I spent the winter looking at information about places to backpack in Yellowstone. I’m not a particularly strong hiker, but I really enjoy going out for a weekend overnight. The guidebook said that the Goose Lake site was excellent, but to “get” it before 4 pm, you had to be handicapped (I’m not) or on a bicycle. I’ve never bike camped before, but I do have a folding bike that I could put in the car and ride to a campsite, so I made a reservation and went to pick up my permit at Bridge Bay. They looked really surprised when I had reservations for there. They indicated that they had never given a permit out for that site, except people grabbing it at the last minute. Then looked at the paperwork, and it said bicycle, and that was supposed to be ok, so I got my permit.
The campsite is off the Fairy Falls/Freight Road. I chose to go to the trailhead near the Fountain Flats Drive, at least I think that’s what it’s called. I always find a parking place there. I got my folding bicycle out, and unfolded it, and then started digging around in the trunk to get out my pack. Having gathered all my stuff, I climbed aboard the bike, and off I went.
I have to admit that while it looks perfectly flat, it ddn’t take me long and I was huffing and puffing. It may have been that I was also yelling, “Hey bear!” And watching for bison. The bison are especially bad in this area, I find. The campsite is not quite two miles from the trailhead. I felt like a fool, riding a bike, wearing a backpack, and yelling about bears, but that was what I needed to do to get this site, so I did it. I felt really stupid when I saw an older couple, walking toward me. I stopped. They looked at me incredulously. I suggested that the woman take my picture, that she wouldn’t see anything more amazing in Yellowstone than me, riding a folding bike, wearing a backpack, and yelling, “Hey bear.” She stared at me for a minute, took my picture and ambled on. It was probably the highlight of my hiking career.
Sigh.
It didn’t take too long, and I got to the site. Two miles on a bicycle goes rather quickly.
The site was nice. There was a bear pole, as well as a bear box. Much of the site was within sight of the lake, and the lake was quite pretty. Across the lake, I could see tufts of steam from the Grand Prismatic thermal area.
I had gotten a used ZPacks Altaplex over the winter, and set it up at the far end of the campsite from the kitchen. Being inexperienced with it, it took me quite a while and when I got done, I decided it would be better at a different angle, so redid the whole thing. I had most of the day, so why not. After moving my tent, I couldn’t see the lake from within the tent, but there are worse situations.
I took a nap.
When I woke, there was a couple at the lake. He was fishing, and she was watching him fish. I went over and watched him fish, too. Watching someone fish is pretty boring, especially when they don’t *catch* anything.
They left after a bit, and I made my meal, ate, and rehung my food. As I finished, it began to sprinkle, so I headed to my tent. I was curious about how well it would handle the rain, but I stayed dry.
I took a few pictures of the view after the rain. It was beautiful and restful.
The morning light was quite nice, especially filtered through the evergreens.
It looks like Christmas tree lights.
I started peddling toward the car, in the fog. Again, I was yelling at bears, and watching for bison.
As I came to the Firehole River, the fog had mostly lifted. It was quite beautiful.
This little guy posed.
It had been a nice weekend. I can claim that I tried something I had never done before (bicycle camp), and that I would do it again.
The campsite is off the Fairy Falls/Freight Road. I chose to go to the trailhead near the Fountain Flats Drive, at least I think that’s what it’s called. I always find a parking place there. I got my folding bicycle out, and unfolded it, and then started digging around in the trunk to get out my pack. Having gathered all my stuff, I climbed aboard the bike, and off I went.
I have to admit that while it looks perfectly flat, it ddn’t take me long and I was huffing and puffing. It may have been that I was also yelling, “Hey bear!” And watching for bison. The bison are especially bad in this area, I find. The campsite is not quite two miles from the trailhead. I felt like a fool, riding a bike, wearing a backpack, and yelling about bears, but that was what I needed to do to get this site, so I did it. I felt really stupid when I saw an older couple, walking toward me. I stopped. They looked at me incredulously. I suggested that the woman take my picture, that she wouldn’t see anything more amazing in Yellowstone than me, riding a folding bike, wearing a backpack, and yelling, “Hey bear.” She stared at me for a minute, took my picture and ambled on. It was probably the highlight of my hiking career.
Sigh.
It didn’t take too long, and I got to the site. Two miles on a bicycle goes rather quickly.
The site was nice. There was a bear pole, as well as a bear box. Much of the site was within sight of the lake, and the lake was quite pretty. Across the lake, I could see tufts of steam from the Grand Prismatic thermal area.
I had gotten a used ZPacks Altaplex over the winter, and set it up at the far end of the campsite from the kitchen. Being inexperienced with it, it took me quite a while and when I got done, I decided it would be better at a different angle, so redid the whole thing. I had most of the day, so why not. After moving my tent, I couldn’t see the lake from within the tent, but there are worse situations.
I took a nap.
When I woke, there was a couple at the lake. He was fishing, and she was watching him fish. I went over and watched him fish, too. Watching someone fish is pretty boring, especially when they don’t *catch* anything.
They left after a bit, and I made my meal, ate, and rehung my food. As I finished, it began to sprinkle, so I headed to my tent. I was curious about how well it would handle the rain, but I stayed dry.
I took a few pictures of the view after the rain. It was beautiful and restful.
The morning light was quite nice, especially filtered through the evergreens.
It looks like Christmas tree lights.
I started peddling toward the car, in the fog. Again, I was yelling at bears, and watching for bison.
As I came to the Firehole River, the fog had mostly lifted. It was quite beautiful.
This little guy posed.
It had been a nice weekend. I can claim that I tried something I had never done before (bicycle camp), and that I would do it again.
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