Dan's Travel Adventures

There are days in motorcycling, rare days, where all the pieces are present to create a very special experience. Today opened with promise – all the pieces were possible, but that alone doesn’t transcend the experience.

The Antler Motel, in Greybull, WY is where we gathered last night. A special guest, old friend Greg V. who was on his own months-long odyssey, made the effort to find us along an ever changing path, so we could share a night, a meal, a fire and some stories. Always stories when we gather around a fire.

This morning, we woke, packed and said our goodbyes to Greg, and headed off for some very special roads. We started in the Bighorn National Forest, The southern end of which we came through yesterday. Routes 14 and 14a presented twisty roads and jaw dropping vistas. There is an internal struggle between running the pace to get the most out of the road versus slowing down to see the sites. We all strike our own balance. If you haven’t been to Bighorn, it evades description. Beauty, vastness…all inadequate.

Later, we head for what promises to be some of the best riding of the trip. Chief Joseph Scenic Byway, Rte 296 outside Cody, WY. This is a rider’s road, and we are blessed with dry pavement, elevation, chicanes, varying radii turns and plenty of passing zones. Mitch and I work together on some techniques, and when we pull into a turn-off, he is over the moon. A piece of his skillset has clicked, and he’s riding better than ever. It’s hard to find this experience…like building a roller coaster on the fly. Skills and judgement are critical, and when they coalesce it’s very fulfilling.

After Chief Joseph, we head east on Beartooth Pass. Much tighter and more technical, it’s a road to enjoy at a relaxed pace and take in the views. There are tight switchbacks as the narrow road snakes ever higher. There is snow alongside the road above 9,000 feet, and the summit is 11,000. It’s cold, windy and lightly snowing (without accumulation). We braved a couple pics, then put all our gear back on and hustled down the other side, into Montana and the Custer Gallatin National Forest.

Next it’s 78 out of Red Lodge, MT, which is a spectacular road by any measure, but almost mundane after Chief Joe and Beartooth. We struggle through. My helmet’s dark visor shields my eyes from the sun, but more importantly, masks from the world my childlike pleasure from what can only be described as playtime.

So the sublime must have these pieces – great roads, nice scenery, cooperative weather, a capable bike, the time to spend away from life’s obligations, and skills. The special sauce – that thing that takes it from great to amazing, is the fellowship. The common experience of having traversed and seen. The shared grins, the stories. Doing what you love is a blessing. Doing it with others who love the same thing is sublime.

Day miles: 377 Total miles: 2,753