JamesW
JamesW
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH you do such nice work.
Red Lodge Rendezvous Ride Report
- Thread starter Fontanaman
- Start date
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escapefjrtist
Searching for Dry Roads
Liking the picture selection Jim! Need to look on my tablet and snag a couple of those...
--G
--G
hppants
Well-known member
Really enjoying this ride report. I've never seen that entire area and shall very much like to do so one day.
From a riding perspective, I'm especially impressed with the completely open curves. Still have to watch for surprise gravel, mind you. But otherwise, there should be no surprises and the curves look tight enough to let you lean the bike over.
With a few like minded friends, it looks like a hoot!!!!
From a riding perspective, I'm especially impressed with the completely open curves. Still have to watch for surprise gravel, mind you. But otherwise, there should be no surprises and the curves look tight enough to let you lean the bike over.
With a few like minded friends, it looks like a hoot!!!!
Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Pants it is a hoot. Many of the roads in the west or open or have great site lines. The are exceptions such as some of the mountain pass in Colorado but for the most part it is wide open spaces. Riding in Wyoming is a real trip - the vastness has a beauty beyond compare. The FJR just eats the miles up as you go along for the ride.
0Face
Well-known member
Noice!!
bigjohnsd
2021 BMW R1250GSA
Pants, you were invited Mate
hppants
Well-known member
I certainly was invited. I gave myself a futile excuse and then I bought it. Practicing what one preaches is sometimes hard, admittedly. But like everything else, practice makes perfect and I'll keep trying, starting with Yosemite 2017.
Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Day Five
It is an off bike day. We walk into town to the hardware store to buy suppliers to install the GPS coming my way on Friday. It is great travelling with Audiowise (he designs audio electronics) and --G is a Mechanical Engineer so as far as fixing things I could not have been in better company.
We walk the entire town. Stop at a few shops of interest and do a little window shopping. We have an ice cream on Main Street and watch the day unfold. It it really quite nice.
We find a Model T and talk with the owners. Great fun to hear their stories.
Audiowise is much younger than his travelling companions and it shows. He uses a phone like we use PCs. Finds the only 5 star rated restaurant in town, Las Palmitas, and what a delicious find it was.
We clean the bikes, get groceries and welcome recently arrived riders. It was a relaxing day.
It is an off bike day. We walk into town to the hardware store to buy suppliers to install the GPS coming my way on Friday. It is great travelling with Audiowise (he designs audio electronics) and --G is a Mechanical Engineer so as far as fixing things I could not have been in better company.
We walk the entire town. Stop at a few shops of interest and do a little window shopping. We have an ice cream on Main Street and watch the day unfold. It it really quite nice.
We find a Model T and talk with the owners. Great fun to hear their stories.
Audiowise is much younger than his travelling companions and it shows. He uses a phone like we use PCs. Finds the only 5 star rated restaurant in town, Las Palmitas, and what a delicious find it was.
We clean the bikes, get groceries and welcome recently arrived riders. It was a relaxing day.
Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Day Six
The plan for today is run over Beartooth Pass sans the gear, nakid even, and have some fun on the way to Cooke City. Twas early when we left and I was not awake yet. --G was leading and was determined to run at FJR nominal speeds plus a bit more and Audiowise was happy to follow him. Me? Well I was running in Tourist mode more intent on snapping a few photos in the morning light.
If you look closely you can see the moon above the left shoulder of the mountain.
You can't see it this photo but there is a logging road going up the left side of the valley. Only if I had --G's Super Ten!
A photo of my and --G's bike at the first overlook.
Pulling up the rear (jump on it somebody) I have not seen --G or Paul for a few minutes. Upon arriving at the overlook --G expresses concern about Audiowise's whereabouts. No I have not seen him. --G is certain he didn't go by at the turn to the overlook. He was right there --G said. So we go into recon mode and traipse back and forth until we agree to go to Cooke City our destination.
Along the way I take a few more photos.
Does it get better than this? Nah.... not often enough.
Well maybe this is a bit better? You decide.
And a bit further, but not much.
We found Audiowise in Cooke City. He had gone by --G on his own mission, completely missing --G at the first overlook miles before.
All in all it was a good ride. Shooting into the sun is a bust so there are no other photo of this day.
We go back to the Chateau where later in the afternoon my new GPS arrives. Audiowise takes the lead to install it. The day before I bought some shrink tube. We borrowed a wire spicer from FJRay, splice about one inch of wire on either side, twist the two ends, pull the shrink tube in place and use a lighter as a heat source to shrink the tube. Worked great!
That night we enjoyed dinner at Las Palmitas, again. It was a very nice day.
