Trip West to National Parks and Big Horns with brother Paul....

RIDE TO THE NATIONAL PARKS OF THE ROCKIES
JULY 12 - JULY 28.... With Paul ...
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Day 1 - Saturday - 7.12.14.  Paul and I ride West to South Dakota ..
Str Cty  :  Home -Madison Str Mls   :  18483
End Cty  :  Watertown, SD End Mls   :  18961
Dly Mls  :  484 Miles Tot Mls   :  484 Miles
Time      :  7.25 Hours Notes      :  nose/ rain/ lunch Donahes

Start 19483 odd miles. Up early as could not get back to sleep and left at 7 on Hwy 14 to Brookings SD. Got to LaCrosse at 10. Rain from 10 miles east of Rochester to Owatanna and lunch time. Stopped in Owatonna to have lunch with Sally and Jeff Donahe. No rain thereafter and warmer. The crops are at half stage and the countryside looks a healthy green everywhere across WI and MN. At least 3000 mills in a wind farm at the MN-SD border. 484 miles today, ending the last 50 miles at 75 mph. BBQ place.

Day 2 - Sunday - 7.13.14.   On to Beebe, SD, ND & into MT
Str Cty   :  Watertown, SD Str Mls   :  18961
End Cty   :  Miles City, MT End Mls   :  19456.0
Dly Mls   : 494 Miles Tot Mls   :  999 Miles
Time       : 8.25 Hours Notes      :  headwinds

494 miles and 999 total so far. Watertown, to Webster, to Mina Lake, Ipswich, Beebe, Roscoe, Mobridge and thru ND to MT, Miles City. After Webster a strong head wind started and abused us all day to the point of not being able to maintain good speed and had to cover my face with a  handkerchief (to fight wind and sun burn). There were thousands of lakes in east SD and all had pelicans on them and there was an enormous bird population. We stopped for a tour of the cottage at Mina lake and Ipswich before going to the Roscoe cemetery to visit g and g - and we figured that based on grandma working in the bank and Elfords moving there before Roscoe was a city, they should have known everyone in the cemetery. Went to the house and Mary Roth (who bought it in '78) gave us a tour and it is in good shape. Had coke at the cafe. No sunflowers after the disease harmed the crop. From Aberdeen to Mobridge, 100 miles, there are 8 new huge grain elevators with their own tracks and 2 ethanol plants. At Oahe lake and Mobridge we transitioned from grain to grassland and from flat to rolling. We climbed to about 3000' as we followed Hwy 12. Later in the west and ND more crops were grown in irregularly shaped fields.The mustard weed was in full bloom and the pastures and hillsides were a mass of yellow. All thru these states the farmers bale the ditches and have huge fields of bales already done. Just before leaving ND we encountered the Bakkan oil southern tail and saw many wells, sometimes with multiple pumps. They get oil from several different directions and put it all in one collection pipeline. We passed the staging area for the Keystone XL pipeline; probably 20 miles worth of pipe where stockpiled there. At the junction of ND-MT there is a badlands about 80 miles south of Roosevelt badlands NP in ND. Arrived in Miles City after 494 miles at 5:30. Ate at the BBQ and Chop house.

Day 3 - Monday - 7.14.14.   XX  Montana to foot of Glacier NP ...
Str Cty  :  Miles City, MT Str Mls   :  19456.0
End Cty  :  Great Falls End Mls   :  19776
Dly Mls  :  323 Miles Tot Mls   :  1300 Miles
Time      :  5.25 Hours Notes      :  up at 3am

Awake at 3am worrying about the schedule and exhaustion so I got up at 5 and began to reorganize-schedule by phone. Gained a short day today and next 3 days so our longest rides are less than 350 miles - 14 Great Falls, 15 Browning, 16 Helena or West Yellowstone, 17 Cody..... Feel relieved but sleepy tired. Went thru rolling grassland about 4k' for cattle, hay and wheat on huge acreage with Big Skys. Ride was 323 miles with many stops to wake up and total 1300. Resting all afternoon at HIX in Great Falls. Will ride the Glacier NP roads tomorrow. Mexican dinner.







