• Day 0: We arrived at Flagg Ranch (in Grand Teton National Park) the evening before the bike ride. We had previously departed from Butte, Montana, in order to evacuate from all of the forest fire smoke.
• Dennis was eligible to buy a onetime Senior's Lifetime National Park's Pass for $10 - That was weird.


• Day 1: We started the day at 30F/-1C. We had to wipe frost from our bike seats and we dressed wearing our Cold Weather Gear (A Flannel Shirt, Rain Coat, Rain Pants, and Insulated Waterproof Gloves).
• We were planning on a 2 day trip and we packed a fully loaded bike (tents, sleeping bags, tandem air mattress, three days of food ...).
• On the way out of the park, I may have seen a Wolf bounding in some brush (after a Rabbit or such).
• The weather conspired to turn a 2 day bike trip into 1 day trip. The GDMBR Map clearly stated at Mile Marker 42.9 (NF-30400) 'Road impassable when wet, use US Hwy 26/287'. Sure enough, when we arrived at NF-30400, it was just starting to rain. We took the highway and that allowed us to cycle faster to our destination in one day (to the Rest Area for Togwotee Pass).
• We had to re-suit up for rain; the rain seemed to vacillate between Spotty and Light until sunset, unfortunately the temperature went down from 65F/18C at mid-day to 50F/10C by evening time.
• About 2 miles east of Moran Junction (US 191 & US 287), the Park Police, Local Constables, and Armed Animal Control Officers with Radio Signal Tracking Antennas were hot on the trail of a Rogue Grizzly Bear. There were 3-4 Police Cars and 3-4 Trucks and Vans. We kept on cycling and we have no idea how the Bear Issue resulted.
• We were resting against a guard rail with our backs to the road, eating a late day snack, when a young couple pulled in with their 4x4. She said 'We just wanted to watch the Bear behind you'. Well, that got our attention. They were having fun with us. There was a Bear about 400-500 yards/meters away on a hill side, foraging away. We could never conclusively ID the Bear Type; it was either a yearling Grizzly Bear or a mature Black Bear. It seemed to have the Hump of a Griz and a face like a Black.
• Somewhere near GDMBR Map Mile 45 we saw Four Grizzly Cubs (the size of full grown Black Bears) go into the woods, in a single file, across the road from us. By the time that I pulled out the camera and turned it on, the very last Bear stopped and turned to look at us. Snap, we got one Bear Picture.

We had an Unexpected Change of Plans. We had to leave the GDMBR at Butte, Montana, because of the Forest Fire Smoke. We could have reserved a Camp Site but we had always wanted to stay in a Cabin just for the experience. We were lucky, we called ahead (cell phone) and We Reserved the very Last Cabin available at Flagg Ranch, Wyoming. The reservation was not cheap, the owners of Flagg Ranch are the same owners as Beaver Creek and Vail Ski Resorts ($$$).

Above Left: Our Flagg Ranch Cabin accommodation.

Above Right: The Flagg Ranch Cabin interior layout, very sparse.

Above: The Bar of the Flagg Ranch Lodge.
Dennis was drinking Moose Drool and Terry drank a
Huckleberry & Ginger Beer Tonic.

Day 1 - From Flagg Ranch, through the Grand Teton National Park,
Onto US Hwy 26/287 to near Togwotee Pass, Wyoming

Above Left: We started the day at 30F/-1C.

Above Right: The Bee is fully loaded, rigged, and ready to roll. Ice Fog in the background.

Above Left: We're Rolling. See the Frost on the roof of the Flagg Ranch Ranger's Cabin.

Above Right: Headwaters [of Jackson Lake and the Snake River] Lodge and Cabins at Flag Ranch, Wyoming.

Above Left: Grand Teton NP low lying Morning Fog.

Above Right: We're rolling down US 99/191/287 toward Moran Junction.

Above Left: Snake River upstream (east).

Above Right: Snake River downstream (west).

Above: We're pedaling south and uphill on US 99/191/287 toward Moran Junction.

Above: Terry puts Dennis' Rain Jacket away.

Above: A sign dedicated to the forest regrowth and regeneration caused by the 1988 forest fire that raged through this very section of land.

