Monday, July 19th

We're leaving the park today, although we'll be back in a few days. We stop by the Terrace Grill just so we can take a picture of the flower beds covered with wire - to save them from becoming elk food! Next stop is the post office to send post cards; Marilyn's go to her kids and mine goes to Odette. We are disappointed, but not surprised, to see that the elk are nowhere to be seen.

Off we go, heading for Red Lodge Montana. We're not even out of the park yet ad people are pulled off the side of the road. They are motioning to be quiet and when I crawl out of the car, they say there is a black bear just behind the bushes. By the time we climb the rise we can see him not too far away! He is in the sunlight and we finally get some decent bear photos!

Back in the car and down the road and there are bison on both sides of the road and crossing back and forth. Three motorcycles roar down the road the the bison closest to the road are startled. There is one who is trying to eat a piece of paper and there is a baby nursing. It is always a thrill to see these guys up close and personal. There are lots of loners scattered along the countryside because the cows don't want them nearby until rutting season.

We are back on the road and going around a lot of curves. I'm thinking was a shock it would be to come around one and encounter a critter. No lie! We are confronted by FOUR big ol' bison walking down the road. In our direction. On our side. They keep coming and I grab the Flip, so check out the video to see what happened!

We're out of the park and enter Cooke City. Marilyn's brother-in-law, Richard, is working here somewhere and we check signs to see if we recognize the name. There it is! Buns and Beds! We spend about half an hour with Richard and his cousin, Leo and Leo's wife, Jan, who own the place. Marilyn has a chocolate shake and I have a chocolate malted! They are delicious and Marilyn has really surprised Richard! What fun!

We are now entering Beartooth Scenic Highway and will go over the Beartooth Pass. The elevation is rising and the temperature is falling. And the wind is picking up! There are lots and lots of switchbacks and you never know what beautiful sight will be revealed at the next pull out! There is a waterfall that is every bit as gorgeous as any we've already seen! The peaks around us top out at over twelve thousand feet and there is snow on the roadside.

On one curve we see a family that must be encountering snow for the first time. They are writing their name in the snow!

Lots more beautiful stuff and then we are coming back down from heaven and into Red Lodge. We are staying at The Yodeler Motel and our room has two double beds and a full kitchen! Too bad we only have oatmeal and sandwich stuff. When we check in I get to satisfy my cat-craving by petting Sawtooth, who is master of the two dogs who also live here. Marilyn gets to meet Shackelton who is an avalance dog. When people go up the mountain he is the last one to come down.

The owner recommends Bridge Creek for dinner and it is a most unusual restaurant. On the counter is a bottle of wine called "Another @#$% Merlot with an unusual bottle!" And it is, unusual that is. The bottom isn't perpendicular to the bottle! Marilyn has the chef's award-winning fish and chips and I have soba noodles with ginger, plum and sesame sauce! They also sell pizza and tuna tartar! Our dinners are superb and we come back to our room to blog and see if there is any news on the tv! We are so out of touch!