Yelowstone. So special for me.

I guess I was 13 or 14 years old. We had an encyclopedia that had some 12 or 16 volumes. I read them all. One entry was about Old Faithful. I remember wanting to visit this wonderful phenomenon.

So, while planning my trip, I realized that if I change my original plan, I can realize one more dream.
I got to West Yellowstone, a typical tourist trap and headed into the park. After a short while, I leave Montana and am welcomed to Wyoming.

The park stars of looking just like the scenery I've been cycling through for days. A river, trees, some mountains. Disappointing, I'd say. After an hour or so, I'm thinking to myself, "so what's the big deal"? And then Deep Purple's Smoke on the water plays in my head. Well, it is steam and colorful pools packed with minerals coughed up by mother earth.

But it was not Old Faithful. Cycling on, there is a bicycle path. A shortcut to take cyclists off the road and away from traffic. I eagerly enter the path. I feel the excitement. The 14 year old chants: "I'm going to see Old Faithful". The 59 year old tears up a bit. And here it is. A crowd of people from around the world waiting for the next burst of steam and boiling water. And then it happens. 45 years of waiting for a dream to come true and this is it:

Ok, there are better videos, but this one is mine!!

Started to head out. It is a tough up hill towards the continental divide. Rode until 10:05 p.m. to get to the next campground. The office closed at 10:00...but the guy in the laundry room was just finishing his duties, heard my story, told me about the hikers' / bikers' section in the campground and gave me a free ticket for the showers..."you are an Israeli".

The next morning I continue up hill. And some more... finally, I get to the Continental Divide.

It is very wide and consists of a few mountains when crossing from west to east. An hour later I reach, the slightly higher sign:

It is only when I reach 8,530 feet that my descent begins until I leave Yellowstone National Park.