Well folks, it's a dirty job, but someone has to do it... 8)
A rather large project of my company (road construction software) is going on in Montana and I was told to go up there for two weeks for work. The PM is a biker (cool guy - even if he rides a road king... :roll: ) and agreed of sponsoring miles ridden up there financially 8). So what other enticements did I need? NONE!!!! :D
Since it is 2150 miles from my home to Helena, MT, a SaddleSore 2000 was the plan. Here is the route with my actual stops on it:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76754063-L.jpg)
And with that, which I assume will get your jiuces flowing, I withdraw, to satisfy my juices and get some dinner on the expense account...
Life is swell!!!!! 8)
To be continueth...
That's quite a journey! And to have it funded by work...you're a luck guy indeed. You make that in 48 hours and I will buy you a beer if you swing thru Tulsa on your way back. I might even buy you two.
Good luck and ride safe!
Oooooh yeah!!!! Nothing like a good meal and to wash it down with a nice brew:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76797459-M-1.jpg)
8)
Quote from: "jmoonx14"That's quite a journey! And to have it funded by work...you're a luck guy indeed.
Well, I don't get the mileage rate one usually gets when travelling by car or bike, since that distance is usually done by plane, but I get the plane ticket price refunded, which does cover gas and lodging on the way plus some maintenance as well. So I'm not complaining at all!!! 8)
Quote from: "jmoonx14"You make that in 48 hours and I will buy you a beer if you swing thru Tulsa on your way back. I might even buy you two.
Good luck and ride safe!
Actually, I made spot 19 (Livingston, MT - 2014 miles) in 44 hours. Spent the night there, and got to Helena the next day at noon. Tomorrow I'm getting my rear changed (tire, that is!! 8) ) and will go on a ride with guys from the shop that will do the swap (Outdoor Motor Sports here in Helena).
I haven't set the route back in stone yet. Probably via Denver. We'll see... This weekend I'm planning on doing at least Glacier NP on day. If time permits Yellowstone as well. But more about that later...
Lemme se if I can get this report going. I'm posting it here first, and later on advrider.com as well to get some more Tiger exposure out there.
To be continueth...
The plan was to leave Saturday early (like around 6am) to beat the garage sale traffic. So I packed the night before:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76499056-M.jpg)
Guess my trusty steed felt more like an ass with all the jerry-rigged luggage, made water-'proof' with garbage bags. 8) Yet it didn't let me down at all!!!!
Did I say I wanted to get out early to beat the garage-sale-shoppers? Well, I didn't quite make it and got into this in Clarksville:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76498398-M.jpg)
I was actually stopped when I took this pic. The sign (reduced speed ahead) had me chuckle because of this... :lol: Anyway, after loosing about 45 mins because of that resurfacing work I pressed on.
Shortly after this pic my speedometer started acting up again (see other thread in the tech section). So I tried to at least keep the reading somewhat accurate since I WAS trying for a SS 2000 after all. But each stop takes about a loss of 1 minute, and those minutes started adding up. The thing would quit quite often and I cannot find any pattern in that (still!!) Gotta loock at that when I get back home...
Made it through Nashville:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76498595-M.jpg).
I even saw another Tiger on the way (forgot which state it was in... :? - 885i Girly in silver (??)). Good deal!! :smt006
It was an incredibly hot day! I had to stop once an hour to guld down an entire 20oz bottle of - you guessed it - GATOR_AID!!!! :smt030
So I wasn't making time at all. Still I took 15 mins to stop at the building where Ronald got half of the idea for his company logo:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76498760-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76498154-M-1.jpg)
After the heat in the plains the downpour in STL was quite a relief!! :lol: I mean that!!! :lol:
My plan was to make it to Omaha, NE that night around 11pm. Well, I was in Kansas City at that time! Tired and in need of sleep. So I stopped the night, promising myself to press on early the next morning.
Weeeeeeeeeeell, I guess you can guess how that turned out... :smt015
7:30 EDT I was on the bike again, heading north...
Early morning sun makes for some nice pics:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76499380-M.jpg)
So now it is Sunday, the weather was nicer and I was making good time. And than came Siuox Falls, where I turned left and went on a 300 mile strip of this (I-90):
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76499759-M.jpg)
and this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76499998-M.jpg)
Only to stop at one of the rest areas along the way to replenish some fluids:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76500313-M.jpg)
I took one of my sons' camel backs with me just filled with ice, put the back in the tankbag with the hose mooning. I guess it looked a bit strange when I was using it to get a ding while I'm riding, because some cagers looked at me as if I was from another world. But then again, it might have been my tiger that caused that... :smt005
What is the most annoying thing along the interstates in most places? Billboards!!! There are not many in this neck of the woods:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76500625-M.jpg)
And, believe it or not, it gives the area a certain appeal... No, really! It's windy as hell, flat as female vegetarian before a boob job (that was my politically incorrect contribution for tonight!! :twisted: ), but yet: there is something. Can't really place it...yet!
