The last ride again

December 28, 2024

Is it really the end of December in Montana?  It sure doesn’t feel like winter but looking ahead on the weather app it appears things might be changing.  I’ve put the bike away twice for winter and taken it back out to enjoy another ride and today it was the same.  The last time I put it away, a week or so ago, I didn’t put it in it’s usual slumber location all the way back in the garage and needed to move it a bit to fit the ‘83 Volvo 240 in there with it.  With the temperature at 50 degrees and the roads clear, why not a short ride.

I didn’t have but a few hours and I thought about a longer one but once I got up on the highway above the rimrocks, I noticed a pretty strong wind that certainly takes the fine out of it.  So, I rode the new Skyline Drive to Akali Creek Road and took that to the base of Airport Road and back to Zimmerman.  It felt great.

And parked…

The final reading of the year.

Last Ride of the Year?

December 19, 2024

I’d put the bike away for the winter twice but winter seems to be arriving late so out it came again today.  It was 59 degrees so off I went to Lavinia, then to Roundup, then back home.  128 miles.

Rapelje roads

October 26, 2024

With my recent flat tire patched and pretty nice weather, it was a good day to get out and log some miles.  My friend, Keith, and I met up at 10am with a briskness in the air: 46°F.  We rode west, taking to new roundabout at 62nd and Rimrock and then south to Grand.  It was then then usual west board escape route from Billings to Laurel, then to Park City and Columbus.  We turned north on Hwy 306, Rapelje Road, to the village of Rapelje.

That road is pretty nice for the first part with sweeping curves through some hills and then it tops out on the prairie and runs pretty straight the rest of the way.  There was a pretty strong crosswind out of the west but nothing too much to deal with.

I didn’t take many photos of the ride today but the ones I shot previously, last March, are here. 

I did bring one of my film cam areas and did some shots but those will have to wait until I get into my darkroom to develop them a bit later.  Here are the few I did shoot with my phone.

After I was done shooting film, we did a quick tour of the town, population about 90, and then headed back the way we came.  We did made a quick stop to admire the scenery and the electrical substation.

We went back to Columbus and grabbed Hwy 421 to Joliet.  I’ve ridden this many times, as recently as last December, and there are some photos of that ride here.

As we rode back the temperature went up to about 68°F and I was thinking to shedding a layer but we continued on to Laurel where we made our final plan.  Keith wanted to hit a gas station on the way back and I decided to wait on that since I wanted to run more of the regular gas out before filling up with the winter, non-alcohol blend so we separated at Shilo and Grand and I headed for home.

An interesting thing occurred with the bike today.  When I left on my big trip last May, I zeroed out both of the trip counters.  The upper one I’d reset every day and I let the lower one just add up the days.  I never reset it and today it got to 10,000 miles and it reset to zero.

It was great ride today and I look forward to a few more before winter arrives and I have to put it away.

The Beartooth Yellowstone Park Loop

October 11, 2024

On September 18, 2021 I rode this loop for the first time and couldn’t believe that was the last time I did so it was definitely time.  What prompted me was seeing a news story that the Beartooth Highway is closing for the season next Tuesday.  That’s unfortunate because our weather is fantastic and I don’t see snow in the forecast for at least the next week or so.  But the gates will go up on Tuesday so I better get it done today.

Friday’s are gym day so I went and did my workout but couldn’t get in the pool due to a volleyball event taking over the locker rooms.  I came home and showered, had breakfast, and then gathered up my gear for the ride.  It’s a bit chilly, low-50s, so I put on some layers but didn’t feel I needed a liner in my cold weather jacket.  I did pull my riding pants on over my jeans and donned my winter gloves.  At 9:51 I was ready to go.  I shot a photo of the bike just as a neighborhood cat strutted across the yard.

I topped of my gas tank and did the usual route by heading out Grand, getting on Lipp Road, and then south on Buffalo Trail.  It’s a beautiful morning so I stopped for a couple photos before I got to Laurel.

I went through Laurel and the took Hwy 212 to Red Lodge.  When I got there I decided that it was time to put my thermal liner in my jacket.  It was in the low-60s but I knew it would get colder up on top as I approached almost 11,000 feet of elevation. 

Before I left town I pull in behind the Yodeler motel to check out their EV chargers that I’d seen listed online.

The small sign indicates that they are private property and it’s necessary to pay for your charge in the lobby.

My next stop was at the beginning of the Beartooth Hwy.  Fall colors are in abundance.

On the way up, I stopped at a few places for some scenery, with a motorcycle of course.

I made the usual stop at Vista Point.  Unlike the summer when it is packed with tourists, it was nearly empty today.

I continued on up to the top.  I’m glad I put the liner in my coat because the wind is really strong up here.

Of course, I had to get a photo next to the sign.

I descended on the other side of the pass and headed to Cooke City.  Lots more photo opportunities along the way.

I topped up the gas tank in Cooke City

After a few more miles down the road I arrived at Yellowstone Park.

I used my military Interagency Pass to get in the park and rode a few more miles to a picnic area for lunch.  I’d brought a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on a heavily seeded bread that I made yesterday.

It was a nice place for a break.

The next 30 miles or so took me through the Lamar Valley.

I saw a few bison here and there but I finally came across a large herd.

I continued on, making the occasional stop to look at the scenery.

When I got to Tower Junction I decided to do the short couple of mile drive to check out Tower Falls.

Now it was back on the road.  I rode to Mammoth and then took the very curvy exit road to the North Entrance.

Then it was through the touristy town of Gardiner where I stopped for an elk.

And that was it.  I took 89 north, a very pleasant ride, to Livingston where I grabbed the slab (I-90) and rode that back to Billings, arriving home at 7pm.

A great day covering 368 miles.