Was feeling a bit cooped up and needed to get out. I figured why not combine three things I like, camping, fishing and riding the motorcycle. I threw the tent, fish pole and gear in the bike. Packed a bit of food for lunch, dinner, and breakfast for the following day. I knew it was July 4th weekend and I was heading out on a Sunday so most of the camp sites would be taken. I figured if I could not find a camp site that was suitable, I would just ride and enjoy the day, and maybe stop to fish a bit. I left the house about 10 AM after kissing the wife and getting a kitchen pass signed off.
I had absolutely no idea where I was headed....other than into the great outdoors. I started out heading up I-84 that would give me options, I could go above Ogden Utah, or up into the Uinta mountain range. While going up the canyon I decided on heading to Hwy 150 or Mirror Lake Highway. If you ever get a chance to ride this road while traversing Utah I would recommend it. It goes basically east of Park City (via Kamas Utah) to Evanston Wyoming, and it is scenic to say the least. While riding towards that I came to a junction on I-84 that would either take me to Evanston Wyoming or towards Kamas. I decided it would be fun to take the 'back way' on to Hwy 150 and start from Evanston. So the wind blew me east more.
Pulling into Evanston I thought I would top off with fuel, just in case the day turned to more riding. This is where the wind blew me farther off course. I saw a sign that said to Yellowstone and Teton National Parks.... mmmmmm. What the hell. I haven't camped overnight in Yellowstone yet this year. It would be a good ride, about 5 hours. Would be fun to take Hwy 89 up through Wyoming and Jackson Hole, and I do like the scenery in Teton NP. So the wind blew me to the north. I called the boss and informed her that the winds shifted again and I was heading north.
Nice ride on the side roads up to Jackson Hole Wyoming, in Jackson there were only about 6 million people. Traffic came to a crawl, and there were tourists everywhere. I did not care, I was on the move... scooted right on through to Teton NP. I was feeling good and only saw a slight darkening of the skies. This is where I should have cut my losses. The wind blew me into a storm.
In Teton NP I entered the park with my Pass and saw on a board that three or four of the campgrounds were still 'open', only a couple were full (I did not pay that close attention, just saw some were still open). Wow, I thought, maybe I will find ONE open camp spot in Yellowstone. I have had good luck in the past staying at Lewis Lake CG. It is on the southern road below the loop and I usually can ride up there and find one open site. I figured that I would find a spot, pitch the tent and then go purchase a one day fishing license, and just fish the shore of Lewis Lake.
The skies got darker. I went through a squall and then it passed to the east. As I got closer to Yellowstone, the skies were ominous indeed. As I pulled through the gate, I found this board:
My gambling here was as bad as it is in Vegas. I lost the crap shoot. Oh well, I would just make it a full day of riding and head back home. West Yellowstone Montana is about four and half hours away from my home. I could scoot through the park, hit West Yellowstone for some fuel and then zip home on the slab. I was here about four in the afternoon, so I thought with a couple of stops I could be home in time to kiss the wife goodnight. Off I went through the park. What I should have done was turn around and go camp in the Tetons. But I am not that smart.
The skies opened up about the time I rod past Lewis Lake. The temp fell to a nice 52. And I was treated with a few up close (too close for my comfort level) lightning strikes. I zipped the vents closed, turned on my heated grips and heated seat (have I told you that I am a wimp?) and pushed through. About the time I hit Old Faithful I could see some light pushing through the rain clouds, I knew it could not last forever. I hit a couple of buffalo jams and elk jams, because people can not pull OFF the road to take pictures, they have to stop IN the lane....another jam at Grand Prismatic Spring as the tourist season is in full bloom. I finally got to West Yellowstone none the worse for wear.
Grabbed some fuel and a Poweraid, and hit the road. Ran through Island Park, and into Idaho Falls with no issues, and dried out some. About Black Foot Idaho I had remembered that I had not eaten anything today. Suddenly I was hungry and decided to jump off the slab and torture my self with a guilty pleasure of mine at a choke and puke. As sickening as this may sound to some of you, we do not have any Jack in the Boxes within a hundred miles of where I live. And I like their grilled sour dough burger. (Sick bastard I know) I jumped off at Pocatello which is the closet one to my home at about 150 miles away, and choked one down for the road. Navigated the construction areas (who chips and seals an Interstate?) and pulled into my home at about 10:30 PM. Rode about 700 miles, in about 13 hours, saw a high temperature of 94 on the FJR and a low of about 52 (felt colder). Ended up touching Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, did not get to camp, and all the fish are still safe from me.
It was a longer day and ride than what I planned for at the outset, but overall was a good long day of riding, I got see a lot of pretty country that some only see on their desktops. And a couple of buffalo thrown in for good measure.
Happy Riding, B