The plan for today is run over Beartooth Pass sans the gear, nakid even, and have some fun on the way to Cooke City. Twas early when we left and I was not awake yet. --G was leading and was determined to run at FJR nominal speeds plus a bit more and Audiowise was happy to follow him. Me? Well I was running in Tourist mode more intent on snapping a few photos in the morning light.
If you look closely you can see the moon above the left shoulder of the mountain.
You can't see it this photo but there is a logging road going up the left side of the valley. Only if I had --G's Super Ten!
A photo of my and --G's bike at the first overlook.
Pulling up the rear (jump on it somebody) I have not seen --G or Paul for a few minutes. Upon arriving at the overlook --G expresses concern about Audiowise's whereabouts. No I have not seen him. --G is certain he didn't go by at the turn to the overlook. He was right there --G said. So we go into recon mode and traipse back and forth until we agree to go to Cooke City our destination.
Along the way I take a few more photos.
Does it get better than this? Nah.... not often enough.
Well maybe this is a bit better? You decide.
And a bit further, but not much.
We found Audiowise in Cooke City. He had gone by --G on his own mission, completely missing --G at the first overlook miles before.
All in all it was a good ride. Shooting into the sun is a bust so there are no other photo of this day.
We go back to the Chateau where later in the afternoon my new GPS arrives. Audiowise takes the lead to install it. The day before I bought some shrink tube. We borrowed a wire spicer from FJRay, splice about one inch of wire on either side, twist the two ends, pull the shrink tube in place and use a lighter as a heat source to shrink the tube. Worked great!
That night we enjoyed dinner at Las Palmitas, again. It was a very nice day.
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Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Day Seven
Audiowise and I decide ride to Little Big Hole. Ride north to Billing and ride I-90 east where we find the wind blowin pretty good. I has happy I-90 took a turn to due south cause now the wind is at our back for a while.
We arrive at Little Big Hole to find a re-enactment and anniversary celebration going on. Hords of people over run the place. Compared to Big Hole I have a hard time wrapping my mind around Little Big Horn as the battle was spread over a much larger geographic area and it hard to see it all. I find it odd the Little Big Horn National Monument also includes National Cemetery for veterans who fought in wars long after June 1876. The first thing we see is the National Cemetery with headstones noting the date of death during WWII. My first reaction was what and why? No disrespect to the veteran's and perhaps they would be better honored if the National Cemetery stood on it's own.
We watch the very informative explanatory video in the visitor center and split. It is just too crowded. Audiowise takes the lead as he wants lunch. Me - I prefer to skip lunch hand have trail mix and water was I travel.
Our route takes us over 14 and 14A and by now the wind as subsided.
On 14 we find stupid low speed limits out of Dayton Wyoming. We also find red roads. It is just the natural color not due to dead Locust like I once found somewhere in Nevada.
We have lunch in Burgess Junction where I have a salad. Do need to spoil the steak dinner we are going to enjoy on this night.
Now we are on Hwy 14A and it is a great road.
It keeps gong up and up and up. Dig this crazy road.
And then it goes down down down.
A closer view of the shot above.
And a little further down the road.
We run on back to Red Lodge we in time for dinner.
This give me sometime to learn Basecamp for my new GPS will not work with Mapsource. It is just different and I have about 9 years of newer technology to learn. I have it mostly figured out now. and have all the settings in Basecamp and on the GPS set so I am going were I expect.
Steak dinner was excellent as was the beer. I have the bike mostly packed as Sunday will be a long day.
Audiowise and I decide ride to Little Big Hole. Ride north to Billing and ride I-90 east where we find the wind blowin pretty good. I has happy I-90 took a turn to due south cause now the wind is at our back for a while.
We arrive at Little Big Hole to find a re-enactment and anniversary celebration going on. Hords of people over run the place. Compared to Big Hole I have a hard time wrapping my mind around Little Big Horn as the battle was spread over a much larger geographic area and it hard to see it all. I find it odd the Little Big Horn National Monument also includes National Cemetery for veterans who fought in wars long after June 1876. The first thing we see is the National Cemetery with headstones noting the date of death during WWII. My first reaction was what and why? No disrespect to the veteran's and perhaps they would be better honored if the National Cemetery stood on it's own.
We watch the very informative explanatory video in the visitor center and split. It is just too crowded. Audiowise takes the lead as he wants lunch. Me - I prefer to skip lunch hand have trail mix and water was I travel.
Our route takes us over 14 and 14A and by now the wind as subsided.
On 14 we find stupid low speed limits out of Dayton Wyoming. We also find red roads. It is just the natural color not due to dead Locust like I once found somewhere in Nevada.
We have lunch in Burgess Junction where I have a salad. Do need to spoil the steak dinner we are going to enjoy on this night.
Now we are on Hwy 14A and it is a great road.
It keeps gong up and up and up. Dig this crazy road.
