Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 14

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 14 -- Riding Home

Got a 6am start for the last leg of my journey.  Realized soon that I would pass time zones and loose and hour.  Pulled on the throttle and stopped no more often than needed.  Anxious to get home and see my family whom I love and miss very much.

These are the faces I longed to see.  After 568 long miles (a new one day best for me) I got home at 6pm.  The most scenic road I was on all day was 171 north of Carl Junction.   I was quite hot, dirty, sweaty, and very tired.  Family was not too sure they wanted to hug me, except the dog loved the way I smelled!

I passed out souveniers, drank a bunch of fluid, and headed to the shower.  So goot to be home.

Tally for the trip:

10 states

14 days

4609 miles

Saw amazing things and collected lots of memories and lost a pound despite eating good. I miss the cool weather of the mountains. I have no plans for long trips any time soon, just want to stay home a while.

You should see the mountain of mail waiting for me. Yuck!  And the bills for the trip will come, so will see me working at Wal-Mart to pay them.

 

 

 

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 13

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 13 -- Colorado

It was a very pleasant 62 degrees when I left Montrose at 630am headed south on highway 550, also known as the Million Dollar Highway.

I was headed up into the mountains again when I stopped for coffee and this pic in Ridgway.
The next town was Ouray, a very quaint town at the bottom of the pass to Silverton.  The main street was blocked while they were taking a town picture--must have been 200 people in the road.

This first pass of the day was the most trechorous with narrow roads and no rails.  Glad I was fresh and rested.  I've decided I am a better operator when I am fresh.

Saw quite a few of these signs.
Despite wearing my warmest gloves, my fingers were getting numb by the time I got to the 11,000 foot top of the pass.  Then down to Silverton, a town at 9300 feet, where I sought warmth and coffee at a local store.  Then up again to Molar Pass, 10,900 feet.

Saw this old, abandoned mine on my way up the pass.  Then down to Durango where I turned east on highway 160.  I'd been anxious to start heading east towards home.

Stopped in Pagosa Springs for lunch, this is the view from my picnic table.  From there I headed up to cross Wolf Creek Pass, 10,850 feet.  This was a very fun pass to ride, it included several tunnels and very good roads complete with passing lanes.  I road with all my leather on until 130 when it finally warmed up.  When I got to Alamosa at 2pm, my original stopping destination for the day, I decided to press on towards home, hoping that I can ride 3 days worth of miles in 2 days and get home sooner.  So, it was up for my 4th pass of the day, North La Veta Pass, only 9413 feet.

I took this last picture of mountains as I started across the hot, dry, & barren part of Colorado.
I worked hard today, riding 417 miles, 4 passes, and some very hot stretches at the last, landing in La Junta, CO for the night, tired and achy and in need of a shower.  Tomorrow, 545 miles to get home across the most boring land there is.  I'll get an early start and be so anxious to see my wife and family.  



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 12

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 12 -- Colorado

Was a warm 82 degrees in Moab when I headed out at 645, hitting McDonalds on my way out.

Rode through the canyon behind Arches NP called Upper Colordado River Scenic Byway on my way up to I-70.  Saw maybe one other person in 40 minutes.  Battled rising sun in my eyes, though.

I thought this mountain was interesting as I viewed it from a truck stop parking lot on I-70.
Was in Colorado soon, and headed south on 65 after passing Grand Junction which took me onto thge Grand Mesa Scenic Byway.  It was hot at the start, but had my jacket on pretty soon as the elevation increased to just shy of 11,000 feet.

The scenery was typical of what I like about Colorado mountains--pine trees, aspens, lakes, and granite mountains.  Makes you want to take your time riding through there.

I descended the Mesa and stopped for gas and to take my jacket off when I saw this deer by the convenience store I was at. Saw deer several times today.

The next leg of today's journey was the Black Canyoun/Gunnison Gourge.  Another curvy, twisty climb up, enjoyed some great views, then curvy, twisty ride down.  I like the cool temps up there.

Rolled into Montrose about 330.  I am really physically tired and achy, the 339 miles I rode today were hard ones.  I'll get as much rest as I can and then go at it again tomorrow. I think I have a couple more passes ahead of me.  Colorado is beautiful to ride in.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 11

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 11 -- Utah (Riding in the Desert)

Up at 445 so as to get started earlier for two days worth of riding jamed into one, will edit out the side excurtions to Salt Lake City and Antelope Island.  Maybe I can still see Arches NP depending on time.

