Best of Red Lodge Pics

[Mudslide Miller]

So you are successful one out of every four opportunities? 25% is a failing grade Mr. Teacher.

At our very first fuel stop on the Louisiana coast a young woman in the store questioned you about her qualifications as a biker chick. There were questions regarding her "boob size" as a qualification and she asked for your opinion and an inspection. You failed that one miserably and scooted back out to your bike as fast as you could.

At any rate, your RR is going well. Just imagine how good the pics would be if your bike looked as good as mine? Or even if it just looked as good as John Holmes' bike?

Okay, I do remember that situation now. She asked if I thought her boobs were big enough for her to be a biker chick. (Her words, not mine). And yes, I did essentially run from that question for multiple reasons.

#1 I am a happily married man.

#2 I am a Yankee in the south, I was not sure how the rest of the rednecks play that game.

#3 She was not that young and might have been able to whoop me.

#4 Her brother/husband/daddy could have been real close and I did not want to wind up in the swamp swimming with gators.

Finally,#5 todays undergarments(bras) can false advertise at least 2 sizes easily.

Only closer inspection could yield an accurate answer---however see any of the previous 4 rules as to why I declined the invitation to comment.

I had forgot about that incident and the one that Gary, Mike, and I think Craig witnessed. They will defend my honor soon, I am sure if it.

Now that is some funny shit from a teacher!! Especially #2.

Great RR and pics Josh. Thanks for taking us on your ride, for those of us not able to make it.

 

[erixun]

Those are awesome! I need to stop more and take pictures for sure.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Great RR and pics...I especially like the salute to Bob...FYB!

 

[Cav47]

Okay, Back to the report.

Sunday was going to have to be a travel day. I really did not have to be anywhere specific, my Master's class could be completed online remotely from nearly anywhere. But given that I was still 1500 miles from home and my tires were starting to worry me a little, heading back towards home was a good plan. I really wanted to extend the trip to Glacier, but that would have added 5 days to the trip. Glacier being 1700 miles away from home........dang.

Both John and Kevin(Abercrombie) said they could help me with a tire changer if need be, so I played it safe and headed back toward South Dakota. I know that seems like a consolation prize, but anytime you are traveling with John, 2nd place is still a winner.

A group of us headed back via Custer National Battlegrounds. Skip, Mike, Tango, and I followed John up to the 140th Anniversary of the Battle of Little Bighorn..

Being that I teach US History 1865 to Present, this is right up my alley and I can use this in a couple of months with my students.

The Hill where the actual last stand took place.

The proximity of these headstones to us really drove home the point of the the realness of the battle.

The irregular arrangement of the headstones was because this is exactly where the soldiers were found

A presenter explained some of the soldiers were shooting their horses to try and find cover from the raining arrows and charging Native Americans

We listened to a presenter for 35 min or so, He was a true performer and historian.

Some of you have done this also. Following John is like second nature. Much like some of my other "tour guides", I would follow him anywhere, because I know we will find adventure.

After the Battlefield Tour, it was time to find some grub. John knew a spot in Wyoming. It was good. Little known fact. No sales tax in Wyoming.

Back in Spearfish John knew what we needed to cap the night off

Chocolate Salted Caramel Almond. Close as it gets to perfection

We had to go check out the wildfire that was raging just west of town. As the night progressed, the light show was intriguing but sad to see the destruction

We sat and took pictures and reminisced about the trip as the light faded. We made plans for the upcoming trek back. Someone said the only thing to make it better would be to have a little sippin whiskey. Those that were there know the result. That is all I can say about that........

The next Morning

Mike(Ogre) and I were generally heading back in the same general Easterly direction. He to New York, and me Illinois. I really enjoyed my time riding with him the last couple of days. He was wanting to head East on 2 lane, and I was really wanting to buzz through Spearfish Canyon. I had been here 2 years ago and couldn't let myself miss it being that it was so close. A plan was forged out late in the night. We could do both. Take a spin through Spearfish Canyon and stop in Sturgis for the obligatory pic then head East on the 2 lane together.

