After riding our motorcycles 2,400 miles and driving KC's truck 3,000 miles from Homer to Denver and back plus another 800 miles in the Colorado Rockies, Tour the Rockies has come to a close. I've checked off the bucket list items and am now trying to collect my thoughts and images of the trip.
This blog has been a great way of documenting the sights and experiences encountered along the way. KC and I agree that without it we'd have lost track of many of the trip details. It also helps to clarify the things I learned in the process of planning, preparing and executing the trip. Maybe it will make the next trip easier to pull off. I'm sure that as time goes on new memories will emerge of our trip. I find it helpful to begin writing them down as soon as I can. Time, for sixty-six-year-olds, is famously unhelpful with the details.
The drive to Denver, our time with Lucy and Ethel, the motorcycle ride itself and the drive home were all very different experiences. It made the trip more complicated to prepare for, but it broke the trip into four bite sized sections, each of which was very different. I especially enjoyed having the girls join us. We had a lot of laughs riding around in KC's truck. Lucy and Ethel are fun to be with, plus they are hot. KC and I try our best to be seen with them in public.
When senior citizens take long motorcycle trips eyebrows are raised. As they should be. There are undeniable risks. Though the odds of a mishap are low, the penalties are very high. But the rewards for taking these risks are off the charts. It is an experience that is so valuable, so rich and so unforgettable that it justifies taking those risks. I will never forget the sights and sensations of this trip...the thrilling ones and the boring ones too. To call it "the trip of a lifetime" is not an exaggeration. I question whether I'll ever have the stones to tackle something like this again.
Very few things "went south" on us...they amounted to less than 1% of our attention, energy or time. Overwhelmingly, things went well. The bikes were fantastic, the weather was what you'd expect in the first fall days in the Rockies over a 1,200 mile range (hot, cold, rain, snow, dry, wind, sun and clouds), the crowds were tolerable and the sights were insanely beautiful. The Aspens were a crapshoot...some were bright green, some were dying on the branch without a color phase (too wet soil I'm told)...others range from pale yellow to bright yellow and even orange.
Finding hotels was a challenge in some towns once we started the motorcycle trip. But we adopted a practice of never leaving a hotel without a reservation (more on making hotel reservations later) for that night somewhere down the road.
Speaking of roads, the roads were generally excellent-we had less than 10 miles with surface issues. The mountain roads were clean and smooth...Kudo's to the highway guys!!
The weather was always an item of great interest to KC and I. The iPhone weather apps worked well enough and we usually had a satellite TV with the Weather Channel, so with good forecasting nothing snuck up on us weather wise. There was only one pass (Beartooth) that we were closed out of due to weather and we found a way to re-do it on a later day under ideal conditions.
Still, we had two full days (out of eleven) of riding in the rain. Eventually rainy riding becomes old hat, but uncovering and loading our bikes in the rain meant that my
pannier's contents were exposed, my helmet and gloves were exposed...it
goes on. Fortunately, nothing was wet enough to prevent me from
riding. My bike cover was wet all over and by the time I got rolled up it clearly
needed to be packed in its own dry sack. Which, of course, I had. So all we needed was a covered gas station to totally recover.
Good preparation here, I had several dry towels on the bike so drying
off the inside of my helmet and the few things not packed in a dry bag
inside my panniers was easy to do.
While most of my pannier's contents were packed in dry bags, the experience of loading panniers in the rain has convinced me that everything needs to be in a bag. And several dry towels is not overkill. I tried to pack in a way that left some capacity in my bags and panniers and this turned out to be helpful. There are times when careful packing can't be done (like on a rainy morning) and throwing stuff in a pannier is the only way to get it done quickly. Extra space inside a bag or pannier makes rapid haphazard packing easier to do. It also allows space for the inevitable stuff one acquires on the road. Pack loose, pack light and leave empty space, Grasshopper.
It also occurs to me that having a lightweight dry bag for the helmet and gloves would be a very smart choice for a rainy loading. Keep helmet and gloves dry until the very end, then woooosh...out comes the dry helmet and gloves. Roll up the dry bag and ride on.
I strongly preferred to keep our daily mileage limited to 200-250 miles because I think it is safer to do so. 2,400 miles in 11 days equals 218 miles average. We rode more miles when we needed to...our longest days were our first day and our last day. Still, I found that riding for 11 straight days, even at these moderate distances, was surprisingly physically draining. The was especially true for me after a hot and windy and we had several of those. I know the cold days were tough on KC.
Three week trips with a single travel companion is not for everyone. Little things can easily blow out of proportion and cause a meltdown. Each of us has annoying traits that we are unaware of or that we find charming as hell, but with time and repetition, become all that another is able to see or hear. If you don't have the ability to tolerate this kind of thing and to shut it out of your mind, I'd suggest going for a much shorter trip. Or go with a group or go alone. Again, I think KC and I did well together and we never once got sideways.
I saw things in the Colorado Rockies that make me want to go back...Million Dollar Highway, Imogene Pass, Ouray and Telluride...all beckon to me. Aspen? Not so much....it's for a socioeconomic segment to which I do not belong. It is what I call mountain fussy or western pretentious. The yuppies with the children running wild in the Limelight Lobby typify this. Makes me puke.
