"I'm smaaarter than the average bear!"

Title Quote is from a fictional anthropomorphic bear called 'Yogi Bear', who appeared in animated cartoons created by Hanna-Barbara Productions mainly during the 1960s.

Again if you were born after say 1970 then this post’s title will probably mean very little to you. FYI, I grew-up throughout my childhood years with Yogi, and his humbler sidekick, Boo-Boo Bear.

Yogi and Boo-Boo lived in fictional 'Jellystone Park', a takeoff on the famous Yellowstone National Park, which is where I am right now. So there!
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Friday, August-24

Breakfast time and I'm outta cash. But in America this is no problem, as there's usually a bank of drive-in ATMs - yes, I did say drive-in ATMs - just around the corner in most towns. Jackson Hole is no exception.

And so with a hundred bucks nicely folded away in my wallet I set off north and soon enter the Grand Teton National Park

Once again an entrance fee is required.

But remember, I've got my National Parks & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, which I hand to Laura, who is THE prettiest park ranger I've met so far. Laura hands me a map, which I tuck into the map display compartment of my tank bag.

Scenic roads ahead it is then ...

.. one of which leads me to 'Jenny Lake'

And another to Jackson Lake, which this morning looks good enough to pose for a picture postcard photo.

No sooner am I leaving Teton - than I enter the southern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The first aspect I notice is the deforestation of the firs and other trees ... what's causing this? After my experiences at Mesa Verde NP, I immediately suspect fire damage.

Later, after some research, I learn that:

- The summer of 1988 was the driest in the Park's recorded history
- More than 793,000 acres (36% of the park) were affected by fire
- Fires begun outside of the park burned more than half the total acreage
- Humans caused 9 fires; lightning caused 42 fires.

Damn shame, but the park is recovering, slowly but surely.

Yellowstone is, of course, famous for its thermal activity. These scenes remind me so-much of parts of New Zealand.

I really do love New Zealand - and the Kiwis (.. if y'all hadn't noticed by now! .. :o)

After an hour or so I ride into the compounds of "Old Faithful".

Old Faithful is a cone geyser that regularly shoots thermal-heated boiling water 100 -185 feet (30 -56 m) into the air. The intervals between eruptions range typically from 65 - 90 minutes; each one can last anything from 1½ to 5 minutes.

I join the patient crowd for the next eruption. We're all waiting ...

.. and waiting ...

.. tum tee tum tee tum .. and waiting ...

.. twee diddle dee ...

.. this is getting BOOOOORING!

Huh? .. .. WOZZUPPP?

Then at six minutes past two o'clock - the anticipated event happens ...

YEE-HAW!!

I then wander into the tourist centre for a lookaround. Guess what? - all the service staff are dressed-up in Christmas costumes; Bing is singing "White Christmas"

Fer Gawd's Sake .. it's only August-24! KICK CHRISTMAS BACK INTO DECEMBER .. that's wot I say!

Only in America?!

A few more miles along Grand Loop Road, towards the northwest region of the park, a small herd of Elk stroll lazily along in the mid-afternoon sunshine.



I pass by more thermal activity ...

.. but press-on hastily towards tonight's stopover destination township of 'West Yellowstone', just inside the state of Montana; book into a great little motel ...

.. and by pure chance/luck, park-up right alongside a British registered Honda XRV750 Africa Twin - which is the slightly bigger brother of the Honda XL650V TransAlp, my most second favourite motorcycle in the whole wide world (.. cuz I own one - probably .. :o)

I leave a hand-written note on the A/T inviting the presumably Brit-rider to join me for a beer (or maybe two .. ;o) and a chat - if he/she wants?

A couple of hours later and I'm supping America's finest wheat beer with Derek from Redditch (UK Midlands area).

Derek is riding non-stop right around the globe. He reckons it'll take him two years to complete the trip. He won't be back in Blighty again until June 2009!

Derek packed-in everything back home to make this trip-of-a-lifetime. And I mean everything.

Now there's true balls for ya!

We enjoy a GREAT evening together.

Saturday, August-25
I have decided to stopover here for a second night in the City Center Motel. It's sooooo quiet; the staff are sooooo friendly.

After some e-mail exchanges and a telephone call, I've also decided on a change of plan. Tomorrow - Sunday, Aug-26 - I'm hooking-up a little earlier than originally planned with some of the BearSTOC riders just northeast of Yellowstone Park. Monday we shall ride well over 500 miles [800 km] together, all the way to the BearSTOC Meet's rendezvous place of Deadwood, South Dakota.

I say good-bye, and good luck, to Derek after we share some more time at breakfast.

Again - 'Good luck Derek' - it's one hellofa trip, mate .. ;o)

Now then, lemme think, where's my 'pic-a-nic basket' .. ?? .. ;o)
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HAPPY BIRTHDAY SANDRA [my sister] for today Saturday, August-25