This is the barren landscape I rode through this morning.  Was a cool 53 degrees.  Endured a short rain shower.  I stopped in a small town place for coffee--I was the only guy not wearing a cowboy hat and spurs.  I looked quite out of place in my biker garb.

I saw this lake complete with motor boats and water skiers as I rolled into Provo at about noon.  I was right on schedule.  Ate tacos for lunch, then the day changed dramatically.

From noon on it got so hot and I was riding through the desert the whole time.  It was just dry, hot, desolate, and consuming.  When I saw a place to stop, I stopped, and drank gatorade and kept tank topped off.  It was 98 degrees!  I don't know when I'd been so hot!

When I got to Arches NP I had gone 450 miles and I decided I was too hot to go in and endure any more heat, instead opting to go 5 more miles to the campground where an air conditioned cabin and a swimming pool were awaiting me.  The pool felt so good!  Then a light dinner and ice cream, clean the bike, take a shower, and prepare for tomorrow.  Sure is nice to have the bike running good again and to be back on schedule.  Colorado tomorrow!

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 10

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 10 -- Day of Waiting

Today I waited for the stator to come from Idaho Falls, we knew it wouldn't be till afternoon.
So I waited at the Motel 6--I prayed, read my Bible, watched all the other bikers leave for the day.

This is the view in front of my motel room.
I checked out at noon and walked down to the cycle shop, no part yet.

This is the bad stator that Jamie took out, you can see the burned portions.So, another lunch at the Loaf & Jug, then waited and waited and waited.
Finally the part came at 4pm, installed and working good by 5pm.

An easy 54 mile trip through the Snake River canyon and I was soon in Thayne where I had been scheduled to stay last night.  Tomorrow I will need to do two days worth of miles in order to get back on schedule. Fortunately, the place I'm staying serves coffee and breakfast at 530am, so I can get going early. I'll probably cut out Antelope Island at Salk Lake City and Arches National Park.  I'll have reasons to come back some day.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 9

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 9 -- Grand Tetons

Took this picture of Grand Tetons yesterday.

Today I had to wait till 9am to start calling shops that might work on my idle motorcycle.  Prayed that God would open the right door for the right shop.  Remember, local Harley shop just sells clothes, but I'm not buyin any! 
The second call I make tells me they have a certified Harley tech and can come get my bike in 15 min and start work--Yea!  They tell me its just a bad battery, put in a new one, and I'm headed north to Grand Teton National Park by 1030.

After 10 miles, I pulled over, put on sun screen, and took the pic above and below.

Then, just 3 more miles later, and the trouble lights come back on.  Turn around and ride back to Jackson Hole Saw and Cycle.  The tech starts taking the motor apart, I browse the snow blowers, snowmobiles, saws, and motorcycles--these guys work year round.  I walk across the street and eat another meal at the Loaf & Jug convenience store.  Then the bad news, the stador is bad and there isn't one in town.  Will come from Idaho via UPS by tomorrow afternoon if we're lucky, and will be a mear $350 plus labor.
I take what I can carry and walk up the road to the Motel 6, cheapest place I can find in walking distance.  The room has vinyl floors and smells aweful.  A one block walk to K-Mart for air freshner, and I'm in business with WIFI & TV and a lot of time to kill.  I can eat Subway for supper.  I can also take some time for prayer and Bible reading.  I think God has me here for a reason(s)--perhaps protecting me from something down the road, perhaps wanting to speak something to me from His Word.  Can't we all agree that time is getting shorter all the time, and we can all have a closer relationship with Jesus.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 8

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 8 -- Yellowstone

I slept good in the tent.  It was a cold 43 degrees at 5am when I got up and broke camp.  Takes a while to get loaded when the camping gear is involved, didn't leave unti 630.  But I did wake everyone else up when I left!  A quick 2 miles south to town where McDonalds was calling my name!  After breakfast and coffee, 2 miles east and I was in Yellowstone, a 276 mile day ahead of me.

It was foggy as I made my way through the park keeping an eye out for wildlife on the roads.

Experienced a traffic delay due to a whole heard of bison walking down the road.  Makes you just a little nervous when they pass you and you aren't inside a car.