And lemme tell ya: wind is destructive:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76501038-M-1.jpg)
To be continueth...
In Rapid City, SD, I finished the first milestone: SS1500 with one hour to spare after being over 2 hours behind the day before! I-90 be thanks!!! 75mph speed limit and - I think - only 2 troopers in 300 miles made it possible!!! :smt025
Everyone wanting to fo a IBA ride of sorts should consider I-90!!!! Little traffic, high speed limit, hardly any cities. And even if they go through built-up areas it's still 65!!! :smt023
After RC the scenery changed. It got more scenic:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76501278-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76501642-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76504816-M.jpg)
Well, it had to get dark, right? That's when things started to happen...
First off, what is with all those deer north of Kansas City? I'm talking about the decomposing ones at the side of the road... Is there nobody in charge of cleaning them up? I saw 'whole' animals, parts (new and used...), all kinds of stuff. You're buzzing along, suddenly smelling something. Crap, another skunk... Wait! That ain't no skunk!!! And then you see the cadaver (or what is left of it) on the side of the road... :smt107 Puzzling...
Then there are the alive counterparts that are all over the place! Think FL armadillos, tripple that number (at least) and you have half of the deer in the grass! Not a good incredient when it is dark and you want to make time. So I would have a car in front of me about 100m and keep steady distance. Kinda like my secret confidential deer plough... :smt068
But deer is not the only thing. Sun gone = temps down!!! So it is dark, I'm freezing and need to stop to put some more layers on. I pull out at some exit. Total darkness. Not a single light!!! I stop, put my foor down, and almost put the bike down because my foot tripped on gravel. :smt091 Well, lucked out!! I put some more layers on, get on the bike again, start it up, wanna get going, don't give enough push on the throttle, the bike stalls, and starts tipping over... :smt092 No way I can catch it this time. And dooooooooooown she goes! Middle of nowhere, no cell phone reception, total darkness, heavy bike! :smt093 Fortunately the Givi side bags create a nice pivot point and you can start lifting the bike past that point where it is extremely heavy. So now it is only very heavy 8-[ and if you are full of anger and adrenalin you can lift the bike. I could... phew!!!
Back on the bike again, no stall this time, and off I zip again @ 90 mph... Smooth as silk!! Stock screen with Laminar Lip! Top notch!!! :smt023
It was freezing ass cold! Kept me awake to reach Livingston, MT, at 1:15 local (Mountain) time. 44 hours after I left! 2014 miles! YEAH!!!!
Off I go into the hotel with no alarm set this time!!!!
To be continueth...
After a good night's rest I got an awesome ultimate omlette at the local mom and pop restaurant and left for Helena, MT. The last 70 miles I had to go on US-287. They were doing construction there. One of the many places that DID NOT show up in M$ Streets and Trips with the most 'up-2-date' construction info. It looked like this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76505597-M.jpg)
Now I don't mind gravel! I just mind gravel on a loaded bike with a rear tire that looks like this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76506206-M-1.jpg)
I made it through fine and without any (major) hassel. And then came the wind! Oh man!!! Did I get blown nicely!!! :shock:
When going straight my left lean angle was more than the bike stiing on the kick stand!!!! Gusty! Mixed with some more rain when I got into town.
But I made it safe and sound and when I got to my hotel a new tire was already waiting for me: :smt023
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76505928-M-1.jpg)
Tomorrow it's off to get it changed and then participate in a local ride (http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=145387).
Should be fun!!!
He needeth to sleepeth now... Too much drool... :smt030 :smt030 :smt030
To be continueth...
:smt038
Awesome! And to think it's part of your job! Insanely jealous...and I'll be even more so once I sit down in my 7x7 cube to work for the day... :roll:
Quote from: "Mudhen"And to think it's part of your job! Insanely jealous...and I'll be even more so once I sit down in my 7x7 cube to work for the day... :roll:
Nova Scotia is coming on the horizon for next year... So I might even pass through your neck of the woods some time... :wink:
Just came back from a nice little dirt ride. Went through a nice canyon and climbed up to almost 8000ft on dirt roads... N-ice!!!!! 8)
But my Forster's Bitter is moving my eyes closed... So the report will have to wait until tomorrow....
