Lucky Luke & Calamity Jane

NEW YORK - the big apple - is preparing to receive the lonely cowboy on his last stop of his journey around the world. But first I owe you some story-telling of my recent adventures - a road trip along the Rocky Mountains into the heart land of the Wild West. From Alberta down to Montana, Idaho and Wyoming - home of one of the last and largest undeveloped landscape in the continental United States: The Yellowstone National Park.

Hey, since weeks I'm travelling through bear country. Although, I am still in search for my first encounter with both the black and grizzly bears. They're already spooking around in my head: If you encounter a bear, stay calm. Guidelines suggest you won't make abrupt moves, assume a nonthreatening posture, avoid eye contact, and slowly back away.

Sounds good for "Gringos", but can one seriously expect from a lonely cowboy to turn sideways? Calamity Jane would have spit about Lucky Luke backing away. They never would drop to the ground and assume a cannonball position to protect head and stomach while playing dead. They rather would run. Yeah! And to be understood. I'm not talking of running away, but attack!

And here I am - alone - on the Nez Perce Creek trail: home of the bison and the grizzly bear. Historically, this was the area that the Nez Perce Indians used as an escape route to attempt to reach Canada in 1877. The trail follows an old gravel road to a fragile wooden bridge over the creek that continues through forest and meadows.    

This part of the park was the center of one of the largest volcanic eruptions ever to have occurred on earth. Indeed, geyser activity is all present the deeper I enter the valley, adding to my imagination of a time long ago - lost in the ancient land of the bison and Native American tribes.

Suddenly I am awake - back in the real world: warning marks cross my path! My senses are getting tense: today is Sunday and Friday night we had a strong snow storm ... this means the traces are not older than a day ... yes, I am in bear country, and I am not alone! As the sun is preparing to set behind the dense forest, I recall the information at the starting point of Nez Perce Creek Trail: there is no overnight camping allowed in the surround area as there is too much bear activity. Around 600 grizzlies live in the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. At once all the advise by park rangers is present as my pulse rate increases: "Research shows there are fewer bear attacks when people travel in groups, hence we recommend hiking in groups rather than walking alone". Dammit, where is Calamity Jane?! I'll better find my way back before it gets dark ...

   

Late evening, safely back from the trail and sitting next a warming campfire, I may tell you that was not the only adventure during my last days exploring the Yellowstone National Park. There are many more rewarding trails and spots with amazing views. After a journey of 7,000 miles through more than ten parks in North America, Yellowstone is probably the most interesting as well as challenging park. Weather does change within hours and snowfall in summer comes out of the blue. But the abundance of wildlife in a geologically astonishing setting is more than compensating for that kind of hardship while travelling with tent and backpack. In the end I am a lonely cowboy on this journey in search of the spirit and nature of land of the Native Americans.

ps: Never underestimate the danger that comes along with grizzlies in their natural habitat. Without knowing at the time I hiked alone the Nez Perce Creek Trail (also known as Mary Mountain Trail), a grizzly killed a single hiker at the same trail in 2011.