Day Nine - Ride to Yellowstone

Today was our ride from Hot Springs, SD to Yellowstone N.P. in northwestern Wyoming. The bikes were packed and we headed out from the Sojourner Inn for one last breakfast at the Battle Mountain Bistro. After our farewell breakfast, we were on the road at 7:30am, heading west for the last time during this trip.

We made our way over familiar roads out SD 16 west through Wind Cave N.P. where we saw a good sized heard of bison. We actually had to stop as a group of youngsters were slowly crossing the road. A nearby Ranger used his Park SUV to hurry the buffalo off the road so we could pass.

We continued out 16 past Newcastle, Osage, and Upton. We entered Wyoming again saying good bye to South Dakota for the last time.

We made a quick stop at a rest stop along 16 for a little leg stretcher and bio-break.

 

After 15 minutes or so, we were back on the bikes and headed towards Moorcroft where we picked up I-90 West. About 30 miles west of Gillette, Tom keyed up on the CB and let me know that he needed to get some fuel at the next available fuel stop. We had travelled approximately 160 miles at this point. The next town of any size I saw west of us was Buffalo, WY approximately 40 miles away. About 5 minutes later, Tom keyed up again and said Buffalo was the next available fuel stop. I asked if he was okay to make it and he hesitantly said, “I hope so.” After each passing mile, Tom grew smaller and smaller in my rear view mirror. I backed down our pace to about 60 mph. I-90 is a 75mph Interstate. We were getting passed by 18 wheelers, motor homes, small pickup trucks with LARGE trailers, and other motorcycles pulling large camper trailers. In fact I saw a bird at one point flying faster than we were traveling.

We were going so slow that Michele was able to snap a picture of this interesting exit off of I-90. I decided not to stop there to check it out.

We passed a junk yard (or someone’s “classic car” collection). Perhaps Tom could siphon out some gas from some of those vehicles?

After much white knuckling from Tom (along with coasting down hills) we made it to Buffalo, WY. Tom filled up with fuel and found out that he had a whopping ¼ gallon of gas left. He commented that he even felt the bike sputter up the last hill!

After Tom recovered from his near heart attack of running out of gas, we headed back onto I-90 to Sheridan, WY where we got lunch. During lunch Tom and Julie quickly discovered that instead of diet Cokes, they had both been given root beers. Root beer … Diet Coke…. You can see how that order could get confused. Anyway, a lady (Wendy’s employee) was walking around and noticed Julie’s surprised expression after taking her first sip of her “diet coke.” She got the drinks fixed, offered us a mint and then talked to us about our trip. She mentioned that she had heard of construction on Rt. 14 Alt. going over the Big Horn Mountains (our planned route) and said 14 was the better way to go. Significant delays could be expected. Hmmm. Something to think about.

After lunch we made our way west up I-90 another 20 or so miles to Rt. 14. Rt. 14 is just 9 miles east of the WY/MT border. Today we would just be traveling in SD and WY. MT would have to wait for our return trip.

We passed through Dayton and immediately began seeing large signs with amber lights on them. The signs said “When flashing, return to Dayton.” During winter, Rt. 14 will get shut down during storms and theses signs let you know proceeding is not a good idea.

After passing through Dayton, (and the non-flashing warning signs) we immediately began to ascend the Big Horn Mountains. We had nice sweeping turns with a grade of around 5-8%. The views down to the valley we had come from were spectacular.

 

Half way up the mountain, we saw signs for road construction. Hmmm. Looks like the lady at Wendy’s had her information wrong.

The road construction was on 14 not 14 alternate as we hadn’t gotten to the 14/14 alt. split yet. We rode on the compacted dirt road for about 5 miles up the hill and around corners. Tom came on the CB at one point while we were on an uphill dirt climb behind a slow moving RV and said “I can’t go any slower!”

After coming out to pavement, we had a brief period of relief, only soon to be confronted with more dirt and gravel construction. This happened a total of three times.

Once past the construction, we entered Bighorn National Forest.

We made a quick stop at the 14 / 14 alt. split. The sign below gives you a good idea of the two routes down the mountain.

We took 14 Alternate. Before we got to the decent however, we ran along a high mountain valley at nearly 10,000 feet. The road was tame enough. The wind….well we had approximately 30 mph cross winds with gusts nearing 50 mph. That alone wouldn’t have been so bad except for the fact that the air temp was reading 53F on the Wing. Factor in the wind-chill factor and that cross wind was easily below freezing. We were also riding in open range territory. I haven’t a clue how these ranchers make it during the winter on top of the Big Horn Mountains. The snow, temps and wind must be fierce during the winter.

After about 20 miles of battling the cross winds in the mountain valley, we saw the end. We literally saw the end. The road and the earth fell away into nothingness as we approached the descent. It reminded me of the ascent of a roller coaster just before you drop over the top for the descent.

The road turned from flat to a 10% grading were we dropped 3,600 feet in only 10 miles. I had to put the Wing into 4th gear just to hold my speed under 60mph!

The road clung to the side of the mountain with shear drops just over the edge. The views reminded me of looking out an airplane window while landing, the earth slowly growing towards you as you descend.

With the drop in altitude so quick, Julie’s ears were not equalizing and she was clearly in pain. So, at the bottom we stopped at the Big Horn Canyon Recreation Visitor’s Center for a little rest and warming from the bone-chilling winds we had experienced high in the Big Horn Mountains.

Once again, we saddled back up on the bikes and made a run along 14 Alternate into Cody, WY about 47 miles away. Other than the road construction getting to Cody, it was relatively uneventful. Wyoming certainly does road construction differently than VDOT. In Wyoming, they dig up the entire road all at once and either force the vehicles to use the beat up gravel or hard packed dirt road, or force one lane traffic onto a poorly constructed shoulder of gravel.

Safely through the construction zones, we entered Cody. We were now only 100 miles from the Canyon Village in Yellowstone. I thought it a good idea to top off the bikes with fuel for our last run of the day. I had been monitoring a developing storm coming out of Idaho for a few hours and it looked like we were going to be getting wet. Instead of getting dinner in Cody, we thought it better to push on in the daylight hours and get to Yellowstone with poor weather approaching.

We got all suited up and just as we started to pull out of the gas station, it began to sprinkle. On our way through downtown Cody, the sky was turning into night time and lightning was frequent. Then it appeared as though a dust storm was approaching us. In reality it was a wall of wind that I would estimate to be pushing about 50+ mph. The wind was unbelievably fierce. It was pushing the bike nearly a half lane left when it hit us and I was only going 25 mph. Still, very little rain was falling at that point.

As we left Cody, the wind continued and then the rain picked up. We now entered the Buffalo Bill State Park and Reservoir and the wind was just howling. I was only able to comfortably do 45 mph on a 65 mph road. The cloud formations and lightning were very cool. The valley that 14 runs through in the park was equally spectacular with large yellow colored rock formations towering over both sides of the highway. With the rain, wind, dark clouds and awesome rock formations, it was truly surreal.

As we left the Buffalo Bill State Park, we left behind the strong winds and picked up heavier rains. We were now traveling through the Shoshone National Forest and although it was about 7pm, the light levels looked more like was 9pm, nearly dark. Then I saw movement to my right—it was a good sized-doe! I keyed up on the CB, “deer to the right”. I was on the binders slowing down mildly when the doe looked up at me and then darted across the road. I was really cranking on the brakes now as the animal crossed within 2 feet of my front wheel. Phew! That was a close one. Michele commented that it was so close she could see the expression on its face. What else was going to get thrown at us today? Rain. It started to rain harder now. I should have kept my thoughts to myself. LOL!!

 

We finally arrived at the southeast entrance to Yellowstone feeling battered. The Ranger took pity on us wet bikers and let us all go through without checking our passes. She told us to beware of fallen rocks on the road and “Bear Jams.”

As we entered Yellowstone the clouds began to part, the roads started to dry out, and the sun returned. A bald eagle was the first animal we saw in Yellowstone upon arriving. We rode past Yellowstone Lake and north along the eastern Grand Loop Road towards Canyon Village.

We arrived at Canyon Village at 8pm, checked in at registration and went straight to the dinning room for dinner. After dinner, we made our way to our cabin where we unpacked the bikes in the dark and got ready for bed. When Tom laid down in bed to go to sleep, he said it was sheer joy!

Today’s ride was a hard one. We were on the road for 13 hours, covered 500 miles, nursed out nearly every last drop of fuel in the tank, crossed over a 10,000 foot mountain range, rode through two states, endured tropical storm winds and rain, drudged through dirt and gravel roads, and narrowly avoided suicidal deer. It’s the kind of ride you look back on and have great stories to tell and laugh about. Certainly a ride we’ll never forget!!