Jackson Hole

I don't know why this program lays things out the way it does. I can't seem to get pictures where I want them, and the text doesn't line up the way I think it should. Oh well, bear with me.

Yesterday, I drove in from Thedford, NE, pop. 423. Thedford is in the middle of the Sand Hills of Nebraska, which are supposed to be an interesting geological phenomenon, but I guess they're best viewed from the air to get the full effect. The most impressive things were the 1.3-mile-long coal trains that ran eastbound along the highway about every half hour or so. As an old railway guy from the Canadian National Railways days of my misspent youth, and like Fred Eaglesmith, I like trains.

This place is way cool (literally and figuratively)! I've never been to Yellowstone/Grand Teton/Jackson Hole before, but I will come again. It's got everything from plains to mountains to bubbling pools of boiling water to a decent brew pub (Snake River Brewing). I guess I had expected more of a Whistler or an Aspen as a tourist resort destination, and don't get me wrong, Jackson Hole is very touristy, but Jackson (as the maps and road signs call it), was a real town before it became a resort. Real people, not just the rich and famous, live here.

Today, I rode about 250 miles around the southern loop of Yellowstone. I stopped at Old Faithful, but it wasn't due to erupt for over an hour, so I didn't wait around to see it blow. I didn't know there so many hot springs and bubbling pools of geothermal activity in the area. It was almost other-worldly at times. And it was certainly cold at times. Some of the lakes were still iced over, and there was lots of snow along side the roads. I'm glad I had a good riding suit.

Tomorrow, I'll start off on the last leg of my journey home. I figure I have about 900 miles to go, so I should be able to make it in two days without too much difficulty. I've put on almost 6500 miles since I started, and I'm somewhat surprised that I'm not sick of riding yet. I am looking forward to getting home, catching up on HBO, NPR, sleeping in my own bed, and cooking in my own kitchen. Just a couple more sleeps.

Oh, and don't forget to give your Moms a call tomorrow. I know I will.