I saw lots of new places in Montana, far more than on any of my previous trips and I saw its most amazing natural wonders....Glacier National Park and Beartooth Pass. We did not see the best of Wyoming, but we did have some crazy cool experiences there (See Monster Lake Ranch).
Most important to me, I rode the road of my dreams....Going-To-The-Sun Road through Glacier National Park. If I had three weeks to live, riding my BMW motorcycle through this park on this particular road on a weather day like this would have been on my list of things to do.
It was epic.
Saturday, September 26, 2015
Gear Reviews
I thought it would be useful to do a post mortem on the trip and talk about what equipment lived up to my expectations and what didn't do so well.
1. Sena 20S Bluetooth Intercom. It was my second attempt with the Sena 20S. My first attempt at setting up a Sena 20S made me feel like Jerry in his snow scraping scene in "Fargo".
But this time, with a liberal dose of help from the guys at Hourglass Cycles, Buford, GA, the Sena was installed, updated and operated nearly flawlessly. KC and I talked non-stop, pointing out cattle and antelope and potholes, clearing each other to pass, finding each other when separated and generally musing about our ride. We called out snow fences and windmills, photo ops and pee breaks, gas stops and lunch breaks, detours and round-abouts. In short, they are a game changer and I cannot imagine riding with each other and not using them. After two days in the rain, they passed my toughness test with flying colors. They NEVER ran low on batteries (assuming a recharge every night), worked great with aftermarket ear plugs and streamed music as long as my phone had battery power. Once paired, and that is brain dead easy to do, they stayed paired for 11 days without lifting a finger. The same is true for pairing with my iPhone...do it once and it stays paired. Nice.
Still, they're not perfect. I found the range, even with clear line of sight, to be less than they claim. I also found that a loud sound (a cough for example) would open the intercom even while one of us was listening to music. I also found opening the intercom to be inconsistent when one of us was streaming music. I tried using the built in helmet speakers and they're OK for a short, slow ride around town but for high speed (which is noisy in a Neotec helmet to begin with) they allowed way too much ambient noise to reach my ears. I could have added ear plugs, but this seemed like wearing a rain coat in the shower.
Mike Miller shamed me into using one and I am grateful. Grazie Miguel!
Rating: 4.5/5
2. BMW R1200GS. The bikes were absolute hosses. War Pig was perfect (it did use about 3/4 quart of oil); KC's bike's battery failed him...but other than that they started and ran as one would hope. They were fast, comfortable, handled the mountains with ease and cruised the interstates at 85, passing semis in 25 mph crosswinds like the athletic machines we have come to count on. My Adventure panniers were solid and dry in the rain. They were, as the Germans would say, "Perfeckt".
Speaking of the Adventure "boxes"...while they are waterproof, I have learned that the key to using them is to ensure that the contents are enclosed in waterproof dry bags. This helps keep things organized, it helps when removing the contents (easier to lift a bag out holding four items than lifting out four separate items) and, as we found out, when it rains opening the waterproof lid exposes everything to the rain. Duh. So a waterproof bag solves that issue. REI sells a million sizes, weight and colors of dry bags...they are pricey, but should last for years.
Rating: 4.5/5
3. Aerostich Darien. At 37 degrees and raining, riding a motorcycle is an invitation, no it is a taunting dare, for Mother nature to mess you up. But at no time did my Darien leak or allow the cold to touch my fair, freckled hide. Of course, adding a Gerbing heated jacket with a Patagonia Nano Puff layer over it, sealed the deal. But without the Darien it would have been a cold, wet mess. No surprise here, but KC pointed out that his Darien suit is 14 years old and has only been washed once.
The Darien neck closure is its single weak point...I fumbled with the velcro closure over and over.
Aerostich is made in the good ole you-ess-ay ...Minnesota in fact. Yah, they're a real good deal...
Rating: 4.5/5
4. Butler Motorcycle Maps. Both KC and I used our Garmin GPS's to navigate from city to city. But the Butler Maps, designed specifically for touring motorcyclists, were a godsend. Butler color codes the roads according to their "scenic value" which is helpful. But they also show secondary roads which on several occasions allowed us to find a back way to a destination. They are waterproof, tear proof, easy to fold and if you have a map window on your tank bag (highly recommended) you can display a half day's worth of riding. We bought the Rocky Mountain set which included a five state map, plus individual state maps. In addition to the roads, the maps identify landmarks, rivers, parks, mountain ranges and lots of other cool stuff. I used my maps every day and came to rely on them heavily. Well worth the price.
Rating: 5/5
5. iPhone 5. I have mixed emotions about this. The phone is so capable and such a help to a traveler. But my battery shit the bed and by the end of the trip it would hold a charge for only about 3 hours. I have a Powerlet charging cable on the bike but this stopped working. Given that I listen to music non stop while riding, this became an issue for me. Changing the battery is not an easy thing to do, so I was left to accept it as it was.
