During the American Revolution, King Louis XVI of France sent soldiers and ships to assist the American Colonies, helping them win the war and establish the United States of America.
Nearly 250 years later, the city of Cody returned the favor by rescuing nearly four dozen French tourists stranded near Meeteetse.
When a Four Seasons Travel coach bus carrying 45 French tourists broke down along Wyoming Highway 120, several Cody businesses banded together to rescue them and their trip. Marquis de Lafayette would have been proud.
“I was impressed with how many people reached out,” said Wade French, owner of the Cody Trolley Company. “We got them to their hotel in Cody, through Yellowstone, and back on their trip. It was really cool.”
Trolley To The Rescue
French was in Billings, Montana, on Tuesday when he got a call from Mike Darby, the owner of The Irma Hotel in Cody. He was trying to coordinate a rescue.
“Mike told me, ‘We’ve got a bus broken down,’” he said. “As soon as I ended the call with him, I got another call from a lady who was actually sitting on the side of the road with them in Meeteetse and was wondering if I was available to pick them up.”
French (no relation to the French) immediately dispatched one of the Cody Trolleys and a 15-passenger van, driven by Larry and Alice Munari, to Meeteetse to collect the French tourists and their luggage. Patrol Sgt. Phil Johnson with the Park County Sheriff’s Office was already on the scene when they arrived.
“The problem was something with the hydraulic hose,” French said. “There was a bunch of oil leaking out of the back. It wasn’t going anywhere without a lot of repairs.”
When I Was Hungry/Thirsty
When the Munaris reached Meeteetse, they loaded all things French into the trolley and van. The Meeteetse resident who called French made sure everyone got a bottle of water for the short ride to Cody.
It was pouring rain when they arrived at the Best Western Sunset Inn, and the van was loaded floor to ceiling with luggage, but everyone arrived safely.
“I met them at their hotel, helped them unload all the luggage, and get the folks off the vehicle,” French said. “Most of them didn’t speak any English, but they were there helping us unload. It was an interesting moment, but we got everyone there.”
But the wave of generosity wasn’t over yet. Bubba's Bar-B-Que was already closed by the time the French tourists reached their hotel, but they sent enough food to ensure everyone got a hot meal after their ordeal alongside Highway 120.
Wade French provided an additional service by taking the bus driver, Lee, back to the bus so he could attempt to repair it.
“Someone with Four Seasons Travel called me asking if we knew of an Uber because their driver was in town and needed a ride back to the bus,” he said. “We don't really have Uber, so I picked him up with my personal pickup and drove him out to the bus.”
Got Ya Covered
The French tourists had made it to Cody, but they were still stranded until a new tour bus could reach them. It was time to make another call.
“The tour company called again and asked, “Can you help us get into Yellowstone?’ My vehicles don't do Yellowstone, but I had a few recommendations,” French said.
Coulter Jones, owner of CoveredGround Tours, said his company got a last-minute call from Four Seasons Travel about transporting 45 people from Cody to Gardiner, Montana, where another tour bus was waiting. Three of his guides — Cody Goodwin, Emma Richwine, and Jack Weinstock — stepped up and offered to help.
“They didn't confirm it the night before, so it all happened the day of,” Jones said. “I didn't hear about it until after they got back, but the team pulled together and made it happen.”
Goodwin, Richwine and Weinstock each drove a van filled with French tourists from Cody through Yellowstone to Gardiner. It was more transportation than tour, but that didn’t prevent the French from getting an abbreviated experience along the way.
“They had a great time,” Jones said. “Mammoth Hot Springs was the highlight. They had a French-speaking leader with them, but some of them spoke broken English, and they all had a blast.”
CoveredGround Tours got the French tourists to Gardiner, where the replacement coach bus was ready to whisk them away on the rest of their Wyoming adventure. Jones was proud of his team, but wasn’t surprised that so many Cody businesses showed a similar streak of generosity.
“They called us for a rescue, and we helped them out,” he said.
Whether from France or any other country, the next visitors are in trouble, Cody’s happy to help.
Andrew Rossi can be reached at arossi@cowboystatedaily.com.