Buena notte!!!!
To be continueth... :wink:
Nice report!
Keep checking in.
I had to change my rear tire. Or better: Have it changed... And this was done by Chris from Outdoors Motorsports in Helena. Found them in the phone book and gave them a call. I got there just about lunch time, Chris stopped what he was doing, took my tiger away from me, and got to it. And since he had just ordered pizza he told me to take some so that I wouldn't starve... He changed the tire, cleaned the rim, brake disc, and spokes, lubed the chain... Man did I feel pampered! What a guy!!! Awesome job and customer service! Guess where I'm going next time I need ANYTHING done while in Helena!!
When I first called I talked to Bill (advrider.com handle cheap ryder) who told me about this ride that night and asked if I wanted to come along. Heck yes!!!!
So summer has officially started! What better reason to observe the latest sunset of the year from almost 8000 ft altitude?
We met at Bob's Valley Market on the north side of Helena:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003313-M.jpg)
FLTR advrider handles: MTNBRIDER, Cheap Ryder, and harleytj (who had never in his life had seen a Girly tiger!!!! :shock: He loved it!!!! :wink:
We went through York and headed for Hog Back mountain, where one view was better than the next:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002604-M.jpg)
We stopped where the gravel started
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002679-M.jpg)
and started the ascent:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002753-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002834-M.jpg)
all the way to the top of Hog Back:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002901-M.jpg)
The view is stunning!! The following pics go fromleft to the right. Maybe someone with more time than me right now can stitch them together (just replace the M with an O (not zero!) in the link and you will get the original) to make a panorama:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003007-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003091-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003196-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77002522-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003406-M.jpg)
The four amigos dirty, but happy:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003505-M.jpg)
The last 1/2 mile of the road up was quite a challenge. Not just because the road was washed out a lot (which it was!!!!), but because the sun was right smack in your face and I couldn't see A THING!!!! Black!!! Blind!!!! Arrrgh!!! But I made it without accident. Gravity did not pull that orange down this time... :roll:
One cannot capture the effect the view has on the observer in pix like that:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77003870-M.jpg)
We the returned down to earth, had a very nice burger at O'Malley's (sp?), and parted ways... Thanks again for dinner, Terry!!!! :smt023 :smt023 :smt023
Bill did all that on his early model Gold Wing (4 cyl model - don't know the year). Rides that thing like if he his grown onto it. Respect!!!!!
And I'm off for AYCE crab legs!!!!! Life sucks!!!!! :twisted: 8) :wink:
:smt041 :smt041 :smt041
Well, it's Friday and not much riding has been done. Tomorrow I'm off to Glacier NP. The opened the Going To The Sun Highway this afternoon!! :P :P
In the meantime, some stuff from my sparetime! 8) Time for some local entertainment and: BEER AND FOOD!!! :D
When I got here last Monday I went to have a late lunch at the Brewhouse, the restaurant of one of many microbreweries in the area:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/76506811-M.jpg)
I had the hottest wings so far in my life! Man!!! And not just hot: tasty!!! Dayammn! Along with them a couple of Dark Scottish Ales... Dayammn, dayammn!!! Who needs Miller or Bud anyway! You guys know what these two and sex on the beach have in common? It's all f*cking close to water!! :twisted:
And now for a real lunch! Staggering Ox! A place where the owner has donated some of his duplicate vinyls
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77170655-M.jpg)
and decorated the place in a rather unusual fashion:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77167563-M.jpg)
The bread for sandwiches you can get is made in coffee cans with a hole drilled in the middle of it, which then gets filled with whatever stuff you order. I had a "Slam Saddam with Camel Spit". Delicious!! :)
And now for dinner...
Anyone heard of Maryville, Mt? Old gold mine town go ghost town go ski town... Tugged away neatly in the northeast of Helena it takes a bit of a gravel road drive to get there. I chose to be driven so I could enjoy some drool of a moose
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77167899-M.jpg)
Parking of the Maryville Haus is non-supervised:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77169424-M.jpg)
The place itself:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77169481-M.jpg)
There is an entrance fee for women:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77169542-M.jpg)
8)
Specialty: King Crab!!! Oooooooooooh maaaaaaan was it good! And to wash it all down with some drool from the tab: heaven!
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77168978-M.jpg)
Horseshoe is always enjoyable 8)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77170913-M-1.jpg)
and some more smores round up a nice dinner
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77170994-M.jpg)
But make sure the fire stays in the pit. I have little faith in the local fire brigade: :roll:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77171183-M.jpg)
And now I'm gonna catch some ZZZZZZZZs... I went to the Brewhouse again tonight and had too many Ales... Iiiiii feeeeeal sho shleepie... :)
To be continueth...
