Beartooth Pass

August 23, 2013

Last night, I slept pretty good considering the hard ground and windy conditions. I don't know what this place used to be, but it is currently the most rocky soil I've ever seen. I couldn't get any of my tent stakes in the ground more than a couple of inches or so. It's good the wind didn't get any worse than when I put the tent up because I don't think the stakes holding the rain fly would have survived. As it was, the winds were brisk and declined as the night progressed providing a nice environment for sleep.

Luxury...

After packing up, I contemplated having breakfast in the diner but decided to pass. After using the facilities, I observed the place was too busy and I was anxious to get out on the road. The day's destination of Yellowstone via Bear Tooth pass had a little uncertainty due to fires along the pass; I would rather save my time for the end of the day in case there are complications. I rolled onto I-90 just before 8:00AM... one of my earliest starts to date.

The route for the day was along I-90 to just past Billingsly, Mt where I could exit onto S-212/Bear Tooth highway. Just before exiting, I stopped at a big truck stop with a McDonalds to get a quick bite to eat and some ice for my cooler. I really appreciate the accessible drink and ice machine arrangement at most McDonalds. My cooler is very small and can only hold about six drinks maximum, so I only need a little bit of ice to keep things cool. It's so nice to take on 'free' ice in the morning while having a cup of coffee. While sipping on my joe, I learned from some of the patrons that the pass was open. That was good to hear because I didn't know where I would go if it had been closed.

As I was preparing to leave the parking lot, I observed a couple of free wheeling young ladies sitting on the sidewalk. They were attired in a 60's hitch-hiking-hippie motif and had more leg hair than I've seen since my high-school football days. If that wasn't charming enough, they also had a couple of scroungy looking mutts on leashes. I could only imagine the smell and wondered who might be brave enough to give that crew a ride. The dogs alone would be a deal killer for me. Maybe they made it OK.

Just a Little Smoke

The Bear Tooth Pass didn't disappoint. I've heard it referred to as the most beautiful drive in America and I can't argue with that assessment. It is spectacular scenery for miles upon miles and from a sporting motorcyclist's perspective, the roads are engaging enough to make it even better.

Do The Pads Make My Hips Look Big?

On advice I received from a fellow two-wheel enthusiast earlier in the day, I decided to stop in Cook City, Mt for the evening. It's just outside the Yellowstone NP gate and the last chance to get a hotel room. I was just too tired from the previous night's camping to sleep on the ground, and it looked as though a storm was brewing anyway. A restful night was an absolute must; my body was really being a painful nag.

Once I got to Cook City, I cruised up and down the main street a couple of times before stopping at the visitor center to ask about accommodations. They weren't that helpful, so I decided to stop at the first place that looked appropriate. Good fortune came my was as someone had just canceled a reservation and I got a decent room at a fair price.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

August 22, 2013

The next morning, I got up and out of that place as quickly as possible. It turned out to not be quite as bad as my first impression the night before, but it still wasn't a place in which I wanted to linger. I did notice the woman from the night before was in the parking lot "working". If you define work as standing around looking at the ground, she was hard at it. She obviously had issues. Hey, at least she's doing something. I digress...

Out on the road, I was in good spirits as the weather was great and I got an early start. It wasn't long before I was at the entrance to the park. I stopped in to get some information and snap a photo or two. It really is a beautiful landscape.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is part of the 'badlands' and as such, is very similar to the Badlands National Park in South Dakota with the major exception being wild life. There's a whole bunch of Bison in TRNP and I had the good fortune to see them up close and personal. It was actually a little nerve racking given I was on a motorcycle and at the mercy of those great beasts. At one point I was stuck behind a minivan that was surrounded and the only avenue of escape I had was reverse. I think we all know how fast a motorcycle can go in reverse. The picture below was snapped before I put the camera away and pulled in behind the stopped four-wheeled vehicles farther ahead on the road.

TRNP Bison

That was harrowing enough and I managed to get into two more herds of buffalo before exiting the park for the day. At one point, I got an enthusiastic thumbs up from a woman in a van after she witnessed me weaving through a herd on the road. Glad somebody noticed.

