Today we got an early start. We entered Yellowstone Park a little before 6:00 our time. Traffic was light, but the air was cool and crisp. We had put on arm and leg warmers but were still a little chilly. The sun was still low and, in our face, so it was difficult to see real well. As the sun rose, the air warmed and we could see much better. We saw some trumpeter swans and even a bunch of baby swans.
Trumpeter Swans in Yellowstone Park
A little farther down the road, we saw the usual cars on the side of the road that means there are critters to see. As we approached, we saw a herd of about 20 elk that were grazing in the trees near the road, in the meadow and over to the river. A young bull and cow were very near the road and were kind enough to pose for us. We saw a lot of elk, but the most spectacular sighting was a huge bull we passed within eight feet of. He was well hidden in the woods, I would have passed by without seeing him had I not heard him munch a tuft of grass. We were that close. Matt got to see him too, as I pointed him out. We continued down the road. The terrain started out flat, but became more rolling as we went. About ten miles into the park, we spotted a bald eagle sitting in a tree-top near the road. We stopped, paid our respects and took a couple pictures. The magnificent symbol of our country was unimpressed with our presence, barely looking our way on occasion. We stopped to see a few sights, most notable was Old Faithful. We watched it erupt and then had a couple PB&J’s before continuing.
Old Faithful winds up, right on time!
From Old Faithful, we started climbing in earnest. We stopped to see Kepler’s Cascade and also a monument to Chief Joseph and the non-treaty Nez Perce that had fled the US troops in a retreating battle toward Canada. We have been following their trail for the last couple weeks, so it was neat to see the whole story summarized. We crossed the Continental Divide twice and were noticing piles of rocks on the shoulder of the road. Not random piles, but evenly spaced, deliberately placed obelisk looking piles of rocks. Sometimes, it was just one huge rock, sometimes, it was a pile of sticks. Mostly, it was an annoyance that forced us into the traffic lane to avoid them. I had commented to Matt what a nuisance these were, but they seemed to be thinning to just an occasional one here and there. On one particular climb, I came across a big rock in the lane, looked in my mirror and saw that cars were coming up from behind, so elected to pass the rock on the right side. I pointed it out to Matt, but I don’t think he saw it. I looked in my mirror in time to see his rear wheel go into the air. As I got off my bike, I heard his front tire blow. Traffic came to a stop and numerous motorists stopped to help. Matt got up, dusted himself off and seemed to be OK. He had a little rash on his elbow and some on his right shoulder blade. His helmet showed that it had hit the road on the back of it and was even cracked. Matt was cognizant and spoke clearly.
Nothing seemed to be wrong. Aside from a blown tire, thrown chain and a crooked handlebar, the bike was fine, so we passed on assistance. I fixed the bike and we were once again down the road. We got to Grant Village, about five miles away and decided to stop for water and a snack. Matt was obviously still shaken and I thought a rest in the shade would do him some good. I went into the store and when I returned, Matt was crying a little and moaning and groaning. He complained of having a headache, but on the front side of his head. I grew more concerned. I checked his pupils and they seemed fine. His eyes tracked fine. He complained of dizziness, but when he walked to the restroom, he seemed to be walking just fine.
I noticed that Matt was not eating or drinking, so I asked if there was anything else wrong. He said he felt as though he would throw up. Now I’m really getting worried. When he actually did throw up, I went to the store to ask if there was a doctor in town. Of course, there was not. There was an outback ranger station right there, so he directed me to talk to the rangers. Within minutes, there was a ranger there to administer first aid. By now, Matt was getting very excited and was throwing up more. I talked and talked to him to try and calm him down. The ranger called in his stats to the hospital in Lake Village, 20 miles away and they wanted to see him. Ambulance time. Fortunately, we were able to secure our gear at the ranger station and off to the hospital we went.
The end of the road
The doctor there normally works in an ER as a trauma doctor and was greatly concerned. Very obviously, Matt had a concussion. The doctor was concerned that there may be bleeding and wanted a CT scan. Unfortunately, the only CT scanning equipment was another 100 miles away. Another ambulance ride. Two, actually. We changed ambulances at the east gate and cruised into Cody, Wyoming. The good news is, the CT scan was clear. We were fortunate to find a room for the night and got some sleep. I had to wake Matt up every two hours to make sure he still knew who he was and where he was. His memory of the post accident time is gone. The ambulance rides and time in the hospitals are sketchy to him. He’s eating now and able to hold things down, but still has a headache and says he aches all over. He found a new bruise, high on his leg near the groin. Apparently, where the handlebar or something hit him. We have a ride lined up to get us back to retrieve our gear and then to Nebraska. Fortunately, we are near the home of Rox’s uncle and he will help us out.
As bad as this chapter of our story is, it should be noted that Matt and I have had the time of our lives. Our trip was merely cut short by an unfortunate incident. This was something that could have happened to anybody. Matt felt terrible and blamed himself for the crash, but it really wasn’t his fault. Matt and I feel terrible it had to end this way, but we are thankful he’s OK. Many thanks to those of you following our story for your thoughts and notes.
End of the road… 50 some miles.
Mark and Matt