Osprey Falls Ride

The Gallatin Range still with snowy peaks

Today we headed into Yellowstone National Park to ride Osprey Falls Trail (aka Bunsen Peak Service Road) near Mammoth Hot Springs. At the trailhead we noticed the closure sign for Osprey Spur Trail. Uh oh... good thing we were not heading down to the falls. We guessed that last year's flood took out the trail. The last mile to the falls has 15 switchbacks to reach the Gardner River and Osprey Falls. 

It's unfortunate the trail has been compromised since Osprey Falls is a spectacular waterfall that you can still catch a distant sight of from Bunsen Peak Service Road.

Osprey Falls 

The ride isn't a terribly long one, but it does have some elevation climb of 1561 feet. The total ride was 15.5 miles round trip in 1 hour 40 minutes. It was a very nice day to be out... bright, clear & still cool.

We (or more specifically I) had bit of excitement riding up the last steep climb. I got a bit off on making the switchback turn and lost traction by going too slow. The back tire slipped sideways & I tried ''more power''.  Wrong move... I almost fell over the bike sideways when the back wheel regained traction with a vengeance while the bike was still slightly off kilter. Key word: almost. 

I did manage to get the bike stopped without crashing into Bill of anything else on the trail... upright with my feet under me. I was turned 180 degrees from where I wanted the bike to be and headed back downhill, but only a pedal strike on my leg. 

The 'daggers' on my pedal

Our pedals have sharp pins to keep our feet from coming off... hurt like the devil when you have to suddenly stop and the pedal drives one of those sharp "needles" into your shin. According to my physical therapist "If you're not bleeding you're not doing it right"... it certainly seems to be a true statement in my case on this ride. 

Could have been an ass over tea kettle kind of fall ...yeah me for the save & only a tiny amount of blood!

Mule deer buck

The only critter we noticed was a mule deer buck. He didn't stick around too long. The wildflowers are still blooming... lupine, Indian Paintbrush, goldenrod, oxeye daisy. Butterflies & grasshoppers flying everywhere, even into us as we rode. 

We did notice some bear scat. Still no bear sightings while riding...guess that's a good thing?!

Trumpeter swans with 3 cygnets

After the ride we drove a mile up the road to check on the trumpeter swans at Swan Lake. The last time we checked on them we didn't see the pair or nest, but today 3 cygnets! 

Hopefully they will thrive & fledge successfully.

Black & Yellow Lichen Moth

Edith Checkerspot

High Bridge

Upper Terraces at Mammoth Hot Springs

*click pictures to enlarge