Another Herd

Just in case some folks might be wondering, the American Bison can get up to 2000lbs and run 35MPH. They are also very unpredictable and responsible for most wildlife attacks on humans in the national parks. They can be down right ornery at times. That knowledge was ever present on my mind while passing through the herds.

The park is a big loop with a couple of side roads and I managed to cover most of it in just under three hours or so. After that, I diverted to the little town of Medora, ND which is just on the edge of the park. It is a very nice little tourist town and after cruising the streets for a couple of passes looking for a place to eat, I spotted what looked like an old style saloon. How could I resist? After having a quick bite to eat, I spent the rest of the afternoon having a couple of beers chatting with some folks at the bar. Eventually, I pulled away from the town of Medora about 4:00PM headed for Montana. I spent way too long in the bar.

Montana State Line

I got busy and made quite a few miles before I pulled off the interstate when I saw a sign indicating services. It was getting dark and I needed to find a place to sleep for the evening. I pulled into the parking lot of what looked like a diner from a dusty movie set. I was a little disappointed. I was hoping for something a little nicer, but decided to go inside and see what was up. There were only four patrons in the place and I felt a little out of place. No worries, I became fast friends with the cook before the evening was over and found out that I could camp out back.

Setting up the tent in the dark was an adventure given the wind had really picked up. I had to load the tent with some gear before I could assemble the thing. Otherwise, it really wanted to blow away. In the end, it got constructed and I went to sleep. Day over.

Montana Sunset

North Dakota

August 21, 2013

The day started well and the weather was fine. Duluth and beyond was the goal for the day and everything was go. The segment from Ashland to Duluth was short and sweet and it wasn’t long before Duluth came into view.

I was curious to see the place. I lived in Duluth, Ga for five years and understand that it’s name came from Duluth, Mn as they are at opposite ends of the rail line. I was surprised at how massive the industry looked on the river. I’m sure Duluth, Mn has plenty of nice areas, but I didn’t have time to see as I was trying to make miles on the two lane roads. A light rain had started falling as I passed through Duluth. Fortunately it didn't last that long and the skies cleared somewhat as I went along.

It’s not a straight shot from Duluth to Fargo, ND and my connection point to I-94, so I had to take some of the more obscure state roads. The scenery was pleasant enough, but making time on two-lane roads requires persistence and passing a bunch of vehicles along the way. The roads are so straight it wasn't much of a challenge at all on the FJR.

Minnesota West of Duluth

Minnesota is geographically interesting as it slowly changes from a wilderness tundra look in the northeastern regions to a western plains look in the ‘west’. I can only imagine how cold it gets in the winter, but it looked rather pleasant in the mild summer weather.

I was glad to get to North Dakota. It was the last state in the lower 48 that I had never visited. I would have stopped and snapped a photo of the state line to mark the occasion if I had seen a sign indicating as much, but there wasn't one. I did however do the next best thing and stop at the first rest stop on I-94 to take some rest and refreshments before assaulting the final leg of the day.

ND Rest Stop

North Dakota is not the most scenic landscape I've ever encountered, but it does have it's charm. The wide open plains are fascinating to traverse if the temperatures are reasonable and you're not being blown around by high winds that are common to the area. Last year crossing South Dakota was pure agony due to those winds and excessive heat. This year, it wasn't bad at all and the 300 miles to Dickenson, ND went by with very little distress. There were a couple of times I thought rain might be a possibility as I saw clouds in the distance that looked a little ominous, but nothing ever materialized and life was good. The speed limit is 75MPH and I was maintaining right at 85MPH. My throttle lock worked really well on the long flat roads.

ND Plains

ND Sunflowers

I made really good time but wasn't sure where I should stop to visit Theodore Roosevelt National park; so I stopped in Dickenson, ND. It might not have been the best place to stop, but it was a convenient place and only 40 miles from the park. I was in for a shock as it relates to hotel rooms. The oil boom in ND has greatly inflated the prices of rooms in the general area and it took a while to find a place to bed down for the evening. Eventually I found a seedy hotel room for a reasonable price and felt lucky to get that. While unloading my bike, a woman approached me asking what was the time. I informed her that it was about 8:00 to which she asked, "morning or night?". I thought she was joking at first, but later learned that she was one of the fine employees of the establishment and had gotten her mornings and evenings confused. Yikes.

