Grizzly Encounter

I've biked through a few hundred miles of the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. I've seen the Yellowstone River. What I haven't seen is the famous park itself.

Time for a trip to Yellowstone National Park, a few days before the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service.

The route to Gardiner was familiar—right through the Paradise Valley (on the road not taken last Monday). And it was still filled with smoke from the wildfires.

It seemed as though I reached the highway in no time. The trip was going to take less time than I'd expected, with speed limits ranging between 70 and 80 mph.

When a sign for Grizzly Encounter said “next exit,” I decided to visit. I was too hot and tired to take advantage of a tour when we had a rest stop here, last Monday.

When you hope to observe animals, timing is everything. Brutus and Bella were napping in the shade, and were just about to be switched out for another pair (Jake and Maggi).

These bears were all rescued from less fortunate circumstances; they cannot be returned to the wild. Bella had been found as a young cub, orphaned, in Alaska.

Before bringing out the new pair, a guide went into the empty enclosure and left some treats for the bears to find: peanut butter slathered here and there on logs and under rocks. You know that feeling of having peanut butter stuck to the roof of your mouth? So do the bears.

Maggi was reluctant to come out into the open; when she did, she walked around in tight circles. Our guide explained that she does that when she's anxious; they think she's reacting to the smoke from the wildfires.

Jake, on the other hand, was a show-off. When he sat up like a teddy bear, everyone reacted with oohs and ahhs—and he ate that right up, rolling around and stretching out on his back in the sunshine.

I was surprised to learn that a major food source for them in the wild is ... moths. That's right, moths. Here, one of their favorite foods is avocados—not surprising, given their calorie density.

I was feeling a bit hungry myself, so I fetched an apple and returned to watch the bears. I kept my eye on Jake, and he clearly noticed. He turned his head in my direction and sniffed. I was at least 50 yards away. This is why you need to keep food in bear-proof containers if you're camping in bear country.

Our guide had lots of practical information about staying safe in the wild. Make lots of noise (talk, sing); be a smelly human (don't brush your teeth, wear deodorant, etc.); don't sleep in the clothes you wore when cooking (lest you be mistaken for a tasty human hot dog). We learned how to distinguish between a black bear (which might be brown) and a grizzly. Powerful muscles used for digging form the hump on a grizzly's back.

But she also had a sense of humor. “You might have been told to climb a tree, if a bear is chasing you. If the bear climbs the tree after you, it's a black bear. If the bear knocks the tree down, it's a grizzly.”

So noted. I don't think I could climb a tree, anyway.

The Traveling Circus

Cycle Greater Yellowstone was my first exposure to a multi-day bike tour that was primarily a camping event. I had chosen not to camp, so I was fascinated with the logistics. Other riders commented about similar events that handled larger groups more smoothly, but I was impressed.

By the time we arrived in town at the end of the day, camp had been set up. Some folks pitched their own tents, but the preferred option was clearly the “tent sherpa” option: a tent with your number on it, already set up with a camp chair. You provide the rest.

Some (much?) of the equipment was normally used to support the crews who fight wildfires in the western U.S. There were multiple fires burning in the region; I wonder what would have happened if the gear couldn't be spared for our use?

There was a truck set up with sinks on both sides, and many reminders about hand-washing hygiene.

There was a shower truck, and plenty of clean towels: one of the support trucks was equipped with a washer and dryer.

Happy campers used Laundry Pods to wash (and spin-dry) their clothes.

A small tanker, filled with water, traveled with us. As did a truck to service our fleet of port-a-potties, keeping them remarkably fresh.

An ambulance and a small crew of EMTs accompanied us. They were from Red Lodge, recruited after helping with last year's ride. Two of them were refugees from the Bay Area. (I met a few of those, throughout my stay.) In addition to the usual SAG support, we also had well-equipped bike mechanics and ham radio operators. Not to mention all the course marshals who helped keep us from making any wrong turns.

Volunteers were recruited in each town, but many of the volunteers were not locals. I chatted a few times with one woman who hailed from South Carolina.

Trucks transported all the gear (luggage, etc.). Those of us staying in hotels were asked to leave our main bag at camp, shuttling back and forth with just one night's essentials. That took some planning—and an understanding of the next day's forecast.

Food was catered by Yellowstone Kelly's, an outfit that also gets involved with catering for wildfire crews. In theory, the organizers were to supply us with “mess kits” to cut down on waste (re-usable plate, mug, bowl, etc.). In practice, these didn't arrive in time. It would have been interesting, shall we say, to see that in action—with a three-stage washing/sanitization process—300+ people, breakfast and dinner. Instead we relied on compostable plates and utensils; regrettable, but certainly easier (and faster).

On the road, we had water stops, rest stops, and lunch. At each stop, there was Gatorade and a small bottle-filling station hooked up to a tank of potable water on a pickup truck. Water stops included a few snacks (e.g., CLIF bars).

Rest stops had more serious snacks (e.g., fruits, nuts, nut butters, tortillas). Ice was available on hot days.

The lunch spread was often more than I could consume: sandwich, chips, fruit, cookies. Breakfasts and dinners were different each day. At all stops, it was also possible to drop excess stuff (e.g., jackets, rain gear) that you would reclaim at camp at day's end.

After dinner, there was always a presentation by someone from the Greater Yellowstone Coalition, as well as announcements about the next day's route by Headmistress Jennifer. There might also be entertainment, by a local band (or in Dillon, the Junior Fiddlers).

There were hiccups with the hotel shuttles, and timing didn't work out for me to get a massage or join a yoga session. Overall, I'd say the traveling circus that was Cycle Greater Yellowstone 2016 ran quite well.