Another awesome day
I arrived in Yellowstone pretty exhausted for some reason and decided to try and stay there for the night. It was fun seeing the entrance, as all my life I'd read of the place but wondered if I'd ever get there.
I stopped in at the Old Faithful Lodge amid throngs of foreign tourists and amazingly managed to "get the last room anywhere in the park."
Awesome.
Wandered over to watch the eruption and then headed back to Grant Village for the room.
I saw only one buffalo on the ride into the park, and the traffic wasn't too bad. Entering from the south, there isn't much to see from the road since there are so many trees.
I decided to wander out in the dark and get some fresh air after checking into the room. A brown shorts moment occurred in a pitch black area of the path I was on, when apparently I walked up on an elk, who breathed heavily in the darkness a few feet before I would have walked into him.
Took a good shower and hit the sack.
Monday 7.2.07 - Grant Village Yellowstone thru Beartooth Pass to Cody
I woke up this morning feeling great and ready to ride. The weather was perfect and the air was crisp, filled with the scent of conifers, fresh air and freshly roasting bugs on the oilhead's cylinders... mmmm.
Only the best for man and machine
The ride past West Thumb lake was crisp and uneventful, other than spotting the Loch Ness Monster. Either that or it was an overturned canoe with someone desperately waving a paddle. I waved back and continued on.
Didn't see much but the rear end of buses and motor homes as I went north towards the east gate. Rant on: WHY in the heck do people try to bring everything they own with them? I saw so many huge trailers and motorhomes towing other trailers behind them. Man, just buy a house! Rant off:
This dude jumped up on the walkway! I bolted...
Reaching the Canyon intersection, a lot of the traffic disappeared and the scenery got much more interesting as I headed north.
I stopped here and there, always aware that the bozo I'd just spent 20 minutes trying to pass would get ahead of me again. Aaaaargh.
There were several herds of buffalo across the road and I more than patiently waited for them to cross
What I noticed is they pay no attention to cars, but DEFINITELY watched me, turning their head slowly to track me. Maybe the bike looks like some weird creature... hmmmmm
Heading through the Towers area was beautiful and only got better. The Northeast road towards Montana was breathtaking and that is definitely the way I'll enter the park next time. Very few cars and people and the roads are smaller and less maintained - it felt like I was back in the 60's era of the park. Here and there were clusters of cars and people with spotting scopes but I could never see what they were looking at. Wolves I heard later.
Just before exiting the park, I saw a black bear not too far off the road and watched him eat his way towards me. Suddenly I felt the need to move on.
From the park exit to Cooke City was an incredible ride and again the scenery is astounding. Outside Cooke City I saw the dirt road leading to Daisy Pass and decided I needed some dirt adventure. The first section of switchbacks had me reconsidering my decision - they were rutted with lots of large loose rock and sand. The bike is so loaded with gear I had my hands full getting up it. It was just pick a line, gas it and pray. No big deal for a dual sport but the loaded pig was a handful. I must say the new Ohlins probably made the difference between me busting it and not. The handling was much improved.
Further up the pass they had worked on the roads and they were good. Reaching the top, I was disappointed to find the road blocked with a few feet of snow. Still I was at the top and it was beautiful. Heading down I shut off the ABS and sweated out the last mile of rock strewn road.
Feeling my oats from the offroad excursion I blew on to Beartooth Pass. The ride over the pass can be described in one sentence...
Un bee leave a bull.
The ride from the park over to Red Lodge is just astonishing. Next time I'll just bypass RMNP and come straight here! my life is now complete - I got to ride it with no one in front of me and blue skies - yowza!
Finally made it to Montana at the top of the pass. Just across the line there were 75 mph speed signs still on top of the pass... I like Montana already
High winds at the top of the pass made the ride even more breathtaking.
Red Lodge Montana is a cool town. Despite being touristy it still has character and some rough edges left.
Arrived in Cody late to found there is a huge Pro Rodeo going so the town is packed. I finally found a room to stay the night in - wasn't cheap and sure is low end but at least the manager put me in a room next to the office so I could get wifi
On the way to Belfry then Cody:
The Cody Hilton
The Route:
More later...
