Beartooth Pass

May 30, 2021

It was announced that the Beartooth Pass would be opened for the season this holiday weekend and I thought, "Hmmm, I have a new 2021 FJR and I live an hour away from the highway, so why not?"

I left home about 9:30am and after gassing up I decided to take an alternate route instead of riding directly to Red Lodge where the Beartooth Highway begins.  I took I-90 the 10 miles from Billings to Laurel where I headed southwest on Hwy 212.  This is the original 2-lane road to Red Lodge but over the past couple years, the state rerouted it and widened it to 4-lanes with a large center divider from Laurel to Rockvale, a vast improvement and quite a bit safer.

In Rockvale I turned south on Hwy 310, the road to Lovell, Wyoming.  The first little town along the way is Fromberg, a place I visited and wrote about on a ride to Powell, WY a few weeks ago.  I wanted to stop here again but this time to do a sketch of the abandoned garage there.

I took off my gear, set up my stool, and got out my sketchbook and pen.  It was beautiful out.

This took a bit less than an hour and I was pretty satisfied with my work and will probably add watercolor to it later.  

The next stop was a bit farther down the road, a rest stop, just before arriving in Bridger, another small town.  I continued on Hwy 310 until Hwy 72 and headed toward Belfry where I turned right on Hwy 308 which travels west toward Red Lodge.  This is a very nice 15-mile, 2-lane ride with lots of curves and hills.  There are two points of interest along the way.  One is the town of Bearcreek, known for the pig races held at the town saloon.

The other, and I didn't stop to get a picture, is the Smith Mine, known for the disaster in 1943 when an explosion killed 74 of the workers.  Quite a few of the buildings remain on the site.

The road arrives in the southern end of Red Lodge at the intersection of Hwy 212, AKA the Beartooth Highway.  I turned left and followed the road out of town.  I've run (as in foot raced) on this section of the highway many times over the years either in the Peaks to Prairies triathlon, where I was the runner on a team doing the 9-mile jaunt, or the annual Red Lodge Fun Run 10K that is held over Labor Day weekend, a run I've won my age group in a few times.

The Beartooth Highway travels southwest for a ways through a forested area before the switchbacks start the climb up the mountains, eventually getting above the tree line.  About the 9,000-foot level there is a vista point with a decent sized parking lot and views of the mountains and the valley looking back into Red Lodge.  It's breathtaking.  I pulled into the lot for a quick break and only took one photo of my bike sitting there.  It was pretty crowded and I wanted to get back on the road.

Here's a photo I shot there in October of 1983.

The next section of road is lots of curves, some straight pieces, and it's snow-lined.  There are several places along the way where snowmobilers, skiers, and snowboarders are active and their vehicles are pulled off the road, mostly.  Yes, people are still enjoying the snow up here.  In one place, the snowmobilers are using the 6-8 foot drifts that line the road to jump the highway itself.  I had one go over just as I passed and saw it in my mirror.

The pinnacle of the ride, and where I planned to turn around today, is the high point, Beartooth Pass, elevation 10,947 feet.  There were quite a few cars pulled alongside the road and, luckily, the sidings were paved.  I was able to snag a spot near the sign and after some fellow tourists moved out of the way I got this shot.

While I've traveled this highway quite a few times since moving to Montana 30 years ago, this was not my first time in this spot on motorcycle.  In 1979 I did an epic ride around the country on my 1976 Honda CB750 and stopped here for a similar picture.  You can read about that ride here.

I don't remember why there is a 5-foot difference in the elevation from 1979 to 2021.

Here are a few more shots from there today.

Yes, one does feel on top of the world there.

I headed back down the mountain and did a stop when I crossed back into Montana from Wyoming.

The ride back to Billings was uneventful, just lots of great scenery.  For being a holiday weekend I was surprised that there wasn't more traffic than there was.  One thing that was evident were the Chevy Corvettes.  There is a rally this weekend in Billings and I saw quite a few of them on the highway.

