Triumphrat

dogtired

If i can suggest a ride that will fill in half a day, try going over Highwood Pass.

This is not my photo, stolen from Wiki.

As you can see the scenery is pretty spectacular, while I was there I saw mountain sheep and moose. And it is quite common to see bears, even though I didnt. The road was in excellent condition, no real frost heaves through it. Quite a pleasant ride through a lot of twisty road.

It is about 70 mile out and 70 back, so around 140 for the ride, or you can do a loop down through cow town. (Calgary)

Not sure, but at 2,206 m (7,238 ft) I think it is the highest paved road in Canada.

Here is the Google Maps link.

__________________
I'd do me...

Deuteronomy 25:11-12

pgratton

That ride looks very doable. I have never heard of that pass, but if I dont hit it while Im up there, hopefully, I can take it on the way back to Colorado.

pgratton

I have arrived safely in Cody, Wyoming for my first days ride. Staying at the Beartooth Inn which is the first hotel when you first come into Cody. Left the house about 6:15 using the route that I got from the HD ride planner web page with the criteria of taking no highways. Took me on all back roads up to Ft. Collins and I stopped at Teds Place for gas, some water and some cookies, nice breakfast huh? Since it was nice and cool, I wanted to get as much riding as possible as I knew it was going to get hot so no time for a big eat. Took 287 up through Laramie and it was 72 so still cool. Stayed on 287 to Medicine Bow and again got gas. Seems the gas stations in Wyoming are few and far between so when you get to a half tank or less, and you see gas.....get it!. Took 487 up to Casper and again got some gas but by now Im getting hungry. Figured Id use the GPS to find some food, as I was looking for a diner or cafe or something like that. GPS told me the West Side Cafe was 1.8 miles so I followed the Aussie Jills voice and it took me to a Honda dealership.....no cafe in sight so had to settle for Subway. It was getting nice and hot too.

Hopped on hwy 20 heading towards Shoshoni where I got some more water and a candy bar and chatted with a couple of other guys on motorcycles. Between Casper and Shoshoni is a place in the middle of nowhere called Hells Half Acre. Its where the American Indians would run the buffalo right off the cliff to their deaths. Guess it made for easier hunting. And trust me, its in the middle of nowhere. From Shoshoni, I headed north towards Thermopolis and went through the Wind River Canyon along the Wind River. Was the only pretty part of todays ride. There is also a big reservoir there called Boyson Res. Took 120 all the way to Cody. Not much to see along the way but there were a few rain drops. Nothing much, didnt put any rain gear on and didnt get wet but at least the temps dropped some. Got to Cody about 4:30.

Total hours: 10
Total miles: 509

Loaded up and ready to go:



Wind River:



Beartooth Inn:



Cathy wanted to know if I saw any bears...well, here it is!!!!

pgratton

Today didn’t quite start off as planned. Got up at 5:30 so I could have the wonderful continental breakfast the Beartooth Inn was offering so I had a bowl of fruit, a blueberry muffin, some OJ and coffee. Then went outside and was saying good morning to my beautiful wife when a mother deer and her three babies went bouncing across the front lawn. Watched them cross the street without being hit then was checking out the sky, which was purple and there was lightning then the thunder and it looked really bad. Anyways, that kept me there till about 7:30 when the rain let up and the skies started to clear. Was headed to the Beartooth so was hoping for good weather. There were some other guys that were heading into Yellowstone but there was a mudslide at Sullivan Pass which is on the way to the west entrance to the park so their trip was going to be delayed. I opted to head out with a light rain as I had a long day ahead.

Headed out in a light rain which stopped within 5 minutes of me leaving and it was looking very clear. Headed out of Cody on 120 towards Chief Joseph Scenic Highway which I picked up a few miles north of Cody. The road was spectacular with wide sweepers and lots of scenery. Part of the road was under construction but was going slow enough to enjoy the scenery it really didn’t matter. Stopped at a scenic overlook for some pics at Dead Indian Pass. Was very cool up there. Ended up turning on the heated grips as I was using my summer gloves. Just needed a little heat is all. I fully expected to see some wildlife but didn't, just a few free range cows is all.