UPDATE: I talked to Powerlet tech support and they freely acknowledge that this charging issue is related to the OS update I did. They said iOS 9 demands a different chip in the Lightning connection and mine doesn't have it. Will try a different approach...create a USB port with a 12V connection. Cheap, available, proven. I'm over thinking this.
KC had a new iPhone 6 and I was stunned at how good the camera is. I have looked into my crystal ball and can clearly see an iPhone 6 in my future.
Rating: 3/5
6. Shure 425 Sound Isolating Ear Phone. I bought these at the very last minute and enjoyed wearing them around the house before I left. But after a half day on the bike, I found them a bit uncomfortable and noisy. That is, they did not block the road and bike noise as well as my much cheaper and older custom made ear phones. Granted the Shure's sound quality is much, much, much better, but the presence of the ambient noise cancelled out this benefit. I'll try them again and maybe in slower, more technical riding like we mostly do in North Georgia they'll seem better. I'm on the fence.
Rating: 3/5
7. Wolfman Expedition Dry Duffel Bag (Medium). I've had this duffel bag for several years and have used it before on over nighters. Securing it to the bike with heavy duty Rok Straps (FIVE STARS BTW), it is absolutely bomb proof. Never had a drop of water or a gram of dust inside the bag. It easily held all the clothes I need for weeks on the road, plus a huge toiletries bag, a 13" Macbook Pro with cables and chargers. In high viz yellow, I think it helps motorists to see the bike. My Wolfman bag was perfect.
Like mine, only cleaner...
Rating: 5/5
8. Micheline Pilot Road 4 Trial Tires. KC thinks these tires are the best tires he's ever had on a bike. They are fantastic in all conditions, including cold wet rain. I think they have made me a safer and more confident rider. These are the best touring tires I've had. Note: There are certainly better off road tires than these, but for a relatively smooth dirt or gravel road...like the five miles of uneven, muddy mess the Blackfeet Tribe left us outside Browning, MT... they're fine.
One negative to report and this was all on me. I rode with my tire pressure lower than recommended (35F, 38R) and I think this really accelerated the wear in the center of the rear tire. So much that I had to replace them when I got home. Fortunately, my good friends at Hourglass Cycles, Buford, GA too great care of me. War Pig now has fresh oil and fresh rubber!!!
Rating: 5/5
9. Shoei Neotec Helmet. I've been wearing this helmet for a couple years and have been on the fence the whole time. I LOVE the flexibility of the design...flipping open the helmet to cool off or talk, dropping down the shaded sun visor (mine has a couple rows of electrical tape to block a low sun) when the sun is strong...or flipping it up to go through a tunnel or riding with the clear face shield partially open in hot weather...all these things are great. BUT...I think the helmet is pretty noisy and I don't find the ventilation (with the face shield closed) to be all that effective. So, I continue to wear it because of all it does well, but I'd throw it overboard for a helmet that could do it all.
Rating: 4/5
10. Hotel Reservation Systems. Some time in the past a change occurred that I missed. The change I am referring to was when American businesses decided that they no longer wanted to have to deal directly with their customers. We saw tech support being off-shored to India and we've all had to deal with this particular nightmare.
But what has happened more recently is the outsourcing of hotel reservations to the sneaky bastards that flow over the internet and on to our computer or iPhone screens when we seek a hotel reservation. When I say sneaky bastards I am referring to Expedia, Orvitiz, Hotels.com and on and on and on. They never say who they are and smoothly lull you into thinking you are dealing directly with the hotel. Just try cancelling a reservation or changing a date or changing who is billed for the hotel. I HATE THESE PEOPLE. The hotel employees admit they're a problem and suggest you avoid them. If I coulda, I woulda.
When I make a hotel reservation, I want to talk to a person behind the front desk of the actual hotel I want to stay in. Not a call center. And certainly not a call center for a company that is not the company actually running the hotel. I hope they all go out of business before my next trip and I hope the business executives who are responsible for this travesty of customer care all end up asking if "you want fries with that?" in their next jobs.
Rating: 1/5
11. Fuji XT-1/ 18-135mm and 16mm To be perfectly honest, I bought my Fuji XT-1 and lenses with this very trip in mind. It was time for an updated digital camera and Tour the Rockies was the impetus I needed to buy something. The benefits of mirrorless seemed obvious to me (size, weight while still excellent image quality) and my research showed me that Fuji was held in very high regard among both enthusiasts and professionals. I should first say that the XT-1camera is capable of far more that its owner...it is always the eye of the photographer and the light that matters most. Still, the camera has delighted me at every turn. It is a powerful, tough, sophisticated tool that can produce wonderful images. Its waterproof and dustproof and both of those traits came in handy on this trip. Never broke, never got fussy nor unpredictable. Battery always lasted me all day...and that's all I hoped for. I love this camera and I love Fujifilm.
Rating: 5/5
12. Held Air Stream Gloves I've owned these gloves (purpose built for motorcycle touring) for about two years and other than very cold (say under 45F) or very wet conditions, these are my go to gloves. They are simply the most comfortable gloves made and I LOVE these gloves. If I could add a squeegee along the left index finger, they'd be perfect and suitable for light rain riding, even they are nowhere close to being waterproof. I love them that much.