So, if you are ever in this part of the world, don't miss this drive.  I'll be doing it again soon and next time, instead of turning around at the pass, I'll continue on Hwy 212 to Cooke City.  After that the road continues to the east entrance of Yellowstone Park, then to Mammoth Hots Springs, and out the north entrance of the park to the town of Gardiner.  

Riding to Hysham

May 25, 2021

The town of Hysham, MT is about 80 miles from Billings and is reached either on 2-lane roads or a quick trip in the Interstate-94.  I did a bit of both.  I had planned to go yesterday but the wind picked up and I decided to wait a day.  It wasn't much improved today but I went anyway.

I took I-94 to Ballantine where I decided that the back roads might me less windy.  This took me on a ride through farm and ranch lands and, I thought, would connect me with Highway 312.  It took a look at the map and a few turns and, after a ride down a nice curvy road, I found it.  By this time I was at Pompey's Pillar where I had been just last Saturday.  I knew that I needed to find the frontage road to avoid getting back in the Interstate and I missed it on first pass which gave me a chance to practice my U-turn.  I took the Custer Frontage Road to the small town of Custer, MT.  It was time for a break so after a quick tour of the town I stopped in front of the school for a photo.

From there I crossed back under I-94 and found Pease Bottom Road.  I'd driven this road a few years ago and remembered it would make a good ride on a bike and would get me to Hysham.  No sooner than turning on to it, I came across some road construction.  A crew was patching potholes and had one lane of the narrow road shut down.  The flagger waved me through just as the second flagger did a few hundred yards ahead.  When I passed him I came in for a surprise as the road was blocked by cattle.  I eased my way past them and then pulled over for a photo opportunity.

I got on my way but kept a close watch for others on this open range route.  A few miles up ahead I came to the part I remembered being so attractive with rimrocks on one side of the road and an expanse of farmland on the other.  Another stop for pictures.

A few miles ahead the name of the road changes to Myers Road and the speed limit changed from 60 to 35 mph.  This was due to the condition of the road that was one pothole after another.  It gave me a chance to practice evasive maneuvering.  When I came to the Yellowstone River I was in for a disappointment because the cool, old, riveted steel bridge that had once been there had been replaced with one of those bland crossings one sees anywhere.  Oh well.

Soon, the road improved and became one long 70 mph straightaway to Hysham.  As per my plan, I pulled into town and parked in front of the Yucca Theater.

Hysham is really small, about 300 people.  It has one main street and the defining structure is the Yucca Theater.  It was built in 1931 by David Manning, a successful business man who also served in the state legislature, and his brother Jim Manning.  It is designed in the Mission style and started showing movies as soon at it was finished and continues to do so today.  The Manning home is attached to the rear of the building and it is now part of the county museum.  I toured the interior a few years ago and was surprised to find a nice veterans memorial and a collection of First Lady (of the state) dresses on display.

Today I took a break and sat on a park bench across the street and did a sketch while I was resting.

The wind showed no signs of abating so I packed up and got ready to head back to Billings but took one last look at the downtown.

Since it looked like the wind would be coming from behind me, I decided to to take the Interstate back the 80 miles to Billings.  I set my cruise control to 75 mph, and it was a quick and uneventful ride back.

Communication upgrade

 May 24, 201

I added a Cardo Packtalk Bold to my Shoei GT Air II helmet today.  Yes, I know, this helmet is supposed to use the Sena but my son got the Cardo and we want be be on the same network.

Installation wasn't too bad.  I used the "sticky" mount and routed the wires and speakers in the helmet without much trouble.  It paired with my phone and the voice recognition works fine.