Came to hiway 212 which is the Beartooth Highway. Stopped at the Top of the world store and bought my obligatory t shirt. This is a must do road for any motorcyclist. I had done the road one other time but really wanted to hit it again. Wish I could take it all the way to Kalispell!!! By the time I hit Red Lodge it was already about 10:15 and now I was way behind schedule as I really wanted to make it to Kalispell for the night. Took 78 out of Red Lodge and hit Interstate 90 at Columbus. This is where I had to make the decision….do I try to make it to Kalispell before dark or do I keep on my scheduled route??? Well, I knew the Kalispell area as being wooded and was leary that if I got here after dark, the critters were more likely to be out and about so I decided to make up time on the slab, as Jimmy calls it, and headed towards Missoula on I 90. I googled mapped it and from Columbus to Missoula is 308 miles…all interstate..yuck. But, I did make up some time. It was not too bad as it goes along the Absoroka and the Bridger mountain ranges. A lot of I 90 goes right beside the Yellowstone River which I crossed at least 3 times.

Not much going on on the interstate and finally which seemed forever, I got to Missoula and was able to get off the slab. But it was still 122 miles to Kalispell. Was a pretty ride and as I got closer to Flathead Lake, the scenery got even better. All in all, I knew this was going to be my long day, I did survive and am safely in the wonderful Motel 6. Hey, its cheap!! I was quite hungry when I got here as my micky ds I had in Livingston had long since worn off. There is a Mexican restaurant right next door so I went and had dinner and a beer. I ordered a top shelf margarita but they only serve beer and wine so I settled for a Dos XX. Now I’m stuffed. Going to post this then do my pics.

Total miles for today: 608
Total miles so far: 1111
Total time in saddle today: 11.5 hours
Total time in saddle so far: 21.5

pgratton

Here a few pics of what the sky looked like when I was trying to leave Cody:




Does this look like a bear tooth?



Or does this?



Chief Joseph Scenic Highway:





I have more pics but will only post a few here. I can send them all to anyone who wants to see them.

dogtired

Mate, jonkster and I are about 150 miles behind where you took off from this morning, but wont catch you, as we will day trip out of Yellowstone for a couple of days. Loving your reports, we are practically following in your wheel tracks, both of us are blown away by the scenery.

Enjoy! You will love BC. If you get a chance, day trip the Icefields Parkway, I did it earlier this year, and even though it rained of biblical proportions, it was still stunning.

dog.

__________________
I'd do me...

Deuteronomy 25:11-12

pgratton

Dog, Im headed to Banff today after riding across Going to the Sun Road in Glacier then will head up in Alberta and ride the Highwood Pass on the way up as per your recommendations. Staying in Banff for 4 days to ride the Icefields parkway, see Lake Louise and maybe head up to Jasper for a day. Getting ready to head out once I get the Rocket all packed up. Ive been loving the scenery and know it will only get better. Enjoy Yellowstone, its like no other place on earth.

HAP

Fantastic photos of the journey PG. Ride safe and keep posting the photos of your trip please. Ride safe.

pgratton

Stunning!!! Magnificent!!! Fantastic!!! Fantabulous!!!! Words cannot describe…ok, enough about my wife. Hey a little sucking up might go a long way…but really, I have arrived safely in Banff and it is just gorgeous here. Help, I’m surrounded by beautiful mountains and I can’t get away. Heck, I think I might stay here a few days. I will post more later and give a good ride blog but I thought I’d post a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

Arriving in Alberta:



At Logans Pass atop the Going to the Sun Road. Road was under construction so my bike got kinda dirty. Saw the dreaded "Motorcycles use extreme caution" sign but it really wasnt too bad. A little wet and a little muddy but it was packed pretty good. No problem at all.




Shoes got a little muddy too:



Logans Pass sign atop the Going to the Sun Road:



Saw some big horn sheep going over Highwood Pass. Was fumbling for my camera and this guy came to check me out. Wasnt sure if he wanted to head butt me or lick the dirt off my tires.



He was pretty close!!!!