So when are you moving to Montana?
Great trip and excellent report.
Quote from: "Patrick the Scot"So when are you moving to Montana?
Not happening... :roll: I could never sell that to my family... The last time I went somewhere (Atlanta, GA) for work from where we lived at the time (Gainesville, FL) we ended up moving there. So my son already asked if we were going to move to Montana now... :lol: But there is more to living somewhere than just a beautiful state. And Montana is beautiful, that much is for certain!!!! Speaking of which: I went to Glacier National Park yesterday and still have to write the report for that!
...after breakfast... :wink:
Cheers,
HG
Quote from: "GatorTiger"The view is stunning!! The following pics go fromleft to the right. Maybe someone with more time than me right now can stitch them together (just replace the M with an O (not zero!) in the link and you will get the original) to make a panorama
I downloaded a trial version of PTgui. Easy as cake!!!! Since it is a trial version it leaves many watermarks in the final panorama. So after cutting them out here is what the view looked like:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77615483-L.jpg)
Along with the feel of the wind and all up there it gives me goosebumps all over again!!! :lol:
Well, it's a bit after breakfast :? but I had to screw with the bike first. Like I mentioned before the speedometer keeps going to zero in mid-speed. I think I have it traked down to an electrical problem (short or something) and went in to see if any of the insulation was rubbed through, but couldn't find anything... :cry: I added some electrical tape to some cables just in case and will see what happens... I will 'play' locally today...
Galcier National Park! Only a 3 hour hop north of Helena! Peace of cake! :smt068 :smt059
Anyway... Glaciers! Ice! Cold! :idea: Liners!!!! So I packed them before I left at 7am. Blue Skies! Big ones!! 8) And a crisp temperature! Luvvelly! Off I go... On half a tank of gas... Enough for about 100 miles at least... But as the needle dropped into the red and with me switching out tanks for the re-paint a few weeks back I was not comfy with that and wanted to gas up. And for some reason stations are few and far between as soon as you leave urban areas. I pulled into Blackfoot and found "Gas and Services" here:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603782-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601590-M.jpg)
The Inn is gas station, hotel, store, and garage all in one! Quaint! :P The pump was so old it couldn't even handle today's gas prices. So they halved the amount per gallon on the pump itself and manually doubled it when you paid. Hi tech! :smt023 I took the chance and put the liner in, since I was a BIT chilled in the summer-setup...
I got into Kalispell at around 11am to check out some outfitter stores for dry duffels, but couldn't find what I was looking for... :( So I stopped at a local diner (non-chain!) to have something to eat. They were still serving breakfast! :D So I had me a nice omelette! Yummy!!! :smt023
Then it was off to the parks west entrance. The scenery up to Kalispell was kinda bland in a way, but aproaching Glacier Park changed that:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601640-M.jpg)
The true GatorTiger stands out quite nicely 8)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601690-M.jpg)
This shot reminds me of home (not Georgia - that other country in Europe - forgot the name right now... :twisted: )
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601762-M.jpg)
There is something about mountains and water at the same time! Spritiual I'd say
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601944-M.jpg)
And despite having a GPS (only a compass - go navy!!! :D ) I knew exactly where I was (unlike Ewan and Charley)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602031-M.jpg)
Getting closer...
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602088-M.jpg)
I have arrived!!!!! Yeeehaa!!!
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602192-M-1.jpg)
Now it came time to buy the ticket. I had already planned on getting the yearly pass. So I got in line. Murphy showed me which one... :? I had the talkative ranger. Not only was she conversational with me when I got there, but also to the ones in front of me... And it was hot!!! Remember: I had the liner in! I was sweating faster than the glaciers were melting!! Man!!! :roll:
So I finally pull out of the gate into the park when this HUMONGOUS moose jumped out of the woods about 30 feet away from me and stared at me. I stopped and grabbed the camera, but before I even had it out of the pocket the moose did a 180 and vanished back in the woods again. Guess it got spooked by too much orange!!! 8)
Since no one is allowed to stop anywhere on the road except for in turn-outs I had to do the ole 'drive-by-shooting' again. :wink: Here are some of the results:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602244-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602315-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602371-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602454-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602529-M.jpg)
The views are absolutely breathtaking!!!! Can't capture them in a single photo!
