Home again

Wow! What a trip! It seems that I have been gone much longer than 2 weeks. I just finished a long couple of days in the saddle. W Yellowstone to Fort Collins, CO then home the next day. Total of 1650 miles those 2 days. Ironbutt knucklehead mileage. I am going to let the bike stay parked for a few days now. Thanks to all who viewed the blog. I am glad I did it. I am going to post a pic of my GPS unit with the trip recorder displayed.

W Yellowstone to Red Lodge, MT via Beartooth Highway

I rode the Beartooth Highway today. I entered the West entrance of Yellowstone NP at 0600 and worked my way to the Northeast entrance/exit which is where the Beartooth Highway starts. As I passed the arms they bring down across the road when it's closed, the sign said "Beartooth Highway is OPEN". I thought "Cool". My assumption was that if the highway was open it would be safe to ride. I think thats a natural thing to assume. Ummm, not so much. The highway was just spectacular. The ride was great. That said, when I got above the tree line I started seeing patches of snow on the road. Remember, it's very early in the morning. Still around 32F. As I got higher the snow patches got closer and closer together till they were continuous. They were still frozen and thus very dicey to ride across. I came as close to going down as I ever have. I felt the front tire sliding in a turn and somehow got it corrected. I guess deep in my goofy brain I was able to bring up my dirt bike days, where sliding is part of riding. At the summit I saw another motorcycle. Abandoned. Just sitting on the side of the road. Judging from the ice on the bike it had been there overnight. Nice bike. Fully loaded for traveling as was I. Never saw the rider. I have to assume he tried to make it across and didn't. He must have just gotten spooked. It was very squirelly riding but easier on the descent. I would pull in the clutch and just roll across the ice.
I got a few more photos on the way out of the park which I will post.
I'm going to paste a description of Beartooth Highway I found on a website:
The first 15 miles out of Red Lodge takes you from the canyon floor and climbs almost 4,000 feet in elevation, taking you past Precambrian rock slides and red and yellow rock outcroppings. Expect hairpin curves, U-curves, and sinuous S-curves in the road as you climb to the canyon rim past forests, rugged cliffs, pristine lakes, mountain peaks, alpine tundra, and snow banks even in August. At 45 miles in length, you will cross the highest point in the Beartooth Highway at 10,974. Here, you leave Montana and enter Wyoming. The descent takes you along switchbacks which meander through rolling hills saturated with lakes, forests, and wildlife.

The Beartooth Mountains boast some of the highest elevations in the lower 48 states, and have 20 peaks over 12,000 feet in elevation. Glaciers are abundant in the Beartooths and can be found on the north face on almost every mountain peak over 11,500 feet. Hundreds of lakes, forests, and an eclectic array of wildlife such as grizzly bears, elk, bison, mountain goats, marmots, and mule deer can be found in the 900,000 acres that make up the Absaroka-Beartooth wilderness.

Yellowstone National Park

Got up early and went into the park around 0730, before the tourists, you know. This is one big ass park. I don't know what I was expecting but this is one big ass park. After I entered the park through the West entrance, I had to drive about 24 miles to get to Old Faithful, which is really what I wanted to see. I have always heard of it but didn't see it until today. There are benches in a semi-circle around OF about 50 yards away. I only had to wait about 20 minutes before it erupted. It was very exciting. I got a few pics, one of which I'll post here.
Funny story, on the way to Old Faithful I was rocking along at 45 mph which is the speed limit. Yeah, right. Anyway, up ahead I see this line of cars stopped dead in the road. I pull up behind the last car and up ahead I see a herd of bison just moseying down the road. Paying the cars no never mind. I was the only motorcycle in line. It never occurred to me that they might get curious about me and bump me or whatever. Well, they didn't but I went down just the same. I put the bike in neutral. Had my right foot on the brake. Stood up, weight on my left leg, balancing the bike while I dug in the tank bag for my camera. OK, got out the camera, looked back at the cute baby bison you see in the pic, swung around to get that pic and lost my balance. The bike was stopped mind you. There's that feeling when you know something is about to happen and you don't want it to but you know it's going to happen anyway? Imagine it. I swung around, lost my balance, felt the bike leaning to the left, had the camera in hand, and DOINK. The bike just kind of settled to the ground on it's left side. Quite ignominious. I sling the camera around my neck and try to pick up the bike. I don't have the leverage I need and I'm not 20 years old any more and I don't get it the first time. How embarassing. I get squared around and lever the bike upright again none the worse for wear. I sling my right leg over the saddle just as the line of cars was starting to move. I didn't make eye contact with anybody, just acted like me dropping the bike was an everyday thing. They couldn't see the fire engine read my face was because of the helmet.
After I saw OF I took the long was round the park. I spent 3 hours riding. There is such beauty here. You can see where the wildfires were. Lots of standing dead trees with new growth smaller trees.
It's just beautiful and I highly recommend it.
Tomorrow I plan to do Beartooth Highway to Red Lodge, Montana then on the Fort Collins, Colorado. Beartooth is rated one of the top 10 rides in the county. I may not blog tomorrow as I will be visiting family and it might be rude. So, if you don't hear from me, not to worry.

Whitefish, MT to West Yellowstone, MT

Safe and sound in West Yellowstone, MT on the western border of Yellowstone National Park. Rode right at 400 miles today. I plan to do the park tomorrow and see all the things y0u are supposed to see. If I were completely honest, I would say I wish I were on my way home. It seems that I have been gone for a year. Not that much longer tho, I should be pulling into my driveway sometime late Sunday afternoon and will be back at work Monday morning.