There was nothing to do in Dickenson but take a shower and go to bed. The sooner I got out of that place, the better. The room seemed clean enough, but I just didn't like the locale, and the hotel staff was creeping me out a bit. The next day's agenda included Theodore Roosevelt National Park, about 40 miles away, and getting up early was the goal.

Ashland Wisconsin

August 20, 2013

I slept reasonably well in the tent and as usual, packing up the gear was no fun. It went well enough I suppose. I did chat with my neighbor a bit before departing. He offered me a cup of coffee and I graciously accepted. While sipping the Joe, he commenced to telling stories about his travels. I do enjoy travel tales, but I needed to go as daylight was a burning, so we bid farewell. I was off.

Once again, the weather was just about perfect and the ride was most enjoyable. It wasn’t long before I was in Mackinaw City, which I suppose is the upper-most point of the lower peninsula and where the Mackinac Bridge connects to the upper peninsula of Michigan. One of my goals of this trip was to cross the Mackinac Bridge and it wasn’t long before I was in the inner lane in the middle of the bridge. Interestingly, the inner lane of the bridge is metal grating and provides a flying type of experience on a motorcycle. Not only is the traction a little squirrelly on the bike, looking down one can see the water almost 200 feet below. Woo hoo!

The Mackinac bridge, or big Mac as the locals call it, is probably the most amazing structure that hardly anyone has ever heard of. It is the longest shore-to-shore suspension bridge in the western hemisphere and an amazing feat of engineering. It compares favorably to the Golden Gate in magnitude and stature and a grand testament to man’s ingenuity and determination. I’m happy that I was able to see the beast up close and personal.

The weather was very good for viewing the Mackinac, but unfortunately there weren’t that many vantage points from which to photograph on the UP. Not knowing this, I didn’t stop at the better sites on the LP thus explaining my lack of a decent photo. I was fortunate enough to get a shot of me and my motorcycle with the bridge in the background. While checking my GPS, a fellow motorcycle enthusiast stopped and offered to snap a few. This is the best one.

Mac and Me

On past Mackinaw City and into the UP on S-2, the landscape took on a more primitive and remote appearance. It was quite lovely and serene plodding along on a straight two-lane road for miles on end in the wilderness. I was surprised at the lack of cars as well. At times, I felt as though I was the only person around for miles and miles. This was the bulk of the riding for the day. Very nice…

Wilderness

I was surprised at the lake Michigan beaches. They looked very similar to the gulf coast beaches.

Lake Michigan Beach

About the middle of the UP, I cut over from S-2 on the the lake Michigan side to the Superior side via S-77 to S-28. On the Superior side, the ride was also very good. After a long stretch of straight roads through the woods, I rolled into Munising, Mi. What a beautiful little town. It sits right on South Bay and is shielded from Lake Superior by Grand Island. I was rather tired at this point from all my riding, so I decided to stop at the first rest area I could find. It must have been my lucky day, because the scenic overlook I stopped at was perfect for refreshments and had a splendid view. As a bonus, I was alone for most of my time there. Toward the end, a couple arrived on a motorcycle and we struck up a conversation that lasted a long time. They were an old married couple from Michigan and we became fast friends. They even invited me to visit any time at their home. Now that's hospitality.

Sweet Rest Stop!

Back on the road again, it's getting dark...

Wisconsin Sunset

As the sun kept getting lower and lower relative to the distance I wanted to go, it became obvious that my goal of Duluth was out of the question. Upon arriving in Ashland, Wi in the dark, it was apparent that more miles would not be a good idea. I couldn’t keep my face shield clear of bugs and I was tired. Fortunately, I was able to find a hotel room in a typical mom-and-pop Indian establishment. It was clean enough and the ‘good’ hotels were full.

A long day of riding comes to an end. Distance traveled equals 495 miles.

