Yellowstone/Billing Road Trip
When I heard about a trip being planned to Billings, Montana by way of Bear Tooth Pass, Jackson Hole and Yellowstone National Park, I jumped out of my shoes to sign up. One of my "LIFE QUESTS" was to see these three places before I could no longer ride someday.....and let me tell you, it is worth the trip.
Brad Beasley put together the itinerary since he had been there every year for decades, and he led us on an adventure we'll never forget!
We suffered through rain before we even got to Enid, and it rained on us at least briefly everyday, including horizontal hail near Jackson, Wyoming. But forget about the rain, the scenery (after you exit Oklahoma) is unforgettable. Jackson Hole (the trappers called a valley a "hole") near the Grand Tetons is absolutely breathtaking....and what a wonderful town Jackson is! We rode the entire "figure 8" area of paved roads through Yellowstone, seeing bear, bald eagles, moose, elk, gorgeous wildflowers, rippling lakes, stupendous falls, boiling mud and of course Old Faithful.
Beartooth Pass has been called the most beautiful highway in America, and it may well be. The mountain vistas are just incredible but sadly the bike driver is only able to take quick glances....concentration through the switchback pavement is rather critical, but one still gets "snapshots" that are awe-inspiring. We spent one day at the HOG Rally in Billings and left for the return trip through Colorado. 3205 miles in 12 days!
It's all about the ride and not the destination! If you care to look at a map, here are stops we made: Tulsa, Clayton NM, Chama NM, Fruita CO, Jackson WY, Mammoth Hot Springs, West Yellowstone, MT....Cooke City, MT....Billings, MT....Thermopolis WY, Steamboat Springs CO, Lamar CO, Tulsa. All the Tulsa Area#1 HOG Group met for dinner in Billings (thank you Reba) and had a group picture. I'm sure this will be shown around sometime soon.
If you get the opportunity, retrace our route you'll never forget the
journey. Call me I'll go again!
Paul
