Day 15-Smith Center, KS to Kansas City, KS

Day 15/Smith Center, KS to Kansas City, KS  
Distance today: 286 miles

Total to date: 5182 miles

Low key day today but surpassed the 5K mark! 

We got on the road at 06 & were at Robert's place by 1130. Rolled past golden fields of wheat & monoculture at it's finest. Was jarring to return back to more populated areas from the open west. More traffic, more billboards, more electrical poles, more congestion, more people. Made me want to just turn around & head west again where a person can breathe!

But the one thing about travelling is that despite how remarkable all one sees, travelling only emphasizes what I do love about my home. And I miss my animal companions & friends, waiting for me back at my nest!

Robert's wife, Donna, who went to the Blue Ridge Parkway this weekend on her own Can Am trike, arrived at their place about 30 mins prior to our arrival so once we got the bikes settled, etc...we spent about 2 hours sharing what we had seen & done on our respective trips. Travelling really opens one's eyes to all the fascinating wonders our good ole US of A has to offer the wanderer! 

After a good NOLA style meal & a couple beers, we returned to their place. Everybody got on their respective computers to catch up-me on my blog. 

Still have tomorrow eve until my trip officially closes. My caretakers tell me my driveway is trashed from all the rain & in the short time I've been here at Rob & Donna's, my phone tells me that there has been a tornado & severe thunderstorm warning/watch. Looking at the radar, all I see is red around Hermann! Sure am glad I'm not travelling into that!! Hopefully tomorrow will have clear skies as I head ever eastward to home.

Looking forward to seeing my family as I head home, then my friends, critters & nest! There is no place like home! 

Day 14-Bridgeport, NE to Smith Center, KS

Day 14/Bridgeport, NE to Smith Center, KS  
Distance today: 323 miles

Total to date: 4882 miles

Not much to report today but are getting close to flipping into the 5K+ mileage!!

Still in rolling hills but they are green, as opposed to the gold of SD hills. Plan was to follow the Platte River for quite awhile on state hwy 30 east, which is parallel to the Platte until we were detoured to I-80, probably due to the Platte being way over it's banks. 

We both agree that we don't like interstates now....have finally converted Rob!!! So after being on I-80 some miles, I suggested we head south on a secondary road, then hook east again. Rob was all for this. 

So we are in another Mom & Pop place, the Buckshot Inn. Nice name eh? 

Another easy day! We stopped around 1430 today so Rob is doing his laundry & thanks to good internet speeds for a change, I'm getting current with this blog. Got completely caught up today! Yea!!! Maybe can sneak in a nap!

Tomorrow should reach Robert's home. I still have an extra day of travel, but am almost home & completing this adventure! No regrets, has been an outstanding trip!

Day 13-Bowman, ND to SD to Bridgeport, NE

Day 13/Bowman, ND to SD to Bridgeport, NE  
Distance today: 369 miles

Saw this sign & a sign below
it saying "for the next 13 miles"! Wow!

Total to date: 4559 miles

Today we travelled through 3 states (ND, SD & NE) on secondary roads. Was a great ride with more inspiring scenery! The landscape went from forest to plains & then back to forest & to plains again. 

We started off traversing the ND plains. Saw many animals, since it was fairly early. Saw antelope, grouse, & Robert saw a ring-necked pheasant, in addition to the domesticated sheep, cows & horses. Was kind of wild seeing no cross-fencing so guess they still just turn them loose. Didn't think people still could do this but apparently so. Saw alot of ranchers on their ATVs with cowboy hats on, checking their livestock. Makes me wonder how much acreage these folks have!?

One really great surprise was that we drove by the Crazy Horse Memorial. Didn't know we were going by way. A friend of mine had suggested seeing the "Devil's Tower" but we didn't go by there & I was kinda bummed about that, considering we ARE in SD. But when I realized that we were going by the Crazy Horse memorial, well I just had to go see this & pay my respects. Screw Mt. Rushmore!  

Aerial shot of current state
of the memorial

Final version of memorial

The Crazy Horse Memorial is a monument carved into stone & is under ongoing construction on privately held land in the Black Hills. It depicts Crazy Horse, an Oglala Lakota warrior, riding a horse and pointing into the distance. The monument has been in progress since 1948 but is far from completion. If completed, it may become the world's largest sculpture.

