Our Shelter, Set Up at Madison Campground - Aere & Emily in the background
Saturday, June 16th
This was a travel day.
We loaded the bicycles into our truck and drove to Logan, meeting up with Mark & Colette Malan (who would be bicycling with us the first day of the trip) along the way.
At our daughter Emily's place, we loaded our bicycles into her van, and with her & her husband Mikal, headed for Yellowstone along the route we planned to cycle back on, watching for any potential problems, and noting the locations of campgrounds, restaurants, and stores along the way. The Malan's followed us in their car.
We had hoped to stop at the Canyon area, and at Norris Geyser Basin, but due to the time required to drive this more scenic route, we ended up going directly to Madison Campground, where we had a reservation for the evening. This lack of time was exacerbated by the food and scenic stops we made along the way. We were also so late getting there that we had no time to do the planned 14 miles of cycling from West Yellowstone to Madison Campground, but such is life.
We also had our first hints of weather difficulties to come as we encountered hail during the drive from West Thumb to Old Faithful.
We arrived at Madison Campground, set up camp, and ate supper there.
We used a home-made shelter for us and our bicycles, inspired by the shelter Malcolm used on his cross-the-U.S.A. trip decades before. Our bicycles were in the shelter with us (supporting the top), and we had all our stuff in the panniers available to us inside. Malcolm: You really can make your own camping gear, much of which works as good or better than what the commercial interests try to make you think you need. The stuff I make is tested, and is more useful and rugged than the things that you buy.
Our
Shelter, Set Up at Madison Campground - Aere & Emily in the
background
Another
View of our Shelter