Wild, wonderful, wilderness.

The only entrance into Yellowstone National Park that is open all year is at Mammoth Hot Springs.

So we had to drive up through Buffalo, Wyoming into Montana.

It was time to experience the Big Sky state

The scenery was lovely as we meandered across the rolling hills.

In Livingston we turned south back into Wyoming to the Roosevelt Archway into Yellowstone.

  The only campsite open was at Mammoth and studying the map of the park we decided to do all our sightseeing from the bus rather than on the bikes.

The roads were crowded with bison who just wandered along as though they owned the place.

There were lots of baby bison and this one stayed close to mum while she enjoyed a drink in the parking area.

These young ones were all in a crèche beside the river

At Middle Geyser Basin these bison were heading for a warm place to sit.

   We drove out of the park into West Yellowstone where we could visit the grizzly bear and wolf sanctuary.

Here they look after animals that cannot survive in the wild.

At the Imax theatre we watched a film about the journey that Lewis and Clark made in 1804-1806.

They were following the Missouri river from St. Louis and crossed the Continental divide to arrive at the Pacific Ocean.

When we awoke next morning the bus was listing-a flat rear tyre. Luckily Ron camped next door carried a big compressor and soon had us upright again.

So it was off to the tyre bay for some new rubber.

Now we could return to the western side of the park and explore the geyser basins.

It was strange to see all that hot steam rising amongst the snow.

The patterns and colours formed by the mineral deposits are truly wonderful

    At the Ranger station we checked the time of the next eruption of Old Faithful and ate our lunch while we waited.

It was awesome!

TWO:-the richest hill in USA where they mined silver, gold and copper.

 The huge open cast copper mine is now flooded and it is one mile across.

So it was no surprise to find the World Museum of Mining where Jim tried to persuade Dot to go back to work!

The museum had an old mining town

and a great display of minerals-Dot wanted to buy nearly all to add to here growing collection of rocks.

One of the things we have missed during our stay has been meat pies-so we were delighted to find that pasties are very popular in Butte.

When the Cornish miners arrived here in the 19th century they brought with them the famous miners meal and called them 'a little bit of 'ome'.

Next stop was at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort near Anaconda where Dot could go swimming in everyone of the four hot pools-two indoors-two outdoors!

Anaconda is an old mining town and the chimney stack is reputed to be the Worlds tallest masonry structure!

Send for Fred Dibnah!

  We took the Pintlar scenic route along a lovely valley through the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest  and stopped in the quaint town of Philipsburg.

The buildings are all painted in lovely colours and the towns folk are striving to maintain this lovely main street.

  Jim liked this town as the Sweet Palace was full of goodies and he spent all his pocket money.

However he did not let Dot loose in the sapphire gem store.

  In the main Street he found this Historic Marker to his namesake who saved the town from an attack by the Nez Pierce tribe.

  This demountable camper looked as though it belongs to an old prospector.

The biggest town in this area is Missoula and the streets are lined with trees all bursting with spring colour.

Volunteers have carved and painted some beautiful original wooden horses for a carousel.

  Missoula is the base for the famous Smoke Jumpers, those skilled people who go into fire hot spots.

Along the highway which passes through the Indian Reservation we stopped to look at the frescos at the St. Ignatius Mission.

On around the Flathead Lake and a night halt at Elmo where Jim left our hanging basket of fresh herbs on the picnic table.

Next stop was at Hungry Horse where we could ride some dirt roads.

            Glacier National Park and Flathead National Forest.

The Going to the Sun road was closed over Logan Pass-a bulldozer clearing snow had slipped 75ft down the hillside.

We decided to ride the bikes as far as possible then check out the dirt roads in Glacier National Park.

We collected maps from the visitor centre at Apgar Village.

This information boards explained how these mountains were formed by a glacier that was over 2000feet thick.

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The road wound beside Lake MacDonald and we found a lovely spot in the sun beside the river for our lunch break.

Next day we set off from Fish Creek, the scenery here is breath taking.

Our route was along the Inside North Fork Flathead River Road to Kintla lake.

We rode through a burnt forest, prairie and beside a great river.

After almost 50 miles of good riding we arrived at the lake fro lunch.

Almost at the border with Canada but the track was closed.

Here we spotted a little hut that had a notice pinned to the door.

It stated that the hut was protected by the United States Government and woe betide anyone who stole it or defaced it.

 Now we had to return for several miles along the same track to the ranger station at Polebridge.

Crossing over the river we visited this typical country store that sold everything including lovely home baked bread.

Jim was needing a chocolate fix while I bought fresh rolls for breakfast next day!

Through the forest along a gravel road that would once again cross the river, then the railway before we found the main road to our campsite at Hungry Horse.

Tired but happy after a great day out.

    This is one sign we love to see!

The following morning found us riding along the trail beside the reservoir through the Flathead National Forest.

Fifty miles passed before we reached Spotted Bear where we called in at the Wilderness Lodge to see the famous trophy room.

Here we saw this unusual motor home parked-guess when the snow falls it comes in handy!

At the garage we had met two local bikers and Mike invited us to go and stay in his garden.

We spent a lovely day with his family talking about biking, hunting and environmental issues.

With his sons he runs a specialist tree service and also builds lovely log homes in the forest.

   We enjoyed elk steaks and Sheila's home-made rhubarb pie-with ice cream.

 This is so typical of the spontaneous hospitality we enjoyed all through the USA-thanks folks..

This type of gatepost architecture is something that Mike feels is spoiling the countryside as more and more city folk move into the country.

Sadly it was time to travel on and drive around to the eastern side of Glacier National Park.

The road followed the Middle Fork of the Flathead river and we watched a BNSF train cross one of the many trestle bridges.

As we drove across the Blackfoot Indian reservation we saw a most unusual concrete tepee that was a coffee shop.

 The Going to the Sun Road was still closed from this side.

Due to the low cloud and rain we made the journey in the motor home..

Then we took the road from Babb up to Mary Glacier where this hotel nestles on the lake shore.

  The waterfalls were noisy, the scenery awesome but the Sherburne lake water level was very low.

We stopped to make a cup of tea and there was a big moose crossing the river down below.

Next day we drove away from St. Mary where the deep blue lake lies under the snow capped Rockies.

 So here we are after almost eleven months touring about to leave the USA and enter Canada.