The memorial was commissioned by Henry Standing Bear, a Lakota elder, to be sculpted by Korczak Ziolkowski. Ziolkowski started blasting for the monument on June 3, 1948. When he began his work, Korczak was almost 40 years of age and worked until his death in 1982. During that time, he endured many hardships such as racial prejudice, financial burdens, and injuries from the work.  The monument is being carved out of Thunderhead Mountain on land considered sacred by some Oglala Lakota & is between Custer & Hill City, roughly 17 miles from Mount Rushmore.

Final version of memorial 

Note drawing of future horse's
head in white on face of rock.

I spent quite awhile looking around in the onsite museum, watching a video on how the memorial came to be & took a zillion pictures of some really intricate beading & other artifacts. Some of these pics are below. But the story behind this memorial is very interesting. Check out the history of the Crazy Horse Memorial  if you are interested!

Painting of final resting place

Great artwork!

More great artwork!

Never saw knives before!

Incredible specimens!

Very detailed scultures

Chief Standing Bear at sculptor
Ziolkowski's home in 1947

 

Can you imagine how long one would
have to work on this!?

Absolutely stunning against white leather!

So we cut further south, thru the Black Hills National Forest, which was another beautiful area. And got waylaid by more road work. You wouldn't believe how many sections of road that we traversed is being repaved & how many times we had to come to a dead stop & wait but all part of the adventure. Wasn't a big deal really.

Pactola Dam lake

And we also discovered the Pactola Dam Lake in SD! I have never even thought about a lake in SD! When I think of SD I think of rolling grasslands. But today we drove past this lake formed by Pactola Dam! And discovered that this west side of SD has coniferous forests. 

Further down the road we passed thru another town named Hot Springs. The Sioux and Cheyenne people were in this area, & utilized the warm springs. According to several accounts, including a ledger art piece by the Oglala Lakota artist Amos Bad Heart Bull, Native Americans considered the springs sacred. European settlers arrived in the second half of the 19th century. They first named this city as Minnekahta; it was renamed in 1882. The present name is a translation of the Native American name. A variety of health resorts were built on the basis of the springs.

This town supposively has around 35 buildings made out of red sandstone, which is plentiful in the area, in the red rock faced bluffs. Many had carved detailing on the face of the stone. Very neat building material & no maintenance!!  

Note carvings in stone

 Stayed at another Mom & Pop place, which did not have very good internet service. I've been frustrated at my attempts to remain current with this blog, because of the slow or nonexistent service! Small fly in the ointment for this trip however! Just grateful to NOT pick up any bed bugs or roaches on the trip!

Tomorrow we get to Kansas, which is Robert's home state. Won't be long now.....

Day 12-Red Lodge, MT to Bowman, ND

Day 12/Red Lodge, MT to Bowman, ND  
Distance today: 322 miles

Total to date: 4190 miles

Well looks like today we passed the 4K mileage mark! Very happy that no one has tried to kill either of us on our bikes, the bikes are running superbly & the trip has really been outstanding! I feel like an eagle or a hawk when flying thru the trees, mountain tops, & canyons!

We stayed in Red Lodge last night, which looked like another town I could settle in. Ironically ran into two guys from MO that were staying at our motel also & riding motorcycles. They are travelling west & hitting Beartooth hwy next in their travels. I told them they are in for a treat!! One thinks they are doing something kind of unusual, then you run into many others, each with their own stories, own destinations, & realize we are indeed all related-Mitakuye Oyasin. 

Took off this morn after checking out the very detailed & dowel-constructed bear made out of redwood or lodge pine, in front of our motel. 

Red Lodge Bear

the road goes on forever

ND colored rocks

Speaking of lodge pine, there are a zillion log cabins in MT. Unfortunately despite really liking this look, they all seem to look alike after awhile! I really liked the look prior to coming here but after seeing so very many, just got burned out on em! 

Then another day of driving thru a very different but incredible environ. I can tell we're getting out of the forests & coming into the badlands territories . The colors in the rocks are outstanding. What a beautiful & unique world we live in!

At this point we are deliberately planning our trip to avoid any interstates, if possible. The view never changes on the interstates it seems that, although I recognize the utility of getting from point A to point B, I still question why someone who doesn't have the time to savor & enjoy the trip would even go at all. Am very grateful to be able to have the luxury of time!!!  We've seen so very much going on the two lane roads that I just hate the idea of buzzing down an interstate & the view seldom changes. 

We also ran into some rain today. But when you have the right gear, no worries. The vast, unimpeded views still awe me. Seeing the storm coming across the landscape with the grey-blue continues to inspire me. 

Tomorrow we head south, through SD on hwys 85 & 385 & then into NE. This route will take us thru the Black Hills National Forest, which should be another area of outstanding scenery. 

Our trip is winding down. Rob & I are in a routine & compliment now each other as we travel. Good adventure. 

I must admit I miss my home, my family & friends & wonder what my animal companions are doing & if they miss me. My caretakers say my cat, Trouble, comes down when they go in my place to check on them, sees that they aren't me, then goes back upstairs. I wonder what my animals think of my absence? 

“She is free in her wildness, she is a wanderess, a drop of free water. She knows nothing of borders and cares nothing for rules or customs. 'Time' for her isn’t something to fight against. Her life flows clean, with passion, like fresh water.” ― Roman Payne

Silver

Day 11-Whitehall, MT to Red Lodge, MT (Yellowstone Nat'l Park II)

Day 11/Whitehall, MT to Red Lodge, MT (Yellowstone II)  
Distance today: 282 miles

Total to date: 3868 miles

Am still in awe of the MT scenery! And how cool is the name Red Lodge!! I think in my next life I'm going to live in MT!! There are days I sit on my own porch, looking around at the beauty & have to go inside because my brain gets overloaded with all the beauty around me. Same situation here. I scare can take it in. Just when one thinks they can't possibly see anymore beauty, then you look at something else & get blown away again!!

Roosevelt Arch at the North Entrance.
(Side walls are gone now.) 

Today we returned to Yellowstone National Park! According to Wikipedia, Yellowstone National Park spans an area of 3,468.4 square miles & was established on March 1, 1872. 

One can enter into Yellowstone National Park from the North, South, West, East or Northeast (see map below). Yesterday we came in from the west &, because I got overwhelmed by too many people, the crowding & time limitations, we booked out in about 20 mins. Today we came in the north entrance & man, did that make a huge difference!!! This entrance was very different than the west entryway. Narrower, less crowded & more to my personal liking. We rode our bikes around the interior loop, then exited out the NE exit, 

Map of Yellowstone Nat'l Park

I would have been happy to just see some buffalo in their natural setting. But today we saw bear, elk, deer, buffalo, & antelopes!!! Only fly in the ointment was people stopping in the middle of the road to watch animals. Since the road was only a two lane, when they stopped & remain stopped, everyone had to wait until they had seen all they wanted. Rangers were trying to move folks along but there were just too many people. But between the archaeological features,  
the vistas & the 'wildlife encounters', the trip was a huge success nonetheless. 

I also was really pleased to see some herds of buffalo!! I couldn't help but think that the Native Americans in this area viewed the herds just like I did today, even tho' there are far fewer buffalo than there was then. Perhaps someday their numbers will increase even more.  

We spent most of the day there, seeing many sights. I've posted some pictures below of features that I saw but these pictures just can not portray the natural beauty of this area. But one must see these things personally to really appreciate just how unique these wonders are.

Grand Prismatic Spring

Old Faithful 

Yellowstone Lake

One of many billboards along the
roadways about historical sites

Just another beautiful
Mt scene

mineral deposits 

sign in front of the area
pictured to left

Buffalo

Yellowstone prarie

Fire area regrowth

The wildfires during the summer of 1988 were the largest in the history of the park. Approximately 793,880 acres (1,240 sq mi) or 36% of the parkland was impacted by the fires. 

Click on any of these pics to enlarge

Caught this view when just mindlessly
driving past.

Beauty abounds!

After a really impressive day at Yellowstone, we exited the park, we travelled away from the area on yet another scenic highway (212). 

I couldn't believe that there was something even more impressive than what we had seen that day but we then went through another totally awesome stretch of innumerable 20 mph curves called Beartooth hwy. Heralded as one of the most scenic drives in the United States, the Beartooth hwy, passes through what is known today as the Beartooth corridor. This corridor is surrounded by the Custer, Gallatin, and Shoshone National Forests, traveling parallel to the Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, and abutting Yellowstone National Park, the Highway sits in a million-plus acre wilderness. Absolutely friggin amazing & what a RUSH!!!! 

This makes my heart
gasp, just looking down!

No guard rails & a longggggg way down! I
couldn't EVEN look away from the
road while driving!

Pulled this off the net cuz no place to pull over up there
to take a shot like this!

Couldn't believe these untouched alpine and mountain landscapes, lush forests, and alpine tundra & there was snow up there! Imagine snow in June!! This highway stretch covers one of the highest and most rugged areas in the lower 48 states, with 20 peaks reaching over 12,000 feet in elevation. In the surrounding mountains, glaciers are found on the north flank of nearly every mountain peak over 11,500 feet high. We had an absolute BKAST driving our motorcycles on this road & stopped at the highest elevation highway in Wyoming (10,947 feet) and Montana (10,350 feet). 