But damage to the forest is also evident like this one from the last fires:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602631-M.jpg)
Rant on:
Unfortunately acid rain damage is also all over the place. And along with the fact that the glaciers are melting faster than ever before anyone that believes man is NOT responsible or at least contributing enormously in global heating is either ignoRANT or plain ole (--censored--)! Yes it is a natural cycle of the earth, but it's happening faster than EVER before! Strange that it coincides with the industrialization of many nations, isn't it?
Rant off...
Where was I? Oh yes, earth's beauty... 8)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77602688-M.jpg)
One could get sensory overkill here
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603140-M.jpg)
Next to the river you can see the road that I came on
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603444-M.jpg)
to reach this extremely beautiful view:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603505-M.jpg) :smt060
Did I mention recently that I love that bike??? Well, now I did... :)
Not really glaciers, but some of the snow is still there (it was in the 70s when I came through!!) and comes down to the road:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603543-M-1.jpg)
Mountain wildlife:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77603625-M.jpg)
That guy was strolling around as if it was TOTALLY unphased by all the tourists... I talked to a lady that was stopped and she said that a couple of hours earlier they had to stop for a bear in the middle of the street. It was just standing there, waiting for its two cubs to pass the road. Not something I necessarily would like to see being there on the bike! :smt107
Pressing on... Logan Pass:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77601543-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77604109-M.jpg)
People were running around in shorts an T-shirt it was that warm. I took the opp and donned my liners, too... Ahhhh! Air!!!!! 8)
Jackson Glacier (or what's left of it...)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77604248-M.jpg)
On the way out to the east exit
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77604625-M.jpg)
When I came back to the bike after taking this picture I saw a couple of guys standing around a HD doing something... I went over to ask if they need help, tools, or beer... Come to find out the one rider had a fall when the car in front of him suddenly stopped and he slipped on the gravel. His bike didn't suffer (except for very badly scratched crash bars), but his hands did. He had no helmet on and was wearing those open gloves (that only cover the palm and leave out the fingers). Guess what they were doing when I got there? Peeling the gravel out of the fingers were the gloves didn't cover them and taping them up!! I rather sweat because of ATGATT as opposed to search for gravel in my skin spank you very much!!!
Back to the report...
At the east gate you could get on one of these to tour the pass and take pics:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77604705-M.jpg)
Cute! - - - And Now I need red meat... 8)
Out of the park and off on the way back to Helena... Since this is dinosaur country the have some "taxidermed" in some villages
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77604892-M.jpg)
As soon as you get out of the park the plains start again. A difference like night and day... Yet there is always the view of the rockies behind that! What must have the settlers been thinking when they saw that wall after weeks of plains back then?? Wow!
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77605782-M.jpg)
This little guy got spooked by the orange beast also, but I got a bit of him still
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77605717-M.jpg)
There is deer EVERYWHERE here! A-mazing!!
But: there also views EVERYWHERE!!! B-mazing!!! 8) The further south one gets the "hillier" it becomes. I got me some stitching software (PTGui trial - still leaves watermarks so I had to cut the pic a bit) and did some panorama stuff:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77621742-L.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77620240-M.jpg)
I'm still bedating if I should shell out the $80 to get a licence... Of all the programs I tried it works the easiest and has the most possibilities... :-s
Anyway... I got back to the hotel about 12 hours after I left. It was a wonderful, yet draining day... Sunday is now for local discoveries and R&R...
Maybe Bill does another ride this week!!!!! :D
To be continueth...
Nice pictures. Another place I have to get to.
Thanks,
RR
Quote from: "Tri2Fly"Nice pictures. Another place I have to get to.
Lot's of nice riding up here!!!!! More report with more panoramas coming up... :D
Well, before I begin, here are the maps of my previous rides (forgot them earlier)
Wednesday ride with Bill:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77772553-L.jpg)
Yesterday's Glacier Park tour:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77766618-L.jpg)
Now I'm up to date... :wink:
Next to the river you can see the road that I came on
Wha?...
Did I mention recently that I love that bike??? Well, now I did... :)
Ahh...
Well alrighty then. :twisted:
So today I wanted to take it easy. I slept in long and updated my trip report. Then I worked on the bike some to check out that pesky speedo cable... Looks like a new one needs to fitted :cry:
To balance the bad news on that I wanted to check out the Gates to the Mountains area north of town. Here is my total route to follow along:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77772534-L.jpg)
As I turn off the interstate and headed towards the recreational area (#2) under the same name I'm greeted with this as I come over a little hilltop
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77786443-L.jpg)
WOW! :shock:
Further down that hill I come across this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77758451-M.jpg)
Do they look nervous to you or is it just me??? Must be my orange beast and not me, though... :twisted:
Evidently Lewis named this place like that in his journals
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77757962-M.jpg)
One can get on a tour boat and get a guided tour of the whole lake. It has several stops. So if you wanted to can get off on an island (literally!! :roll: ) and take one of the next ones back... Sweet! One of my coworkers took the tour yesterday and said it was awesome!! I wonder if she took that island stop...