Day 4 - Tuesday - 7.15.14.    To Glacier NP and back to Browning, MT
Str Cty  :  Great Falls Str Mls   :  19776
End Cty  :  Browning MT End Mls   :  20033
Dly Mls  :  253 Miles Tot Mls   :  1555 Miles
Time      :  6 Hours

150 miles to St. Mary's entrance to Glacier NP. Rain
for 25 miles on the way across the high grasslands. The eastern side (Going to the Sun Road) had more than 9 miles of construction mud with three stops for one ways, leading to some frustration. On the way out I thot I saw a black bear but it turned out to be a cow. On the way in we actually saw a Moose Munching in a Meadow...that stopped traffic when I pointed it out to others. Rode over 6k' from Browning (4k') to get to the park and park's Continental Divide Logan Pass is only 6800', (crossings 11 & 12 this year) but getting there is dramatic as one passes St Mary lake and watched the waterfalls wash our bike wheels. On the west side the drop-rise was about the same but more open so one could see the road cut into the walls of the mountain to the top of the pass. 253 miles and 1555 overall. Back at Browning at the HIX on the Blackfeet Reservation.  Poor dining at the Casino.

Day 5 - Wednesday 7.16.14     Onto the next Park...YELLOWSTONE
Str Cty  :  Brovning, MT Str Mls   :  20033
End Cty  :  West Yellowstone, MT End Mls   :  20383
Dly Mls  :  356 Miles Tot Mls  :  1900 Miles
Time      :  5.25 Hours

Little sleep but got reservation for here and Buffalo. Left at 8:30 on Hwy 287 south thru huge rolling grass land on the reservations. We saw a Bald Eagle sitting on a fence post.-.most likely hunting. When we hit I15 the terrain changed to small pine-forested mountains. After Helena the terrain changed back to grass lands. We observed (over special pastry of Montana wheat) the source of the Missouri River at Three Forks where the Gallatin, Jefferson, and Madison rivers converge to start the Missouri. The Madison River comes out of Yellowstone on the west. The Yellowstone River comes out the east and meets the Missouri near Williston, ND. Both rivers are in the Atlantic drainage area, but the southwest park is in the Pacific drainage. Rode at 4k' most of the trip and rose to 6800' at WY. Arrived at HI to convert our 319$ room to points (of my 116000) with permission by the manager. Went to Madison Crossing for ribeye-2 moose drool beer dinner and got Paul a planning map. 356 miles and 1900 total to the HI on points in WY.

Day 6 - Thursday - 7.17.14  Two more continental divide crossings (13 & 14).
Str Cty  :  West Yellowstone, MT Str Mls   :  20383
End Cty  :  Cody, WY End Mls   :  20600
Dly Mls  :  214 Miles Tot Mls   :  2100 Miles
Time      :  9 Hours Notes      :  yellowstone/CJH

Into Yellowstone National Park at 8 for ride to Old Faithful (10:19 -/+ 10 minutes). Bought stickers and ordered things. Surprisingly, we saw no animals til later when we viewed an elk, lots of buffalo at higher elevation, a sow with a cub, and people. After OF's eruption we crossed the CD twice at 6800 feet at the highest. However, we went over 8300 feet at one other pass. Decided to take the long route out the NE entrance and down Chief Joseph Highway. On CJH we rose 2100 from 6k' up to 8100' on the Pass and down 3100' to 5k' and up 15 degrees from 71 to 92 in Cody. Then sprinkles started while we were taking a swim. At the HI for the nite and ate at the hotel cuz of rain. TOUCH THE GEYSER PIC...  HI at 221... Ate there.

Day 7 - Friday - 7.18.14 -   CJH/Beartooth Pass/Red Lodge/14a.
Str Cty  :  Cody, WY Str Mls   :  20600
End Cty  :  Buffalo, WY End Mls   :  20923
Dly Mls  :  323 Miles Tot Mls   :  2450 Miles
Time      :  6 Hours Notes      :  91 deg

Left Cody under 4k' and rode Chief Joseph Highway to 8100'. We turned onto Hwy 212 for the Beartooth Highway and went over 10947' with many other people (rally of crazies in Red Lodge). Above 8k' it was spring and all the miniature flowers were in full bloom, making a carpet of purple, yellow and white in the high meadows. We stopped at a junk store and bought stickers. Stopped in Red Lodge to view the disturbance and have a coke. Then we started down the valley between the Rockies and Big Horns Mountains as the temperature rose to 91 degrees in desert-like conditions. When we turned on to 14a at Lovell we rose over 5k' to 9400' in the Big Horn Mtn pass..and we lost 30 degrees in temperature (61 and chilled). Gradually we lost elevation and warmed as we approached Sheridan and took the expressway to Buffalo, WY. Salad and calamari appetizer for dinner at Winchesters, a nice place cross the street. HIX on points in Buffalo, WY.