This is the highest elevation highway in the Northern Rockies! And yet with snow nearby, there were flowers blooming on the tundra. I took so many pictures that day my phone died BEFORE I got here! So you need to go see this yourself!!

Beartooth hwy topo

Day 10-Missoula, MT to Whitehall, MT (Yellowstone Nat'l Park I)

Day 10/Missoula, MT to Whitehall, MT (Yellowstone I) 
Distance today: 449 miles

Total to date: 3586 miles

I'm beginning to feel like a member of a touring rock band! I don't know what day it is half the time, what town we're staying in most of the time, or the name of the hotel we're in, on any given night! 

But it's still all good. Still enjoying the traveling. Am thinking about buying a 'vacation mobile' van of sorts. Kind of like a batmobile but just for travelling in. I want to take the grandkids, my kid & myself out & about so we can see some of this country. Some beater that I can throw all my camping gear in & sleep in if I want. 

No crowds or traffic here!

Today was another day of incredible scenery. I've always had a soft spot for Montana. I like the "Big Sky" saying for this state & actually went through a town by that name today on the way to Yellowstone.

Big Sky Country! Note wild sage in pasture above.

We are passing by alot of scenery & places I'd really like to have more time to check out. Went by the exit for the MO River headwaters, which would have been quite interesting. And still more Lewis & Clark (L & C) milestones & historical placards. A hotel highlighting Sacajawea. Creeks & rivers. Miss my fishing pole!! We are crossing over alot of waterways named for these two gents (L & C), in addition to a couple of presidents (Madison) that also had waterways named for them by L & C. I will definitely come back here one of these days to spend more time in this state. 

Today we crossed the Continental Divide for the second time. First time was at 7000 feet but this time was 6937 feet. That means we're on the home side of this incredible mountain range. Driving over this on a motorcycle is really quite the feat when on thinks of what effort was expended to put a highway over this mountain range!

One good thing about riding a motorcycle long distances, especially on boring interstates, is that you have plenty of time to think. Today my thoughts ran the gambit of imaging what life would have been on horseback, winding my way over the hills & valleys, spending time alongside the pristine rivers, imagining what the Native peoples' lives were like before Lewis & Clark opened the floodgates for homesteaders to this country, 

Gave thanks to the Great Mystery in this meadow. 

Sage grows wild almost everywhere so today I harvested a bit. Was out walking about in the countryside around Yellowstone, checking out the native fauna & saying my prayers. Hard to really concentrate about the content of my prayers as the mosquitoes were vicious! So was more brief & distracted than I wanted to be but know the Great Mystery will understand.

Can't get enough of the expansive sky here!

Shot of the various flowers & sage growing in the meadows.

I also am still in awe at the colors in the landscape, the rocks, the conifers & the sky. Just amazingly beautiful landscape!

We also had what I thought would be a fairly low mileage day. Today's motel was ONLY about 150 miles from our start point so I was really glad to have an easy day. However I didn't realize that the price of paying less for a room would be having to drive 2 hrs away to get to Yellowstone. So....we checked in early, dropped off the baggage in the motel room & off we went. Needless to say, we ended up racking up quite a few miles anyway! ARG! 

So we get to Yellowstone, which cost me $25 to get in on my motorcycle, & the place is way too packed! There is a two lane road going in & out & there was so much traffic that we just were a solid line of vehicles coming in & leaving the grounds. 

We went off on a side road hoping to find somewhere less crowded but ended up in a sea of humanity anyway. I took a couple shots of this really impressive waterway (see below). Then we tried to leave & crawled past about literally 100 people swimming upstream in this waterway I had taken the picture of. People were just everywhere! I'm not one for being around alot of people so ended up leaving after about 20 minutes. Just not worth it! I wonder when the best time is to visit this national treasure!? Tomorrow we are the area on the west side to get out via the east side of the park to continue our journey eastward. At least I got to see one elk female lounging next to a stream, away from the craziness, just watching the water flow by. What a disappointment! 

Bison were also supposed to be at large & 'on the roadway' but they were no where to be seen. Come to think of it, despite road signs warning of cows, deer, elk, moose, bison & big horn sheep in this state, I've yet to see much presence of animals! How strange. Have only seen about 5 animals total!

Anyway, tomorrow we head ever eastward after driving a circular path inside Yellowstone. Maybe tomorrow will be more productive. 

