FJR Adventures: A 24-hour Overnight Trip

October 16, 2023

I did a nice 7-mile run first thing in the morning and after getting cleaned up having breakfast I glanced at the weather report and it really did look like beautiful weather for today and at least into early tomorrow afternoon. It’s the middle of October and with fall clearly underway, the number of good riding days are dwindling away. I decided to grab a quick overnighted so went out and loaded up the bike and headed for the Bighorn Mountains.

I had nothing complicated planned but just wanted to ride for a couple hours, park at a campsite, do a little hike, sleep in a tent, and ride back the next day. The Five Springs campground east of Lovell, WY is an easy one to do. I stayed here last Fathers Day but am taking a more direct route this time. I road south from Laurel on Hwy 212 until I switched to Hwy 310 in Rockvale, traveling then through Fromberg and Bridger. My first stop was after crossing the Wyoming border in the village of Frannie.

Frannie is a Port of Entry for Wyoming and has a nice little park next to their water tower.

I pulled into Crowley, WY and took a slight detour through the town to see their “historical district.” I passed what looked like an old school and that was it. I stopped at the next intersection and took thos boring photo.

When I arrived in Lovell, WY I pulled over for these two photos. That’s a very cool looking theater and I like the bee-like paint job on the honey business.

This next photo is just looking out the east end of Lovell.

A few miles outside of town I switch to Hwy Alternate 14, AKA 14A. I’ve ridden this road in the past and about 20 miles out of town is become very steep and twisty. I’ll be turning off just before that. Here are a couple photos where I turned off toward the campground, which is on old 14A.

This sign explains the history of the road.

On the way up the 2-mile ride to the campground, on a very narrow, twisty but paved road, I stopped for this photo.

While I was pulled over a pickup came by, heading downhill, and stopped to humorously ask me how I was going to haul a deer on my bike. I guess hunting season is on.

I arrived at the campground and negotiated the rough and rutted road to the upper campsites.

I was surprised to find 3 pickups and a utility trailer parked there. I parked and wandered onto the bridge that crosses the stream and saw that the group camping site had several very large tents and lots of camping equipment. Ah, it’s a hunting party. I’d noticed that the trucks all had California plates so it must be a guided excursion of some kind.

I grabbed site #8, which is the one I’d planned to get, and then walked back down the hill to register. Camping is $7 but half price with my Interagency Pass.

I got the bike unpacked and set up my tent.

I changed out of my riding gear and headed out for hike up to the water falls.

This is the lower falls. The upper falls are viewable but hard to get to. Here’s short video of them.

I’m no rock climber and when I saw the route to the upper falls I decided against it. A fall when out alone could have deadly results.

As it started getting dark I got my dinner ready.

It started looking like time to head for the tent.

I didn’t check the temperature but I think it was down to the upper-30s overnight. I had my heavier sleeping bag so I stayed plenty warm and serenade by the fast moving stream about 25-feet away from my tent.

Once it started getting light I got up and fired up the stove to make a cup of herbal tea. I noticed that the hunters were gone except for one truck left behind. I was surprised that they made almost no noise last night and had left this morning without waking me.

I had my breakfast and broke camp and loaded up the bike.

When I headed out, the air temperature was about 50 degrees. I headed back down that narrow road and pulled over a few times for photos.

Aside from the occasional pothole, one has to watch for rocks on the road.

I got down to Hwt 14A and headed back the way I came. I crossed the Bighorn Lake/River and had to stop for construction.

While waiting I also took this photo looking back.

I’d thought about turning north on Hwy 37 to checkout Horseshoe Bend along the river but all the truck hauling stuff for the road construction project were turning there and I wasn’t in a good position to do the same so I put that off for next time.

The rest of the ride back was pleasant. It stayed cool but by the time I got to the rest area outside of Bridger it had warmed up so I stopped to shed a layer and change to my lighter gloves. While I ate an apple a couple from Worden stopped and told me about their quick trip into Utah.

I arrived home after covering 237 miles in the two days, 23-1/2 hours after I’d left.