NV is Gale Oil & Tire. They were right. The guys there are fast and efficient and charge a reasonable price.

Sign marking Gale & Oil in Ely NV

Humm... I think I'll have a Dr Pepper

Looks like they're well stocked with tires

While the guys are switching tires, I take a walk around the old part of Ely. It's an interesting town. 

8 Ball Casino

Pony Express trail marker

Mural on side of building

Within a hour or two we're back on the road with a full complement of tires. 

Bye-bye Ely - thanks for your help

Back to the wide open spaces

Over Robinson Summit

The next town we come to is Eureka NV, one of the silver mining towns mentioned by Mark Twain in "Roughing It."  Before settling down for lunch, we stretch our legs by exploring the town. Many of the old buildings have been restored or are in the process of being restored. Perhaps the most impressive is the Jackson House Hotel, built in 1877.

Welcome to Eureka Nevada The Friendliest Town on the Loneliest Road in America

Old mining equipment on a town corner

Jackson House Hotel

We decide to try the Owl Club Saloon Restaurant. The food is surprisingly good and the bar in the saloon is classic western style.

Owl Club Saloon Restaurant

door to Ladies Room

Lone customer at the bar during lunch time

After a good lunch, we're back on Hwy 50 headed west towards Austin (that's Nevada, not Texas).

Gotta love the wide open road on Hwy 50

Climbing up Austin Summit

Nice view from the top - looks like a steep downhill

Shortly after the summit, we pass mine tailings then come to the town itself, clinging to the steep mountainside. The silver rush in Austin is said to have started when a Pony Express horse kicked over a rock bearing silver ore. Even though it looks like a fun town to explore, we've got our sites set on home and plan to spend the night in  Fallon NV.

Mine tailings approaching Austin NV

Downtown Austin NV

Classic Hwy 50

From Austin to Fallon NV, the road closely follows the Pony Express route.

Climbing New Pass

Large playa ahead

Sand Springs Pony Express Station near Fallon

We reach Fallon NV just before dinner and are lucky to score one of the last spaces available at the Fallon RV Park. Although the spaces are closer together than we would like, it's out-of-town and fairly quiet, besides it has full hook-ups for a reasonable price. We get an early start the next morning as we are anxious to be home again after our misadventure. We take the fastest route home which is I-80 following the Truckee River, passing the infamous Mustang Ranch (sorry gang, the photo is not the correct exit - it's 28 not 23) outside of Reno NV then over the treacherous Donner Pass.

Back on I-80 outside Reno NV

following the Truckee River

Not THE Mustang Ranch exit

The sky starts to darken as we approach Reno. We may have a wet drive over the pass. We notice the same kind of large signs pushing casinos and religion around Reno as around Las Vegas. Guess sin and salvation do tend to go together.

Dark clouds over Reno NV

Nugget Casino

Trust in Jesus sign

Speaking of sin and salvation, we spot a possible candidate at a rest area as we start up the pass. We had pulled off for lunch and while eating sandwiches we notice a man in his mid thirties intently pacing back and forth chain smoking cigarettes in the pouring rain. We wonder what would cause that level of worry as he seems to have smoked half a pack just during our lunch stop. Perhaps he lost everything in a casino and is worried about what he's going to tell the wife and family back home...?

Just as we're reaching Donner Summit, we get caught in a long line of cars. As we inch forward we speculate what kind of accident is causing the hold up. With the first rain, the roads are especially slick. It turns out be a jack-knifed truck and trailer.

Welcome to California

Some kind of accident ahead

The orange truck is jack-knifed

Since it's before rush hour mid-week and raining, the traffic through the Bay Area isn't too bad. Most drivers are taking extra care with the first rain and we don't see any more major accidents. By San Jose, bits of sunshine start breaking through the clouds.

Climbing the grade by Sunol

Sunshine breaking through the rain clouds

We are really glad to make it home. David and the puppies give us a real "happy you're home" welcome. That evening we watch a DVD David checked out of the local library - Ken Burn: Horatio's Drive: America's First Road Trip. It's an amazing story of the first cross country trip by auto. Our little misadventure with a tire blow out is nothing compared with all the break-downs Horatio and his driver encountered. Watching this DVD is the perfect ending for our trip.