And then it goes down down down.
A closer view of the shot above.
And a little further down the road.
We run on back to Red Lodge we in time for dinner.
This give me sometime to learn Basecamp for my new GPS will not work with Mapsource. It is just different and I have about 9 years of newer technology to learn. I have it mostly figured out now. and have all the settings in Basecamp and on the GPS set so I am going were I expect.
Steak dinner was excellent as was the beer. I have the bike mostly packed as Sunday will be a long day.
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dcarver
Well-known member
Excellent RR sir!
When you can, I find the daily route awesome to follow as you progress the day....
..edit DOH, your gps broke. Never mind.
..and --G, should we rename him best dressed forumite of all time?
When you can, I find the daily route awesome to follow as you progress the day....
..edit DOH, your gps broke. Never mind.
..and --G, should we rename him best dressed forumite of all time?
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Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Yeah --G spares no expense on his attire while I spare no expense on a GPS.
Do mean the Google map like this? I can do that but they don't work very well in the winter as Google Maps will find an alternate route over closed passes. Liability and Darwin being what it is.......
I am not aware of an override setting in Google Maps.
On this day I was using my new GPS. It is awesome - I am still getting use to the difference tween the Zumo 550 and 590LM. I know some add tracks to the ride reports. Maybe I will do that.
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To be fair, Fontanaman shows unusual disdain for lunch, and to stopping in general. I think he'll only observe lunch with no complaints when Mrs. Fontanaman is serving it.
Fontanaman
Robin Trower
MtRainier a forum member is cool as a cucumber while riding longer distances and a wiseman. He puts me to shame. His signature is "Keep Going". Lunch just makes me sleepy. Yuck. As for stopping why unless it is a scenic turnout or a destination. The highway is usually my destination!
escapefjrtist
Searching for Dry Roads
Great RR Jim.
From Spearfish last year, I remember the ride up and over on 14 & 14A. Love those red roads...the twists and turns weren't too bad either!
@DC - ya gots to consider both form and function my friend.
--G
From Spearfish last year, I remember the ride up and over on 14 & 14A. Love those red roads...the twists and turns weren't too bad either!
@DC - ya gots to consider both form and function my friend.
--G
dcarver
Well-known member
No silly, like this this route...
Yeah --G spares no expense on his attire while I spare no expense on a GPS.
Do mean the Google map like this? I can do that but they don't work very well in the winter as Google Maps will find an alternate route over closed passes. Liability and Darwin being what it is.......
I am not aware of an override setting in Google Maps.
On this day I was using my new GPS. It is awesome - I am still getting use to the difference tween the Zumo 550 and 590LM. I know some add tracks to the ride reports. Maybe I will do that.
Niehart
Pie Smuggler
Fontanaman
Robin Trower
Day Eight
Pie is not my friend cause I could stand to lose more than a few pounds.
In December when I was planning the distances and the days out for this ride with wifey I tried to use Google Maps to go over Beartooth Pass and through areas in Yellowstone closed in the winter. Google Maps would not work. For many years I have been posting ride reports with routes using Google Maps and if it is not in season you can't see the route as intended as Google Maps will reroute you around the seasonal closures. So after some learning Basecamp I present you with my track off my GPS for Day Eight! How's this Carver?
Just follow the squiggly yellow line - follow the yellow brick road! Ooops.... flashback.
From Red Lodge take Hwy 212 - take a left at at Tower Junction to the Grand Loop road - take a right on 89 - take a right on Hwy 191 to West Yellowstone and continue on Hwy 191 to Bozeman joining Hwy 86 to Hwy 89 north to Great Falls.
--G and Audiowise are heading back home today. Audiowise to visit family and Coeur D'alene, thank god for spell check, and --G back home to take care of business at the home front. So I am solo now and have a northern route home planned as a southern route is a bit toasty. Now if I had --G's Super Ten I'd have taken the Magruder Corridor as I did on my Vstrom a few years back. Alas this route is not FJR friendly.
I am off as 6:30 am heading to Beartooth Pass. With the sun at my back my shadow is in perfect position for a photo. Just hold the little camera up and go click.
It was a nice morning.
This photo took a bit more editing to see what I saw and it came out pretty nice anyway for a photo on the go.
Heading toward Cooke City.
I stop in Cooke City for breakfast. It is nice to ride a couple of hours in the morning stop for breakfast then ride the rest of the day. No lunch, perfect.
While riding through Yellowstone in the Lamar Valley a entire herd of Bison is crossing the road single file. This reminds me of the
where a nickel tole is in the middle of the range land. Slim Pickens bellows out well somebody's got to go back and get a shit load of dimes.
