08/13/2026
Tales from the backseat of the iron horse in Yellowstone National Park…
Navigating Yellowstone as a motorcycle passenger is basically an exercise in staying calm while quietly wondering if the two-ton bison beside you thinks your leather jacket is a threat, a challenge, or possibly a romantic invitation. My job is simple: sit still, don’t make any sudden movements, and try not to become part of a Yellowstone incident report.
Then there’s the scenery. You’re riding past bubbling sulfur pits that smell like Satan is cooking breakfast, and every instinct in you wants to point, turn around, take a picture, or yell, “LOOK AT THAT!” except one enthusiastic arm gesture could potentially upset the bike and send both of us straight into a thermal vent. And honestly, I have no desire to become the cautionary tale they tell tourists at the visitor centre.
The real test, though, is the wildlife traffic jams. Nothing prepares you for a rental minivan or photo enthusiast slamming on their brakes in the middle of the road because someone spotted what may or may not be an elk approximately three miles away. Suddenly I’m using every abdominal and leg muscle I have trying not to launch over my husband’s shoulders and land in a crowd of tourists wearing socks with sandals. Yellowstone is beautiful, majestic, spiritual… and apparently also a full-body core workout. I highly recommend it as it’s definitely worth the drive through.