Above: Dennis and Terry Struck with the Bee (a da Vince Tandem) on the Great Divide Mountain Bike Route (GDMBR) at the Grand Teton National Park's south entrance welcome station. A nice couple driving an RV and us took pictures for one another.

Above Left: Rain Pants outer wear removal.

Above Right: We frequently wave at motorcyclists and we frequently get waved from motorcyclists, even some Harley Davidson Riders.

Above: Pedaling southward in Grand Teton National Park (US 99/191/287).

Above: The Teton Mountains and Lake Jackson.

Left: Called Yellow Daisies (actually a Sun Flower variant).

Center: Remnant Cones from Yellow Cone Flowers (field).

Right: Remnant Cones from Yellow Cone Flowers (close-up).

Above Left: Cycling beside Lake Jackson.

Above Right: Lake Jackson, Grand Teton NP, Wyoming.

Above Left: Mt Moran, I believe.

Above Right: About Camas Flowers and their use as flour by Native Americans.

Above: A field of Camas Plants (past their bloom stage).

Click here to see Terry in a field of Camas Flower Blooms (Mano Park, Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, Montana; June, 2012).

Above Left: We pedaled by the Arizona Island Picnic Area.

Above Right: Sometimes traffic, sometimes not.

Above Left: More roadside flowers.

Above Right: Mt Moran - The haze is the smoke from the Montana Forest Fires.

Above Left: Open field, this is where we saw what looked like a Wolf bounding over brush in a chase after prey.

Above Right: Cycling through an open field.

Above Left: Terry Struck and the Bee at Grand Teton NP, Wyoming.

Above Right: Dennis Struck and the Bee at Grand Teton NP, Wyoming; Mt Moran in the background.

Above: Looking west, back toward the Grand Teton Mountain Range.

Above Left: We're pedaling south US 99/191/287 toward Moran Junction.

Above Right: We turned west for a moment; this is an accidental picture, a side-view looking south.

Exiting Grand Teton National Park

Above Left: We were about to exit Grand Teton National Park's Entrance Facility (the park's actual boundary is another 2-3 miles further).

Above Right: Moran Junction.

Above: We were cycling west on US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass. We were still in Grand Teton National Park.

First Bear Event
(No Bear Actually Seen)

Above Left: BEAR ALERT! The Road Construction Crew had a Grizzly Bear amble through the work zone, they locked themselves in their vehicles and radio'd their sighting. Then the Park Rangers, Sheriff, Game Warden, and Animal Control Officers showed-up (all armed). The Bear is a Radio Tagged known trouble maker. The bear disappeared into the brush and was never seen again. [Back View Image]

Above Right: Park Ranger or Animal Control Officer with a Radio Signal Tracking Antenna.

Above Left: The field into which the Grizzly Bear disappeared. Notice the Ravens in the tree, sometimes birds give away a predator’s position.

Above Right: Cycling west on US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass.

Above: A glimpse of the next mountain range, the Bridger Tetons.

Above: We are located at the Red 'You Are Here' box between the Elk and the Eagle.

Above: Terry and Dennis Struck, located at the Grand Teton NP east entrance sign.

Above Left: This is the actual Grand Teton National Park boundary, at the end of the unpainted new black-top.

Above Right: Dubois, 53 miles, we're not going that far.

Above: Smart Advice, our food is packed into a Ballistic Plastic Bear Safe.

Above Left: Looking southeast along US 26/287.

Above Right: Three Points:
1 - The small green sign along the roadway is a notice of a change of lane marking. I never learned if that was for drivers on snow covered roads or for highway maintenance.
2 - This is the turn-off for the Turpin Meadow Recreation Area. This is our turn-off BUT it just started Sprinkling and the weather has been on edge all day for some kind of precipitation.
3 - The map states 'Road impassable when wet, use US Hwy 26/287', so we stayed on the Highway.

Above: We're crossing Buffalo Fork River (it eventually runs into the Snake River).

Above Left: Traveling west on US 26/287.

Above Right: That hose looked like a Python on the road side and I could NOT keep my eyes from tracking it.