Rating: 5/5
1. Sena 20S Bluetooth Intercom. It was my second attempt with the Sena 20S. My first attempt at setting up a Sena 20S made me feel like Jerry in his snow scraping scene in "Fargo".
But this time, with a liberal dose of help from the guys at Hourglass Cycles, Buford, GA, the Sena was installed, updated and operated nearly flawlessly. KC and I talked non-stop, pointing out cattle and antelope and potholes, clearing each other to pass, finding each other when separated and generally musing about our ride. We called out snow fences and windmills, photo ops and pee breaks, gas stops and lunch breaks, detours and round-abouts. In short, they are a game changer and I cannot imagine riding with each other and not using them. After two days in the rain, they passed my toughness test with flying colors. They NEVER ran low on batteries (assuming a recharge every night), worked great with aftermarket ear plugs and streamed music as long as my phone had battery power. Once paired, and that is brain dead easy to do, they stayed paired for 11 days without lifting a finger. The same is true for pairing with my iPhone...do it once and it stays paired. Nice.
Still, they're not perfect. I found the range, even with clear line of sight, to be less than they claim. I also found that a loud sound (a cough for example) would open the intercom even while one of us was listening to music. I also found opening the intercom to be inconsistent when one of us was streaming music. I tried using the built in helmet speakers and they're OK for a short, slow ride around town but for high speed (which is noisy in a Neotec helmet to begin with) they allowed way too much ambient noise to reach my ears. I could have added ear plugs, but this seemed like wearing a rain coat in the shower.
Mike Miller shamed me into using one and I am grateful. Grazie Miguel!
Rating: 4.5/5
2. BMW R1200GS. The bikes were absolute hosses. War Pig was perfect (it did use about 3/4 quart of oil); KC's bike's battery failed him...but other than that they started and ran as one would hope. They were fast, comfortable, handled the mountains with ease and cruised the interstates at 85, passing semis in 25 mph crosswinds like the athletic machines we have come to count on. My Adventure panniers were solid and dry in the rain. They were, as the Germans would say, "Perfeckt".
Speaking of the Adventure "boxes"...while they are waterproof, I have learned that the key to using them is to ensure that the contents are enclosed in waterproof dry bags. This helps keep things organized, it helps when removing the contents (easier to lift a bag out holding four items than lifting out four separate items) and, as we found out, when it rains opening the waterproof lid exposes everything to the rain. Duh. So a waterproof bag solves that issue. REI sells a million sizes, weight and colors of dry bags...they are pricey, but should last for years.
Rating: 4.5/5
3. Aerostich Darien. At 37 degrees and raining, riding a motorcycle is an invitation, no it is a taunting dare, for Mother nature to mess you up. But at no time did my Darien leak or allow the cold to touch my fair, freckled hide. Of course, adding a Gerbing heated jacket with a Patagonia Nano Puff layer over it, sealed the deal. But without the Darien it would have been a cold, wet mess. No surprise here, but KC pointed out that his Darien suit is 14 years old and has only been washed once.
The Darien neck closure is its single weak point...I fumbled with the velcro closure over and over.
Aerostich is made in the good ole you-ess-ay ...Minnesota in fact. Yah, they're a real good deal...
Rating: 4.5/5
4. Butler Motorcycle Maps. Both KC and I used our Garmin GPS's to navigate from city to city. But the Butler Maps, designed specifically for touring motorcyclists, were a godsend. Butler color codes the roads according to their "scenic value" which is helpful. But they also show secondary roads which on several occasions allowed us to find a back way to a destination. They are waterproof, tear proof, easy to fold and if you have a map window on your tank bag (highly recommended) you can display a half day's worth of riding. We bought the Rocky Mountain set which included a five state map, plus individual state maps. In addition to the roads, the maps identify landmarks, rivers, parks, mountain ranges and lots of other cool stuff. I used my maps every day and came to rely on them heavily. Well worth the price.
Rating: 5/5
5. iPhone 5. I have mixed emotions about this. The phone is so capable and such a help to a traveler. But my battery shit the bed and by the end of the trip it would hold a charge for only about 3 hours. I have a Powerlet charging cable on the bike but this stopped working. Given that I listen to music non stop while riding, this became an issue for me. Changing the battery is not an easy thing to do, so I was left to accept it as it was.
UPDATE: I talked to Powerlet tech support and they freely acknowledge that this charging issue is related to the OS update I did. They said iOS 9 demands a different chip in the Lightning connection and mine doesn't have it. Will try a different approach...create a USB port with a 12V connection. Cheap, available, proven. I'm over thinking this.
KC had a new iPhone 6 and I was stunned at how good the camera is. I have looked into my crystal ball and can clearly see an iPhone 6 in my future.
Rating: 3/5
6. Shure 425 Sound Isolating Ear Phone. I bought these at the very last minute and enjoyed wearing them around the house before I left. But after a half day on the bike, I found them a bit uncomfortable and noisy. That is, they did not block the road and bike noise as well as my much cheaper and older custom made ear phones. Granted the Shure's sound quality is much, much, much better, but the presence of the ambient noise cancelled out this benefit. I'll try them again and maybe in slower, more technical riding like we mostly do in North Georgia they'll seem better. I'm on the fence.
Rating: 3/5
7. Wolfman Expedition Dry Duffel Bag (Medium). I've had this duffel bag for several years and have used it before on over nighters. Securing it to the bike with heavy duty Rok Straps (FIVE STARS BTW), it is absolutely bomb proof. Never had a drop of water or a gram of dust inside the bag. It easily held all the clothes I need for weeks on the road, plus a huge toiletries bag, a 13" Macbook Pro with cables and chargers. In high viz yellow, I think it helps motorists to see the bike. My Wolfman bag was perfect.
Like mine, only cleaner...
8. Micheline Pilot Road 4 Trial Tires. KC thinks these tires are the best tires he's ever had on a bike. They are fantastic in all conditions, including cold wet rain. I think they have made me a safer and more confident rider. These are the best touring tires I've had. Note: There are certainly better off road tires than these, but for a relatively smooth dirt or gravel road...like the five miles of uneven, muddy mess the Blackfeet Tribe left us outside Browning, MT... they're fine.
One negative to report and this was all on me. I rode with my tire pressure lower than recommended (35F, 38R) and I think this really accelerated the wear in the center of the rear tire. So much that I had to replace them when I got home. Fortunately, my good friends at Hourglass Cycles, Buford, GA too great care of me. War Pig now has fresh oil and fresh rubber!!!
Rating: 5/5
9. Shoei Neotec Helmet. I've been wearing this helmet for a couple years and have been on the fence the whole time. I LOVE the flexibility of the design...flipping open the helmet to cool off or talk, dropping down the shaded sun visor (mine has a couple rows of electrical tape to block a low sun) when the sun is strong...or flipping it up to go through a tunnel or riding with the clear face shield partially open in hot weather...all these things are great. BUT...I think the helmet is pretty noisy and I don't find the ventilation (with the face shield closed) to be all that effective. So, I continue to wear it because of all it does well, but I'd throw it overboard for a helmet that could do it all.
Rating: 4/5
10. Hotel Reservation Systems. Some time in the past a change occurred that I missed. The change I am referring to was when American businesses decided that they no longer wanted to have to deal directly with their customers. We saw tech support being off-shored to India and we've all had to deal with this particular nightmare.
But what has happened more recently is the outsourcing of hotel reservations to the sneaky bastards that flow over the internet and on to our computer or iPhone screens when we seek a hotel reservation. When I say sneaky bastards I am referring to Expedia, Orvitiz, Hotels.com and on and on and on. They never say who they are and smoothly lull you into thinking you are dealing directly with the hotel. Just try cancelling a reservation or changing a date or changing who is billed for the hotel. I HATE THESE PEOPLE. The hotel employees admit they're a problem and suggest you avoid them. If I coulda, I woulda.
When I make a hotel reservation, I want to talk to a person behind the front desk of the actual hotel I want to stay in. Not a call center. And certainly not a call center for a company that is not the company actually running the hotel. I hope they all go out of business before my next trip and I hope the business executives who are responsible for this travesty of customer care all end up asking if "you want fries with that?" in their next jobs.
Rating: 1/5
11. Fuji XT-1/ 18-135mm and 16mm To be perfectly honest, I bought my Fuji XT-1 and lenses with this very trip in mind. It was time for an updated digital camera and Tour the Rockies was the impetus I needed to buy something. The benefits of mirrorless seemed obvious to me (size, weight while still excellent image quality) and my research showed me that Fuji was held in very high regard among both enthusiasts and professionals. I should first say that the XT-1camera is capable of far more that its owner...it is always the eye of the photographer and the light that matters most. Still, the camera has delighted me at every turn. It is a powerful, tough, sophisticated tool that can produce wonderful images. Its waterproof and dustproof and both of those traits came in handy on this trip. Never broke, never got fussy nor unpredictable. Battery always lasted me all day...and that's all I hoped for. I love this camera and I love Fujifilm.
Rating: 5/5
12. Held Air Stream Gloves I've owned these gloves (purpose built for motorcycle touring) for about two years and other than very cold (say under 45F) or very wet conditions, these are my go to gloves. They are simply the most comfortable gloves made and I LOVE these gloves. If I could add a squeegee along the left index finger, they'd be perfect and suitable for light rain riding, even they are nowhere close to being waterproof. I love them that much.
Rating: 5/5
The Trip Ends: Denver to Homer
We got a very early start on Thursday morning from our thoroughly miserable Comfort Inn, taking I70 from Denver all the way to East St. Louis. Fourteen hours into our drive, which found us in mid St. Louis, we planned to switch to I64 East. But a car blocked our exit onto I64 and we were forced to exit I70 into the heart of downtown St. Louis. And when I say "heart", I really mean the anus.
It was now well past dark. The area we entered was, at first, well lit and lined with new-ish buildings with nice bright signs and lots of young people walking the streets. It looked like a concert or game had just let out. It was Thursday night and the weekend was just ahead...happy times. The truck's GPS, however, was confused (probably signal loss due to overhead interstates) and it failed to find I64, let alone even I70. KC suggested we just sit back and follow the GPS, such as it was. Relax, he said, we'll get through this.
But, with one unfortunate turn, we were thrust onto a narrow street that, within a block and a half, decayed into one of those dark and tortured looking places that, deep inside the adrenal medulla, triggers a flight or fight response. My response was flight and KC's response was...well, I could hear him rummaging through is door side pocket and in seconds he handed me an empty holster, saying. "Hold this". I could hear something heavy sliding back into his door side pocket.
KC was, uh, prepared to fight.
We had passed, without warning, from the rich and newly developed downtown into the meanest streets of the inner city. It was a place where tragic documentaries are made and is the source of a thousand "Cops" episodes. The unlit street was lined with vacant lots and dark graffiti covered industrial buildings with bombed out windows and who's only economic activities went unreported. The street, devoid of any living thing, disappeared into the darkness in front of us. It was like looking into a dark, endless tunnel with no light at the other end. I could imagine the worst of humanity lurking around these dark corners. People who would see nothing but opportunity in this shiny white truck with two shiny white passengers pulling a shiny white trailer.
We were in a bad spot.
Whether the street actually narrowed or it was just my imagination, I could picture us getting stuck on this narrow, unlit street with no way out. I said, "KC, how the hell are you ever going get this thing turned around?". He said, "Watch me" and jerked the wheel hard left, pulling a sharp U turn which, thank you Baby Jesus, missed the curb by inches and headed us back towards the non-zombie part of town that we'd left minutes ago.
It occurred to me that we should simply get on the first interstate ramp we came to and just get the hell out of here, though I suspect KC was way ahead of me. Through some kind of divine intervention, good karma or dumb luck, we found I70 East and it took us directly to where we needed to go- I64 East. I can't explain how it happened or why, but to say we were both relieved and grateful would be a massive indulgence in the obvious.
In short order we saw the beautifully lit twin spires of the Stan Musial Mississippi River Bridge straight ahead taking us eastbound across the river and out of St. Louis. Amen brother...
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| (Photo not mine) |
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| (Photo not mine.) |
Whew.
The next morning I went to the lobby looking for breakfast, but I was too early. I sat alone in the lobby and read the newspaper. Around 6:00AM KC, pulling his rolling suitcase through the lobby, asked if I was ready to hit it. We were on the interstate by 6:05AM, ready to see home and to end our big adventure.
By now we'd been on the road for nearly three weeks and in each others company, other than for eight hours of sleep each night, almost constantly. Given our personalities, I give us both high grades for still being able to tolerate each other. Frankly, I can't imagine doing this with many people, but KC has been a great traveling partner and I really have enjoyed our time together.
By 5:00PM we were pulling into his driveway and my son Jon was right behind us, ready to load my gear into my SUV and head home. But first, Ethel served us delicious smoked salmon and dill hors-d'oeuvres. Thank you Ethel.
The trip itself is now over. After nearly a year of discussing it and planning for it, I am happy that we finished the trip but very sad that it is ended. It has been a great experience, probably the trip of a lifetime for me. I doubt I'll ever do another trip on this scale, but I might. Clearly now is not the time to consider such a thing. Now is the time to unpack my gear and my memories, to get reacquainted with my family and the dogs (there's a difference?) and to decompress.
My advice to you is to find a way to live out your dreams and fantasies, to start planning it now while you can. Remember that life's biggest regrets are the things that you DIDN'T do.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
Riverton to Denver
Last night KC and I rode a mile down the street to eat and gas up. KC was chillin' Wyomin' style. Its what you'd call "Some of the gear, some of the time". When we returned from the gas station...no attendant, just gas by automated electronic payment and the most singularly disgusting restroom I've ever experienced...KC immediately realized that he'd left his gloves on the gas pump.
He said "I'll be right back" and shot out of the hotel driveway and
down the road. KC's tail lights quickly disappeared but sound travels a long ways in eastern Wyoming. I could hear the water cooled boxer
engine's exhaust all the way to the gas station.
We left Riverton, WY this morning at about 7:30AM under blue skies and cool temps. The plan was to have a 250 mile day today, riding to Laramie, WY, and then a short day on Thursday, arriving in Denver late morning. We'd load the bikes and drive til we were tired...probably mid Kansas.
However, by the time we hit Rawlins, WY it was clear that we'd be in Laramie by noon and it made no sense to stop for the day that early. So, in the gas station parking lot with my iPhone's battery dying, we juggled hotel reservations and decided to high tail it for Denver, spend the night there and then get an early start driving KC's truck eastbound Thursday morning.
An unmistakable case of "get-home-itis".
We ran along two lane roads through high desert until Rawlins, WY where we hopped on I80 Eastbound. I took very few pictures since the scenery was neither impressive or unique. The weather was hot and windy. The only solution was to keep moving and we were hammering.