The fog burned off revealing sights like this one in the northern section of the park.  There were a lot of other visitors in the park, but lucky for the motorcyclists, we don't have to stop so often to get out and see something, we can allready see it from our bikes. I don't like crowds.

This is me having a mountain-top experience.  I'll tell you later about my experience in the valley.

Saw a lot of bubbling, hot springs, smelling of sulfer and leaving mineral deposits behind.

And bubbling, hot mud pits.

I went to Old Faithful, but you wouldn't believe the cars and people there.  I stayed about 5 minutes and left.  Below is a picture of another geyser.

Next, I headed south towards the Tetons and the town of Jackson.  Had a nice trail lunch of jerky, corn nuts, and cherry licorice.  My trip, my choice.

My check engine light and battery light came on, and I took a wrong turn driving 15 miles through a construction zone before realizing I needed to turn around and go back through it.  It was all dirt road with either dust, or mud if the water truck had gone by recently.  Fun!

I got into Jackson and my motorcycle quite running.  But wait, I'm right across the street from Jackson Hole Harley Davidson.  Then I find out they just sell clothes.  I'm hot, tired, dirty, and stuck on the side of a busy road with no clue what to do.  This is my valley experience.  I man offers me a jump start, the bike runs, then dies again in 5 minutes. It takes about 15 min to unload and reload the gear so you can get to the battery under the seat. So, I push it to the closest motel, pay a gouged price for a room, and think about what to do all night.  Got my laundry done though.  Tune in for Day 9 to see what happens next.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 7

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 7 -- Idaho

Awoke to a partly cloudy sky and 54 degrees.  Packed bike before breakfast was served at 7am, enjoyed a nice, home-cooked breakfast and got going at 730 for a long 297 mile day.

The road south was straight and desolate, desert type land on each side and mountains in the distance.
Went south as far as Mud Lake, then east to Rexburg, then north towards West Yellowstone.  It seemed that God was blessing me with good weather--I could see storms in the distance all around me and always a bright spot in the sky the direction I was headed.  I was blessed by the sense of His presence.  Also, I went a little slower and relaxed more.

This is the Buffalo River, one of the first of many scenic places I saw.
There were tall pine forests and the scent of pine in the air that I enjoy so much.

These are some of the storms that I was dodging, was quite fun actually.  Felt like me and God against the rain, and God's team was winning!

This a scene typical of the riding environment I was enjoying as I approached Hegben Lake and Basin, where I chose from several camping areas.  I picked "Baker's Hole" because I know someone with that name and the sun was shining in that direction.

Pitched my tent and made camp.  The "man" came by and gave me the bear lecture, said a grizzly had come right down the road we were standing on earlier in the week.  Then it started to rain, so I layed in the tent till it quit.  After that I had a nice, peaceful evening, built a campfire, and admired all the pine trees around.  No regrets camping, especially where it is cooler.  No showers here, though.

At sundown, I stowed all my food in the bear box, and went to bed, praying for God's faithful protection over me.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 6

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 6 -- Montana

Woke-up to 59 degree morning after a good nights sleep in the cabin.  Headed north at 615, trying to beat the showers I saw heading our way, and I did.  After an hour, I got on I-90 and headed west.  It was a little chilly, and had a very brief shower, not even worth stopping for rain gear.

I-90 ran in a broad valley with the Yellowstone River and a train track keeping company and mountains on either side.  This is one of the trains.  It was fun to come up on them and pass them.

I crossed the continental divide and reached Butte, Montana--another mining town.  Then headed south on I-15, crossed the divide agian. 

This is in a rest stop along I-15.

Soon, I turned west on 43 and rode through another valley alongside another river.  Lovin it!

I pulled over and put on the rain gear because the skies ahead weren't looking friendly.
I rode through a thunderstorm, then reached the town of Wisdom, then another thunderstorm, then got to Idaho 93, turned south, and rode through another thundersorm!  Each storm lasted for 15-20 minutes, then took 30 minutes to dry off, then repeat.  Harley rain gear kept me dry.  Bike was pretty dirty by the time I reached Salmon, Idaho after an exhausting 404 mile ride.

I'm staying at the Syringa Lodge, very nice place overlooking Salmon.