I arrived in Yellowstone pretty exhausted for some reason and decided to try and stay there for the night. It was fun seeing the entrance, as all my life I'd read of the place but wondered if I'd ever get there.
I stopped in at the Old Faithful Lodge amid throngs of foreign tourists and amazingly managed to "get the last room anywhere in the park."
Awesome.
Wandered over to watch the eruption and then headed back to Grant Village for the room.
I saw only one buffalo on the ride into the park, and the traffic wasn't too bad. Entering from the south, there isn't much to see from the road since there are so many trees.
I decided to wander out in the dark and get some fresh air after checking into the room. A brown shorts moment occurred in a pitch black area of the path I was on, when apparently I walked up on an elk, who breathed heavily in the darkness a few feet before I would have walked into him.
Took a good shower and hit the sack.
Monday 7.2.07 - Grant Village Yellowstone thru Beartooth Pass to Cody
I woke up this morning feeling great and ready to ride. The weather was perfect and the air was crisp, filled with the scent of conifers, fresh air and freshly roasting bugs on the oilhead's cylinders... mmmm.
Only the best for man and machine
The ride past West Thumb lake was crisp and uneventful, other than spotting the Loch Ness Monster. Either that or it was an overturned canoe with someone desperately waving a paddle. I waved back and continued on.
Didn't see much but the rear end of buses and motor homes as I went north towards the east gate. Rant on: WHY in the heck do people try to bring everything they own with them? I saw so many huge trailers and motorhomes towing other trailers behind them. Man, just buy a house! Rant off:
This dude jumped up on the walkway! I bolted...
Reaching the Canyon intersection, a lot of the traffic disappeared and the scenery got much more interesting as I headed north.
I stopped here and there, always aware that the bozo I'd just spent 20 minutes trying to pass would get ahead of me again. Aaaaargh.
There were several herds of buffalo across the road and I more than patiently waited for them to cross
What I noticed is they pay no attention to cars, but DEFINITELY watched me, turning their head slowly to track me. Maybe the bike looks like some weird creature... hmmmmm
Heading through the Towers area was beautiful and only got better. The Northeast road towards Montana was breathtaking and that is definitely the way I'll enter the park next time. Very few cars and people and the roads are smaller and less maintained - it felt like I was back in the 60's era of the park. Here and there were clusters of cars and people with spotting scopes but I could never see what they were looking at. Wolves I heard later.
Just before exiting the park, I saw a black bear not too far off the road and watched him eat his way towards me. Suddenly I felt the need to move on.
From the park exit to Cooke City was an incredible ride and again the scenery is astounding. Outside Cooke City I saw the dirt road leading to Daisy Pass and decided I needed some dirt adventure. The first section of switchbacks had me reconsidering my decision - they were rutted with lots of large loose rock and sand. The bike is so loaded with gear I had my hands full getting up it. It was just pick a line, gas it and pray. No big deal for a dual sport but the loaded pig was a handful. I must say the new Ohlins probably made the difference between me busting it and not. The handling was much improved.
Further up the pass they had worked on the roads and they were good. Reaching the top, I was disappointed to find the road blocked with a few feet of snow. Still I was at the top and it was beautiful. Heading down I shut off the ABS and sweated out the last mile of rock strewn road.
Feeling my oats from the offroad excursion I blew on to Beartooth Pass. The ride over the pass can be described in one sentence...
Un bee leave a bull.
The ride from the park over to Red Lodge is just astonishing. Next time I'll just bypass RMNP and come straight here! my life is now complete - I got to ride it with no one in front of me and blue skies - yowza!
Finally made it to Montana at the top of the pass. Just across the line there were 75 mph speed signs still on top of the pass... I like Montana already
High winds at the top of the pass made the ride even more breathtaking.
Red Lodge Montana is a cool town. Despite being touristy it still has character and some rough edges left.
Arrived in Cody late to found there is a huge Pro Rodeo going so the town is packed. I finally found a room to stay the night in - wasn't cheap and sure is low end but at least the manager put me in a room next to the office so I could get wifi
On the way to Belfry then Cody:
The Cody Hilton
The Route:
More later...
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