The 2 lane was slower, but you have a hard time finding places like this^^^^^ The Burger Shack has post cards that you fill out and then they mail them for free. I knew when we pulled up it was going to be a good spot. There was 4 law enforcement cars there. One was Highway Patrol, 2 sheriff cars and one DOT type. They always know the spots.

Diet Be Damned. Triple Cheese with Bacon. It was delicious. And the post card was received a week or so later in Louisiana.

We rolled past Minneapolis and found a hotel after about 700 miles. Most everywhere was closed, but Bakers Square was open. And we doubled up on Pie. We hit the rack late that night and Mike was out early in the morning because he had to get lined up for a ferry ride in a few days back to New York.

I was able to take a little slower route that included about 200 miles of ABC Roads in Wisconsin. These are a hidden gem somewhat near me. I put my GPS and Tyre to good use and knew IDUNA good job on the routing.

All told, it was 2906.5 miles for the trip. I never reset the odometer from the start.

. I had a great time and will always remember the Best of Red Lodge Pics. As much as I will enjoy the pictures in the future, my favorite part is the people of the the Red Lodge trip.

My tires made it home safe and new ones have been ordered for the next adventure.

 

[puppychow]

Great RR! Glad you took the time to stop and take pictures and fool around, and take the time to share with us. Kudos!

 

[Mihalis fjr]

Thanks for sharing with us this great ride report and pictures!!

 

[Redfish Hunter]

You did well. Very Good Stuff.

 

[jonjonboo]

As I sit here in my small "cube" which is located on the edge of a recent rocket attack (4th of July 2016) dreaming of motorcycle adventure with cooler elevated mountainous blue sky's, I luckily come across this gem of a ride report. Thanks for the excellent pics and story, this inspired and cheered me up. I am sooooo looking forward to the day I can swing my leg over my bike and ride on such an excellent adventure----AWESOME !!

John C.

Baghdad

 

[Bugnatr]

Good stuff Cav, thanks.

 

[Panman]

Great read & photo's!

 

[CraigRegs]

Cav, great RR. I do have a photo and a few details to help round out THIS story, and will try to get them tacked onto this RR in the next day or two.

So we were all sitting at the bar and this place has some real history as you can see. What a great call by Sarg. But as no good deed goes unpunished, so does this story!!
Let me frame it up for you. Sarg goes to the restroom after ordering a drink. The bar is full and only a few seats remain. Since he left, his seat is open. Up walks an ........how do I say it, ..........Lady..... she asks if this seat is taken. We say our buddy just went to the restroom and will be right back.

"Oh, Okay" She says

A few moments roll by and she says. "Is this his Beer?"

"Why yes it is." We (I) say.

I am not sure what her intention was, but mischief was on her mind. I knew because it was on mine as well.

As you will notice in the picture, this woman's lipstick is bright and I asked her to leave a mark of it on the napkin just for fun.

"Oh Honey, this lipstick only comes off with one thing.............Oil is the only thing that takes it off. Wanna see??"

She grabs the napkin and she is right, clean after she wipes it on her lips.

Sarg is gone a little longer and she keeps staring at that unminded bottle. Well, I (we) notice and she takes a drink.

"See, No marks"

Mind you, this Lady has been there just a few moments. She's gonna swizzle the rest of his drink. I gotta get a shot of this and basically goad her into tipping it up.

She puts the rest of it away about the time the bartender finishes her group order. Just as Sarg is coming out of the restroom.

The lady asks if one of us can help her carry drinks to her table.Craig is the smartest one of all of us and is gone in a second!!!

Sarg comes back to finish his drink and looks at the bottle. Knowing he did not drink it all. Sam, Mike, and I do not know what to say. If we say we know anything, it basically proves our guilt. So we wait a second for Craig to make it back from the table of "Ladies". When he gets back, Sarg wants to know who drank his beer. I show him the ^^^^^ picture and his jaw dropped.

"Why the heck did she drink my beer?"

Group response is the equivalent of us taking the 5th amendment.