But I wanted to explore via two wheels! So back to the interstate, one exit north, off on "Recreational Road" (#3) and paralleling I-15 for a few miles. Mountainhugging!!! G-r-e-a-t!!! :D
Just before I cross over a metal bridge I turn right on a little dirt road toward Holter Dam. It ends up in a little camping area (#5) at the base of the dam. Oh well... Not very exciting...
So back I go, cross the bridge to get to the other side and immediately turn right again. I go over the little hilltop (I feel deja-vu coming on!!) and am greeted with this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77786420-L.jpg)
Note the spot! I will take a pic in the other direction soon! The road stayed paved for a while, but soon turns into gravel and hugs both mountain and lake like this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77760334-M-1.jpg)
:shock:
Guess what side of the road I stayed on... And here is the spot I was talking about:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77757161-M.jpg)
You can see the road going up the hill on the left side of the pic. Where it vanishes over the top is the spot from where I took the last panorama...
And more lake:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77786469-L.jpg)
As I was leaving the lake I look back
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77761570-M.jpg)
and forward
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77761967-M.jpg)
I enter the wild wild management area :wink:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77764241-M.jpg)
A little further down I see a road sign:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77764090-M.jpg)
The road seems to be getting rougher... And again the hilltop does it to me:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77786522-L.jpg)
But this time it pulls something else on me, this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77763849-M.jpg)
It doesn't look that steep at first, but got progressively so... A car comes the opposite way with a couple inside. I guess they just got done enjoying the seclusion... :smt057 They looked at me as if I was crazy! Maybe I was! The road got steeper and I was by myself. And to top it off I had left my cellphone at home! Sono stupido!! So I find a somewhat level spot and turn around (#7). When I see this I feel relieved:
[img]http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/77764372-M.jpg[img]
On the way home I pass through a flock of those damn bugs. Don't know what they're called, but it sounded like a drumroll when they hit me. At least 10 or so hit my face shield... :roll: What a mess!!! But other than that I made it back to Helena without trouble. And yes, I have to admit that I washed the cat when I came back. Don't want to have bugsh*t ruin my paint job!! :wink:
This trip ain't over yet! Let's see what will pop up this week...
To be continueth...
Quote from: "wonko the sane"Well alrighty then. :twisted:
Some people have a sick mind!!!! :boozer
I like you already!!!! :smt023
My brother recently moved to Kalispell. I guess the little fella deserves a visit. 8)
This report keeps getting better and better.
Great job!
Quote from: "wonko the sane"This report keeps getting better and better.
Great job!
diito :!: :!: :!:
Fantastic report. I will attempt to track my progress half as well on my upcoming Colorado trip. Too bad it won't be semi-live like this as it's a camp only but for a few spots. Most will have to wait til the return.
What a journey. Keep it comin'!
Well, I just got home today... Good to be back! Had 3 days of veeeeeery hot riding!!! Temp hot!!! Well in the 100s on Friday and Saturday. 90s today... I think I downed 3 gallons of Gatorade and water each day... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/ernaehrung/food-smiley-012.gif)
Currently I'm working on some panorama pics. And since my wife also wants to have a piece of me (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/liebe/love-smiley-085.gif) I won't get much reporting done any more. But stand by! More to come... 8)
To be continueth...
Well, all things have an end, only sausages have two... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/musik/music-smiley-018.gif)
So this trip has to come to and end... After all work related activities this week it was time for me to go home. Work was done early on Thursday, so I decided to leave early and get some miles in before I did the scenic part of the return trip.
I was told that I-15 south going to Butt-e (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/lachen/laughing-smiley-001.gif) was pretty pretty so I decided to go down that route (cough)... After a short while the weather ahead looked like this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806388-M.jpg)
So I decided to take a left on MT-69 (what is going on with all those innuendos here?? Dang!!) and tried to outrun it. I only got a few RAIN-drops on me and started heading east on I-90. The weather was following me:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806081-M.jpg)
Here is a better shot of what the big skies wanted to drop on me:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806131-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806171-M.jpg)
But I made it and stayed ahead... Rain would have given me some coolness, though. It was hot (90s)... I rode until I was tired and stayed in Gillette, WY for the night. The scenic part was coming up on Friday.