Day 8 - Saturday - 7.19.14.  On to Colorado and Walden- 2 crossings.
Str Cty  :  Buffalo, WY Str Mls   :  20923
End Cty  :  Walden, CO End Mls   :  21326
Dly Mls  :  410 Miles Tot Mls   :  2860 Miles
Time      :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  8100'

Left at 8 at 4k' on 16 to Worland over the Big Horn Mountains and the 9666' Powder River pass before Ten Sleep. A huge flock of sheep were being tended by 4 men and dogs. Then south down to the Wind River Canyon and Indian reservation. Then south on 26 to Riverton and 385 where the winds picked up. Finally 287, I80 and 130-230 to The CO line and Walden. At Walden and 8100' with 80 degrees temp. All afternoon it was in the low 90's with 35+mph cross winds, grinding on us. Our observation, having traveled from NW to SE Wyoming, is that it is mostly desert and only marginally habitable - except where water is available. All that wind and no wind farms for electric..debtor state mentality. 2 Continental Divides between Muddy Gap and Rawlins on Hwy 287 (15 @ 6100+, & 16 @ 7100+'). As we rose to 7k' the temp moderated. In regular motel in Walden, CO. 72$. Prime Rib at rock river place on Main Street.

Day 9 - Sunday - 7.20.14.   Estes NP and the Rockies, 2 more crossings.
Str Cty  :  Walden, CO Str Mls   :  21326
End Cty  :  Torrington, WY End Mls   :  21619
Dly Mls  :  292 Miles Tot Mls   :  3155 Miles
Time       :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  102 degrees

Left Walden at 7:30 without bkfst and rode south on Hwy 125 crossing the 17th Continental Divide at 9683' in beautiful forest. Alone the grass land ditches were full of purple sage...I plant it, feed it, water it, and smile without as good results. On to Granby Gordon for gas and bkfst and to the Rocky Mountain National Park. The 18th crossing was in the park at 10759'. Then we proceeded up to 12160' above the tree line and we observed elk feeding at this high altitude. Paul hugged the centerline where there was no guard rail and a precipitous drop a thousand feet. We raced down the canyon from Estes Park to Loveland as the temperature rose to the mid 90s - this is the canyon that had the flash flood last year and 1/2 the buildings were lost. Then when we got to I25 it was over 99 degrees for the the next 125 miles, rising to 102 several times. We had the high speed cross winds for the same distance. 292 miles to Torrington, WY and 3155 overall. MickyDees for dinner.

Day 10 - Monday - 7.21.14. .......  To the Black Hills for a tour
Str Cty  :  Torrington, WY Str Mls   :  21615
End Cty  :  Hill City, SD End Mls   :  21871
Dly Mls  :  259 Miles Tot Mls   :  3410 Miles
Time      :  6.5 Hours Notes      :  tour - black hills

Left Torrington early hoping to avoid heat and cross winds - to no avail. By 8 the temp was 91 and the west wind was 35 knots. We struggled north 100 miles and turned east for 70 miles to Hill City SD by 10:30 at 95 degrees. We then went on a 70mile tour of the Black Hills and Custer state park - initially cooled but then the heat went back into the 90s. Thus we covered 295 miles before we got back to the HIX air conditioning for the afternoon. Saw the buffaloes again.. Ate at a restaurant at a corner - blue cheese burger.

Day 11 - Tuesday - 7.23.14.  Toward HOME ON I 90 for 799 miles.
Str Cty  :  Hill City, SD Str Mls   :  21871
End Cty  :  Home End Mls   :  22957
Dly Mls  :  795 Miles Tot Mls   :  4157 Miles
Time      :  11  5 Hours Notes      :  less than 85 deg

We left Hill City at 7 thinking we would overnite in Alberta Lea or thereabouts...  Got poor milage as we were pushing a lot of quartering wind for 300 miles...then relief in the afternoon after we got thru the weather front. The temperature never went above 85 degrees which allowed us to stay refreshed. Got to AL about 4 and decided to push on and by 9:00 we were home. Except I could not get into the house as all doors were locked, including basement and mud room doors. Had to drive over to Paul's to get a key. Relaxed with the news and had peppermint ice cream for dinner. Bed late without making it. Great trip. All roads I had ridden before, but not in sequence with 8 days of dramatic mountain riding and 4 days of pure "get there" riding. Our riding time average speed was 73 mph.
…….the END

Average speed for trip = 61.2 mph   Average miles per gallon = 45.2 mpg
GPS miles = 4029   /   Bike miles = 4174.  /.   Summer total =  18939

COSTS total per day per mile

Total      1512.06.   137.46 .36
Fuel 352.03 32 .08
Room 884.60       88.46 .21
Board 265.43 24.13 .06
Misc 40.00      .75 .01