Sarg asks where she is and we point him over to the table of ladies and all is well. Unbelievably, Sarg was more stunned than we were, but was a true gentleman and laughed it off. He has a great sense of humor.

Other than screaming in at FJR nominal speeds, this is how you make an entrance to the parking lot party.

There is 4 back there. Mike is out of screen to the left. Sam, Craig, and Sarg sitting on the door.

The officer dropped us off at the hotel after a lap around the parking lot. No Sirens, but I am sure there were a few funny looks as we piled out of the car.

Parking lot stories well into the night!! What a great day.

 

[hppants]

SWMBO and I were very pleasantly surprised by that post card. I fine surprise to be sure.

Clearly you have hit all of the required components for a successful bike tour.

I haven't seen much if any of that part of the country yet. I enjoyed seeing it through the eye of your phone camera, with BTW seems to be performing much better than earlier this year.

Well done, my friend.

 

[Tyler]

Fun report, Josh... was great seeing you in Red Lodge... and thank you for stopping to smell the flowers along the way and share it with me/us!

 

[BigOgre]

I find you are weak when it comes to the ladies. How you ever managed to get married (to a woman) is a mystery to me.

I seem to recall you getting confused by a wannabe biker chick in Cameron Louisiana not too long ago also. You have NO game. None.

Other than that you are doing well. Good pics, good story line.

You are crazy!!
Whoa, I don't even recall that situation you are talking about in Louisiana. You might have to refresh my memory. As for having no game, your accusation reminded me of a certain situation in Red Lodge. But since you won't believe it happened, you need to hear it from Ogre or Sarg.

Now mind you, I have been out of the game for almost 24 years, so I would expect my skills to diminish but apparently that was not so. Mike or Gary will vouch for the scenario. I want the record to show that nothing was improper about my conversation with that female in Red Lodge. In fact, her boyfriend/son was right there the whole time. Mike or Gary will chime in with the truth soon!

So you are successful one out of every four opportunities? 25% is a failing grade Mr. Teacher.

At our very first fuel stop on the Louisiana coast a young woman in the store questioned you about her qualifications as a biker chick. There were questions regarding her "boob size" as a qualification and she asked for your opinion and an inspection. You failed that one miserably and scooted back out to your bike as fast as you could.

At any rate, your RR is going well. Just imagine how good the pics would be if your bike looked as good as mine? Or even if it just looked as good as John Holmes' bike?

Okay, I do remember that situation now. She asked if I thought her boobs were big enough for her to be a biker chick. (Her words, not mine). And yes, I did essentially run from that question for multiple reasons.
#1 I am a happily married man.

#2 I am a Yankee in the south, I was not sure how the rest of the rednecks play that game.

#3 She was not that young and might have been able to whoop me.

#4 Her brother/husband/daddy could have been real close and I did not want to wind up in the swamp swimming with gators.

Finally,#5 todays undergarments(bras) can false advertise at least 2 sizes easily.

Only closer inspection could yield an accurate answer---however see any of the previous 4 rules as to why I declined the invitation to comment.

I had forgot about that incident and the one that Gary, Mike, and I think Craig witnessed. They will defend my honor soon, I am sure if it.

Soo sorry to leave you hanging here Cav but life and reality has gotten in the way lately. But potius sero quam nunquam and all that. And yes folks, I am here to speak of the man's grace when confronted with unexpected and potentially delicate situations.

On this late afternoon (I believe) we found ourselves strolling the main street of Red Lodge after wandering through a few stores. Souvenirs, local offerings, etc. As we came up to the bikes, three of which were parked in the first slot off a crosswalk, a rather attractive woman waiting to cross threw out a general question/comment about them, striking up a conversation rather than inquiring about anything in particular. Craig, Gary and Josh were each now standing next to their rides about to gear up but as Josh had the first and closest bike to her, bravely looked her in the eye and engaged.