Camping on Lake Huron

August 19, 2013

The fifth day of the road trip got the adventure underway in earnest. My original goal was to go up the western shore of Michigan but due to a GPS blunder, I ended up taking the eastern route: S-23 along Lake Huron to Saginaw City. Such is the way of Motorcycle touring. It’s really bothersome to continually adjust a GPS on the fly, so second-guessing and uncertainty are a constant with mistakes creeping in from time-to-time. After many miles are invested in an error, it’s just as well to redefine and take the new route.

Once I got off the interstate onto S-23 and into the upper regions of Michigan, the ride became very pleasant. The weather was just about perfect and the shoreline road was scenic and in good shape. The scenery consisted mostly of well kept houses between the shoreline and road with occasional small towns and breaks to view the lake. There were also plenty of rest stops to tempt. Being a sucker for rest stops, I pulled over at one and tended to some resting and business; I needed to make a phone call and my backside was getting a little uncomfortable. My compliments to the state of Michigan on such well kept facilities.

I don’t know what it is, but people just can’t resist talking to me when I’m out on my bike fully loaded for touring. They are very interested in my travels and want to share their own stories which is why rest stops can sometimes take a lot longer than one would think. That’s part of the fun so there’s no use in worrying about the time.

Ultimately I stopped at Harrisville State Park and set up my tent for the evening. After putting up the tent and piling all of my crud into the thing, I noticed there was a big tree leaning directly over the tent. I'm sure the tree is probably still leaning at that same spot, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I unloaded the tent and moved it to a more suitable location.

The layout of the campground and the lateness of the day did not give me much of a chance to get to know my camping neighbors (and possibly score some free food ), so I headed out for dinner in the little town of Harrisville. I found a sports bar right off the main road and settled in for a feast of hot wings with fries. Riding all day makes for some peculiar dining choices. I also had a couple of beers and watched a little pre-season football.

On the way back to the campsite, I stopped at the local convenience store for fuel and snacks. The young man working there looked as though he wanted to be somewhere else so I struck up a conversation about his apparent boredom. He freely admitted his desire to be elsewhere and proudly informed me that he would be leaving for Marine Corp boot camp in a couple of days. I could see that he was excited and anxious. I was very impressed with this young man and couldn’t help but feel concern for his safety and future.

Back to the campground I went. It was dark when I arrived at my site and I pulled up to an area where I thought there were rocks on the ground. That’s good because the ground was not that firm and I needed a hard spot on which to place my side stand. As it turns out, the rocks were depleted charcoal from an old campfire -- did I mention it was dark? When I put the side-stand down and let the bike go, it kept going. The FJR is a heavy bike: 670lbs full of fuel (which it was, and I had a top case). The bike was about halfway down before I managed to stop the fall. I was pretty much stuck holding the thing in a bad spot. I couldn’t get it up, but I didn’t want to drop it. It was just too heavy to lift back up while sitting on the seat. Fortunately, I managed to slide my right leg off the bike while bracing my left knee under the tank. At that point, I was able to get my back into the pushing and got it back up again. If my tent and crud had been strapped to the seat, it would have gone down. I’ve never dropped this bike and it would have been depressing to start. Alls well that ends well.

Harrisville Camp Site

After that trauma, I decided to relax a bit. It was an ideal evening for outdoor living as the sky was clear with a full moon hanging mid-sky over the lake. I took the pleasure of a drink and cigar on the beach in my camp chair. It was a little late, so I had the place all to myself. How marvelous. I do enjoy solitude and ambiance with my vices. The air was brisk and the waves were softly washing ashore making the most relaxing sounds. It’s interesting what one contemplates at moments like those. I couldn’t help but think of home and my family. I was just starting my trip, and already I was missing them.

Fortress of Solitude

I could have stayed there all night but my back was starting to pain me and the temperature was dropping to the point of discomfort. Off to my tent I went with hopes of a restful night. The goal for the next day was to cross the Mackinac Bridge into the upper peninsula and on to Duluth, Mn.

Distance traveled today equals 494 miles.

Indianapolis

August 15-18, 2013

My stay in Indianapolis started when I checked into my room that I had reserved through AirBnB. My host Jeanine is a lovely lady who has been widowed for several years. She has the most amazing home with a beautiful deck and yard. I've never felt more comfortable in a place other than my own home. Even her dog made me feel at home.