To be continueth...
I tried something else now: click on any panorama pic to see the bigger version... I don't want to bust the display on the board...
I got up early and packed everything back on the bike. Made a mess in the parking lot servicing my chain. Oh well... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/teufel/devil-smiley-023.gif)
Anyway, Devil's Tower was the first item on my agenda. While most of I-90 and the area going towards it is fairly flat the closer you get to the tower, the more the hills start waving at you. It's beautifuly riding there. And once you pass that little peak coming north on 24 you see this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79120946-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79120946-O.jpg)
Close-up:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806459-M.jpg)
But not just the tower, the area around it is very beautiful:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79120976-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79120976-O.jpg)
With 4th of July weekend coming up there are many festivities planned. Hence the presence of all the chrome. This is V-Twin territory. Lots of curves, but not steep. Don't want to scratch your chrome pegs on the ground, now would you??? (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/sport/sport-smiley-12.gif)
(Playing with smilies is fun... But back to the report...)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806802-M.jpg)
I didn't want to pay the fee to get in, so I just took the pics and left. I was on a schedule, after all and had half the continental US to cover over the next couple of days...
Next up, the location of one of my favorite movies:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807552-M.jpg)
To be continueth...
Mo'nin' y'all! Rise and shine!!! (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/grinser/grinning-smiley-030.gif)
On with the trip...
"North by Northwest" is of course the movie I was talking about; and it was filmed here:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806878-M.jpg)
It's amazing what perspective can do to perception. The monument, being quite big, looks rather smallish from the parking lot:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807098-M.jpg)
Since they wanted $8 bucks (cash or check only) and I only had plastic with me at the time I passed on the parking, stopped in the no stopping zone, and zoomed the pics:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807037-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78806933-M.jpg)
Going on you come around a corner you get to a free parking ramp. (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/traurig/sad-smiley-024.gif)
You can only see George from here, but it is no less beautiful scenery:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807162-M-1.jpg)
The area overall is very pretty. I wished I could spend some more time here.
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807367-M.jpg)
Unfortunately there are too many things that need to be done and too little playtime all the time, aren't there?
The black hills have a very appropriate name. The rock seems darker than further west and the trees r-e-a-l-l-l-y darken up the area! Also, the rock that is coming out of the ground seems more round and polished than further west. There the rock is more reddish and seems to have 'broken-off' edges. It's hard to explain. I guess further west has more of a Bonanza feel to it, this area more of a North-by-Northwest feel... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/cool/cool-smiley-019.gif)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807513-M.jpg)
It's amazing what they can carve out of rock these days...
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807589-M.jpg)
Up next: time to be bad!!!!
To be continueth...
Aaaalrighdy then... Family is off on their own road trip to Indiana to visit friends, and I finally have time to finish off the report...
Coming from Mt. Rushmore I didn't even get back on the interstate, but stayed on SD-44 going east. Pretty empty and about the same speed limit as the interstate. My plan was to enter the Badlands NP down below (dang, here we go again... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/grinser/grinning-smiley-026.gif))
After a while on 44 the scenery indeed started to change
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807630-M.jpg)
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807678-M.jpg)
and slowly turned into this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807723-M.jpg)
Imagine a bag of concrete sliced open, placed upside down on the ground, and let soak up humidity and dry right there. That's what the land started to look like. Desolate as well. And hot!! Man...
All of a sudden I passed by the sign for the road I had planned on taking. It took off to the left, secured by a barbed wire gate, and seemingly ending in a field... Gee, let me think: fully loaded bike (full tank, however), hot, little water, gravel (best case)... Naaa... I pass this time! I later found out that the gravel only lasted for about 3 miles before merging with a paved road. Oh well...
Then another sign: Entering Badlands NP! Crap! Missed it! Didn't want to turn around either... Three miles later this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78807797-M.jpg).
And I thought that it was bigger than that! Slight disappointment! And I bought an annual pass to cover all the NP fees... Sigh... Pressing on...
Even with it being very bare (and did I mention hot?) it does have a certain appeal:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121031-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121031-O.jpg)
There are even some old railroad track foundations (tracks are long gone):
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78808205-M.jpg)
And yes: there is water!!!!
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78808344-M.jpg)
I think this might be the only watering whole in the whole of the area...
