Days 43 - 45. Travel Days.

Day 43. Friday, Sept 15th. To Elko, Nevada
Trip: 331.4  Odometer: 7426

Having spent 2 wonderful days on and around Lake Tahoe, we realized we need to make some serious tracks eastwards if we are to get home on schedule. So, we broke our usual rule of avoiding highways and hopped onto I 80 at Reno, NV and spent the day motoring at 75mph!! We made a few pitstops for gas and lunch at a highway rest stop so no photos to speak of - except this one from our lunch stop. We enjoyed the ride and made some easy miles. The scenery was very different from what we have been immersed in for the last 3 - 4 weeks, mostly we were passing through high dessert.

We stopped in Elko, NV for the night, just off the I 80. It was a good utility stop and I even got some laundry done!

Day 44. Saturday, Sept 16th. To Ketchum, Idaho
Trip: 246.4   Odometer: 7672

Sunrise over Elko, NV

As this part of our route was previously unplanned, we were a little spoilt for choice as to where to head to. After a little discussion we decided to head into Idaho, but staying south to avoid the smoke. After traveling east on I 80 for another 50 or so miles we turned off, picked up Route 93 and headed north. It was a cold day and we had our heated gear on for most of the day.

 Rest stop somewhere in Idaho!

 Lunch stop in Twin Falls, Idaho

After lunch in Twin Falls we headed up Route 75 - a beautiful scenic route that we have travelled before and rode into Ketchum which is a great little ski town without being pretentious. We could see snow on the higher mountain peaks from a winter storm a few days ago. It is decidedly chilly here!

 Walking around Ketchum, Idaho

Day 45. Sunday, Sept 17th. To West Yellowstone, Montana
Trip: 319.6    Odometer: 7992

First thing this morning we headed to the Ketchum Cemetery where Ernest Hemingway is buried. He is a literary hero for Tom and I and over the years we have visited various bars and hangouts around the world that he used to frequent. It seemed fitting, since we were here in town, to visit his final resting place.

We headed out of town and skirted the southern end of the snowcapped Sawtooth mountains. Once again it was a chilly day and we had our heated gear cranked up, which fortunately kept us nice and toasty.

As we headed east along route 20 we saw the lava fields of the Craters of the Moon.

Such a contrast to the snowy peaks! We decided not to stop in the park as we have visited before and as we decided to take a longer route to our final destination we needed to press on. We had a great ride and saw very little other traffic.

Before long we could see the Tetons in the distance and drew ever closer to them as we continued on our route.

 I will never tire of these amazing peaks. This is the first time we have viewed them directly from the west - just spectacular!

We are staying in the town of West Yellowstone for the night.
We have a reservation to stay in Yellowstone Park itself tomorrow but SNOW is forecast and we cannot risk having to travel on snowy roads so we may have to adjust our plans depending on the final forecast in the morning.