I look to the south and for a half mile there was Bison galloping causing a cloud of dust. I look north and Bison are coming to cross the road and in single file. Not in a cage this is feeling uncomfortable and so I take a few pictures, wait for a pause and ride out of harm's way before the next wave of Bison cross the road.
You can see two cars ahead of me then Bison. It was close enough at least for me, but maybe not for good photo opportunities. Photos be damned I was not taking chances.
The rest of the ride through Yellowstone was uneventful. I take a break just before West Yellowstone along the river to remove layers as the temps are rising.
I continue on Hwy 191 out of West Yellowstone and return to the open Big Sky country.
I don't remember where this one was shot. I like old building with wood roof's.
I thought I had not been on Hwy 89 north of Bozeman to Great Falls but I was wrong. I recall skiing a Showdown near Neihart in 2004 or so, but that is another story.
I was following the Great White North Liberation Army. They had taken a more direct route that day and made it farther north and I. There was no sign of liberated people in Neihart or any other city along the way. Nobody partying and having a liberation parade not signs of anything, not even the Cougar Ray was looking for.
I was is Neihart and here is my photo to prove it - damn near the same as 'Fitters photo. Imagine that
I roll into Great Falls and the GPS takes me to my room for the night. There is time to go for a walk in the evening before dinner and afterwards I wash to bugs off the bike.
...to be continued.
Pie is not my friend cause I could stand to lose more than a few pounds.
In December when I was planning the distances and the days out for this ride with wifey I tried to use Google Maps to go over Beartooth Pass and through areas in Yellowstone closed in the winter. Google Maps would not work. For many years I have been posting ride reports with routes using Google Maps and if it is not in season you can't see the route as intended as Google Maps will reroute you around the seasonal closures. So after some learning Basecamp I present you with my track off my GPS for Day Eight! How's this Carver?
Just follow the squiggly yellow line - follow the yellow brick road! Ooops.... flashback.
From Red Lodge take Hwy 212 - take a left at at Tower Junction to the Grand Loop road - take a right on 89 - take a right on Hwy 191 to West Yellowstone and continue on Hwy 191 to Bozeman joining Hwy 86 to Hwy 89 north to Great Falls.
--G and Audiowise are heading back home today. Audiowise to visit family and Coeur D'alene, thank god for spell check, and --G back home to take care of business at the home front. So I am solo now and have a northern route home planned as a southern route is a bit toasty. Now if I had --G's Super Ten I'd have taken the Magruder Corridor as I did on my Vstrom a few years back. Alas this route is not FJR friendly.
I am off as 6:30 am heading to Beartooth Pass. With the sun at my back my shadow is in perfect position for a photo. Just hold the little camera up and go click.
It was a nice morning.
This photo took a bit more editing to see what I saw and it came out pretty nice anyway for a photo on the go.
Heading toward Cooke City.
I stop in Cooke City for breakfast. It is nice to ride a couple of hours in the morning stop for breakfast then ride the rest of the day. No lunch, perfect.
While riding through Yellowstone in the Lamar Valley a entire herd of Bison is crossing the road single file. This reminds me of the
where a nickel tole is in the middle of the range land. Slim Pickens bellows out well somebody's got to go back and get a shit load of dimes.
I look to the south and for a half mile there was Bison galloping causing a cloud of dust. I look north and Bison are coming to cross the road and in single file. Not in a cage this is feeling uncomfortable and so I take a few pictures, wait for a pause and ride out of harm's way before the next wave of Bison cross the road.
You can see two cars ahead of me then Bison. It was close enough at least for me, but maybe not for good photo opportunities. Photos be damned I was not taking chances.
The rest of the ride through Yellowstone was uneventful. I take a break just before West Yellowstone along the river to remove layers as the temps are rising.
I continue on Hwy 191 out of West Yellowstone and return to the open Big Sky country.
I don't remember where this one was shot. I like old building with wood roof's.
I thought I had not been on Hwy 89 north of Bozeman to Great Falls but I was wrong. I recall skiing a Showdown near Neihart in 2004 or so, but that is another story.
I was following the Great White North Liberation Army. They had taken a more direct route that day and made it farther north and I. There was no sign of liberated people in Neihart or any other city along the way. Nobody partying and having a liberation parade not signs of anything, not even the Cougar Ray was looking for.
I was is Neihart and here is my photo to prove it - damn near the same as 'Fitters photo. Imagine that
I roll into Great Falls and the GPS takes me to my room for the night. There is time to go for a walk in the evening before dinner and afterwards I wash to bugs off the bike.
...to be continued.
Niehart
Pie Smuggler
That stretch of road past the ski area and down through Neihart is pretty nice until you come up out of the valley on the Great Falls side.
Good stuff Jim. Sorry sugar[pie] is not your friend.
Okay that just means more for me.
Good stuff Jim. Sorry sugar[pie] is not your friend.
