Day 66 July 27th (Un)Common Courtesy

Rest Day  Gardiner MT  0 miles (2,841)

This is Greg:

Greg is from Seattle and is on a road trip with his family around Montana, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Park. We were in line for breakfast at the Yellowstone Grill in Gardiner, Montana; the town just outside the north entrance to Yellowstone National Park. He approached me to ask me about my rear view mirror and if I had trouble focusing on the road while viewing the traffic behind me. We ended up talking about cycling etiquette and motorist etiquette around cyclists. After speaking with Greg, I realize that most accidents could be avoided if  cyclists and motorists alike exercised (no pun intended) common courtesy.

Greg told me that when he was in Yellowstone yesterday, he drove by a cyclist down on the road with first responders attending him and rangers all around. After yesterday's harrowing ride on Grand Loop Road, I realize that I could have been the downed cyclist. I pray for that cyclist's quick and full recovery.

This afternoon I sat under the shade of a tree on the porch of the Tumbleweed Cafe and Bookstore where I sipped a peppermint iced tea and ate a delicious apple fritter. There was limited seating and even more limited shade, so I asked this young lady if I could join her:

Billie is a recent graduate of Washington University in Seattle. She graduated with a BA in English. She is working this summer in food service in Yellowstone. We talked about the tourists who are impatient and in a hurry to get somewhere on their vacation. She said she sees it everyday and is so tired of it that she came to Gardiner to apply for a job. She hopes the tourists won't be so uptight as they are in the large dining halls in Yellowstone.

I rented a rustic cabin for tonight. Here is the view from my picnic table: