Hog Log; 8/22-8/23:

I left the little town of West Yellowstone, Montana yesterday morning and drove back into Wyoming and the Yellowstone Park to continue my trek south toward The Grand Tetons Park. It abuts Yellowstone on the southern end and is included in the $15 day pass ($20 for cars). I had to pay again since I was unable to get lodging in the Park. It was a beautiful day for riding. I stopped at several spots in Yellowstone before entering The Grand Tetons Park. From photos that I'd seen I had surmised that the Tetons were the most beautiful mountains in America. I was right. There are so many views of the peaks as you drive through the Park. Each one different from the last. But each one beautiful.

I drove out of the Park and headed south on Rte 89 toward Jackson, Wyoming. Jackson is a gorgeous little town all dolled up to look like the Old West meets Sunset Strip. But like most towns of its ilk -- Durango, Colorado is another -- it's ruined by over-population. Far too many cars and people. There was a major traffic jam the afternoon I arrived. It took forever to get from one end of town to the other. It is a pretty town though. I was struck by the two arches that serve as entrances to the municipal park. They're made of harvested elk antlers. Probably up to their you-know-whats in antlers since the National Elk Refuge abuts one boundary of the city. Of course, the record for largest arch constructed of elk antlers, or so says the large banner at the top of the arch, is held by the little town of Afton in Wyoming.

Really bad luck yesterday with road construction. My plan was to take Rte 89 all the way to the Grand Canyon. It runs west to Salt Lake City, Utah and then goes down through Utah to the corner of Arizona and into the Park. But I hit major construction on the way to Salt Lake. First, 14 miles of it. The road was gone ... just packed earth and rock, cratered and very bumpy. I worried for my suspension. When I hit another 9 miles of the same road, I turned around and retraced my route back and sidestepped to I-80, which runs east to west into Salt Lake. But I lost so much time backtracking that I had to stop at a small motel in Evanston, Wyoming for the night.

I hit the road bright and early this morning, west on I-80 headed for Salt Lake City, Utah. Another beautiful day ... lucky me! Salt Lake City was the worst leg of the trip. Not that I went through the city. I drove over and around it on I-15. Traffic was horrendous. Extremely nerve-racking until I got out of the city limits ... which goes on for miles! After that it was a great ride ... fair to good roads at 75mph. Some nice scenery in places as well. Not your average Interstate, I-15. It's the same one in Montana that took me through the beautiful Big Belt Mountains. By the time I reached Provo, it was getting uncomfortably warm. I had to stop and take my jacket off and slather up with sunblock. My sunblock doesn't seem to be doing the trick. I'm beginning to look like a raccoon from wearing my sunglasses! By the end of my riding day, it was very hot ... and still is, here in St. George, Utah where I've stopped for the night!

Tomorrow ... The Grand Canyon!

More later....