My living room for the next few days:



The view outside my living room:



Again, just wanted to post a few pics before I give my ride report. I have alot of pics but will only post a few here that might be of interest. I have to upload them one at a time and I always forget which ones Ive done and which ones I havent so bear with me.

pgratton

Chief Joseph Scenic Highway….check

Beartooth Highway and Beartooth Pass….check

Going to the Sun road…..check

Highwood Pass (highest paved pass in Canada)….check

Icefields parkway….soon

After spending the night in the luxurious Motel 6, I woke up early ready to hit the road. Was up at 5:30 and ready to hit the road by 6:30. Went to the front desk to get some coffee a little after 6 and it was locked. No coffee. Went back to room and finished packing up the bike and went to turn my key in and they were open, but I was ready to get on the road. I would have liked to have a nice breakfast so I asked the clerk where a diner or café was and she sent me down the road to a place called Scottys. Went to Scottys and it was Scottys Bar, no cars in parking lot so headed off to Glacier. I looked around town but it appeared everything was closed. Guess everyone is sleeping in on Sunday mornings. I was staying in Kalispell and it was maybe 25 or 30 miles to the east entrance to the park. I went by a 7-11 and had the 7-11 breakfast special….coffee and a granola bar, also grabbed some water for the ride.

It was still a little early in the morning and the weather was nice and cool. In fact, it was kinda cold as I had to turn on my heated grips again. Wasn’t cold, just cool but was a welcome relief of the 90+ heat I had been riding in the last two days. At the park entrance, the attendant took my $12 as I never bought my parks pass for this year. I passed McDonald Lake on the way in which is the largest lake in Glacier. The Going to the Sun Road was just that…going to the sun or going directly into the sun. I was staying on the west side and was heading east so had the nice sun in my face. The road is just a wonder. The scenery spectacular and a must do for anyone, either by car or of course….motorcycle. There was some construction on the way up but nothing too bad, just got the bike and my boots a little muddy. The water comes from the side of the mountain where the snow is still melting and making the road wet. There is lots of greenery and some pretty flowers growing on the side of the mountain. I think it’s called the Garden Wall for a reason. Stopped at the top of Logan Pass for my picture of the sign. There is a visitor center there but I didn’t go in. Went by St Mary Lake on the way out, another glacier fed lake. At this point, I'm getting hungry so I gassed up and was ready to hit the Curly Bear Café until I saw they didn’t open until 11 and it was only 10:15 so off to Canada I go. In Babb, I came across the Glaciers Edge Café and there were cars there, so I had the Babb special of eggs, bacon, hash browns, English muffins and coffee. Now I was ready for the road.

Out of Babb, I took highway 17 to highway 6 and through Pincher Creek. At the Canadian border, I was there maybe less than 2 minutes. He asked me few questions and was on my way. Tried texting home to say Im in Canada, but no service. From Pincher Creek, I hopped on highway 22 and headed north towards Longview. This was a nice scenic ride, rather long with lots of rolling hills and mountains in the distance. It is mostly farm land and did see a coyote out in the field. About the only wildlife I had seen up to this point was a few deer. From Longview, I took highway 541, a secondary road but well maintained. This ran right into highway 22. This was by far the best road today. The mountains are just majestic. Saw a few signs that said there were sheep the next several kilometers and sure enough, I ran into several of them. There was one close to the side of the road so I thought it would make a great picture, however, as I was trying to get my camera out of my jacket, he decided to come check me out. He came so close, as you can see from the pics and then a couple more showed up. I think he was literally licking the mud off my front tire!!! I also went over Highwood Pass and never knew it was coming until I was at the sign. As always, I have to get the pictures of the sign, so I U turned the big Rocket and got pics from both sides. The things I do for the pictures!! Anyways, there was not much traffic on the road until I got closer to Banff and Calgary and started hitting the camper convoys. Ended up passing them all and hit the Trans Canada highway about 35 miles or so from Banff. Took the first Banff exit and was at my home away from home the next few days, the Banff Rocky Mountain Resort. Its about 5 miles outside of the town of Banff which is a hustling and bustling little town with tourists everywhere. Too much traffic for me. The resort has a shuttle so if I want to go into town again, Ill take the shuttle.

Todays ride was by far the best yet. It was short and I could have easily kept going if need be but didn’t need be so here I am. Hope you enjoy the report and pics.

Todays miles: 374
Total miles so far: 1485
Todays time in saddle: 9 hours
Total saddle time so far: 30.5

Lake McDonald:




Breakfast at the cafe:



Park entrance:



St Mary Lake:



Glacier NP:

Goodbye USA, hello Canada:



Waterton:



Highwood Pass:



They own the road!!!!



Babies: