Red Lodge, Beartooth, Chief Joseph, Two days, Two Guys, 1,000 miles

[bigjohnsd]

Scott and I have an annual tradition of riding to Red Lodge and back via the Chief Joseph Parkway and the Beartooth Highway. 0730 Tuesday morning, we set forth.


Our goal was "No Interstate" on the way over - we achieved our goal.

The Bear Lodge in Wyoming was beautiful, we have had sufficient rain and everything is still green





Signs for Harley Riders are already up a month in advance of the 85th Sturgis Rally






Devils Tower is still there

Between Moorcroft, WY, and Gillette, WY, we passed two mile-long strings of "surplus Locomotives" no longer in service due to the demise of the Wyoming Coal Fields.



One would think that these engines have value somewhere else in the world?

We rode US 14/16 from Gillette to Ucross then US 16 to Buffalo and on to Ten Sleep over the Cloud Peak Skyway and down through Ten Sleep Canyon. The traffic wasn't too bad until we got into Ten Sleep Canyon, but a few "Sporty Passes" put us in the clear.

I am intrigued by these unique grain elevators near Clearmont, WY. I've ridden through a lot of this country and i've never seen elevators like these anywhere else.









Soon we have the Bighorns in view


We gassed in Buffalo, WY and picked up some snacks for lunch atop the Bighorns


The Cloud Peak Skyway (US 16) is always a great ride


We stopped near Meadowlark Lake for lunch


After Ten Sleep Canyon, we turned North West towards Manderson, WY. About 70 miles through the puckerbrush and along the Nowood River.





Local legend has it that the Native Americans in the region drank the water from the Nowood; they suffered from ED and, as a result, discovered the minerals that go into Viagra today.

As we approached Cody, WY more mountains came into view


After gassing again in Cody we headed up WY 120 towards the Chief Joseph Parkway, WY 296,


We only encountered a few vehicles in our run up the Chief Joseph, one of the least impeded transits in my experience.








Two bridges were under repair just a few miles before the US 212- WY 296 junction

The only construction we encountered on the run.


Closer

IYKYK!

We pulled into Red Lodge at 1600, Truly a great ride, even if a bit warm, 93°F between Ten Sleep and Cody.

We stayed at the Alpine Inn, their prices keep going up. I love the place but may look for other accommodations in the future. Larry, the owner, is a great guy, caters to motorcyclists, and cooks a mean breakfast for guests in the morning, but $260 is pretty steep!

Dinner in Red Lodge was not really "Food Porn" worthy.

Home in the morning.

[bigjohnsd]

Home -

We were up early and Larry cooked us breakfast. We were on the road at 0730 headed back over the Beartooth. I led on the way over, Scott set the pace on the return trek.


It was another beautiful day, no wind, 70f at 0730, just perfect.

Scott set a good pace, and we overtook one Harley, two cars, and one pickup on our way to the top.
I wasn't really "feeling it" until we got to the top. Sometimes you just aren't in sync with your machine; that was me for the first 30 minutes this morning. Once we hit the top, I snapped out of my funk and became fully engaged. There were many Marmots out on the road this morning, Suicidal Marmots! More Marmots than I've ever seen before. There is still some snow up top, but none along the road.







After coming down the Chief Joseph we had about an hour of penance to Lovell, temperatures in the 90s, and boring roads.


I led the charge from Lovell to Ranchester up US 14A. Only had to pass three cars and one pickup on our way up. A little snow remains up high in the Bighorns as well.





We gassed in Sheridan, WY and ate a snack before heading to Ucross on US 14, then to Gillette on US 14/16 and because of the 97f heat we rode I-90 back to Spearfish.

When we passed through Sundance, WY, thought we might encounter a storm near Spearfish but it was South.



All in all, a pretty good couple of days. As Scott often says, "Take me out and make me ride my motorcycle!"

[Abercrombie FJR]

"Take me out and make me ride my motorcycle!"
Evidently Scott and I are the same breed. I haven't been on a great ride since we rode Baja and Big Bend together.

[Toter]

Can't believe they leave all those spare locomotives out there where they can be stolen!

[bigjohnsd]

"Take me out and make me ride my motorcycle!"
Evidently Scott and I are the same breed. I haven't been on a great ride since we rode Baja and Big Bend together.

Can't like that post my friend.

[El Toro Joe]

thanks for making me wish I could go for a ride like that...JSNS

[fontanaman]

That is an awesome loop ride. Thanks for bring back some good memories.

[D-Eagle]

Great report!
(How many gallons of water did you bring back from the Nowood River?)

[FJR NorCal]

Thanks for the report and pictures John. Really enjoy those roads. My first trip over Beartooth Pass has to one of my most memorable trips. Also, John I missed you when I went through Spearfish in June. You had to be riding out.

-Rich

[escapefjrtist]

You know BigJohn, that's a really good idea to make a run to Red Lodge. Thanks for the ride-along and motivation to make me ride my motorcycle!

~G

[bigjohnsd]

You know BigJohn, that's a really good idea to make a run to Red Lodge. Thanks for the ride-along and motivation to make me ride my motorcycle!

~G

Scott and I, and possibly our friends Mark and Kip will be out your way 10~22 September. Might hook up with Fontanaman on the way, JREW is a possible participant too. Scott has never ridden the North Cascades or the Olympic Peninsula. We aim to correct these deficiencies. Stay tuned.

[fontanaman]

You know BigJohn, that's a really good idea to make a run to Red Lodge. Thanks for the ride-along and motivation to make me ride my motorcycle!

~G

Scott and I, and possibly our friends Mark and Kip will be out your way 10~22 September. Might ̶h̶o̶o̶k̶ ̶u̶p̶ ride with Fontanaman on the way, JREW is a possible participant too. Scott has never ridden the North Cascades or the Olympic Peninsula. We aim to correct these deficiencies. Stay tuned.

Fixed if for ya John.

[wheatonFJR]

Lol.

[SkooterG]

"Take me out and make me ride my motorcycle!"
Evidently Scott and I are the same breed. I haven't been on a great ride since we rode Baja and Big Bend together.

You suck.

And you are required to join me in Europe next year. No excuses. Life is short. Carpe Diem!

[escapefjrtist]

You know BigJohn, that's a really good idea to make a run to Red Lodge. Thanks for the ride-along and motivation to make me ride my motorcycle!
~G

Scott and I, and possibly our friends Mark and Kip will be out your way 10~22 September. Might hook up with Fontanaman on the way, JREW is a possible participant too. Scott has never ridden the North Cascades or the Olympic Peninsula. We aim to correct these deficiencies. Stay tuned.

Already noted, you and Scott are on my calendar.

~G

[Panman]

G and I where talking this yesterday, as you might remember helping me find a tire a few years back on the way to meet you & Scott in Cody we missed the Beartooth and the Chief Joseph Hwy. G started talking seeing a few things and and doing a midsummer ride I mentioned that sounded like a couple of week trip. I said something about catching the Sawtooths, and he looked at me and smirked and said I was getting scope creep.

[wheatonFJR]

G and I where talking this yesterday, as you might remember helping me find a tire a few years back on the way to meet you & Scott in Cody we missed the Beartooth and the Chief Joseph Hwy. G started talking seeing a few things and and doing a midsummer ride I mentioned that sounded like a couple of week trip. I said something about catching the Sawtooths, and he looked at me and smirked and said I was getting scope creep.

Well, if yer doin Sawtooths, you might as well head over to the Black Hills. Then the badlands. Then Arky, since yer halfway there already. Then across the Mississippi to Tennessee. Then heck, Appalachians are right there. But after that, mission creep has gotta stop.

South Carolina is definitely too far!