With more hot weather on the way, and feeling the need to rack up some more practice mileage before the upcoming big trip, I took off about 10:30 this morning and headed out to do the Chief Joseph and Beartooth Scenic Byways again. These roads NEVER get old.
I went my usual route by taking Rimrock Road west to 62nd street, head south to Grand Avenue and then west to the end of Grand at 88th Street West. I travel south on that just a 1/2 mile or so where I turn west on Lipp Road and pull over at the Canyon Creek Battlefield memorial. I had forgotten to put in my ear plugs so this was a good spot to take care of that. I noticed that the parking lot, which is usually empty, had a half-dozen cars parked in it but no one was there. Before I finished digging out the earplugs, the car owners showed up on their bicycles, coming down from a ride on Buffalo Trail. One of the riders stopped and we chatted about my FJR as he told me that he had a 2016 that he sold after having a hip replacement. The bike was harder to hold up but a bicycle was no problem.
I got on Buffalo Trail and took that south to the town of Laurel. The weather is great today although there is a fair amount of smoke in the air from fire to the west. Temperatures are predicted to be in the upper 90s but it's pretty comfortable now in the mid-morning. I rode through Laurel and got on Highway 212 and traveled the 10 miles to Rockvale where I turned south on Highway 310 and went through Fromberg and Bridger before I veered to the right on Highway 72 toward Cody.
Traffic was pretty light for Sunday. Just before Bridger I saw 3 bikes coming up behind me and moved over to the right so they could pass. It was three guys on "naked bikes" moving along at a good clip. I ended up following them for a while as we headed toward Belfry. Some slow drivers were ahead and the three bikes and myself sailed around them. When I pulled back into the right lane I noticed my speedometer read 93 mph. This bike just flies and feels no different from going 50 than 90.
Those bikes kept up their pace of about 85 and I backed down to 73 and relaxed on this long stretch into Wyoming where one could do 100 mph and feel like they were sitting still. When I went through here a few weeks ago there was some road construction near where I turn off on Highway 296, the Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, with barricades and gravel providing some rough riding. Today, there is nothing but new asphalt and as smooth as can be.
I turned off on Highway 296 and noticed that I'd traveled 95 miles since pulling out of my driveway and felt like it was time for a break. About 5 miles after starting the ascent I pulled over into a parking area for a stretch and a drink of water. A couple in a pickup was also taking a break and we ended up having a nice chat about his work that required lots of international travel. Of course, he is also a rider, easy to tell by his Harley t-shirt.
The ride was fantastic. When I did this a few weeks ago it rained most of the way but today the only downside was the heavy smoke in the air from the various wildfire burning who-knows-where. I pulled over quite a few times to grab some pictures:
This one, above, is from the pass at the top of the highway. The one below is looking down on the road I am about to travel on. Notice the smoke in the air.
Along the way there is a bridge across a gorge. I stopped for a quick photo of the bike with the bridge. I met some guys from Bulgaria, now living in Illinois, on tour.
I came to the end of the Chief Joseph Byway and had a decision to make. Left goes to Cooke City and the entrance to Yellowstone Park and right is the Beartooth Highway. I'd like to head through Yellowstone and come out in Gardiner and go north to Livingstone but today is not the day since it was already getting to be mid-afternoon.
I turned right and headed up the Beartooth Highway. The road is curvy and a bit rough at times but more than enjoyable. There is section along the way that is under construction and down to a single lane but the lights controlling access turned green just as I a pulled up to the vehicles waiting in front of me. Right in front of me were two motorcyclists, one wearing a Hells Angels jacket. I followed them through the defile and for a few miles after that until they pulled into the Top of the World store.
The ride from there was amazingly free of much traffic. That seems unusual for the height of the tourist season but I'm not going to complain. Before the switchbacks to the top of the pass, I pulled over for another photo opportunity.
When I reached the top, I just took a few quick pictures since I've already snapped some there this season.
From there it's the ride down. This was slow since there was an SUV ahead of me that was taking all the speed signs literally, minus 10mph. Eventually we got to the Vista Point and I pulled in for a break. I talked to a couple on their Harley who were just up rom Red Lodge trying to escape the heat.
I headed down the mountain through the tight twisties and when I came to one the the 180-degree turns, usually packed with cars, I saw only one vehicle and decided to pull over for another photo opportunity that I hadn't done before.
I continued on to Red Lodge. Since I'd decided to grab a picture of my bike in front of county courthouses, I wanted to get the one here for Carbon County. Luckily, there was a parking spot right in front of it.
Next, I stopped for gas. It was hot. About 98 degrees and I knew that I'd see it get warmer as I lost some elevation on the way back to Billings so I pulled out my cooling vest which I'd stashed, wet, in a plastic bag in one of the saddlebags. It felt funny pulling that on with my mesh jacket over it considering how hot the air temperature was but knew that it would feel good on the 60-miles back to Billings.
And that was it. The vest kept me cool and I got back to Laurel and retraced my route, past the Canyon Creek Battlefield memorial, across Lipp Road, east on Grand, up 62nd to Rimrock and east to home.
The AirHawk seat pad passed the test as did the cooling vest. I double-checked my MPG when I got got gas in Red Lodge and it said I was getting 52.4. The computer on my dashboard said it was about 53 so it looks pretty trustworthy.
262.5 miles today.
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