This is the view from the deck off my room.  Tomorrow night will be quite the contrast, I'm afraid, as I'm planning to camp again, this time in West Yellowstone where the low is forcast at 45 degrees with 50% chance of rain.  There might not be a blog tomorrow.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 5

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 5 -- Yellowstone, Beartooth

Left Greybull about 615 this morning, skipped the 7am breakfast at the hotel in favor of getting down the road, what with a 50% chance of scattered thunderstorms this afternoon.  The AC and the bed were wonderful last night. Passed a plane graveyard just as I left town, had military, commercial, and private.  Headed toward Cody, a flat and straight run across what is referred to as a basin between mountains.  I may have seen ten other vehicles in 50 minutes of riding.  After Cody I was headed to Yellowstone via a big canyon following the Shoshone River, was so beautiful.  Got really cold as the elevation increased.  Had to pull over and put on long sleeves, skull cap, winter gloves, and leather jacket.  Chaps were the only piece that stayed in the saddle bags.

One of the first sights I saw in the park was this grizzly bear.  It walked right across the road!

There was quite a bit of traffic to deal with--motorcycles, mini-vans, suvs, and giant motorhomes.

Saw more bison than I can count.  Sometimes they walk right down the middle of the road.

The lake at Yellowstone was huge!  I think it is an ancient volcano, but don't  quote me.

Yellowstone has to be the best example I've seen to date of God's amazing creation.  And if mountains, lakes, and towering pines weren't enough, then He added a  garnish of assorted, delicate wildflowers.  Just amazing and awe inspiring!

This is a bubbling mud pit.  There were lots of vents.  They smelled of sulfur.

As I was leaving Yellowstone and getting ready to ride the Beartooth Highway, the clouds looked like eminent rain.  I put on the rain gear, it was cold enough that it wasn't uncomfortable, and headed out and up.  About half way up it started raining, not hard, but felt really cold against my exposed face.  Hey, I signed on for adventure, and I'm getting it, and its great!

This is an example view from up high on Beartooth.  By the time I got to the nearly 11,000 feet top, I was given a respite from the rain.

This is me at the top, with real snow, and sucking air.  Can barely remember the 102 degree heat from yesterday.  It was a very nice ride down to Red Lodge, Montana, where I'm staying in a KOA cabin.  Good thing, there is still a chance of more rain.  Was a beautiful and tiring 275 mile day.

Red Lodge in a picturesque town full of frontier charm, places to eat and shop.



Man, Motorcycle, Mountains Day 4

Man, Motorcycle, Mountains

Day 4 -- Wyoming

How pleasant it was to wake-up this morning to cool, 60 degree weather.  Took a little while to break camp and get the bike loaded, then on the highway headed west to Wyoming by 615am.  I was traveling on I 90, and as I was heading up a big stretch going about 80, I realized that my throttle was as wide open as it would go--a first for me.  Guess I'm ready for an upgrade to the Harley 103!

My first stop in Wyoming was Devil's Tower.  I was at about 5000 feet elevation by then, nice and cool!  I didn't go any closer than this as they were putting oil on the road that went close, and my bike is diry enough without oil, too.

Continued west through Wyoming, passed the town of Gillette, famous not for razers, but for giant coal mines.  Also started seeing some oil rigs.  Warmed-up fast, took my jacket off at 9am.  The landscape changed, hardly any trees and lots of sage.  The horizons were so big and wide, you could see so far, maybe 30 miles!  Soon I could see the snow-capped mountains as I got nearer to Buffalo, WY.  I saw a couple of deer frolicking around in amongst a herd of cattle, a little unusual.

This was the scene as I approached the Big Horn National Forest, where I would climb to an elevation of 8300 feet as I crossed over the Rocky Mountains.  I was really chilly up there, a welcome change!

This is a herd of sheep that I passed.  I also saw some elk.  It was so peaceful, so serene.  I stopped and walked in the countryside a bit, such a different variety of vegitation on the forest floor, and no poison ivy anywhere.

I left the mountains and the cool air as I descended down to the town of Greybull for the night.  It was 102 degrees!  The contrast was just killer!

I'm staying in Hotel Greybull, over 100 years old, and the only nice place in town.  The room features antiques, tall ceilings, and squeaky wood floors.  I love it!  And the ac works great!  I went out and got some ribs to eat in the room.   Was a very nice 344 miles today.  Tomorrow I head to Yellowstone and then up to Montana.