Traffic was relatively light and we cruised at 80-85 all the way to Cheyenne where we got on I25 South to Denver. By the time we got close to Denver, traffic had become fairly heavy, but was still moving at the speed limit. We were now totally focused on closing the deal...the fun part of the ride was over and we were simply clearing the table.
We did manage to use the toll road E470 which makes a big loop around the Denver metro and passes very close by the Denver Airport. Supposedly they take a picture of your license plate and then mail you a bill. (Note: As of 10/24/15 I have yet to see a bill.)
After a rather trying process of locating our truck and trailer storage area in Denver (we were looking for its OLD address...oops!), we finally found it. I will admit to feeling a bit of euphoria when we climbed off the bikes....sorry to see the motorcycle trip end but somewhat joyous over starting our final leg. We loaded the bikes quickly and after a bit of a struggle, located our hotel. Neither KC or I are particularly enthused about the Comfort Inn, but its only for a few hours and we'll be out the back door and headed east.
We got an education on Denver's taxi cab scene riding to dinner. They are as disorganized and inept as one might fear. After a nice outdoor Mexican dinner and some good (not great) fish tacos, we waited for at least an hour for a cab to find us. Both of us were tired and in no mood for that kind of incompetence.
Next time try Uber, you old farts.
We left Riverton, WY this morning at about 7:30AM under blue skies and cool temps. The plan was to have a 250 mile day today, riding to Laramie, WY, and then a short day on Thursday, arriving in Denver late morning. We'd load the bikes and drive til we were tired...probably mid Kansas.
However, by the time we hit Rawlins, WY it was clear that we'd be in Laramie by noon and it made no sense to stop for the day that early. So, in the gas station parking lot with my iPhone's battery dying, we juggled hotel reservations and decided to high tail it for Denver, spend the night there and then get an early start driving KC's truck eastbound Thursday morning.
An unmistakable case of "get-home-itis".
We ran along two lane roads through high desert until Rawlins, WY where we hopped on I80 Eastbound. I took very few pictures since the scenery was neither impressive or unique. The weather was hot and windy. The only solution was to keep moving and we were hammering.
Traffic was relatively light and we cruised at 80-85 all the way to Cheyenne where we got on I25 South to Denver. By the time we got close to Denver, traffic had become fairly heavy, but was still moving at the speed limit. We were now totally focused on closing the deal...the fun part of the ride was over and we were simply clearing the table.
We did manage to use the toll road E470 which makes a big loop around the Denver metro and passes very close by the Denver Airport. Supposedly they take a picture of your license plate and then mail you a bill. (Note: As of 10/24/15 I have yet to see a bill.)
After a rather trying process of locating our truck and trailer storage area in Denver (we were looking for its OLD address...oops!), we finally found it. I will admit to feeling a bit of euphoria when we climbed off the bikes....sorry to see the motorcycle trip end but somewhat joyous over starting our final leg. We loaded the bikes quickly and after a bit of a struggle, located our hotel. Neither KC or I are particularly enthused about the Comfort Inn, but its only for a few hours and we'll be out the back door and headed east.
We got an education on Denver's taxi cab scene riding to dinner. They are as disorganized and inept as one might fear. After a nice outdoor Mexican dinner and some good (not great) fish tacos, we waited for at least an hour for a cab to find us. Both of us were tired and in no mood for that kind of incompetence.
Next time try Uber, you old farts.
Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Cody to Riverton
My first couple pictures are a catch-up from the past few days. First, a shot of Big Ernie exercising his First Amendment rights at the restaurant he and KC and I dined at in Kalispell...
Next, a shot of KC relaxing at lunch in Cody yesterday...clearly enjoying his Corona, watching the people go by this nice outdoor Mexican restaurant..
OK, back to our regularly scheduled programming.
Last night I slept like a dead man, but still felt tired this morning. Could be 9 straight days on a motorcycle. Ya think? But the good news is that today is a very short day...a mere 150 miles or so, to Riverton, WY. The terrain was high desert all the way and we passed miles of cattle grazing, irrigated alfalfa and wheat operations.
A mile north of Kirby, WY we both spotted an old truck parked on a hill side just off to one side of the road. In unison, we U-turned and went back for a closer look. It turned out to be advertising for Butch's Place just ahead, so we decided to have a look.
Imagine our disappointment to learn that Butch's was closed...in fact, it looked like Butch closed in about 1987.
However, it did provide an opportunity to take some railroad pics and I am, as KC loves to point out, a train queer. Here's what I shot....
To my great surprise, Kirby, WY (pop...not worth counting) is home to what appears to be a first rate distillery...say hello to Wyoming Whiskey, Kirby, Wyoming. They offered tours but their sign warned of possible explosions. Guess they make a pretty strong concoction in there.
At this point we agreed that we'd worked Kirby for all it was worth and decided to push on to Thermopolis, home to Thermopolis Hot Springs and State Park Bath House. I should mention that The Big Horn River runs along side Hwy 20 and we got lots of views of my favorite river in the world. I looked closely for rising fish, but could see none. The river was full of "salad" (aquatic vegetation) so it looked like a real bug factory (big food=big fish). But, it is possible that the Bighorn in Thermopolis is a warm water fishery (no trout)...my favorite location on this river is in Ft. Smith, MT where it is most definitely is a trout fishery.