Pompey's Pillar

May 22, 2021

The Lewis and Clark Expedition in the early 1800s is quite the historical accomplishment as they went from St. Louis to the Pacific Coast and back and recorded the trip in detailed journals that are a great read today. The only remaining physical evidence of the trip is on Pompey’s Pillar, a large sandstone outcropping along the Yellowstone River in Montana that William Clark was following on his way to reconnect with Meriwether Lewis who was following the Missouri River on their return trip. When Clark encountered this monolith he climbed up and carved his initials and the date in the stone, something he’d done in other places. This one is the only one that remains today.

This is now a National Park with a great museum/interpretive center and knowledgeable rangers. It’s 35 miles from my home in Billings so a natural when it comes to a short ride destination. I rode out there today because we are having a one-day break in our rainy weather and temperature isn’t too bad, 51 degrees. 

Clark’s signature in on the right, protected by the glass case.

Legal rider

May 19, 2021:  

I almost forgot.  This was a big day.  I passed the written test and got my motorcycle learners permit.  As my son said, I am no longer "riding dirty."  I have a year to take the riding performance test but plan to take care of that in the next month or two.

Carport enclosed

May 20, 2021:  

I finished enclosing my carport today.  This is where the FJR lives, along with my '76 Honda CB750 which is about halfway restored, and the parking place for my '65 Triumph TR4.  Originally the carport was open except for one end and a 3-foot chain link gate where it opens to the alley.  I put up a double gate and a 5-foot fence to close it off from the backyard a year or so ago but had put off enclosing the rest until now.

I'd built the cedar gate across the alley opening a week or two ago and, this week, finished installing a 5-foot fence on the south side.  It's a 3-4 foot drop into the neighbor's yard on that side and their chain link fence does extend up a bit but I wanted a higher enclosure, a bit more privacy, and better shade from the sun that streams in on that side.  It turned out pretty well.

Once I clear out a few more items currently in front of the FJR, I'll have room for the Triumph, the Honda, the FJR, and one more small car, probably my '59 Volvo which currently lives across the street in the garage of our rental.  That spot will likely be taken by our upcoming new arrival, a mid-2000s Ford Focus.  There is space in that other garage for the FJR as well so it might winter there too since it is completely enclosed though unheated.  The advantage is that if we have a warm day (warm for a Montana winter) and I get the urge to take it out, I could.  The alley behind the carport usually gets packed with ice/snow that stays until March.  The driveway in the other garage gets shoveled and hit by the sun so is usually clear.

Seat Pad - Version 2 and a ride to Hardin

May 19, 2021:  

In a previous post I showed how I made a seat pad.  It worked well but I wanted to tweak it a bit and see if I could improve its level of comfort.  I remade the interior and used a gel pad in place of 2” foam. The bottom and top are cut from a yoga pad just like I did in the previous version and I have 1” of foam under the gel so it would be the same thickness as before.   I placed it all in the same muslin bag I had made which makes it easier to insert into the vinyl upholstery. It is mounted to the seat with straps that are connected to elastic underneath.

I took it out for a test drive by riding from Billings, MT to Hardin, MT on the old U.S. Highway 87 which was replaced by I-90. 2-lanes through farm and ranch land, curvy at times.  Hardin, the county seat of Big Horn Country, is a small town just outside the Crow Reservation and just a few miles from the Bighorn Battlefield and Custer’s infamous Last Stand, now a national monument and worth visiting should you get out this way.

I took I-90 back to Billings, about 110 miles round trip. This pad version is, I think, an improvement over the previous one. It seemed to relieve hot spots and provide a few more positions to wiggle into.

Tool roll

May 17, 2021:  

I almost forgot.  As a warm up activity for making the seat pad, I made a tool roll out of some leftover material I had from a patio swing project.  It's not exactly color coordinated to the FJR but the price was right.

Lewistown ride

May 14, 2021:  

Today’s ride was to head 2 hours north to the geographic center of Montana, Lewistown, MT, have lunch at the brewery there, get my 2021 to turn over 1,000 miles, and to ride with a friend for the first time.

