Here are some of our photos from May 25th and 26th of our time in Yellowstone. It was all a blur for us both as we pretty much road in silence avoiding the topic of Donita’s uncertainties and ‘what are we going to do now?’ I was thankful we were in Yellowstone so I could lose myself in the natural beauty surrounding us. Nature has a way of bringing one back to center and calming the soul. Wednesday morning we drove from Cody, WY through the park. It was snowing! The snow was a welcomed sight for my teary eyes. The cold matched my numb heart and mind. The peace that comes from the silence of a snow fall was what we both needed. I received several phone calls during the day, so we would have to pull over in a safe spot so I wouldn’t lose service. One call was from my dear friend, Petra, from Germany. She always knows what to say to help me clear my thoughts. I will forever remember the lake I sat by as she offered her love and support no matter what decision I made. I also talked to my family, all individually, and listened to their thoughts and concerns about me continuing on my trip.
We stopped to grab a quick bite to eat at Grant Village and our friendly waiter was asking us questions about our plans in Yellowstone and where to next, etc. I told him about my plans to cycle coast to coast and Donita being in an accident. I expressed my hesitation and fear about doing this alone now and didn’t know if I should continue. He smiled his cute smile at us and then introduced himself to us. His name was Chasen. He said “maybe it’s no accident that I’m your waiter tonight, I think you need to keep “Chasen” your dreams.” It was exactly what I needed to hear at that exact moment. It reminded me of a gift my dear friend gave me before leaving for my trip, it was definitely a gift of foreshadowing for such a time as this for me. It will be my constant reminder to keep pursuing and “chasen” my dream even though the plans have changed.
After dinner we wandered through the park to find a place to stay in West Yellowstone, Montana. Again, we were at the right place at the right time. We ended up at Madison Hotel. What a lovely place it was. Each room had a rustic log cabin feel to it. The friendly staff told us to come down to the lobby to roast s’mores… Who could pass up a s’more? So we met them downstairs and sat in the lobby with them and another guest, Cathy Tutty. S’mores and good stories around a fireplace with new found friends makes everything feel better. Cathy was quick to send out messages to her cycling friends asking for prayer for Donita, and if they knew anyone who would want to ride with me across country. We said our goodnights and headed back to our very cozy room. They definitely will have my business again one day. Enjoy the many Yellowstone photos.