We are supposively 'on schedule' according to Rob's itinerary. I hate the idea of having to plan this trip based on a calendar, especially when we are both retired. But what can ya do? Next time..... 

Day 9-WA to ID to MT

Day 9/Randle, WA through ID to Missoula, MT  
Distance today: 511 miles

Mt. Shasta

Total to date: 3137 miles


Today was absolutely stunning scenary-wise & sheer hell mileage-wise! 

The scenery continues to be outstanding but we drove wayyyyy too many miles for this old gal! Robert is used to his motorcycle group knocking out 500+ miles each day when they travel. I just don't have that kind of mileage in me. The last couple of hours, was just sheer hell & I really do not want to travel this way. It is all about the journey NOT the destination for me. But we made it to Missoula. I told him...."never again" so hopefully we can compromise on our future day's mileage goals. 

Started the morn off with an incredible view of Mt. Shasta & the views justs stayed incredible the remainder of the day! We left the coast & are headed back eastward now. Eastern WA is vastly different from the coast. Gone are the endless conifers & waterways & enter the rolling dry hills of the Cascades. After being in complete & remote wilderness, being back in 'civilization' with the crush of cars, endless lines of stores, homes & businesses was jarring to my senses. I just wanted to go back into the wild. 

Fortunately we returned back to the trees & crystal clear streams that feed into the predominant waterways shortly thereafter. 

WA hwy portion of
NW Passage

Hwy 12, otherwise known as the Northwest Passage, had numerous Lewis & Clark waypoints were along this hwy & I really wanted to stop & read the boards strategically placed along the hwy. But the demands of the pace negated this idea. I will definitely come back another time when I can 'stop & smell the roses'. 

ID hwy portion
of NW Passage

This hwy apparently cuts quite a ways across the US. Wikipedia states, "U.S. Route 12 (US 12) is a major east-west U.S. Highway, running from Aberdeen, Washington, to Detroit, Michigan. It spans 430.80 miles (693.31 km) across the state of Washington, and is the only numbered highway to span the entire state from west to east, starting near the Pacific Ocean, and crossing the Idaho state line near Clarkston. It crosses the Cascade Range over White Pass, south of Mount Rainier National Park. Portions of it are concurrentwith Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 82 (I-82), although the majority of the route does not parallel any Interstate Highway. " Anyway, we were very happy to have stumbled upon this route. 

US map of hwy 12 

The Clearwater River follows 12 for a very long way! Wikipedia sez, "The Clearwater River is a 74.8-mile-long river in north central Idaho, which flows westward from the Bitterroot Mountains along the Idaho-Montana border, and joins the Snake River at Lewiston. In October 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition descended the Clearwater River in dugout canoes, putting in at "Canoe Camp," five miles downstream from Orofino. By average discharge, the Clearwater River is the largest tributary of the Snake River. The River got its name for theNiimiipuutímt naming as Koos-Koos-Kai-Kai - “clear water”.The drainage basin of the Clearwater River is 9,645 square miles (24,980 km2). Its mean annual discharge is 15,300 cubic feet per second ".  

I so wanted to jump into this river for it looked completely clear. I could see the rocks thru the water, even speeding by on two wheels! Saw 3 groups of folks on big inner tubes or other inflatables, just floating down the river enjoying themselves. I beeped at them & was wondering how the fishing was! 

Hermann on the map
(at white flag)

While somewhere along the Clearwater River we stopped to get a bite to eat & inside the restaurant they had a map where one could put a flag onto where they were from. I put Hermann on this map!!

Map of route

Eastern WA=VERY different
environ!!

Pano of Clearwater River

Clearwater River

Clearwater River

Clearwater River

We stayed on hwy 12 through WA, ID & into MT, directly into Missoula. 

Tomorrow we are hoping to check out Yellowstone. Unfortunately to get to Yellowstone we will have to get back on an interstate, as 12 merges with I-90. 

We were really worried about finding a room around Yellowstone. Some guy along the way told us he spent $49 for a room there. Then the next week he called to reserve this very same room & the price was $159! So this morning we started calling to find a place for the next two days. 

Wonder of wonders, we were able to get rooms for the next couple of days at Whitetail & Red Lodge-both for about $99! Good Karma!! 

Stepped outside to get a mileage reading off my bike & saw this crazy ass car parked right next to me! No one could make this kind of stuff up! 

Crazy ass car!

Someone put alot of
work into this vehicle!

Click on (any) photo to enlarge