Day 26 - May 16 - Part II

Flagg Ranch Cabin
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Greetings from Bozeman, MT!!!  I'll fill you in on the last 2 1/2 days of my trip from my last entry at Moran Junction, WY in Grand Teton National Park.  I'm having trouble adding photos at this computer - so I'll add some pictures later.  I had hoped to make it to Yellowstone National Park today.  I was making great time after the slow ascent over Togwatee Pass.  The weather was beautiful - warm, sunny - gentle breeze.  The ride through Grant Teton National Park was magnificent - if you haven't seen the Tetons - make it a point to do it at some point.  The ride along the shore of Jackson Lake was gorgeous.  Huge mountain lake - blue water - with the Tetons rising up right from the other side of the lake.  I saw two moose along the lake and a small group of elk.  I rolled through Teton Park and was making good time to get to Yellowstone by dark.  I asked an employee in Teton Park if the campgrounds were open in Yellowstone - the guy said yeh.  Cool.  I rolled on.  It was approaching 7:00pm as I arrived at the entrance to Yellowstone National Park.  I was about 10 miles to the next campground that showed on the map - Lewis Lake Campground.  Upon talking to the rangers at the park entrance however, I learned that all the campgrounds were closed all the way up to Madison Junction - another 40 miles or so away. What?  No camping for another 40 miles. Obviously I had gotten some bad info by the guy in Grand Teton.  Needless to say I was not happy - tired and hungry and ready to set up camp.  My only option was to go back a couple of miles to Flagg Ranch Resort - a motel/campground/restaurant/gas station complex that was situated along the Snake River in the 5 mile stretch of land that connects Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks.  The campground was closed but they did have a cabin room for me though - cool!  Not cool, really - $149 for a room that was worth $50.  Highway robbery.  Next to the $18 rat infested campground in Rural Retreat, VA - this was the only other time along the trip that I felt really, really ripped off.  Because most of the TransAmerica Trail is through rural America- most all of the places are off the beaten path and are very reasonably priced.  Well, they had me hanging over a barrel at the Flagg Ranch - no way out - I pulled out my zip lock baggie, took off the rubber band wrapped around my drivers license and Visa Card - and paid for the cabin room.  Honestly, once I got over the frustration of paying ridiculous prices for an OK room and cafeteria food - I have to say the shower and bed felt pretty good.  I knew I had a couple of long, hard days ahead of me on the final leg to Bozeman - so I took advantage of the situation and rested and fueled up for the final push. 

Huge mountain lake - blue water - with the Tetons rising up right from the other side of the lake.