The ride is all 2-lane roads across the eastern prairies with a few twisting routes over a couple mountainous areas. The weather for most of the day was perfect: clear and 62 degrees. My friend, who I have known for a couple years, rode his Victory.  Our first stop was the town of Roundup.

This is my first ride with the new seat that I made.  So far so good.

After passing by Grass Range, MT we pulled over for a quick break.

Lunch in Lewistown was fine. We ate at the brewery but there were sort of limited options for this vegetarian but the regular salad was enough with an Irish Red beer.  It’s a small city, about 6,000 people, with a nice Main Street and great trail system.  It is a Mecca for fishermen.

From there we headed west and encountered road construction for a ways where I rode the FJR on gravel for the first time. When we got to the town of Moore, noted for “Eddies Corner,” a store and restaurant and not much else, I notice that my odometer indicated 999. Yep, one more mile to the end of the engine break in period.

From there we headed south to Judith Gap, noted for its wind which has attracted a massive number of windmills. They have the blade from one of them in their city park.

The next stop is the former railroad town of Harlowton. They have a fine brewery but, alas, it wasn’t open so we headed east, following the Musselshell River, a beautiful drive. About 15 miles outside of Billings, we encountered rain. It wasn’t too bad and we were close enough to home at this point that donning rain gear wasn’t worth it.

A great day where we covered about 290 miles.  The seat pad seemed to give me about 100 miles more distance before butt fatigue started to set in.  I think I'll try modifying it with a gel pad and see how that feels.

Seat pad - Version 1

May 13, 2021:  

Among FJR owners, I have seen very few comments that extol the virtues and comfort of the stock seat.  This has created a market for replacement seats which go for $300 to $700 and even those seats are met with dissatisfaction from some.  After doing my recent 200-mile ride, I can say that the seat does have its limitations.  The key is to take breaks and give the backside a rest, not a bad idea even with the most comfortable seat.

But, I do want to improve the comfort and do so without first wading in to the custom seat world.  There are a few seat pads available featuring everything from memory foam to gel to air and some people seem to like those.  Since I do own an industrial sewing machine (Juki DDL-555), and since I have sewn up some automobile interiors, and since I do have a stockpile of random foam and vinyl, I thought I'd make my own seat pad.

I checked my inventory and while I was set on most items, I could use a bit of foam.  I bought a 24"x24" piece of high density foam from Walmart for a few bucks and, while shopping at the grocery store, I noticed a "close-out" on yoga mats for less than $5 so I picked up one of those.  The black vinyl I pulled out was what I used to use to blacken the windows in my old darkroom in California about 35-40 years ago.  Ah, the benefits of being a hoarder.

I started by experimenting with the layers of foam, seeing what felt good but didn't add excessive height.  I ended up making a paper pattern using the seat as a guide and marking that up on a piece of foam.  Then I used my Black and Decker electric carving knife to shape the foam to the pattern.

I used spray adhesive to attach other pieces of foam to get the shape I wanted and then covered it all with a piece of the yoga mat.

I then sewed up a muslin bag to put the foam assembly in.

Next I built the vinyl exterior shell.  I made a paper pattern and the cut top piece out.  I measured the length of the 2 sides and the front and cut out a strip of vinyl for that.  I sewed them together using a French fell seam to get the side to make a right angle.  For the rear riser I made a separate piece and sewed that to the rear of the top and added a flap that would go over the back.

Next I made the bottom piece.  I wanted a way to attach the pad to the seat that was removable and I thought about hooks but after looking at the seat pan I figured I could sew on straps that connected with elastic.  That way it would hook to the original upholstery and would be self-adjusting as the seat closed down on it.

Then I sewed to top and bottom together and added some extra pieces to the sides that I should had included in the pattern.  To add a closure that would let me take the padding out, I thought about a zipper but then I saw a box of Velcro I'd bought for another project and used that.  It had an adhesive backing so I didn't even need to sew it on.

I tried it on the bike and it fits pretty well and feels good. It will get a test ride tomorrow.