Above: Traveling west on US 26/287.

Above: Gasoline Station Attractions, 'Bullwinkle' and 'Yogi'.

Above Left: Buffalo Creek.

Above Right: Blackrock Creek; the black dots are rain drops.

Above Left: Hatchet Ranch Pasture.

Above Right: Hatchet Ranch Gateway.

Above: Hatchet Ranch.

Above: Wyoming Habitat and Wildlife Information.

ALL: Roadside Tourist Information (Local, State, and Federal).

Above Left: Caught reading roadside information.

Above Right: Another roadside lane marking change sign.

Above Left: More rain dots.

Above Right: Tourist Lodging, just before entering the Teton National Forest.

Above Left: Entering the Teton National Forest and the beginning of steeper slope climbing.

Above Right: Blackrock Creek (notice that we are climbing).

Above: Cresting a hill on US 26/287.

Above: Looking at the Grand Teton National Forest from above.

Above: We're parking for a late afternoon snack, Grand Teton National Forest in the background.

Second Bear Event
(It's Way Up on the Hill Top)

Above Left: So Terry and I are sitting behind the guard-rail looking into the Blackrock River Valley of the Grand Teton National Forest and a car pulls into the road-side pull-off. Out jumps a man and woman and the woman says to us, 'We just wanted to see the Bear that is behind you'. Well, that got out attention. There was a bear of unknown type that was feeding 400-500 yards/meters uphill from us.

Above Right: The Bear is circled in yellow and is difficult to see, at first.

Above: Bear, we never could quite determine the type, Black or Grizzly.

Above: Sometimes the Bear looked like it had a shoulder hump (Griz). The visitors had high powered binoculars. Sometimes the Bear seemed to have a silvery sheen (Griz). Sometimes it was Black and sometimes the face looked like a Black Bear. We never learned positively what kind of bear it was.

Above Left: The Bear was probably eating Berries (pun).

Above Right: The Bear crossed over the ridge.

Above: A panoramic view of the Blackrock River Valley as we climbed up toward Togwotee Pass.

Third Bear Event
(We Finally Had a Closer Bear Encounter)

Above Left: We actually saw four (4) Grizzly Bear Cubs scamper into the forest as we came over a hill. I think that we scared them from crossing the road. By the time that we stopped the tandem and readied the camera, all but the last bear had entered the forest. Just as I raised the camera for a snapshot, the last Bear Cub had turned around to look at us, SNAP. Then the Cub disappeared into the woods.

Above Right: High altitude wet land.

Above Left: It started raining again and it never stopped; we suited up in our Rain Gear.

Above Right: Looking toward Togwotee Pass.

Above: We pulled into the Togwotee Mountain Lodge's Gas/Petro Station just to use their facilities.

Above: A panoramic view of the Togwotee Mountain Lodge Facilities.

Above Left: An old cabin next to the Togwotee Mountain Lodge.

Above Right: Still Climbing.

Above: A view to the southeast.

Above Left: A view to the northeast.

Above Right: A view to the north.

Above Left: A high altitude pond.

Above Right: Looking northeast while still climbing US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass.

Above: Looking north while still climbing US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass.

Above: Looking south while still climbing US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass. This is a large snowmobile park in the winter.

Above Left: Westbound and climbing on US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass.

Above Right: Looking south.

Above Left: Westbound and climbing on US 26/287 toward Togwotee Pass.

Above Right: Looking south at Blackrock Creek.

Above Left: Terry Struck and the Bee at the Vista View of Togwotee Pass (at the top of the hill in this picture), Grand Teton National Forest, Wyoming.

Above Right: Dennis Struck and the Bee at the Vista View of Togwotee Pass (at the top of the hill in this picture), Grand Teton National Forest, Wyoming.

This was an adventurous day; we started at a temperature just below freezing, warmed up a little, and then rode through off and on precipitation, first as sprinkles and eventually as steady medium rain fall. We started the ride wearing our rain suits for warmth, took them off, and put them back on for rain. We saw a total of five (5) Bears and we saw one Bear Search exercise by Park Rangers and other Animal Control Officers.

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