Slumming It

If you ever get the chance to see MotoGP in person, do it. It's mind blowing to watch those bikes fly around the track. The sound alone will shake your bones and give you a rush of adrenalin. It's difficult to follow the status of the race due to the size of the track, but there's no substitute for being close to the action.

After the time trials on Saturday, Jeanine invited me to dinner and I readily accepted. I thought she meant we were having dinner at her house but she had other plans. Having almost no experience at all on a motorcycle, she wanted to ride on the motorcycle to a restaurant. I was more than happy to oblige. After our meal, I upped the ante and invited her to ride to the circle in downtown Indianapolis to see the motorcycle circus. She accepted and we had a most enjoyable evening. She's one adventurous lady I must say.

Moto Circus

Nothing left to do after that but retire to the deck and enjoy the beautiful weather while imbibing a tasty beverage. It's a beautiful deck I must say.

Nice Deck!

Sunday was race day. I didn't care too much about the Moto3 bikes, but I did want to see the Moto2 (slightly less performance than MotoGP) and for sure the MotoGP races. I got to the track and sat in the stands with plenty of time to spare before the start. It was definitely a sight to see and I would love to go again some day. I also will carry sunscreen next time.

After the races, I stopped in for a bite to eat at Moe's and made a call home. I was happy to hear that everything was good. I did learn that my daughter Jill had hit a dear with my Infiniti G37. She was OK, but the car didn't do so well. It cost $4500 to repair. I was glad my deductible was only $500. Normally I carry a high deductible but changed insurance recently and didn't know it was lower. Happy surprise.

When I got to the Jeanine's house, she invited me to a musical performance in the square of her neighborhood. How could I say no? It turned out to be a most pleasant time and the musicians were really quite good. Good food, good drink and great company made for a nice day. I felt a little sad when I left Indianapolis.

Jeanine and Me

MotoGP and Beyond

August 15, 2013

As luck would have it, I've managed to get enough time off to once again take my FJR1300 on another adventure. This time, I've decided to start out in the great state of Indiana and experience the thrill of MotoGP racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. For those who are unfamiliar, MotoGP is the premier class of motorcycle road racing. These are purpose built factory sponsored prototypes that can attain speeds up to 210 MPH on some tracks. The MotoGP bikes weigh in at about 350 lbs with 240 HP. That's a power-to-weight ration that's too sick to contemplate and the ultimate for any road race machine -- car or motorcycle. The riders are exceptional by any definition and I can only marvel at their skill and daring.

Ready to Go

Before embarking on this journey, I did quite a bit of work on the FJR which had about 32K miles pre-maintenance. I replaced the rear shock with a new 2013 FJR OEM shock which has a stiffer spring, changed the fork oil, changed the engine oil, and finally changed the almost new Shinko Verge front tire with a Michelin PR2. The Shinko had a front-end wobble and vibration at speed thing going on and it really bothered me. The bike now is rock solid and the suspension is once again competent. The Shinko tires are really good in many ways, but I can only assume the front tire is just incompatible with the FJR. I suspect tread pattern is the issue.

Since I live on the north side of Atlanta just off I-85, I decided to take the scenic route through the north Georgia mountains on highway 129 which also passes through Deals Gap and the Tail of the Dragon. This is a fun ride. Personally, I prefer the Georgia portion of the route through Blood Mountain over the Dragon. As entertaining as the Dragon might be, the roads are too narrow and the blind curves are just too dangerous to really push the limits.

I was surprised at the number of bikes at Deals Gap on a Thursday afternoon. Fortunately, I was able to traverse most of the eleven miles unimpeded. Typically, I get stuck behind cars or Harleys. There's nothing more frustrating than carving up a mountain road behind a mini-van. After the fun of highway 129, I found the interstate and proceeded to make some miles.

Deals Gap

One note of interest: When I left Thursday morning, it was the coldest day ever recorded for that date in August and the temperatures were cool and pleasant for all of the 620 miles. A good start indeed.