5/16 Well first on the agenda this morning was to go to Bank of America to get a new debit card since I lost mine about a week ago in Seattle, I think I lost it because 5 long island ice teas. Well when I got to the bank they had my new card waiting but unfortunately it wouldn’t work since Idaho’s BofA’s are on a different system than the rest of the U.S., go figure, so it looks like I will have to get that straightened out in Boston. With my business concluded here I was off to Jackson Hole for lunch and then on to Yellowstone. As I was leaving Idaho Falls the skys opened up and it started to rain, not to be discouraged I kept a smile on my face and enjoyed the scenery. I got to Jackson Hole about 2:00 and wandered around and even managed to buy a cleaning kit for my camelback, a water purifier made by MSR which will come in handy for the more 3rd world countries, and a thermometer to mount on my bike. After lunch and a couple tourist photos under the deer horn arches I was on the road again. First up was the Grand Teton Park, well with the rain and fog they were pretty socked in so I couldn’t really see much. Once I got to Yellowstone the weather had improved and it wasn’t raining anymore but I quickly noticed there was allot of snow still in the park. There was still 2-3 feet of snow at about 8000 ft elevation. I came across a little patch of snow so I figured I would play a little bit and take the BMW through the snow. As I drove past old faithful, several scenic sites, and many bison I decide I would make my way to the campgrounds at Madison Junction. At one point I came around a corner and a Bison was standing in the middle of the road with her calf, so I quickly slowed almost to a stop. I swear she was giving me some serious stink eye, I quickly sized her up and came to the conclusion that the BMW wouldn’t fair well if she decided to charge. I only had one way around her so I acted quick and shot way into the other lane with some faith that a car wouldn’t come around the blind corner and take me out. Well as fate would have it no car came and I swear I even saw the Bison smile that she had won this battle, dammnnnnn you bison. I made it the campground about 7:00 and was ready to sit by a warm fire. While I was waiting in line at the check-in office for the campground I was chatting it up with a guide for Trek-America who had traveled Eastern Europe this last summer. After I checked in and paid my $18 I was about to get on my bike when the other Guide from Trek-America came over and said hello, it turns out I had taught snowboarding with him in Steamboat Springs, what a small world it is. Being a guide for Trek America seams like a pretty cool job, you basically get a van full of gear and pick up a different group of European tourists every two weeks and take them camping all over the U.S. . The groups are mainly mid 20’s and usually more girls than guys, the pay sucks but the stress level is pretty low, hhhmmm maybe my next job when I get back. It turned out to be quite a pleasant evening sitting around the fire till about midnight chatting with a group of Europeans.