Even best laid plans can go awry. A late night Boise audible called by Scott Lee has us in a Super Eight Motel in West Yellowstone tonight - Camping 0, Mike 1. As it is 4th of July weekend, Yellowstone is packed and the odds of us rushing through six hours of driving, getting supplied up and finding a site against a setting sun was not looking favorable. Instead, we had a leisurely day, highlighted by impromptu stops, pick-up basketball games and world-class burgers.
Our early morning plans also hit a snafu. Goldy's, the critic's and people's pick on yelp as one of the best restaurants in town, had a 30 minute wait for breakfast. On a Friday. At 10:35am. Must be some breakfast. I'll definitely be sure to make reservations the next time I'm passing through town. We were able to recalculate and find a more than suitable replacement spot however, allowing us to get back on the road in under the allotted free hour of parking time. Thanks Boise, it's been real.
Another easy day on the road; Scott Lee was able to drive the entirety himself. We stopped first in Hansen, ID to pay homage to Eileen and her people by purchasing gas and sacrificing a deer.
There is quite the bridge (the Hansen bridge) that crosses the Snake River. We didn't really sacrifice a deer, it was dead when we got there. It didn't stop at the marked sign.
Our next stop put us in Idaho Falls, a designated stop on our journey for the hamburger at the Snakebite restaurant. Fortunately for us, the Snakebite was closed until 5pm for dinner. Why was this fortunate? We got to explore the sleepy town of Idaho Falls where we saw the namesake falls (even though they were not recommended, and we agree) and played basketball with an 8th-grader who resembled Manu Ginobili and 2-time 7th grader who was Ralph Wiggum.
They were not very talented, even by middle school standards. Manu did not seem to understand the fundamentals of the game - maybe it is a symptom of playing a lot of small-town-forced-one-on-one basketball - and kept passing to himself (traveling, double dribble) even though I was on his team. They were very kind to us though, with Ralph even giving me one of his poweraide drinks. But back to the burger. As billed, this was one of the best hamburgers I've had at a restaurant at some time. As often discussed, the bun was one of the key factors in the successful execution of this sandwich, but ultimately, the burger patty itself was perfectly cooked. Juicy, with a big beefy taste and perfect texture, what more could you ask? Says Scott Lee, "I picture God making himself this burger".
The day in Idaho Falls ended with an necessary trip to the local Wal-mart. Not being frequent customers, Scott Lee and I both marveled at how inexpensive our purchases were. The crown jewel of my trip was a fishing vest which shines both in form and function. It goes beautifully with the $25 fly fishing rod sets that are sure to break after a dozen casts. One final Wal-mart observation was the prevalence of many obese people purchasing unhealthy food items, even when healthy food items are available and rock bottom prices. Too bad.
To round out our supply list we ran into town in West Yellowstone just before heading to bed. Earlier in the day, Scott Lee remarked how he wanted to see a rodeo; low and behold, there is a nightly amateur rodeo off of Highway 20. As we want to make sure we get firewood and gas tonight so we can be the first one at the campsite we want tomorrow (7am site, 6am park), we decide not to stop now and hope to hit it on the way back to the hotel. It is unfortunate that we miss the rodeo on the way back (Scott Lee frowny face) , but it is fantastic that we stop at the local McDonald's to get a late dinner. Immediately after pulling into the parking lot we can tell this McDonald's is a very important part of the American Adventure Vacation for scores of European and Japanese Yellowstone tourists. McDonald's in Tokyo have less Japanese people in them. A young Italian woman tells me everything is "perfecto". Even our servers are named Maria, Lilla, and Tatiana - truly a global experience in small town U.S.A.
Tomorrow I venture into the woods for an overnight stay in one of the nation's greatest national parks. My previous "camping" trips have involved satellite television and condominiums, so wish me luck.
Meghann Glavin Highlight of the Day:
Scott Lee: Little Tokyo/McDonald's
Mike Ham: Not having to camp yet
Tomorrow's Agenda
Route: West Yellowstone > Yellowstone National Park
Estimated Distance: 7 miles
Estimated Time: 12 minutes
Wow, that burger looks amazing.
ReplyDeleteAs a bonus, you got to play some round ball with the kid from Two and a Half Men. Score!