The last 2 days were rainy, cold (40s) and slow (about 400 a day), but thankfully there's been no ice during the daylight hours. Ice storms forced us further west than I wanted, so we had to enter the park from the south. On the way we stopped for breakfast at the Wrangler Cafe in Pinedale where the pancakes are so large and fluffy they almost droop over the edge of the plate. The nearby Museum of the Mountain Men was closed for the season, regretfully. I would have enjoyed that. Entering the park gates also saw the last of the intermittent sun. It was dreary and drizzly all throughout the park but that didn't dull the enjoyment much. We liked riding through the clouds crisscrossing the continental divide perhaps a dozen times, the forests treating us to it's version of aroma therapy. (The Mouse wants to get some pine scented candles and a CD of "babbling brook" sounds when we get back). The drabness of the day seemed to echo the feelings of riding through the thickets of dead trees from the wildfires of a few years ago. I was surprised to see a noticeable growth of young pine since the last time I was here, just 2 years ago. Beartooth Pass is closed and the East Gate only open to 4 wheels (with chains). We did manage to get to see some buffalo, elk, and Old Faithful erupt about 4 pm when we had to leave the mountains or become stranded. The Mouse says that the heated Gerbing's gear are worth every penny. Both sets on high is overloading the charging system, though. I will have to look into getting an upgrade. We're currently holed up for the night in Idaho, pondering our next target west.