The State Park sits along the Big Horn River and Hwy 20. It is a surprisingly nice and well developed facility with two hotels, a huge hot springs pool and a large bath house but I'm struggling to identify with who in the hell pays to come here. Its a mystery I tell ya.
The hot springs come from deep inside the earth and give off a strong sulfur odor...KC tells me that the actual chemical in the water is hydrogen sulfide. Like the springs in Yellowstone, they stain things an odd color and have an other worldly look about them. See here...
This is a swinging walking bridge over the Big Horn River.
After a relaxing lunch in an air conditioned restaurant in Thermopolis and listening to a young man who worked in the restaurant tell of his winter job...shoveling snow and ice off people's roofs (I can't make this shit up)...we made our last push for the day down the Wind River Canyon to Shoshoni and on to Riverton, WY. This was our second trip through the Wind River Canyon and this time I spotted a drift boat on the river. This probably confirms my suspicion that the river is a trout fishery. I never did figure out where the "put-in" and "take-out" is for the drift boats...the canyon stretch we rode through looked pretty much inaccessible.
I'm pooped.
Last night I slept like a dead man, but still felt tired this morning. Could be 9 straight days on a motorcycle. Ya think? But the good news is that today is a very short day...a mere 150 miles or so, to Riverton, WY. The terrain was high desert all the way and we passed miles of cattle grazing, irrigated alfalfa and wheat operations.
A mile north of Kirby, WY we both spotted an old truck parked on a hill side just off to one side of the road. In unison, we U-turned and went back for a closer look. It turned out to be advertising for Butch's Place just ahead, so we decided to have a look.
However, it did provide an opportunity to take some railroad pics and I am, as KC loves to point out, a train queer. Here's what I shot....
The State Park sits along the Big Horn River and Hwy 20. It is a surprisingly nice and well developed facility with two hotels, a huge hot springs pool and a large bath house but I'm struggling to identify with who in the hell pays to come here. Its a mystery I tell ya.
I'm pooped.
Monday, September 21, 2015
Billings to Cody: Chief Joseph and Beartooth Redux
It also occurred to me that KC and I hadn't really seen Beartooth Pass because the weather was so bad on the day we rode from Cody to Livingston. I felt that heading to Riverton, WY today was premature and that doing so signaled the end of our great adventure. I wanted to extend the ride, to see what I'd come to see...smelling the barn was way over rated.
So, I proposed that we ride Beartooth Pass and Chief Joseph Scenic Byway again, but this time in the opposite direction and then spend a night in Cody. From Cody we could go to Riverton and then to Denver. It took approximately 12 seconds to convince KC and our new plan was locked in. It took some work, but we locked down a hotel in Cody. We were cleared for takeoff.
We left the hotel at 8:20AM and rolled through Red Lodge, MT (a very unpretentious looking town...lots of old west vibe, 3 miles from a ski resort and directly in line with Beartooth Pass) around 9:30AM. On the outskirts of town, we pulled into a gas station to fuel up and take a bio break. When I found the men's room, KC was already using it and an older guy was standing outside the door. I asked if this was the line and he said "Yes...you doing number one or number two?" I said, "Number one". He replied, "Then you go ahead of me."
That's the difference between Red Lodge and Aspen.
Within minutes of leaving Red Lodge, the road pitched upward and the climb to Beartooth Pass was underway. Red Lodge sits at about 5500' and Beartooth Pass is at nearly 11,000'. As we climbed, the temperature dropped from nearly 70F to 42F.
Our second attempt at Beartooth was definitely worth the effort. It is the most scenic ride I've ever done, with the exception of Going-To-The-Sun Road. These first shots were from Rock Creek Vista at about 9,200' which we rode through before hitting the pass.
The approach to Beartooth Pass from Red Lodge runs along the valley floor and offers tremendous views of the mountains. The climb up to the pass scales the side of the mountain through a series of switchbacks. The mountain sides were nearly vertical and at certain places, particularly along the switchbacks that make motorcycle travel possible, the debris fields from the rock slides were evident. The highway guys had strategically installed huge heavy duty nets along the roadsides, like industrial strength chain link fences, to catch the massive boulders that could take out a Greyhound bus once gravity took hold of them. Occasionally we'd see a refrigerator sized boulder trapped at the bottom of one of these nets. I'd pay to watch a boulder fall down one of these fields.
One of the most obvious differences in our second try, aside from the clear sky, was the presence of snow from last week's storm. It was a perfect bit of spice to add to the mountain tops and helped to define their contours. This trip we could see everything- the switchbacks, the rock slides, the alpine lakes, the glaciers, the snow capped peaks.
By the way, the shots from Chief Joseph were taken with a different lens...this time its a Fuji 16mm lens...pretty sharp, eh? I give up the flexibility of a zoom lens but the optics are sharper and the lens is MUCH faster (larger aperture...f/1.4). I wish I'd have used the 16mm lens more often on this trip.
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