As I continue the scenery is starting to become nicer:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78808383-M.jpg)
Maybe this is going to be good after all, I thought. Not before long this is the view:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121157-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121157-O.jpg)
And sure enough, after another mile I was standing in front of the fee booth!!! Good thing I got the annual pass!! (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/grinser/grinning-smiley-003.gif)
I stopped right after the gate at Cedar Pass Lodge and took a look around:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121077-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121077-O.jpg)
Studying the map I got at the gate I found out that the gravel road was only a couple of miles long and that it merged with pavement after a while. I also found that I rode the route that I originally wanted to avoid, since I deemed it less scenic... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/traurig/sad-smiley-026.gif) Oh well...
So now continuing on the originally planned route I was presented views like this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121188-O.jpg)
and this:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/78809501-M.jpg)
After a couple of mile I get to the other gate at the north and of the park and took a last look around:
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121292-L.jpg) (http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121292-O.jpg)
Nice!!! And now I had another 1500 miles of superslab ahead of me... Nice!!! (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/traurig/sad-smiley-066.gif)
I got to Sioux Falls and wanted to grab me a room. Nuttin'! All full!! What??? Since it was kinda early still I pressed on, skipping the nice sit down dinner at Chili's I was aiming for with a Bic Mac later (which I guess was a good thing: after riding in 100-deg weather all day I was not in the best of smell-conditions to actually sit in a public eatery... (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/ernaehrung/food-smiley-002.gif) )
I stopped in Sioux City and got the last room (!!) at the Hampton. Suite with whirl pool! Since it was the very last room the nice lady behind the counter gave it to me for 20% off. On second thought: Maybe she was thinking I needed a good soaking the way I smelled...
Here is what I got (sorry for the watermark - couldn't avoid it this time):
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79121389-M.jpg)
That theme would repeat itself the next night. I made it to Paducah, TN, wanting to get a room. Again: nothing! (Note: I never book in advance since I necer know how far I get...) For next 150 miles EVERYTHING was full!!!!!! WTF? With the 4th of July weekend, this being a MAYOR recreational area (lakes and all) and several MC rallies (chrome...) hotels were booked solid. I finally found a room at a Days Inn just before Nashville. When I opened the room the TV started blasting at full throttle. I turned it off, only to find it would turn itself on again after 10 seconds... Is everything crooked today? Pulled the plug and silence... Aaaahhhh!!! The place was kinda dumpy (maybe I was spoiled by too many Hamptons...) But a bed and shower was all I needed, anyway... Had a good night's sleep nonetheless!!
And to end on a saucy note (http://www.clicksmilies.com/s0105/ernaehrung/food-smiley-020.gif) :
(http://gatortiger.smugmug.com/photos/79103430-M.jpg)
(As seen in Iowa...)
Here endeth the trip...
Cool blog. I must confess to just looking at the pictures but will settle in and read the words when I have more time, like when I've gone back to work :D
Quote from: "wasions"My brother recently moved to Kalispell. I guess the little fella deserves a visit. 8)
No Duh! This is his brother- I live thirty minutes from Glacier Park. Eat your heart out guys! ItÌs has beautiful as stated and then more. Ya, I only have to drive for a few minutes to get there. Yup, IÌm close. Sure Înuff, Glacier is my back yard. Yup. Yes sir Bob. IÌm there- where there is. ThatÌs me. Okay, Înuff bragging.:lol:
IÌm sure my brother may realize, if he ever gets here, that Southern Illinois is has beautiful as Northwestern Montana. NOT! Or as beautiful as from where I moved from in Iowa. NOT!
You know the Iowa state song that takes you down I80. ÏCorn, corn, corn, corn, corn, Des Moines, corn, corn, corn, corn, Nebraska.Ó Then in Nebraska you can pretty much repeat the Iowa song and add feed lots to it.
We drove the Glacier ÏSun roadÓ a few weeks ago and it was very beautiful. A little snow is still there plus a the most beautiful views in the world. I lived ten years in Alaska and this area is much more beautiful- and much closer. Though IÌd love to ride to Anchorage from here. :lol:
Oh, is it Whitefish? One fish, two fish, whitefish, kalispell. See? No big difference. And you'd have to give me two Glacier Parks for a Crawfish Crik.
(I hadda go and tell Tony where I spend my downtime. :roll: )
What a great looking adventure, and some of those panoramics...(I may have to try that PTGui myself).
I'm sure you made a ton of people jealous...=)
Quote from: "Great Escape Tours"What a great looking adventure, and some of those panoramics...(I may have to try that PTGui myself).
Thanks!! 8) PTGui is a great program. Easy as cake and great results.
Quote from: "Great Escape Tours"I'm sure you made a ton of people jealous...=)
More on the way... 8)