As my bike was parked alone further down the street I stood on the sidewalk, back a little and to the woman's side, sorta taking myself out of the conversation. Besides, Josh was doing such a wonderful job that there was no need for any of us to try and add anything. This also let me do a little observing. As noted, a quite attractive brunette, wearing a mid-thigh summer dress covering what looked like a toned body but showing off shapely legs. Probably 30-ish was my first impression although a peek behind the stylish sunglasses did make me think 40-something was probably more accurate. She reminded me of the many I've seen trying to fit in with the Hamptons' set back home.

And she had someone with her. A male (guy? kid?) looking to be in his mid-20's at best, possibly even late teens. Casually dressed in jeans and a tee-shirt. Not the trendy kind either but something like I've seen my sons wearing for three days straight. He couldn't care less about the bikes and conversation though and kept looking in other directions. Her son? Maybe. Nephew? Younger brother? Who knows but my focus turned quickly back to Josh when I heard our friendly lady ask him just how comfortable the bikes actually were.

Sorry Redfish, but for this time at least Josh rose to the occasion and without missing a beat, suggested she find out for herself. With a big smile she accepted and took a step forward.

But then stopped.

Here was the weird head-scratcher.

"Well, I should ask and make sure it's ok with him first," referring to the male/guy/kid she was with. "I wouldn't want him getting jealous or anything."

I swear I heard Tim Allen. Remember the quizzical grunt he made in Home Improvement whenever he was confused about something? Fortunately (I guess) male/guy/kid simply shrugged when asked and with an obligatory hike of the hem-line, and Josh standing right in front holding the bars, a leg got swung over and the riding position assumed. If I'm not mis-remembering, I think Craig stood there with a frozen smile on his face while Gary must have checked and re-checked his tank-bag about five times trying his very best not to look up. But Josh stood tall, proudly even, with ever the slight (ok maybe smug) smile on his face. Some questions about the controls answered, directions on how to dismount carefully relayed, and the tour came to an end.

We laughed a little about it later on but to Cav's credit, he never gloated. Although I did notice his body positioning was a little freer in the twisties afterwards.

Btw Josh, great RR. I really enjoyed going back through it.

 

[Cav47]

^^^^Now that is an eye for detail only a highly trained individual would have. That also is nearly the exact recollection I would have!!

Thank you Mike for defending my honor. Redfish can suck it. LOL We all know what color panties she had on and we ain't tellin!!

 

[BkerChuck]

^^^^Now that is an eye for detail only a highly trained individual would have. That also is nearly the exact recollection I would have!!

Thank you Mike for defending my honor. Redfish can suck it. LOL We all know what color panties she had on and we ain't tellin!!

Nice RR and great come back for RFH.

 

[Cav47]

^^^^Now that is an eye for detail only a highly trained individual would have. That also is nearly the exact recollection I would have!!

Thank you Mike for defending my honor. Redfish can suck it. LOL We all know what color panties she had on and we ain't tellin!!

Nice RR and great come back for RFH.

Redfish is my favorite guy who likes to bust my balls. He is like the older brother who will never ever say a nice thing without a little dig somewhere. But also like that big brother, if someone messes with one of his guys, it is on like Donkey Kong. I gotta get back at him once in a while.

The report was almost as much fun as making the trip.

 

[Uncle Hud]

BigOgre, I thoroughly appreciate the extra chapter to the story, and your attention to detail in telling it. Painted a picture in my mind that will make the rest of the afternoon in this office easier to endure.


<edit, 2 mins later> .... and I know -- exactly -- the Tim Allen sound effect which you conjured up.

 

[airboss]

Ya know, (and please don't take this the wrong way).

BUT! I'm starting to think Josh is kinda like a weird magnet.

Strange things tend to happen when he's around.

In other words a good guy to hang out with.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Ah Josh, my handsome young friend, you are forgiven. It seems you have redeemed yourself and in front of honorable witnesses too. My hat is off to you. (You can probably see the sun reflecting off my head from there.)

I have noticed that even though you seem to fumble a bit, the ladies do seem to like you. I still say you are getting by on your looks cuz you got no game!

My thanks and compliments to BigOgre. Your eye for detail and your wonderful description is much appreciated.