Glacier National Park

It's my second day in Whitefish and this morning I did Glacier National Park. It was beautiful and all but the really good road that goes all the way to the top was still closed. Bummer. I rode 16 miles into the park. Turned around. Rode 16 miles out of the park. I went into Whitefish for lunch and found a place called the Bulldog Saloon. Great cheeseburgers. So, I drank beer, ate a cheeseburger, and watched the Speed channel on their big screen. Another day in paradise.
I did stop in the park and get some decent picks of a fork of the Flathead river and one of the lakes in the park.

McBride, BC to Whitefish, Montana

Safe and sound in Whitefish. 565 miles today. Today I took off from McBride at 0630. I rode through Jasper National Park and Banf National Park down the Ice Fields Highway. It was a beautiful ride. I was going to stop and take photos but how many snow capped mountains do we need to see? The scenery was just spectacular. The roads were great too. Lots of twisties in the mountains. Lots of fun on the bike.
I have another border crossing story:
I pull up to the US/Canadian border on Hwy 93 about 40 miles North of Whitefish. I am the ONLY vehicle there. The ONLY one. It's a little confusing. The signage leaves much to be desired. Anyway, I am coming into the booth area when I see there is only one booth open. I have my eye on the person in the booth and totally blow through the stop sign and roll right up to the booth. You know, this stop sign is the one where you wait till they motion you forward. Remember, I was the only vehicle in sight. When I pulled up to the booth the Customs lady came running out of the booth waving her hands over head like a lunatic. Hold that thought.
I need to tell you about this lady. If anyone watches Reno 911 you've seen her. She's tall, slender, wears aviator sunglasses and is a total ditz. This customs lady is a carbon copy.
She says "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Do you know you just blew through a stop sign?! It was probably because you were going too fast!! The speed limit in this compound is 15 MPH!!" She wanted me to stop at the stop sign so she could call me forward. Remember, I am the ONLY vehicle in sight.
I said, "Well, the signs were a little conf.........You know what? You're right. I'm sorry. I'll be more careful next time." I mean after all, she IS the law in these parts.
I sh_t you not, she hooks both thumbs in her belt, pops her gum, and struts back in the booth like Barney Fife. Comes back out with a clip board. She looks me up and down, looks the bike front to back. Remember she has these, big ass aviator glasses on, popping her gum, and says
"This your motorcycle?"
"Um, yes." Anybody that knows me knows that I am DYING to f_ck with this woman.
"How long you been in Canada?"
"6 days"
"So that means you went in, what, (she counts on her fingers, yes really) last Toosday?"
"That's right"
"You got any fruits, vegetables or meat on you?" Remember, I'm on a bike.
"No.............Ma'am."
"Got any weapons?"
"No"
"Nothing for personal protection?"
"No" She is KILLING me.
"What's in that case on top there?"
"My laptop."
"Your laptop what?"
"Computer"
"What about that other thing you got strapped on there? What's in that?"
"An extra jacket and shoes, rain gear, 3 stuffed animals for my nieces, a nuclear weapon" (I didn't really say the nuclear weapon part).
It's all I can do to keep a straight face. She popping that gum the whole time. I swear she acts just like Barney. I almost asked her where her bullet was.
She finally finishes with me. "REMEMBER!" She says. "The speed limit in 15 MPH in my compound!" As she says this she is waving a finger in my face.
"Yes, ma'am."
I ride off laughing like a hyena.
Tomorrow is in Whitefish too. If I happen not to update the blog. Don't worry.

Stewart, BC to Mc Bride, BC

If it's Sunday this must be..............
I am safe and sound in McBride, British Columbia. Made 906 kilometers today (that's 563 miles to you 'mericans). It was a beautiful ride. Hwy 37a coming the first 40 Km out of Stewart is just gorgeous. Maybe the best ride I have been on. As I got closer to McBride I started to get into the mountains again. Tomorrow I will be riding the Icefields Highway (if it's open) through Banff National Park ending up in Whitefish, MT. It's a little early in the year. I hope Glacier National Park is open. I will write more this evening. Just wanted everybody to know I am OK.

OK, friends and neighbors, as promised I am writing more this evening. I went to dinner with a BMW club from Edmonton Alberta. Nice guys. I was sitting there and they walked in. I recognized them from the meet in Hyder. Apparently they recognized me too. "Hey Man, come and sit with us! You're the guy from Dallas, right? How was your ride? You just get here?" They really were a hoot.
I have more pics to post from Hyder. To all of you who thought I was going to a big society gala soire' biker meet: feast your eyes on these pics. The first two are of the main street of Stewart, BC. One looking up the street, one looking down. Yes, that is the whole thing. The next pic is of the Sealaska Inn in Hyder. It's a good thing I forgot my tux.
The last pic is of a frozen lake with a glacier running into it that is on the road going into Stewart. Hwy 37a mentioned above. The ice in the glacier is sort of a blue green color. The picture does not do it justice.
I have met a lot of interesting people on this trip. The bikers seem to fall into several categories:
1) The Gold Wing riders. These tend to be older, ummm, larger people. Not really into the hardcore long distance riding. Have a greater chance of coming to the meet 2 up than any other group.
2) The Hard Core long distance riders. These guys (and some gals) have their bikes specially modified to go long distances. I mean they have extra fuel, specially modified seats, several navigation appliances, satellite locators, on and on. These guys are serious.
3) The Hard Core Lite long distance riders ( I include myself in this group). These have a bike suited to LD use but only do it once in a while. Have done a few things to make it more comfortable such as a custom seat or after market windshield but otherwise ride a pretty much stock bike. May take a LD trip or two during the year. Usually have one GPS unit and may or may not have a radar detector (I do).
The meet in Hyder was a lot of fun, I met a lot of nice people, some characters as well. It made me realize that I am not crazy for taking these trips. Well, OK, maybe I am crazy but there are others out there who are crazy too.